Natalie Portman wins for Best Actress!

Definitely saw that coming. Really happy for Natalie because she is one of my favorite people (seriously she’s lovely and so eloquent), but I think Jennifer Lawrence should have taken that award.

27 February Permalink

My Oscar Predictions

Well, the Oscars are tomorrow and I just realized that I hadn’t written down my predictions! Alas, grad school has once again got the best of me. Luckily though I’m writing this just in the nick of time! So here are my predictions for the major awards for this year’s Oscars. I’ll be brief.

Actor in a Leading Role

Who I think will win: Colin Firth, The King’s Speech

Who I want to win: Colin Firth, The King’s Speech. I think it’s a 99.9% certainty that Firth will win this year. His performance was unbelievably strong. Plus, with last year’s nom for a A Single Man, Firth is quickly proving just how hard of a heavy hitter he is. (Side note: why was Ryan Gosling not nominated for Blue Valentine? He was AMAZING in that film and at least a nomination would have been deserving.)

Actor in a Supporting Role

Who I think will win: Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

Who I want to win: Christian Bale, The Fighter. Bale’s performance was so moving. I literally teared up towards the end. The man is a freakin’ chameleon when it comes to his craft. He seems to be able to master any and goes to any length in order to perfect his character. His portrayal in The Fighter would be a well-deserved win.

Actress in a Leading Role

Who I think will win: Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Who I want to win: Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone. While I do think Portman’s performance was quite strong, it still felt a bit flat. I’m a huge supporter of Black Swan, but out of the nominees I think it’s Lawrence that really shone through. Her portrayal of an Ozark Mountain girl trying to find her father in order to keep her home and family intact was just powerful. 

Actress in a Supporting Role

Who I think will win: Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Who I want to win: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit. Leo was great in her role, but Steinfeld stole every scene she was in, including those with heavyweights like Matt Damon and Jeff Bridges. At the tender age of 14, that’s no easy feat! 

Best Director

Who I think will win: Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech

Who I want to win: Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan. This was a tough one to choose. While I adore Fincher, it was Aronofsky’s Black Swan that was the strongest in my opinion. I mean, he turned this crazy psychological thriller into a real piece of cinematic art. You can see my thoughts on the film here. In all likelihood though, since Hooper won for The King’s Speech at the DGA Awards he’s practically a shoe-in for this year’s award. (Side note: why wasn’t Christopher Nolan nominated for Inception? Another snub that was just purely wrong. I know the Academy doesn’t think big technical, special effects-oriented movies require directorial expertise, but Nolan directed that film like a freakin’ artist.)

Documentary (Feature)

Who I think will win: Inside Job

Who I want to win: Restrepo. This was another one I was torn on. Exit Through the Gift Shop was great. It really quirky and well-executed doc (plus, the company I write for distributes it so I’m slightly biased). Yet, I think Restrepo is a really poignant, important and moving doc. I saw it while I was an intern at the Full Frame Doc Festival in North Carolina and it just blew me away. It brings to light just what the soldiers in Afghanistan are going through and the emotional toll it’s taking on them. Yet, at the same time filmmakers Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington don’t pontificate. They allow you to form your own opinions. If you haven’t seen it yet, I urge you to. 

Best Picture

Who I think will win: The King’s Speech

Who I want to win: Inception. Oof. Can I just say how dumb I think it is that 10 pictures instead of 5 are nominated? I know it’s supposed to give due credit to those films that often get overlooked, but come on now, there is really only one winner in the end. All they are doing is making this choice so difficult for me! I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed all the films nominated. They are definitely la creme de la creme of 2010, but not all deserve that little Golden statue. I went back and forth for quite some time between Inception and Black Swan. Both are equally deserving, but Inception was just brilliant in every way—plot, cinematography, acting, editing, everything. The fact that Nolan wasn’t even nominated for Best Director is just ludicrous to me. Inception is a rare breed in Hollywood these days in that it’s an original story crafted by Nolan. Lately that’s becoming more and more uncommon. I think Inception deserves some recognition.

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Well, there they are! I don’t have a TV this year in my apartment (and on top of that I have a paper due Monday) so I’ll be watching the ceremony probably when it streams online.  How many of you will be watching live?

26 February 10 Permalink

Highlights from last night’s Golden Globes

• Every awkward and insulting joke Ricky Gervais made
• “Here’s Ashton Kutcher’s dad, Bruce Willis!”
• Chris Colfer’s win and speech: “Most importantly, to all the amazing kids that watch our show and the kids that our show celebrates, who are constantly told ‘no’ by the people in their environments, by bullies at school that they can’t be who they are or have what they want because of who they are. Well, screw that, kids.”
• Jon Hamm’s face during his nomination.
• Steve Buscemi finally gets recognized! Boardwalk Empire is fantastic.
• Angelina Jolie fixing Brad Pitt’s tie. Could they be any cuter?
• Andrew Garfield’s hiccup with “inspiringly.” He was so nervous. How endearing.
• Robert Downey Jr.’s entire presenter speech, especially the look between him and Emma Stone. 
• That sweet moment between Claire Danes and Temple Grandin.
• Tina Fey and Steve Carrell, always always always comedy gold.
• Aaron Sorkin’s “Smart girls have more fun.” That man is pure brilliance.
• Jane Lynch! 
• Olivia Wilde’s dress. Magnificence.
• Kaley Cuoco’s surprise and excitement over fellow castmate Jim Parson’s win.
• Robert De Niro. BAMF.
• Tom Hanks teary-eyed over De Niro’s award.
• David Fincher’s win. 
• Glee writer Ian Brennan thanking public school teachers.
• Will Johnny Depp beat Johnny Depp? What an important question.
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt (yes, that deserved to be on here twice).
• Natalie Portman is perfection.”He’s the best actor. He totally wants to sleep with me!”
• The Kids Are All Right winning Best Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical. I interned for the company that sold it. So proud of this wonderful film.
• Colin Firth’s bumbling sweet speech.
• The standing ovation for Michael Douglas.
• Jesse Eisenberg lifting Andrew Garfield from his seat.

My least favorite parts were those awkward moments when the sad music would come on and the award winners would have to hurry to finish their speeches. I cringe every time.

Overall the show was “unusually mean-spirited” and punctuated with lots of awkward cringe-worthy moments (the cameramen have the unique ability of capturing all the bored or appalled celebrity faces). Not the best show and really long, but pretty entertaining and oftentimes emotional.

What did you guys think of the awards? What were your favorite or least favorite parts?

17 January 10 Permalink