Congratulations to Sunday Night's Two Big Winners

AND...

 

If Ben Affleck Deserves A Second Chance, Maybe His Movie Does Too.

"So Jennifer, you're absolutely SURE
your hot:crazy ratio is in balance?" 

I have already posted on this blog that Mr. Affleck gave a nice little speech at the BAFTA's acknowleding the second chance he's gotten in Hollywood after his disastrous over-exposure as half of Bennifer (my god how I miss Bennifer) and equally disastrous movie roles. OK, he didn't specify that's why he NEEDED the second chance but we all know it is.

Now, I STILL don't think it's better than Lincoln or ZD30 but I am wondering if the circumstances I saw it under jaded my opinions about its overall worthiness. Older theater, front row looking straight up into everyone's nostrils, old people being stupid and loud right behind us.

So I find myself asking myself...'self, mightn't we be willing to give this movie a second chance?'

Well self, depending on how productive we are tonight and given the fact we'll be too excited to sleep, maybe we will give Argo the second chance it may, or may not, deserve.

Maybe... if we are good and do all of our chores.

The Sessions

The only thing redeeming about this movie was that I got to see three former cast members from Deadwood.

Was John Hawkes good? Yes, of course he was. The physical effort it must have taken to say each and every line while forcing enough pressure in your body to make the veins in your head and neck stand out like that was in itself impressive. Let's not even get into his diminished physique.



"Hey John, did you read the script?"

"Yes, I loved it"

"Good, now take the script and eat it, it's your last meal before we shoot."



For Christ's Sake, someone give me a roast beef sandwich.



Helen Hunt's accent has been addressed enough but just one more comment to Hollywood, (because I am so sure Hollywood is reading this) if you can't do the accent then don't. It's not necessary. This country is homogenized enough to get away with accent free work. If you can manage only one word "Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhk",  just stop it.

Why ultimately I didn't like this movie. It felt contrived. There was no subtlety. This movie was manipulating you in all the right places and it felt that way. I understand it's a true story but it didn't feel real to me. No one loves William H. Macy more than I do but even his role felt like a pale imitation of what should have been a complex and interesting relationship.

I honestly feel the only reason she got an Oscar nod was because she went all Full Monty and for some reason we're supposed to believe that it's brave of her as an 'actress'.

I liked all of his assistants, I felt they were the most grounded and believable bunch and I for some reason loved Hotel Clerk guy.

Dear Mr. Macfarlane,

I am honestly, genuinely rooting for you. DON'T SCREW UP.

 

The Sessions, the sessions, the sessions...

I agree with the review posted by fellow Oscar-ite and I enjoyed this movie more than I thought I would so let me add a few points that came to mind during the movie:

• For  all that is holy, why did she get the nomination?  I would have done the following in this order:
1. John Hawkes
2. William H Macy's HAIR.    
3. The sassy but sweet helper Vera.

• I do not hate thee per se, Helen Hunt- but your "Salem" accent was intermittent and terrible.  Just terrible.  Other than that, you were ok.

Other than that- it's a touching - yet funny story about real life stuff that most of us do not have to think about.  I liked it but do not see it winning a gold statue.

Why Academy? WHY?

Hello All, I am back in the Blogosphere. Stupid work really kicked my ass last week and I had to take it in order to be blessedly free this week for the important stuff.

One of the "important" things I researched this week was why on earth there are now so many Best Picture nominees.  I was recalling the halcyon days of only having to see 5 movies in this category and not 9 or 10.  I discovered in my research that we have "The Dark Knight" and "Wall-E" to thank for this new world order.  Those movies came out in 2008 and some in the Academy thought they should be nominated, but felt the constraints of only being able to nominate 5.  Can I take this moment to say.... REALLY???  Is the Academy’s bar getting so low that they are now acting like the parents of children in sports and have adopted a "everyone gets a trophy" mentality?  While I liked the "Dark Knight" and awful lot, I don't think it deserved a nod for best picture.  I have never seen "Wall-E" but I am guessing that it isn't the best fucking movie ever made. The Academy Awards ceremony has suffered from falling ratings the past several years. Perhaps they think that by including more films in the Best Picture category, the Academy can include more popular films, and that might encourage more people to tune in. I SHUN that notion...why do we always have to dumb stuff down for the idiot masses?

