TM
Monday, March 1st, 7:27 PM
I'll be back a little later to wrap this all up...
Sunday, February 29th, OSCAR NIGHT
9:04 AM
I'll try So, I couldn't sleep last night. Does this mean I was going through a 6 year-old's Christmas Eve anticipation anxiety? Or simple panic over preparations for the Oscar party. Or does it simply remind me that when I drink too much coffee because let's say I forgot all about the IFP Independent Spirit Awards and realized I had to stay up late to watch the repeat...?INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS
____A quick rundown of highlights:
01 Bill Murray's acceptance speech for Best Actor. He's a funny funny guy. (This amazing insight brought to you by the ever perceptive film b itch. hee)
02 Seeing all the clips for In America and wishing that I had seen the film a second time. Plus the Bolger girls are still adorable and a half. Emma was making us all crack up with her repeating head tilt/hand clasping.
03 John Waters opening monologue with surprise guest. I can't believe they convinced him to come on (Not Waters -but Jack Valenti) Usually Waters goes on for too long at these things but in a nice switcheroo this opening monologue (about the screener ban and piracy) was actually very very funny.04 Juliette Lewis rocked the house at one of the ISA's silly sing-along musical intros to Raising Victor Vargas (I love her and remain horrified that she doesn't even get mentioned in commercials for any movie she's in even when the rest of the B-listers or former A-Listers in the cast do. Examples: Cold Creek Manor where Dennis Quaid, Sharon Stone, and Stephen Dorff (hardly in the prime of their careers) are the selling points or Starsky & Hutch where you hear more about Carmen Elektra (C List!) and Amy Smart (zzzz). Please. This is freakin' Juliette. She will always rock my house.
____Moments that ruined my high:
01 Charlize Theron's continued dominance. I liked her performance in Monster... but giving her an Independent Spirit Award is a bit like having Tom Cruise as the honorary chair. It's slumming, only in the upwardly mobile way. Theron was only doing Monster to save her career (look I'm a real actress!) and win awards. Now, she'll go right back to studio films and stay there (witness her follow up project: a little indie shoestring avant garde black and white film called AEON FLUX -for which she's making scale. Hardy har har)
02 Sofia Coppola's body language. She's had time now to practice poise and she's been watched her whole life. Stand up straight and speak in full sentences. Please, I'm begging you.03 Lost in Translation will suffer the Independent Spirit Curse. It did really well which means it will lose in all its Oscar categories tonight. So that was a big "screw you" moment for my predictions. But I'm glad they won.
04 That weird creepy energy emanating from Nikki Reed and Catherine Hardwicke who were being celebrated for Thirteen (a film I love) --but without Evan Rachel Wood and Holly Hunter who powered and dominated the film, the homage and celebration just felt ALL wrong.Saturday, February 28th, 8:34 AM
FINAL PREDICTIONS UP ---and there's updates in the TECH CATEGORIES , COSTUMES, MUSIC & SOUND, and SCREENPLAYS and such (with commentary on the possible wins)...
BUT BACK TO THE DIARY
Who sent out the memo that I do my laundry at 7:30 AM before my neighborhood is awake? Now, suddenly everyone is awake doing their laundry and I'm the intruder and machine usurper. Agh. Was hoping to get the Oscar Eve traumas of cleaning, grocery shopping, laundry, and gift wrapping (yes, there are door prizes this year) done early with a minimum of fuss so that maybe I could, I don't know, watch a movie! Imagine that.I doubt I'm making any changes to my predictions at this point. Mostly because the same arguments keep on running through my head. The two categories that I'm most torn on ---aside from Best Actor that everyone is torn on, I'm going with Murray --are the screenplay categories. A case can still be made for In America spoiling Sofia's awards run (particularly given that detractors for Lost in Translation are likely to rally around it's warm and fuzzy family backstory) and in Adapted Screenplay, honestly it could go just about anywhere. My current bet is Seabiscuit because the AMPAS voters clearly like it and the book is loved. Though I think Return of the King's statue draw will be a bucketful, I'm thinking this will not be theirs. Or maybe with Seabiscuit and Mystic River splitting the anti-ROTK vote... ROTK will prevail?
I don't know what to think. So overall... though the race seems to be absolutely predictable... there are enough minor drama/tight races to keep everyone on edge. Cinematography, Editing, Screenplay, and The Actor race are where the knock down drag out competitions seem to be.
