Oscar Wild

Official Oscar Predictions

2012-01-23T12:54:00.000-08:00

2011 is perhaps the most uninteresting Oscar race I've ever witnessed in my 18 years of obsessive Oscar following. That being said I'm still unbelievably excited for tomorrow's nominations. No matter what happens in life, Oscar nomination morning is my Christmas morning. I go to sleep with tons of anticipation, wake up early and always eagerly anticipate the gift's that Santa has left under the tree - Oscar wise that is.

So here goes. Here are my official nominations for the 84th Annual Oscar Nominations:

Best Picture
Hugo
The Artist
The Help
Moneyball
Midnight in Paris
The Descendants
Tree of Life

Best Director
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
David Fincher - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Martin Scorsese - Hugo

Best Actor
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Michael Fassbender - Shame
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
Michael Shannon - Take Shelter

Best Actress
Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis - The Help
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton - We Need to Talk About Kevin
Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh - My Week with Marilyn
Albert Brooks - Drive
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Nick Nolte - Warrior
Christopher Plummer - Beginners

Best Supporting Actress
Bérénice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help

Best Original Screenplay
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
Asghar Farhadi - A Separation
Michel Hazanivicius - The Artist
Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig - Bridesmaids
Will Reiser - 50/50

Best Adapted Screenplay
Aaron Sorkin & Steven Zaillian - Moneyball
Tate Taylor - The Help
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash - The Descendants
John Logan - Hugo
Steven Zaillian - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

UPDATED OSCAR PREDICTIONS

2011-12-15T12:52:00.000-08:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Yes, yes it is because it's Oscar season! I love seeing the critic top ten lists being unveiled day after day and the precursor awards that essentially shape who we will see come the January 24th nomination morning.

NBoR and BFCA announced last week and SAG and Golden Globes announced this week. It's amazing to see what is really a contender and what is dead in the water at this point.

Here are my current Oscar predictions:

Best Picture

War Horse
The Artist
The Help
The Descendants
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
Drive
Tree of Life
The Ides of March

Best Director

Martin Scorsese - Hugo
Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Stephen Spielberg - War Horse
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist

Best Actor

Michael Fassbender - Shame
George Clooney - The Descendants
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Leonardo DiCaprio - J. Edgar

Best Actress

Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis - The Help
Tilda Swinton - We Need To Talk About Kevin
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor

Albert Brooks - Drive
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Kenneth Branagh - My Week with Marilyn
Nick Nolte - Warrior

Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Janet McTee - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help
Shailene Woodley - The Descendants

Is it Oscar season all ready?

2011-11-29T13:27:00.000-08:00

First Official Oscar Predictions of 2011:

Best Picture
Hugo
The Artist
The Descendants
War Horse
Extremely Close and Incredibly Loud
Moneyball
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Tree of Life
Drive

Best Director
Stephen Spielberg - War Horse
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
Michael Hazanavicius - The Artist
Terrence Malick - Tree of Life
Alexander Payne - The Descendants

Best Actor
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Michael Fassbender - Shame
Woody Harrelsen - Rampart

Best Actress
Elizabeth Olsen - Martha Marcy May Marlene
Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis - The Help
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks - Drive
John Hawkes - Martha Marcy May Marlene
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Jim Broadbent - The Iron Lady
Corey Stall - Midnight in Paris

Best Supporting Actress
Shailene Woodley - The Descendants
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Octavia Spencer - The Help
Bérénice Bejo - The Artist
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs

Final no holds barred Oscar Predictions 2011.

2011-02-27T08:49:00.001-08:00

Best picture: The King’s Speech

Best director: David Fincher, The Social Network

Best actor: Colin Firth, The King’s Speech

Best actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Best supporting actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter

Best supporting actress: Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Adapted screenplay: The Social Network

Original screenplay: The King’s Speech

Best animated feature: Toy Story 3

Best art direction: The King’s Speech

Best cinematography: True Grit

Best costume design: Alice in Wonderland

Best documentary feature: Inside Job

Best foreign language film of the year: Incendies

Best film editing: The Social Network

Best documentary short subject: Strangers No More

Best makeup: The Wolfman

Best original score: The Social Network

Best original song “We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3”

Best animated short film: The Gruffalo

Best live action short film: God of Love

Best sound editing: Inception

Best sound mixing: Inception

Best visual effects: Inception

Final Oscar Predictions 2010.

2011-01-24T15:16:00.000-08:00

I love Oscar morning. It's better than Xmas morning. I have stayed home from school/work every year since 1995 and waited with baited breath for the nominations. I love hearing the announcement of surprise nominees (2003's Keisha Castle Hughes for Best Actress, The Blind Side for Best Picture in 2009 and 2008's Best Actress, and not Supporting, nomination of Kate Winslet for The Reader) and the big snubs (2008's The Dark Knight snub for Best Picture and Director, Sideway's Paul Giamatti in 2004 for Best Actor and Mulholland Drive's Naomi Watts for Best Actress in 2001).

There are always surprises and always snubs. 2009's lineup was fairly predictable, while 2008 was full of pleasant and not so pleasant surprises. Where will this year fall? We are only 12 hours away.

Here are my final official predictions:

Best Picture
The Social Network
The King's Speech
Inception
The Fighter
Black Swan
Toy Story 3
True Grit
127 Hours
The Kids Are All Right
The Town

(alt. Winter's Bone)

Best Director
Christopher Nolan - Inception
David Fincher - The Social Network
Tom Hooper - The King's Speech
Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan
David O. Russell - The Fighter

(alt. The Coen Brothers - True Grit)

Best Actor
James Franco - 127 Hours
Jeff Bridges - True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network
Colin Firth - The King's Speech
Robert Duvall - Get Low

(alt. Mark Wahlberg - The Fighter)

Best Actress
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine
Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right

(alt. Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit)

Best Supporting Actor
Andrew Garfield - The Social Network
Christian Bale - The Fighter
Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech
Jeremy Renner - The Town
Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right

(alt. John Hawkes - Winter's Bone)

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams - The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech
Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom

(alt. Mila Kunis - Black Swan)

Best Original Screenplay

The Fighter
The Kids Are All Right
Inception
The King's Speech
Black Swan

(alt. Blue Valentine)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Winter's Bone
Toy Story 3
The Social Network
Winter's Bone
True Grit

(alt. The Town)

Go for broke prediction: Hailee Steinfeld takes a spot in Best Actress knocking out Michelle Williams and Mila Kunis gets her spot in Supporting Actress.

Happy Oscar nom morn everybody.

Golden Globe Reactions.

2011-01-19T12:13:00.000-08:00

The Golden Globes were handed out on Sunday night and things suddenly became a lot more clear in this year's Oscar race. I will do my best in this blog to make sense of what we learned from Sunday awards.

First let me address the TV award winners. I was all over the place in my TV predictions. But I have learned this: if you are an actor in a new show or simply a new show that has a sufficient amount of buzz, you will win a Golden Globe. The Globes love anything that's new (see this year's big wins for Boardwalk Empire, Steve Buscemi, Katey Segal, & Laura Linney). They always have and I should never believe they would actually reward the truly deserving Elisabeth Moss, 4 seasons deep into Mad Men.
While was thrilled for Chris Colfer's win and I love the fact that he is becoming the standout star of Glee, I will not believe that Glee is the best comedy on TV. 30 Rock and Modern Family are in a different Universe. But I guess it's simply the newest buzz-worthiest comedy on TV. I have almost no faith in the Globe TV awards because new doesn't mean best. Rant over.

Now let's move onto the Oscar race. (I did do very well in my Globe film predictions by the wya, 12 out of 14 correct). Let's talk through each category post Golden Globes.
Best Picture: Critics and Oscar bloggers were saying that The King's Speech still had what it took to win Best Picture if it won at the Globes, however now I think it's safe to say things are a done deal. The Social Network will win Best Picture. It has won everything on the map.
Best Director: David Fincher will win Best Director. Also a done deal. He's well respected and he did great work with The Social Network. I'd be inclined to vote for Christopher Nolan though.
Best Actor: Colin Firth wins Best Actor Drama and cements himself as the front runner over James Franco. It was nice to see Paul Giamatti win for Barney's Version. Being Canadian and loving his love letter speech to my homeland, made me very happy to see this happen. However, Giamatti is a very very long shot to get into the top 5 actor race come Oscar.
Best Actress: I don't think we are any clearer in terms of a clear cut victor in this race, Bening wins in Comedy and Portman wins in Drama. However I did notice an unbelievable amount of support for Portman when her name was announced among the nominees for Best Actress drama. Her speech was absolutely charming and lovely and she looked radiant. I know it sounds trite to say she was charming in her speech and looked pretty, but in terms of the Oscar race these things actually matter. I think Portman is still in the lead. I think people want her to win this Oscar. I think Black Swan has more support overall than The Kids Are All Right (Aronofsky will be among the nominees for director while Lisa Cholodenko will not be). I think the Oscar is Portman's. I would be shocked if Bening won at this point.
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale wins the Globe and will win the Oscar. Geoffrey Rush, Bale's toughest competition, won't be able to trip him up. Plus support for The King's Speech will undoubtedly be thrown in Firth's direction.
Best Supporting Actress: This is the race with the largest question mark in front of it. This year it seems to suffer from the fact that no one really deserves the award. There is a Mo'Nique type performance in the category. It seems to be a category of performances that other years usually fill out a Best Supporting Actress category. Melissa Leo wins the Globe. She also won The Critics choice award but was not even nominated for The BAFTA. Some bloggers have said Helena Bonham Carter could win, but it isn't really a winning performance just nice, solid work. Amy Adams is great in The Fighter, but it's not the role one wins an Oscar for. Hailee Steinfeld (who strangely was not nominated for a Globe) could actually win this category, that is if she's not nominated for Best Actress come Oscar time. If I were to bet right now, I would bet on Melissa Leo. If she wins the SAG, she's pretty much guaranteed an Oscar and it looks like the cards are falling that way.

Oscar noms are less than a week away. It's Oscar fans Xmas morning on Tuesday. Most categories are pretty sewn up in terms of 3 or 4 nominees. But I expect some surprises. Time to get excited!

Golden Globe Predictions

2011-01-16T14:10:00.000-08:00

Here are my last minute, no holds barred Golden Globe predictions.

Film

Best Picture - Drama - The Social Network
Best Picture - Comedy or Musical - The Kids Are All Right
Best Actor - Drama - Colin Firth - The King's Speech
Best Actor - Comedy - Johnny Depp - Alice in Wonderland
Best Actress - Drama - Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Best Actress - Comedy - Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
Best Supporting Actor - Christian Bale - The Fighter
Best Supporting Actress - Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Best Director - David Fincher - The Social Network
Best Screenplay - The Social Network
Best Foreign Film - Biutiful
Best Animated Film - Toy Story 3
Best Original Song - You Haven't Seen the Last of Me - Burlesque
Best Score - The Social Network

TV

Best Drama Series - Boardwalk Empire
Best Comedy Series - Modern Family
Best Actor Drama Series - Michael C. Hall - Dexter
Best Actor Comedy Series - Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Best Actor Miniseries/Movie - Al Pacino - You Don't Know Jack
Best Actress Drama Series - Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men
Best Actress Comedy Series - Laura Linney - The Big C
Best Actress Miniseries/Movie - Claire Danes - Temple Grandin
Best Supporting Actress - Jane Lynch - Glee
Best Supporting Actor - Eric Stonestreet - Modern Family

Catching up with this Oscar race in 2011

2011-01-13T08:26:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year. Wishing everyone the best in 2011!

Here we go. We are now in the home stretch of the Oscar race. The holiday release rush is over and things are getting more and more clear by the day. I have been able to see the few remaining contenders that I had yet to see: True Grit, The Fighter, and Blue Valentine.

Since we left off before the new year we had yet to see the Director's Guild of America nominees, the Producer's Guild nominees and The National Society of Film Critic Awards. Every day a new set of Guild nominations come out but I see The DGA and PGA as the most prolific in terms of their affect on the Oscar race.

DGA noms went as followed:
David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
David O. Russell, The Fighter
Christopher Nolan, Inception

Reactions: The big shock here is the lack of the Coen Brothers for True Grit. I am not entirely surprised as the Coen Brothers have put out so many superior efforts over the past decade. I am very surprised to see David O. Russell on this list for The Fighter. The Fighter seemed to me to be a film that would be recognized for its performances and left out of the larger categories but it seems there has been a shift of support for the film. I expect Russell to be left out of the top 5 come Oscar time in favor of the Coen Brothers. Would have loved to see Debra Granik for Winter's Bone, but we can't win them all. I am also surprised to see Danny Boyle left off this list for what I feel is superior work to his DGA winning Slumdog Millionaire.

PGA Noms:

127 HOURS
Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson

BLACK SWAN
Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver

INCEPTION
Producers: Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas

THE FIGHTER
Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Producers: Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray

THE KING’S SPEECH
Producers: Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin

THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Producers: Dana Brunetti, Ceán Chaffin, Michael De Luca, Scott Rudin

THE TOWN
Producers: Basil Iwanyk, Graham King

TOY STORY 3
Producer: Darla K. Anderson

TRUE GRIT
Producers: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin

Reactions: No major shockers here, although I am very disappointed to see Winter's Bone left out here. I consider it to be the kind of film that the PGA would want to reward. A small, indie movie whose producers worked their butts off for it to get national attention and accolades it deserves. Hopefully come Oscar, it squeezes out The Kids Are All Right. Otherwise I think these films are a good representation of the best of the year.

NSoFC
Here are the winners of the last major critics group to announce in 2010:

* Best Film:
o The Social Network

* Best Director:
o David Fincher – The Social Network

* Best Actor:
o Jesse Eisenberg – The Social Network

* Best Actress:
o Giovanna Mezzogiorno – Vincere

* Best Supporting Actor:
o Geoffrey Rush – The King's Speech

* Best Supporting Actress:
o Olivia Williams – The Ghost Writer

* Best Screenplay:
o Aaron Sorkin – The Social Network

* Best Cinematography:
o Roger Deakins – True Grit

* Best Foreign Language Film:
o Carlos

* Best Film - Non-Fiction:
o Inside Job

Reactions: So it seems that The Social Network could not be beat. It swept all 4 major critic awards. I think it will be pretty tough to beat for Best Picture come Oscar day. Jesse Eisenberg has gone from potential nominee to potential spoiler for Colin Firth. I am sure Giovanna Mezzogiorno is thrilled to win this, but this doesn't help us Oscar junkies as we decipher between the head to head battle of Portman and Bening. Rush is wonderful, but the Oscar is still Bale's. Could Williams be a spoiler? I've been hearing her name a lot lately. Hmmm???

Those were the major developments over the past few weeks. The Golden Globes are Sunday and that will really kick things into high gear. Will The Social Network continue to reign or will The King's Speech knock it off it's pedastle? Who will win the laughable comedy awards? And who will win Supporting Actress? Leo, Adams, or Carter?

Updated Oscar predictions.

2010-12-16T12:44:00.001-08:00

Here are my post NBoR, NY, LA, Globe and SAG Oscar predictions.

Best Picture

Black Swan
127 Hours
Toy Story 3
The Town
The Fighter
Inception
The King's Speech
The Social Network
Winter's Bone
True Grit

Best Director

Danny Boyle - 127 Hours
Christopher Nolan - Inception
Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan
Tom Hooper - The King's Speech
David Fincher - The Social Network

Best Actor

James Franco - 127 Hours
Colin Firth - The King's Speech
Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network
Robert Duvall - Get Low
Jeff Bridges - True Grit

Best Actress

Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine

Best Supporting Actor

Jeremy Renner - The Town
Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech
Andrew Garfield - The Social Network
Christian Bale - The Fighter
Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams - The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech
Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom

Original Screenplay

The King's Speech
Black Swan
The Kids Are All Right
Inception
Another Year

Adapted Screenplay

Toy Story 3
The Social Network
Winter's Bone
127 Hours
True Grit

Well played SAGs

2010-12-16T08:30:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, a laughable list Golden Globe nominees were announced. Today, it was SAG's turn to announce their nomination list. Kudos to SAG for coming up with a pretty inspired list of nominees.

Here's who they went for:
Cast in a Motion Picture
Black Swan
The Fighter
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
The Social Network
Male Actor, Leading
Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Robert Duvall, Get Low
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King's Speech
James Franco, 127 hours
Female Actor, Leading
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Hilary Swank, Conviction
Male Actor, Supporting
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Jon Hawkes, Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech
Female Actor, Supporting
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Hailey Steinfeld, True Grit

Here are my overall thoughts:

-I think the ensemble nominees are strong although I am surprised to see both Inception and The Town, both particularly strong ensemble films, off the list.

- Black Swan & The Fighter seem assured a Best Pic nom after its strong showing at the BFCA, the Globes and here.

- True Grit makes a strong statement after being completely ignored by The Globes.

-I like the Robert Duvall- Get Low mention. SAG kept his dwindling Oscar hopes alive.

-Hilary Swank???????? Over Michelle Williams, Lesley Manville, Sally Hawkins and even Noomi Rapace. I guess Bening can't really be competitive in an Oscar race without Swank somehow being involved.

- I am thrilled with the John Hawkes nomination. He so deserves accolades for his incredible character work in Winter's Bone. It's still an uphill battle to make it into this category at the Oscars, but this certainly helps.

- Renner looks more and more like a lock every day for his work in The Town. I still expect Garfield to make it into the Oscar race. This is just a minor omission.

- Jacki Weaver is snubbed here, which is surprising because she was recognized by the starfucking Globes.

- Mila Kunis keeps gaining momentum, while co-star Barbara Hershey's chances are quickly diminishing.

- It looks more and more likely that Melissa Leo is going to win an Oscar.

What a week! I am spent. But I will update my official Oscar predictions in the wake of these incredible busy past 5 days.

Golden G-LOL-bes

2010-12-16T07:01:00.000-08:00

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group responsible for the Golden Globe Awards, is a joke. The 90 person strong association has virtually no clout whatsoever. It is still a mystery to me what they actually do. I think (based on what I've read) that they write about films in foreign publications but I am more inclined to say (based on their year after year behavior) that they are essentially star fuckers, so keen to whore their award ceremony to staple red carpet celebs than actual deserving films and performances. Their credibility is constantly in question and they are inching closer and closer to The People Choice Awards ridiculousness.

