OSCAR WINNERS! And our thoughts!

Ok.  So I really like the Oscars.  They are my Super Bowl!  And for me, Seth Macfarlane had big shoes to fill with my main man Billy Crystal hosting last year.  I have read several reviews where they tear Macfarlane apart.  AND I don't agree.  I had many laugh out loud moments.  I think people are too high strung about the Oscars.  Yes, it's supposed to be a classy evening... but can't we laugh?  I'm not gonna lie, I nearly died when Macfarlane was introducing Christopher Plummer with some Sound of Music humor.... "THE VON TRAPP FAMILY SINGERS!"  "Sir, they're gone!"  That shit was funny.  Rolling Stones said it was stupid... whatevs.  The musical montage was amazing starting with Catherine Zeta Jones singing Chicago's "All That Jazz" followed by Jennifer Hudson's "And I am telling you" with a Les Miserables finale.  Wonderful!  And good for Russell Crowe for singing even though every one talked major unnecessary shit about him.  My highlight was Barbra.  Ms. Streisand, the queen of all, sounded freaking amazing.  I nearly died... and I definitely cried.  Argo winning Best Picture was great and Ben Affleck definitely deserved it.  Jennifer Lawrence had a great speech as did Daniel Day-Lewis.  Anne Hathaway's speech was lovely.  Overall it was a fun Oscar show! 

2013 was a fun Oscar year- it was a great show with a few surprises, some excellent performances and mostly good decisions. I was glad to see Life of Pi get some deserved love and was pleased that no riots tore Hollywood apart since Anne Hathaway and Daniel Day-Lewis walked away with their statues. Django's wins for supporting actor and screenplay were unexpected but bold. There has been mixed opinion about Macfarlane, and thought he did an excellent job. Sure, not every joke knocked it out of the park but he livened it up with an original approach and didn't fall back on excessive raunch or recycled Family Guy material. It's fashionable to bellyache about the Oscar host, but let's face it, Bob Hope is no longer with us and Billy Crystal can't do it every year so give it a break and give someone else a chance, and other than an overlong opening bit, Macfarlane brought a unique energy and some great song and dance to the ceremony. I could have done with less Kristen Stewart shots- she seemed bombed out of her brain and did not deserve to sit behind Tommy Lee Jones, Daniel Day-Lewis and Steven Spielberg, unless there was a lot of crop-dusting going on (fingers crossed). While I enjoyed seeing Shirley Bassey sing Goldfinger, I was disappointed at how short the Bond tribute was... sure Adele sang Skyfall later but Bassey has three Bond themes under her belt and there were no other surprise guest stars... c'est la vie. I was pleased to see Argo win; it seemed to have the best of all worlds for this year's slate of films and Affleck deserves any praise he can get for his wonderful directing career so far. 


Best Picture
Who we want to win: Les Miserables / Argo
Who we think will win: Lincoln / Argo
Winner: ARGO

Best Actor
Who we want to win: Hugh Jackman / Daniel Day-Lewis
Who we think will win: Daniel Day-Lewis/ Daniel Day-Lewis
Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis

Best Actress

Who we want to win: Emmanuelle Riva / Jessica Chastain
Who we think will win: Jessica Chastain / Jennifer Lawrence
Winner: Jennifer Lawrence

Best Supporting Actor
Who we want to win: Tommy Lee Jones  / Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Who we think will win: Tommy Lee Jones / Tommy Lee Jones
Winner: Christoph Waltz

Best Supporting Actress
Who we want to win: Anne Hathaway / Anne Hathaway
Who we think will win: Anne Hathaway / Anne Hathaway
Winner: Anne Hathaway

Animated Feature
Who we want to win: Wreck-it Ralph / Wreck-it Ralph
Who we think will win: Brave/  Brave
Winner: Brave

Cinematography
Who we want to win: Life of Pi / Life of Pi
Who we think will win: Life of Pi/ Life of Pi
Winner: Life of Pi

Costume Design
Who we want to win: Lincoln / Lincoln
Who we think will win: Lincoln / Anna Karenina
Winner: Anna Karenina

Directing
Who we want to win: David O. Russell (Silver Lining's Playbook) / Ang Lee (Life of Pi)
Who we think will win: Steven Spielberg ( Lincoln) / Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)
Winner: Ang Lee

