Obligatory Oscars Entry

[howeird]

I was lucky enough to be invited to an Oscars Night party by a friend from Santa Clara Players, and someone from improv class was also there, so I had more fun and info than my cats would have provided. I had not seen many nominated movies, mostly because I go to the movies to be entertained, and this was yet another year of the more angst, the more nominations. As an actor, i am here to say shouting is not Great Acting. The Academy apparently doesn't agree with me. Cate Blanchett does - the grimace she displayed when they played the clip of her shouting in Elizabeth: The Golden Age was proof of that. I didn't like that clip, either.

So, the movies I saw which were nominated for something:

Sweeny Todd, which I did not think deserved any nominations

Enchanted, had three songs nominated, but the one song which I thought should have been, True Love's Kiss, was not. I also thought they should have been nominated for screenplay, costumes, art direction, sound mixing and score. They were also robbed by not being considered for an animation award - it's a lot harder to mix animation and live action than it is to "just" build an animated feature.

Transformers I did not think it deserved its nomination for sound mixing or sound editing, but the special effects nod was reasonable.

All I know about the other movies is what little I saw on the clips last night, and maybe a few trailers last year. I am not a big fan of action films, horror or angst. I wish there were more musicals made into movies, like the good old days when Broadway hits like The Sound of Music and South Pacific went straight from the stage to the screen.

Anyway, films which I have added to my Netflix queue based on what I saw last night:
Juno looks like a quirky-in--a-good-way script with some fine acting
La Vie En Rose curious to compare the singing with Piaf's
No Country For Old Men Fine acting & solid tech may make up for the grim subject
American Gangster Ruby Dee's first major movie role since A Raisin in the Sun

Maybe later:
Gone Baby, Gone Something in the supporting actress clip which hooked me
Into the Wild Hal Holbrook usually is picky about what he puts his name on
The Kite Runner Word of mouth says this is a great film, the Academy apparently did not agree except for the score.
Ratatouille just for the entertainment
The Bourne Ultimatum just to see if all the tech awards were justified
The Assassination of Jesse James to see if Casey is as good as brother Ben. Also have a bit of interest in the subject

I will not be seeing:
There Will Be Blood maybe if they had kept the original book's title I'd have been tempted
Elizabeth: The Golden Age looks boring
Once predictable, poorly shot
Norbit Yet another "who needs a cast - I can play all the parts" Eddie Murphy disaster
Michael Clayton it's a lawyer-centric remake of Silkwood
Lars and the Real Girl gag me with a bicycle pump
In The Valley of Elah fears that the movie is as boring as the title
The Golden Compass too evangelical
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly sounds boring. And I someone I know who went through their own real version of this just died.
Charlie Wilson's War can't stand Tom Hanks
Away From Her If the clip of Cate's Bob Dylan impersonation is any indicator, this film sucks
Atonement too much unjustified angst per square inch
Across The Universe what hideous costumes!

One highlight for me was the honorary award given to Robert Boyle. At 98 years old, the man is still able to stand up and make a speech. Okay, so he had a few rough moments, and it took a while, but he did better than some of the actors.

Comments

[cinchntouch.livejournal.com]

La Vie En Rose: I thought this was a stunning film and I was very pleased with the oscar nod for best actress (I can't remember her name) I am not sure if she does her own singing though. I really have no plan to see "No Country" or any of the other big winners.

I would recommend pushing Ratatouille up to the top of your list. I had no desire to see this film (I find most of the Pixar movies to be insipid, trite and boring)at all and I was blown away by how thoughtful, well-done and just plain nice it was. I would have loved to have seen this get a nomination for best picture since I think it is one of the best animated films I have ever seen. I think the best praise I can give it is that it made me hungry while watching it.

[howeird]

I'm still on the fence about "No Country". It is not unheard of for me to receive a DVD from Netflix and decide to just put it back in the mail unviewed. Did that with Million Dollar Baby.

Have heard good things about the rat flick, which is why I want to save it for later, when I need some cheering up and can devote the full couple of hours it deserves. For other kinds of movies, I'll fast forward a lot, so I can fit them in between dinner and pre-bed online time. I just did that, for example, with Emanuelle and The Last Cannibals.

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

Liked Michael Clayton, then again, my mom was a lawyer.
Atonement was an interesting, well done, period piece (WWII). Not too much angst.
Liked the Golden Compass, they cut down on the evangelical, pushed up the fantasy. They pronounce Daemon wrong, but the daemon themselves are well done. So is the Polar Bear. The special effects were well integrated and made the world seamless as a result.
Mom and I loved Juno. But then again, I'm adopted and was seeing it with the lady who adopted me. So it was more special to us than most. The story is well done though.
Mom saw the Diving Bell and the Butterfly with one of her caregivers. She loved it, and she's a stroke victim herself, so that's an interesting comment.
Most are on DVD, so available from the usual suspects for not a lot of money.
Out in the Theaters Right Now - Mom has gone to see Definitely, Maybe twice now and she would see it again if we would go. Definitely a Buy the DVD when it comes out for her.

[howeird]

Thanks for the comments. The clips from Michael Clayton reminded me too much of the morality-soaked trailers from Silkwood and The China Syndrome. The animation in the Golden Compass clips bothers me - there is just something Wrong in the way the bear moves. Maybe the way the head swivels on the neck with no jarring from footsteps. Something.

Watch for a future post which will make All Things Clear Re: Diving Bell.

I don't buy movies, except if that is the only way to see them. Netflix is my friend.