Post Oscar Thoughts

I did not change enough of my picks is the obvious thing to start with.

I did not believe the Slumdog hype at first- then I saw the movie earlier today...yet, I still did not ride the wave that was the Millionaire. As someone who has been to Bombay (still Bombay to me and not Mumbai) and traveled through part of that wonderfully complex country I am very happy that the world gets to see first hand- even if only on screen what it is like there.

Best line of the night: Dōmo arigatō, Mr. Roboto
by Kunio Kato for his winning Animated Short Film: Le Maison en Petits Cubes.

Finally, we got to see Kate Winslet win an award. It's about time!

I liked the show tonight. Hugh Jackman was good though they should have used him a bit more.

The "In Memoriam" section was nice, but the camera was either too far away or it moved too much. Simplicity is always best.

Please bring back a mini screening/snippet of each picture nominated for Best Film. Its always nice to see more screen time for the big award.

That's it!

Oscar Picks 2009

I have not seen all the Oscar nominated (and/or worthy) films as of yet. So far, I've seen four of the five nominees for best picture- which is pretty good considering how few movies I've seen over the course of the last twelve months. I was going to see Slumdog Millionaire today, but my damn schedule got changed... so it was like this for me today: Me= screwed.

Best Picture

Slumdog Millionaire has ridden such a wave of notoriety in the last few months that it would be hard to say it won't win. I don't think it will, but again I have not seen it so it is extremely difficult to judge. Milk, while a very good film is all about Sean Penn playing the legendary Harvey Milk. The Reader is Kate Winslet being as good as she's ever been (and she's been great many times) instead of a worthy best picture. Frost/Nixon is also about performances more than the picture. So, that leaves Benjamin Button and Slumdog. I give it to the Button.

Should Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Might Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Will Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button


Best Director

In the race for best director, it kind of comes down to which bad ass, do it your own way director could win. I am going to eliminate Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon) & Stephen Daldry (The Reader) right away. Both put out good films, but in different ways they have been out classed this year. Danny Boyle, David Fincher & Gus Van Sant are all visionaries who play by their own rules outside of the Hollywood/Big Studio mentality. The question is: do you follow the sort of unwritten rule that the Best Director also directs the Best Picture? If you follow recent history that means yes. In the last 20 years, only 5 times have the nominees for director failed to share in the best picture win (Producers usually are called on the stage for that one unless the director also produces the picture or at least share a credit). So, the odds look great for David Fincher and I am going to stick with him. Who cares if I think he ripped off Robert Zemeckis and Forrest Gump a bit/a lot. It was still a damn good film.

Should Win: David Fincher
Might Win: Gus Van Sant or Danny Boyle
Will Win: David Fincher


Best Actress

Please Please PLEASE let it be Kate Winslet. Her body of work is extraordinary! 33 years old. Has made just under 30 movies. Six nominations for Academy Awards. She just gets better and better.

Should win: Kate Winslet
Might Win: Meryl Streep (you can never count her out...EVER.)
Will Win: Kate Winslet


Best Actor

So, is it really Mickey Rourke vs. Sean Penn this year? That seems to be the scuttlebutt that I read out there. Poor Brad Pitt seems to have fallen by the wayside- even past a career spanning performance by Frank Langella and an out of nowhere yet impressive performance from Richard Jenkins (best known as the dead dad in Six Feet Under). I've seen both The Wrestler and Milk. I liked them both but it is hard to get these facts out of my head: Micky Rourke is really playing the car wreck that has been his life last these past twenty years which perfectly mirrors what the main theme of The Wrestler is about: Redemption and Glory of what was & could have been... or Sean Penn giving one more great performance that seemed so genuine and atypical of a Sean Penn role. The Wrestler is a career achievement for Rourke and I hope to see him get more roles that harken back to the promise he practically had dripping off him in the 80's. Sean Penn will probably win this award and it will be well deserved, but Richard Jenkins scares me because the Academy likes to sneak up on you with Adrian Brody or Roberto Benigni. Of course, they could give Langella a career achievement sympathy award, but that would really piss me off since Peter O'Toole has never won the Best Actor trophy and Frank Langella is nowhere near the caliber of actor.

Should Win: Sean Penn
Might Win: Richard Jenkins or Mickey Rourke
Will Win: Sean Penn


Best Supporting Actress

It seems that the world is salivating for Penelope Cruz to win this award...or, they are just salivating for her in general and I understand that too. Amy Adams is going to win an award one of these days. She's smart, understated and kicks you in the gut when you see her on screen. But, her curse this year is that she is up against a fellow actress from the same movie in the same category (Viola Davis...certainly no slouch given her volume of work in television and film over the last ten years). That leaves Marisa Tomei who gets better and better (check out her performance in 2007's Before the Devil Knows You're Dead) & Taraji P. Nelson as the adoptive mother of Benjamin Button. Most of the time, these are always toss ups- even when a nominee is supposed to be a sure thing. So of course I am going with Taraji P. Nelson.

