Oscar predictions post Globe/PGA

Best Picture
Into the Wild
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Alternates: Atonement, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

I don't think the Globe win saves Atonement in any way, it just makes the race a little more interesting. Sad, but whatever. At least Atonement has a likely sweep of the BAFTAs, right? I still can't see AMPAS going for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly when Pan's Labyrinth couldn't get in last year (though knowing me, Diving Bell will be nominated, of course). If one of these is most vulnerable, I think it might actually be There Will Be Blood, as it's...um...a tad too crazy for AMPAS, no?


Best Director
P.T. Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Coen brothers, No Country for Old Men
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Sean Penn, Into the Wild
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Alternates: Burton, Scott, Fincher, Lumet

Take DGA. Copy + paste. Hooray! If AMPAS gets sentimental they could go for Lumet or Scott, and if they're feeling crazy they could go for Fincher. Burton still stands a pretty good chance, but I can't think of who to bump out.


Best Actor
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Emile Hirsch, Into the Wild
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Alternates: Gosling, Washington, McAvoy

Wow, if this happens, what a strong lineup. Not a performance I didn't like in the bunch. Of course, this means Gosling (sorry, Ryan. Looooved you in Half Nelson.) or Washington will get in at the expense of, like, Viggo. *cries*


Best Actress
Amy Adams, Enchanted
Julie Christie, Away from Her
Marion Cotillard, La vie en rose
Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart
Ellen Page, Juno
Alternates: Blanchett, Linney, Knightley

I know, predicting Adams over Blanchett is sheer lunacy. But...Adams might be on less ballots overall, but get way more #1s; ain't no one votin' #1 for Blanchett except Blanchett. And...I'm thinking optimistically. Shhh! I would cry of happiness if Linney got in, but I just don't think it's happening.


Best Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James...
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
Alternates: Travolta (please, no...), Lee Jones, Finney

I don't really see too many people spoiling this party. If Travolta gets in I shan't be happy.


Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Catherine Keener, Into the Wild
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
Alternates: Redgrave, Dee, Garner

I liked Breslin a lot last year but if she got in, Ronan should get in...


Best Original Screenplay
Juno
Knocked Up
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
The Savages
Alternates: Lars and the Real Girl, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Don't really have any comments for this one. I just don't see Oscar going for Lars at all. shrug


Best Adapted Screenplay
Atonement
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Into the Wild
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Alternates: Charlie Wilson's War, Zodiac, Away from Her

I think, even if it gets left out of Picture/Director/the other majors, the Academy would really have to absolutely despise Atonement to leave it out here.

Hmm.

You know what would be hilarious?

Susie = AMPAS member
Tommy = Paul Haggis

If, against all odds, In the Valley of Elah got an Oscar nom for Best Original Screenplay. Ha! How much do you think the Brokeback fans would freak out over that? Paul Haggis nominated four years in a row! That said, it would be the most amazing thing ever if the movie had huge traction with AMPAS and Tommy Lee Jones got in. If you can give him an Oscar for The Fugitive, you can give him at least a nomination for In the Valley of Elah (or No Country for Old Men)!

PS.: In the Valley of Elah was good but not great, but his competition from 2005's - Ang Lee, duh - movie of this year, Lust, Caution, was just great and much better than Lee's 2005 movie, Brokeback Mountain. Of course, it's being for the most part completely ignored.

Steve Carell gives the best advice.

"He looks back and decides that all those years that he suffered, those were the best years of his life, 'cause they made him who he was. All those years he was happy? You know, total waste. Didn't learn a thing. So, if you sleep 'til you're 18... think of all the suffering you're going to miss. I mean, high school? High school...those are your prime suffering years! You don't get better suffering than that."

"BFD. Engaged ain't married."
"Huh..."
"Never give up. Never, ever give up."

Globe reactions '07 (or '08. whatever)

