Oscars 2013

Oy vey.  It's that time of year again.  The Oscars.  I normally start scouring the internet for reviews, updates, data polls and the like once the Oscar nominees are announced in early January.  I make sure to watch every award show.  I spend hours of my time worrying about people I've never met and whether or not they will win an award which some of them don't even deserve.  And then I am frustrated when I wind up being wrong.  I am a woman.  I hate to be wrong.

So this year I decided to try something different and save myself from myself.  I didn't watch a single show.  (I did scan the Critic's Choice, Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and British Academy of Film and Television Arts pages for their lists of winners though.)  And until yesterday, I didn't read a single blog.  I had almost decided to not even do a post this year!  *gasp*  I've hardly even been to the movies lately.  Life with 4 kids is busy and on top of that we bought our first home a few months ago and for anyone who has spent time looking and buying a home you know how much time it takes.  Then you have to move and what a picnic that is...  Out of the 9 best picture nominees I've only seen 2- Argo and Les Miserables.  Pathetic.

But yesterday afternoon I printed my ballot off and went at it.  I read some blogs, scanned some polls and decided to mainly vote with my first instinct.  I gave myself till tonight to write my blog and cement my picks as I am busy, busy tomorrow and Sunday and don't have the time to sit and fret. I'm not even watching the first half of the Oscar telecast live.  I purposely signed up to take dessert to our small group tomorrow evening to prove to myself that I can behave like a normal human being on Oscar night and go about my life.  I figured if I was making dessert, I should probably accompany it rather than just send my emissary husband. 

(Multiple screens up and running.)

But it's amazing how much information I can glean and store in 24 hours.  So bear with me as I spit it all back out and don't be surprised if I wind up not doing well Sunday night.  I had a hard time checking my boxes this year.  

Some technical notes: I've marked just some of the many awards certain films or actors have received this year by their names.  A red "E" notes Roger Ebert's picks and you can see where I agree/differ from him and thus his contest.  I am entered in Outguess Ebert.

CC- Critic's Choice

GG- Golden Globe

SAG- Screen Actors Guild

BAFTA- British Academy of Film and Television Arts

PGA- Producers Guild

DGA- Directors Guild

Leading Actor
Bradley Cooper in "Silver Linings Playbook"
Daniel Day-Lewis in "Lincoln"~ CC, GG, SAG, BAFTA E
Hugh Jackman in "Les Miserables"
Joaquin Phoenix in "The Master"
Denzel Washington in "Flight"

The amount of talent in this group is tremendous.  It's really a shame they all wound up nominated together as they each deserve to win.  Everyone knows Day-Lewis can act.  But from what I've been told, Cooper showed a new side to himself.  I was blown away by Jackman's Les Mis performance and I wish he would come out of nowhere to win.  Phoenix's performance left me speechless in The Master.  I can't comment on Washington, as I didn't see the film, but the man is great in whatever he's in.

Who Will Win- Daniel Day-Lewis
Who Should Win- see above.

Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin in "Argo"
Robert De Niro in "Silver Linings Playbook"
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "The Master" ~ CC
Tommy Lee Jones in "Lincoln" ~ SAG E
Christoph Waltz in "Django Unchained" ~ GG, BAFTA

All of the 5 nominees have won an Oscar before.  So at least no one will feel left out.  I said that last year it didn't matter who or what it was, if the Weinstein Co. was behind it - that's my winner.  So...

Who Will Win- Robert De Niro
Who Could Win- Christoph Waltz

Leading Actress
Jessica Chastain in "Zero Dark Thirty" ~ CC
Jennifer Lawrence in "Silver Linings Playbook" ~ SAG, GG E
Emmanuelle Riva in "Amour" ~ BAFTA
Quvenzhane Wallis in "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Naomi Watts in "The Impossible"

I don't think Jennifer Lawrence really deserves to win.  I thought she was terrible in Hunger Games and X-Men, but have been told she's "so good" in Playbook and this is her 2nd lead actress nom in 3 years.  To quote her, “Not to sound rude, but [acting] is stupid,” Lawrence told Vanity Fair. “Everybody’s like, ‘How can you remain with a level head?’ And I’m like, ‘Why would I ever get cocky? I’m not saving anybody’s life. There are doctors who save lives and firemen who run into burning buildings. I’m making movies. It’s stupid.’”  She might think what she does is stupid, but I'd give an arm and a leg to be making movies.  And I would guess that Naomi Watts who has been acting for years and to all appearances has a very level head, wouldn't say what she does is stupid.  Reward someone who can appreciate it Hollywood.

