OSCAR/RACE

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!

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

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

MILK does the NY Critics Good!

A day after LA weighs in and a day before the Golden Globes noms are announced, NY announced their years best of the best and here are the winners:

Best Picture: “Milk”

Best Director: Mike Leigh, “Happy-Go-Lucky”

Best Actor: Sean Penn, “Milk”

Best Actress: Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky”

Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin, “Milk”

Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”

Best Screenplay: Jenny Lumet, “Rachel Getting Married”

Best Animated Film: “WALL-E”

Best Documentary: “Man on Wire”

Best Foreign Film: “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days”

Best First Film: Courtney Hunt, “Frozen River”

Best Cinematographer: Anthony Dod Mantle, “Slumdog Millionaire”


So what do we take away from the New York Film Critics Circle? I think this puts Sean Penn and Penelope Cruz safely in the front runner positions. On Monday of this week, I would not have put Sally Hawkins in my top five Actress projections. However now, she is the potential front runner for Best Actress. I am so surprised that Josh Brolin took the award from Heath Ledger, but I suppose stranger things have happened.

I did think that Mickey Rourke and Kristin Scott Thomas would pull of a win in either LA or NY. Scott Thomas may be on her way out of the tight Best Actress race, while a precursor less Rourke (who in my opinion delivers the performance of the year) may not ultimately have what it takes to body slam Oscar faves Penn and Eastwood come Oscar night.

It was also particularly interesting to see the notable runner ups. Rachel Getting Married, Slumdog, and Happy Go Lucky as Best Picture. Rourke and Eastwood as Best Actor. Melissa Leo (who is very much still alive in this race), Anne Hathaway, and KATE WINSLET (and the first sign of affection for Revolutionary Road). Downey Jr., Ledger, and Eddie Marsan in Best Supporting Actor. And Viola Davis (who has surprisingly not won a precursor yet), Debra Winger, and Rosemarie DeWitt for Best Supporting Actress.

Things will become a lot clearer tomorrow when the Globe nominations are announced. Nomination predictions are on their way.

The Little Robot that Could

L.A. Film Critics Awards:

Picture: “Wall-E”
Runner-up: “The Dark Knight”

Director: Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
Runner-up: Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight”

Actor: Sean Penn, “Milk”
Runner-up: Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”

Actress: Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky”
Runner-up: Melissa Leo, “Frozen River”

Supporting actor: Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
Runner-up: Eddie Marsan, “Happy-Go-Lucky”

Supporting actress: Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and “Elegy”
Runner-up: Viola Davis, “Doubt”

Screenplay: Mike Leigh, “Happy-Go-Lucky”
Runner-up: Charlie Kaufman, “Synecdoche, New York”

Foreign-language film: “Still Life”
Runner-up: “The Class”

Documentary: “Man on Wire”
Runner-up: “Waltz With Bashir”

Animation: “Waltz With Bashir”

Cinematography: Yu Lik Wai, “Still Life”
Runner-up: Anthony Dod Mantle, “Slumdog Millionaire”

Production design: Mark Friedberg, “Synecdoche, New York”
Runner-up: Nathan Crowley, “The Dark Knight”

Music/score: A.R. Rahman, “Slumdog Millionaire”
Runner-up: Alexandre Desplat, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

New Generation: Steve McQueen, “Hunger”

Okay so I was so tough on The National BORE of Review because their selections were, you know, boring as hell. The LA Film Critics, on the other hand, released their nominations today and they were an absolute thrill, with shock of all shocks, WALL E winning Best Picture and The Dark Knight being declared the runner up. I am thrilled for three of the four VERY deserving acting winners (Penn, Hawkins, Ledger). The Best Actress race, which once looked like a race between Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep, now seems completely up in the air. I love the choice of Hawkins, in a truly outstanding performance. And I love Melissa Leo as the runner up because she needs this attention.I commend LA for picking award winners who are very deserving and who needed that extra push to get them into their respective categories' top five.