Thursday, February 26th, 9:40 PM
Sorry that I haven't been typing as much. Post SAG / Pre-Oscar depression, or something? Probably the "or something" Work is frustrating (not this work. the other work) and hard emotionally, spiritually, ecumenically (thank you Johnny!) and --well, my friend who just started an office job says "ohmygod. I had NO idea how stressful desk jobs are? How do you do it?" But anyway this is not about Oscars --ooops, my bad.
I guess I'm also a little frustrated by all the The Passion of the Christ brouhaha. Now, I'm no fan of Braveheart or Mel Gibson --OK, well I was a fan of his in a weak youthful lusty moment in 1983 when I saw the poster of Mrs. Soffel -but really, can you blame me? Have you seen how Mel looked in 1983? This was long before I knew anything of him personally. Long before someone's politics rightly informed my perception of their attractiveness. I'm only human. But I grew up. So, even if Mel suddenly looked like his 1983 self again, I wouldn't have the time of day for him knowing what I know. So, given my dislike of the suicidal/fundamental one...it's not like I really truly wanted to see The Passion. But now I feel that I can't see it. Too much information. From too many places. I have my own pre-viewing biases to try and place aside. And then all of this? And it's only been open for two days? I'm like [holding my head/ears] "Make it stop!"
Plus I come from that weird planet of Oscar obsessives where every distraction from Oscar is like blasphemy "WHY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT -IT'S OSCAR WEEK! WE MUST ONLY DISCUSS WHO IS GOING TO WIN BEST ACTOR" I swear that nobody I run into work or spend time with in social settings is talking about the Oscars. It's only my friends who are discussing it. But then, I force them. If they do not behave I do Ruby/Renée impressions until they finally shout [holding their head/ears] "Make it stop!"
Wednesday, February 25th, 7:48 PM
I'm so bored and Mel Gibson's PASSION seems to be taking up all the media attention that would usually be going to Oscar about this time... maybe that's because Oscar just isn't that exciting this year with so many perceived "locks"
We shall see. My predictions are probably dumb. I have Lost in Translation down for two wins but it could just as easily leave empty handed. So I'm going with Murray for the win. I can't think about it anymore. My head hurts.
Tuesday, February 24th, 7:28 PM & 9:30 PM
We are less than a week away from the big night. The panic is setting in. I'm not really ready for my party. Haven't begun to shop for the ingredients... I keep losing the shopping list. I am more broke than I've been in years. Don't know quite how that happened but these things do. Happen. So I thought I'd answer some questions from readers and try not to think about the party. the president's war on my people. the money or lack thereof. Mel Gibson's passion play. or any of the other unpleasant things that I keep thinking about. It's Oscar week so the only unpleasant thing I'm going to allow myself to dwell on is undeserving winners.
Matheus from Brazil ---(how'd my site get so popular in Brazil? That's cool but it makes me curious as to how many different countries are represented in readership here?) wants to know if I really believe Shohreh Aghdashloo can beat Zellweger's hillbilly routine in Cold Mountain? The answer is ---no, I don't really believe it. I know, I know. I have currently predicted that blessed event occurring. But it is just my imagination playing tricks on my heart. Every once in a while it's clear that a performance becomes The Anointed One and no amount of naysaying or mixed reviews or obnoxious and pompous statements from the actor or actress (check this out ---and thanks to Ali for sending it.) can deter the worst from winning. And that is to likely bitter outcome on Oscar night as well. I've gotten a lot of flak for being a hater on Renée this year. But I wouldn't be so mean if I didn't think she was capable of so much more. It's just nowhere close to a great performance let alone a good one. It's a huge miscalculation. If the film were better people would be angry and hating this performance. But since the film is boring, she LOOKS to many like its saving grace... when really she's just a distracting buffer for the disappointment.
That this overbaked pitched-to-the-rafters gimme-my-damn-Oscar turn is an awards sweeper when the world great Holly Hunter, the beautiful revelation Shohreh Aghdashloo, and the always exquisite Patricia Clarkson are all in the running? Oh, the humanity! If I ran the world, Renée would still have her three nominations (albeit for different films) --see, I'm not mean for the sake of being mean --but no statue would yet be hers.
BUT IF YOU LOVE RENEE DON'T STOP READING JUST YET! I'm actually getting to a non bashing point.
