Oscars in Black and White

When: tonight (Thursday), 7:15pm show; meet outside by 7:10pm

Where: Edwards Renaissance 14, Alhambra

Which categories: Actress, supporting actress (x2), supporting actor, adapted screenplay

What else: We have coupons for $6.50 tickets which we are happy to share if you catch us before we go inside!

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…

When: tonight (Tuesday), 7:25pm show; meet outside by 7:20pm

Where: Edwards Renaissance 14

How much: We have coupons for $6.50 tickets which we are happy to share if you catch us before we go inside. Also, if you have a MovieWatcher card, you get free popcorn (this is why we go on Tues nights)!

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!)

It’s time, more than time actually, to recap, the 80th Annual Academy Awards:

Who won? Who should have won? Who wore what? Who cares?

I care!

Here is my scorecard of who won, and who should have won, in the major categories this year. The biggest injustice: “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”, on merit alone, should have swept the major categories. I know this is a hard sell, given the movie is in French and subtitled. The biggest disappointment? The continued degradation of the Hollywood movie – the lack of character arc, development and story. Being shocking and repulsive does not a great movie make.

With that said, here are the movies of 2007:

2007 Best Motion Picture of the Year: the Academy selected “No Country for Old Men” (blech). I chose “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”. No contest.

Performance by an actor in a leading role: Daniel Day Lewis (“There Will Be Blood”) was the choice of the Academy. My choice: Mathieu Amalric in “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role: Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men”) won. My choice: Peter O’Toole in an animated performance in “Ratatouille”.

Performance by an actress in a leading role: the Academy chose Marion Cotillaid (“La Vie en Rose”). I can’t argue strongly with their choice, but my nod would have gone to Ellen Page for “Juno”

Performance by an actress in a supporting role: Tilda Swinton wins for her role in “Michael Clayton”. No complaints (but no strong feelings either) from me…

Best Animated Feature Film: the Academy and I enthusiastically agreed on “Ratatouille”

Achievement in Art Direction: “Sweeney Todd” wins; “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” was robbed.

Achievement in Cinematography: “There Will Be Blood” wins; “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” was robbed, again. Maybe the Academy isn’t ready to step up and properly reward a foreign language film?

Achievement in Costume Design: “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” was the obvious choice for the Academy. OK. Both “La Vie en Rose” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” were worthy of consideration.

Achievement in Directing: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen (“No Country for Old Men”) win. Without doubt, Julian Schnabel (“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”) deserved the nod for a complete, outstanding movie.

Achievement in Film Editing: “The Bourne Ultimatum” is the uninspired choice of the Academy. My choice – you guessed – “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” for putting together a tough yet completely compelling voyage into Jean Do’s world.

Achievement in Makeup: “La Vie en Rose” wins. OK by me; “Pirates of the Caribbean” would have been a reasonable choice as well.

Original Score: in a vote from a parallel, weird universe, “Atonement” wins. Michael Giacchino (“Ratatouille”) must still be in shock.

Original Song: a home-run for the Academy for getting it so right with “Falling Slowly” from “Once”. Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.

Achievement in Sound Editing: “The Bourne Ultimatum” wins again. I am numb, but I guess I can live with that.

Achievement in Sound Mixing: this category makes “the Bourne Ultimatum” a, count ’em, three time Academy Award winner! Think about that for a minute. Does anyone (including myself) really understand what sound mixing means?

Achievement in Visual Effects: “The Golden Compass” wins a consolation prize. “Pirates of the Caribbean” was a no-brainer (which, perhaps, says something of the mental abilities of the members of the Academy?)

Adapted Screenplay: “No Country for Old Men” wins. You know my choice by now: “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”

Original Screenplay: “Juno” is chosen by both the Academy and me. Righteous.

New films reviewed:

• Across the Universe
  
• Gone Baby Gone

Getting nervous about the weather! Looks like rain through the weekend. I have arranged for some outdoor pavilions and heaters during the ceremony…

“Here Comes the Sun?”

Just over one week to the Academy Awards!!!!

Coming later this week: Spacedcowboy’s synopsis of 2007: the year at the movies.

Now available, new reviews for:

• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
• Transformers

Reviews still pending: Lars and the Real Girl (Let me say it again: see it!!!! It’s wonderful), The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (ug) and Elizabeth: The Golden Age (barf)…

New reviews today:

• 3:10 to Yuma
• There Will Be Blood

And we saw Lars and the Real Girl (see it!!!! It’s wonderful), and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Plus we owe reviews for Elizabeth: The Golden Age (barf), and Transformers (yay).

Stand by!!!!

February 9, 2008 (UT) at time of writing. 16 days to showtime. Crunch time.

We’re seeing at least one nominated movie daily now, and still trying to find time to write the black-and-white reviews! New entries today include:

• Once
• Surf’s Up
• The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

We’ve seen There Will Be Blood, Transformers, and 3:10 to Yuma, and reviews are all pending for those as well. Help!!!!