First, let me warn everyone NOT to see "Winn Dixie". Yes I saw it. I'm ashamed. Let's leave it at that. Second, everybody needs to rent and see "Shaun of the Dead". It's a hysterical British parody of classic, and more recent, zombie movies (Dawn of the Dead, 28 Days Later, etc.).
Ok, on to the award ceremony.
Shauns of the Dead:
-Chris Rock and his lack of humility along with his crass and insulting behavior.
-Andrew Lloyd Webber accompanying Beyonce on his beautiful Original Song (and I'm NOT a Webber fan)
-The show running only 30 minutes over.
-The cute moment between Shrek and Chaplin
-Johnny Carson tribute
-Beyonce's numerous evening wear changes
-Every Best Picture nominee won at least ONE award
-The Incredibles winning 2 awards...including Best Animated Picture.
-Alexander Payne and Charlie Kaufman winning their first Academy Awards (2 of my Hollywood favorites)
-Yo Yo Ma
-Morgan Freeman finally winning an award (I know that I didn't want him to win...but he deserves it regardless.)
-Jeremy Irons Presentation
-Mickey Rooney is still ALIVE!
-Dustin and Babs - they're so cute...they should be married in real life.
-Paul Giammati was there. What a good sport.
-Chris Rock's Gap/George W. analogy
Winn Dixies:
-Chris Rock and his lack of humility along with his crass and insulting behavior.
-That awful song from Motorcycle Diaries.
-That awful song from Motorcycle Diaries winning.
-Was it just me or did the ceremony seem really boring?
-Ray winning for Best Sound Editing. Why?
-Melanie Griffith and her breasts.
-The numerous awkward moments where all the nominees had to line up to be told they were losers.
-The numerous awkward moments where all the nominees were denied their walk down the aisle because, alas, they were given their award in the aisle.
-Martin Scorsese losing (I'm starting to feel really bad for him)
-Did anybody else notice the "Terminator" theme being played more than once??
-Those random shots of the ceiling screens.
-Whoopi Goldberg almost ruining the Johnny Carson tribute (why doesn't she just give up?)
-The fact that I have not seen ONE of the Lifetime Achivement Award recepient's (Sidney Lumet) movies. (I'm sorta ashamed)
-Laura Linney's hair. Ewww
-The plethora of empty seats. Why were there so many?
Monday, February 28, 2005
Saturday, February 26, 2005
And The Award Goes To...
Ok, let me first start by saying I have not seen these top contenders:
Hotel Rwanda
Closer
Ray
Before Sunset
I swear on the soul of my dead step sister (who just happens to not exist) that I will see Ray before the Academy Awards tomorrow night if that means that I have to go out and buy it from Wal-mart...carefully remove it from the wrapping and those annoying sticker sealants...watch it...carefully place it back in the wrapper and sealants...and lastly, return it for a full refund. You see, I checked today on Wal-mart's DVD return policy and they said that if it's open it can only be exchanged for the exact same thing. You may be asking why I just don't rent it. Well, I live in the middle of nowhere and the only video store that I know of carries about 6 copies of it (3 dvd 3 tapes) and they were all checked out. You may be asking why I didn't rent it from Netflix. Well, I did. There is apparently a long wait on it (I queued it over a month ago) so they are bypassing it and sending me other videos in my queue until Ray is available. You may be asking why I just don't keep the movie if I buy it. Because I don't want to own it. I just want to see it! I will probably never see Before Sunset and the other two I have queued on Netflix for when they arrive on DVD later this year. With that said I would like to present my awards and predictions for Oscars 2005!
Best Picture:
Who will win: Million Dollar Baby
Who should win: Million Dollar Baby
*Now I didn't particularly find Million Dollar Baby astounding and I haven't even seen Ray. But I know that the other contenders that I did see I didn't particularly find astounding either. The Aviator was just too long and pretentious. Honestly, who really cares about Howard Hughes? Was his life really that unique? Not to me. Sideways was good but is it really Best Picture worthy? For Sideways I think it was just an honor for it to be nominated. Finding Neverland was sweet but flawed. I always have a hard time honoring a movie that totally takes the truth and makes it so Hollywood that it's no longer the truth and it becomes fabrication. So that leaves us with Ray (which I haven't seen but I doubt I'll find it that astounding either - I'll keep you posted though) and Million Dollar Baby. I did find my choice to be a very good movie so I stick by it. I find it unfortunate that Kinsey was not nominated for this category. That was my #1 film of 2004. But it was sadly overlooked.