Film Editing
Who we want to win: Zero Dark Thirty / Zero Dark Thirty
Who we think will win: Zero Dark Thirty / Argo
Winner: Argo 

Foreign Language Film: 
Who we want to win: Amour / Amour
Who we think will win: Amour/ Amour
Winner: Amour

Makeup and Hairstyling 
Who we want to win: Les Miserables / Les Miserables
Who we think will win: Les Miserables / Les Miserables
Winner: Les Miserables

Music: Original Score
Who we want to win: Argo / Life of Pi
Who we think will win: Life of Pi / Life of Pi
Winner: Life of Pi

Music: Original Song: 
Who we want to win: Skyfall / Skyfall
Who we think will win: Skyfall / Skyfall
Winner: Skyfall

Production Design
Who we want to win: Life of Pi / Les Miserables 
Who we think will win: Lincoln / Lincoln
Winner: Lincoln

Short Film- Animated 
Who we want to win: Paperman / Paperman
Who we think will win: Paperman / Paperman
Winner: Paperman

Sound Editing
Who we want to win: Argo /Skyfall
Who we think will win: Argo/ Zero Dark Thirty
Winner: Skyfall/Zero Dark Thirty

Sound Mixing 
Who we want to win: Argo / Skyfall
Who we think will win: Argo / Lincoln
Winner: Les Miserables

Visual Effects 
Who we want to win: Life of Pi / Life of Pi
Who we think will win: Life of Pi / Life of Pi
Winner: Life of Pi

TIM WINS with 16 correct predictions!!!

(Katie is at 11... whomp whomp.)



The Working Title honorable mentions.

Best death scene by being broken in half: Russell Crowe in Les Miserables

Best non-sexual nudity: Jamie Foxx's manhood in Django Unchained

Grossest, Dirtiest Whorefaces:  The cast of Les Miserables 

Best Deformed Face: Javier Bardem in Skyfall

Oscar 2012 Predictions!

Best Picture
Who we want to win: Les Miserables / Argo
Who we think will win: Lincoln / Argo

Best Actor

Who we want to win: Hugh Jackman / Daniel Day-Lewis
Who we think will win: Daniel Day-Lewis/ Daniel Day-Lewis


Best Actress

Who we want to win: Emmanuelle Riva / Jessica Chastain
Who we think will win: Jessica Chastain / Jennifer Lawrence

Best Supporting Actor

Who we want to win: Tommy Lee Jones  / Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Who we think will win: Tommy Lee Jones / Tommy Lee Jones

Best Supporting Actress

Who we want to win: Anne Hathaway / Anne Hathaway
Who we think will win: Anne Hathaway / Anne Hathaway



Animated Feature
Who we want to win: Wreck-it Ralph / Wreck-it Ralph
Who we think will win: Brave/  Brave

Cinematography

Who we want to win: Life of Pi / Life of Pi
Who we think will win: Life of Pi/ Life of Pi

Costume Design

Who we want to win: Lincoln / Lincoln
Who we think will win: Lincoln / Anna Karenina

Directing
Who we want to win: David O. Russell (Silver lining's playbook) / Ang Lee (life of Pi)
Who we think will win: Steven Spielberg ( Lincoln) / Steven Spielberg 

Film Editing

Who we want to win: Zero Dark Thirty / zero dark thirty
Who we think will win: Zero Dark Thirty / Argo


Foreign Language Film: 

Who we want to win: Amour / amour
Who we think will win: Amour/ Amour


Makeup and Hairstyling 

Who we want to win: Les Miserables / Les Miserables
Who we think will win: Les Miserables / Les Miserables


Music: Original Score

Who we want to win: Argo / Life of Pi
Who we think will win: Life of Pi / Life of Pi


Music: Original Song: 

Who we want to win: Skyfall / Skyfall
Who we think will win: Skyfall / Skyfall


Production Design
Who we want to win: Life of Pi / Les Miserables 
Who we think will win: Lincoln / Lincoln


Short Film- Animated 

Who we want to win: Paperman / Paperman
Who we think will win: Paperman / Paperman


Sound Editing

Who we want to win: Argo /Skyfall
Who we think will win: Argo/ Zero Dark Thirty


Sound Mixing 

Who we want to win: Argo / Skyfall
Who we think will win: Argo / Lincoln

Visual Effects 


Who we want to win: Life of Pi / Life of Pi
Who we think will win: Life of Pi / Life of Pi

Zero Dark Thirty (2012 Nominee)

The decade long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 11th, 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May 2011.

