Oscar Buzz . . . again

This year I found myself bored by all the award shows which seemed to be coming up every darn weekend since before Christmas.  It can be really tiring to see these uber type A’s patting themselves on the back so publicly.  But now the big weekend is upon us and of course I cannot help wondering Who Will Win?  I have the audacity to make my picks despite not having seen even one of the movies yet but heck why be shy about it?  I am confident that I can make my picks with just as much aplomb as the jerk critic who wrote “the disappointing It’s Complicated” while writing about Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin’s stint as hosts of the Oscars.  Not sure what planet he is from but this was a highly successful, and quite hilarious, movie.

       Best Movie – Lincoln

Best Director – Spielberg  (although there is an off chance that Zero Dark Thirty and Kathryn Bigelow could grab both).

Best Actor – Daniel Day-Lewis (although I think Joaquin Phoenix should get it for not getting it as Johnny Cash – that performance was outstanding)

Best Actress – Jessica Chastain (I know they are saying Jennifer Lawrence is odds on favourite but I’m saying not yet)

Best Supporting Actress – Sally Field (yes I know everyone is saying Anne Hathaway)

Best Supporting Actor –  Robert de Niro

In the supporting categories I find that rarely is it easy for anyone to make the winning choice so I am picking my favorites. 

      To be honest after all these years of watching the Oscars I find myself not caring very much who wins.  The most exciting part of the show this year will be hearing Adele sing her song from “Skyfall”.  And looking at the dresses.

Oscar, Oscar, Oscar and Billy Crystal

I sat through the 3 ½ hour show last night, due to the fact that Downton Abbey is over and the Masterpiece Contemporary “The Song of Lunch” was ghastly.  I love Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson, but I do not like that kind of inner narration going on and on.  So Billy Crystal and company got my attention.  First of all, let me say about Cirque du Soleil – wow, you wowed me!  Amazing, simply amazing!

       Second, Cameron Diaz’ dresses was IT for me.  Loved it, JLo, gorgeous.  And Meryl Streep, classic!

       The awards themselves, as predicted, predictable.  Meryl Streep won her third Best Actress, and I loved it when she took it in.  “What?” she couldn’t believe it herself.  Or IS she the best actress in the world?  I must say that I was torn by a 5 way split, but honestly Rooney Mara was intense as Lizbeth Salander and really deserved the win but it so rarely happens on a first nomination in this category.  I think she was the real surprise.  But the other 3 were predicted.  Octavia Spencer, Christopher Plummer and The Artist star Jean Dujardin were all pretty much a certainty.  Ditto the picture The Artist.  I kind of could guess when Hugo kept winning all the technical awards that Scorsese wouldn’t get the big prize.

       The In Memoriam was lovely, understated and appropriate, giving a nod to The Artist’s black and white film.  Loved the close with Elizabeth Taylor’s winking Cleopatra.

       It was a nice show, predictable from Billy’s endearing presence through the awards.  Nice. 

Oh and by the way, George Clooney just looks better every year, classic handsomeness!

Oscar, Oscar, Oscar

We have some interesting Oscar hopefuls this year and all I can say is Rooney Mara.  This girl put in an absolutely astounding performance as Lizabeth Salander in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”.  When she was cast in the part instead of Natalie Portman who I thought would be excellent in the role I was dubious of this unknown (to me) actress.  Her performance is so intense and I really hope she comes out a winner.  This is her first time out and she is up against really stiff competition, the always incomparable Meryl Streep and Glenn Close and strong contenders Michelle Williams and Viola Davis.  It will be an exciting evening on this score alone.

Less thrilling is the actor category but I am leaning towards Gary Oldman who has put in many strong performances in years past.  However, I have an early suspicion that Brad Pitt may get this one due to “other reasons”.  Wink.

I’ve always adored Nick Nolte so seeing his name as a nominee for best supporting – well he has my vote.  I don’t have an opinion on the actress but I loved, loved, loved The Help.

I’ve been watching the Oscars since 1969 when Katherine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand tied for Best Actress and I am pretty darn good at Trivial Pursuit “pink”!

Are you up for the challenge?

Oscar rights

At least I got the rest correct. Natalie & Colin - what lovely speeches.

Best picture ---- The King's Speech

3/5 ain't bad . . . .

Christian Bale?

I really thought Hollywood would kibosh him because of his bad behaviour this past year --- I guessed wrong - #2 down.

I will cry if Colin loses.

Off The Cuff at Oscar Night

Holy cow, wrong on the first count -- sure it would be Helena after Ben Mankiwiecz agreed with me (didn't know the story about Melissa Leo taking out the add) - yet Melissa won.

And good lord, I thought that Michael Douglas would take off the mask --- can you believe that was Kirk? He looks older than George Burns!