Should Win: Taraji P. Nelson
Might Win: Penelpe Cruz or Marisa Tomei
Will Win: Taraji P. Nelson


Best Supporting Actor

Is there really any doubt?

Should Win: Heath Ledger
Might Win: The Academy should consider closing up shop if they screw this one up.
Will Win: Heath Ledger


The rest of my picks:

Animate Feature: WALL-E
Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Cinematography: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Costume Design: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Documentary Feature: Man on Wire
Documentary Short: Smile Pinki
Film Editing: The Dark Knight
Foreign Language Film: Waltz with Bashir
Makeup: Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire
Original Song: O Saya (Slumdog Millionaire)
Short Film, Animated: Oktapodi
Short Film, Live Action: New Boy
Sound Editing: The Dark Knight
Sound Mixing: The Dark Knight
Visual Effects: Iron Man
Screenplay, Adapted: Doubt
Screenplay, Original: Happy-Go-Lucky

Oscar picks 2008

It’s Hollywood pat on the back time again- where millions watch the only award show that hardly matters anymore (because the Grammy’s clearly suck). Do the Oscars matter now that every network/magazine or blogger like me rates this stuff at the end of every season? Where are great stars of yesteryear like Cary Grant or Katharine Hepburn? Tom Hanks is not our Jimmy Stewart- he’s our Tom Hanks and that should be enough. Gone are those golden days of great movies. Sure, they churned out some lower grade films then, but do we really need absolute crap like Witless Protection or yet another Rambo movie? Clearly, there are enough morons out there (studio executives who green light this junk & idiots who fill the seats) who say yes. Okay, stepping off the step stool now and my mega horn is thrown away.

Best Picture

Not only do I think No Country for Old Men is the best picture, but it was my favorite movie last year. The Coen brothers have done it again. There Will be Blood is only good because Daniel Day-Lewis did some kick ass (I drink your milkshake!) acting in it. Paul Dano was chronically under used in his role & left out of the Oscar party. Juno, while very good was too cutesy for a best picture win. Atonement was not good enough. In any other year, Michael Clayton would be the front runner but there will be no denying the Coens.

Should Win: No Country for Old Men
Might Win: Cannot see any possibility of another movie winning
Will Win: No Country for Old Men

Best Director

Yeah, you might think I am biased here with my pick of the Coens. This film elevates their already lofty status to new heights. Paul Thomas Anderson is the serious competition here and I don’t think he going to get it (This is not even P.T.A.’s best movie- Boogie Nights easily gets the nod with Magnolia right behind it). The other three are mere window dressing. This race is the one that might be the tightest to call.

Should Win: Joel and Ethan Coen
Might Win: Paul Thomas Anderson
Will Win: Joel and Ethan Coen

Best Actress

This is a two horse race: Marion Cotillard in a movie that no one has seen & Julie Christie in another movie that no one has seen. Ellen Page got the late year push from Juno, but her role is mostly charming smart-ass quips and not great acting (the real gem in Juno is the writing- Thank you Diablo Cody). Laura Linney is solid in just about everything she does and I am waiting for a big role to come her way so she can really shine. Cate Blanchett is not going to win this year in this category since she is nominated twice. That leaves Cotillard and Christie. Gut feeling is Christie takes it as she is an established name.

Should Win: Laura Linney
Might Win: Marion Cotillard
Will Win: Julie Christie

Best Actor

Daniel Day-Lewis vs. the world on this one. His competition is filled with worthy actors. George Clooney might prove us all wrong. Tommy Lee Jones doesn’t have a real chance in a movie most people did not see. Johnny Depp is a good actor, but is wearing out his welcome in quirky roles (note to Depp: please stay away from Tim Burton for a long, long, LONG TIME). Viggo Mortensen in a powerhouse role will not win either (the Academy likes the Best Actor Winners to be in dramas. Only four winners since 1980 featured actors in terribly violent roles: De Niro, Hopkins, Crowe & Washington)

Should Win: Daniel Day-Lewis
Might Win: George Clooney
Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis

Best Supporting Actress

Best Supporting Actress is always an interesting one to try to figure out. Will it be another year of an out of the blue winner like Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) or Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone)? Will it be a year for an established background actress to be recognized like Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)? There is always the sympathy vote for a veteran actress like Ruby Dee who has never been nominated and Oscar likes to give these out for career achievement. Then you have the actress who really deserves it like Cate Blanchett (I’m Not There). There should be no question here… yet there always is.