This year may have been their lowest of lows. Seriously their list of nominees was bad! Let's look at this year's list:

Best Motion Picture, Drama:

‘Black Swan’
‘The Fighter’
‘Inception’
‘The King’s Speech’
‘The Social Network’

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy:

‘Alice in Wonderland’
‘Burlesque’
‘The Kids Are All Right’
‘Red’
‘The Tourist’

Best Director – Motion Picture:

Darren Aronofsky, ‘Black Swan’
David Fincher, ‘Social Network’
Tom Hooper – ‘The King’s Speech’
Christopher Nolan ‘Inception’
David O. Russell – ‘The Fighter’

Best Actor
in a Motion Picture, Drama:

Jesse Eisenberg – ‘Social Network’
Colin Firth – ‘The King’s Speech’
James Franco – ‘127 Hours’
Ryan Gosling – ‘Blue Valentine’
Mark Wahlberg – ‘The Fighter’

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama:

Halle Berry, ‘Frankie and Alice’
Nicole Kidman, ‘Rabbit Hole’
Jennifer Lawrence, ‘Winter’s Bone’
Natalie Portman, ‘Black Swan’
Michelle Williams, ‘Blue Valentine’

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy:

Johnny Depp – ‘Alice in Wonderland’
Johnny Depp – ‘The Tourist’
Paul Giamatti – ‘Barney’s Version’
Jake Gyllenhaal – ‘Love and Other Drugs’
Kevin Spacey – ‘Casino Jack’

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy:

Annette Bening, ‘The Kids Are All Right’
Anne Hathaway, ‘Love and Other Drugs’
Angelina Jolie, ‘The Tourist’
Julianne Moore, ‘The Kids Are All Right’
Emma Stone, ‘Easy A’

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture:

Christian Bale, ‘The Fighter’
Michael Douglas, ‘Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps’
Andrew Garfield, ‘The Social Network’
Jeremy Renner, ‘The Town’
Geoffrey Rush, ‘The King’s Speech’

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture:

Amy Adams, ‘The Fighter’
Helena Bonham Carter, ‘The King’s Speech’
Mila Kunis, ‘Black Swan’
Melissa Leo, ‘The Fighter’
Jacki Weaver, ‘Animal Kingdom’

I don't find the Drama nominations all that terrible. But where is True Grit? And why is Halle Berry nominated for the little seen Frankie and Alice? Oh that's right, because she'll look beautiful in reaction shots during the ceremony. And no offense to Michael Douglas, but that nomination is really a sympathy nom and everyone knows that. Mila Kunis was fine in Black Swan, but over co-star Barbara Hershey and the mesmerizing Marion Cotillard in Inception.

The Comedy nominations are beyond ridiculous. I'd actually be embarrassed to be a member of the HFPA based on that list alone. Let's start with The Tourist getting nominated for Best Picture. The Tourist is a thriller, not a comedy. It's not Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which I would have happily welcomed comedy nominations from in 2005. Let's continue with Burlesque for Best Picture. The HFPA goes gaga for musicals, but come on! Alice in Wonderland for Best Pictre? It was dreadful and completely devoid of any heart. And I don't really consider The Kids Are All Right a comedy, but to each their own. The only comedy nomination that I am fully in support of is Emma Stone in Easy A. A total break out lead comedy performance. If Bening wasn't in her category, I'd say she'd have a shot.

So who is on the up and up and who is on the outs after these nominations were announced? True Grit was no where to be seen but I don't think that's a major problem. The HFPA aren't major fans of the Coen Brothers. Lesley Manville and Mike Leigh's Another Year seems to be losing considerable steam.I think it's safe to say that Sally Hawkins/Miranda Richardson and Made in Dagenham are officially out. 127 Hours seemed at one point to be a major front runner but I think that the buzz seems to have shifted just to Franco's performance. Let's hope that it shifts back to Danny Boyle's great directorial effort in the next few weeks. Blue Valentine got a major boost with both Gosling and Williams' nominations. I think The Fighter and Black Swan have proven that they are major contenders beyond Portman and Bale's performances. And we know that The Social Network and The King's Speech are still the films, neck and neck, leading the pack.

Next up SAG.

They like it. They really, really like it.

2010-12-13T15:04:00.000-08:00

This is a major week for the Oscar season. LA Film Critics Awards were announced yesterday. New York Film Awards announced today as did the Broadcast Film Critics Association. Tomorrow the Golden Globe nominees are announced. And Thursday the SAG nominees are announced. Not to mention Boston (and many other cities) and the AFI group have announced their years best as well.

One thing seems to be pretty consistent. The Social Network is the unanimous pick for the Best Film of the Year. LA, New York, National Board of Review, Boston, Southeastern Film Critics, New York Film Critics online, Indiana Film Journalists have all called the film the best of the year. I think it's safe to say it may be the frontrunner for Best Picture in the race.

Let's breakdown what happened in LA and NY.

LA:

PICTURE:

* “The Social Network”
* Runner-up: “Carlos”

DIRECTOR:

* Olivier Assayas, “Carlos,” and David Fincher, “The Social Network” (tie)

ACTOR:

* Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech”
* Runner-up: Edgar Ramirez, “Carlos”

ACTRESS:

* Kim Hye-ja, “Mother”
* Runner-up: Jennifer Lawrence, “Winter’s Bone”

SUPPORTING ACTOR:

* Niels Arestrup, “A Prophet”
* Runner-up: Geoffrey Rush, “The King’s Speech”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

* Jacki Weaver, “Animal Kingdom”
* Runner-up: Olivia Williams, “The Ghost Writer”

SCREENPLAY:

* Aaron Sorkin, “The Social Network”
* Runner-up: David Seidler, “The King’s Speech”

No suprise that The Social Network did well here. Colin Firth picks up some steam with his first big win. Kim Hye-ja takes the award from Jennifer Lawrence, who could really have used the win to make her become a serious contender in the race and not just a member of the pack. I don't expect Hye-ja to really factor in the race as LA always throws out some seriously obscure picks in acting races that never factor beyond the day that LA announces its awards. Think Vera Farmiga in 2005 for Down to the Bone and last years winner Yolande Moreau for Seraphine. Again LA goes obscure for Niels Arestrup for a film that was nominated in last year's foreign film race and is ineligible this year. Jacki Weaver picks up her second major award (she won NBoR) last week and cements herself as a definite contender in that race.

New York:

Best Film:
The Social Network

Best Director:
David Fincher, The Social Network

Best Screenplay:
The Kids Are All Right

Best Actress:
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right

Best Actor:
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech

Best Supporting Actress:
Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Best Supporting Actor:
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right

New York also goes for The Social Network and seems to have shown a lot of love to The Kids Are All Right. Colin Firth picks up his second major win and solidifies himself as the definitive man to beat in the Best Actor category. I am very surprised to see Natalie Portman lose this particular award to Annette Bening. Black Swan is so New York and I thought that the critics would recognize the city where this amazing performances takes place. Last week I kept saying "No one will beat Natalie." While I still believe this, I think the category is a little tighter than I would have thought. Ruffalo is definitely picking up a nod for his work in TKAAR, despite my thoughts that he might get edged out of the top five. And fantastic character actress Melissa Leo takes her first big award for The Fighter. I think this might actually make her the front runner.

Also today The BFCA nominations came out:

BEST PICTURE
127 Hours
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network
The Town
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter’s Bone

BEST ACTOR
Jeff Bridges – “True Grit”
Robert Duvall – “Get Low”
Jesse Eisenberg – “The Social Network”
Colin Firth – “The King’s Speech”
James Franco – “127 Hours”
Ryan Gosling – “Blue Valentine”

BEST ACTRESS
Annette Bening – “The Kids Are All Right”
Nicole Kidman – “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence – “Winter’s Bone”
Natalie Portman – “Black Swan”
Noomi Rapace – “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
Michelle Williams – “Blue Valentine”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale – “The Fighter”
Andrew Garfield – “The Social Network”
Jeremy Renner – “The Town”
Sam Rockwell – “Conviction”
Mark Ruffalo – “The Kids Are All Right”
Geoffrey Rush – “The King’s Speech”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams – “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter – “The King’s Speech”
Mila Kunis – “Black Swan”
Melissa Leo – “The Fighter”
Hailee Steinfeld – “True Grit”
Jacki Weaver – “Animal Kingdom”

I think most of these lineups will match most of the Oscar line ups. Black Swan leading the nomination list is a very good thing as most of the buzz seemed to be about Natalie and not the film up to this point. The Social Network, The King's Speech, The Kid's Are All Right, The Fighter and True Grit are also well represented here. It seems as though buzz for Another Year and Lesley Manville is slowly dying. It's also definite that Sally Hawkins or Miranda Richardson will not factor in this year's race for Made in Dagenham. I would have seen some love for John Hawkes and Dale Dickey here, but perhaps SAG will make up for it. I have to say also that the most inspired nomination here is Noomi Rapace, who was excellent in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This is probably where her mild Oscar buzz will die, but it's nice when a group like the BFC rewards excellent work that deserves to be rewarded.

Golden Globes tomorrow will solve a lot of mysteries in this race. Can't wait.

And we're off!

2010-12-03T09:28:00.000-08:00

National Board of Review named their top movies of the year yesterday and The Social Network really cleaned up. Here are there awards recipients:

Best Film: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher, The Social Network
Best Actor: Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Best Actress: Lesley Manville, Another Year
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter
Best Supporting Actress: Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom
Best Foreign Language Film: Of Gods and Men
Best Documentary: Waiting for “Superman”
Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
Best Ensemble Cast: The Town
Breakthrough Performance: Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Debut Directors: Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington, Restrepo
Spotlight Award: Sylvain Chomet and Jacques Tati, The Illusionist
Best Original Screenplay: Chris Sparling, Buried
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Special Filmmaking Achievement Award: Sofia Coppola for writing, directing, and producing Somewhere
William K. Everson Film History Award: Leonard Maltin

Top Eleven Films (In alphabetical order): Another Year, The Fighter, Hereafter, Inception, The King’s Speech, Shutter Island, The Social Network, The Town, Toy Story 3, True Grit, Winter’s Bone

Obviously The Social Network is now out in front in terms of Best Picture, Director, and Adapted Screenplay. However the biggest surprise here is the victory of Jesse Eisenberg, who many were considering an outside shot at getting into the Best Actor category. Now he is a definitive contender possibly bumping Ryan Gosling out of the top 5. I think Christian Bale's win cements him as the front runner. Lesley Manville and Jacki Weaver needed these wins to really factor into their respective races and now they are forces to be reckoned with.

It's very interesting to see a lack of love for Black Swan and 127 Hours here. Black Swan's buzz right now is pretty deafening and Hereafter and Shutter Island over 127 Hours, sure whatever you say NBoR! I am also starting to believe that The Town has a definite outside shot at getting into the Best Pic race.
I am about 5 hours away from seeing Black Swan and the excitement is overwhelming. Ballet sexual thriller starring Natalie Portman, Winona Ryder, and Barbara Hershey. This is going to be fun.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations Reaction.

2010-12-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

The phenomenal Winter's Bone led the Indie Spirit noms yesterday with 7 nominations, while The Kids Are All Right followed with 5 and Black Swan had 4. This is great news for the absolutely brilliant drama Winter's Bone and will significantly improve its chances to making the top ten Best Picture list.

However there were some major and surprising snubs. Rabbit Hole nominated for Best Actor, Actress and Director but left out of the picture race. Blue Valentine given no love except for Michelle Williams (where's Gosling?) Julianne Moore completely shut out of Best Actress even when they expanded the category to nominate 6 actresses. Robert Duvall left out of Best Actor and costar Sissy Spacek left out of Best Supporting Actress. Diane Wiest and both Black Swan supporting Actresses (Barbara Hershey & Mila Kunis) left out of Best Supporting Actress.

All in all, I think the nominations are great! I am thrilled to see love for the supporting players of Winter's Bone, John Hawkes and Dale Dickey. Both are superb character actors and did spectacular, authentic work in the film. It was also nice to see some love for Naomi Watts and Samuel L. Jackson for Mother & Child, an extremely overlooked film I had the fortune to see at 2009's TIFF. It should have been Annette Bening's buzz worthy performance this year, however instead everyone is on The Kids Are All Right's bandwagon.

Anyways, happy for lots of Winter's Bone love and I sincerely hope that continues.

Next up National Board of Review tomorrow.

Here are your hosts!

2010-11-30T10:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning news broke of rumors that James Franco and Anne Hathaway might be on their way to hosting this year's Oscars. By afternoon, an official press release had been issued confirming that they were indeed the hosts of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards.

When I had the chance to meet Bruce Vilanch (head writer of the Oscars since 2000) at the opening night for Priscilla Queen of the Desert in Toronto, we chatted a bit about the Oscars. I tried to get certain info out of him while coming across very cool, calm and collected even though I was secretly dying with excitement on the inside. He told me that Justin Timberlake was a real option for them and since The Social Network was proving to be a huge factor in the race. I told him I thought that he and Gabby Sidibe should host. My attempt was to make him laugh with one of MY jokes. He told me that there aren't enough 3D screens in the world.

While JT or Bruce Vilanch/Gabby Sidibe haven't actually materialized, I am actually quite pleased with the unexpected combo of Franco/Hathaway. Both are young and will bring in viewers en masse. Both are gifted comedians. Both have major charm and appeal. Both have a great deal of clout in Hollywood for their ages. And both can sing (and Oscar loves an opening musical number).

I think their choice is unorthodox but really inspired. I can't wait to see how they do. And I think Franco, who will be a Best Actor nominee for 127 Hours, might be the first host to be nominated for an acting award in the same evening. He might even take the trophy.

One thing for sure is to expect plenty of arm amputation jokes care of Mr. Vilanch.

Best Supporting Actress 2010

2010-11-26T12:35:00.001-08:00

2010 is the year of the Actress. With countless potential nominees in the leading category, we have an even more crowded Supporting race. There seem to be about 10 contenders vying for the five spots and with The Fighter and True Grit still largely unseen, it's tough to know how the race will play out.

I think the critic award winners will shape the supporting actress race more so than any other category who seem to have clear cut favorites.

Here's how I see the category breaking down:

Current nominee predictions:

Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Jackie Weaver - Animal Kingdom
Amy Adams - The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech

Other possible contenders: Diane Wiest - Rabbit Hole, Barbara Hersey - Black Swan, Mila Kunis - Black Swan. Miranda Richardson - Made in Dagenham, Saorise Ronan - The Way Back, Sissy Spacek - Get Low, Marion Cotillard - Inception

As you can see there are many many many contenders and this category is anyone's guess until critic awards are presented. There are many previous veteran nominees who could factor into the race (Leo, Carter, Wiest, Hershey, Spacek, Richardson), however at this point it's anyone's guess who could and will get in. Weaver won't factor if she's not remembered by critic groups. Wiest might be left out because she's a two time winner. The Fighter and Black Swan ladies could suffer from vote splitting. Steinfeld is young and unknown and Oscar does like that, but will she deliver?

It may actually make the front runner Helena Bonham Carter, in her first non Tim Burton movie in a Queen of Heart's age. Helena Bonham Carter does lovely work in The King's Speech but I wouldn't deem it an Oscar winning performance. From what I am hearing, the other possible winner could be character actress Melissa Leo who plays loud mouthed, tough as nails boxing mom in The Fighter. Perhaps her or Amy Adams, who gets ugly (and we know Oscar likes this) as blue collar Boston boxing girlfriend.

Time will tell. Bring on the National Board of Review, LA and NY Awards please!!!!

Best Supporting Actor 2010

2010-11-23T11:05:00.000-08:00

I must say this year's Oscar race is having a rather soporific effect on me. I can barely keep my eyes open.

Don't get me wrong, there are some first rate films in contention and some incredible performances on display but this year just doesn't have the excitement of past seasons. Where are the competitive races? Where is the drama? Where are the last minute surprises?

It seems to me that many of the most competitive films will be released before December even hits (The Social Network, 127 Hours) and most actually hit before the fall Oscar season even started (Toy Story 3, Inception, The Kids Are All Right, and Winter's Bone). I guess we are waiting for True Grit and The Fighter to hit, and based on the festival circuit we know The King's Speech is a major player. But besides those films where is our last minute surprise or wild card. Most races seem to be a two horse race at this point:

Picture - The Social Network vs. The King's Speech

Actor - Firth vs. Franco

Actress - Bening vs. Portman

Best Supporting Actor this year seems to follow the trend of ______ vs. ______.

Here's how I see the category breaking down:

Current nominee predictions:

Christian Bale - The Fighter
Andrew Garfield - The Social Network
Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech
Ed Harris - The Way Back
John Hawkes - Winter's Bone

Other possible nominees: Justin Timberlake - The Social Network, Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right and ....

This year is a race once again between 2 people (for the simply lack of contenders); one a previous Oscar winner, the other a Hollywood staple who recently found himself in a PR nightmare. The two top choices are Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech or Christian Bale for The Fighter.

This seems to be an extremely non competitive category this year. Geoffrey Rush is very charming in The King's Speech and delivers the best performance in the movie in my opinion, but he's a previous winner. Oscar loves a good boxing movie and I feel that Christian Bale's career and consistently good choices could finally be rewarded in this category. Based on previews, Bale seems to have the showy Oscar-baity type role.
Only possible spoiler could be Ed Harris. If the Academy likes The Way Back and wants to reward veteran director Weir in some way, it could come in the form of a win for verteran and much beloved Harris.

I also don't buy the buzz for Timberlake. However, with such slim pickings, who knows. I could see him squeezing in the Globes nominees and then after that he could build some steam. But Academy Award nominee Justin Timberlake? I am not buying what the previous sentence is selling.

However, at this point I give the edge to Bale.

Best Actress 2010

2010-11-10T12:29:00.002-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to THE Oscar race of 2010. This is the category where competition is the fiercest. After a bland Best Actress race in 2009 (Academy Award Winner Sandra Bullock?), 2010's race seems to be the most heated race of 2010.

There are at least 10 performances that could get one of the 5 spots, with an additional 6-7 who in a less competitive year would easily make it into the category.