Some might say "what is the big deal? you love the Oscars why not more instead of less?" And I would say that this is now diluting the effect of being a best picture nominee. And that it is diluting the voting that the Academy does.   Instead of Academy members simply voting for their favorite, they have been instructed to rank all ten in their order of worthiness. This could possibly have the effect of diluting the vote. For example, if the Academy members are divided between the first and second most-worthy film, but they all agree on which is the third most-worthy film, then the third-most worthy film will win the award. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

And lastly, why on earth are there films nominated for best picture that has no acting awards??? Why is "Life of Pi" considered a best picture nominee?  I haven’t seen it yet, but will before the Oscars...I know that there are other aspects that people consider worthy... Cinematography, special effects, sounds mixing and what not... but for me personally what makes movies wonderful is the connection you make to characters, how you relate to them and how actors can give you a vivid picture into other hearts and minds.  Example, everyone hated "Tree of Life". I loved it. After analyzing why I liked it so much, i realized it was because I really identified with the older son in that movie... for whatever reason it spoke to me.  I can't feel that connected to special effects or Ang Lee's mad directing skillz.

That is my two cents... Of, course having said all that... I will be kissing the Academy's ass come Sunday at 6:00 PM!

My brief romance with a 2013 Oscar nominee....

It was July 20th, 2007 when our romance first took "flight".... he was in town filming "The Great Debaters". I was working on the Governor's film tax credit - a project that would quickly become yet another casualty of the rapidly approaching economic meltdown. Luckily, we were all still living in  pre-crisis ignorance, and industry hand outs remained unquestioned on this fateful night.

Our mutual interests brought us both to the Citi Arts Performing Center. Our eyes locked (clearly), and we engaged in a lengthy (10 minute) discussion about the authenticity of the Commonwealth as a cinematic backdrop... the importance of investing in the film industry... and, would I be around to visit the set tomorrow? (no lie here). "Of course... I'd be delighted."

I would be utterly thrilled to tell you said visit occurred... that we made out in his trailer, that he learned the inversion skills by practicing on me,  or that Trinity's real father is an Oscar nominee (timing impossible). But, alas, the above is the extent of my brief romance with Mr. Washington.

I guess, in the spirit of the Academy... it was nice to be nominated.

THIS JUST IN.... THIS JUST IN!!!

Ladies - this just in courtesy of our eyes on the ground...
Our good friend Ally Costa sent in this shot live from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.
It's happening... oh yeah, it's happening!
Don't worry, I've asked her to break in and grab something to bring home... forget the fact that she's there for something completely unrelated - it's its not Oscar related, why else would you be getting up this week, nevermind be in LA?

Wait a minute SHE got the Oscar nod?

That look upon John Hawkes' face - bulging eyes, protruding veins, flaring nostrils - even a severe polio victim can portray the shock and dismay commensurate to the situation at hand. 

Yes, it's true; I watched "The Sessions" last night. After all, it's Oscar week and even Argo will be available on demand starting tomorrow.

BAD: I can not believe Helen Hunt is the one who walked out of this movie with an Oscar nod. What, because she did full nudity and had fake sex with a poet polio victim? Listen, in real life, I'm sure that this Cheryl Green was, in fact, a compelling character. Spending your days as a sex surrogate, and then coming home to a husband and child is a dynamic which fascinates me. But I was so ridiculously thrown off by Hunt's inconsistent "Salem accent", overly simplified compassion,  and circa 2010 Victoria's Secret bras in a 1988-based story that I didn't buy it. "Maaaahk... is it yoo-wah faw-wult  you gawt polio?" Bottom line - she read the script and said "I'm channeling my inner therapist - but naked."

BETTER: On the positive side, because I did NOT actually hate the movie, Sessions often explored the intersection between sex and religion. This inherently equals comedy. And, often times this exploration was guided by William H. Macy's character - Father Brendan. No spoiler here, but I like a priest who believes in a God who wants a polio victim to get laid. Amen.

BEST:  There are many reasons why Hohn Hawkes was chosen for this role, and I'm sure you are all aware of them. The guy can act, and if there were to be a nomination for this film - it should have been his. He looks like he went on the Christian Bale "Machinist" diet, first of all; he had to have some kind of uncomfortable pillow jammed under one side of him the whole time to make him read all "twister", and I believe it was HIS acting that made the intimate scenes in the movie so powerful - awkward, scary, sweet, etc. Frankly, I think his performance rivals some of the nominees we have to choose from this year, as does the dad from Southern Wild. Was Bradley Cooper really that good? Are we really in love with Hugh Jackman?

Although I realize that the name of the film was "The Sessions", based on O'Brien's essay, which I have not read - I found myself more interested in the other relationships he formed, the "other 2" women in his life, etc... again, no spoilers on the off chance anyone else is going to go here.

I don't know - I guess I just wasn't sold on it. The film and its relationships were not developed enough for me, which puts it in the "OK, I only spent $5.99 and 95 minutes invested in over-Oscar-preparedness" category.

Argo from the comfort of my bed tomorrow. Better than an iron-lung.

Oscar Moments

Babs excepts her 1969 Oscar for "Funny Girl"...wearing a transparent bell-bottom jumpsuit.

That's right, say it again, transparent, bell-bottom jumpsuit and she kind of pulls it off.

Who you should LOVE to HATE this week...