The amazing thing about this movie is that everyone knows how it ends but somehow it is RAGING suspenseful.  Thank goodness I knew how it was going to end or I might've had a heart attack in the theatre! Jessica Chastain's performance was wonderful!  It was such a great role for her.  We got to see so much of her talent in this movie.  This movie had an excellent supporting cast but it really is a one woman event.  An amazing thing about the movie is that it was in production before the death of Osama bin Laden.  It was going to be about the many year failed hunt for the al-Qaeda leader.  After his death, Kathryn Bigelow (director) had to go back to the drawing board to make a new conclusion to the film.  Tim has a lot to say about this movie, so I'm going to let him take over!  

Billed as “the greatest manhunt in history,” Zero Dark Thirty is unquestionably impactful in its urgency and immediacy. The ink had barely dried on bin Laden’s death certificate when this film was announced, and the controversial response to this film goes to prove that the wounds surrounding the film’s events have not healed, and perhaps may never. The supporting cast is all excellent, but make no mistake that this is Jessica Chastain’s film and she owns it. Much like the director, Chastain’s character is a woman playing a “man’s game,” and her struggle to be taken seriously is all uphill. After the double gut punch of this and The Hurt Locker, it’s clear that no one makes war films (or any films) like Kathryn Bigelow, who has shown amazing originality and potential since the very beginning of her career (check out the unfortunately lesser-known Near Dark or Strange Days and I’m sure you will agree). We all know that the US gets the “bad guy” at the end of this film, but the preceding action seem to suggest that we didn’t come out of it as the “good guys.” The children looking on during the jaw-dropping, suspenseful invasion of bin Laden’s hideout all have the potential to grow up to be just as vengeful and powerful, and Bigelow’s decision to make most of it in first-person point of view makes the viewer feel present and even partially responsible. There is no question that this is one of the best, maybe even the best film of the year but I predict that the Academy will not award this film Best Picture because of the message that would send to the rest of the world. Nevertheless, this film will be talked about and well-respected long after this Sunday’s awards ceremony is over. 

"0 dark 30" is a term commonly used by the military to refer to a non-specific time when it is dark outside, either very late or very early. However, the prevailing pronunciation is "oh dark thirty". 

Maya: I'm going to smoke everyone involved in this op and then I'm going to kill Osama bin Laden

Silver Linings Playbook (2012 Nominee)

Pat moves back in with his parents after a stint in a mental institution and tries to reconcile with his estranged wife.  Tiffany is struggling with the recent death of her husband.  Together they dance to forget their problems.  

The trailer for Silver Linings Playbook looked promising but not spectacular, yet my ears pricked up at the mention of David O. Russell, director of Three Kings and The Fighter. The Fighter was a film which also had an average trailer and wound up being incredible thanks to a brilliant script and acting. While it takes some time to unfold its complete story, Silver Linings Playbook was not at all disappointing and sticks out amongst even the very best films of the year.  Jennifer Lawrence could very possibly usurp early frontrunner Jessica Chastain and Bradley Cooper turns in an unexpected and impressive performance. In fact, “unexpected” is a word that can describe most of the movie; by turns hilarious, touching and sad, Silver Linings Playbook is the wildcard that could win it all on Sunday night if the votes split between Argo and Lincoln. From here on out, I trust a film by Russell to be excellent, no matter how average the trailer may seem.

I agree with Tim.  When I first heard of Silver Linings Playbook, I sort of thought it was your generic romantic comedy with some great actors.  After hearing SO much hype about it, I thought to myself, it cannot be this good.  It just can't.  But it was.  It was outstanding performances by everyone INCLUDING Chris Tucker!  It was nice to see him back in movies. I think every nomination from this movie is deserved.  I believe that Jennifer Lawrence has an excellent chance of winning and she was very good.  However, the lead actress from Amour had one of the most outstanding performances of the year.  Jennifer Lawrence did well because she seemed like such a relatable and real person.  Great performance just not my favorite of the year.  Overall, I really enjoyed this movie and I LOVE seeing a romantic comedy nominated again.  


Outside of the movie theater, the marquee shows that the theater is playing The Midnight Meat Train starring Bradley Cooper. 

Pat: You have poor social skills. You have a problem. 
Tiffany: I have a problem? You say more inappropriate things than appropriate things. 