The Road Less Travelled

While we wait for LA to announce their awards, earlier today The Critics Choice Nominees were announced. There was lots of love for Harvey Milk, Batman, and Benjamin Button, but no love for Frank and April Wheeler (Leo and Kate) of Revolutionary Road. I find this very confusing because I really did think that Rev Road would be a major factor in this race and so far it's been M.I.A. from this list and National Board of Review. It needs some serious help. Here's the list:

BEST PICTURE
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
The Wrestler

Reactions: No Revolutionary Road. Happy to see Gran Torino missing as well.

MORE

BEST ACTOR
Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Reactions: No major surprises, but did expect Leo to be a factor.

BEST ACTRESS

Kate Beckinsale - Nothing But the Truth
Cate Blanchett - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Meryl Streep - Doubt

Reactions: So sad to see Sally Hawkins not included. And where is Kristin Scott Thomas? And was the inclusion of Angelina "Give Me My Son/Oscar" Jolie necessary?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey, Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
James Franco - Milk

Reactions: This is turning out to be a pretty weak category this year. I suspect Michael Shannon to ultimately factor in this category. Perhaps Dev Patel as well. But put a fork in this category, because it's done.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Vera Farmiga - Nothing But the Truth
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Kate Winslet - The Reader

Reactions: Sad to see the lack of Rosemarie DeWitt and Debra Winger. I still expect one of them to get in and to bump out Tomei, while Farmiga will not factor. Please vote Kate over Penny!

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Milk
Rachel Getting Married

Reactions: Great choices.

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
Gus Van Sant - Milk

Reactions: I am not feeling Ron Howard, but otherwise thumbs up.

National BORE of Review

National Board of Review announced their awards yesterday and they were a major yawn. All they did was seemingly look at a list of this year's potential Oscar nominees and play a rousing game of eenie meenie miny moe. Here's what won:

• Best Film: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
• Best Director: DAVID FINCHER, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Best Actor: CLINT EASTWOOD, Gran Torino
• Best Actress: ANNE HATHAWAY, Rachel Getting Married
• Best Supporting Actor: JOSH BROLIN, Milk
• Best Supporting Actress: PENELOPE CRUZ, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
• Best Foreign Language Film: MONGOL
• Best Documentary: MAN ON WIRE
• Best Animated Feature: WALL-E
• Best Ensemble Cast: DOUBT

• Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: DEV PATEL, Slumdog Millionaire
• Breakthrough Performance by an Actress: VIOLA DAVIS, Doubt
• Best Directorial Debut: COURTNEY HUNT, Frozen River
• Best Original Screenplay: NICK SCHENK, Gran Torino
• Best Adapted Screenplay: SIMON BEAUFOY, Slumdog Millionaire and
ERIC ROTH, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Spotlight Award: MELISSA LEO, Frozen River and
RICHARD JENKINS, The Visitor
• The BVLGARI Award for NBR Freedom of Expression: TRUMBO

• Top Ten Films:
(In alphabetical order)
BURN AFTER READING
CHANGELING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
DEFIANCE
FROST/NIXON
GRAN TORINO
MILK
WALL-E
THE WRESTLER

I would have really liked a left field win like Melissa Leo or Michael Shannon. I totally disagree with all four of their acting winners. Anne Hathaway is lovely. She's beautiful and talented. However, she is meant for romantic comedies and popcorn flicks. An actress she is not! Obviously NBR loves Clint. I haven't seen Gran Torino, and maybe this is unfair, but I can't imagine it being more than an extended two hour "Go Ahead Make My Day." He'll be grumpy, his voice will be gravelly, and his eyebrows will be furrowed. Will it be dynamic? Probably. Will it be something we haven't seen before? No. Josh Brolin is a great actor, but Best Supporting Actor over Heath? No way. Not even questionable. And it must be really difficult for Penelope Cruz to play a sexy, passionate and dramatic spaniard. She's fiery and unstable, but a role like this isn't all that subtle or subdued.

Also what is up with Viola Davis, who's been acting for years, being awarded Best Breakthrough Performance? And what is up with Top Ten inclusions of Defiance, Changeling, and Burn After Reading over Revolutionary Road or Doubt?

LA and NYC awards are next week. Fingers crossed that our East and West coast friends will have some more inspired choices.

Adele does well!