So sorry to have been away, ladies... but it's been a hectic couple of weeks.
Now, I know I don't need to tell anyone to set your DVRs, or just plain old stay up to watch Saturday Night Live this week for Christoph Waltz hosting!!!

 But what you don't know know is there will be someone else there at SNL this week, and we officially HATE her....

 That's right, my cousin Meg Murphy has tickets... she will be in the audience, and I couldn't get her dad, my uncle to let me play chaperone to Meg and her bestie. What the heck kind of family shit is this???!!!!!!

Ladies.... it's a cruel world. But none the less, let's look out for Meglet.  

The Count Down Has Officially Entered Single Digits

Argo Takes BAFTA's Big Prize

I don't know what instructions actors are given when it comes to giving their thank you speeches but I wish they'd hire the same person for the Oscars. Speeches were wonderfully brief and it's as though no one DARED to go over their allotted time. I am imagining an elderly British schoolmarm standing stage left with a wooden yardstick, a large one, that is electrified. The awards were fun and it was nice to see people who in America walk around with a stick up their arse being irreverent and blessedly brief.

 

Zero Dark Thirty was completely shut out and except for the BAFTA that went to Daniel Day Lewis, Lincoln almost was, in spite of its umpteen nominations.

 



Yeah, that's right. Suck it everybody else who is not me.



 

Best Actress went to that old broad from Amour which is making me nervous about the Oscars. Jessica Chastain deserves this Oscar and if some old French bag takes it from her I'll never eat brie again. That's a lie, I will likely be eating brie WHILE that old French bag wins.







You hate me, you really hate me.

Anne Hathaway, of course, won a BAFTA for her role as Fantine in Les Miserables and that's exactly what we all were listening to yet another breathy, winded, fake impromptu speech. There was one cute nanosecond with Clooney but then she launched into her usual gushing stupidity. Gird your loins ladies, we'll no doubt have to hear her one more time.

 



 

 

 

 

Affleck picked up a BAFTA for Best Film and Best Director. It was nice to see his genuinely humble acceptance of his awards and he even gave a small nod to being lucky enough to get a 'second chance' in Hollywood. I think he and George Clooney are now engaged.

You just know he's wearing a T-shirt that says Team Matt.

 

Representing Django Unchained, Quentin picked up Original Screenplay and Christoph Waltz went home with Supporting Actor (I should damn well hope so). Quentin and Christoph are also now going steady. I think they got pinned at the after party.

Said, Waltz, "Quentin's lips are soft, like a girl's."



 

Gratuitous picture of Daniel Craig

"Blue Steel this, Clooney"

Flight (Now on On-Demand)

Denzel Washington is one of those actors I think I can't stand but then every movie I see him in I think, 'Damn, can he act!"

I liked this movie quite a bit. There are no spoilers here that you won't get from watching a two minute trailer. Denzel's character, Captain Whitaker, controls a crashing plane enough to avert utter destruction and save the lives of almost every person on board.

The aftermath is the real crash.

I don't want to write a lengthy review because it would be impossible not to spoil this movie and it's worth watching. So without telling you too much, I will say that any movie that can create more tension and suspense AFTER a harrowing plane crash scene is ok in my book.

My seat back tray IS upright. It is also covered in vomit.

 

Flight is about personal demons...and karma.

Given that you can view it from the comfort of your living room, I highly recommend it. John Goodman shows up but don't be scared, he disappears quickly and doesn't return until the end for one of the best scenes in the movie.

She Should Have Won an Oscar For This Speech Alone

This... stuff? Oh... ok. I see, you think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select out, oh I don't know, that lumpy blue sweater, for instance, because you're trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don't know is that that sweater is not just blue, it's not turquoise, it's not lapis, it's actually cerulean. You're also blindly unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves St. Laurent, wasn't it, who showed cerulean military jackets? And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. Then it filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and so it's sort of comical how you think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you're wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room. From a pile of stuff.

"The only honest way to find the best actor would be to let everybody play Hamlet and let the best man win" - Humphrey Bogart

Now to Les Miserables...  Ok-- I have never seen it live and the movie version I love the best is the over-acted- black & white - non musical version from 1952 ( I do know all the songs and yes, I was alone in the theater I did sing along or mouth the words right with them...) so here is my take on this movie:

1.   Loved it.  Now, I thought the fact it was 810 3 hr movie in the middle of a back episode after a shatty day at work -- might make me hate it.  No-- BUT it did drag in 3 small spots. 

2.  As much as I LOVE a good musical, the integrity of this would have remained intact had Russell C spoke 72% of the his parts.  His solo  perched above Notre Dame towards the beginning was better than expected and he is still my first pick for the role--  visually fits him to a T.  Maybe I am going easy on his singing b/c I could not carry a tune if it was strapped to my back, for it was not terrible but you could tell he was struggling. 