Here's how I see the category breaking down:
My current nominees predictions:

Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
Sally Hawkins - Made in Dagenham
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman - Black Swan

Other potential nominees could be: Lesley Manville - Another Year, Hilary Swank - Conviction, Julianne Moore - The Kids Are All Right, Halle Berry - Frankie & Alice, Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine, Diane Lane - Secretariat, Helen Mirren - The Tempest, Anne Hathaway - Love and Other Drugs, Gwyneth Paltrow - Country Strong.
This is a hugely competitive category and many deserving potential nominees will be left out. I think it's safe to say that Portman is the only sure thing.

I know many would argue that long term Academy bridesmaid Bening is also a lock, but I don't entirely buy that. I don't really think that The Kids Are All Right is an Oscar worthy lead performance plus with so many potential great performances, I think she could be edged out. I think she was far superior in the little seen Mother and Child.

Portman is the front runner here and Bening might be in main competition because of her body of work and not necessarily the performance.

Kidman also seems to be holding solid ground with her return to excellence in Rabbit Hole. She got great notices at TIFF and she seems primed to enter back into the race.
Sally Hawkins was robbed of a nomination 2 years ago for her brilliant work in Happy Go Lucky. The Academy has the chance to make up for this omission by nominating her Made in Dagenham and I believe it would be an injustice to shun this talented lady twice in 3 years.

For the final spot, I think it's safe to say newcomer Jennifer Lawrence should get into the category. She is astonishing as the anchor of Winter's Bone. She got amazing notices in Sundance and equally great notices when the film was finally realize. She essentially defines the Hollywood IT factor right now and Oscar loves a newcomer.

The worst thing about this is I think Leslie Manville, star of Mike Leigh's Another Year may not make it into the lead category. There is talk of her dropping to Supporting and if she does the Oscar is most likely hers. But I just see her being the easiest performance to bump out of the category.

It's also too bad because Julianne Moore most likely won't make it in either. If she dropped to Supporting, she'd have a shot at the award but earlier this summer it was decided that Moore and Bening would both go lead for The Kids Are All Right. I think the next time Moore is nominated it will be for a potential winning performance. No need in creating another Peter O'Toole or Richard Burton.

I think the biggest alternate threat could be Halle Berry, if her film is released in time and gets good buzz.

I do think this award will come down to Bening and Portman. I haven't seen Black Swan yet, but I have a feeling this year the award belongs to Portman. It seems like her time. She's a previous nominee anchoring a big film that should get lots of attention in other categories. Bening's performance doesn't feel Best Actress enough to me. But yet again, neither did Sandra Bullocks'.

Best Actor 2010

2010-11-08T13:15:00.000-08:00

It has to be said that 2010 has been the year of stronger lead female performances. There are literally 10 actresses vying for the 5 coveted actress spots. Best Actor is far less competitive. It seems to me it will be a line up consisting of almost all previous nominees, with two actors who have done consistently great work over the past decade running neck and neck for the award.

Here's how I see the category breaking down:

My current nominees predictions:

Javier Bardem - Biutiful
Jeff Bridges - True Grit
Colin Firth - The King's Speech
James Franco - 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling - Blue Valentine

Other potential nominees could be: Robert Duvall - Get Low, Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network, Jim Sturgess - The Way Back, Aaron Eckhart - Rabbit Hole, Leonard DiCaprio - Inception.

I think Firth and Franco are locks at this point. Bridges (last year's winner) and Bardem look good. Gosling is the one holding the most precarious ground, but he is well liked by the Academy. I think that Duvall is the most likely to shake up my predicted top 5, but it does depend how Get Low fares in the year end critic races.

At this point the race is down between Franco and Firth, two amazing actors who have consistently done great work in the past decade. I've seen both performances. Firth is charmingly stubborn and the performance is a crowd pleaser, but Franco carries his film and is astounding throughout. My vote would go for Franco. But I think the Academy will lean towards Firth. But it's early.

The First Oscar Predictions of 2010

2010-11-02T11:55:00.000-07:00

It's been a long while since I've blogged. This blog title will be modified in the near future because let's be honest, very little stage or tube content is posted here. It's purely screen and that means purely Oscar related.

Speaking of Oscar. We are now in the thick of things. Oscar race 2010 is here in full swing. We've worked through Cannes and TIFF and we are early November.

I must say this year's Oscar race appears to be a bit all over the place and usually this time of year we have potential candidates unrolling weekly. However this year things are different. It isn't all about the November & December releases. We have a slew of summer films that seemed primed to make the top 10 (like Toy Story 3, Inception, The Kids Are All Right, Winter's Bone) some TIFF festival faves that should also factor (The King's Speech, 127 Hours, Black Swan) and some late comers that have yet to be seen by anyone that seemed primed to be major players (True Grit, The Fighter)

So without further ado.

Here are my first official 2010 Oscar predictions.

Best Picture

Toy Story 3
Inception
Black Swan
Winter’s Bone
The King’s Speech
The Social Network
127 Hours
The Fighter
Another Year
True Grit

Best Director

Joel & Ethan Coen for True Grit
David Fincher for The Social Network
Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan
Danny Boyle for 127 Hours
Tom Hooper for The King’s Speech

Best Actor

Colin Firth for The King’s Speech
James Franco for 127 Hours
Jeff Bridges for True Grit
Javier Bardem for Biutiful
Ryan Gosling for Blue Valentine

Best Actress

Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole
Sally Hawkins for Made in Dagenham
Natalie Portman for Black Swan
Jennifer Lawrence for Winter’s Bone
Lesley Manville for Another Year

Best Supporting Actor

Geoffrey Rush for The King’s Speech
Christian Bale for The Fighter
Ed Harris for The Way Back
Vincent Cassel for Black Swan
Andrew Garfield for The Social Network

Best Supporting Actress

Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit
Dianne Wiest for Rabbit Hole
Miranda Richardson for Made in Dagenham
Marion Cotillard for Inception
Barbara Hershey for Black Swan

50 Thoughts on Oscar.

2010-03-09T14:05:00.000-08:00

Oscars 09 were something. Here are 50 thoughts on Oscar.

This is amazing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM8YcB0MlgI&feature=player_embedded

Kathy Ireland is and was amazingly entertaining.

Red carpet moment of the year Gabby Sidibe saying “If fashion was porn, this dress would be the money shot." That person is so good.

I actually liked the opening with Best Actors and Actresses on stage. It was a nice way to honor them.

Gabby Sidibe’s posing ANTM style when they announced her name is another reason why I continue to become obsessed with that person.

I love Doogie Howser but that opening number was a lackluster way to start an equally lackluster award ceremony.

Alec and Steve were underwhelming from their first “joke.”

The timing was completely off during the opening monologue. Say someone’s name, audience claps, underwhelming joke, tepid laughter, move on.

"The biggest change this year – the best picture category being doubled. And when that was announced, all of us in Hollywood thought, 'What's five times two?' THIS IS THE OSCARS!!!!

Christoph Waltz wins and deserves every lick of that Oscar.

Tom Ford is beautiful.

Sarah Jessica Parker is not.

I don’t find Ben Stiller funny. I would have preferred Christine Taylor.

John Hughes montage was nice, but does he really deserve it?

Actually kinda liked the song nominees getting cut, although I would have died to see Marion Cotillard sing Take It All.

Miley Cyrus says “We’re both nervous, this is our first time on this stage.” Amanda Seyfried thinks Bitch speak for your damn self.

Miley forgets it’s actually her second appearance on Oscars stage after introducing a song from Enchanted in 2008.

A tribute to horror with clips from Young Frankenstein, Edward Scissorhands, Little Shop of Horrors and Twilight. Because, you know, they are horror movies.

Kristen Stewart introduces the horror tribute and this person needs to shape up or ship out. I am so tired of this person looking like she’s bored by everything. It’s unbecoming and completely disrespectful. She’s a very lucky girl for someone who is marginally talented and she should realize that or just discontinue the Hollywood game that seems to be such a drag for her.

Tina Fey and Robert Downey Jr. are perfection and I smell an Oscar hosting duty in two people’s future.

Those screenplay winners were shocking. Hurt Locker over Inglorious Basterds and Precious over Up in the Air. Who saw that coming?

I adored the montages the showed of the Supporting Actor and Actress nominees. It wasn’t just that one showy Oscar baiting scene.

After watching the montages of Best Supporting Actress, I was taken aback again by the brilliance of Mo’Nique. From where did she summon that brilliance?

Maggie Gyllenhaal actually looks moved by her own performance. That person is an asshole!

Mo’Nique is given the Oscar by Robin Williams. That’s a lot of hair on one stage.

Mo’Nique wins and thanks the Academy for recognizing the performance and not the politics. Amen Mo’, as it should be!

I think my life will be complete when Mo’Nique calls me baby!

Demi Moore has got some Benjamin Button action going on.

In Memoriam: Bea Arthur was ROBBED!

I loved that woman that tried to Kanye her former filmmaker partner. She is the real life Annie Wilkes.

Was it just me or was Carey Mulligan onstage for like a half hour announcing winners?

Liked the dance segment but did it really fit. I remember one year Debbie Allen choreographed a shirtless tap dancer to the score of Saving Private Ryan and it was BAD! America’s Best Dance Crew take on The Hurt Locker and someone pops and locks to the UP score. This is some Mia Michaels So You Think You Can Dance territory, not Oscar.

I loved that Juan José Campanella winner of Foreign film for El Secreto de Sus Ojos thanks the Academy for not considering Na’vi a foreign language.

I liked the friends of the Actor and Actress nominees celebrating them. I think it works.

Bridges wins and I yawn. Although the speech is nice and makes me think he’s not that far a cry from The Dude.

Watching the clips before Best Actress reminds me of the ridiculousness of a Sandra Bullock win in this category.

I actually forgot how mesmerizing Sidibe was and am reminded again.

"She was a student trying to earn some money to go to college. On Monday she skipped school to audition for a movie called Precious. On Tuesday they called her back to meet the director. On Wednesday, she got the part. And tonight, she is sitting at the Academy Awards in the same category as Meryl Streep.” Oprah to Gabby.

Gabby’s tears were the best moment of the show!

I am dying to see Helen Mirren’s hand spider tattoo. Who knew she was so Hell’s angels?

What the hell was Sean Penn talking about? And why can’t that man get a sense of humor?

Sandra Bullock becomes an Academy Award Winner. I yell NOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! and wake up my boyfriend who is sleeping upstairs.

Bullock snubs Streep but later makes up for it by calling her a great kisser.

I don’t agree with a Bullock win but she is so likeable and that speech was perfection with a great nod to each of her co-nominees.

Babs giving the Oscar to Bigelow was predictable but historical and important nonetheless.

The King of the World gets a slice of humble pie.

Did they really have to play Streisand and Bigelow offstage to an orchestral version of "I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar?”

Tom Hanks comes on and gives the most anticlimactic Best Picture announcement ever.

Hurt Locker wins, becomes the lowest grossing winning film in History and nary a shock all night.

The ceremony was so long Avatar now takes place in the past. Best joke of the night. So I guess save the best for last.

This person is winning an Oscar today

2010-03-07T13:05:00.000-08:00

And I cannot wait to hear her speech. The most deserving winner of 09!

Official Predictions

2010-03-07T12:52:00.000-08:00

HERE GOES NOTHING! I predict Avatar because I want to play the contrarian.

Best Picture: Avatar
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, Precious
Best Original Screenplay: Inglourious Basterds
Best Adapted Screenplay: Up In The Air
Best Animated Feature: Up
Best Foreign Language Film: The Secret In Their Eyes
Best Documentary Feature: The Cove
Best Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Best Cinematography: Avatar
Best Art Direction: Avatar
Best Costume Design: The Young Victoria
Best Original Score: Up
Best Original Song: “The Weary Kind” from Crazy Heart
Best Sound Mixing: Avatar
Best Sound Editing: Avatar
Best Visual Effects: Avatar
Best Makeup: Star Trek
Best Documentary Short: The Last Truck
Best Animated Short: Loaf and Death
Best Live Action Short: The Door

Oscar the Grouch

2010-03-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

I have not blogged for weeks. It's because I have been so uninterested in this year's race. Avatar was revolutionary but that dialogue, WOOF! I can't even be bothered to watch Crazy Heart because it's essentially The Wrestler and I hate Gyllenhaal. And Sandra Bullock is going to become an Oscar winner over Meryl Streep and Carey Mulligan.

Why why why why?

But it's Oscar Sunday and I am getting nostalgic.

I am thinking of all the amazing Oscar memories from past years and I can't stay mad at the Oscars. I jump back on the train and am counting down the minutes.

Maggie Gyllenhaal and The Blind Side... Okay Oscar if you say so.

2010-02-02T07:27:00.000-08:00

Overall thoughts???

Good not great and no major shocks. The two biggest surprises came in nominations for Maggie Gyllenhaal for Best Supporting Actress over Julianne Moore and The Blind Side for Best Picture.

So here's the breakdown on major categories

Best Picture:

No major surprises here except for the inclusion of The Blind Side and the omission of Invictus. Opening up the category to 10 hasn't done much because there weren't really 10 great films to fill out the category. If it had been five we would have seen Precious, Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Up in the Air, and Inglourious Basterds be the final 5. Up is a worthy 6th choice and the rest just fill out the category. With the inclusion of The Blind Side, the Oscars are treading on People's Choice Awards territory.

Best Director:

The same five directors who were shortlisted by the DGA. The directors list is essentially the top 5 Best Picture candidates. I am really feeling that Bigelow will be the first ever woman to claim this award. I'd be more than happy to see her win it from her ex, ego maniac, James Cameron.

Best Actor:

No surprises here. The final 5 were who I (and most people) expected. Would have been nice to have a Viggo nomination for The Road.

Best Actress:

Again no major surprise here. I thought maybe Helen Mirren could get bumped out by Emily Blunt but to no avail.

Best Supporting Actor:

For a third time, no major surprise here. I thought Christian McKay would play spoiler but the 5 expected nominees, became the 5 actual nominees. Nice to see Christopher Plummer and Stanley Tucci receive their first ever Oscar nominations. Much deserved.

Best Supporting Actress:

The biggest shock of the day was when Gyllenhaal's name was called. I was also surprised to see Cruz shortlisted after Nine's Oscar buzz came to a screeching halt in early January. I am sad to see Julianne Moore left off the list, but as I said to a friend Julianne Moore can't become a 5 time loser. It's easier at this point not to nominate her until she delivers a winning performance that is hands above all others. I am also disappointed to see the Basterds ladies left out and even though there was never much of a hope, I would have loved Cotillard to make it in.

Original Screenplay:

Surprised by The Messenger's nom over summer indie fave (500) Days of Summer. I also love that Hollywood continues to realize what a horrendous writer James Cameron is and how terrible his screenplays actually are. No nomination for Titanic and none for Avatar. I like this!

Adapted Screenplay:

Very surprised by the inclusion of In the Loop. Would have loved Fantastic Mr. Fox to show up here.

Well that's all for now folks.

Here goes nothing!

2010-02-01T21:25:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Christmas morning for us Oscar enthusiasts. I can barely sleep with excitement. I have a hunch that there will be some major surprises this year, what with the Best Picture category being expanded to 10 nominees and with everyone seeming to think they know the 5 expected nominees in each category.

I have played it rather safe in my nomination predictions. I suspect Hurt Locker and Avatar will be big winners. Nine will be left out as expected. And we should see practically the same category line ups that we saw at the SAG awards. But wouldn't it be great to see Maya Rudolph pop up in Best Actress or Marion Cotillard pop up in Best Supporting Actress.

A girl can dream, can't she.

Anyways here goes. This is my list of who I think will be announced tomorrow:

Oscar Predictions:

Best Picture
Inglourious Basterds
Up
Up in the Air
Invictus
Precious
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
District 9
An Education
(500) Days of Summer

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
James Cameron – Avatar
Jason Reitman – Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds
Lee Daniels – Precious

Best Actor
Colin Firth – A Single Man
Morgan Freeman – Invictus
Jeremy Renner – The Hurt Locker
Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart
George Clooney – Up in the Air

Best Actress
Gabourey Sidibe - Precious
Helen Mirren – The Last Station
Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side
Carey Mulligan – An Education
Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia

Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Plummer – The Last Station
Matt Damon – Invictus
Woody Harrelson – The Messenger
Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds
Stanley Tucci – The Lovely Bones

Best Supporting Actress
Julianne Moore – A Single Man
Vera Farminga – Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick – Up in the Air
Melanie Laurent – Inglorious Basterds
Mo’Nique – Precious

Best Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker
Up
(500) Days of Summer
Inglourious Basterds
Avatar

Best Adapted Screenplay
Precious
Up in the Air
An Education
District 9
Fantastic Mr. Fox

BULLOCKS!!!!!

2010-01-26T19:24:00.000-08:00

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!?!?!

HOW!?!?!

How did Sandra Bullock go from potential 5th filler nominee in the Best Actress Race to the front runner?

For the longest time I kept saying that we were going to have to get used to the idea of "Academy Award winner Mo'Nique." Now it seems as though we are going to have to get used to the idea of "Academy Award Winner Sandra Bullock." If someone had told me this time last year that Sandra Bullock and Mo'Nique were on their way to Oscar glory, I would have believed that Bart Simpson and JonBenet Ramsey odds were better.

However, now it seems as though Sandra is unbeatable.

So let's actually talk about how this happened.

We all know that this was the year of Sandra Bullock. The Proposal" made $315 million worldwide and The Blind Side made $193 million and that number continues to grow. AND THIS IS 15 YEARS AFTER SHE OPENED SPEED.

Hollywood and America obviously loves Sandra Bullock and I originally thought isn't it sweet they will honor her with a nomination. However it seems as though timing is everything and Bullock's timing couldn't be better right now. It seems as though she's turned into this year's front runner for Best Actress because there really isn't another viable winner option. I would break down the category thusly:

Meryl Streep - Sure she was great in Julie and Julia but a third Oscar for this? It was a summer release and a little light weight. Remember only 4 people have 3 Oscar statuettes. Streep will get her third, but not for this.

Carey Mulligan - I really did think this award was hers. But it turns out that people aren't as crazy about An Education as I once thought they would be. If she had cleaned up all the precursors, she might have been unbeatable. Maybe the Academy isn't ready to give the big award to an Actress under 25 who hasn't proved herself yet. Gwyneth anyone?

Gabourey Sidibe - What a debut! But two acting awards for Precious? I can't see the Academy ever doing that and Mo'Nique is the performance of the film (and the year in my opinion)

Helen Mirren - A winner in 2006 and a filler nominee this year. Has anyone actually seen this film? Why couldn't Saoirse Ronan get a nomination. Or Marion Cotillard who was so sadly campaigned in the wrong category.