I want to believe that either Bill Murray or Shohreh is going to win an Oscar. I'm picturing the lineup of winners and if Charlize, Tim, Renée, and Sean are the four it's going to be one of the most OBVIOUS lineups ever. And I don't mean that in that they're all the early frontrunners. I mean that they're ALL, every last one of them, very Oscarbait. Some of them are more deserving than others but not a one of them is free of the taint of awards plans. Usually there's a little more variety in the winners circle. Take last year 2002: The ladies were somewhat obvious spotlight hogging performances. (That's not a comment on their worthiness -just the nature of the roles) Adrien Brody, though, was very internal and far more subtle than your usual Oscar winner...even if it was a Holocaust film which is as Oscarbait as you can get. Chris Cooper? That was a great role. But it was way too odd to have assumed it would be statue grabbing while filming. Now, let's go back to 2001: Berry (showy), Washington (showy), Broadbent (subtle), Connelly, well she was just kinda there --but it was the supportive wife role and that means multiple orgasms to Oscar voters --which is the potential slingshot blow that David (Shohreh) can use to topple Goliath (Renée) with this year. OK back to 2000: Crowe (showy but a little more actiony than traditional for Oscar winning performances), Harden (showy + supportive wive =statue!), Del Toro (subtle) Roberts (showy)
OK, I'm realizing as I'm typing that this is a lame-o theory. But it was worth a shot. Anything to convince myself that La Z is not The One.
Anyway... on to the next questions. A little 2003 and a little 2004. Carolina from Spain asked what I'm most looking forward to this year. The answer is over here in this article from January in which I impatientaly await the arrival of DOGVILLE for a second year. I am not good at waiting. I'm just not cut out for it. Hence my deep disdain for Miramax's treatment of HERO. I'm still waiting. And I'll believe the latest talk of a summer release when pigs... oh, never mind. I'm sure other films not listed in this article will pop up that deserved to be listed but these films are the ones that most intrigued from the January distance. Carolina and I share a deep anticipation for Bad Education. I adore Pedro Almodovar and I have impure thoughts about Gael Garcia Bernal so naturally it's my #1 choice for the year.. Harold asked what I think Swimming Pool was all about? And I have to honestly say that I haven't the foggiest. I generally like François Ozon's films and I generally love Charlotte Rampling and Ludivine Sagnier but the truth is I didn't care in the slightest for almost the entire running time. It was one of the biggest disappointments of the year for me. It seemed like a rather pointless endeavor.
American Idol was so boring tonight that I curse myself for being addicted to it. But you know what is even worse? I have ON DEMAND cable and it's so damn convenient that I end up watching things I hate (especially embarrasing gay-ghetto stuff like Queer as Folk and The L Word) just because it's easy to do. I don't even like TV. Why am I watching it? I should be out seeing new movies. But it's cold and rainy and until the Oscars pass --I'm in that wierd immobile waiting-for-it stage where it's impossible to find motivations that do not involve the big O.
I'm listening to Rufus Wainwright's Want (One) right now for the umpteenth time. It's sooooo good.
Box Office update/talk in the Best Picture page.
Monday, February 23rd, 8:11 AM
I think perhaps the reason I haven't been writing so much (aside from time issues) is that there just doesn't seem to be much to say. Apart from Best Actor all the major races seem so obvious. But it's at times like these that I wish they would just cancel all awards shows OTHER than the Oscars so I don't have to see the same person win the same prize over and over again and then often give the same speech. Charlize Theron, Tim Robbins, and Renée Zellweger, I'm talking to you. I love awards shows but if collective groupthink is the same from one grouping to the next, there is really not a point in several groups. Everyone has already been assimilated. Perhaps had I seen the BAFTAs --which did go to new places-- I wouldn't be feeling this way. But as it is, awards fatigue has set in, despite the new and much improved shorter season.
Best Actor is where the only excitement is. But anyway it turns out you'll hear a lot of voices proclaiming "told you so" so nothing really will be a surprise --even Depp. Unless of course strange things are afoot and the name called is Sir Ben Kingsley or Jude Law. What I really hope for I suppose is that major category tie. Another Hepburn/Streisand moment nearly 40 years later would be super. But I probably have a better chance of winning the lottery, don't I?
SPOILERS AHEAD.
