Quote of the Day

I like crazy people.
-Rob Pattinson, to Vanity Fair

Oscar Hangover: Best Dressed

Plain and simple, no explanations, just the countdown - each name on the list is a link to an image (if you need a reminder or further dress scrutinizing)... If you don't agree, feel free to yell at me. Or something. I thought these ten women were the most beautiful of the evening, dressing it up like A-list stars should on Hollywood's biggest night.

10. Gwyneth Paltrow (in Calvin Klein)
9. Halle Berry (in Marchesa)
8. Mila Kunis (in Elie Saab)
7. Reese Witherspoon (in Armani Prive) 
6. Hailee Steinfeld (in Marchesa)
5. Natalie Portman (in Rodarte)
4. Michelle Williams (in Chanel)
3. Jennifer Lawrence (in Calvin Klein) 
2. Anne Hathaway (in Valentino) 
1. Cate Blanchett (in Givenchy) 

Aaand Worst Dressed? It's a tie - Nicole Kidman and Melissa Leo!

Oscar Hangover: Telecast Notes

The 83rd Academy Awards have come and gone, and now I have to wait another 364 days until my favorite night of the year. Sigh. As excited as I was for all the glitz and glamour, the telecast itself was a little underwhelming. I'm going to place that blame on the hosts, as well as the fact that the acting awards seemed like foregone conclusions at this point. While Anne Hathaway and James Franco had moments (their opening video was downright hilarious), the rest of the evening fell a little flat. Some jokes hit, but most got lost in the tension between Anne's goofy enthusiasm and James' possibly drug-induced aloofness. Anne gets points for sheer energy (but detracted by the fact that almost all of her jokes felt awkward and forced), while James gets them for his wonderful facial expressions; still, the young Hollywood beauties didn't inject the show with the lighthearted banter producers seemed to be banking on. The telecast either needs better comedic writers, or a comedian host. Simple as that. Also, this year's telecast did not click with young viewers, as numbers were down from last year (the Avatar effect?)...

The night had it's share of highlights - Kirk Douglas's amazing introduction of the Supporting Actress nominees (possibly my favorite moment); Melissa Leo dropping the big f-bomb during her acceptance speech; classy and elegant (if lacking a bit in gushing emotion or inspiration) speeches from Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, and Colin Firth; winning remarks from writers Aaron Sorkin and David Seilder; (most of) Anne Hathaway's dresses; Cate Blanchett saying "That's gross" about the Best Makeup clip for The Wolfman; THAT BEAUTIFUL STAGE; the Oscars history lesson (that first Gone With the Wind segment almost had me sobbing); Inception nearly sweeping the technical awards; an incredible clip of auto-tuned numbers from films throughout the year; Robert Downey, Jr, showing (once again) why he should host at least the Golden Globes; Tom Hooper's lovely anecdote about his mother finding the inspiration for The King's Speech...

Speaking of The King's Speech, bravo to the Brits! Following this victory, I'm seriously peeved over news that the Weinstein Company is planning on releasing an PG-13 version of the film, editing out a vital part of the film involving a lengthy string of expletives from (Oscar winner) Colin Firth. And while I would have liked to seen the more daring and timely The Social Network win (though Black Swan will always have my heart from 2010), the Academy loves an impeccably fashioned film like The King's Speech; I just wish the voting would have learned towards something a little different than the Academy's regular taste. However, it is egregious that Tom Hooper won Best Director over David Fincher! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? Dave, your Oscar will come soon enough! Don't cry! Plus, the proper demeanor of the producers accepting the Best Picture trophies left me cold; I wanted Helena Bonham Carter to scream something crazy and drown out the boring British blabber. Your marvelous film just won! Give me some flavor.

There seems to be a lot of moaning and gnashing of teeth over how boring the show was, but I learned a valuable lesson - it's all about the company you keep on Oscar Sunday. While my Oscar "shindig" only consisted of three people (including myself), I had an absolutely wonderful time, and it ended up being my favorite Oscar watching experience in years. Just because the telecast isn't living up to your wildest dreams doesn't mean it needs to be a dull night. Big ol' DUH. Finally, as Steven Spielberg demonstrated before announcing Best Picture, sometimes the film that lives on in history is not that big winner on Oscar night. It stood as a brief reminder how incredible 2010 was for film, from inspired performances to brilliant directors and truly remarkable works of art. Hollywood put out this year; hopefully 2011 follows up with some equally awe-inspiring material.