Who Will Win- Jennifer Lawrence (PS- Playbook is a Weinstein film)
Who Could Win- Jessica Chastain
Who Should Win- Chastain or Watts

Supporting Actress
Amy Adams in "The Master"
Sally Field in "Lincoln"
Anne Hathaway in "Les Miserables" ~ CC, GG, SAG, BAFTA E
Helen Hunt in "The Sessions"
Jacki Weaver in "Silver Linings Playbook"

Who Will Win- Anne Hathaway
Who Should Win- Anne Hathaway, even though this is what Roger Ebert has to say about Les Miserables: ""I'm Guessing Anne Hathaway for "Les Miserables," because she holds the general consensus and we're predicting, not choosing. She may benefit by an occasioal Academy tendency to award this category to what it sees as the Best Picture runner-up. Her character isn't even essential in 'Les Miserables," but how many characters are? The Victor Hugo novel fills its characters with abundant life. The film assigns them to line up and belt out dirges to the camera, which represents the audience. I've seen "Les Miserables," and many readers have asked me why I haven't reviewed it. I fractured that femur at the time and wasn't up to it. Today I don't have the heart. The Oscars haven't even been held yet, and "Les Mis" is already a picture that is Over With.""  Well somebody's got a popcorn bucket up their butt...


Now for a whole bunch of categories I have an opinion on, but will spare you the details...

Animated Feature
Brave ~ GG, BAFTA
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Wreck-It Ralph ~ CC, PGA E

Who Will Win- Brave
Who Could Win- Wreck-It Ralph

Cinematography
Anna Karenina
Django Unchained
Life of Pi ~ CC, BAFTA E
Lincoln
Skyfall

Who Will Win- Life of Pi
Who Could Win- Skyfall

Visual Effects
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Life of Pi ~ CC, BAFTA
Marvel's The Avengers
Prometheus
Snow White and the Huntsman

Who Will Win- Life of Pi

Costume Design
Anna Karenina ~ CC, BAFTA
Les Miserables
Lincoln
Mirror Mirror
Snow White and the Huntsman

Who Will Win- Anna Karenina
Who Could Win- Les Miserables or Mirror Mirror

Production Design
Anna Karenina ~ CC
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Miserables ~ BAFTA
Life of Pi
Lincoln

Who Will Win- Anna Karenina
Who Could Win- Les Miserables or Life of Pi

Makeup and Hairstyling
Hitchcock
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Miserables ~ BAFTA

Who Will Win- Les Miserables
Who Could Win- The Hobbit

Original Score
Anna Karenina
Argo
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall

Who Will Win- Life of Pi
Who Could Win- Lincoln

Original Song
Before my Time from Chasing Ice
Everyobdy Needs a Best Friend from Ted
Pi's Lullaby from Life of Pi
Skyfall from Skyfall
Suddenly from Les Miserables

Who Will Win- Skyfall (hello, it's Adele!)

Sound Editing
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi ~ BAFTA (it also just won a guild specific award)
Skyfall
Zero Dark Thirty

Who Will Win- Life of Pi
Who Could Win- Zero Dark Thirty

Sound Mixing
Argo
Les Miserables ~ BAFTA
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall

Who Will Win- Les Miserables
Who Could Win- Life of Pi

Film Editing
Argo ~ BAFTA
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty ~ CC

William Goldberg was the editor for both Argo and Zero Dark Thirty.  He's been nominated a few times before and has always lost.  Someone said this year he could very well lose again, to himself.

Who Will Win- Argo
Who Could Win- Zero Dark Thirty

Original Screenplay

Amour ~ E

Django Unchained ~ CC, GG, BAFTA

Flight

Moonrise Kingdom

Zero Dark Thirty ~ Screen Writers Guild

Even though Zero Dark Thirty won the guild award and it's written by Mark Boal, he previously won for The Hurt Locker, I am choosing Tarantino.  