Best Actor
Who will win: Jamie Foxx
Who should win: ????
I think I'll wait to see Ray and Hotel Rwanda before I make up my mind on this award. I know that everybody is hyping Jamie Foxx. But I've also heard that Don Cheadle in Hotel Rwanda is also very impressive. Clint Eastwood was fine in Million Dollar Baby but he wasn't THAT good. Especially seeing how he knocked one of the best performances of the year (Paul Giamatti in Sideways) out of the race. Leonardo Dicaprio did very well in a role that did not suit him. It's like when you go see a show at a high school and the person playing the old lady is just so great and funny but ultimately she's NOT an old lady and an old lady would have done a much better job when you really think about it. I don't know if that metaphor even makes any sense. But it does in my brain so whatever. Johnny Depp will have his moment...he will have his role...he will have his award. This one was not it.
Best Actress
Who will win: Hilary Swank
Who should win: *TIE* Hilary Swank and Imelda Staunton
I suppose if it came down to the nitty gritty I would choose Imelda only because she doesn't have one yet. But I love Hilary Swank and I love her performance in Million Dollar Baby. She is a truly talented actress who commits herself to a role but never over does it. She knows exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. She's precise and accurate. Then there is Imelda who just has such an obvious craft to her acting that you sit there and say to yourself the entire time that this woman really knows how to act. You end up studying her craft and analyzing every move, every gesture, and every detail about her performance because you know that, to her, there is something behind it all. We will see what I have to say about Annette Bening in the future. As for Catalina and Kate. Well, for Catalina it truly is an honor to be nominated because I do not see what the big deal is about that performance. And for Kate...love her, love her, love her...but just like Johnny, this one is not her moment, her role, her award.
Best Supporting Actor
Who will win: Morgan Freeman
Who should win: Thomas Haden Church
I always have a fond appreciation for a good comedic, yet deep, performance. I think Thomas Haden Church delivers that in Sideways. Let me be the first to say that comedy is HARD. Harder than drama. And when you mix the two and do it successfully, it's impressive. I love Morgan Freeman, but there has to be a better role for him out there where he can really strut his stuff. I've seen him play this character a thousand times. He does it VERY well but I just want to see more from him. It's almost like he doesn't even try. He just walks on the set and turns on the Morgan Freeman. Give us something new Morgan. Please! Was Alan Alda even in The Aviator? I swear if you blink your eyes you'd miss him. Why was he nominated? Especially over such other great performances such as Freddie Highmore in Finding Neverland. Jamie Foxx? Again, why was he nominated? He was good in Collateral but nothing spectacular and he's already going to win for Best Actor. Wasted nomination if you ask me. Unfortunately, I haven't seen Clive Owen. I've heard he's great though.
Best Supporting Actress
Who will win: Virginia Madsen
Who should win: ???
This is another one where I haven't seen 2 of the films nominated. I feel bad picking "should wins" when I don't have all the facts. However, I am going out on a limb and voting for the slight underdog as the "will win". Some people are insisting it's going to be Cate Blanchett (who was also very good) but I think that Madsen might just make an upset. Supporting Actress is always full of surprises. Laura Linney was also great in a film that I loved so I wouldn't mind seeing her win either. This is a tough one to predict.
Best Director
Who will win: Clint Eastwood
Who should win: Martin Scorsese
Just give it to the man already! Before you know it he's going to be dead and you're all going to be sorry you never gave him the golden phallus. Don't wait for his final "GREAT" one. It's probably not going to happen. C'mon, his films are getting progressively worse and worse...I mean did you see Gangs of New York? He did great films. Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull. Just give him the damn award.
Adapted Screenplay
Who will win: Sideways
Who should win: Sideways
Call it what you want but it Sideways is a great script with excellent dialogue. Sure it's not the must plot driven thing in the world. But it has class. The Motorcycle Diaries was so boring I wanted to slit my wrists. Million Dollar Baby was good but a little hokey, and oh-so-predictable. You already know my feelings on Finding Neverland...fabrication *cough cough*. And I probably will never see Before Sunset. Why you ask? Well, I just probably never will. No interest really.