.

Lincoln (2012 Nominee)

In the midst of the Civil War, Lincoln puts forward the amendment to emancipate slaves.  

A new film by Steven Spielberg is always cause for celebration and anticipation, and Lincoln is no exception. I had heard news of its development for several years when Liam Neeson was signed on to star for a long time until Daniel Day-Lewis was called in to fill the part. There is a reason that Day-Lewis is only in one film every few years- every performance is a powerhouse achievement and he will almost certainly win his third Oscar for this film. Lincoln wisely does not attempt to portray the entire life of the 16^th President nor does it take the messianic approach to the man. The film seems well-researched and the supporting cast was wonderful- Tommy Lee Jones may also take home a trophy and I was very pleasantly surprised by James Spader and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s brief but memorable turn as Abraham’s son Robert. As is to be expected of Spielberg’s films, the costumes, cinematography and make-up are all top-notch.  

While Lincoln seems to be the logical choice and prediction for Best Picture, it’s not my pick and I just don’t see that happening due to the strengths of some of the other nominees. It’s a great film that I will watch again but one that did not impact me personally as much as some of the other films of the year. 

This movie was great!  I really enjoyed it.  Some of my Facebook friends were saying that this movie was boring.... what the crap?  I disagree!  I found it to be very suspenseful through it's dialogue.  Tony Kushner adapted the script and he is a brilliant man.  Not only did he do the screen play for one of Tim's favorites, Munich and he wrote the play for Angels in America, a very thoughtful and eye-opening film.  I was thrilled to see him be a part of this project.  I grew up with a great appreciation for Lincoln.  He's my father's favorite president.  We visited all of the Lincoln-centric sites in Washington D.C. on a family visit.  Daniel Day-Lewis was incredible.   And I was extremely impressed with Lee Pace who played an outspoken Democrat with a sharp tongue.   The part of the movie I found ridiculous was the manner in which bills were discussed in the House of Representative.  It was portrayed as an explosion of opinions with insults flying across the room.  It was a mad house!  

The grandfather of Michael Stanton Kennedy was a newspaperman from the town where his character, Hiram Price, lived. When filming the scene where the 13th Amendment passes, Kennedy started to cry and couldn't explain why until later, when he told Steven Spielberg "We're in this room recreating one of the most important moments in American history... and up there [in the balcony] with the press sat my great-grandfather." 

Abraham Lincoln: I could write shorter sermons but when I get started I'm too lazy to stop.

Life of Pi (2012 Nominee)

An extraordinary tale of a young man who survives a shipwreck.  His only companion is a fearsome Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker.  

I went into Life of Pi very cautiously optimistic; I had read and fell in love with the book in High School and was filled with trepidation at the thought of a mediocre retelling because of an inevitable loss in translation. Thankfully, the inspired masterstroke of signing Ang Lee on for the project has resulted what is likely the best possible adaptation of Yann Martel’s incredible novel. Filled with stunning images, the visual effects and 3D are some of the finest I have yet seen- in fact, the 3D was so immersive that I found myself almost getting seasick with the stormy rocking of the life boat. Suraj Sharma delivers a totally believable breakthrough performance as the titular character. After all, he has to for the film to work- the vast majority of the film is just him with a CGI tiger. While this film will likely not win Best Picture, it’s a lock for music and visual effects and is very competitive in all other categories. Those looking for an intense, realistic survival film will be disappointed, but this is not one of those films- it is a meditation on faith, belief and the power of storytelling, and it is one of the finest examples of the latter this year. 

I liked this movie.  The visual effects were unbelievable!  Tim is correct in saying that you almost feel seasick halfway through the movie.  The beginning of the movie where you learn Pi's background is so unique with some laugh out loud moments.  I don't really have a ton to say about this movie.  I'm not going to lie, there were things I didn't really understand about the movie or that I'm not sure that I understood.  Like the Carnivorous Island...?  However, the movie was incredible and the ending really stays with you.  While it was very, very good, it was not my favorite movie of the year.  It's probably one I don't need to watch over and over again.   Maybe once I read the book, I'll really love the movie.  

Yann Martel, the author of the book has stated that his inspiration for the book's premise came from reading a book review of Brazilian author Moacyr Scliar's 1981 novella Max and the Cats, about a Jewish-German refugee who crossed the Atlantic Ocean while sharing his boat with a jaguar. 