So by process of elimination this leaves us with the star of Miss Congeniality, Hope Floats, Two Weeks Notice, Premonition, and The Lake House. I know I am being tough on Annie from Speed. Every actress has made a bad movie or two, but are we really ready for Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock. I find her incredibly charming and I know that she's this years Erin Brockovich, but this is a movie star not an Actress. She simply is not better than Carey Mulligan or Meryl Streep's performances.

I can bitch as much as possible, but it's not going to solve the fact that Sandra Bullock is going to win. But just remember this come Oscar night - Julianne Moore 0 Oscars, Sandra Bullock 1 Oscar.

SAG Predictions

2010-01-23T16:02:00.000-08:00

Here goes nothing.

Best Ensemble - Inglourious Basterds

Best Actor - Jeff Bridges

Best Actress - Meryl Streep (I won't believe the Bullock buzz)

Best Supporting Actor - Christoph Waltz

Best Supporting Actress - Mo'Nique

A Golden Globes Rant!

2010-01-23T16:00:00.000-08:00

I don’t watch The People’s Choice Awards or the MTV Movie Awards because I am a bit of a film elitist. Also the victors of such awards are usually the most populist choices and they often make my blood boil. These awards are a place where Pirates of the Caribbean, Jennifer Anniston, Twilight, Kathryn Heigl and of course Sandra Bullock do well.

What I love about the Golden Globes is they are usually a place that recognize performances that The People’s Choice or MTV Awards wouldn’t touch with 10 foot Harry Potter wand. Last year, the Hollywood Foreign Press gave multiple awards to Kate Winslet’s brilliance. They saluted Mickey Rourke, Vicky Cristina Barcelona as Best Comedy and of course they awarded the truly deserving Sally Hawkins for Happy Go Lucky. What a difference a year makes.

The Hollywood Foreign Press this year decided to throw all rules out the window and turn into a secondary People’s Choice Awards. Avatar, The Hangover winning Best Picture, Sandra Bullock winning Best Actress Drama, Robert Downey Jr winning Best Actor Comedy for SHERLOCK HOLMES? Drew Barrymore winning an award for acting. Shame on you HFPA! You should know better! And look at what you’ve done for the Oscar race. You have turned a tech heavy Pocahontas tale into the frontrunner for Best Picture. You have turned Annie from Speed into the frontrunner for an ACADEMY AWARD. You have made the Kanye West of the film industry (James Cameron) further believe that he is the one person dead or alive that everyone would want to have dinner with. And you have effectively destroyed all of Carey Mulligan’s chance at an Oscar. Why? Why? Why?

Now I am not a complete unforgiving bastard, as you did reward both Mo’Nique and Christoph Waltz. I will throw you a bone there, but come on HFPA you are better than that. Remember that you have some prestige and clout. Get your act together for 2010 or else a best kiss award category doesn’t seem that far off.
End of rant.

The Calm Before the Storm.

2010-01-07T07:28:00.000-08:00

Over Xmas and New Years the Oscar race calms down when it comes to critic and guild awards and nominations. However, over the holidays one place where the Oscar race can heat up (or cool down) is at cinemas themselves. If you look at the holidays this year Avatar did record breaking box office, while apparently Nine barely made 7 figures.

Avatar's Best Picture victory chances are increasing, while Nine may not even make the Best Picture top ten. In fact, at this point I'd be surprised if it got any non technical nod. And fuck the Weinstein company for campaigning Cotillard as Best Actress. She is perfection in the film but that performance should not be placed in a lead category.

The last few days have seen The National Society of Film Critic Award winners, The Producer Guild top 10 nominees, and the Director's Guild nominees. Here are how I believe each affects the Oscar race:

Picture: THE HURT LOCKER

Director: Kathryn Bigelow, THE HURT LOCKER

Actor: Jeremy Renner, THE HURT LOCKER

Actress: Yolande Moreau, SERAPHINE

Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, and Paul Schneider, BRIGHT STAR

Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, PRECIOUS

Thoughts: The Hurt Locker wins its 3rd major critic prize. It is definitely a front runner, but I still don't see The Hurt Locker winning. It's a 4 way race at this point between Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, Avatar, and Up in the Air. I still see Up in the Air as the safest bet to win. The Globes will be quite telling... A major win for Jeremy Renner is very poised to knock Day Lewis out of the Best Actor category. It's very interesting that Moreau has won both the LA and NSFC and yet she appears in no one's predictions. Her studio obviously can't afford or has chosen not to campaign for her. Mo'Nique and Christoph Waltz increase their leads into the realm of unstoppable.

Producer Guild Nominations.

This year the PGA also expands to 10 nominees and here they are:

* Avatar
* District 9
* An Education
* The Hurt Locker
* Inglourious Basterds
* Invictus
* Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
* Star Trek
* Up
* Up in the Air

Thoughts: Obviously this list bodes well for the Sci Fi genre. This is list does not bode well for NINE, which I would be shocked if I saw it amongst any of the major contenders on Oscar day. As Pete Hammond on Notes on a Season said "You can have some bad reviews and still get a best picture nomination. You can have not-so-great box office and do it as well, but overcoming both is a Herculean task, even for Harvey Weinstein."

Director's Guild of America Nominations:

Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
James Cameron - Avatar
Lee Daniels - Precious
Jason Reitman - Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds

DGA noms were announced and there were no major surprises. Interesting to see that Clint Eastwood was left off the list in favor of Lee Daniels who didn't get a Globe nomination. Also interesting to note that he is the first ever African American to be nominated by the DGA. I suspect Oscar's final five will look much like this, but I have a feeling Eastwood will be on the list in favor of Daniels. A friend and I were arguing about whether Bigelow has what it takes to be the first ever female to win the Oscar for directing. I say no, he says yes. I still have a hunch that Reitman is the safer choice - 3 hit films in a row, Hollywood family pedigree, young hip director. I just don't see Bigelow taking it all the way to the stage at the Kodak. But my hunches have been very wrong before...

Next up is the Writer's Guild on Monday. Should be interesting.

Globe/SAG Reactions!

2009-12-16T14:16:00.000-08:00

Above is a picture of me titled as an Oscar blogger on Canada's version of Entertainment Tonight, however I am an impostor because I haven't blogged in over a week and I have no excuse beyond gaying out with my boyfriend and Christmas shopping for BBC miniseries for my mom.

So here's a long overdue blog concerning the recent Globe and SAG noms and how they effect the Oscar race overall.

Best Picture:

Welcome back to the race Inglorious Basterds. I had really completely written off Inglorious Basterds and it seems like it will be a major contender after all. I thought The Hurt Locker would be more of an also ran in the Oscar race. I didn't think it had the power to win big, but now it seems like a neck and neck race between The Hurt Locker and Up in the Air. Up in the Air was snubbed for Best ensemble at the SAGs, but it doesn't really effect its ultimate chance in my opinion. Nine still seems very much in the race despite it's incredible cold to luke warm reviews. The fact that the HFPA loves a musical and its ensemble could not be denied of a SAG nom, it will more than likely make it into Best Picture. The Globes and SAGs have officially sentenced The Lovely Bones to the same fate as the film's lead character. Interesting that Invictus was left out of Best Picture at the Globes, while Eastwood, Freeman, and Damon were all nominated. Precious made a nice appearance at the Globes and SAGs, despite the fact that Lee Daniels was left out of the Globe Director race. A Single Man didn't factor as much as I thought it would. The Globes left it out of Best Picture and Director and SAGs failed to nominate Julianne Moore. I think Avatar will factor hugely in this race. The Globes or SAGs were not where it was expected to garner a ton of support. Here's who I think will be the ten nominees:

The Hurt Locker
Up in the Air
Inglorious Basterds
Up
Invictus
Nine
Avatar
Precious
An Education
(500) Days of Summer

Best Actor

Not major shocks here. The 5 I expected before these nominations are still the 5 that I believe will be the final five. The SAGs snubbed Day-Lewis, which I didn't expect. I don't think The Academy will do the same. But if anyone is going to get his spot, it will be Jeremy Renner.

Morgan Freeman - Invictus
Daniel Day-Lewis - Nine
George Clooney - Up in the Air
Colin Firth - A Single Man
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart

Best Actress

Big confirmation here is that Sandra Bullock is the real deal for Best Actress. I feel confident in saying that Sandy will be a Best Actress nominee. 15 years after Speed, Sandra Bullock's two movies make over 300 million dollars at the box office and she gets her first ever Best Actress nomination. Not such a bad time to be her, right? I was surprised to see Helen Mirren's support for The Last Station, a film that has received virtually no buzz except for the fact that it stars Mirren and Plummer. I am sad to see Saoirse Ronan left off both lists. I haven't seen The Lovely Bones, but I was a major fan of the novel and think that Ronan is a spectacular performer. But I guess not everyone can have two Oscar nominations by age 15. This race is still a 3 way race. But I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't think anyone can touch Carey Mulligan.

Gabourey Sidibe - Precious
Carey Mulligan - An Education
Helen Mirren - The Last Station
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia

Best Supporting Actor -

No major shake ups here. Christoph Waltz is clearly going to win. I again am surprised to see Plummer recognized, but it would be nice for him to receive his first ever Oscar nom. It would also be nice if Alec Baldwin had been nommed. Hopefully the Academy will nominate him so that we have that great opportunity for the host/nominee tension and excitement.

Christoph Waltz - Inglorious Basterds
Matt Damon - Invictus
Christopher Plummer - The Last Station
Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
Woody Harrelson - The Messenger

Best Supporting Actress -

I felt that this category was practically written in stone from the get go. I thought maybe Farminga would be pushed out by Dench or a category shift by Cotillard. But I feel safe in saying that the final 5 will be who I expected them to be. Interesting that Moore was snubbed by the SAGs in favor of Diane Kruger. This will not happen with the Academy who adore nominated Julianne Moore. (They just don't adore giving her an Oscar).

Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air
Vera Farminga - Up in the Air
Mo'Nique - Precious
Penelope Cruz - Nine
Julianne Moore - A Single Man

Best Director -

I have no clue how this will play out come Oscar. I can't imagine that Kathryn Bigelow will be the first ever female winner of Best Director. I just don't think the old boys club is ready for that quite yet. However I do expect the nominees to be:

Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
James Cameron - Avatar
Jason Reitman - Up in the Air
Clint Eastwood - Invictus
Quentin Tarantino - Inglorious Basterds

This isn't such a bad line up?

The Oscar race settles down a little bit for the holidays. Next up we have National Society of Film Critics and more precursors. Also upcoming is the year 2010, which means we are starting a new decade, which also means I need to start my best of the decade lists of films and performances. Did I mention I love this time of year?

Globe Predictions

2009-12-14T19:45:00.000-08:00

I actually have to talk about the Golden Globe nominations effect on the Oscar on Canada's version of Entertainment Tonight tomorrow. I'd like to think that I am on my way to becoming Canada's Dave Karger. The above is a picture of him on the set of the Today responding to the Globe noms two years ago. Also pictured are Ellen Page getting a bouquet of roses from Matt Lauer. I hope that a similar scene happens to me tomorrow but chances are of this happening... are... not... so... great. Sigh!

I love this time of year so much. This week is especially juicy because of daily award and nomination announcements. Yesterday was LA, today Broadcast Critic noms and NY awards, tomorrow Golden Globes, and Thursday SAG noms. It's so much fun for me!

Here are my Golden Globe predictions.
Best Picture - Drama

The Hurt Locker
Avatar
Precious
Up in the Air
Inglourious Basterds

Best Picture - Musical/Comedy

Nine
The Hangover
It's Complicated
(500) Days of Summer
A Serious Man

Best Director

James Cameron - Avatar
Jason Reitman - Up in the Air
Lee Daniels - Precious
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds

Best Actor - Drama

Colin Firth - A Single Man
Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker
Morgan Freeman - Invictus
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
Geoge Clooney - Up in the Air

Best Actor - Musical/Comedy

Daniel Day Lewis - Nine
Michael Stuhlbarg - A Serious Man
Joseph Gordon-Levitt -(500) Days of Summer
Bradley Cooper - The Hangover
Matt Damon - The Informant

Best Actress - Drama

Carey Mulligan - An Education
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
Gabourey Sidibe - Precious
Emily Blunt - The Young Victoria
Saoirse Ronan - The Lovely Bones

Best Actress - Musical/Comedy

Meryl Streep - It's Complicated
Meryl Streep - Julie and Julie
Sandra Bullock - The Proposal
Marion Cotillard - Nine
Zooey Deschannel - (500) Days of Summer

Best Supporting Actor

Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds
Matt Damon - Invictus
Stanley Tucci - Julie and Julia
Alec Baldwin - It's Complicated
Woody Harrelson - The Messenger

Best Supporting Actress

Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air
Penelope Cruz - Nine
Vera Farminga - Up in the Air
Mo'Nique - Precious
Mariah Carey - Precious

And that's that.

We shall see.

From L.A. to New York - from New York to L.A

2009-12-14T10:50:00.000-08:00

Things have just gotten plenty interesting in 2009's Oscar Race with The Hurt Locker being awarded the Best Picture Award by both LA and New York film critics.

Here are the major winners from both groups:

LA:

Best Picture: “The Hurt Locker”
Runner-up: “Up in the Air”

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”
Runner-up: Michael Haneke, “The White Ribbon”

Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
Runner-up: Colin Firth, “A Single Man”

Best Actress: Yolande Moreau, “Séraphine”
Runner-up: Carey Mulligan, “An Education”

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”
Runner-up: Peter Capaldi, “In the Loop”

Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, “Precious”
Runner-up: Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air”

New York:

Best Picture
“The Hurt Locker”

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”

Best Actor
George Clooney, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “Up in the Air”

Best Actress
Meryl Streep, “Julie & Julia”

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”

Best Supporting Actress
Mo’Nique, “Precious”

So what should we make of these decisions and their ultimate effect on Oscar?

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker jumps out to the lead in the Best Picture race with Up in the Air, Invictus and Precious not too far behind. Now let's see what magic rabbit Tyler Perry and Oprah will pull out of their hats.

Best Director: It's a good two days to be Kathryn Bigelow. But will she be the first ever female winner of the Best Director award? Something in my gut says no, especially with Jason Reitman and Clint Eastwood hot on her heels.

Best Actor: Jeff Bridges is definitely the front runner. All the pieces seem to fit (a 4 time previous nominee, family is Hollywood royalty, playing a long suffering artist, the prime time to award his body of work, and a perfect Oscar winning role). I kinda wish that Colin Firth had taken the LA award because I think he needed a boost to really turn into a front runner. I am little bored by the choice of Clooney in NY. Clooney is up to his usual brilliance in Up in the Air, but it's a performance he could do in his sleep. I do like NY's joint mention of Fantastic Mr. Fox in Best Actor though. It seems like Bridges, Clooney, Freeman and Firth are locks. Day Lewis seems to be losing ground.

Best Acrtress: LA's choice of Yolande Moreau does not change the state of the race. LA has had a history of picking completely random performances to honor and those performances are no where to be seen or heard from again in the race. Case in point: 2005's Vera Farminga for Down to the Bone for Best Actress, 2006's Luminiţa Gheorghiu for The Death of Mr. Lazarescu for Best Supporting Actress, and 2007's Vlad Ivanov for 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days for Best Supporting Actor. Enjoy the honor Yolande! New York, however, went to marvelous Meryl Streep. This award has really kicked off her campaign for a 3rd Oscar. However, I am inclined to say that at this point, this award is more than likely Carey Mulligan's!

Best Supporting Actor: Chris Waltz Chris Waltz Chris Waltz. We have a definitive front runner! The category looks like it will be filled out by Alfred Molina, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, and probably Christopher Plummer (who would become a first time Oscar nominee).

Best Supporting Actress: I said two weeks ago on TV that this race was over and that you could engrave Mo'Nique's name, apostrophe and all, on the statue already. Her double win proves this to me. If for some reason the academy gets its hate on for Precious, which I don't really see happening, Anna Kendrick is Mo's biggest threat!

Tomorrow are the Globe nominations! I will have a full set of predictions tonight!

The Air Apparent?

2009-12-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

Is Up in the Air the heir apparent to the Best Picture statuette?

At this point it is tough to know, but it did jump out to a strong lead with the films win for Best Picture at the National Board of Review. It also won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress.

Precious had been up to this point thought to be the Best Picture frontrunner, however it wasn’t even listed amongst the NBR top ten. A surprising snub especially when Star Trek, Where the Wild Things Are and (500) Days of Summer were included in the Top Ten. Also interesting was Best Supporting Actress frontrunner Mo’Nique snubbed in favor of Anna Kendrick. Precious was thrown a bone when Gabby Sidibe won Best Breakthrough Actress.

The Lovely Bones and Nine also lost a lot of ground in the race when both were left off the Top Ten list. I suspect Nine will still make it into the list of ten best picture nominees. However based on early reviews, I suspect The Lovely Bones will go belly up. I was also very surprised to see A Single Man left off the top ten list, however I think this is just an oversight and I don’t really think it will affect its ultimate Oscar chances.

It seems as though Invictus is the real deal. Clint and Morgan Freeman’s wins seem to confirm this. It’s safe to say Carey Mulligan is the official Best Actress frontrunner.

Bring on LA, New York, and Golden Globe noms please!

It's a time for Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T12:14:00.001-08:00

Even though I am only half American and I live in Canada and I probably grabbing popcorn (for a Precious screening) instead having turkey dinner tonight, it is still a time of Thanksgiving.

...Because

The Oscars are about 100 days away.

Here are my updated predictions!

BEST PICTURE
The Hurt Locker
Precious
Nine
Up in the Air
A Single Man
UP!
Invictus
The Lovely Bones
An Education
Avatar

Best Director
Jason Reitman - Up in the Air
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
Lee Daniels - Precious
Clint Eastwood - Invictus
Rob Marshall - Nine

Best Actor
Daniel Day Lewis - Nine
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
Colin Firth - A Single Man
George Clooney - Up in the Air
Morgan Freeman - Invictus

Best Actress
Carey Mulligan - An Education
Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia
Gabby Sidibe - Precious
Helen Mirren - The Last Station
Saoirse Ronan - The Lovely Bones

Best Supporting Actor
Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
Alec Baldwin - It's Complicated
Matt Damon - Invictus
Christopher Waltz - Inglourious Basterds
Christian MacKay - Me and Orson Welles

Best Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz - Nine
Judi Dench - Nine
Mo'Nique - Precious
Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air
Julianne Moore - A Single Man

The Academy A-boreds!

