The Oscars, And the winner is... Options

[Archemini]

Who do you think are definite winners for this year's Oscars. Everyone says that "Ray" will sweep most categories with the other major movies taking a few here and there.

I think Jamie Foxx is a lock for Best Actor, but after that it gets cloudy. Do you guys think that "Million Dollar Baby" or "Hotel Rwanda" (I believe that's what it's called) will take a few Oscar's or will "Ray" rule the night?

[circle6]

I'll have you all know that I'm VERY upset that Tom Cruise was not nominated in ANY category!!!

This is WRONG!!!

I'm writing a LETTER to the person in charge of these festivities and GIVE them a PIECE of my MIND!!!

[PalePhoenix]

That animaGIF is going to give people seizures. I'm glad no one noticed him. I guess his Scientology OT VII powers aren't working as well in manipulating people's minds as he'd hoped. And actors are so easy. Perhaps he should stick to plants.

[Archemini]

What would he have deserved an Oscar for...War of the Worlds?

Of anyone in the flick I would honor little Dakota Fanning in a heartbeat...she singlehandedly carried that flick. His name got moviegoers to go see it...she did all the acting.

[circle6]

What would he have deserved an Oscar for...War of the Worlds?

Of anyone in the flick I would honor little Dakota Fanning in a heartbeat...she singlehandedly carried that flick. His name got moviegoers to go see it...she did all the acting.

Sorry 'bout goin' off like that last night, guys.

I took some vitamins and exercised a little today. I feel much better now.

Poor Tom.

Maybe the Academy could find it in their hearts to bestow him with some kind of award for his inexplicable global appeal. You know, like the way Michael Jackson still has legions of fans in under-developed former Soviet-bloc countries.

Or maybe they could offer him an award for achieving the SECOND known immaculate conception in the history of mankind.

Oh, wait. Isn't that more of a "science" award?

Maybe I'll call the pope and see what He thinks.

[PalePhoenix]

I don't plan to "blog" the event like Archemini did with the Grammys, but I will be watching it, on and off. Anybody else?

[Galahad]

I am. Yawn. Now I'm not. >click< OK, now I am again. >click< What else is on?

[ganymede]

OMGWTF. Such a yawner. They're not letting Stewart be Stewart. Wake me when it's done.

[PalePhoenix]

Best Picture: "Crash."

Hah. NOT "Brokeback." In your face, liberal media! Oh, wait...that's us.

Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote."

One thing I found most amusing is that nearly every voice-over and commentator was quick to mention how devoted Hoffman is to his "craft," that he spent the months of shooting entirely "in character." Oh, I thought to myself. So did that mean he stayed drunk, talked like a creep, and had sex with men? Gee, that's some method.

Actress: Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line."

Easily the stupidest choice of the evening. She was my back-up, but I didn't really want her to have it. Miss Phillippe-Witherspoon-Whatever, please surrender the statuette to someone whose face and voice doesn't annoy the crap outta me.

Supporting Actor: George Clooney, "Syriana."

Totally missed this one, but glad for Clooney. I figured they couldn't snub him, but they also appear to have wanted to keep his kudos to a low roar.

Supporting Actress: Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener."

Not Michelle Williams. Perhaps her Mac 'n' Cheeze-flavored dress caused them to switch envelopes.

Director: Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain."

Didn't get this one on the back-up either. Despite its noms, BBM didn't get any of the other major categories. The screenplay adaptors got theirs, but it's like I said. They'd have to be magicians to turn a short story into three plodding hours.

[Macaylla]

Definitely one of the sleepiest of oscars at a time when the WWWWWWHHHHOOOLE country is fed up politically. Its like John Lennon singing "Why don't we do it in the MIDDLE of the road".

Being old enough to watch Brando and Scott use the format politacally, right up to the ridiculous Booing of Michael Moore... I look foreward to some misbehavior. Highlight, breifly guys, was Selma Hayak. I know it might not be your flavor but oh so beautiful and old style hollywood!

Figured it wood be a split vote this year; since they were not overtly political, everything was "quietly" political.
Fashion Note: Where can I get that Wallace and Grommet bow tie?