Writer: [reading off the report] Mr. Patel's is an astounding story, courage and endurance unparalleled in the history of ship-wrecks. Very few castaways can claim to have survived so long, and none in the company of an adult Bengal tiger. 

Les Miserables (2012 Nominee)

In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, a man convicted of stealing a loaf of bread, breaks his parole and is hunted by Javert, a ruthless policeman.  After rebuilding his life, he agree's to care for a factory worker turned whore's daughter, Cosette.  

There was a time in the 1960’s when a musical was nominated or even won Best Picture every year. As of late however, with the exception of a few breakouts, the musical film genre has had a much rockier history; film versions of The Phantom of the Opera and the more-recent Rock of Ages among others had several fatal problems. It is because of this that I am pleasantly surprised and pleased to report that Les Misérables succeeds despite the odds and is the best film musical I have seen since Hairspray or Dreamgirls, perhaps even the best since 2002’s Chicago. That’s not to say that this film is flawless- the much-discussed live singing greatly enhances the performances but causes some issues with sound mixing, and much chagrin has been placed on Russell Crowe’s singing. Nevertheless, the good outweighs the bad- the supporting cast and art direction is fantastic and Anne Hathaway’s Oscar win seems beyond reproach. I will definitely revisit Les Misérables and it deserves its place in my top 5 of the year. 


Dear Anne Hathaway- You are amazing.  I don't care if you did sketchy things to lose weight.  I love you anyways.  

Ok, so Les Mis.  I laughed, I cried, I loved it.  Quick break down of my thoughts in the show.  If it was just a movie about Anne Hathaway... IT WOULD BE WORTH IT!  Her good girl gone ho-bag routine is LEGIT.  She is def winning that Oscar.  Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter are amazing.  They were a treat to watch.  Hugh Jackman was very good.  He had some moments were he sounded too ugly to be Jean Valjean but all was forgiven during "Bring Him Home." The girl who played Eponine was wonderful (she played the role on broadway) and her waist was way tiny.  Scary tiny.  Marius, Eddie Redmayne, was great! I was amazed.  Usually the character is sort of blah and you just want Eponine to run off with ANY one else. The scene where this movie was elevated even more was when the young men are discussing the revolution.   EVERY single person in that scene is amazing.  Especially Enjorlas.... BE STILL MY BEATING HEART!  Seriously.  Some wonderful things in this movie.  Amanda Seyfried was fine and Russell Crowe was mediocre in his finest hour.  It has become cool to crap on Crowe's performance.  He was underwhelming but not THAT bad.   Just a weak link in an extremely strong chain AND score for Seyfried because he made her look a whole lot better. 

Anne Hathaway's mother had covered the role of Fantine, the character she plays in the film, in the US national tour of Les Miserables when she was a child. 

Jean Valjean: To love another person is to see the face of God. 

Django Unchained (2012 Nominee)

With the help of a German bounty hunter, Christoph Waltz, a freed slave, Django, sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.

Nobody turns heads, stirs the pot and explodes heads quite like Quentin Tarantino. Pulp Fiction was easily among the most influential and important films of the ‘90’s and his body of work, while an acquired taste (some find his dialogue long-winded and self-indulgent and his movies can be, um, sort of violent), is incredibly impressive. Django Unchained continues his streak of excellence marked by his unique way of being unabashedly derivative and incredibly original at the same time. While this film is undeniably the work of a master, it seems to fall just short of a true masterpiece. Despite the fact that racial slurs fly faster than the bullets that make red water balloons of their targets, Django does not have quite the same boldness and freshness that Inglourious Basterds did. It’s an excellent film to be sure with frequent flashes of brilliance (the Ku Klux Klan scene is hysterical) but one that falls in the bottom half of Tarantino’s resume. 

I liked this movie.  It was a little on the long side for me but it was good.  The performances by Waltz and Foxx were amazing.  Jamie Foxx was so wonderful that I cannot imagine anyone else ever playing this role but him.  You even see all of Jamie Foxx, but hang on ladies... don't rush out this instant.  It is possibly in the worst context ever that you see him in ALL his glory.  Anyways, Leonardo DiCaprio was great but he wasn't the bad guy I was expecting him to be.  It was almost like Samuel L. Jackson was the bad guy.  There were some great power struggles between Jackson, the head house slave, and DiCaprio, plantation owner Calvin Candie of Candie land.  The part of the movie I loved the most was Django's search for his wife and fellow slave, Broomhilda.  She is a black slave who speaks fluent German.  Waltz's character reveals an interesting piece of German folklore where Broomhilda is in need of a knight in shining armor and this becomes Django's inspiration. 