2009-11-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year when week after week Oscar contenders are released into theatres. We soon discover which ones will factor and which ones won’t. There is seriously not enough time to see all the contenders as they are released back to back to back to back. However, this year is different.

I am incredibly bored by the Oscar race this year.

It feels considerably cooler in my opinion. The Best Picture race has expanded to 10 nominees, but is there really 10 rewarding pictures? I think the Academy will be stretched pretty thin to find 5 let alone 10. Will the Academy nominate Star Trek or Where The Wild Things Are?

It is still early, but usually we have clear favorites by this point. I can’t even think of who the potential Best Supporting Actor nominees could be? Who beyond Mo’Nique is considered other front runners? Will Avatar, The Lovely Bones, Nine and Invictus be the real deal or fizzle?

Here is what I do know at this point:

Amelia is completely out of the race. It’s the Australia of this year. And where was the promotional campaign? I am a movie buff and never even heard about this movie being released!

It’s seems as though Best Actress will be a race between Carey Mulligan and Meryl Streep. But both their movies seem to have lost steam.

It’s seems as though Best Supporting Actress will break down thusly: Mo’Nique. Vera Framinga and Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air. And probably two of the NINE ladies. With outside shots being Mariah Carey for Precious, Julianne Moore for A Single Man and Susan Sarandon for The Lovely Bones.

It’s safe to say Up in the Air and A Single Man will factor into this race based on the buzz out of Toronto.

But come on Oscar race, you and I are old friends. Won’t you heat up a bit? Or won’t you at least give me advance screening passes to NINE!

Mo' No You Didn't!

2009-10-06T08:42:00.000-07:00

March 7th, 2010 I would not be surprised to hear the following: "And the Oscar goes to Mo'Nique for Precious"

Of course we are only in October and we still have to wait for the big question marks of the Oscar race to be released (Nine, The Lovely Bones, Invictus) but I would say of all potential Oscar races, the Supporting Actress race is the only one with one strong front runner at this point.

And that front runner is the author of the book Skinny Women Are Evil: Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World and the former star of UPN's The Parkers.

Yes Mo'Nique could definitely win an Oscar. Stranger things have happened. I mean, who would have thought that American Idol's Jennifer Hudson would be an Oscar winner.

However Mo'Nique is currently shooting herself in the foot. Reports have surfaced that Mo'Nique will not do any PR for the film. A source told the New York Daily News, "Mo'Nique said she signed on to do this film for a small amount of money. She said she didn't care about 'no Oscar' — all that mattered was 'those Benjamins!' Because Oprah and Tyler Perry are backing the film, she feels as though there should be a budget to pay for her promotional duties."

Apparently Mo'Nique thinks that because Perry and Lady O are involved that she somehow deserves 100 000 grand per appearance and first class treatment for her entire entourage.

Mo'Nique was absent from Toronto and New York premieres of the film, while her costars, certain Best Actress nominee Gabby Sidibe and Mariah Carey, have been promoting the film for free.

NOT SMART Mo'Nique!

Mo'Nique commented on the situation herself, saying "When people say, 'You care more about money than winning an Oscar,' well, what does an Oscar mean? An Oscar means more work when you win it, and that means more money! I couldn't eat that Oscar. Everybody needs money, baby. That's how we survive, right?"

Mo'Nique better shape up! She should know that becoming an Oscar winner is far more important in the long run financially. Or maybe she's not smart enough to realize this.

I hope she gets a stern phone call from Oprah this week and she changes her tune and price or else the Oscar will end up in Julianne Moore's hands.

Good/Not Good

2009-09-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

The Emmy Awards were last night. This is what I am deeming good and not good about the ceremony and award winners.

GOOD:

This was amazing!
Alec Baldwin won and that is good.

30 Rock wins Best Comedy and Mad Men wins Best Drama and that's the way it should be.

While I thought some of his material sucked and fell flat, Neil Patrick Harris was a great host and I do love the return of this Fred Astaire song and dance man as award show host.

I loved that Ben finally won an Emmy because he is one of the best villains on TV. I also love that he is married to Arlene from True Blood.

NOT GOOD:

I am a musical theatre fag, but I can't stand Kristin Chenoweth. I'm sorry but Ms. Chenoweth is 41 years old and is it just or does she permanently behave like she is a Sesame Street character. And you have the nerve to steal an Emmy from Kristen Wiig. NOT GOOD!
"Emmy Award Winner Jon Cryer." This is wrong in so many ways.

This person's issues with inhaling were not good.

Tina Fey wins an Emmy for playing Sarah Palin but loses Best Actress in a Comedy Series. I love Toni Collette, but this is Liz Lemon we are talking about.

This dress was not good.

Overall these Emmy Awards were fine. They could have been a lot worse. I think I might not predict winners for the Emmys. I never do well and there seems to be no real rhyme or reason in who wins. Mayhaps next year I'll just draw names out of a hat.

Bring on the Oscars!

Emmy Award Predictions

2009-09-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

I hate the above picture more than I can even explain!

I don't know what I was thinking, but I thought the Emmys were next weekend. I need to stop drinking.

The Emmys are apparently on Sunday. I feel ashamed because I am not upholding the tube part of this blog as well as I should. So here's my sorry ass attempt to be a better blogger.

I always find predicting Emmys particularly difficult because I really don't understand why Emmy voters vote the way they do. I.E. Doris Roberts 4 Emmys for Everybody Loves Raymond (see disgusting photo above). Kim Cattrall 0 Emmys for Sex in the City. That makey no sensey to me!

There are some categories that I am really just taking a stab in the dark at, but here goes:

Best Drama
It will be nice to see the best drama on TV win the award for the best drama on TV.

Best ComedyAgain, it will be nice to see the best comedy on TV win the award for the best comedy on TV.

Best Actor- Drama
I just have a hunch that he will win because he never has and Emmy voters seem to really like him. And he is kind of the show.

Best Actor- ComedyAfter watching Baldwin's Generalissimo episode yesterday, I can't predict anyone else for the win. It just feels wrong to do so. However, I have a strong feeling I will Jim Parsons the day I predicted Baldwin.

Best Actress- DramaEasy. Fingers crossed for a Elisabeth Moss shocker! (wait that sounds dirty)

Best Actress- ComedyNow I love Muriel Heslop to death, but Liz Lemon is a goddess.

Best Supporting Actor- Drama
I have no clue. But I'll say Aaron Paul.

Best Supporting Actor - ComedyHe's hosting and it would be awkward if he didn't win. Come on Emmy Voters don't Jenna Elfman him!

Best Supporting Actress - DramaAgain I have no clue. But I'll say Wiest because she won last year.

Best Supporting Actress- ComedyI want to predict Wiig or Krakowski. SIGH!

I am not getting into other categories because it cuts into my drinking time. I expect maybe half of these to be correct. Only time will tell...

And it begins: First Oscar predictions of 2009

2009-09-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

TIFF is here. That makes me happy because it means that Oscar season is officially upon us.

TIFF means that summer is officially over, but it means critic awards and the actuality of "Oscar nominee Mo'Nique" are almost upon us.

I figured since we are now half way through TIFF and I have been an incredibly lazy blogger, I would now start my first official Oscar predictions of the season.

It'll be incredibly fun to see which ones of these will fall completely off the wayside and who will enter the derby at a later date.

So here goes.

Best Picture

The Hurt Locker
UP
Nine
Precious
Up in the Air
A Serious Man
Invictus
The Lovely Bones
An Education
A Single Man

Best Director

Rob Marshall for Nine
Jason Reitman for Up in the Air
Clint Eastwood for Invictus
Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker
Lee Daniels for Precious

Best Actor

Morgan Freeman for Invictus
Daniel Day Lewis for Nine
George Clooney for Up in the Air
Matt Damon for The Informant
Colin Firth for A Single Man

Best Actress

Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia
Carey Mulligan for An Education
Saoirse Ronan for The Lovely Bones
Gabourey Sidibe for Precious
Abby Cornish for Bright Star

Best Supporting Actor

Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones
Matt Damon for Invictus
Christoph Waltz for Inglorious Basterds
Alfred Molina for An Education
Richard King for A Serious Man

Best Supporting Actress

Julianne Moore for A Single Man
Penelope Cruz for Nine
Marion Cotillard for Nine
Mo'Nique for Precious
Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air

So these are incredibly early picks and they've also made me realize that this year definitely doesn't pack the power and punch of the past couple of years. Hopefully a couple of wildcards like A Single Man, Get Low, and Everything's Fine will mix things up. And who the f knows about Malick's The Tree of Life. With Shutter Island moving to 2010, it's looking like a kind of dull Oscar race and I am starting to consider the idea of Academy Award winner Mo'Nique as a real possibility.

Best Emmy Nominations Ever?

2009-07-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

When the nominations for Emmys were announced last Thursday, I must say they were the most inspired and deserved list of nominations I can remember in my decade long following of the Emmys.

Yes there will always be a slew of nominations for less than great shows like Two and a Half Men, Monk, and Boston Legal. But this year, every undeserved nomination for a mediocre show seemed to be matched by a truly inspired nomination from a shows like Flight of the Concords, Big Love, Weeds, Family Guy, The Big Bang Theory, Saturday Night Live, and Emmy favorites Mad Men and 30 Rock. Interesting how a few winners from last year were left off this year's lists.

The biggest surprise of Emmy noms morning however was the inclusion of a 7th nominee in both Drama and Comedy series after the official expansion earlier this year of 6 nominees per category. Why 7? 7 seems a bit much in my opinion. As the love of my life Entertainment Weekly's Dave Karger said "There are so many nominees it seems a lot like shows are simply getting a participation ribbon." I agree and Dave Karger my phone number is 647.887.5251!

Here are the list of nominations and my thoughts:

Best Drama Series

* Big Love (HBO)
* Breaking Bad (AMC)
* Damages (FX)
* Dexter (Showtime)
* House (Fox)
* Lost (ABC)
* Mad Men (AMC)

Thoughts: A great line up in my opinion. The biggest surprise is that True Blood is given no love by the Emmy voters, which confirms my earlier blog that it just isn't a good show. Mad Men will obviously win.

Best Comedy Series

* 30 Rock (NBC)
* Entourage (HBO)
* Family Guy (FOX)
* Flight of the Conchords (HBO)
* How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
* The Office (NBC)
* Weeds (Showtime)

Thoughts: I love that Family Guy becomes the first animated series to be nominated since The Flinstones' in the 60's. I also love the inspired nods to Weeds and FotC. Nothing can beat 30 Rock as it is simply the best comedy on TV.

Best Actor - Drama

* Simon Baker for playing Patrick Jane on The Mentalist (CBS)
* Gabriel Byrne for playing Dr. Paul Weston on In Treatment (HBO)
* Bryan Cranston for playing Walter White on Breaking Bad (AMC)
* Michael C. Hall for playing Dexter Morgan on Dexter (Showtime)
* Jon Hamm for playing Don Draper on Mad Men (AMC)
* Hugh Laurie for playing Dr. Gregory House on House (FOX)

Thoughts: The biggest surprise is Simon Baker over Keifer Sutherland for 24. Jon Hamm must win, but will Bryan Cranston take the award for the second year in a row?

Best Actor - Comedy

* Alec Baldwin for playing Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock (NBC)
* Steve Carell for playing Michael Scott on The Office (NBC)
* Jemaine Clement for playing Jemaine on Flight of the Conchords (HBO
* Jim Parsons for playing Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
* Tony Shalhoub for playing Adrian Monk on Monk (USA)
* Charlie Sheen for playing Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men (CBS)

Thoughts: Interesting that Duchovny gets snubbed for the second straight year. I am not thrilled to see Sheen or Shalhoub in this category again, however, as long as Jack Donaghy wins, I don't care!

Best Actress - Drama

* Glenn Close for playing Patricia "Patty" Hewes on Damages (FX)
* Sally Field for playing Nora Walker on Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
* Mariska Hargitay for playing Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
* Holly Hunter for playing Grace Hanadarko on Saving Grace (TNT)
* Elisabeth Moss for playing Peggy Olson on Mad Men (AMC)
* Kyra Sedgwick for playing Brenda Leigh Johnson on The Closer (TNT)

Thoughts: I am shocked that Anna Paquin or January Jones were omissions in favor of someone like Holly Hunter or Mariska Hargitay. Nice to see Moss nominated though. I would expect Glenn Close has this in the bag.

Best Actress - Comedy

* Christina Applegate for playing Samantha "Sam" Newly on Samantha Who? (ABC)
* Toni Collette for playing Tara Gregson on United States of Tara (Showtime)
* Tina Fey for playing Liz Lemon on 30 Rock (NBC)
* Julia Louis-Dreyfus for playing Christine Campbell on The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)
* Mary-Louise Parker for playing Nancy Botwin on Weeds (Showtime)
* Sarah Silverman for playing Sarah Silverman on The Sarah Silverman Program (Comedy Central)

Thoughts: This is a great category! I am shocked to see America Ferrara not on the list, but really are we still that entertained by an intern with adult braces? I love that Sarah Silverman is on this list and happy that Applegate is given a so long farewell nomination. No one can beat Tina Fey, much like another Tina, she's simply the best

Best Supporting Actor - Drama

* Christian Clemenson for playing Jerry Espenson on Boston Legal (ABC)
* Michael Emerson for playing Benjamin Linus on Lost (ABC)
* William Hurt for playing Daniel Purcell on Damages (FX)
* Aaron Paul for playing Jesse Pinkman on Breaking Bad (AMC)
* William Shatner for playing Denny Crane on Boston Legal (ABC)
* John Slattery for playing Roger Sterling on Mad Men (AMC)

Thoughts: Two nominations for Boston Legal actors. BORING!!!! Even if one is Captain Kirk. I hope the bug eyes of Ben finally win. He's TV's best villain!

Best Supporting Actor - Comedy

* Jon Cryer for playing Alan Harper on Two and a Half Men (CBS)
* Kevin Dillon for playing Johnny "Drama" Chase on Entourage (HBO)
* Neil Patrick Harris for playing Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
* Jack McBrayer for playing Kenneth Parcell on 30 Rock (NBC)
* Tracy Morgan for playing Tracy Jordan on 30 Rock (NBC)
* Rainn Wilson for playing Dwight Schrute on The Office (NBC)

Thoughts: Seems like a lot of Emmy voters have been eating a ton of mercury filled sushi because they were seemingly too tired to tick off Jeremy Piven's name. No speed off my plow. Happy to see the 3 time winner off the list and I am thrilled to see Morgan and McBrayer's names on the list. Now here's hoping Kenneth or Tracy Jordan take the award!

Best Supporting Actress - Drama

* Rose Byrne for playing Ellen Parsons on Damages (FX)
* Hope Davis for playing Mia on In Treatment (HBO)
* Cherry Jones for playing President Allison Taylor on 24 (FOX)
* Sandra Oh for playing Dr. Cristina Yang on Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
* Dianne Wiest for playing Gina on In Treatment (HBO)
* Chandra Wilson for playing Dr. Miranda Bailey on Grey's Anatomy (ABC)

Thoughts: Look at this list of actresses, they aren't too shabby eh? Would have loved for Alison Pill to have gotten in here for In Treatment. I also think Christina Hendricks is one of the best things about Mad Men. But overall, I can't complain!

Best Supporting Actress - Comedy

* Kristin Chenoweth for playing Olive Snook on Pushing Daisies (ABC)
* Jane Krakowski for playing Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock (NBC)
* Elizabeth Perkins for playing Celia Hodes on Weeds (Showtime)
* Amy Poehler for playing various characters on Saturday Night Live (NBC)
* Kristen Wiig for playing various characters on Saturday Night Live (NBC)
* Vanessa L. Williams for playing Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty (ABC)

Thoughts: In my opinion this is the best category of the evening. After so many years of having to put up with Doris Roberts winning over the likes of Megan Mullally and Kim Cattrall and watching people like Holland Taylor and Conchata Ferrell continually end up in this category, it's nice to see a very worthy 6 nominees. I am thrilled for the inclusion of Jane Krakowski because she has the tapes to win the award. I also would be overly pleased if Kristen Wiig won. Because I invented the Emmy Awards... Soo....

Emmy Nomination Predictions

2009-07-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

I love the Emmy Awards!

Tomorrow the nominations come out and here are my final predictions.

Here's hoping for a few big surprises too. And please nominate Jane Krakowski for Best Supporting Actress Emmy Voters.

Without further ado:
Best Drama Series

Mad Men
Dexter
Lost
House
Damages
True Blood
Best Comedy Series

30 Rock
The Family Guy
Two and a Half Men
Entourage
The Office
How I Met Your Mother
Best Actor - Drama Series

Keifer Sutherland - 24
Michael C. Hall - Dexter
Gabriel Byrne - In Treatment
Jon Hamm - Mad Men
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Hugh Laurie - House
Best Actor - Comedy

Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory
Steve Carell - The Office
David Duchovny - Californication
Tony Shaloub - Monk
Charlie Sheen - Two and a Half Men
Best Actress - Drama

Sally Field - Brothers and Sisters
Glenn Close - Damages
January Jones - Mad Men
Anna Paquin - True Blood
Kyra Segwick - The Closer
Mariska Hargitay - Law and Order: SVU
Best Actress - Comedy

Amy Poehler - Parks and Recreation
Toni Collette - The United States of Tara
Tina Fey - 30 Rock
America Ferrera - Ugly Betty
Julia Louis Dreyfuss - The New Adventures of Old Christine
Mary Louise Parker - Weeds
Best Supporting Actor - Drama

Michael Emmerson - Lost
William Hurt - Damages
John Slattery - Mad Men
John Mahoney - In Treatment
William Shatner - Boston Legal
Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad
Best Supporting Actor - Comedy

Kevin Connelly - Entourage
Jeremy Piven - Entourage
Jon Cryer - Two and a Half Men
Rainn Wilson - The Office
Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother
Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock
Best Supporting Actress - Drama

Christina Hendricks - Mad Men
Diane Wiest - In Treatment
Chandra Wilson - Grey's Anatomy
Marcia Gay Harden - Damages
Rachel Griffiths - Brothers and Sisters
Alison Pill - In Treatment
Best Supporting Actress - Comedy

Amy Poehler - Saturday Night Live
Vanessa Williams - Ugly Betty
Jane Krakowski - 30 Rock
Kristin Wiig - Saturday Night Live
Tracy Ullman - Tracy State of The Union
Jenna Fischer - The Office

WE SHALL SEE!!!!

