Sorry I'm a day late with this. The way Academy Award buzz goes, everyone's probably over it now. But the house is being remodeled right by the office and I couldn't get this out yesterday.
The OSCARS! As predicted by almost everyone, Slumdog swept just about everything it was nominated for. It wasn't my favorite movie of the year (as I've said before, I felt this was a year with a lot of good films, but not very many great ones), but I won't deny that is was fun and inspiring, and well-acted. So while I would have preferred Milk (one of the only movies that really stuck in my gut) I can't really begrudge Slumdog for it's success. Probably because all of the cast and crew involved look so grateful and thunderstruck and excited to even be at the Academy Awards, let alone sweeping the prizes. Seriously, those kids? So adorable and did such a great job in the film. And Dev Patel and Frida Pinto just seem like really sweet, humble people. Can't help but be happy for them. So, well done, Slumdog Millionaire.
How about Hugh Jackman? Where has he been hiding all this charismatic musical talent? I know he's done stuff on Broadway (even hosted the Tony's) but I was not expecting to be so charmed. I couldn't understand everything in that opening number, but it was still really fun to watch, and he was by far the best belter in the 'ode to musicals' number. I just wish we had seen him a little bit more. He seemed to disappear for long stretches of time, where at previous shows, the host was around for just about every segment. I would have loved to see a little more off-the-cuff Jackman humor. Definitely wouldn't complain about having him back again.
As for the other changes in format, I'm really torn. Like just about everyone else, while I didn't mind Queen Latifah singing during the memorial montage, why was it filmed so disastrously??? The camera kept cutting to her instead of just focusing on the images. I couldn't read several of the names and that seems a rather huge guffaw when they're supposed to be being honored. The many montages were at least fresh (they didn't roll out the usual images of Charlie Chaplin, Singin' in the Rain, or Gone With the Wind) and celebrated films from this year, but they were still too long and often drew attention to films that were better left forgotten (Space Chimps?) We're supposed to be celebrating the best here, people! However, as someone who loved Pineapple Express, I really enjoyed the short film of Seth Rogen and James Franco watchind and commenting on movies in character. Right on spot!
With the format for the Acting Awards presentation, again, not sure. I like the look in theory, having 5 former winners come out and really honor each of the nominees. That made it feel like a real honor to be nominated, even if it was just glorified ass-kissing. In some cases, it really worked - Shirley McClaine to Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard to Kate Winslet, Robert De Niro to Sean Penn - the tributes seemed honest, heartfelt and touching. But in many of the other cases, the presenter was so clearly reading off the telepromter, not speaking to the nominee, that the format felt rather stiff. And they took so long! I don't know. I missed seeing clips of the performances.
I did, however, love the way the presented the Best Picture nominees. Rather than role out a clips package for each film throughout the broadcast, scenes from the nominees were mixed with clips from former Best Picture winners and nominees that had similar subject matter, tone, themes or dialogue that applied. Like cutting Frost/Nixon with clips of All the Presidents Men and Apocalypse Now, or The Reader with other May-December romances from The Graduate and Lost in Translation as well as WWII/Holocaust material from Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List. They mixed Milk with Norma Rae, Braveheart, and Network's infamous "I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore." Benjamin Button went with Shakespeare in Love, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and A Beautiful Mind. And my favorite bit was editing relating the theme of destiny in Slumdog Millionaire with similar scenes from Forrest Gump, Casablanca and Million Dollar Baby. Can you tell that this technique was my favorite? Here's video if you want a refresher:
Onto the fashion. TOO MUCH WHITE! I think I said this last year too. I like color. I want more color. That said, most of the white/silver/cream/"barely mint"/pale pink dresses were lovely. My favorite whites were Taraji P. Henson and Anne Hathway, and I loved Natalie Portman for using a daring color and looking fabulous.
Favorite of the Night: Kate Winslet. Are you surprised? Of course not. Truth is, I don't even really like the dress, and from certain angles the hair looked too severe. But when I saw her in motion, no one looked lovelier. She had a Grace Kelly thing going and put all together, she was the Queen of the Night for me. I feel really bad about some of the bashing I've read about her speech. At the Golden Globes, she won twice, was completely shocked and teary, and it came off fake to a lot of people. I can't believe that of her. I choose to believe that she was genuine. I don't remember her speeches at the SAG's or BAFTA's so I don't know if she acted "surprised" at those occasions either. But I felt that her speech at the Oscar's was completely charming, genuine and heartfelt. There's a difference between being surprised and being overwhelmed. I didn't see any fake emotion, or overdone blubbering, or false surprise. But she just won an Academy Award after having lost 5 times before, and after having dreamt of it most of her career; isn't the lady allowed to be overcome a bit? To cry a little? I thought she seemed very happy, grateful, humble and excited and none of it seemed false or overdone to me. And I was watching for that too. The whistle to her dad was great.