All of the Oscars winners are listened on the show's official site, here - http://oscar.go.com/nominations

Pre-Oscar Roundup: Quick Take Reviews

After a long break from this blog, for numerous stupid reasons, I am officially back! And since nothing is more glorious than Oscar Holy Week, the timing is no coincidence; hopefully I hurl out as many posts as possible before Sunday night arrives. As I've neglected to write reviews for the last four Oscar nominated films I've seen (one being the Big Kahuna), here are "short" (for me?) blurbs to slap down my thoughts.

Tom Hooper's royal British biopic The King's Speech, about King George VI's infamous stutter and the looming threat of WWII, is a meticulously constructed film - it's both emotional crowd-pleaser and highbrow piece of history. Nothing more needs to be said about Firth's perfect performance at this point, which will surely win him his first Oscar some February 27th; Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter are also both stupendous, poised and passionate (some critics think they have a chance of winning if love for King's Speech is strong enough for a clean sweep)... However, I'm not as enchanted as most are. Every element of the film seems to be pushing for awards season victory, and some of that effort is too apparent on screen. And if we're talking big British biopics, I'm not sure I liked The King's Speech more than The Queen from 2006 . Mainly, I think Hooper's film is too safe to win the Picture, especially in a year when filmmakers are creating work as brave and bold as Black Swan and The Social Network. I was possibly colored by the film's insane buzz coming off of the festival circuit, but I was expecting a film with more punch. It's a strong and inspiring cinematic story... but still safe. B+

True Grit, which goes back to the original Charles Portis' 1968 more than the 1969 film adaptation, is the Coen Brothers shooting straight; in comparison to their last "Western" No Country for Old Men and last year's passion project A Serious Man, True Grit follows more old school Americana conventions. Young "supporting" actress (she's on screen for 99 of the film's 101 minutes) Hailee Steinfeld plays a girl seeking revenge on the man that murdered her father, employing U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn to help in the hunt. The fact that Steinfeld is nominated for an Oscar, let alone in the wrong category, is an absolute travesty. Steinfeld is taking a slot that belongs to another woman, and I can at least name two - The Kids Are All Right's Julianne Moore (why can't she be "supporting"?) and Another Year's Lesley Manville (see below). In comparison to the young lady, Jeff Bridges' winning performance (almost a companion to his turn in Crazy Heart last year) deserves all applause he's received by making the role that won John Wayne an Oscar his own, and doing so in hilarious fashion. While True Grit is a fun ride, one of the most entertaining experience in the theater this Oscar season with some stunning cinematography, I'm getting tired of the Coen Brothers shtick. They might be the Academy's Golden Boys, but I want to see something new. B

Nicole Kidman garnered most of the buzz out of Rabbit Hole, with is based on David Lindsay-Abaire's Pulitzer Prize-winning play (he also wrote the screenplay here). While Kidman certainly isn't at her former glory of Moulin Rouge! or The Hours, it is wonderful to see a glimmer of her acting power return; her face is emoting once again (finally!), but Academy was more interested in seeing the return of an A-list player than honoring this performance with a Best Actress nomination. However, Aaron Eckhart was the actor that gave me more as the grieving father figure; I didn't expect such a powerful and understated performance from him... Unfortunately, Lindsay-Abaire's attempts to expand and update the play fall flat (one of the film's heaviest scenes jarringly uses an iPhone as a central prop), which ultimately detracts from what the play accomplished. In the tried genre of films dealing with the loss of a child, Rabbit Hole has some remarkably moving segments at its core; paired with unobtrusive direction by John Cameron Mitchell, it's impossible not to be moved, especially once Jason (Miles Teller) enters. Nicole Kidman has one scene in a grocery store that bottles how the entire film should feel, and having a little taste of what the film could have fully tapped into amplifies the disappointment. There's too much distracting elements on the periphery. C


I love a director who can make a quiet gem of a film that still packs a punch (also see this year's Winter's Bone), and Mike Leigh achieves that brilliantly with Another Year. Leigh, known for little British films like Vera Drake and Happy-Go-Lucky, is nominated for Best Original Screenplay this year, and Another Year serves as a wonderful example of how to balance moods and characters. The film's structure, separated into four chapters (one for each season), is slightly cliched, but Leigh makes the frame work with attention to subtle shifts in tone over gratuitous weather shots. The narrative also sags a little in the middle, mainly because Lesley Manville's Mary is absent; while the ensemble is full of gifted British thesps, Manville explodes, giving one of my favorite performances the year (it's a huge shame that she isn't even nominated for Supporting Actress). Another Year shows the everyday activities and relationships of a middle-class "family," anchored by the happily married Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen), but illuminated by Mary's manic insecurities. It's depressingly beautiful, and Leigh slowly builds emotional tension, waiting until the final chapter to truly unleash a difficult tone between dark humor and true tragedy; the film's last shot rivals Black Swan as the most breathtaking finale of the year. A