Who Will Win- Django Unchained

Who Could Win- Zero Dark Thirty

Now for the categories I never get right... even though I do study up on them.

Foreign Language Film
"Amour" - Austria ~ CC, GG, BAFTA E
"Kon-Tiki" - Norway
"No" - Chile
"A Royal Affair" - Denmark
"War Witch" - Canada

Who Will Win- Amour

Documentary Feature
5 Broken Cameras
The Gatekeepers
How to Survive a Plague
The Invisible War
Searching for Sugar Man

Who Will Win- Searching for Sugar Man

Documentary Short
Inocente
Kings Point
Mondays at Racine
Open Heart
Redemption

Who Will Win- Open Heart

Animated Short Film
Adam and Dog
Fresh Guacamole
Head over Heels
Maggie Simpson in The Longest Daycare
Paperman

Who Will Win- Paperman

Live Action Short Film
Asad
Buzkashi Boys
Curfew
Death of a Shadow
Henry

Who Will Win- Curfew  


These last 3 had me going back and forth.

Adapted Screenplay 
Argo ~ Screen Writers Guild
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Life of Pi
Lincoln ~ CC E
Silver Linings Playbook ~ BAFTA

I personally am of the opinion that whoever wins this, will get Best Picture.  And I think all but Beasts of the Southern Wild have a chance at that.  So who do you pick when you feel that way?  And all the other things like missing director nominations, praise for this and flack for that, etc. get factored in?

Who Will Win- Argo
Who Could Win- yeah.... *sigh*

Directing
Amour
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Life of Pi
Lincoln ~ E
Silver Linings Playbook

If Ben "I'd have won if I was nominated" Affleck's movie was up in that list it would look like this-
Argo ~ CC, GG, SAG, BAFTA, DGA, PGA
In the 70+ years the directors guild awards have been giving out their top honor, only six times has the DGA winner not gone on to win the directing Oscar.  Well, make that 7 now.

What to do, what to do.  I'm going with Ang Lee for Life of Pi.  Why?  Because Spielberg didn't do anything that he hasn't already done.  He's a great director, working with a bunch of great actors.  Lee took a difficult book, blended CGI with reality, tackled working with water, and brought this film to life in 3D.  He was the best director. 

Who Will Win- Ang Lee for Life of Pi
Who Could Win- Steven Spielberg for Lincoln OR David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook

Best Picture
Amour
Argo ~ CC, GG, BAFTA E
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

Who Will Win- Argo
Who Could Win- Life of Pi, Lincoln or Silver Linings Playbook

Argo is a great Hollywood film.  It's suspenseful, yet comedic.  It's historical, with a little added fiction.  It has great performances.  Great editing.  Great writing.  And except for hearing the "F" word every 10 seconds, I truly enjoyed the film.  So did a lot of other people apparently!

If Argo wins, it will become only the 4th film to win the Oscar for best picture without also being nominated for best director.  The last film to do so, was Driving Miss Daisy in 1989.  

(What my poor ballot looks like.)

So there you have it.  Check back for next weeks blog to see what I have to say on what I got wrong and what I got right. 

Happy Anniversary at the Alamo

The husband and I reached 10 years of marriage on Friday and to celebrate, we decided to leave the kids with a sitter for the evening and head over to the Alamo Drafthouse for dinner and show!  Way back in September a friend gave me a gift card to Alamo for my birthday and I figured after 9 months that we should maybe use it...

The Alamo Drafthouse is one of those cool theaters that serve up dinner, drinks and movies all in one place!  You can sit down and order popcorn- they serve it up in a big, silver bowl, just like home -or you can expand your horizon and get yourself a green chili burger and a beer just like the hubby did.  Or if a burger and beer isn't your thing (it's not mine, so I had the Moonstruck pizza: fresh tomatoes, basil and cheese) you can pick from one of the many items on the menu.