[PalePhoenix]

Highlight, breifly guys, was Selma Hayak. I know it might not be your flavor but oh so beautiful and old style hollywood!

Figured it wood be a split vote this year; since they were not overtly political, everything was "quietly" political.

She was lovely. I just can't get into Jessica Alba. She is an attractive young lady, but too much in the Lolita mold for me. Uma looked nice, too. What I did notice was that the woman who adapted BBM, and the one who co-produced Crash both seemed entired un-self-conscious about sleeveless dresses. I make a gentleman's bet that they'll be featured on Access: Hollywood, or some other infotainment pablum, promoting "Windsor Pilates" or something.

Fashion Note: Where can I get that Wallace and Grommet bow tie?

Dunno. Strip and flog Tucker Carlson?

[Archemini]

I was surprised (alright not THAT surprised) that Crash won. They were considered the dark horse for a while and everyone thought that they may take the Oscar, but everyone thought that BBM was a lock. Guess not.

Does the fact that BB was nominated for 5 and lost all but one hurt the popularity or draw of the film? Since it was claimed to be so great and guaranteed to win a few Oscars, only to lose most of the awards to other films, it seems like the idea that BB winning would help push homosexuality into more films seems trumped. Granted Capote and Transamerica also highlighted different sexualities, but Brokeback got the most press.

I couldn't help but laugh as I saw the winners announced on the scrolling bar on Cnn or MSNBC and Brokeback didn't win any of the one's everyone thought they had a chance to get.

[ganymede]

Does the fact that BB was nominated for 5 and lost all but one hurt the popularity or draw of the film?

It won plenty of other awards, though the biggest fuss is made about the Oscars. I really don'tthink it'll stop people from seeing it, though a few more may wait to rent it. Which is a pity. It really won't play as well on a small screen. The only real beauty in the film is the sweeping landscapes and visuals.

[Macaylla]

She was lovely. I just can't get into Jessica Alba. She is an attractive young lady, but too much in the Lolita mold for me. Uma looked nice, too.

Uma was in my bedroom a lot! But then that was a good 15+ years ago, and I wasn't living here at the time . Wish I had a time machine! (Still would have prefered my own present wife, who still live s here!) Uma's dad a big Buddhist scholar. I doubt she or he will be here again anytime soon. This is a very cool area, lots of writers and such hidden in the hills.

[circle6]

Simply put, I'm pleased that George Clooney won. I think he's a real talent with the potential for a long, interesting career.

I also think he's aging very well.

[PalePhoenix]

Uma was in my bedroom a lot!

Like, as a poster, a life-sized cardboard cut-out, or simply her astral projection?

[JBlueEyes]

The new list is out. My picks:

BEST PICTURE

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
or
* “Milk” (Focus Features)


BEST ACTOR

* Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
or
* Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
outside chance
* Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)


BEST ACTRESS

* Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
or
* Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

* Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)
or
* Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
(tough choice whether to reward the living)


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

* Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)
or
* Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)


BEST DIRECTOR

* “Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant
or
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton


BEST ART DIRECTION

* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Peter Lando


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Claudio Miranda
or
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Anthony Dod Mantle

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Jacqueline West


BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

* “Man on Wire” (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn


BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

* “The Conscience of Nhem En” A Farallon Films Production, Steven Okazaki


BEST FILM EDITING

* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lee Smith
or
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley


BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

* “The Baader Meinhof Complex” A Constantin Film Production, Germany


BEST MAKEUP

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Greg Cannom


BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

(no clue)


BEST ORIGINAL SONG

* “Down to Earth” from “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel


BEST ANIMATED SHORT

(no clue)


BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

* “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” (Hamburg Shortfilmagency), An Academy of Media Arts Cologne Production, Reto Caffi
or
* “Manon on the Asphalt” (La Luna Productions), A La Luna Production, Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont


BEST SOUND EDITING

* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Richard King
or
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Tom Sayers


BEST SOUND MIXING

* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
or
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
(outside chance) * “WALL-E” (Walt Disney),Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt


BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron


BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

* “Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black