On the male side, did you all see Robert Downey Jr.? Wowza! That man is hot! Look at the cleanup between the Golden Globes and now. And he's 44! WTH! Beautiful man.
Love this man! ------>
Side note: I have fallen in love Tilda Swinton and the wonderful, bizarre things she wears. I read Go Fug Yourself daily and they freaking love her. They have decided that she should just go by SWINTON (in caps) because she's so freakishly odd and unique, and that moniker just tickles me to no end. Elizabeth and I have taken to shouting it whenever we see her. On anyone else, this ensemble is crazy, but on SWINTON it is freaking fabulous. (Check out all the things Go Fug Yourself has to say about SWINTON here.)
That's all for me this year! Here's hoping next year is much better and that I'm feeling more inspired to write about it. I missed doing my Oscar buildup and lists, but really just couldn't muster up the CARE this year. Please enjoy the SWINTON!
I'm typically not one to make any resolutions because I am acutely unable to stick to them. I know this about myself and I respect that. I'm not going to resolve to lose weight or to read more books because that is the one way to be sure I won't. But that doesn't mean I don't have goals or that I don't intend to try and better myself. So although I wouldn't call it a New Year's Resolution, my goal is to stop posting only 5 blogs a month. I used to have a pretty good average going, 12-20 regularly, and I have been heartily ashamed of myself for slacking so monumentally (look for reasons for that in the upcoming post "I Am a Hack"). So, in the coming months, here are some features you can expect to see (I won't put down a timetable as I would be sure to break it):
REVIEWS: And I mean a lot of them! I'm sure you've forgotten I ever did this, and though the stress of it is partly why I haven't written one in forever, I can't let that stop me. I'll never get better it I don't keep writing, so write I must. I already have outlines for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, Doubt and Twlight, and there are plans to see and review Revolutionary Road, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, and The Wrestler in coming weeks. That's a lot of reviewing with me being crusty and all, so I may only end up writing reviews on 3/4 of these films. However, there will be reviews!
TWILIGHT FEVER: I finally relented, saw the movie (which I enojoyed) and read the books (which, as I suspected I might, I loved more that I should have). I don't know why I'm surprised: I love "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (human/vampire hookups are so tortured!) and my favorite movie in the 4th grade was the Zefferelli version of Romeo and Juliet. Obviously this franchise would appeal to my melodramatic inner child. I won't be joining a Twi-hards cult and Robert Pattinson is not my new celebrity crush, but there will probably be a post or two about why I loved the books so much when they are no where near the quality of my beloved Harry Potter series.
THINGS I MISSED, PT. 2: This one is almost done and will probably be the first or second thing posted. I know, I've said it before, but I swear, it really is almost done!
20 FAVORITE ACTORS: Because that favorite actresses list got me thinking and I can't resist a list...
I AM A HACK: A full post in which I explain all of my petty insecurities. Can you wait?
OSCAR MONTH: I am finally getting in the swing of Awards Season, though with considerably less zeal than usual. But I'm not going to let that stop me. I had a lot of fun writing some Oscar posts and doing Oscar Top 10-lists last year, so I'm going to try and emulate some of that fun again this year. Last year I wrote about the rules for song/score nominations; this year I may try and dig into the criteria for foreign film or documentary entries (every year it seems the Academy misses something that most critics are flabbergasted to explain, and I'd like to understand why). As for the lists, I did my favorite topics last year, but I may try one on the worst winners or the most hideous fashion. I guess we'll see.
100 FAVORITE FILMS: I did this last year too, so it's hardly necessary for another compilation, but I kind of like the idea of adding new entries every year and tracking my film-loving trajectory. Just indulge me.
In the meantime, here are some videos I love:
Found this on another blog. It's Kate Winslet's guest appearence as herself on the British sitcom "Extras" in 2005. Remember at the Golden Globes when Ricky Gervais teased her about doing a Holocaust movie? Here's why. Very funny.
I know I haven't gotten to BSG yet, and this video will do little to appease Damon, but it's just a little Apollo/Starbuck shipper vid to Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know." Well-edited, and maybe you'll like it, Sarah!
Should have posted this yesterday. True, she actually did win the Broadcast Critic's Award as Best Supporting Actress for The Reader this past Thursday, but winning two Golden Globes in a night like this was just amazing. And I won't deny being awfully moved by her acceptance speeches (especially the shoutout to Leo - those two are just adorable!) I'm just so happy that she finally got a moment in the sun! I'm no longer as concerned with whether she wins an Oscar (it will happen, if not this year, then eventually) because at least she's won something now. I can sleep.
The computer is finally fixed! Yay! It was actually good to go last Thursday, but I had a hella busy weekend and have only now gotten around to posting anything.