Truly, Bloody Bad!

2009-07-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

I wanted to like True Blood. I really did!

I remember reading somewhere a few years ago that Anna Paquin was shooting an Alan Ball pilot about the integration of Vampires into society with the help of a Japanese company creating synthetic blood.
I remember thinking THIS WILL BE GOOD.

When I was in New York last summer, I remember seeing a ton of ads all over the place featuring colorful red-blood bottles simply marked TRU BLOOD. I again thought THIS IS GOING TO BE EPIC.

I bought the TRUE BLOOD season 1 DVDs the day they were released and over the past month I have diligently watched the 12 episodes of season 1.

Oh True Blood how you have let me down. You were so much better in theory than you ever were in actuality. You looked so edgy and avant garde and you were actually, just surprisingly lame.

How did this happen? How did Alan Ball fuck up so much? Why is True Blood the place where subtlety goes to die?

My overall problem with the show is that I feel like no concept or device is fully realized. The show is rife with unbelievable inconsistencies. These are the things that just don't gel with me:

THE VAMPIRE INTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY.

Are we really supposed believe that vampires based on the behaviors they possess in True Blood (you know, murdering people, threatening people, and moving in extreme fast motion.) have been so easily accepted into society? I know that it is the central conflict of the show and that it is one big metaphor but come on Alan Ball, couldn't the vampires be a little more subtle in their vampire-like behavior? Don't they want to blend in to a human world?

Sookie's Mind Reading.

This is a seriously inconsistent device. Sookie seems to be able to read minds maybe once or twice an episode but never when it really seems to count narrative-wise.

LaFayette

LaFayette is truly a cluster fuck of a character. He is a short order cook/drug dealer/construction crew worker/male escort and a GAY who kicks the shit out of anyone who dares call his hamburger an AIDSbuger. Now, I am all for created a truly unique character but a I don't believe in a million years this character would really exist. And why does he have so many jobs?

Vampire's Scene is Goth... really???

Why do the vampires' local haunt Fangtasia look like a scene from Saturday Night Live's Goth Talk? Couldn't they have edgier style than a late 90's Marilyn Manson video. Honestly the goth scene at my high school wasn't as lame as this vampire scene.

The season finale (SPOILER ALERT)

It was a bad, bad, bad horror movie. Okay so we got that Rene was the killer when his picture as Drew Marshall was faxed to the police department. Why was there a need to beat us over the head with a caveman club that HE WAS THE KILLER? Was it necessary to have to show us the Cajun Dialect Cassette Tape Rene purchased so he could fool everyone into believing he was Cajun? We understood he was the killer Alan Ball. It's not like you have to have Dora the Explorer blatantly ask us "Do you understand that Rene is the killer? Well do you?"

Why does no one seem to be bothered that their entire town is dying?

No one seems to truly be bothered by all the death. Sam Merlotte has lost half his staff and doesn't seem to really care, Sookie and Jason seem completely kosher with the idea of their grandmother being dead, and Detective Bellfleur seems completely fine with talking about the murder investigation at Merlotte's in front of friends and family of all the victims. I know that if 4 people were killed in my home town or in anyone's home town it would be a lot different, just sayin'!

V
If a tiny drop of vampire blood can make a person go into a full body, hours long hallucinatory high, how is it possible that drinking an entire vile only makes someone get a crazy hard on with no mental effects? I may be playing logistic police but this drug's properties do not make sense.

Metaphors

Alan Ball these metaphors about homosexuality and gay marriage in this post prop 8 world are a little heavy handed no?

Okay so I have rambled on and on about the unbelievable inconsistencies of True Blood, but I had to because it drives me crazy. And yet the craziest thing of all is that I will probably continue to watch as season 2 just began and I have the first four episodes on DVD. I am intrigued by the shape shifter plot. I need to know who killed Miss Jeanette and what happened to Lafayette.

True Blood is not at the level of "it's so bad, it's good." It's not Snakes on a Plane where it embraces it's own ridiculousness and becomes surprisingly watchable. There are moments that elevate it into the upper echelon of other brilliant HBO shows (Six Feet Under, The Sopranos,etc.). However it is a completely unrealized show that really tests its audience in having to put up with a lot of plot, character and logistic holes.

As an audience member I am only willing to put up with so much.

I'll give it another season.

Michael Jackson 1958-2009

2009-06-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson died yesterday at age 50 of cardiac arrest.

There is not much I can say that hasn't already been said in everyone's facebook statuses over the past 24 hours. However, what I can say is that I feel tremendous sadness that he is gone.

Bubbles, elephant man bones, Culkin molestation, Princeparisblanket aside, MJ was the king of pop and arguably one of the best entertainers of the past century or any century.

I remember MJ coming into my radar when Black and White was all over the radio and truly loving his performance as Scarecrow in horribly misguided, but surprisingly watchable, The Wiz.

It is sad.

RIP

10s a crowd?

2009-06-25T13:26:00.000-07:00

"After more than six decades, the Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year," academy President Sid Ganis said yesterday. "The final outcome, of course, will be the same – one Best Picture winner – but the race to the finish line will feature 10, not just five, great movies from 2009."

HMMM????????

How does this make me feel as an Academy Award purist?

I understand why the Academy has done this. 10 is more than 5. There are now 5 more movies that can advertise that they are a BEST PICTURE NOMINEE. It's good for box office and DVD sales and rentals.

It is also great for Oscar ratings because more stars of the 10 Nominated Best Pictures will be invited and feel a need to have to show up to support their films.

Also with 10 Best Picture nominees chances are more popcorn blockbusters will be nominated for the top award and more of middle America will have seen these films.

I guess it's not really that bad.
But there was a certain prestige about being one of the 5 nominated pictures of the year. Now that the categories has upped its nominees by 50%, it does cheapen the prestige just a bit in my opinion.

I also wonder what sort of films will now have the chance to get into Best Picture. Will it feel like the MTV Movie Awards with titles like Iron Man slipping in?

However looking back over the past five years, I can't help feel sorry for films that definitely would have made the cut had their been 10 nominees in their respective years:

Looking back here are the titles I assume would have made the cut:
2008:
Wall E
The Wrestler
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Changeling
2007:
Into to The Wild
Sweeney Todd
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Once
Away From Her

2006:
United 93
Dreamgirls
Pan's Labyrinthe
Children of Men
The Last King of Scotland
2005:
A History of Violence
Walk the Line
The Constant Gardener
King Kong
The Squid and the Whale
2004:
Vera Drake
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Hotel Rwanda
The Incredibles
Kinsey

So what does this mean to 2009's Oscar race. Well it certainly bodes well for Nine to get into the top ten. And here's hoping that PIXAR gets a long overdue Best Picture nomination for UP! which is the best film I've seen so far this year.

Best Picture Two thousand and NINE?

2009-06-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

Every few years a movie comes to theatres and I pretty much surrender life as I know it to see it as many times as possible.

It is usually:

A movie musical

&

A female centric movie musical.

Being a huge fan of theatre, I seriously lose mah shit when a musical is adapted into a big screen film. Why you ask? Well first of all, it is the marriage of my love of film and theatre. And whenever a musical becomes a film, they pull out all the stops and you get to truly see how talented some of our movie stars can actually be. It doesn't quite work in the opposite way however. When a film is turned into a Broadway show, often the original cinematic material is compromised in some way to make each number bigger, bolder and more bubblegum. OMIGOD you guys! These movies into Broadway often star very talented Broadway stars but it doesn't have the same WOW factor that a big movie musical can possess with its inventive cinematic stagings of musical numbers.

In 2002, I went to Boston from New Brunswick on my Christmas vacation in order to see Chicago three times. I saw it an additional 3 times in movie theatres. All That Jizz (in my pants)

In 2006, I saw Dreamgirls 16 times in a movie theatre. In January of 2007, if I was anywhere, I was probably in a movie theatre watching JHud belt out And I'm Telling You.

In 2007, I saw Hairspray as many times as possible and was actually crestfallen when the singalong version left Toronto theatres in less than a week.

In 2009
I will probably see NINE for the entire month of November and December.

BEHOLD THE CAST:

Academy Award Winner Daniel Day Lewis
Academy Award Winner Judi Dench
Academy Award Winner Marion Cotillard
Academy Award Winner Nicole Kidman
Academy Award Winner Penelope Cruz
Academy Award Winner Sophia Loren

&
Academy Award Nominee (if only we could rescind this) Kate Hudson

&

FERGIE!!!!!

While I am not keen about the star of Bride Wars and Fool's Gold or the singer of Fergalicious and Boom Boom Pow tainting my cinematic experience. The rest of the cast certainly makes up for these shortcomings.

And after watching the trailer where Fergie, or Stacy Ferguson or whatever the meth they are going to call her, tears up the first act closer BE ITALIAN. I am very keen on all things Nine.

So what to expect with this film:

Rob Marshall did brilliant things with Chicago in 2002 and expect a very similar musical numbers as dream sequences approach with NINE!

The music is beautiful. We have already heard Fergie attack BE ITALIAN in the trailer. I'll be interesting to hear what Nicole Kidman does with Unusual Way, which I believe to be the most beautiful song in the show.

I can't wait to see how DDL fares in a musical.

And it'll be nice to see Sophia Loren, the only actual Italian in the film, in a big Oscar season movie once again.

I am now deciding to take in all the summer sun that is possible and spend copious amounts of time with friends because it is safe to say I will spend two months and many multiples of nine viewing this film. I plan to leave the theatre mid December looking much like the Unabomber. I'm sure to be on cloud NINE!

Not a great night to be the sound man, Alice Ripley or Brett Michaels head.

2009-06-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

Let's take you through last night's Tony Awards, which actually was the gayest thing I've watched since my two hours on xtube this morning.

The show opens with Elton John's mic not working. The first of the 800 hundred microphone problems in the opening number alone.

Then this happens. Yes, older male ballerinas lifting, in a figure skating pairs lift, younger male ballerinas. And this is the moment all red states officially turn their TVs to the NBA finals.

Brett Michaels almost loses his head when a set piece essentially clothes lines him. Look closely at this picture. Brett is in the middle getting nailed by that big Broadway set piece. He has literally just been thrown off his feet.
It actually might have been the highlight of the show.

LIZA... there ... are... no .... words!

Then comes Dolly. Dolly and Liza on one stage is the theatrical equivalent to a simultaneous BJ and RJ.

SO MUCH BROADWAY ON ONE STAGE.
Jessica Fletcher lives... and wins a TONY!

Would you rather see Shrek or spend a night in a morgue with dead bodies... I actually don't know.
Constantine Maroulis needs to find himself a Bermuda Triangle and get lost in it.
Doogie Howser M.D. grew up to be a talented and handsome P.B. (power bottom).
Speaking about those who are destined to grow up into talented and handsome power bottoms, the three Billy Elliots won Best Actor in a Musical.
Carrie Fisher was there in her Pennington's (14+) best.
Next time can the Tony Awards hire a director who, you know, can direct. Why don't we not cut to Dolly Parton by accident after she loses or pan away from the dead people's names during the IN MEMORIAM. Just a thought.
Frank Langella is not nominated for a Tony but wins the Fuck You Award to the Tony voters who forgot to nominate him.
West Side Story and Hair delivered great performances. Everything about Guys and Dolls, Shrek, Rock of Ages sucked except for this chick from Rock of Ages.
I love Marcia Gay Harden but something in her face just looks off.
What the fuck was up with Alice Ripley. She wins Best Actress in a Musical, says something about JFK, screams like she's in pain and basically confirms that she is as mentally ill as her character. She made Liza look like the model of composure and poise, which is not an easy feat.

BEST ENDING EVER!!!! “This show could not be gayer if Liza was named Mayor and Elton John took flight..” So true and I couldn't have been happier.

Tony Soprano meets Antoinette Perry!

2009-06-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

Hey gals and gays.

It's early June. I have written nary a blog since February. Two things have happened recently that have forced me back into blogging. I have recently become unemployed (as of, you know, today) and I was also recently interviewed for a How Do You Solve Maria follow up documentary where I am listed as "ENTERTAINMENT BLOGGER". I figured it was time to hop back on the blog bandwagon as 1. I have more than enough time to blog and 2. I don't want to be falsely credited as something I am not. Like the time I was credited as comedian Michael Lawrence on Much Music's Video on Trial. To quote Kelly Clarkson NEVER AGAIN.

So here it is ENTERTAINMENT BLOGGER Mike Yerxa blogging about the gayest awards since the grabby awards. the TONYS.

I did my annual April trip to New York to scope out all that might glitter Tony gold. I was able to see 5 shows in 4 days featuring the likes of Susan Sarandon, Allison Janney, and even Tony Soprano himself.

Here's my rundown.

Thursday: Exit the King

Starring: Geoffrey Rush, Susan Sarandon, & Claire Fisher.

Price for Ticket: $25 (Thank you 4 year old expired student I.D.)

Thoughts: I really didn't know WTF was happening. But great actors are great actors and it was this or The Little Mermaid.

Friday: God of Carnage

Starring: That crazy bitch from The Mist, Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber, Tony Soprano, and that actress that you recognize but can't think of her name. (Marcia Gay Harden, Jeff Daniels, James Gandolfini, and Hope Davis)

Price for Ticket: $20 (Standing room only bitches)

Thoughts: Really really really funny and entertaining. Who knew a play about two sets of parents meeting about one boy hitting the other with a stick could be so entertaining?

Saturday matinee: West Side Story

Starring: A guy too old to play Tony, an Argentinian import Maria, a completely forgettable Riff, and a miscast, but fierce Anita.

Price for Ticket: $24 (partial views. I made friends with the New York ticket brokers who rip people off and sell these seats for $90 a pop)

Thoughts: I had a perma Orgasm face (see below) during this show. BRILLIANT!!!

Saturday evening: 9 to 5 The Musical

Starring: Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block and Megan Hilty.

Price for Ticket $66 (thanks to one of them Broadway discounts I found on the internet.)

Thoughts: I was pleasantly surprised. I hate to say but I could barely get through the movie and I love a female centric comedy especially one that is pro feminism. However this show was clever and a lot of fun. I want Dolly Parton to adopt me.

Sunday: Hair

Starring: Lots of broadway folk who got naked.

Price for Ticket: $75 (some special deal I found, which was great because this show is selling like a Hannah Montana concert)

Thoughts: It has the best music and it was really great production. I really do like when people can naked in a musical. The girl who sang Aquarius can belt better than American Idol all divas combined (of course not including Fantasia and Jhud). But give me her over a thousand Trenyces and Syesha Mercados.

So I got to see 5 show that will factor largely in the Tony Awards. I still haven't seen Billy Elliot. I won't see Shrek The Musical. And I am sure that any one of the thousand high school productions around the continent of Guys and Dolls is better than the one on Broadway right now. ZING!!!

Here's what I think will win at Sunday's awards.

Best Musical: Billy Elliot
Best Play: God of Carnage
Best Revival of a Musical: Hair
Best Revival of a Play: The Norman Conquests
Best Actor in a Musical: Trent Kowalik, David Alvarez, Kiril Kulish in Billy Elliot
Best Actor in a Play: Geoffrey Rush in Exit the King
Best Actress in a Musical: Alice Ripley in Next To Normal
Best Actress in a Play: Marcia Gay Harden in God of Carnage
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical: Will Swenson in Hair
Best Supporting Actor in a Play: Roger Robinson in Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Karen Olivo in West Side Story
Best Supporting Actress in a Play: Angela Lansbury in Blithe Spirit

Miss Cleo of Oscar predictions?

2009-02-23T12:10:00.000-08:00

Am I the Miss Cleo of Oscar predictions? Me thinks so. Yes I did go 6 for 6 in my major categories. Had I actually not been lazy and posted all my predictions, I would have done very very well. I would have called Milk and Slumdog for Screenplay, Wall E for Animation, and Man on Wire for Documentary. I would have however, never picked Departures for Best Foreign Language film. That was the surprise of the evening. The one and only surprise!

So were the 81st Academy Awards a hit or a miss? I would say they were a bit of both, but more hit if you ask me.

Let’s recap the best and worst moments.

It was a great night for homosexuality:
1. Hugh Jackman hosting!

2. Dustin Lance Black uttering the following upon winning Best Original Screenplay: "But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he would want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches or by the government or by their families, that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value, and that no matter what anyone tells you God does love you and that very soon I promise you, you will have equal rights federally across this great nation of ours.” It was a great big fuck you to the Mormon Church and to all opposed to prop 8 and I ate it up like a King Sized Burger King Combo.
3. Sean Penn also gave a shout out to the gays. "I think it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect, and anticipate their great shame, and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone.” As a gay man, anytime people can be called out for being disgustingly homophobic and prejudiced in a Globally televised event, ME LIKEY!
The opening number was fabulous. I totally dug the elementary school Christmas concert recession-inspired cardboard sets. And Anne Hathaway was beyond tolerable and actually quite impressive vocally.

I am a sucker for the previous year’s winner handing out the Oscars to this year’s winners, especially last year when Jennifer Hudson admirably bastardized HAVIERE BARDIM’s name! But I did love this year's new trend of the previous categories winners welcoming a sister or brother to their elite club. I could have dealt with one less Goldie “Banger Sister” Hawn in The Supporting Actress crowd though. It seemed a bit Oprah Gratitude journal with each previous winner gushing over a current nominee. But each nominee seemed to be overwhelmed with genuine emotion and that was a fabulous thing to see.
Whoopi Goldberg saying the sentence “It’s not easy being a nun” was particularly Delores Van Cartier!
Penelope Cruz’s speech was lovely and beautifully delivered, but she would still win my award for voice I’d least like to hear read the bible as a book on tape.*
Can Tina Fey ever do wrong? Honestly we could find out that Tina murdered JonBenet Ramsey and no one would care! We'd probably find it hilarious and adorable!

I can’t remember in what context, but Meryl Streep flexed her muscles. I was waiting for a Mamma Mia cannon ball, but not even that would have saved that awful MUSICAL IS BACK medley.