In small screen news, I didn't speak about Sex & The City yesterday because I didn't want to rain on anyone's parade but really it was an awful ending. It was as if the entire show was a whole new series where neat wrap-ups and happy endings and tearful drama are the main focus. I realize the writers were in a tight spot, and nothing would have pleased everyone. But I wonder why they did what they did. I don't mind --really I don't-- about the happy ending. But why wrap up sign and deliver all those tidy gifts. Why did we have to know, for example, that Charlotte would get her baby. Miranda would get a mother in law with a major illness, and Samantha would finally embrace monogamy? It seems to me that if you want the characters to go on living in people's minds you leave it a little more open ended. These were of course4 natural conclusions to the stories we've been seeing all season. But they were accelerated to the point of absurdity.And my final complaint (if the season overall hadn't been so spectacular I wouldn't be so frustrated) this was to be the last 45 minutes we were ever going to spend with these awesome characters. So why oh why did we spend the first 35 minutes morose in Paris seeing the same scene over and over again? Aleksander ignores Carrie. Carrie mopes around in Paris. We got that picture last week --it's hardly been subtle. Move the hell on. So they wasted my last precious 35 minutes with these characters I love for more of the same "i'm so alone"/ "I'm in Paris" dull melodrama. Better to have plopped Carrie down within the first 20 minutes back in New York City where she belongs. They they could have told the wrap up stories over brunch, just my fabulous four. 25 minutes of chat with our girls. These fictional women that we've known and loved for 6 years should have had more screentime! But I'm only complaining because I will miss them terribly. Sunday nights won't be the same.
Sunday, February 22nd, 11:27 PM
SAG, SAG, SAG... weird uneventful show. Except for Johnny Depp. That would have been such a thrill had he been there. But I'm still happy. Hope he pulls off the Oscar win as well, though I know it's doubtful.Purple is apparently the new black.
And I don't think I'll ever get the Renée thing. It was even sadder to see when clips were in the mix. Reminded of all that great work... and then, ah --but I'm not going to be sad because at least Johnny Depp won.Sunday, February 22nd, 8:45 AM
Oh, reader Brooke was nice enough to forward this article about the co-director situation with City of God.http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,4120,1141615,00.html
(just cut and paste that into the url field if you want to read it.)It's kind of weird given the hoopla over Sofia's nomination that this alternate story of women still being denied credit for their accomplishments was overlooked by the media. Maybe nobody wanted to rain on City of God's underdog makes good parade. But I find it kind of sad --especially given how strong the performances were.
But never mind all that. The SAG Awards are coming!
I may have to make adjustments to my Oscar pages but I realized yesterday that I hadn't really finished some of the Oscar pages so there are updates (like the "why'd they get nominated?" bit that I'm known for) for the following: Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress. And of course I'll be back again later tonight with post Sex & The City depression and SAG afterglow or hangover... depending on how it goes. But I suppose I should make SAG Predictions right?
SAG Predictions
ACTOR -Sean Penn (Johnny Depp rather than Bill Murray is my "spoiler" guess...and I hope he pulls it off)
ACTRESS -Charlize Theron (For a number of reasons I think Diane Keaton has a better shot at "spoiler" status with the Academy than with SAG)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS -Keisha Castle Hughes (Renée Zellweger being my "spoiler" guess, even though she won last year)
SUPPORTING ACTOR -Tim Robbins (and I don't see how that turns out any other way --no point in "spoiler" talk)
ENSEMBLE -Return of the King (Obviously Mystic River is very formidable competition. It wouldn't surprise me at all if that's the title called)
Saturday, February 20th, 9:27 PM
So I finally saw City of God and I don't really have much to say other than that my experience watching it was precisely what I was expecting. I realize haters will say my biases were determining my response. But the truth is movies that are very well made can disarm/surprise/overcome most predispositions if they're different than you are expecting. But it turns out it was just like I thought it would be: Very well put together but very violent and it put me into a deep funk. Just not sure I needed to see those images. Particularly those involving children killing other children.But anyway, I suspect it will win Best Editing since it probably isn't going home empty handed with Oscar. Considering the amount of enthusiasm that it has earned to date, an Oscar seems a fitting conclusion, right? Its editing is both very obvious and very skillful and that seems to be a winning combo I think. I do have one question for Oscarwatchers out there? Why is the co-director not nominated along with Fernando Meirelles? Is there historical precedent for this? Someone must know... Seems a shame considering I read that she did most of the work with the actors -- for a cast of nonprofessionals the performances, every last one from the leads to the bit players rang true. That's also an impressive achievement.
For those who are interested I've posted my semi-final winner predictions for Oscar night. I'm still flipflopping on Murray Vs. Penn and Lost in Translation vs. In America but this is sort of what I'm looking at right now for the winners.
One more thing...
Who did this hairstyling job on Viggo?
Ellen DeGeneres? Rosie O Donnell? Billy Jean King? Melissa Etheridge? Or Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos? You decide.
Oscar Diary Volume 1: January 27th through February 3th
Oscar Diary Volume 2: February 4th through February 19th
Oscar Diary Volume 3: February 20th through March 1st