To begin with, it's Christmas time. For me this means two things: All Things Christmas (watching our large assortment of holiday themed films, decorating the house within an inch of it's capacity and wrapping all presents myself with a variety of ribbons and paper) and Awards Season.
Strangely I am not particularly into either of these events this year.
I did help decorate the tree and spent my last two days off wrapping all the presents (that felt good), but have left most of the house decorating to my mom (I just haven't really cared, very uncharacteristic of me) and haven't watched a single holiday movie - no cartoons, no Miracle on 34th Street or Elf, and I'm not really all that sad about it. I don't know what's up with that.
Anyone ever seen the TV show "Roswell"? Kinda crap, honestly, but I was obsessed with it my first two years of college. Katherine Heigl (before she was famous) played a character (also ironically named Isabel/Izzie - crazy!) who was a teen alien that psychotically loved Christmas. Her nickname in the Christmas episodes was "The Christmas Nazi." I wouldn't go as far as to call myself that (I'm not involved with Senior Home gift drives or caroling or Christmas Pageants), but I have been known in years past to take the decoration of my home a little too seriously (I have a collection of fruit ornaments that will someday take over their very own tree - meaning I'll have two trees and one will be filled with fruit), I've made timetables for the watching of Christmas films in order to ensure everyone's tastes and schedules are satisfied, and I've maintained pretty high standards for the kinds of wrapping paper used and demanded a variety of types of ribbon be made available (for example, no one in my family has two presents wrapped in the same pattern of paper - that would be wrong). But other than a little anal retentiveness in the wrapping portion of the season, my other Christmas fetishes have been largely overlooked.
The other oddity has been my lack of interest in Awards Season buzz. Last week alone, the Broadcast Film Critics announced their nominees, as did the Golden Globes, and the National Board of Review, L.A. Film Critics and New York Critics circles all named their choices for Best Film, Actor and Actress of the Year. Normally this would mean a great deal of squeeing and speculation on my part, but other than being stoked that WALL*E was named Best Film (by the L.A. Critics), I am not particularly excited. (Wait, I lied: Kate Winslet's up for a slew of awards, as well as Best Actress and Supporting Actress honors at the Golden Globes and the fact that she doesn't yet have an Academy Award is one of the few quatifiably wrong things in the universe, so I am rooting for her, of course!) I guess my interest in the Awards Season will probably change once I've seen some of the nominated films (post-Christmas: Milk, Revolutionary Road, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Doubt, Gran Torino, Frost/Nixon and Slumdog Millionaire, here I come) so I hope the New Year brings me some renewed vigor cause an Allison that doesn't obsess over Academy Awards nominations is just not an Allison you'd recognize (plus, that would be some hard evidence that I am actually suffering from depression - we don't want that!).
but I was not expecting to be so charmed. I couldn't understand everything in that opening number, but it was still really fun to watch, and he was by far the best belter in the 'ode to musicals' number. I just wish we had seen him a little bit more. He seemed to disappear for long stretches of time, where at previous shows, the host was around for just about every segment. I would have loved to see a little more off-the-cuff Jackman humor. Definitely wouldn't complain about having him back again.
With the format for the Acting Awards presentation, again, not sure. I like the look in theory, having 5 former winners come out and really honor each of the nominees. That made it feel like a real honor to be nominated, even if it was just glorified ass-kissing. In some cases, it really worked - Shirley McClaine to Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard to Kate Winslet, Robert De Niro to Sean Penn - the tributes seemed honest, heartfelt and touching. But in many of the other cases, the presenter was so clearly reading off the telepromter, not speaking to the nominee, that the format felt rather stiff. And they took so long! I don't know. I missed seeing clips of the performances.
the bashing I've read about her speech. At the Golden Globes, she won twice, was completely shocked and teary, and it came off fake to a lot of people. I can't believe that of her. I choose to believe that she was genuine. I don't remember her speeches at the SAG's or BAFTA's so I don't know if she acted "surprised" at those occasions either. But I felt that her speech at the Oscar's was completely charming, genuine and heartfelt. There's a difference between being surprised and being overwhelmed. I didn't see any fake emotion, or overdone blubbering, or false surprise. But she just won an Academy Award after having lost 5 times before, and after having dreamt of it most of her career; isn't the lady allowed to be overcome a bit? To cry a little? I thought she seemed very happy, grateful, humble and excited and none of it seemed false or overdone to me. And I was watching for that too. The whistle to her dad was great.
Side note: I have fallen in love Tilda Swinton and the wonderful, bizarre things she wears. I read Go Fug Yourself daily and they freaking love her. They have decided that she should just go by SWINTON (in caps) because she's so freakishly odd and unique, and that moniker just tickles me to no end. Elizabeth and I have taken to shouting it whenever we see her. On anyone else, this ensemble is crazy, but on SWINTON it is freaking fabulous. (Check out all the things Go Fug Yourself has to say about SWINTON here.)