Original Screenplay
Who will win: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Who should win: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
If The Aviator pulls an upset here I will literally be "upset". Supposedly, The Aviator is in a close second. It wasn't a bad script but Eternal... was just so original and brilliant. How can you not award a script like that. It was, by far, the best script of the year and should be awarded.
So there you have it. My main predictions. I also saw about 80 percent of the smaller contenders (excluding things like Best Documentary, short subject, etc.). I think the most important one is Animated Feature which I think will be awarded to The Incredibles as well it should. So enjoy the show tomorrow night and I'll be posting after the ceremony with my updates and pointless banter! See ya.
Hotel Rwanda
Closer
Ray
Before Sunset
I swear on the soul of my dead step sister (who just happens to not exist) that I will see Ray before the Academy Awards tomorrow night if that means that I have to go out and buy it from Wal-mart...carefully remove it from the wrapping and those annoying sticker sealants...watch it...carefully place it back in the wrapper and sealants...and lastly, return it for a full refund. You see, I checked today on Wal-mart's DVD return policy and they said that if it's open it can only be exchanged for the exact same thing. You may be asking why I just don't rent it. Well, I live in the middle of nowhere and the only video store that I know of carries about 6 copies of it (3 dvd 3 tapes) and they were all checked out. You may be asking why I didn't rent it from Netflix. Well, I did. There is apparently a long wait on it (I queued it over a month ago) so they are bypassing it and sending me other videos in my queue until Ray is available. You may be asking why I just don't keep the movie if I buy it. Because I don't want to own it. I just want to see it! I will probably never see Before Sunset and the other two I have queued on Netflix for when they arrive on DVD later this year. With that said I would like to present my awards and predictions for Oscars 2005!
Best Picture:
Who will win: Million Dollar Baby
Who should win: Million Dollar Baby
*Now I didn't particularly find Million Dollar Baby astounding and I haven't even seen Ray. But I know that the other contenders that I did see I didn't particularly find astounding either. The Aviator was just too long and pretentious. Honestly, who really cares about Howard Hughes? Was his life really that unique? Not to me. Sideways was good but is it really Best Picture worthy? For Sideways I think it was just an honor for it to be nominated. Finding Neverland was sweet but flawed. I always have a hard time honoring a movie that totally takes the truth and makes it so Hollywood that it's no longer the truth and it becomes fabrication. So that leaves us with Ray (which I haven't seen but I doubt I'll find it that astounding either - I'll keep you posted though) and Million Dollar Baby. I did find my choice to be a very good movie so I stick by it. I find it unfortunate that Kinsey was not nominated for this category. That was my #1 film of 2004. But it was sadly overlooked.
Best Actor
Who will win: Jamie Foxx
Who should win: ????
I think I'll wait to see Ray and Hotel Rwanda before I make up my mind on this award. I know that everybody is hyping Jamie Foxx. But I've also heard that Don Cheadle in Hotel Rwanda is also very impressive. Clint Eastwood was fine in Million Dollar Baby but he wasn't THAT good. Especially seeing how he knocked one of the best performances of the year (Paul Giamatti in Sideways) out of the race. Leonardo Dicaprio did very well in a role that did not suit him. It's like when you go see a show at a high school and the person playing the old lady is just so great and funny but ultimately she's NOT an old lady and an old lady would have done a much better job when you really think about it. I don't know if that metaphor even makes any sense. But it does in my brain so whatever. Johnny Depp will have his moment...he will have his role...he will have his award. This one was not it.
Best Actress
Who will win: Hilary Swank
Who should win: *TIE* Hilary Swank and Imelda Staunton
I suppose if it came down to the nitty gritty I would choose Imelda only because she doesn't have one yet. But I love Hilary Swank and I love her performance in Million Dollar Baby. She is a truly talented actress who commits herself to a role but never over does it. She knows exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. She's precise and accurate. Then there is Imelda who just has such an obvious craft to her acting that you sit there and say to yourself the entire time that this woman really knows how to act. You end up studying her craft and analyzing every move, every gesture, and every detail about her performance because you know that, to her, there is something behind it all. We will see what I have to say about Annette Bening in the future. As for Catalina and Kate. Well, for Catalina it truly is an honor to be nominated because I do not see what the big deal is about that performance. And for Kate...love her, love her, love her...but just like Johnny, this one is not her moment, her role, her award.