Russ Tamblyn, whose character in this movie is named "Son of a Gunfighter," starred in the 1965 movie Son of a Gunfighter. Tamblyn's real-life daughter, actress Amber Tamblyn plays a character in Django Unchained named "Daughter of a Son of a Gunfighter". 

Calvin Candie: Gentlemen, you had my curiosity. But now, you have my attention. 

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012 Nominee)

Faced with both her father's declining health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleashes these prehistory creatures called aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love.

First off, Quvenzhane Wallis, the five year old, did a phenomenal job.  It was a very interesting film.  I guess I'm bummed that this was up for best picture when Moonrise Kingdom wasn't.  That was one of my favorite movies of the year.  It was artistic and odd in a charming way.  While the performances were fantastic, I will probably never watch it again.  I guess it felt like the movie would be really predictable and then there would be some weird artistic stuff to throw you off.  I understand the movie and it was good.  It just wasn't one of my favorites. 

It's difficult to have a fully-formed opinion about this film after only one viewing. While likely the most original and organic of all the Best Picture nominees, it has the misfortune of being nominated the same year as Life of Pi. Both films feature real world plots and settings influenced by childlike fantasy except that Pi delivers more fantastic and ultimately more successful results. The performances are excellent, most of which are delivered by unknowns which adds an element of authenticity. I just wish this film's fantasy elements had been better balanced or more defined like Life of Pi or Big Fish. As it stands, Beasts is an incredibly interesting film and a breath of fresh air in the realm of conventionality. It's certainly cool that it was nominated for some Oscars, I just don't expect it to take home any because of the film's narrow appeal and general lack of exposure. 

When Oprah Winfrey featured "Beasts" in a one-hour TV show, Oprah revealed that it was President Barack Obama who first told her about the movie. 

Hushpuppy: When it all goes quiet behind my eyes, I see everything that made me lying around in invisible pieces. When I look too hard, it goes away. And when it all goes quiet, I see they are right here. I see that I'm a little piece in a big, big universe. And that makes things right. When I die, the scientists of the future, they're gonna find it all. They gonna know, once there was a Hushpuppy, and she live with her daddy in the Bathtub. 

Argo (2012)

A dramatization of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran.

There was a time when I thought of Ben Affleck as the flash-in-the-pan from Good Will Hunting that was more at home in Gigli or Reindeer Games. In the past few years however, Affleck has emerged as one of the finest directors of his generation. Argo continues the amazing streak started by Gone Baby Gone and The Town and is easily one of the best films of the year. Performances are excellent and many of the casting choices are truly inspired (Alan Arkin and John Goodman, wow!) in a film that combines the hostage crisis suspense and urgency of Dog Day Afternoon with laugh-out-loud humor contained in a story that is just too unbelievable to be true… except that it is. Argo is simply a fabulous film and, despite the jaw-dropping snub for Best Director, is perhaps my personal choice for Best Picture. On a side note, I fully expect “Argo-fuck yourself” to become a cult catchphrase.

I really enjoyed Argo.  Suspenseful and comedic with a 70's flair!  What's not to love?  After reading Tim's post... I had to delete most of mine.  Apparently, we felt the same about the movie.  It was very well done!  Perhaps the best picture nominee that I will watch the most.  The replay value is very high! 

In order to make the movie feel like the 1970s, Ben Affleck shot it on regular film, cut the frames in half, and blew those images up 200% to increase their graininess. 

Lester Siegel: Argo fuck yourself. 

Amour (2012 Nominee)

Georges and Anne are in their eighties and are both retired music teachers. Anne suffers a massive attack and the couple's bond of love is tested.

This movie was good.  I guess when it was over I just felt kind of meh.  I mean it is a depressing-as-crap movie but the end just happens.  When it was over, it didn't really leave it's mark on me.  There were pieces of the movie that didn't really go anywhere.  They discussed being burgled in the beginning so I just assumed that would happen.  I mean I get the significance and I think it's definitely worth seeing, it just wasn't exactly as amazing as I had expected.  The acting is quite incredible especially by Emmanuelle Riva!  She is the oldest woman to have been nominated for an Oscar.  She was amazing.  Her performance should be studied by actors... I'm dead serious.  

