Oscars in Black and White

T-minus 3 days:

Updates:

• Catering ordered! And I am pleased to announce that the OscarsinBlackandWhite has it’s first ever official party sponsor: Gerlach’s Grill. Yes, Gerlach’s has been providing the food for the Oscar party for years. It is now under new ownership – the chef, who has worked there for the last 15 years, has taken over the business. Gerlach’s is  highly recommended – at the corner of Fair Oaks/Glenarm, they have a wonderful selection of Lebanese food, traditional American/Mexican food offerings, and Gerlach’s liquor – in the same building – has a great selection of wine! The new owner gave us a substantial discount on the food this year, and we are pleased to thank and recognize him here! The menu:
  • Appetizers: falafel, stuffed grape leaves (custom made – it’s no longer on the menu), hummus, tabbouleh
  • Main course: chicken kabobs, salad
  • Dessert: Fosselman’s ice cream sundaes
• Back porch cleaned, and TV are deployed
• Printable ballots printed
• “Who Should Win” poster ready
• White board with bar selections ready

As the countdown continues, here is the trailer for Best Picture nominee “Slumdog Millionaire”!

T-minus 4 days!

Updates for today:

• Thought I was finished with errands, but … went to OSH today and got two more garbage cans; one white (for trash) and one blue (recyclables – and yes, I know, “blue” is neither “black” nor “white”, but it’s a sacrifice I’ll make so that plastic ends up where it should.)
• Kitchen TVs deployed. Had some trouble with the digital converter box and associated powered antenna, but swearing, threats and the fear of raw parsnips prevailed.
• Weather forecast for Sunday is … chance of showers, so, asked for help from my friend BH with tents for the arrival photo area.
• Made a wrong turn on Fair Oaks, and so missed placing the catering order. TOMORROW (Thursday) – I promise! And a menu update will follow…

To close, the preview for Best Picture nominee; “Milk”:

New review today, by a new reviewer (rocksgowhoosh): “Rachel Getting Married”. Thanks, Rocky!

Party status update: main room projector, TVs and furniture deployed. All errands completed (Smart & Final, BevMo, Pavilions, Target, Best Buy, etc.) And …. an important update: the bar is stocked and ready!!!

BIG STEPS FORWARD!!! Woo hoo!!!

Next steps: will order catering tomorrow (Wed), and will work on arrival photo area.

Plan to review only two more movies before the main event: “The Wrester” and “Revolutionary Road”. The rest are up to you!

New review today: “Wanted”

Also started moving the furniture around in anticipation of the party, and the first TV came out of deep storage!

Oscar party wines & drinks have been selected! Food to follow later this week…

Red:

• MontGras Reserva Carmenère 2007 (Colchagua Valley, Chile):
  • Wine Enthusiast 90 pts (Best Buy): “Here’s one of the standout Best Buy reds of the season out of Chile. There’s welcoming grapeball and sweet berry aromas mixed with olive and tobacco. The feel is smooth and medium-deep, and the blackberry and plum flavors are just right. Barely herbal, with a long finish. Carmenère in its simple glory.”
• Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz 2005 (South Eastern Australia):
  • Wine Enthusiast 89 pts (Best Buy): The Reserve wines from Jacob’s Creek continue to offer excellent value, and with 90,000 cases imported, this should be easy to find. No, it’s not the most intense and concentrated Shiraz, but this medium-bodied wine offers silky tannins, plenty of blackberry and blueberry fruit touched with dried spices and a supple finish. Drink now.

White:

• Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay – Pinor Noir Brut Cuvee  (South Eastern Australia):
  • Wine Spectator 86 pts:”Bright and lively, with smoky green apple and fresh-baked bread flavors, finishing crisp. Drink now. 880,000 cases made”
• Tanqueray Dry Gin
• Bombay Sapphire Dry Gin
• Stolichnaya Vodka
• Smirnoff Vodka
• Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth

Black:

• Whaler’s: The Original Dark Rum

+ sodas in black & white, water.

New reviews!

Doubt (thank you, moviegirl!)

Iron Man, Batman – The Dark Knight (thank you, LadyOscar23!)

Another review added today (Tropic Thunder) by a new guest reviewer – thank you LadyOscar23!

And things are progressing for the 22nd:

• Invitations: check.
• Bartender: Kevin will be back again this year, with hand-stuffed olives for the martinis. Hic.
• Catering: waiting for final guest list, but Gerlach’s is standing by. Check.
• Reviews: more or less up-to-date. Only a few pending.
• Poster: at the printers for mounting. Check.
• New tie, vest: in the capable hands of UPS. Check.
• TVs: will get two more digital converter boxes today (just in case)  and will inherit another TV for the mix – thank you, astrobabe. Check!
• Movies: have seen 3/5 best picture nominess (will see the 4th tomorrow), and 18+ nominated films overall. More work to do here!

T-minus 15 days to curtain!

Many new posts today:

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Encounters at the End of the World
• Frost/Nixon
• Slumdog Millionaire
• The Visitor

I’ll admit it. For years I’ve been kinda winging it with my Oscar night “black and white” attire. However recently I discovered the following guide to black/white tie.

I’m  afraid. May go back to black jeans and a white t-shirt this year…

Welcome to the kickoff-post for the movies of 2008, and the season of the 81st Annual Academy Awards. And let me say at the top, things look promising this year. Thank blog.

Not to dwell on the past, but, UG, the last couple of years have been tough. Watching  Best Picture nominees has been harder  than enduring a Tom Cruise attempt at an Irish accent (and thots sayin’ sumptin’.) You remember the spry comedy of “No Country for Old Men“, the joyous romp through  “There Will Be Blood“, the romance of “The Departed“, the whimsical drama of “Babel“?

To be honest, I didn’t think I could take another year like that. The so-called “modern movie” has descended into nothing more that a shock-fest. No character development. No story arcs. Just blood, blood, blood. I was “Lost”.

These are not Anansi stories. Tiger stories maybe, and recall Tiger lost all the stories, and deservedly so.

But thank goodness for 2008! At time of writing, I’ve seen only a handful of the nominated movies, but in them I’ve seen a definite return to the art of great story telling. “Milk”, “In Bruges“, “Benjamin Button” and even “Slumdog Millionaire” (a tough, yet terrific movie) all have something much more than just shock and awe. We can debate the merits of these movies (and others), and debate we will, but it’s a step in the right direction.

And so, we’re off! Under a month to the ceremony at time of writing, and time to get watching and blogging. And, yes, for those of you who asked, the party is ON.

I conclude with a link to a song for the future, with a video appropriate for the past.

Salud.

(and below is a more “down home” version which is excellent!)