Posts Tagged ‘oscars’
belated post-Oscar rehash »
Friday, March 12th, 2010
It’s taken me a minute to look over my predictions and weigh them against the winners. Please don’t read that as my taking any time on this. I’ve just been busy with more important things (depending on how you look at it).
As always, I’m right and the Academy is sometimes wrong. I don’t fault them and either should you. Here’s a rapid rundown of where they misstepped:
While I only saw the one movie in both the Documentary and Foreign Language categories, both my picks should have won. This because dolphins are in far too much of the food we eat but Food Inc. is about all the rest and Das Weisse Band was black and white (end of story).
The Hurt Locker was great. That it won the editing award means my prediction is less than right. Slightly. I’m man enough to admit that. (Note, this is completely false.)
Cinematography, defined: The art or technique of movie photography, including both the shooting and development of the film. Black and white photography is better than color photography, fact. Thus, Das Weisse Band should have won. (Fact.)
With the subject matter thrown into “Push,” how could you not make a compelling film? The acting (especially the protagonist) and directing held Precious (Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire) together, not the screenplay.
Tarantino was robbed of his Original Screenplay statue. The glaring inaccuracies and artistic licenses that make Hurt Locker a great film (and it is great) shouldn’t win a writing prize. Directing, obviously; acting, sure; and even cinematography, fine but not the writing.
The Academy came around and was right in all the other categories, including a possible (2% chance) game changer with Hurt Locker taking the big win. Overall the show was watchable but it was absurdly slow in parts and what was the deal with the lady Kanye?
academy awards rehash ’09 »
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009
If you didn’t watch, I’ll be ruining the ending for you. Somehow I doubt you care. Below are my predictions and the winners and why I’m still right even if I’m wrong. (Ego!)
Animated Feature
Predicted: WALL-E
Winner: WALL-E
First, Jack Black, you are astounding. Great movie, great story and hated by the Right. It could do no wrong.
Original Song
Predicted: Slumdog Millionaire – “Jai Ho”
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire – “Jai Ho”
This was a lock. Especially when you consider the emotional impact and plot-driving force of it. Could pretty much bank on Slumdog the entire night.
Editing
Predicted: Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
Intensity, dynamism and heart. That’s what Dickens brought to the party and he brought more than anyone else. It’s not an important award as far as E! is concerned but it’s insanely important to film as an art. No one cares.
Cinematography
Predicted: Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
Gorgeous film. Stiller’s rendition of Pheonix was almost better though. And then the guy thanked everyone he’s worked with for twenty years so that was… a cop out.
Adapted Screenplay
Predicted: Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
This, like so many of the other categories where Slumdog is nominated, was almost a lock. (Full disclosure: I didn’t read or see any of the works adapted. Still, I’m a genius.)
Original Screenplay
Predicted: In Bruges
Winner: Milk
Ugh. Can this movie get dry-humped further? The story was awesome, yes. The events and plot and acting was stunning, yes. The politics were topical, yes. But the gorgeous symmetry of Bruges should have sold it. (It didn’t, apparently.) @SlashFilm‘s tweet said it all.
Directing
Predicted: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
Winner: Danny Boyle
He deserved it. (As he does consistently.) That is all.
Supporting Actress
Predicted: Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)
Winner: Penelope Cruz
Them announcing this one first was far more surprising than the actual winner. Still, with her performance, Tomei did a better job. The character was deeper and more intriguing but I guess Cruz winning just goes to show you… going crazy is second only to a mental/physical handicap when it comes to the gold statue. (Ask Angelina Jolie.) Tomei, you (and your nipples) should have taken it.
Supporting Actor
Predicted: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
Winner: Heath Ledger
‘Cause… duh. I mean, he was outstanding and it’s posthumous. The Academy can’t resist. The speech was poignant and beautiful.
Actress
Predicted: Kate Winslet (The Reader)
Winner: Kate Winslet
BOOM! She was up against a bunch of nobodies and first-timers with one woman who already has a few so the competition was thin but she still earned it. The speech was shakey but that’s understandable after so many nominations that came of nothing. Cheers, Kate, you’re gorgeous.
Actor
Predicted: Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)
Winner: Sean Penn
Penn was solid. I take nothing away from his performance but Rourke was better. Politics won over performance. Congrats, Penn, but, Rourke, you were robbed. The speech was just as political as you’d expect but at least he didn’t droll on and on and on…
Picture
Predicted: Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
This was like the safe Ed Norton stored the gold in from Italian Job. The movies were good but Slumdog was great. Bringing everyone up and having so many there was epic. It’s heart-warming and jaw-dropping. Unreal.
All in all, it was a lame movie season. Really, as you can tell from the above, Slumdog, was about the only movie you need see. That goes to show you how small the crop of quality film was. (Yes, I’m looking at you Tropic Thunder.)
This was written during the awards show and just after. I don’t have clips of certain segments for that reason. For your own enjoyment, find Ben Stiller’s reenactment of Joaquin Pheonix.