Tagged: Oscars
Never Mind That Boxing Match I Mentioned Yesterday
I had no idea that HBO/PPV was charging $60 to order it. What a rip off. One fight costs $60 but you can buy nearly 162 MLB games on cable for not much more? I’ll stick with baseball – and movies.
Today, as part of the Santa Barbara Film Festival’s Cinema Society group that I belong to, we had a screening of British director Mike Leigh’s new film “Another Year.” There are no car chases, no special effects, just a quiet character study of a middle-aged married couple and their eccentric, down-on-their-luck friends and family members. Scheduled for release in December, it features a performance by actress Lesley Manville that’s sure to get attention at Oscar time. Here’s the trailer.
Tomorrow we’re seeing “The Social Network,” and writer Aaron Sorkin, along with the cast, will be on hand for a Q&A afterwards. I’m really looking forward to meeting Sorkin – and to asking him about his forthcoming movie version of “Moneyball.” How do you make a film about Billy Beane and the Oakland A’s? I guess I’ll find out.
Oscars More Interesting Than Yanks-Twins
And that’s saying something, because last year’s Oscar show was a crushing bore. But I liked Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin as co-hosts.
And since I’d seen most of the nominated films and performances (the exceptions being “Avatar” and “District 9”), I had a rooting interest. For example, I was cheering when Mo’ Nique won Best Supporting Actress for “Precious.”
Sandra Bullock has always been a favorite of mine, so – despite Meryl Streep’s amazing turn as Julia Child in “Julie and Julia” – I was glad she walked off with the Best Actress Oscar for “The Blind Side.”
Jeff Bridges was great in “Crazy Heart” and was a lock to win Best Actor. When he did, I know everybody in Santa Barbara was happy since he’s been a local here for many years and is a very likable, down-to-earth guy.
And finally, a word about Best Director/Best Picture winner Kathryn Bigelow for “The Hurt Locker.”
Would the movie have been my choice to take home the Oscar? No. (I was in the “Precious” camp.) But how cool is it that Bigelow is the first female Best Director ever? I’m officially anointing her a She-Director.
OK, I admit I also watch the show to see what everybody’s wearing. If A-Rod really is dating Cameron Diaz, his eyes must have bugged out of his head when he saw her in this dress.
As for today’s Yankees-Twins game in Fort Myers, let’s just say losing 11-0 is never fun for me, spring training or no spring training. I get that Igawa still has work to do if he wants to pitch in the bigs. And Gaudin sure didn’t impress anyone. Mitre, on the other hand, has inserted himself into the discussion about who will be the #5 starter. If he keeps putting up scoreless innings, he could bump Hughes and Joba. What I’m wondering, though, is where are the Yankees’ bats? Going into the second week of camp, I wouldn’t mind seeing the offense start to heat up. I mean, can’t we beat somebody 11-0? I do love blowouts, just not when we’re on the wrong end of them.
Van..coo..ooo..ver
Oh, sorry. I’m still singing that song from the closing ceremonies tonight. I kept thinking there was probably a less repetitive way to have those white snowboarders salute their host city, but I quibble. The truth is I really enjoyed the evening, starting with NBC’s round up show, which was sort of a Cliffs Notes of the Olympics.
I loved seeing the highlights of Bode, Shaun, Evan, Apolo and Lindsey doing their thing – full-blown cultural icons now. And a big hat tip to Sid the Kid (amazing hockey game), Joannie Rochette and Kim Yu-Na. I still need to be convinced that ice dancing is a sport and I could live without one more commercial for Jerry Seinfeld’s “Marriage Ref,” but all in all it was a great event with so many memorable moments. Just one question about this.
When the athletes walk around holding little cameras, video or otherwise, what do they hope to get? How can their images not be blurry, tiny, not worth the trouble? Oh, and who knew William Shatner was Canadian?