The Grammy’s announced their nominations last night. The Grammy’s make virtually no sense to me. How did River: The Joni Letters win Album of the year last year? Or how did Milli Vanilli win Best New Artist once upon a lip synch? And how the hell did Christopher Cross (who the hell is he?) beat The Wall by Pink Floyd for Album of the Year in 1980?

This year The Grammy’s made some inspiring choices and some less than inspiring choices. However, I am elated because Adele made it into three of the four main categories.


Well here are this year’s nominees and my general reactions.

Album Of The Year
Viva La Vida (Coldplay)
Tha Carter III (Lil Wayne)
Year Of The Gentleman (Ne-Yo)
Raising Sand (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss)
In Rainbows (Radiohead)

Reactions: Happy to see Radiohead in the mix. Lil Wayne leads with nominations but I imagine Robert Plant & Alison Krauss will win. Album of the year seems like a lifetime achievement award as of late.

Record Of The Year
"Chasing Pavements" (Adele)
"Viva La Vida" (Coldplay)
"Bleeding Love" (Leona Lewis)
"Paper Planes" (M.I.A.)
"Please Read The Letter" (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss)

Reactions: I love the nomination for M.I.A. and it will probably completely ruin her street cred. Adele is a surprise, but again elation from me! I would have expected I Kissed a Girl, or Mercy before Chasing Pavements. Coldplay will probably win, but I wouldn’t count out Bleeding love. I keep bleeding, keep, keep bleeding…

Song Of The Year
"American Boy" (Estelle f/ Kanye West)
"Chasing Pavements" (Adele)
"I'm Yours" (Jason Mraz)
"Love Song" (Sara Bareilles)
"Viva La Vida" (Coldplay)

Reactions: YAWN! Except for Adele natch. Who the hell is Sara Bareilles?

Best New Artist
Adele
Duffy
Jonas Brothers
Lady Antebellum
Jazmine Sullivan

Reactions: The big shocker here is no LEONA LEWIS. Clive Davis is probably throwing Grammy’s around his office this morning in a fit of rage. Now it looks as though Adele might actually win this award. Well guess who has two thumbs and thinks that would just be fine… (points towards self) this guy.

Huzzah!

The Race Begins 2008

I haven’t yet purchased my Christmas advent calendar. Not because I don’t love the little chocolates inside. Trust me, Michael Agustus Gloop Yerxa definitely does! I have yet to purchase my calendar because I don’t really care about Christmas. I should let it be known that am not the Grinch or Scrooge McDuck. Christmas is great for a lot of things. For me it’s great for punching my time card with my family, drinking lots of rum and eggnog and returning to my home town to see (and silently judge) how fat my high school friends have gotten. * photo is of actual high school friends.

However, in these days leading up to winter solstice and old St. Nick’s arrival, I care significantly more about the advent calendar of the Oscar race. We are now in the thick of the Oscar race as each day in December will reveal a new group’s nomination list, a film critic’s top ten list, or the actual release of the film itself.


Here’s what we have to look forward to:

Dec. 4 - National Board of Review announces winners

Dec. 9 - Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. winners unveiled

Dec. 9 - Critics Choice announces nominees

Dec. 10 - New York Film Critics Circle declares winners

Today the Indie Spirit Awards were announced and here are my general reactions:
Milk somehow misses out on Best Picture and Best Director
The Wrestler is nominated for Best Picture but not Best Director… WEIRD?
Melissa Leo in Frozen River is really starting to gain some steam. Could she push out a Jolie or even Hathaway or Winslet in the Actress category?
James Franco and not Josh Brolin is nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
I am dying to see Debra Winger nominated for an Oscar Best Supporting Actress and she was nominated today, while Marisa Tomei (whose stock is quickly falling) was not.

Up next for Oscar is National Board of Review, but lets not forget about Grammy Noms tomorrow and fingers crossed that Adele does well.

The YERXA awards

Ever since I was 11 years old I have put out an annual Top Ten list. Who sees the list? Well of course the millions upon millions of Roger Eberts in my dreams.

