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.

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

First 3D Best Picture Ever?

Oscar Predictions!

Best Picture
Avatar

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker

Best Actor
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart

Best Actress
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds

Best Supporting Actress
Mo’Nique - Precious

Best Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker

Best Adapted Screenplay
Up in the Air

Best Foreign-Language Film
Un Prophete (France)

Best Animated Film
Up

Best Documentary
The Cove

Best Cinematography
Avatar

Best Editing
The Hurt Locker

Best Art Direction
Avatar

Best Costume Design
The Young Victoria

Best Score
Up

Best Original Song
"The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart

Best Sound Mixing
Avatar

Best Sound Editing
Avatar

Best Visual Effects
Avatar

Best Make-Up
The Young Victoria

Best Live-Action Short
The Door

Best Documentary Short Form
China's Unnatural Disaster: Sichuan Province

Best Animated Short
The Lady and the Reaper

Nate

I'm gonna need a dictionary to fully get this album, probably

I sometimes feel guilty about illegally downloading music by artists I really love. I know that I could be, and should be, a better fan. But goddamnit, I just had to hear Joanna Newsom's upcoming Have One On Me as soon as possible.

I've listened to the entire thing (3 discs, 2 hours) a couple times now, but I still need to absorb it a little more before I have any complete thoughts.

The stand-outs so far have been the title track, "No Provenance", and "Go Long". Fans of Ms. Newsom are gonna be happy, that's all I know.

Nate "Bolt like a horse" Tyson

PS: The above picture sparked a ridiculous thread about her butt. Don't read it unless you want to find out how weird her male fans can be.

Weirdest damn funeral I've ever been to

"The Substitute" delivered a healthy dose of mythology and great character moments. For instance, when Locke took a swan dive off his van onto his lawn. That was just perfect.

Nate

Yeah, thanks to the blizzard of aught ten, freakishly large icicles destroyed the gutter on the front of my house.

Screw you, el nino.

Nate

you were knocking me down with the palm of your eye

My friend Rivka got me a ticket for the upcoming Joanna Newsom show in DC.

Clearly, I am pumped.

Nate

Oh art museums.

Nate