They don't show ANY adds at Alamo, instead you get a "pre-show" that is tailored to the movie you are about to watch.  We decided to see The Avengers, so our pre-show had clips from various films/TV shows pertaining to Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and The Hulk.  It was wonderful to not have to sit and see the same adds play over and over again while you waited.

And then of course, the actual movie itself was shown and I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent sound and screen quality.

My husband said that he is now spoiled and will not be able to watch movies at regular theaters anymore.  I told him that with the price tag of $110 (that included our tickets, dinner, tip and babysitter payout) he will just have to cope.  I shudder to think what the yearly cost would be to see all the movies I see for the cost of $110 a pop.  A matinee show at the theater down the street is $7.25.  As long as you remember to bring a sweater and not wear shorts, so as to not freeze to death (the folks who run this particular establishment keep it cold) the movie itself is just as entertaining as the one shown at Alamo.

I don't doubt that we'll be back though!  The fun we had at the Drafthouse was just too good to pass up all the time!

Happy Hunger Games....

... may the odds be ever in your favor.

A couple of years ago I finally got around to reading The Count of Monte Cristo.  The 2002 film version of the book, starring Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce is one of my favorite movies and I assumed that the book would just be a better version of the film.  Was I ever wrong!  There are a few similarities, but not many.  It was so disappointing!  Even though it's an excellent book, a classic, it's soooo very long and complicated, I could see why they made such a simpler, abbreviated film version.

I decided to try again, this time reading the book The Legend of Bagger Vance.  Once again, it's a favorite movie of mine.  I grew up in a family where everyone plays golf, except myself and there is something about the movie that really resonates with me.  The fact that it's well acted and has some great cinematography, doesn't hurt.  But alas... If I hadn't learned my lesson with The Count, (that the book is not always better than the movie) I certainly did with Bagger Vance.  It was the strangest book I have EVER read.  About half way through I just wanted to quit, because I couldn't take it anymore, but I also had this compulsion to find out how it ends.  Because it's nothing like the movie.  This one was definitely a case of good movie = not so good book.

Even though I've struck out a few times with the book form of a movie I love, there are a couple of instances where I've not been so disappointed.

Both the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Harry Potter series have stayed as true to the books as they can considering they are massive volumes, with tremendous detail and it would take extra long films to really get it all in there.  Both have unfortunate episodes of veering off the "literature course" that upset me, to pick one: the final battle scene between Harry and Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  It's a complicated, drawn out scene in the movie, but it's the simplicity of the scene in the book that makes it so powerful.

There is another set of books that are written much better than their movie counterparts: the Twilight series.  It's not necessarily a weak script that makes those movies blah, but the terrible acting.
 
I'm here today however, typing away on this blog when I should be doing laundry, to talk about The Hunger Games.

I've been watching the hype for the movie build over the last few months and got to wondering what it was all about.  So I bought the first book and finished it off in a couple of days.  I immediately went and bought book #2 and read that in a day, book #3 was purchased a few days later and I once again flew through that one in 24 hours.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading the trilogy!

But between #2 and #3 I went and saw The Hunger Games in the theater.

A brief synopsis for the uninitiated:
The trilogy takes place in the future. The USA has been destroyed; in its place is Panem, which consists of thirteen districts and a Capitol city. Before the series begins, the districts revolt against the Capitol and are defeated; the thirteenth is completely obliterated. As retribution for their crimes, each district is now required to send a boy and girl, called tributes, to participate in the annual Hunger Games. The games are centered around survival; there can only be one winner.  Each year, the two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal retribution for a past rebellion, the televised games are broadcast throughout Panem. The 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors while the citizens of Panem are required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as District 12's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. The characters are very rich and detailed; some of their deaths hit incredibly hard and are forever memorable. In the second book, Catching Fire, there is a lot of unease in the districts, and a lot of anger when the year's Hunger Games take a twisted turn and past winners are forced to battle it out for survival. The final book, Mockingjay, consists of a full out rebellion; the districts are at war with the Capitol and it's do or die in a showdown so explosive, readers never see it coming.


With that in mind...


When the movie was over I had a few thoughts rapidly fire through my brain.