To a current music teacher, nothing says "uplifting" like watching the story of elderly, depressed and terminally ill music teachers. This film is very honest and "real" yet it has that rare distinction of being a great film but a "bad movie": there is basically no entertainment or replay value to be found here. I'm familiar with Haneke's work and am aware that he is an excellent director; this film is far less violent and creepy than some of his work. I just simply don't understand why films like Skyfall and Moonrise Kingdom (or even past Best Foreign Film winners/nominees like The Lives of Others or Cinema Paradiso) were not Best Picture nominees but this film is. The performances and the overall craft is excellent but the film leaves you mostly empty and unfulfilled. I will likely find it more relevant and meaningful when I am of an age comparable to the lead characters, but as for now I don't imagine I will ever watch this film again.


According to Jean-Louis Trintignant, one of the main reasons why the pigeon scenes took so much to shoot (12 takes) is because Michael Haneke tried to direct the animal constantly.




Georges: Things will go on, and then one day it will all be over.  (Translated from French) 

From Here to Eternity (1953)

We are in war in 1941 where Robert E. Lee Prewitt has requested Army transfer and has ended up in Hawaii. His new captain, Holmes, has heard of his mad boxing skills and is trying to get him to fight even though Prewitt wants nothing to do with it.  So Holmes makes his stay in Hawaii a living hell.  Meanwhile the second in command, Warden starts seeing Holmes' wife, who has a history of straying from her troubled marriage. Maggio, Prewitt's friend, continuously tries to escape and Sergeant 'Fatso' Judson continues to beat the crap out of him.  In the midst of all the drama, Prewitt begins falling in love with social club employee Lorene. All of this occurs with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor looms in the distance.

First off, seeing Donna Reed play Lorene the whore is pretty great!  I mean she is always the wholesome character.  LIke in "It's a Wonderful Life" she ends up being the spinster librarian when Jimmy Stewart isn't there to sweep her off her feet.  Seeing her a little "slewish" is refreshing and actually believable!  Oh Donna!  You saucy minx you!   Maggio (Sinatra) and "Fatso" Judson's storyline was, probably the most interesting. Ernest Borgnine plays Judson (who isn't really fat) but he is quite the bastard.  He insults Maggio's sister and when Maggio beats him up with a chair, the person in the Army in charge of punishment is, of course, Judson... who beats the crap out of him daily.  My least favorite storyline is actually the love affair between the Warden and Karen, the captain's wife. This movie has that famous beach scene where Warden (Burt Lancaster) and Karen (Deborah Kerr) are making out in the sand but aside from that, I knew nothing about the movie.  Aside from the steamy make outs, Karen (Kerr) is pretty blah.  She basically confesses to Warden that she sleeps with any warm body to make her feel better about her failed marriage.  She's more of a ho-bag than Donna Reed!  Jeez Mr. Lancaster, she sure is a keeper... false.  

Prior to this blog I had seen about half this film, but I didn’t really remember any of it. The only thing I remembered is the same scene everyone remembers: the famous beach kiss scene (which only lasts about 2 seconds in the film). I was under the impression that this was more of a war film, but the battle action is really on the periphery as the unfolding of the first half of the film becomes more like boot camp soap opera. Even the title of the film would be right at home during daytime TV between Days of Our Lives and As The World Turns. Everyone’s cheating on everyone and no one can truly be together, but luckily the second half of the film becomes a lot more thanks to the growing story arcs of Robert Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) and Maggio (Frank Sinatra), which seems to be where Cool Hand Luke drew some inspiration. I never thought of Sinatra as a “great actor,” but his Oscar-winning performance here is very impressive and memorable. Eternity’s Oscar wins seem to be indicative of a nation still in need of healing with WWII recently passed and the Korean War and Cold War still upon us. It’s not my favorite Best Picture, but the excellent performances and message of hope ensures that this film will last forever.

One of two Academy Award Best Picture winners to receive nominations in all four acting categories. The other is Mrs. Miniver.  Maybe Silver Lining's Playbook will join these two?

Sergeant Milton Warden: Rose, do you know why I like to have you serve me beer? So as I can watch you when you walk away.