Grammys Aftermath: The Four Must-Have Artists

Somehow, the Grammys weren't absolute shit this year! Yes, this post may be a week (or two) late, but the biggest night for the music industry was actually something to remember for once - surprising underdog wins, electric performances, Gaga in an egg, Cee-Lo and Gwyneth Paltrow proving (again) to be an unstoppably giddy duo, Ricky Martin wearing scary silver pants, Christinia Aguilera falling down, etc. With lots of post-telecast Arcade Fire buzz (including the creation of this hilarious blog), I decided it was time to scream and shout about my favorite band, as well as others that hit the mark.

For starters, Arcade Fire probably had the worst performance of the night... unless you're a big fan of having a seizure while riding a bicycle. With a camera on your head. I mean, really, Arcade Fire? You might be Canadian, but that shit doesn't fly on American television. I was disappointed with this madcap performance - turn down those damn strobe lights and rock out. "Month of May" is also the most superficial track on The Suburbs ("We Used to Wait" would have been a better choice), but at least the band got to put out a confident "Ready to Start" as the credits rolled.

If you don't own The Suburbs, go buy it. Right now. While Funeral is still my favorite album from the band, they're an incredibly smart group of incredibly talented musicians that still remember the art of putting together a fully realized album; all of their stuff presents a theme, and works through its nuanced layers. I couldn't have been happier with their big win, and hope the new exposure works wonders.

Three other performers proved why you should be downloading - Florence + the Machine, Mumford & Sons, and the Avett Brothers. While Esperanza Spalding won Best New Artist (and was the most searched name on Google the next day, as no one had a fucking clue what was going on), Flo and Mumford & Sons should have been vying for the award; I've gushed about Lungs on the blog before, while Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More is one of my most played albums. The Avett Brothers have been around for a long time (their first full album was released in 2000), but paired with Mumford & Sons and Bob Dylan (who has definitely sold his soul to the Devil), they showed why they're still worth the buzz they've slowly built up through the years. Meanwhile, Flo's part in the opening Aretha Franklin tribute proved to everyone that this fire-haired Brit can sing the roof off (did I make up that expression...?). All three of these bands present different facets of what's truly hitting the mark in the more folky scene right now.

Next year, get ready for some heavy competition from the likes of Kanye West and Adele; My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is hands down the best "hip-hop" album in years, and proves the genius behind Kanye's outrageous public antics... while Adele's 21 (which is posied to debut at #1 on Billboard this week) is one of the most beautifully emotive albums ever put together, let alone by a 21-year-old woman.

Quote of the Day

Old snow is for losers.
-Little blonde girl, screaming on 113th Street

Quote of the Day

I feel like I'm in The Day After Tomorrow, rushing to get inside before the freezing air kills me instantly.
-Abaigeal Reilly

2010 Oscar Nominations - First Impressions

AND IT BEGINS! After my first frantic sprint through the nominee list, I'm happy with the results, especially given my frustration in recent years. There are certainly things I'm furious about (No Nolan for Directing?!!?! Ruffalo over Garfield for Supporting Actor? WHERE'S RYAN GOSLING?) and ecstatic over (Winter's Bone! Michelle Williams!), along with a few tradition curveballs (Javier Bardem, Jacki Weaver); given the momentum certain films have had throughout the awards circuit, I can't complain or nitpick too much (ex. the lack of love for my darling Blue Valentine).

The race for Best Picture undoubtedly comes down to The Social Network vs. The King's Speech. I'm giving the edge to The Social Network (right now), as it has won almost every possible critical award so far... However, The King's Speech leads the Oscar pack with 12 nominations. Whew.

The nominee in bold is what I believe will win (at this point in the race, as some categories are still up in the air), and the italicized nominee is my person favorite. Sometimes, these choices line up, hence the double duty. I'm only tackling the big(ger) categories, so head over to http://oscar.go.com/ for the full lineup; I certainly have options about all of the technical business, and am more than willing to have that conversation.