#1- It's over?  I don't feel like I just sat through a 2&1/2 hour movie.  (And that's a good thing!)
#2- there were way too many drawn out, close up shots of Jennifer Lawrence's face (as Katniss Everdeen.)
#3- there was not nearly enough grit, suspense and violence (in my personal opinion.)

When you read (about anyone or anything) your brain paints a picture of what you think that person looks like, sounds like, acts like. When they laugh, you "hear" it.  When they cry, you "feel" it.  And when there is violence, you "see" it as your mind creates a picture for you.

Now, for some this is too much and they can't handle it.  However, if you're totally desensitized to violence as I (to my horror) apparently am, these books won't be that big of a deal to read.

The series can be found in the "young adult" section of the library or book store and I'm sure that Hollywood is trying to reach a young (-er) audience than the books already did and has tamed the movie down for that reason.

But for some of us and the mental pictures we already created, it wasn't enough.

The third thought has been bothering me since I walked out of the theater.  I've always been against violence in real life, teaching my kids that you don't hit to harm others.  Self defense in certain circumstances is one thing.  I am always saddened when I hear about a school shooting or some other violent act to that degree.

So why do I, in my pretend world, get upset when there is not "enough"?

Am I like the Capitol citizen's of Panem?  Do I revel in the violence of the Hunger Games, enjoy watching these young people kill each other off because I know I will personally never know one of those fighting to the death.  (There are no children reaped from the Capitol.)  Or am I from District 12?  Where I live in terror of my child being chosen, being forced to watch them die.

I found that when it comes to swearing, I got to where I hardly noticed it in a movie, but then I realized one day that I was using terrible language!  I've been working to remedy that and I'm now back to the point where if there's a character with a real potty mouth it bothers me.  Will I get to the point that I start smacking my loved ones around before I realize I've gone off the deep end?  I certainly hope not.  But I think it's best to remember:
"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."  Romans 8:6 & 7

Phew!  Well I've greatly digressed from where I was originally going with this- what's better, The Hunger Games book or movie?  Let's see if I can sum it up.  One of my best friends posted this on Facebook the other day, "I just saw Hunger Games.  I have to admit it was rather fun. Haven't read the books so that probably made the movie more enjoyable."

Yep, that about sums it up.  You can definitely put this movie in the "book is better" category!

Outguess Ebert

If we're friends on facebook you more than likely saw my post a couple of weeks ago where I was so excited to have been drawn as Grand Prize winner for this year's Outguess Ebert contest!  The goal was to outguess Mr. Ebert in 10 Oscar categories.  (Mr. Ebert was 8 out of 10, he was right on in his picks this year.)

As all good stories must have, there is a twist.  I went back and forth between Meryl Streep and Viola Davis for best actress.  And if you read my last couple of posts, I picked Viola Davis to win, but I forgot to change my vote in the online contest from Streep to Davis before the deadline was up.  When I double checked online to make sure I hadn't marked anything incorrectly, I told my husband that I messed up and if Davis won, I might lose.  However I had to X one out, on my at home ballot instead and as luck would have it, I went 10 for 10 in the Ebert contest.

The grand prize was round-trip airfare for 2 to LA, two nights hotel stay and two tickets to the world premier of Universal Pictures "The Bourne Legacy."

Unfortunately, the cost to get to Chicago and back from Austin (the winner was required to depart on their trip from Chicago) and all the other little things not covered by the contest, like transportation to and from the airport, hotel, etc. was too much for us to pay for right now, so I had to decline the grand prize.  I won't lie and say I did it gracefully.  Well... I did the actual declining gracefully, I didn't yell at the lady on the phone or some such thing.  But I was sorely disappointed that I couldn't go and I did complain to the husband that it's unfair they had the departure requirements set like that.  If "they" (the sponsor) had let you fly out of any airport and we could have left from Austin, I definitely would have accepted.

Since I couldn't however, I was moved to the list of 10 first-prize winners and that made me very happy!  Instead of the trip and premier tickets, I will receive an autographed copy of Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2012 and an Academy Award-nominated Home Entertainment DVD Library, featuring a random selection of 18 titles.