3.  Amanda.  She was not terrible either-- ( But the young girl who played her as a child was SO MUCH BETTER) a few squeeks and squalbbles, but not terrible.  There were moments I thought she was a good cast and others where that face of hers really irked me.  On the fence about Amanda.  But I loved me some Redmayne!!!

4.  I got teary eyed two places in this film---- and gasped and actually put my hand to mouth.  Anne's I Dream a Dream was just sublime.  Hugh's final farewell about did me in--- these two were just fantastic.  The gasp scene was Russell's final moments and the sound effect used.  Oy.

5.  Hellena-BC and Sasha BC (HA-- same last initials)- for me were a match made in heaven. 

After seeing it- all reviews rather make sense.  I found a good deal of the camera work to be giggle-y--and I despise that but other scenes were just so beautifully done-- these actors were true early 1800's France DIRTY and so colorful all at the same time-- I LOVED that attention to detail!  I get why some do not like it- with the close ups while singing but I happen to LOVE how it was shot.  So there.

I've Never Done the BAFTAs Before

2013 BAFTA FILM AWARDS

Sunday, February 10 at 8/7 c

BBC AMERICA

 

Just Because I Am Not Nominated...

...does NOT mean I don't deserve an Oscar every year.

 

 

Because I do, you know.

Les Miserables

 

 

I think people's reviews of this are going to be all over the map, my own opinions certainly are. It's been weeks since we've seen this and at home we're still talking about it, debating about its overall success. It is almost impossible not to look at this iteration of Victor Hugo's novel as a spoke in the Les Mis wheel and I generally feel bad if this is someone's first introduction to this music.

There, I said it.

Les Mis is half of a really good movie and without certain cast members who shall be denounced later it could have been great.

The Bad:

Oh Russell. Why were you even in the running? I'm going to make some comparisons here to the stage productions, not to point out personal flaws on Mr. Crowe's part but only to say that his role is pivotal to this story and to cast someone without the singing chops to do it justice you essentially pull the rug out from under the power of the Javert/Valjean struggle. Because Crowe cannot sing up to par, his Javert feels flat and emotionless. You feel virtually nothing. Well, you do feel that you'd like him to stop singing, you feel that desperately, so I guess that's something. The success of this movie hinged on how well the story of Javert and Valjean could be translated to the big screen. Hugh Jackman's efforts were herculean but it wasn't enough. Just for the record, I am not a Russell hater in general, obviously he's a putz in real life but he's done some very good movies. (No, NOT A Beautiful Mind)

Amanda Seyfried's, Cosette...I'm lookin' at you Amanda. AWFUL. There is no doubt Ms. Seyfried can hit a high C but the quavering and warbling that happens along the way is distracting. She could not hold one sustained note, not even once, without an annoying trilling in her voice. Just terrible. Wretched.

 

The Good

Hugh Jackman. His first big number was a marvel and he continued to deliver flawlessly throughout. I've always loved Hugh Jackman and this makes me wish more than ever that he would just call me already.

Anne Hathaway, hmmmmm... in spite of how irritated I am with her this awards season you cannot take away the fact that she nailed this. And I don't mean she nailed it for some Hollywood type, she nailed it period. I personally don't think you should get an Oscar for one song but as the doomed Fantine her talent could not be denied and let's face it; if Marisa Tomei gets a gold statue for My Cousin Vinny then an argument can be made for Anne Hathaway.

Eddie Redmayne. Hello there sweetheart, where did YOU come from. Of all the weenie roles in the history of theater, Marius is just about the weeniest there is. How pleasantly surprising Mr. Redmayne was in this role. As a young man coming of age in desperate times, he imbues the character with hope and the somewhat childish ideals of a better world but doesn't make you feel like he's prancing about using moral outrage like it's an accessory. You feel his youthful ideals shatter and instead of whimpering, Redmayne roars (as much as you can while singing anyway). It does not hurt that he sings the shit out of his numbers. Too bad the love scenes with Seyfried felt as colorless and barren as the encounters between Javert and Valjean.

 

 

 

This movie should earn high marks for production value and Tom Hooper's direction was astounding. I wondered how he'd translate this and I was impressed with his vision. If only we could turn back time and recast this.

 

One final bone to pick with Mr. Hooper...'eff you for adding a new song that didn't at all fit in with the rest of the music.

The bling, the bling.  Let us not forget the Bling.

 

"I am shocked, shocked to find gambling going on at this establishment!"

 

Don't forget...
Saturday, February 2nd

3:15 PM - Key Largo ('48) Noteworthy if for no other reason than to see how damn skinny Bacall is.
8:00 PM - Casablanca ('42) Noteworthy for only like a million reasons.
12:00 AM - Mildred Pierce ('45) Oh my God how I love this movie.