Best Supporting Actor
Who will win: Morgan Freeman
Who should win: Thomas Haden Church
I always have a fond appreciation for a good comedic, yet deep, performance. I think Thomas Haden Church delivers that in Sideways. Let me be the first to say that comedy is HARD. Harder than drama. And when you mix the two and do it successfully, it's impressive. I love Morgan Freeman, but there has to be a better role for him out there where he can really strut his stuff. I've seen him play this character a thousand times. He does it VERY well but I just want to see more from him. It's almost like he doesn't even try. He just walks on the set and turns on the Morgan Freeman. Give us something new Morgan. Please! Was Alan Alda even in The Aviator? I swear if you blink your eyes you'd miss him. Why was he nominated? Especially over such other great performances such as Freddie Highmore in Finding Neverland. Jamie Foxx? Again, why was he nominated? He was good in Collateral but nothing spectacular and he's already going to win for Best Actor. Wasted nomination if you ask me. Unfortunately, I haven't seen Clive Owen. I've heard he's great though.
Best Supporting Actress
Who will win: Virginia Madsen
Who should win: ???
This is another one where I haven't seen 2 of the films nominated. I feel bad picking "should wins" when I don't have all the facts. However, I am going out on a limb and voting for the slight underdog as the "will win". Some people are insisting it's going to be Cate Blanchett (who was also very good) but I think that Madsen might just make an upset. Supporting Actress is always full of surprises. Laura Linney was also great in a film that I loved so I wouldn't mind seeing her win either. This is a tough one to predict.
Best Director
Who will win: Clint Eastwood
Who should win: Martin Scorsese
Just give it to the man already! Before you know it he's going to be dead and you're all going to be sorry you never gave him the golden phallus. Don't wait for his final "GREAT" one. It's probably not going to happen. C'mon, his films are getting progressively worse and worse...I mean did you see Gangs of New York? He did great films. Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull. Just give him the damn award.
Adapted Screenplay
Who will win: Sideways
Who should win: Sideways
Call it what you want but it Sideways is a great script with excellent dialogue. Sure it's not the must plot driven thing in the world. But it has class. The Motorcycle Diaries was so boring I wanted to slit my wrists. Million Dollar Baby was good but a little hokey, and oh-so-predictable. You already know my feelings on Finding Neverland...fabrication *cough cough*. And I probably will never see Before Sunset. Why you ask? Well, I just probably never will. No interest really.
Original Screenplay
Who will win: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Who should win: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
If The Aviator pulls an upset here I will literally be "upset". Supposedly, The Aviator is in a close second. It wasn't a bad script but Eternal... was just so original and brilliant. How can you not award a script like that. It was, by far, the best script of the year and should be awarded.
So there you have it. My main predictions. I also saw about 80 percent of the smaller contenders (excluding things like Best Documentary, short subject, etc.). I think the most important one is Animated Feature which I think will be awarded to The Incredibles as well it should. So enjoy the show tomorrow night and I'll be posting after the ceremony with my updates and pointless banter! See ya.
Friday, February 18, 2005
Life Sucks
First, let me apologize for not posting recently. I know people hate posts where people just apologize for not posting but I feel really bad about it. To make a long story short, I've been going through some semi-traumatic times lately and I am now just starting to pull through to a healthy new me. Lately, I've been busy attending auditions throughout the country (well, just Ohio and Memphis to be exact) scouting for talent for good ol' Bearcreek Farms USA. Let me tell you, the talent in girls: stellar. The talent in boys: not so much. Why is it that talented men are so much harder to come by. From the audition in Memphis I would say that 1 out of every 5 auditonees were male. 1 out of every 3 males sang (the rest just did monologues). 1 out of every 5 singing males were remotely decent. That's a very small percentage. So please, to all you men out there, if you have any talent and people tell you you are talented (besides your mother and local church congregation) then by all means...join the theatre world. We need you!
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