Speaking of the musical is back medley, nothing could have put a Buffy-like stake through the heart of the movie musical like that fucking awful number. That number officially halted at least ten potential movie musicals from ever happening. No to Beyoncebot! No to Zacquisha! And no to the Mamma Mia couple who looked like about as comfortable as Jennifer “Please love me” Aniston feet away from Brangelina. Who thought that was a good idea? Apparently Baz Luhrmann!
Best Supporting Actor winner Heath Ledger’s families' acceptance and dedication to his Matilda was beautiful. But Cuba Gooding Jr. inclusion of one of the five previous Best Supporting Actor winners was anything but. Seriously Academy, you are going to ask the star of Snowdogs, Boat Cruise, and Radio to present an Oscar to Heath Ledger. WTF? If there were ever a reason to invent a time machine, it would be to go back and rip that Oscar out of CGJr’s hack hands!
Ben Stiller as Joaquin Pheonix did not work, however Natalie Portman as my heterosexual crush does!
Man on Wire guy’s magic trick and balancing illusion had nothing on Gob Bluth, but they were still pretty great!
I loved that Japanese man who actually said “Domō Arigatō Mr. Roboto” because I am all in favor of highlighting national stereotypes. Next time please except in a kimono Karaoke-styles Mr. Kato, that is if you’re feet binding will allow you to walk to the podium.
HE looked AMAZING!
Kate Winslet won Best Actress and rightfully so. I wouldn’t have been opposed to a Meryl come from behind victory. I also loved her calling out to her dad to whistle to let her know where he was. So human and great. Can’t imagine you’d see that between Jolie and Voight. Just sayin’
Even though Mickey Rourke sadly lost, he lost to a worthy opponent. And it was nice to see Sean Penn actually have a sense of humor about himself for once. Spicoli lives!
Slumdog won 8 Awards and I am more than okay with that. As a gay, I would have preferred Milk but I always root for the underdog.
So that’s the end of this year’s Oscar race! Bring on 09! In fact bring on Nine! Hopefully tag team Day Lewis-Cotillard-Dench-Kidman-Loren-Cruz-&Fergie do not disappoint and prove that the musical is still, in fact, a living and kicking beast!

*joke care of Heidi Brander.

Slumdog, Boyle, Penn, Winslet, Ledger, Cruz!

2009-02-20T11:24:00.000-08:00

That’s where I would place my bets, if I was a betting man. If I was more of a gambler I’d go with Mickey Rourke but I am definitely more conservative, religiously, politically and Oscar racially.

Here are my official final predictions:

Best Picture-
Will win: Slumdog Millionaire
It’s been unbeatable at this point. It’s won everything in sight. Golden Globe, Critics Choice, BAFTA, DGA, SAG. It’s the little picture that could, did and will.
Should win: Milk
Sure it was a pretty standard biopic, but it was pretty fucking incredible. It was superbly shot and brilliantly performed. This is where my vote would go.
Possible spoiler: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
It leads the nomination race, but this will not happen.
Should have been nominated: WALL-E
Animated or not it’s still the best movie of 2008.

Best Director –
Will win: Danny Boyle
No contest here. He is has lapped every other contender in this category.

Should win: Danny Boyle
His work on this film was first rate. It was beautifully shot, well paced, and equal parts hilarious, charming and touching.

Possible spoiler: ---------------
No one will beat Danny Boyle so this is a waste of words on this blog.

Should have been nominated: Andrew Stanton
Andrew Stanton has made brilliant film after brilliant film with WALL E potentially being his magnum opus thus far. When will the Academy ignore the idea that an animated film deserves recognition in the Animated Feature category only?

Best Actor –
Will win: Sean Penn
This is the race of the night and will create the most drama. I can’t think of a Best Actor race this hotly contested since the 2002 trio of Nicholson, Brody and Day-Lewis. This is me playing it conservative and going for the safe choice. Penn was phenomenal in Milk and does deserve to win. The Academy has thrown tons of support in Milk’s direction and this (along with Best Original Screenplay) is where they can reward it.
Should win: Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke’s performance is the best performance of the year or any year, in my opinion. The film is his performance along the lines of DeNiro in Raging Bull or Marlon Brando in The Godfather. It really would be the ultimate comeback story. But can Oscar really welcome Mickey Rourke to their elite club? Something in my gut tells me no. However, I remember predicting the conservative choice in Julie Christie for Best Actress last year and we all know how that ended up.

Possible spoiler: Mickey Rourke
Honestly at this point it’s a toss up.

Should have been nominated: Leonardo Dicaprio
I will never truly understand the lack of love for Revolutionary Road. It was Leo’s most mature and commanding performance to date.

Best Actress -
Will win: Kate Winslet
It’s about time! How is Hilary Swank a two time winner and Kate Winslet is a 5 time loser? She had two brilliant performances in 2008 and she’s her generation’s finest actress. While I would have preferred she won for Revolutionary Road, beggars can’t be choosers.
Should win: Anyone but Angelina.
I think this category is pretty incredible this year. Streep was over the top, but still better than anyone else. Winslet’s performance was subtle and heartbreaking. Hathaway was surprising and moving. And Melissa Leo literally became Ray Eddy. I am still not over Sally Hawkins snub though. I may never be.
Possible spoiler: Melissa Leo
If for some reason Oscar voters can’t decide between Meryl or Kate, I seriously believe that a Melissa Leo win is not out of the question.
Should have been nominated: Sally Hawkins
For creating the most interesting, original and believable character seen on screen in 2008.

Best Supporting Actor -
Will win: Heath Ledger
Not just because he died but because it was a jaw dropping brilliant performance. Whoever thought the Joker could be so complex, tortured and brilliantly insane. A beyond belief performance

Should win: Heath Ledger
DUH!
Possible spoiler: Hell freezing over

Deserved a nomination: David Kross & Bill Irwin.
Both Irwin and Kross delivered superb supporting performances but they were overshadowed by their more famous costars and never got any buzz to really throw their hats in the ring.

Best Supporting Acress -
Will win: Penelope Cruz
Supporting Actress Awards typically goes to a 20 or 30’s something beautiful woman (Judi Dench aside). The award in this category also likes to often go to a performance from a Woody Allen film. When Winslet was bumped up to lead category for The Reader, this award was literally put in the hands of Cruz. She won most of the film critic awards and is a previous nominee, so I can’t see how she could lose.
Should win: Amy Adams
Before you jump down my throat and tell me to get over my obsession of Enchanted, I must say that I think Amy Adams did the most interesting work in the category. She made some fascinating choices and turned a thankless role into something with legitimate meat and substance. In the play Doubt, Sister James is a sounding board for Sister Aloysius, however here Adams turns Sister James into the moral compass of the film.
Possible spoiler: Viola Davis
Oscar loves a scene-stealer! Ask Judi Dench and Beatrice Straight. So if any one is going to trip up Penelope Cruz’s trip to the podium, it’s going to be Viola Davis in her 10 minute long, mucous filled, firework erupting confrontation with Meryl Streep.
Should have been nominated: Rosemarie Dewitt
Dewitt goes head to toe with Hathaway and delivers! I still can’t believe she didn’t get attention for this performance.

That’s it for the major categories. Stay tuned for minor categories!

WORST BLOGGER EVER!

2009-02-18T12:37:00.000-08:00

I was such a good blogger for so long. I even blogged twice on Oscar nomination morning before 12 noon. But it seems as though work, you know that thing that helps you buy things you want, has gotten in the way. BLAME IT ALL ON THIS TV SHOW THAT EMPLOYS ME:

I have also been spending a ton of personal time focused on figure skating as it is a pre-Olympic year. I traveled to Vancouver to watch the Four Continents figure skating championships and I also hosted a US Nationals party aptly titled SHE FALLS, YOU DRINK!

Work and Elvis Stojko aside, much has happened since I last blogged and since we are a mere 5 days away from Oscar I figured. I should do a quick photo recap of all that has gone down Oscar race and Oscar race related.

Meryl Streep won a SAG and delivered perhaps the best speech of the award season. She also wore a pantsuit that was quite striking.

Mickey Rourke won a BAFTA, which was a great victory to see. I am really hoping for an Oscar win.

Kate Winslet picks up both SAG and BAFTA for The Reader, which makes it virtually impossible for her to lose Oscar.

Slumdog wins everything in sight including SAG ensemble (which is complete bullshit in my opinion).

I rewatched Rachel Getting Married on my plane to Vancouver and thought it was pretty great upon a second viewing. I also though Rosemarie DeWitt and Debra Winger were robbed.

AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY THIS HAPPENED:

Oscars are five days away so this blog is now going to go into hyper drive with at least a blog a day. Christmas is on Sunday after all.

SAG Predictions

2009-01-25T17:42:00.000-08:00

So I am currently watching the SAGs and I know that it's odd to write a blog where I predict the award winners as the ceremony is going on but here goes:

Best Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet (she's already won, but I would have predicted that)
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger
Best Actress: Meryl Streep
Best Actor: Mickey Rourke
Best Cast: Doubt

Oscar's Biggest Snubs 2008 Edition

2009-01-22T15:02:00.000-08:00

I am actually amazed by fellow Oscar bloggers and fans about how disappointed they are in the nominations. I don't think they are the best set of nominations, but I also don't think they are the worst.

The Academy made some inspired choices in Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Melissa Leo, Courtney Hunt's screenplay, and nominated M.I.A. for Best Song.

However, they really missed the Batman boat. I thought The Dark Knight was an excellent film. They also should have nominated Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road, which I think is the much better performance. Granted she's still brilliant in The Reader. However, the day's biggest snub is not to nominate Sally Hawkins. In my opinion it's like leaving out Mickey Rourke or Sean Penn from the Best Actor category. She was one of the year's most interesting and realized performances, which just proves that Oscar rarely gets it right.

And where the hell is the love for Springsteen?

Here are the major snubs in photo form in case you're a visual learner:

Nom Reactions

2009-01-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Holy fuck. I am spent. It is only 10am and already I am exhausted.

The nominations for the 81st Oscars were announced today and here are the nominees and my general reactions:

Best PictureMilk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon

Reactions: If seems as though the Academy and Batman are on the outs. The Dark Knight's snub was very surprising to me as was the inclusion of The Reader. Slumdog wins no hands down.

Best DirectorGus Van Sant - Milk
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry - The Reader

Reactions: I am shocked to see Chris Nolan left out in this category. I have to say I had a hunch Stephen Daldry would get in for Best Director. His first two films saw him nominated. Now he's a perfect 3 for 3. Boyle for the win.

Best ActorBrad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
Sean Penn - Milk
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor

Reactions: No CLINT EASTWOOD??? I guess the academy prefers ole Clint as a director and not as an actor. This was a huge surprise. It seems as though (and I stole this from my friend Dan's facebook status) that Eastwood will be grunting and giving the finger gun to the Academy all day. Now this becomes a two man race and the most interesting race of all. Rourke vs. Penn. The Ram vs. Harvey Milk. Bring it on.

Best Actress
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Kate Winslet - The Reader

Reactions: WTF????????? I never expected Kate Winslet for The Reader. I mean I know the Academy has a history of putting people in the categories as they see fit but as my good Oscar buddy Andrew said "I can't see how Winslet got more leading nominations for The Reader than she did Supporting for the same film and leading for Revolutionary Road." I don't know how that scenario played out but kudos to her. It becomes clear that she now owns this category. It's hers to lose. I am so sad about Sally Hawkins' snub. Hawkins is the actress, while it's clear that Hathaway and Jolie are the Oscar baiting movie stars. Winslet will live up to the first three letters of her last name.

Best Supporting ActorMichael Shannon - Revolutionary Road
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Josh Brolin - Milk

Reactions: Pretty much played out as I expected. I feel bad for Dev Patel, but Michael Shannon truly deserved his spot. Give Ledger his Oscar already.

Best Supporting ActressAmy Adams - Doubt
Viola Davis - Doubt
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Teraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler

Reactions: No Kate Winslet for The Reader makes this category less interesting for sure. I am happy to see Amy Adams get career nom number 2. Are you ready for Academy Award winner Penelope Cruz because in six weeks that's what she will be. Although there is an outside shot that Viola Davis could win, but it's not likely.

Okay I have to go and shave because I am appearing on Toronto's local station to talk Oscars and I look like Grizzly Adams.

SHE WAS ROBBED!

2009-01-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

As if Sally Hawkins was snubbed. She doesn't get nominated but Angelina and Anne Hathaway do. Bull shit. But as my good Oscar buddy Andrew said "Poppy would just smile through it."

Sneaky little buggers

2009-01-21T14:29:00.000-08:00

There are always surprises on nomination day. I remember gasping out loud like the bitch that I am when Keisha Castle Hughes bumped Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Connelly out of the Best Actress category in 2003. Especially since Hughes hadn’t even been campaigned in the Best Actress category. I also remember being shocked when Dreamgirls was left out in the cold in 2006. I am sure I dramatically broke into And I am Telling You and knelt in front of my Jennifer Hudson shrine screaming WHY!?!?!?

These are who I think could sneak into the pretty solid top five of each category:

Best Picture – I predicted Wall-e would sneak in over the more predicted Frost/Nixon. However The Reader also has an outside shot.

Best Director – The 5 DGA nominees look solid, but I think that Darren Aronofsky has a chance.

Best Actor- If anyone bumps out one of the iron strong top 5 for Best Actor it will be Richard Jenkins.

Best Actress –
I still can’t believe Angelina will bump out Melissa Leo or Kristin Scott Thomas. But for some reason if Angelina or worse Sally Hawkins are bumped out, it will be in favor of Melissa Leo.

Best Supporting Actor –
This category is pretty much solidified, but Eddie Marsan could spoil if Oscar voters go crazy for Happy Go Lucky.

Best Supporting Actress –The obvious choice for spoiler in this category is Globe and SAG nominee Amy Adams, however I will go out on a line and say that Rosemarie Dewitt gets in for Rachel Getting Married.

We’re 15 hours away. I wonder if I’ll have trouble sleeping tonight.

Official Oscar Predictions

2009-01-21T11:26:00.000-08:00

Okay here goes! It seems as though almost all Oscar experts are predicting the same five movies and performances in the main categories. So for my predictions should I play safe or go for broke and predict shockers in each category? Well I will play it safe with most categories (because I can't really see them playing out in any other way) and go for broke by saying WALL E gets into Best Picture. Sound the horns and without further ado here are my official 2008 Oscar Nomination predictions:
Best Picture
Slumdog Millionaire
Milk
The Dark Knight
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WALL E
Best Director
Gus Van Sant – Milk
David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benajmin Button
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
Chris Nolan – The Dark Knight
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Best Actor
Brad Pitt – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
Sean Penn – Milk
Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
Clint Eastwood – Gran Torino
Best Actress
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road
Angelina Jolie – Changeling
Sally Hawkins – Happy Go Lucky
Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Josh Brolin – Milk
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Dev Patel – Slumdog Millionaire
Best Supporting Actress
Taraji P. Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Viola Davis – Doubt
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
Kate Winslet – The Reader
Penelope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best Original Screenplay
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
WALL E
Happy Go Lucky
The Wrestler
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire
Frost/Nixon
Doubt
The Reader

What a wonderful week!

2009-01-20T14:14:00.000-08:00

I haven't been blogging lately and for the thousands of readers of this blog or maybe the one or two that happen to accidentally stumble upon it in their search for a lonely singles discussion group, well from me to you, I am sorry.

There has simply been too much going on lately. Lots of Canadian figure skating championships to watch. Lots of vintage episodes for Roseanne to be enjoyed. And that little thing called a job that gets in the way of blogging as well.

However, today I am inspired because Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States today and it's the most hopeful I've felt in a long time. It's the defining moment of our generation and I do have to say it was nice to see George W. Bush flying off in a helicopter to spend the next few decades simply awaiting his death.

This is a big week for general enthusiast Michael Yerxa. The Australian Open began yesterday and I do hope that this is the Grand Slam tournament that Elena Dementieva can finally win. The Inauguration of Obama was today. Tomorrow, the 5th season of Lost begins. This weekend is the United States Figure Skating Championship and my annual SHE FALLS, YOU DRINK skating celebration party.

THURSDAY however is my Christmas morning as the Oscar nominations are released.I have stayed home every Oscar nom morning since grade 7 to watch the announcements live and I look forward to this year's ceremony with baited breath.

I am going to post final predictions tomorrow. However I must say that I am feeling that this year's potential nominees are proving to be very predictable. It seems as though all Oscar prognosticators are predicting the same in every major category. The BAFTAs nominations were announced last Thursday and nothing major cam out of them minus a Sally Hawkins snub and a lot of love for Slumdog, Benjamin Button and Kate Winslet.

With my nomination predictions, I am tempted to mix it up and go out on a limb in certain categories. Who will be this year's Tommy Lee Jones or Keisha Castle Hughes or who will be snubbed ala Dreamgirls or Cold Mountain? There has to be surprises and I hope for some WTF moments on Thursday morning! Final noms tomorrow.

What I loved about the Golden Globes

2009-01-14T14:03:00.000-08:00

In her speech, Tina Fey made fun of people who post on The Envelope forums, which I have faithfully belonged to since 2002. Dianefan can suck it. Anyone who doesn’t get Tina Fey is a degenerate asshole.Tracy Morgan accepting the Best comedy award and stating that he is the face of post-racial America. Deal with it, Cate Blanchett! He probably got very confused and meant Kate Winslet because Cate Blanchett wasn’t even there. He also confirmed that he doesn’t act on 30 Rock. Whether he is Morgan or Jordan, he is just himself. Kate Winslet never wins anything and then she won two awards in one night. However I would have argued that she should have received a third award for BEST AWARD CEREMONY MOMENT EVER. She gets on stage and says the following: “I’m so sorry. Anne, Meryl, Kristin and oh god who’s the other one? …. Angelina.” I love that “the other one” happens to be the most famous female celebrity in the world. Angelina “Mother fucking” Jolie. Somewhere Jennifer Aniston is doing a touchdown-like celebration dance.While I don’t care for Mickey Rourke face, I do care for his win in the Best Actor category. I also care for the fact that he thanked his dog and he didn’t thank the Hollywood foreign press. In 2009, it is my New Years resolution to be nicer in general. Being a bitch is so 08! It was nice to see Rumer Willis finally get her due as Miss Golden Globe. It was also nice to see her look like a human for once and not a chin with legs.

Kate WINS - lot!