Anyborderlineautisitc, on top of releasing my annual top ten lists, I also include the winners of the annual YERXA awards for Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress and Power Bottom*. These awards are highly coveted, extremely influential in Hollywood circles, and mean absolutely nothing to nobody. Without further ado:

THE WINNERS OF THE YERXA AWARDS (and granted the award winners when I was 11-17 may be suspect)

Best Picture

1994 Forrest Gump
1995 Babe
1996 Sling Blade
1997 Titanic
1998 Shakespeare in Love
1999 Being John Malkovich
2000 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
2001 Memento
2002 Bowling for Columbine
2003 Kill Bill vol. 1
2004 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2005 Crash
2006 Children of Men
2007 Michael Clayton


Best Actor

1994 Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump

1995 Sean Penn in Dead Man Walking

1996 Billy Bob Thorton in Sling Blade

1997 Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets

1998 Roberto Benigni in Life is Beautiful

1999 Kevin Spacey in American Beauty

2000 Tom Hanks in CastAway

2001 John Cameron Mitchell in Hedwig and the Angry Inch

2002 Jack Nicholson in About Schmidt

2003 Sean Penn in 21 Grams

2004 Paul Giamatti in Sideways

2005 Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain

2006 Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson

2007 Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood


Best Actress

1994 Winona Ryder in Little Women

1995 Susan Sarandon in Dead Man Walking

1996 Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves and Courtney Love in The People vs. Larry Flynt

1997 Helen Hunt in As Good As it Gets

1998 Jane Horrocks in Little Voice

1999 Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry

2000 Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich

2001 Naomi Watts in Mulholland Drive

2002 Julianne Moore in Far From Heaven

2003 Naomi Watts in 21 Grams

2004 Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

2005 Felicity Huffman in Transamerica

2006 Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada

2007 Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose


Best Supporting Actor

1994 Gary Sinise in Forrest Gump

1995 James Cromwell in Babe

1996 Cuba Gooding Jr. in Jerry Maguire

1997 Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting

1998 Geoffrey Rush in Shakespeare in Love

1999 John Malkovich in Being John Malkovich

2000 Albert Finney in Erin Brockovich

2001 Ian McKellan in Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship

2002 Chris Cooper in Adaptation

2003 Benecio Del Toro in 21 Grams

2004 David Carradine in Kill Bill vol. 2

2005 Matt Dillon in Crash

2006 Stanley Tucci in The Devil Wears Prada

2007 Robert Downey Jr. in Zodiac


Best Supporting Actress

1994 Robin Wright in Forrest Gump

1995 Mira Sorvino in Mighty Aphrodite

1996 Juliette Binoche in The English Patient

1997 Joan Cusack in In and Out

1998 Joan Allen in Pleasantville

1999 Cameron Diaz in Being John Malkovich

2000 Zhang Ziyi in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

2001 Gwyneth Paltrow in The Royal Tenenbaums

2002 Toni Collette in About a Boy

2003 Patricia Clarkson in Pieces of April

2004 Natalie Portman in Closer

2005 Amy Adams in Junebug

2006 Adrianna Barrazza in Babel

2007 Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone


*Power Bottom award does not exist.

The Curious Case of this Oscar Race.

So what’s going to win Best Picture? Who will be left in the dust? Will Kate Winslet win two Oscars or be a non-nominee?

We are in the very early stages of the Oscar race. This year is unusual because only industry insiders have seen the big films such as Doubt, Revolutionary Road, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Reader. Last year at this time four of the five eventual Oscar nominees for Best Picture (No Country for Old Men, Juno, Atonement, and Michael Clayton) had already premiered at TIFF, Venice, or Cannes. This year we have only had Slumdog Millionaire and The Dark Knight unspool on us, so it really is quite difficult to determine which will be big and which will turn into Oscar turkeys.

The next couple of weeks will be key as the first three critic awards will be revealed as will The Golden Globe nominations and critics top ten lists. Will Revolutionary Road be this year’s frontrunner? Will Meryl Streep score nom #15 and win #3? Who will get pushed out of the very crowded Best Actor and Actress races? Could Heath Ledger win a posthumous Oscar?