Should Win: Cate Blanchett
Might Win: All four besides C.B., but the lean is towards Ruby Dee
Will Win: Cate Blanchett

Best Supporting Actor

Unlike its sister category, I don’t see the same kind of out of the blue possibilities every year in this race. Javier Bardem should win this easily friend-o. There is stiff competition with Philip Seymour Hoffman in the mix (hell, he could be tough to beat in three roles this year: The Savages, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead & the nominated role in Charlie Wilson’s War). New comer Casey Affleck is this year’s Ryan Gosling. Tom Wilkinson is A-1 in Michael Clayton but would rate #3 in this year’s category. Hal Holbrook should escort Ruby Dee down the red carpet as he is her counterpart this year though I give him no chance.

Should Win: Javier Bardem
Might Win: Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Academy loves to have actors with Best Actor & Supporting Actor Oscar’s: There are currently six)
Will Win: Javier Bardem

The Rest of my Picks:

Animated Feature: Persepolis
Art Direction: Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Cinematography: No Country For Old Men
Costume Design: Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Documentary Feature: War/Dance
Documentary Short: Salim Baba
Film Editing: No Country For Old Men
Foreign Language Film: The Counterfeiters
Makeup: La Vie en Rose
Original Score: Michael Clayton
Original Song: Once
Short Film (animated): I Met the Walrus
Short Film (live action): At Night
Sound Editing: The Bourne Ultimatum
Sound Mixing: Ratatouille
Visual Effects: Transformers
Screenplay (adapted): No Country For Old Men
Screenplay (original): Juno

Post Oscar Award Thoughts

This year was by far, the worst year I’ve had for Oscar predictions in quite some time. Only 13 right out of 24 does not sit well with me. I guess that is what happens when you don’t do your home work on all the smaller categories (which is usually where I clean up). Still, I did get all 4 acting categories correct (who couldn’t get at least 3 of them right this year with Hudson, Mirren & Whitaker already winning most of the previous award shows & critics polls).

Marty got the sympathy vote.

There, I said it and I think a lot of you out there might think the same thing. Of the five films nominated for Best Picture, I would rank it no higher than third or even fourth. Still, it is nice to see him get an award that should have been given to him twice before.

Helen Mirren gave the best acceptance speech of the night- elegant, reserved, respectful, charming & most of all gracious.

I hope Clint Eastwood really forgot his glasses up there when he was speaking of Ennio Morricone. He looked bad, sounded bad & I believe he knew it.

I liked how the presenters read the script dialogue when presenting the screenplay nominations.

I disliked how the Academy presented the best picture nominations. Please go back to a blurb about the film and then showing a scene from the movie. This was a big, big let down.

Again, the Academy botches up the acceptance speech timing ritual. Let these people speak! This after show speech/web cam thing is for the birds. The spontaneity is gone when you do it that way. Block the show out for 5 hours and be done with it!

Ellen did a great job hosting. I wish there had been more of her in the show.

Oscar picks 2007

It is that time of year again. All the guests are dressed to the nines (some of them to the eights and even worse if they wear frumpy dresses or badly tailored suits) eagerly waiting to hear their name called to grab the golden phallus--- err, sorry I meant the golden statue.

While I have favorite performances, movies and things I liked about movies from last year, my picks for the Oscar’s this year are picks only and not favorites (Unless, heh heh, I say they are).

Best Picture

Toughest category to call this year. Of the five up for the award, I liked Little Miss Sunshine the best from last year (see: December 2006 archives - Movies, Best of 2006). I think it will follow in the path of Crash which came from nowhere last year to pick up the award. Babel is this year’s wild card for me. You can talk Marty up all you want with The Departed, but the movie leaves you cold… especially that trite trick with the rat at the end.

Will Win: Little Miss Sunshine
Should Win: Little Miss Sunshine
Might Win: Babel

Best Director

Another tough call. Clint Vs. Marty and I believe they cancel each other out. Clint made one great movie (Letter From Iwo Jima) & one good movie (Flags of Our Fathers). Honestly, I think Letters kills The Departed and Flags is about equal to Marty’s film. If Clint were to win one more directing award it would put him way into the stratosphere of the who’s who in directing realm. Now don’t get me wrong about Marty. I like his work for the most part. He was ripped twice for best picture (Raging Bull lost to Ordinary People & Goodfellas to Dances with Wolves) & some would argue a third time when he lost out for Taxi Driver against Rocky… Network was better than both of them. My fear is that Marty is going to get the sympathy pick for getting screwed a few times (though I think he may eventually have to wait for the Lifetime Achievement Oscar). Stephen Frears did a good job with The Queen, but that movie is all Helen Mirren all the time so he is out. That leaves Paul Greengrass for United 93 and Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu for Babel. If the academy members have any balls, it would vote for Greengrass for making the bravest film in years, however it will not happen. His nomination was the prize for him. That leaves Iñárritu as the pick.