So now that the Super Bowl is over and the Olympics are over and the Oscars will be over a week from tonight (the equivalent of the Super Bowl for me), there will be Yankees baseball. In less than two weeks I’ll be in Florida getting my first look at Grandy and the other newbies, not to mention the returning crew. Girardi hasn’t announced the starting pitchers for the games I’ll be going to but it doesn’t matter. Just being there will be a thrill. Before I get to Tampa, I’m speaking at the Blake Library in Stuart (on the east coast of Florida) on Saturday, March 13th. The event is called Baseball @ the Blake, and I’ll be there to talk about the She-Fan book along with Lew Paper, the author of “Perfect: Don Larsen’s Miraculous World Series Game and the Men Who Made It Happen.” Here’s the blurb from the Blake’s online bulletin.
2:30pm Jane Hell er, Confessi ons of a She-Fan
Popular and prolific author Jane Heller
will discuss her first nonfiction book,
Confessions of a She-Fan: The Course
of True Love with the New York
Yankees, a chick-lit look at baseball, love
and marriage. In search of answers and
hoping to inject some excitement into her
marriage, she literally followed the Bronx
Bombers with her husband through the rest of
their challenging 2007 season. Books will be available for
sale and signing following her talk.
If anyone’s in the area on the 13th, I hope you’ll stop by and say hello. I’m supposed to speak for 30 minutes. Any suggested talking points?
After the library gig, it’ll be on to Tampa and spring training. I’d be remiss if I didn’t say farewell (unless nobody picks him up) to Edwar Ramirez, who was DFA-ed to make room for Chan Ho Park. Edwar was….Well, let’s just say he had a good change-up. Best of luck to you, Edwar, and may you put some meat on those bones.
Oscars And Laundry = Glamour And Drudgery
Michael and I used to go to a friend’s annual Oscar party when we lived in LA. But now that we’re in Santa Barbara, here’s how we’re spending the evening: I’m doing laundry and Michael is reorganizing his office. We’re one fun couple, aren’t we? A regular Brad and Angelina.
Oops. The show is starting.
No. It’s only the “red carpet” show where the stars are being asked truly idiotic questions about what they’re wearing.
O.K. Here’s the real show. Host Hugh Jackman makes a steroids joke about Meryl Streep and all the awards she’s won. I wonder if A-Rod’s watching.
Best Supporting Actress. Love that they’re actually describing the performances of each nominee. Well done. Penelope Cruz? I wasn’t expecting her to win; I thought Marisa Tomei would get it. Even Penelope seems shocked.
Best Original Screenplay. Really love the bit with Steve Martin and Tina Fey. So far this show is great. Milk wins. Very impassioned speech.
Best Adapted Screenplay. Slumdog Millionaire. The writer actually thanks the author of the book. What a concept.
Best Animated Film. Jennifer Aniston and Jack Black present the nominees, while the camera finds Angelina Jolie laughing nervously. Is Angie feeling guilty for stealing Brad from Jen? Winner: Wall-E.
(Laundry break during Art Direction, Costume Design and Makeup. Am I the only one who thinks Sarah Jessica Parker looks better as a blonde?)
Best Cinematographer. Ben Stiller comes out doing a Joaquin Phoenix imitation. What a riot. Natalie Portman‘s dress is a winner. So is the cinematographer of Slumdog, who apparently couldn’t find a jacket that fit.
Sci-Tech Awards. I’m tuning this out except that Jessica Biel is at the microphone and I’m wondering if she was the one who broke up with Derek Jeter or vice versa.
Hilarious bit with Seth Rogen and James Franco as stoners watching DVDs. Best line: “Who’s a better actor? Reagan or Obama?”
Long musical number with Beyonce. I feel like I’m watching the Tony’s. Yawn.
Best Supporting Actor. I really do like how they’re stopping to acknowledge each nominee. Heath Ledger wins. His father, mother and sister accept the award. There are close-ups of teary, wistful audience members, but not the long standing ovation I anticipated. Weird.