Best Picture
'Black Swan'
'The Fighter'
'Inception'
'The Kids Are All Right'
'The King's Speech'
'127 Hours'
'The Social Network'
'Toy Story 3'
'True Grit'
'Winter's Bone'

Best Actor
Javier Barden, 'Biutiful'
Jeff Bridges, 'True Grit'
Jesse Eisenberg, 'The Social Network'
Colin Firth, 'The King's Speech'
James Franco, '127 Hours'

Best Support Actor

Christian Bale, 'The Fighter'

John Hawkes, 'Winter's Bone'

Jeremy Renner, 'The Town'

Mark Ruffalo, 'The Kids Are All Right'

Geoffrey Rush, 'The King's Speech'

Best Actress
Annette Bening, 'The Kids Are All Right'
Nicole Kidman, 'Rabbit Hole'
Jennifer Lawrence, 'Winter's Bone'
Natalie Portman, 'Black Swan'
Michelle Williams, 'Blue Valentine'

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, 'The Fighter'
Helena Bonham Carter, 'The King's Speech'
Melissa Leo, 'The Fighter'
Hailee Steinfeld, 'True Grit'
Jacki Weaver, 'Animal Kingdom'

Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, 'Black Swan'
David O. Russell, 'The Fighter'
Tom Hooper, 'The King's Speech'
David Fincher, 'The Social Network'
Joel & Ethan Coen, 'True Grit'

Adapted Screenplay
Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy, '127 Hours'
Aaron Sorkin, 'The Social Network'
Michael Arndt, 'Toy Story 3'
Joel & Ethan Coen, 'True Grit
Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini, 'Winter's Bone'

Original Screenplay
Mike Leigh, 'Another Year'
Scott Silver & Paul Tamasy, 'The Fighter'
Christopher Nolan, 'Inception'
Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg, 'The Kids Are All Right'
David Seidler, 'The King's Speech'

Quote of the Day

Listen honey, I don't care if you smell like straight manure, just please don't step on these heels. They're brand new.

-Rando woman on the 1 train, to a homeless man

Quote of the Day

So... is it Alejandro? Or Roberto?

-Jim Bolster, making some sort of joke about Lady Gaga

Ten Favorite Films of 2010

With Oscar talk finally reaching scorching levels, and the nominees to be announced January 25th, I figured it was high time to finally put together my favorite films of the year... These are my favorite films, not what I technically consider the "best"; these are the films that hit me the hardest, had me leaving the theater on the high , brain churning and heart thumping.

Critical darlings like True Grit, The Town, and The Fighter (Christian Bale is a lock for Best Supporting Actor, and I'll be rooting for Amy Adams to win Best Support Actress) just missed my top ten, and I excluded documentaries from this list (Exit Through the Gift Shop would definitely be nestled in the middle of the pack). There are a few films I wish I had seen, and hope to check out before February 27th - Another Year, Animal Kingdom, Biutiful, Somewhere, and I Am Love... If I've written a full review for the film, its title below links you over to that post.

10. 127 Hours - I'm not crazy about Danny Boyle's style, but he shows true flair and artistic inhibition with this unorthodox biopic about human triumph; anchored by James Franco's strong performance, the final 20 minutes of this film are transcendent.

9. The King's Speech - While I found the British historical drama a little safe for all of the crazed Best Picture buzz, Colin Firth's performance is nothing but perfection; Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter are inspiring choices, and the film's uplifting story is inspired.

8. Never Let Me Go - After mixed reviews from critics, and a lukewarm box office reception, this quiet and achingly gorgeous romance-drama with a tinge of sci-fi on the edges never found the audience it deserved. The tone isn't for everyone, but it follows the book's haunting mood and message.

7. Winter's Bone - Jennifer Lawrence is a big new talent in Hollywood, and I hope to see more from this young woman; there's a silent scream towards the end of the film that will rock your entire soul. One of the grittiest films of the year, this was potentially a made-for-television concept that is instead executed with class and restraint.

6. The Kids Are All Right- Too bad Julianne Moore isn't receiving more recognition next to (the brilliant) Annette Bening; both actresses are incredible strong as lesbian moms struggling to keep their family together. It's the smartest "comedy" of the year, centered by a flawless ensemble cast, a film truly about the strength of relationships.

5. Toy Story 3 - Pixar can do no wrong. It's as simple as that. This is the sort of film that can enthrall children while touching upon the deepest pangs of nostalgia in adults, and still entertains on every level.

4. Inception - Christopher Nolan once again proves he can do more than just steer the Batman franchise in the right direction; everything about this film is big, bold, and ambitious. It's not always perfect, but every second of this movie is pushing the summer blockbuster in a new direction.