Will Win: Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu
Should Win: Paul Greengrass
Might Win: Martin Scorsese

Best Actress

Would love to see where the 2^nd and 3^rd place numbers were against Helen Mirren. If there is a sure thing this year for the Oscar’s it is Mirren’s performance in The Queen. Streep & Dench have their awards while Cruz and Winslet will have to wait a while longer (not much longer I think for Kate Winslet). Nothing more to say. Mirren is a lock.

Will Win: Helen Mirren
Should Win: Helen Mirren
Might Win: Helen Mirren you dope!

Best Actor

This is one of the other tricky categories. On one hand, you have Forest Whitaker winning every award possible leading up the big night (I think the girl scouts gave him and award as well, or maybe they sent him some mint cookies). On the other hand, you have Lawrence of Arabia himself: Peter O’Toole. And, he is waaaaaaaaaaaay over due for an award. Nominated seven time previously for pictures such as: The Ruling Class, Becket, The Lion in Winter & the afore mentioned Lawrence of Arabia. My problem here is that he did a great job in a lackluster film but because he has been snubbed a few times (How in the HELL did he not win for Lawrence of Arabia!!!!) so the sympathy vote is possibly being called in for him. As for the others- Gosling is in a movie that no one has seen (has not played where I live and everything comes here), DiCaprio was nominated for the wrong role & Will Smith was in a People’s Choice type of film that many in the Academy will not likely vote for. That leaves Forest Whitaker & he should win this award easily.

Will Win: Forest Whitaker
Should Win: Forest Whitaker
Might Win: Peter O’Toole

Best Supporting Actress

Jennifer Hudson seems to be the front runner for this year. She’s the American Idol darling who has stolen the spotlight from Beyonce (I bet’s she’s really p*ssed). I have not seen Dreamgirls and probably will not see it as musicals are not really my thing where movies are concerned. The math in this category is fairly simple: Babel’s dual BSA nominations cancel each other out (though I loved Rinko Kikuchi’s startling performance). Cate Blanchett is already a winner from a few years ago. That leaves little Abigail Breslin from Little Miss Sunshine. Hudson gets the nod.

Will Win: Jennifer Hudson
Should Win: Rinko Kikuchi
Might Win: N/A

Best Supporting Actor

Another difficult category to pick. This one seems to be all about Eddie Murphy channeling James Brown’s celebrity hot tub from Saturday Night Live into a movie. I’m not buying it though I do hear and read that he did a great job. Mark Wahlberg received the only acting nomination from The Departed. I am not sure what this is supposed to tell me though I think Wahlberg has turned out to be a fine actor after paying some serious dues (good lord, he was the head of the Funky Bunch at one time!). Djimon Hounsou was very good in Blood Diamond, but he was even better in Amistad or In America. That leaves the front runners: Alan Arkin and Jackie Earle Haley. Arkin will probably win and he’ll deserve it for the quality and quantity of work he has brought to the screen. Haley should win this award outright for his difficult role in Little Children as a tortured, sick man who has… ahem, a problem being around the, uh….well you can figure it out from the title. When he has his meltdown at the end of the movie, you feel a sympathy for him that you never thought possible and that folks is acting at its finest. I'm hoping he wins because Chris Cooper played a fairly seedy, down on his luck character to Oscar gold a few years ago in Adaptation. Besides, he was Moocher in Breaking Away dammit! He should win.

Will Win: Alan Arkin
Should Win: Jackie Earle Haley
Might Win: Eddie Murphy

The Rest of my Picks:

Animated Feature: Cars
Art Direction: Pan’s Labyrinth
Cinematography: Children of Men
Costume Design: Marie Antoinette
Documentary Feature: An Inconvenient Truth
Documentary Short: Two Hands
Film Editing: Children of Men
Foreign Language Film: The Lives of Others
Makeup: Pan’s Labyrinth
Original Score: Babel
Original Song: Listen
Short Film (animated): No Time for Nuts
Short Film (live action): Helmer & Son
Sound Editing: Letters From Iwo Jima
Sound Mixing: Pirates of the Caribbean
Visual Effects: Pirates of the Caribbean
Screenplay (adapted): Notes on a Scandal
Screenplay (original): Little Miss Sunshine