Oh wait.  Did I say will?  I meant HAVE!  I hop, skipped and jumped my way from the mailbox to the car this afternoon with my bundle of movies!  I have in my possession 7 of the 18 titles and a complete list of what I will be receiving.

Since I am getting 18 "random" titles there are a few that I am not so sure about.  But mostly I can't wait to start watching films!

I am getting:
Beginners
A Better Life*
The Descendants
RIO*
Bridesmaids
The Help*
The Ides of March
War Horse
Jane Eyre*
Margin Call
The Iron Lady
The Muppets*
Hugo*
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Warrior
My Week With Marilyn
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Tree of Life*
*in my possession


If you click here you can see the official online article in the Sun-Times, Roger Ebert section.  (Yes, they spelled my name incorrectly. I'm used to it.)

Oscar Follow Up

The agony and the ecstasy!

I did not do as well as I would have liked this year, getting only 17 out of 24 correct on my Oscar predictions.  You might be thinking HA! "only" 17 out of 24, but you must know that I am quite competitive, even with myself, and I wanted to at least tie, if not do better than I did last year. (18 out of 24 in 2011.)

I had a premonition that the evening might not go my way when the first award up, did not go to who I thought would receive it.

In some areas, I did better than I ever have!  I usually get categories like costume design and editing correct and never ever choose the winner in places like live action short.

In a sense, I could be proud that my "could wins" in a few instances made the cut, but for some reason even that doesn't make me very happy today.

At least the evening was enjoyable in the sense we didn't have a lousy host!  I thought Billy Crystal was a hoot (even though I think he was expecting more from the crowd at times) and I really loved the way they celebrated film this year.  Everything from the set, to the candid interviews they did with actors about going to and being apart of films, that fabulous Cirque du Soleil performance and even the beautiful montage honoring the departed - it was a classy year and I liked it.

Ok, let's take a second to go over my near misses and a couple of "what the heck!?" moments.

First up- costume design, cinematography and visual effects.

I picked Hugo for costume design because Sandy Powell has won 3 Oscars before, for Shakespeare in Love, The Aviator and The Young Victoria.  Mark Bridges, costume designer for The Artist has never been nominated before.  Now, he did win the BAFTA, and that should have been my clue to put him first and Hugo second.  But I went with a previous winner over a newbie.

I also think that subconsciously I picked Hugo because I was stacking it in the "technical" categories all night.  Art direction and costume design go together in my mind and then the sound categories, etc.  IF I had been thinking clearly all the way through that "technical" thought, I should have included cinematography AND visual effects to my tally for Hugo.  I really thought The Tree of Life would garner it's only award though for the really beautiful way it was filmed and then I also thought that Planet of the Apes would get the visual effects award for it's outstanding visual effects!  One critic blogged that Hugo would take visual effects because the Academy members usually don't have a clue what it takes to do the types of things they did in Apes and would award Hugo the trophy just because it was the favorite and they liked it.  Apparently he was correct.

Film editing is next and this one made me yell "what!?" from my seat on the couch.  The Social Network won this last year.  They same guys won again this year for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  It not only surprised ME, it surprised THEM!  They had no idea what to say.  This is the first time in 11 years that the Oscar has not gone to the Eddie winner.

When Undefeated won for best documentary feature and they announced it was produced, or whatever, by The Weinstein Co. I looked at my husband and told him to remind to pick all the films produced by, bought by, funded by, distributed by, etc. from The Weinstein Co. as my winners next year.  They run the most aggressive campaigns for their films and ARE winners.  Example: The Artist... best picture winner... The Weinstein Co.

I picked the BAFTA winner for animated feature, my "could win" won.

The most disappointing win for the night was Meryl Streep.  I didn't even mark my ballot in the wrong when she went up on stage.  I was that bummed.  She might be one of the greatest actresses ever, but she was rude and appeared ungracious in her acceptance speech.  Streep will more than likely be nominated again and could possibly win... again.  She's white and there are infinitely more roles for her to pick and choose from, that could be contenders, than possible future Oscar nominated roles for Viola Davis, a lovely and from all appearances, gracious woman of color.  The only thing I appreciated about Streep's speech was that she thanked her husband first.  So many people thank their spouses last and when you start doing that, it's not really a wonder why so many Hollywood marriages break up.  (Streep and her husband, artist Don Gummer, have been married for 33 years.)  Oh and by the way, Meryl Streep... The Iron Lady... distributed by The Weinstein Co... best actress winner.