Red Carpet

Now we have to get ready for the Red Carpet! When they first put on the Red Carpet show it was rather interesting because we got to see the stars walking down the carpet in their glamorous gowns and wonderful jewels and up-dos. But it is all too much these days, there are so many different award shows, one after the other and whole afternoons of just yakking about the gowns and hairdos. It has become a big yawn for me. All that being said, I do like to see what the actresses are wearing (let’s face it, one tuxedo looks pretty much like another, sorry guys. In the human world, men are NOT the peacocks).

In the past, some of my favorites have been Nicole Kidman’s gorgeous yellow gown, Oprah’s yellow gown (some years ago now at the Emmys), and Catherine Zeta-Jones’ green dress at the Golden Globes this year, very nice glamour. My own preference is for cream colours for evening wear but in 2009 when Penelope Cruz wore that lovely cream coloured gown, I agree with the critics, not the right colour choice for her skin tone, it should have been a more vibrant colour on her. Again, in 2009 I did not agree with the critics’ comments on Kate Winslet’s gown. I thought it made her look boxy. The gown would have been nicer if it was strapless rather than that one shoulder thing of which I’m not a fan. Either go strapless or do the halter or double straps. I feel that a one shoulder gown gives a very off appearance because no one has a perfect figure.

The young folks often seem to make some pretty big mistakes – but can you tell me why Helene Bonham Carter wore that THING at the Golden Globes? This is an awards evening, not part of the movie, girl. She’s so lovely she shouldn’t do that to herself. Bad mistake! Almost as bad as Bjork – remember the swan outfit. Someone ought to go deer hunting rather than design clothes. Poor Bambi!

I love gowns, I love browsing through the magazines and picturing myself in the different ensembles, but let’s face it, where would I wear it? As you may recall, I do not do Christmas parties so . . . it’s all just a pleasant dream. Fortunately dreams are free!

And one more thing, have you noticed that frequently there appears to be a theme colour - everyone either wears, white, black, nude and only a few daring ones go outside the "colour of the night"? Boring. Let's have more splashes of colour! Let's see blues mingle with greens and pinks. Reds mingling with bronze and orange! Come on Hollywood, let's get some pizzazz going!

Guess in advance, Angelina will be ever gorgeous, she has the height and figure to carry anything off and she does have good taste in gowns. Nicole Kidman, ditto. Surprise of the evening, Anne Hathaway, I’m sure she will give them all a run for their money. Disappointment? I don’t care to predict that one, because I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

Be prepared for my “off the cuff” later today as the Oscars get underway! Meanwhile I have to deal with the unglamorous reality of CLEANING MY HOUSE. I still have Christmas stuff to put away!

Oscar Predictions - 2011

Before I give you my picks for the Oscars I want to tell you a bit about my love of the movies. I would say that I probably fell in love with movies when I was about 7 years old, when I saw BenHur at the drive-in. That film has stood in my mind from that day to this, and that’s 50 years ago! (The story of my phobia will be told at a different time).

I was raised up on the westerns though. Saturday afternoons on television there was always a double feature of westerns. I remembered being utterly disgusted with my father when he said that the real cowboy was Gary Cooper. “Gary Cooper!” I exclaimed scornfully. “Why, everyone knows that Randolph Scott is THE cowboy.” And today everyone would agree that John Wayne is the ultimate cowboy.

My favorite movie of all time is “Gone with the Wind” (for true aficionados we say GWTW). I was utterly appalled when the Academy named “Citizen Kane” as the top of the One Hundred List. No one outside of Hollywood has ever seen all of Citizen Kane, puhleez! GWTW is a timeless classic, and I mean that in the best possible way. It is ranked as a 1939 movie but watching it today I am still amazed at the perfect sets, the superior acting and the strength of the screenplay. There is nothing schmaltzy about this film. It truly deserved its Oscar. It’s a crying shame that Clark Gable did not win for Rhett because there is no one who could have played the part better than he. Perfect casting except for Ashley, Leslie Howard was way too old and ungodlike for the part. And yet his very disdain of the part caused him to have that “remote” feel which is part of Ashley’s character. But I am getting carried away.

Movies, I enjoy most genres but my favorites are the romantic comedies or the period pieces like “The King’s Speech” (you can guess where this is going). Generally these films don’t get much recognition at the Oscars so that’s why I am going to root for “The King’s Speech” this year. I figure my guesses are as good as the critics since I usually pick at least half of the winners!

So here are my picks:

Best Actor Colin Firth

Best Actress Natalie Portman

Best Supporting Actor Geoffrey Rush

Best Supporting Actress Helene Bonham Carter

Movie The King’s Speech