2009-01-11T21:02:00.000-08:00

Okay that was the best Golden Globes I can remember because it's nice to see a lot of deserving people win. I am also very happy because prediction wise I did quite well especially in the TV categories, in which I am usually way off the mark.

I was anxiously awaiting The Globes because I felt that after tonight we'd finally have a sense of where The Best Actress category was going. That did not happen because Kate Winslet won two Golden Globes right out of Penelope and Anne Hathaway's hands. So now in which category do Oscar voters reward her? HFPA why'd you have to go a make things so complicated! SAGS couldn't come fast enough.

Reactions (in the order that the awards were presented):

Best Picture - Drama: “Slumdog Millionaire”

We officially have our Best Picture Oscar winner.

Best Actor in a Drama: Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”

Yes, yes, yes!!! The performance of the year finally gets rewarded. I had a feeling the HFPA would not reward Sean Penn after all his snubs. The SAGs should be very interesting.

Best Drama Series: “Mad Men”

Obviously!

Best Actress in a Drama: Kate Winslet, “Revolutionary Road”

The Anne Hathaway leaked win on the website proved to be absolutely nothing. It's nice to see Winslet finally be a bride. P.S. Bride Wars is a terrible film.

Best Picture - Musical/Comedy: “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

YAWN. Crappy year for comedies so it's no shock an absolutely mediocre film wins.

Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy: Colin Farrell, “In Bruges”

So that happened...

Best Director: Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”

Totally deserved. His fate is sealed.

Best Actress in a Comedy Series: Tina Fey, “30 Rock”

The woman is brilliant and I am using the internet to personally tell her that!

Best Comedy Series: “30 Rock”

Okay I am so worried that major 30 Rock back lash is on its way.

Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie: Paul Giamatti, “John Adams”

Duh!

Best Actor in Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”

Mr. Baldwin is becoming a thoughtless little award hogging pig.

Best Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, “Slumdog Millionaire”

When it rains, it pours!

Best Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries: Laura Linney, “John Adams”

Duh x 2!

Best Foreign Language Film: “Waltz With Bashir”

I should see this film. But I probably won't!

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”

Even though the HFPA didn't love The Dark Knight, they couldn't not give it to him.

Best TV Movie or Miniseries: “John Adams”

People really liked this.

Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy: Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky”

So happy and so deserved! I am praying she gets into the top 5 for Best Actress. I do think she has an outside shot at winning.

Best Animated Feature: “WALL-E”

Can you imagine if Bolt had actually won!

Best Actress in a Drama Series (TV): Anna Paquin, “True Blood”

As I said, if it's new and good and on TV chances are it will win a Golden Globe. That's why Paquin won.

Best Actor in a Drama Series (TV): Gabriel Byrne, “In Treatment”

I figured Jon Hamm would win Best Actor and In Treatment would win Best Series. Mad Men and In Treatment were going to be rewarded and it could have gone either way. Wish it had gone the other so I would have had 100% perfect TV predictions!

Best Supporting Actress (TV): Laura Dern, “Recount”

This is in my top five performances of the year. It's beyond belief how astonishing Laura Dern is and what a cunt Katherine Harris was.

Best Supporting Actor (TV): Tom Wilkinson, “John Adams”

It's not such a bad time to be Mr. Wilkinson career wise eh?

Best Original Song: “The Wrestler” from “The Wrestler”

Oscar will be calling.

Best Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet, “The Reader”

AMAZING!!!! She is stunning in this and very deserving but I must say that I am shocked that Penny Cruz didn't win. So now the question is which category does she win in, lead, supporting, both or neither? Let the head scratching begin.

Golden Globe Film Predictions

2009-01-11T13:28:00.000-08:00

I am at a complete loss as to who will win these awards this year. Usually I am good a predicting these things, but things are about as clear for me as they were for Julie Christie in Away from Her. However here are a few feelings I thought I would share:

1. The comedy categories suck a lot this year!

2. Mamma Mia can't really win Best Picture! This is not the People's Choice awards or even the Mom Jeans film festival. Clout goes out the window for HFPA if Mammia Mia becomes the winner who takes it all!

3. I have a feeling Kate Winslet will lose twice. I also have a feeling that Meryl Streep will lose twice. It might actually be easier to have two two category losers than one.

4. I have a feeling Sean Penn can't lose for MILK. But he's snubbed the Globes before and if I invited someone to my party and they didn't show up I'd be less inclined to pick up their bar tab next time we were out. Does that make sense? Maybe they'll go for Rourke or even Frank Langella.

5. I am wondering who will accept for Heath Ledger.

Anyihopekatewinsletwins, here are my predictions:

Best Picture Drama – Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director – Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire

Best Picture Comedy – Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Actor Drama – Sean Penn in Milk

Best Actor Comedy – Dustin Hoffman in Last Chance Harvey

Best Actress Drama – Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married

Best Actress Comedy – Sally Hawkins in Happy Go Lucky

Best Supporting Actor – Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight

Best Supporting Actress – Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Foreign Language Film – Waltz with Bashir

Best Animated Film – WALL E

Best Screenplay – Slumdog Millionaire

Best Original Score – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Original Song – “The Wrestler” from The Wrestler

Golden Globe TV Predictions

2009-01-09T13:24:00.000-08:00

The Golden Globes are usually whores for whatever is new. They went gaga over Party of Five as Best Drama for damn sake in 1995. If it’s good and in its first season, it usually wins.

However, this year, because of the lack of new great shows, they may be forced to give their awards to shows in their 2nd -5th seasons that are actually the best.

Here are my predictions (I am usually always off the money in terms of TV predictions but here goes):

Best Drama – In Treatment

Best Comedy – 30 Rock

Best Miniseries or Movie – John Adams

Best Actor – Drama – Jon Hamm for Mad Men

Best Actor – Comedy - Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock

Best Actor – Movie/Miniseries – Paul Giamatti – John Adams

Best Actress – Drama – Anna Paquin – True Blood

Best Actress – Comedy – Tina Fey – 30 Rock

Best Actress – Movie/Miniseries – Laura Linney – John Adams

Best Supporting Actor – Tom Wilkinson – John Adams

Best Supporting Actress – Laura Dern - Recount

It's a TIE!!!!!

2009-01-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

Broadcast Film Critics Awards were last night and we saw some interesting developments. Here were the winners:

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor: Sean Penn, Milk

Best Actress: tie!!
Meryl Streep, Doubt; Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Best Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet, The Reader

I must first say I am not surprised by Slumdog , Penn or Ledger’s wins. They were to be expected and I think they are unstoppable at this point. I am sad that Mickey Rourke won’t be facebreaker knee smashing his way to Oscar glory, but if he’s to lose I’m more than fine having it be to Sean Penn.

The Best Actress and Supporting Actress races have gotten infinitely more interesting. Earlier this week I called Kate Winslet and Penelope Cruz for wins. But now the BFCA have thrown a curve ball. The tie in Best Actress shocks me and whoever wins the Globe on Sunday night will officially become the frontrunner. I really did think that Penny Cruz was unbeatable in Supporting Actress but now it seems as though it may be the place to reward Kate Winslet this year. Mark my words, she will be nominated in both categories and cannot and will not lose both.

Kate Winslet will win an Oscar this year. The acting winners this year will be Penn, Ledger, and Winslet. Will the other winner be Hathaway or Cruz? I anxiously await the Globes to shed more light. Is it just me or is there something about Academy Award Winner Anne Hathaway that just doesn’t sound right?

And that's the five ladies and germs

2009-01-08T12:48:00.000-08:00

So what five pics will be nominated for Best Picture you ask?

Well after yesterday Writer's Guild nominations and today's director guild nominations. I would bet a lot of money and perhaps a kidney on the fact that the nominees will be as followed:

The Wrestler had an outside shot to be nominated for Best Picture but it would have needed a DGA nom for Darren Aronofsky.

Doubt looked early like it could be an all around achievement, but now it appears to be an actor's showcase.

Kate Winslet seems to be the only place where The Reader and Revolutionary Road will score major kudos.

And what about WALL E??? Well I can still pray to the movie gods for a WALL E Best picture nom can't I? I seriously think it's the strongest candidate to spoil the five top ranked derby horses at this point. Fingers crossed.

So what and who will win?

2009-01-06T06:52:00.000-08:00

It's currently early in the New Year and the Golden Globe Awards have yet to happen (that shit goes down this Sunday) and the Oscar nominations go down on January 22nd (a full two weeks away) but here are my current pics for the mahjuh awards.

Best Picture:
Best Director:
Best Actor:
Best Actress:
Best Supporting Actor:
Best Supporting Actress:

Frost/Nix-IN for PGA!

2009-01-05T13:46:00.000-08:00

Get it???

Frost/Nixon gets a PGA nom over WALL-E.

And I think that all but does it for WALL-E's Best Picture chances. The odds seemed stacked against WALL-E. It's not eligible for Best Picture at the Globes, its director is not eligible for a DGA nomination, and of course everyone has been saying the Academy wouldn't go for two summer popcorn movies for Best Picture (The Dark Knight, of course, being the other choice).

But I still believed. However now it seems as though Frost/Nixon is a sure thing.

Too bad. I wonder how many people out there actually think Frost/Nixon is better than WALL-E. I mean who could like Pat Nixon over Eve?

Producer Guild Predictions

2009-01-05T11:38:00.000-08:00

This is always a good way to tell where Best Picture is more than likely headed.

My predictions are as followed:

Auld Lang Syne

2009-01-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

First of all, Happy New Years to you and yours! I apologize for having not updated this blog in so long as I was quite busy eating, opening presents, reflecting upon aught 08 and focusing on all my life’s failures as evidenced by the Christmas ornaments my mom bought me for each of the last 25 years.

Since the last blog we have had The SAG noms and National Society of Film Critics Awards. Nothing especially crazy has happened. It looks like Benjamin Button and Slumdog are safely in the driver’s seat in Best Picture. Sean Penn looks to be be-lining to the Best Actor statue. Best Actress seems to be a dead heat between Streep, Winslet, and Hathaway. I thought Sally Hawkins could actually win this award, but then she wasn’t nominated for a SAG, but then she won NSFC so who knows. Ledger and Cruz look like sure bets as well.

What else did we learn? Well Revolutionary Road apparently isn’t the contender everyone once thought it would be. The Dark Knight isn’t loved by SAG either, but I am positive will not be overlooked by Oscar. Kristin Scott Thomas in I’ve Loved You So Long looks like she’s on the outs. Robert Downey Jr. is Tropic Thunder is for real. And the Academy will probably nominate Angelina Jolie for Changeling. Did anyone else see her baiting her hook for Oscar in every scene or was it just me?

I love this time of year because we now are getting daily Oscar updates. Producer Guild nominees are today and Director's Guild noms are Thursday. Meanwhile, the Golden Globes are on Sunday and then things will become abundantly clear. I am salivating like a Pavlovian dog!

OSCAR/RACE

2008-12-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

I have never in my decade of being an Oscar enthusiast/fanatic ever seen an Oscar race like this one. The acting categories are jam packed with contenders. There are very few viable frontrunners. The precursor awards have only made things more confusing than less. It seems as though The Golden Globes shunned actors who were nominated for The Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (Eastwood, Blanchett, Brolin, Franco, Leo and Jenkins) in order to give those performance who weren’t nominated an extra boost (Hawkins, DiCaprio, Winslet, Adams)

Revolutionary Road has been the biggest mystery in December thus far. It has been missing from all lists and then made a huge splash at the Globes yesterday. Can it recover hastily from a lack of early buzz?

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button seems to be the real deal. However, it seems as though its three acting contenders are incredibly vulnerable to be pushed out of their respective categories.

The Golden Globes didn’t feel the love for Milk, which earlier this week seems to be the strongest potential to take on Slumdog for Best Picture. I don't think this will affect it in the long run, but it certainly doesn't make it easier to win Best Picture.

These are how I see the races as of right now. I have only included the remaining films or performances that I think will legitimately factor in the race.

Best Picture

1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Revolutionary Road
4. Milk
5. The Dark Knight
6. Frost/Nixon
7. The Reader
8. WALL E

Best Actor

1. Sean Penn – Milk
2. Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
3. Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
4. Clint Eastwood – Gran Torino
5. Leonardo DiCaprio – Revolutionary Road
6. Brad Pitt – The Curious Case of Benjamin
7. Richard Jenkins – The Visitor

Best Actress

1. Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
2. Meryl Streep – Doubt
3. Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road
4. Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go-Lucky
5. Kristin Scott Thomas – I’ve Loved You So Long
6. Melissa Leo – Frozen River
7. Cate Blanchett – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
8. Angelina Jolie – Changeling

Best Supporting Actor

1. Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
2. Josh Brolin – Milk
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
4. Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder
5. James Franco – Milk
6. Michael Shannon – Revolutionary Road
7. Dev Pattel – Slumdog Millionaire
8. Ralph Fiennes – The Reader

Best Supporting Actress

1. Penelope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
2. Viola Davis – Doubt
3. Kate Winslet – The Reader
4. Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
5. Rosemarie DeWitt – Rachel Getting Married
6. Teraji P. Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
7. Amy Adams – Doubt
8. Debra Winger – Rachel Getting Married

It's a lovely day for some Globe noms!

2008-12-11T11:34:00.000-08:00

Good morning Golden Globes! I was up early this morning to see the Oscar race take major shape with the Globe noms. Overall, I am happy and I think they made some nice calls. I am also pleasantly surprised to see their lack of nominating celebrities over performances.

Best Picture (Drama)
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Frost/Nixon”
“The Reader”
“Revolutionary Road”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

Reactions: Milk is left out. I am very surprised to see this happen. But this won’t matter in the scheme of things because SAG will nominate it and it won in NYC. The Dark Knight was also left out, but this isn't a major snag in their campaign as well. Interesting to see The Reader and especially Revolutionary Road finally get some attention.

Best Picture (Comedy/Musical)
“Burn After Reading”
“Happy-Go-Lucky”
“In Bruges”
“Mamma Mia!”
“Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

Reactions: A horrible year for musicals or comedies. Mamma Mia might even win! Can you imagine that?

Best Actor (Drama)
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Revolutionary Road”
Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon”
Sean Penn, “Milk”
Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Micky Rourke, “The Wrestler”

Reactions: There are 6 major contenders for Best Actor, so one was going to be pushed out. I have to say I am not surprised to see Clint get bumped out. This will not happen at Oscar time. I did think they would bump Pitt out of this category and place him in Comedy Actor for Burn After Reading. Pitt is the most likely to not make the cut for Oscar’s top 5. Now will Rourke or Penn win?

Best Actor (Comedy/Musical)
Javier Bardem, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Colin Farrell, “In Bruges”
James Franco, “Pineapple Express”
Brendan Gleeson, “In Bruges”
Dustin Hoffman, “Last Chance Harvey”

Reactions: I literally have no clue who will win here. Interesting to see that Franco is given a consolation nomination for the lack of his MILK nomination. This category really sucks and I am shocked that they didn’t nominate Clooney for Burn After Reading.

Best Actress (Drama)
Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”
Angelina Jolie, “Changeling”
Meryl Streep, “Doubt”
Kristin Scott Thomas, “I’ve Loved You So Long”
Kate Winslet, “Revolutionary Road”

Reactions: I am sad to see that Melissa Leo missing from this list. Kristin Scott Thomas was in dire need of this or she would have been done. Not surprised to see Angelina here. I mean who wouldn’t want BRANGELINA on their red carpet? I am surprised that Cate Blanchett is missing from this list. She may end up out of the Oscar category in favor of Scott Thomas or Hawkins. However, the most important question is; who wins this? I say Winslet, with Hathaway hot on her heels.

Best Actress (Comedy/Musical)
Rebecca Hall, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky”
Frances McDormand, “Burn After Reading”
Meryl Streep, “Mamma Mia!”
Emma Thompson, “Last Chance Harvey”

Reactions: This is where I am very impressed with the HFPA because they made inspired choices such as Hall and Thompson over Scarlett Johansson and Sarah Jessica Parker in SUCKS and the City. Hawkins will very deservedly win.

Best Supporting Actor
Tom Cruise, “Tropic Thunder”
Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder”
Ralph Fiennes, “The Duchess”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt”
Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”

Reactions: I gasped out loud when Tom Cruise was nominated. I seriously could not believe that. Surprised that Fiennes is nommed for The Duchess and not The Reader. There was no love for Milk here, but Josh Brolin need not worry. It should be noted that RDJr. is now a real contender as well.

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, “Doubt”
Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Viola Davis, “Doubt”
Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler”
Kate Winslet, “The Reader”

Reactions: Nice to see Amy Adams finally getting noticed for Doubt. Marisa Tomei needed this extra boost in her Oscar step. I was expecting the Rachel Getting Married ladies to get in here, but maybe they will ultimately cancel themselves out. Cruz will win this in a… how do you say cake walk in Spanish?

Best Director
Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
Stephen Daldry, “The Reader”
David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”
Sam Mendes, “Revolutionary Road”

Reactions: I suspect two or maybe three of these gentlemen to make Oscar’s final cut. I expect that Fincher or Boyle will win.

Golden Globe Nomination Predictions

2008-12-10T20:04:00.001-08:00

Here are my predictions. The Comedy categories suck. Also the HFPA are whores for celebrities. There are always wild cards. 9 hours away.

Best Picture- Drama

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire
Milk
Revolutionary Road
The Dark Knight

Best Picture – Comedy

Sex and the City
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Mamma Mia!
Burn After Reading
Tropic Thunder

Best Actor – Drama

Sean Penn – Milk
Leonardo DiCaprio – Revolutionary Road
Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
Clint Eastwood – Gran Torino

Best Actor – Comedy
Javier Bardem – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Ricky Gervais – Ghost Town
George Clooney – Burn After Reading
Brad Pitt – Burn After Reading
Dustin Hoffman – Last Chance Harvey

Best Actress – Drama

Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road
Cate Blanchett – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Angelina Jolie – Changeling

Best Actress – Comedy

Meryl Streep – Mamma Mia!
Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go-Lucky
Sarah Jessica Parker – Sex and The City
Tina Fey – Baby Mama
Emma Thompson – Last Chance Harvey

Best Supporting Actor

Josh Brolin – Milk
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
James Franco – Milk
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder

Best Supporting Actress

Penelope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis – Doubt
Debra Winger – Rachel Getting Married
Kate Winslet – The Reader
Rosemarie DeWitt – Rachel Getting Married