(Another laundry run during the Documentary category. Then dinner during Visual Effects, Sound Effects, Sound Mixing and Film Editing. This is when I wish we had people over. I could be busily serving hors d’oeuvres or pouring wine. Instead, the only wine I’m pouring is my own.)
Eddie Murphy is all business as he introduces the special humanitarian award to Jerry Lewis. Big standing O. I’m expecting an over-the-top acceptance speech – a little Cinderfella maybe? – but Jerry is short and sweet.
Great pink/purple dress on Alicia Keys as she and Zac Effron present the Best Original Score award to the Slumdog composer, whose name I can’t spell.
Now come the Best Original Song nominees. This is the category Peter Gabriel boycotted; he was offended that he was only getting 65 seconds to perform his song from Wall-E. I’m offended he was offended. Who does he think he is? Beyonce? The winner: Slumdog. Yay.
Queen Latifah has the task of singing during the Dead People Montage. I ask Michael to pass the tissues when they show clips of Paul Newman. Sob.
Reese Witherspoon (I’m staring at her really hard, sending her vibes so she’ll play me in the still-in-my-fantasy movie version of “She-Fan”) presents the Best Director Oscar to Danny Boyle for Slumdog.
Is it possible this show will be done before midnight/9 p.m.? And where’s Jack Nicholson? He usually sits in the front row in his shades and smirks a lot.
Best Actress. Standing ovation for Sophia Loren, Shirley MacLaine, Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry and Marion Cotillard. Winner: Kate Winslet. No surprise, but it was cool how the past winners congratulated her.
Best Actor. Big hand for Michael Douglas, Adrien Brody, Robert DeNiro, Ben Kingsley and Anthony Hopkins. Winner: Sean Penn. Wow! Stunned that Mickey didn’t get it, but happy. Sean was great in the movie.
Last award. Steven Spielberg is on stage for Best Picture. Love the montage mixing old and new movies, Winner: Slumdog. Talk about a rags to riches story. It’s the equivalent of the Tampa Bay Rays.
Well, I had to end with a baseball analogy. Back to the Yankees tomorrow.
Saturday’s Yankees Headline: CC Hurls
I’m not talking about pitching. Apparently, Sabathia was taken down by a case of stomach flu and couldn’t complete his workout.
(Here’s an AP photo of Nick Swisher doing his best imitation of CC driving the porcelain bus.)I sincerely hope the bug isn’t contagious, because the very last thing the Yankees need right now is a clubhouse full of upchuckers.
On to a more pleasant subject: the Academy Awards.
I’m excited about tomorrow night’s show (I’ll be live blogging), even though it’ll probably last for hours and people will make boring speeches and Hugh Jackman isn’t my idea of an A-list host – plus I’m still miffed that Clint Eastwood/Gran Torino and Bruce Springsteen/The Wrestler weren’t nominated. On Oscars eve, here are my predictions.
The nominees are:
Best Actor
Brad Pitt (Benjamin Button)
Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)
Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)
Sean Penn (Milk)
Who should win: Sean Penn
Who will win: Mickey Rourke
(Sean has already been nominated five times and won once, so I pick Mickey to take the prize. Hollywood loves a comeback story, and he’s sure to say something odd and endearing up at the podium.)
Best Actress
Meryl Streep (Doubt)
Melissa Leo (Frozen River)
Kate Winslet (The Reader)
Angelina Jolie (Changeling)
Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)
Who should win: Melissa Leo
Who will win: Kate Winslet
(Kate is the new Meryl and it’s her year. As amazing as Melissa Leo was, nobody saw Frozen River; she’s lucky to have been nominated.)
Best Picture
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Milk
Frost/Nixon
Benjamin Button
Who should win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who will win: Slumdog Millionaire
(I started to get Slumdog Fatigue a few weeks ago when the movie won all the run-up awards, but I still think it’ll bring home the gold.)
The only remaining question is….Which of these should I wear?
I really like the gown in the bottom row, second from the right, but who am I kidding. I’ll end up wearing this.
Confessions of a She-Fan 