So there you have it.  Until next year, when we meet again.

Oscar Predictions 2012

Well it's that time of year where I once again go crazy trying to predict who will win at the Academy Awards on Sunday.  My eyes are blood-shot from staring at the computer screen.  My ballot has names circled and then crossed out and then marked again when I changed my mind.

It's quite ridiculous, even though I have no actual incentive to win, I still obsess over my picks as it's more of a personal triumph than anything.

I decided to try something new this year when choosing my winners.  In addition to seeing as many nominated films as I could (let's see... I saw The Artist, Moneyball, The Tree of Life, The Help, Rio, Transformers and Harry Potter) and reading as many "prediction blogs" as possible- ummm, maybe 20? -I decided to go with the actors/actresses/films that have been winning throughout the year.  This is easier said than done!  For example: The Eddie Award (American Cinema Editors) has 3 categories.  The Descendants won for Dramatic Picture, The Artist for Musical or Comedy and Rango for Animated Feature.  But there is only one editing category at the Oscars and both The Descendants and The Artist are nominated.  The winner of the "dramatic" Eddie has gone on to win the Oscar 9 times in the last ten years, with the lone "musical or comedy" Eddie going to Chicago in 2002.

Same issues arise for Best Actress.  Meryl Streep, Viola Davis.  Viola Davis, Meryl Streep.  Davis has won the Screen Actors Guild and Critics Choice Award for The Help, Streep the Golden Globe and BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television) for her portrayal as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.

So who wins when they are all winning?

I don't know.  And this is why I should really get paid for all this anxiety.

Thank goodness it's just once a year!

To add to my dilemma, there is a bit of Academy business that requires you to have actually seen the films you are voting on.  That can throw a wrench in things for categories like Costume Design.  The critically panned film W.E. (ya' know, the movie that Madonna directed?) WON the Costume Guild award for period film.  It was up against Hugo and The Artist and all 3 are nominated together for the Oscar.  Obviously the members of the costume guild saw the movie and preferred the costumes in it, over top Best Picture contenders The Artist and Hugo... but how many of the other Academy members saw W.E. compared to the other 2 films?  All the people who didn't see W.E. will vote for something else and the small contingent of costume guild members (who also need to be Academy members) will be out numbered and W.E. will mark their guild award as the biggest triumph that film has had.

At least that's how I think it works.

BUT, it could be the case that you can only vote in the categories where you have seen all the films.  Not just vote for the film in the category that you happened to see.  In which case, W.E. would win as the costume guild members are probably the only ones who have seen all the Oscar nominated films in the Costume Design category and therefore would make the majority.

Ok, enough of the mumbo jumbo!  Time to see my thoughts on who will win and who could win.

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

Who Will Win- The Artist
Who Could Win- The Descendants

Best Actor-
Demain Bichir in "A Better Life"
George Clooney in "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"
Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"

Who Will Win- Jean Dujardin
Who Could Win- George Clooney
And let me just say, Gary Oldman- after a fabulous career has FINALLY gotten his first ever nomination.  It's about time.

Supporting Actor-
Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn"
Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte in "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"
Max van Sydow in "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"

Who Will Win- Christopher Plummer
Who Could Win- Max van Sydow

Best Actress-
Glen Close in "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis in "The Help"
Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"

Who Will Win- Viola Davis
Who Could Win- Meryl Streep

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

Who Will Win- Octavia Spencer
Who Could Win- Jessica Chastain
And not because Chastain was so great in The Help, but because she was in 6 films in 2011 alone and would be rewarded for her body of work over the year, not just this one film.

Animated Feature-
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

Who Will Win- Rango

Art Direction-
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse

Who Will Win- Hugo
Who Could Win- The Artist

Cinematography-
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Who Will (and should!) Win- The Tree of Life
Who Could Win- The Artist

Costume Design-
Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.

Who Will Win- Hugo
Who Could Win- The Artist or W.E.
I am so up in the air about this category and I will not be the least bit surprised if I get it wrong.

