2.28.2011

A few thoughts on last night's ceremony.


1) James Franco's hosting job may have been bizarre, but it was entertaining. His facial expressions while Sandra paid tribute to his 127 Hours performance were priceless: a very funny mix of uncomfortable smiling, false arrogance, and plain-old embarrassment. His "congratulations....nerds" after the sci-tech awards was pretty awesome as well. In fact, my biggest laugh of the night was during the opening tribute to Back to the Future, when Franco implored Michael J. Fox to get out of the way of the incoming Delorean. It probably helped that it was a taped segment. PS: If Franco really doesn't smoke pot (as he claims) then he took waaaay too many xanex.

2) Melissa Leo probably didn't convert any snarky critics with her acceptance speech for The Fighter. I'm happy for her though; she seems like she really wanted it, and women of a certain age are routinely ignored.

3) Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' score for The Social Network may be my all-time favorite Oscar-winner in this category. I listened to it on the car ride home after the ceremony, and it's still almost impossible to believe that the Academy recognized such a bold, non-traditional choice.

4) Believe it or not, Alice in Wonderland is the first Tim Burton film to win for Best Costumes. It's also only the third fantasy or sci-fi film to ever win; the other two being the original Star Wars in 1977, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003.* I didn't much care for the ugly, over-worked production design of Alice, but the costumes were definitely memorable without giving me a migraine.

Nate

* You could perhaps count 1992's winner, Bram Stoker's Dracula, but I don't.

2.26.2011

Oscar Predictions...Again


Best Picture:
The King's Speech
(alt. The Social Network)

Best Director: Tom Hooper - The King's Speech
(alt. David Fincher - The Social Network)

Best Actress: Natalie Portman - Black Swan
(alt. Annette Benning - The Kids Are All Right)

Best Actor: Colin Firth - The King's Speech
(alt. Javier Bardem - Biutiful)

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale - The Fighter
(alt. Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech)

Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
(alt. Melissa Leo - The Fighter)

Best Original Screenplay: David Seidler - The King's Speech
(alt. Christopher Nolan - Inception)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin - The Social Network
(alt. Joel & Ethan Coen - True Grit)


Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
(alt. How to Train Your Dragon)

Best Foreign Language Film: In a Better World - Denmark
(alt. Biutiful - Mexico)

Best Documentary Feature: Exit Through the Gift Shop
(alt. Inside Job)

Best Cinematography: True Grit
(alt. Inception)

Best Art Direction: The King's Speech
(alt. Alice in Wonderland)

Best Costume Design: The King's Speech
(alt. Alice in Wonderland)

Best Film Editing: The Social Network
(alt. The King's Speech)

Best Original Score: The King's Speech
(alt. The Social Network)

Best Original Song: 127 Hours - "If I Rise"
(alt. Toy Story 3 - "We Belong Together")


Best Sound Mixing: Inception
(alt. True Grit)

Best Sound Editing: Inception
(alt. True Grit)

Best Visual Effects: Inception
(alt. Alice in Wonderland)

Best Make-Up: Barney's Version
(alt. The Wolfman)

Best Live-Action Short: Na Wewe
(alt. God of Love)

Best Documentary Short: Strangers No More
(alt. The Warriors of Qiugang)

Best Animated Short: Madagascar, a Journey Diary
(alt. Night & Day)

Nate

why yes


Well, it's been almost a year since my last post, but I'm still alive.

Expect posts! I swear I'm gonna get back into the groove...hopefully.

I know, I know...empty promises.

Nate