It’s so fun to speculate and take total stabs in the dark. Right now anything is possible but within days we will have a clearer picture. However, until then here are my most recent predictions:

Best Picture

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

Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino
Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon
Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler
Leonardo Dicaprio in Revolutionary Road
Sean Penn in Milk
Best Actress

Meryl Streep in Doubt
Kristin Scott Thomas in I've Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road
Cate Blanchett in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married
Best Supporting Actor

Josh Brolin in Milk
Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road
Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt
Ralph Fiennes in The Reader
Best Supporting Actress

Kate Winslet in The Reader
Teraji P. Henson in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis in Doubt
Debra Winger in Rachel Getting Married

The Marvelous Meryl Streep

Since my obsession began with the cinema in the early 90's by spending many (THE) HOURS in an EVENING at home watching RENDITIONs of films, I thought I knew PLENTY but I have really ever known ONE TRUE THING. THE MUSIC IN MY HEART has told me that there is one PRIME actress working the cinema today. Her name is Mary Louise Streep.

I once remarked "What can't Meryl Streep do" to which my compatriot replied "...SUCK" and never has a phrase been uttered that has rung more truth in my eyes and in my heart.

On that note it is time for my Top Ten Meryl Streep performances list.


10. Mamma Mia! - The movie is not great. But it doesn't pretend to be! It is an ABBA musical for Chiquitita sake, however if there is one actress that can bring truth and emotional depth to the song The Winner Takes it All, it is La Streep. And as my facebook status suggested on the film's opening day, when Meryl Streep does a canon ball all is right in the world.
9. The River Wild - Again what can't Meryl Streep do. She can sing, do any accent, and speak multiple languages. In this 94 "classic" she also proves she can lead a fierce white water rafting trip and off Kevin Bacon pretty easily. Can you do that?
8. Kramer vs. Kramer - Oscar nom # 2 and Oscar win #1 came for this weepy flick about a mother abandoning her son and father subsequently raising him. The earliest indication of Wow this bitch can really act in in this flick. And if you're going to be abandoned by your mother, it's best that that mother is played by Meryl Streep.
7. The Simpsons - M.S. voices mischievous Jessica Lovejoy, the reverend's daughter. Again La Streep proves her talent and her sense of humor by playing the teenage cock tease. Jessica also gave me the most classic way to get out of awkward small talk. One simply utters the sentence "I have to go over here now" and you simply turn and face the other way. It works every time.
6. The Bridges of Madison County - Wouldn't we all just love to have a weekend away from our husbands and kids and have a passionate romp with a National Geographic/Bridge Loving photog? My ideal weekend would involve a weekend away from sobriety and heterosexuality with a passionate romp through a box of mint Oreos. But that's just me. Streep is incredible in this movie. Should she open the car door and get out? She will literally break your heart during that scene.
5. Adaptation - At 53 years old Streep decides to play an author who falls in love with a toothless Floridian orchid thief and subsequently poses for his porn site and does a lot of drugs with him. This movie is all about the dial tone scene. Seriously if I ever find a toothless guy who I can create a pitch perfect dial tone with, it will be a good day in Yerxaland!
4. Angels in America - Meryl Streep plays a 90 year old rabbi, a communist ghost (a ComBOOnist if you will), and a Mormon mother. This is for sure the most amazing multiple performance since Norbit. She is beyond brilliant in this. The Angel in America is Meryl fucking Streep.
3. The Devil Wears - Miranda Priestly is one of my most favorite things ever to be captured on film. She's up there with "All The Way" Mae from A League of Their Own, Princess Gisele from Enchanted and of course Miss Teen South Carolina. I personally believe that Meryl Streep is superhuman in this role. Her speech about cerulean is better than Hamlet's To Be or Not to Be. Take that Shakespeare!
2. She Devil - Of course many Streep purists may take issue with the fact that I am forgetting classics such as A Cry in the Dark, The Deer Hunter, Out of Africa (I've never seen it and I am sure it's not a yawner) and Silkwood. While others like to measure performances in emotional depth and believability, I like to measure a performance by sheer ridiculousness. How can one not adore Meryl Streep as romance novelist Mary Fisher, who falls in love with sexy Ed Begley Jr. and has her life destroyed by Roseanne of Roseanne fame. When Streep reels off such classic lines as "Would somebody get the goddamn door" to "You're a bastard" it brings joy to my life and Bambi and butterflies to my heart. Fuck South African Accents, dingos eating babies and wars and stuff. Meryl Streep pouring bleach into an entire load of colored laundry in an attempt to be domestic get my vote every time.
1. Sophie's Choice- The best performance ever captured on screen. This is true without one question of doubt in my mind. Nothing else needs to be said!