Directing-
The Artist
The Descendants
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
The Tree of Life

Who Will Win- The Artist
Who Could Win- Hugo
Who Should Win- The Tree of Life

Documentary Feature-
Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated

Who Will Win- Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Who Could Win- To Hell and Back Again or Undefeated

Documentary Short-
The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God is the Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad
Saving Face
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

Who Will Win- Saving Face
Who Could Win- any of them.  I never get this category correct.

*on a side note*
God is the Bigger Elvis is the story of Dolores Hart.  She was an actress in the 50's and 60's starring with Elvis, in King Creole, who left Hollywood and her fiance to become a Benedictine nun.  When the writer of the 1992 Whoopie Goldberg movie, Sister Act, was working on the script- it was suggested to him that he go to an actual convent to do research.  So he went to stay in the Regina Laudis Abbey in Bethlehem, Connecticut.  The Prioress of this convent was Mother Dolores Hart who now has an Oscar nominated Documentary Short about her life.  Mother Hart is the only known nun to be a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Film Editing-
The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball

Who Will Win- The Artist
Who Could Win- The Descendants

Foreign Language Film-
Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsieur Lazhar
A Separation

Who Will Win- A Separation

Makeup-
Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Iron Lady

Who Will Win- The Iron Lady
Who Could (and should, after all the years...) Win- Harry Potter

Original Score-
The Adventures of Tintin
The Artist
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Who Will Win- The Artist
Who Could Win- Hugo

Original Song-
Man or Muppet from The Muppets
Real in Rio from Rio

Who Will Win- Man or Muppet
Who Could Win- Real in Rio
What a lame year for original song...

Animated Short Film-
Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life

Who Will Win- A Morning Stroll
Who Could Win- The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Live Action Short Film-
Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic

Who Will Win- The Shore
Who Could Win- either Raju or Tuba Atlantic

Sound Editing-
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Who Will Win- Hugo
Who Could Win- War Horse

Sound Mixing-
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Who Will Win- Hugo
Who Could Win- War Horse

Visual Effects- 
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Who Will Win- Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Who Could Win- Hugo

Adapted Screen Play-
The Descendants
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Who Will Win- The Descendants
Who Could Win- Hugo

Original Screenplay-
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Margin Call
Midnight in Paris
A Separation

Who Will Win- Midnight in Paris
Who Could Win- The Artist

The Tree of Life

Before you read any further, you MUST watch the preview.


The Tree of Life


I'm serious!

It's only 2 minutes long - click on the link and WATCH it before you read any further.


PREVIEW


An impressionistic story of a Texas family in the 1950's, The Tree of Life is one of the most beautiful, thought provoking movies that I have ever seen.  You must see it.  And when you do, you will either love it or hate it.  It will put you in a funk.  It will make you think.  Think about God.  About how we wonder where He is sometimes.  Why He lets things happen.  Why we grow up in the places and with the people we do.  How we deal with childhood and adulthood.  What makes us happy and how we deal with grief.

It is not your typical movie.

There is not a lot of dialog and what you do hear is mostly whispered.

It's slow and thoughtful.

It's a little bizarre.

The majority of the beginning of the film is "creation" and once you get past that you delve into the thoughts and memories of a man who was once young.  You will skip around his past, as he thinks back about his childhood.

If you keep in mind that the film is a series of memories and as in real life, our memories don't always play in chronological thought, but we tend to jump around.  Little snippets here and there.  You'll be better off.

Directed by Terrance Malick (The Thin Red Line, The New World) it is filmed in his signature style of all natural light and some of the special effects that you may think are CGI, have actually been created and filmed using bygone optical and practical methods.  The superb cinematography is rounded out by spectacular performances by Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain.

I don't want to tell you much more.  It is a film you need to experience for yourself.  You need to let it wash over you and you need to absorb it in your own way.

Rent it now!  Make sure that you can devote 2&1/2 hours of your life, uninterrupted.  Put the kids to bed, this is not one for them.  Turn your phone off and your TV volume UP!  Turn the lights off, get comfortable and enjoy.  It's well worth your time.