3. The Social Network - David Fincher took the ludicrous idea of "the Facebook movie," and turned a quasi-biopic from 2004 into something brilliant and thought-provoking. The film shoots sparks with every intelligent frame, and Sorkin's script is truly jaw-dropping.

2. Blue Valentine - Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling create one of the most realistic relationships every captured on screen. It's a heartbreakingly beautiful film, raw and depressing while still illuminating and hopeful. My heart was in my throat for the entire film.

1. Black Swan - Natalie Portman's descent into artistic obsession as a prima ballerina is my personal cinematic obsession of the year. Darren Aronofsky's film might be wild and polarizing, but he's crafted one of the most visceral and overwhelming experience I've ever seen on the big screen. Aronofsky deftly plays with themes he's been exploring his entire career, and Black Swan is finally his masterpiece, gorgeous and breathtaking.

Quote of the Day

Catwoman? Yes, please... I can't stop thinking about Keira in sexy skintight black patent leather.

-Ross Ramone, on news that Keira Knightley is in the running for a female role in Christopher Nolan's third Batman film

Quote of the Day

I have decorum... I'm wearing a collared shirt!

-Ethan Smith

Film Review: 127 Hours

In 2003, Aron Ralston amputated his lower right arm after spending 127 hours trapped under a boulder, stranded while mountain climbing in Utah. Danny Boyle, the wily British director who recently took America, and the Oscars, by storm with the crowd-pleaser Slumdog Millionare, has developed Ralston's incredible true story as the source for his unconventional biopic, constructing as a nearly one-man show for actor James Franco, in his first truly star-making turn.

The story of 127 Hours is known by the audience going into the theater (Ralston's incredible tale of survival made national headlines; I vividly remember watching a new story about the ordeal), and Boyle moves briskly to set up the main stage for his action, zipping through Ralston's preparation for the clim and helping two girls her runs into (Kate Mara and Amber Tamblyn) on their own hike. When Ralston finally begins the 127 hours of confinement and frustration, the film takes off; it's an interesting construct, given that the action doesn't physically leave the small fissure Ralston is trapped in. Boyle employs his distinct directorial style to the picture, weaving in hallucinations and visions, creating a play between Ralston's reality and fiction that slowly deteriorates.

Boyle uses every trick in his book - gorgeous widescreen landscape shots, fisheye cameras, shifting perspective, montage, split screen, amplified color, sound manipulation. 127 Hours is a virtuoso performance for the director, a chance to reall play with his aesthetic; after the incredible success of Slumdog Millionaire, Boyle is given free reign on this unique follow-up. I personally don't care for some of Boyle's choices, which was my most problematic experience while watching the film; I respect Boyle's skills, but I'm decidedly not one of his fans. I think he created some truly astounding visual moments, but I often found the directorial choices to be burdensome and overdetermined. The visual tricks took me out of the tale, and often made me focus on what was going on with the camera rather than the man trapped in the canyon; I wish Boyle could have streamlined his vision a little bit, and let some of the most absurd moments breathe.

Regardless of Boyle's trappings, the film is a stage for James Franco and his incredible talents; if it weren't for Colin Firth's dynamo performance in The King's Speech, I'd be calling Franco my favorite for the Oscar come February. Franco fully embodies Ralston in a draining performance that shows an actor pushed to his limits. The entire film rests on Franco's shoulders. It's interesting that Boyle originally wanted Cillian Murphy as his lead. After seeing Franco in the role, pushing Ralston through his hallucinations to arrive at the gruesome climax, it's impossible to envision another actor embodying the human spirit of Ralston on screen.

Any problems I have with Boyle's direction is undone in the final 20 minutes; the finale is near-perfect cinema, and one of the most rewarding end notes this year. Boyle and Franco do not make the infamous amputation easy - it's gory, disturbing, and unsettling; there have been reports of people vomiting and passing out while in the theater (a woman in the show before mine was taken out by ambulance). It's a brutal sequence, but ultimately a beautiful and empowering one, taking the aesthetics of torture porn to new heights in the overriding determination of the human will to live. 127 Hours works so well because it ends as a triumphant tale about the human spirit, and about taking time to appreciate everything in life. If your heart isn't pounding, and if tears aren't pouring down your face, by the time the credits roll (Boyle does some wonderful soundtrack work to help that pull at the soul), you might need to ask yourself if you're alive at all. A-