Oscar Wild aught 8

I like fall. I love jack-o-lanterns. I love games of touch football on crisp autumn days. I love pumpkin pies. Okay I love eating an entire pumpkin pie in one sitting with a spoon and then wearing an over sized Autumnal colored sweater to hide my bloated man gunt. Viva Thanksgiving!

I also love this time of year because movies baiting for Oscars are released on an almost weekly basis. Some became major front runners (Rachel Getting Married) and some go belly up in the water (Blindness).

Here are my first 08 predictions:
Best Picture

Revolutionary Road
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire
Doubt
Milk

Best Director

Sam Mendes Revolutionary Road
David Fincher The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Danny Boyle Slumdog Millionaire
Clint Eastwood Changeling
Gus Van Sant Milk
Best Actor

Leonardo Dicaprio Revolutionary Road
Mickey Rourke The Wrestler
Frank Langella Frost/Nixon
Brad Pitt The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Sean Penn Milk
Best Actress

Anne Hathaway Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins Happy Go Lucky
Meryl Streep Doubt
Kate Winslet Revolutionary Road
Kristin Scott Thomas I’ve Loved You a Long Time
Best Supporting Actor

Josh Brolin Milk
Philip Seymour Hoffman Doubt
Heath Ledger The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon Revolutionary Road
John Malkovich Changeling
Best Supporting Actress

Taraji J. Henson The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Penelope Cruz Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis Doubt
Debra Winger Rachel Getting Married
Marisa Tomei The Wrestler

So Clay Aiken is gay...

Last week the world was stunned by the news that one Clay Aiken is gay. Especially the Claymates all over the US who couldn't quite deal with fact that their boy kisses boy... and likes it. Claymates, who are typically housewives from the red states are my favorite people in the world. They are usually the most interesting people to talk to and one is able to cover such fascinating topics as diaper brands, snacks for school lunches, grocery coupons, and church bake sale fudge.

These are some of the best quotes uttered by the Ivy League educated, wordly and highly cultured Clay supporters:

“This is a gut wrenching day for The ClayNation. Somebody wake me up, I hope its a dream.”

"This will be it for me. I cannot continue to support him financially now that I know he has chosen this lifestyle."

"[The People cover] Reeks of photoshop to me. We can probably even find the picture of Clay's head from a recent fan photo if we look hard enough. Believe if you want, I just know that nothing is true unless it is printed in the fan club..."

I encourage these women to continue to live lives completely rooted in reality and that includes of course continuing to give a fuck about a guy who was on American Idol half a decade ago! I am sure it's just not possible for you to accomplish more at your child's PTA meeting or volunteering in your community than you can on aikenforums.com. And of course your extremely advanced intelligence continually leads you right to your computer to make McCain-like advances in Clay Aiken button making.

Since I, like these completely level-headed Claymates, was shocked at the annoncement that Clay was gay I thought I would also make note of famous gays whose declarations of "Yes I'm Gay" made that water under my bridge even more toubled.

Rudy Galindo - A figure skater who skated while wearing an oversized AIDS ribbon. I was completely in the dark. Boy George - Did his arrest for falsely imprisoning a man in his home make him look gay? Not in my books.Bruce Vilanch - I never got what the hilarious graphic tshirt "I Can't Even Think Straight" meant. I guess I just spent too much time on Claymaniacs message board.Divine - Those damned eyebrows just looked so natural.Mike Yerxa - Didn't most 9 year old New Brunswick boys like to play Tony Awards instead of hockey?Supertwink - His utility belt of butt plugs, dildos, anal beeds, and rubber fists made it very ambiguous to me. His name Supertwink also made things seriously unclear, as did that dick in his mouth.So to all those Claymates who were shocked by Clay Aiken's sudden announcement that he's a 'mo. I was too. But the fact that he's gay is the same as the fact that you're pathetic. Just deal.