- Okay, I'm reading an article about the Globes, and did you know there are only 82 members?! Christ. AMPAS has over 6000.
- My predictions weren't that bad, though woohoo I fucked up the major categories (screenplay, director, both Best Pictures).
- Wow, they really did not like No Country all that much. And they hated Juno. Duh, I should have gone with the age-old "Globes love musicals" card. I guess Sweeney Todd/Juno is like last year's Dreamgirls/Little Miss Sunshine.
- Atonement yayyyy!!! Even if you despise it, at least it made the race a little more interesting, right? I don't think it's winning Best Picture, but I think it can at least get the nomination now.
- Schnabel Diving Bell WHAT. You're the one movie I can't see or *cough* find... and you keep winning/being nominated for things. I enjoyed Basquiat and Before Night Falls enough, but didn't think the direction was notable in either, really. You know what, Diving Bell? I'm just gonna have to tough it through Oscar season not having seen you. I can't believe I forgot Julian Schnabel was a famous artist, though. Duh.
- Billy Bush could not be more stupid. Insulting many of the wins (saying Cate Blanchett "just played a man" or something like that and saying Marion Cotillard shouldn't have won because her movie wasn't actually a comedy/musical, which...actually...is a decent criticism), calling virtually every TV show a "movie," and just being generally an idiot... Duh. I mean, he said Amy Ryan should have won because she was "an established actress in the movie business" or whatever, thus inferring that Cate Blanchett is not. I know I'm not her biggest fan, but um, duhhh... and also. "When you team together Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, you get something really special, like Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio." Uh?! I think that only got great just last year, after two previous tries, and well, MARTIN SCORSESE AND ROBERT DENIRO? Jesus. Moron.
- I have no real problems with any of the wins. I would have preferred any of the other nominees over Cotillard, but I'm not like GAR ARGH RAAHHH etc. I actually - and this may shock some of you - love Cate Blanchett in I'm Not There, but she's lead. Still great though, and borderline, so we'll let it slide.
- TV: What is Mad Men? I'm not the most into TV (though as is brutally obvious, I do enjoy The Office, as well as Sex and the City, which I've seen every episode of at least three times. Seriously. No, I don't have a life, why do you ask?), though I do tend to watch one or two episodes of a show just to try it out, but like... I haven't even heard of it. I guess this is what happens when you go to Spain for a semester.
- Katherine Heigl lost. I'm shocked, and of two minds about her. First, I do appreciate that she's not being controlled by her publicist and actually has opinions, and it's kind of hypocritical that everyone applauded her for saying bad things about Isaiah Washington, who everyone hated at the time, but everyone turned on her when she said bad things about Knocked Up, which everyone loved. She's also a good actress and totally likeable in, say, well, Knocked Up, even if she was playing "a shrew." On the other hand, she is everywhere, and I'm getting really tired of her, and it seems clear she's quite full of herself. However, Samantha Morton (and Andy Serkis, and Jim Broadbent) was (were) just fucking amazing in Longford, so I'm incredibly glad she got the recognition she did. And hey, Hugh Lawrie and House lost! YAY!!
- I think Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold should win Best Supporting Actor in a TV Comedy for the rest of time. One of my favorite characters ever.
- In basic conclusion: if this is what the Oscars are like, I'm gonna have to shoot somebody.

keira, keira, keira.

First things first: this picture is weird.

Secondly: Yeah, I know, this and the cover picture are supposed to be "sexy," but really you just look kind of tired and uncomfortable.

Thirdly: I also know this is trying to recreate the now justifiably famous green dress, but why do you never have a proper shirt on? Even skinny people wear shirts! I do, all the time!

Fourth: I read your interview with James McAvoy in Entertainment Weekly, and Jesus Christ woman, do the two of you ever stop cursing?

Fifth: ...but secretly, I thought it was very endearing...

Sixth: I have no idea how I went from thinking you were an annoying little twit to thinking you'd kind of be fun to go out for drinks with. This is high praise, normally reserved for the likes of ScarJo and Natalie Portman.

Love,
Justine

Seventh: PS: This still doesn't mean you're a great actress. Sorry.

and as long as we're talking about voices...

Patrick Wilson is a talented actor and you know, not really very bad to look at to boot. But his voice is just so... loud. This is an incredibly stupid statement, so let me elaborate further. I have Little Children on in the background. I'm not really paying attention to it at all. But somehow, every time Patrick Wilson speaks, without even looking at the TV, I'm like "huh, there's Patrick again." He's way louder than anyone else in this cast, and his voice is really distinctive while being kind of bland (sorry Patty). There's only three other actors I can do that I-know-it's-you-without-looking-at-you thing with: Matt & Kevin Dillon, and Bill Murray (that's only because I worship that last one, though). Huh. Go figure.

Hmm...

Superbad was a lot better in Spanish when I didn't have to hear these characters' fucking annoying voices. Christ. Yes, Christopher Mintz-Plasse is pretty genius and Michael Cera could not be more endearing/adorable and he's younger than me so I feel like a perv!, but the voices of all three of these kids make me want to put my brain on a cheese grater. ARRGH

heh.

Did you know the producers of Atonement wanted to cut the word "cunt" out of the film? Kind of stupid, considering it's only what sets the plot in action (and a lame side note: when I read that when I read the book, I absolutely gasped out loud). Duh...

In other news, I am very pleased to see several major Oscar predicters (Entertainment Weekly, yayyyy!!!!) predicting Laura Linney for The Savages again. I don't think she has much of a chance but if she gets in, it would be pretty much the best thing ever. It would actually be fucking amazing if the two most shaky prospects - Blanchett and Jolie - got swapped out for the far superior Adams and Linney. Ohhh, Academy. I wish I knew how to quit you. GAH

some list I never commented on.

Mr. 99 looking good

Empire Magazine's 100 Sexiest Film Stars (as ranked by peoples' votes). Please note, a lot of the girls' comments are probably gonna be like "uhhh, I guess" or just skipped.

100. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (haven't even heard of her. Oh, wait, she was in Grindhouse. And was the cheerleader. Meh)
099. Chris Evans (ahhh. SO HOT. Why is he #99?)
098. Brigitte Bardot
097. Thandie Newton (beautiful. Dude, she can pull off this [and they don't even show how it dissolves into...like...bedsheets])
096. Lucy Liu (well I like her in Kill Bill)
095. James Dean (yeah, he was pretty hot.)
094. Isla Fisher (I am sorry, there needs to be some kind of movie where Amy Adams, Isla Fisher, and Jenna Fischer play wacky sisters. They all have totally serious comedic chops and I love 'em all.)
093. Zac Efron (he can, sometimes, make me all giddy. Like in Hairspray. Mm, Zefron in Hairspray... but he shouldn't be ranked above Chris Evans and others on this list.)
092. Catherine Deneuve (I liked her clothes a lot in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg!)
091. Jamie Foxx (ew, people still like him? Though yeah, I'm not begrudging him his Oscar for Ray.)
090. Elizabeth Taylor (God, she was GORGEOUS.)
089. Clint Eastwood (well, uh. obviously not now.)
088. Sienna Miller (is it wrong that I kind of love her now? Since Interview and Factory Girl, I'm a huge fan.)
087. Warren Beatty (he's always seemed so smug, like the way the people who hate George Clooney say he comes off, but yeah, he was ludicrously hot. Bonnie and Clyde...yes.)
086. Jane Fonda
085. Al Pacino (he was pretty smouldering. Hah, I enjoy when you Google Image Search him and "see also Scarface" comes up.)
084. Katherine Heigl (I need to write a post about her because lately, she's been, uh, stirring up controversy.)
083. Alan Rickman (the voice.)
082. Susan Sarandon
081. Tom Cruise (people still find him attractive? he was cute as anything in Risky Business, I will say that.)
080. Sarah Michelle Gellar
079. Heath Ledger (he definitely was sexy in Brokeback Mountain, but since he broke up with Michelle he's been looking like a hobo and supposedly nailing Lindsay Lohan, so... though I think he's going to be just spectacular and threatening/hot in The Dark Knight, and I do like him. He was my desktop for most of freshman year, a feat few men can claim - including even Clive, Jake, David, and other lovelies.)
078. Sofia Loren
077. Richard Gere (never really did/does it for me)
076. Uma Thurman
075. Ryan Gosling (I've said before that he's a tad overrated in terms of looks, and he is, but he's still gorgeous. I was just tired of reading how he was THE GREATEST ACTOR IN A GENERATION and SEXIEST MAN ALIVE on every blog for about two months straight.)
074. Sigourney Weaver
073. Javier Bardem (smouldering, but not really attractive. Does that make sense?)
072. Gary Oldman (meh)
071. Lauren Bacall
070. John Cusack (eh)
069. Viggo Mortensen (yessss. Oh, Viggo.)
068. Rachel McAdams
067. Ryan Reynolds (could he be hotter? Is he really dating Scarlett Johansson? That's about the most attractive couple in the world.)
066. Sandra Bullock
065. Gael Garcia Bernal (I think I'm the only one that thinks he's ugly.)
064. Eva Mendes
063. Reese Witherspoon (I love her, and I'm going to steal everything in her closet, but she's barely even pretty, certainly not hot or sexy.)
062. Audrey Tautou (meh.)
061. Eric Bana (ohhh love him I do.)
060. Liv Tyler
059. Rita Hayworth
058. Will Smith (nice body, but I dunno. Plus, he's a Scientologist now...this is unfortunate)
057. Julia Roberts
056. Megan Fox (can't stand her. Just go be a porn star already. It's what you frickin' want.)
055. Jason Statham (the best thing about most of the awful movies he's in. Actually, he's usually the only good thing about most of those movies)
054. Jennifer Connelly (she is almost unbelievably gorgeous. Even in, like, this.)
053. Robert Redford (now, no. Then, YES.)
052. Jennifer Aniston
051. Clark Gable (mustaches so don't do it for me.)
050. Penelope Cruz (she has very white teeth and really fantastic hair. But...she's not pretty.)
049. Sean Connery (best Bond ever. Not an original thought, but a true one.
048. Cary Grant (very suave, yeah. But I do prefer the Cloons.)
047. Cameron Diaz
046. Harrison Ford (that scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark where he gets challenged by the big sword-fighting guy, and he just rolls his eyes and shoots him? Greatest scene ever, helped by the fact that he is so hot in it.)
045. Catherine Zeta-Jones
044. Bruce Willis (hottest bald man ever. I believe I've said this many times, but it bears repeating.)
043. Rosario Dawson
042. Steve McQueen (YES. Why are there so few good pictures of him on Google Image Search?)
041. Nicole Kidman (she's scary-looking now. Sorry, Nicole. You're a goddess in Moulin Rouge! Can I steal your hair from that movie? And your costumes?)
040. Ewan McGregor (oh, Ewan. You're gorgeous and utterly lovable. Ahhh... and look how you pull off a kilt. Mmm.)
039. Grace Kelly
038. Denzel Washington (ohhh how I love him.)
037. Rachel Weisz (major girlcrush. Love her.)
036. Leonardo DiCaprio (totally hot and classy. I love Jack 4-eva.)
035. Monica Bellucci (you know, I just don't get it. She's...naked a lot...and exotic. I guess this is appealing for guys, but not me.)
034. Russell Crowe (sometimes he looks like a mess, and sometimes he looks scary hot. Gladiator? Yes please.)
033. Michelle Pfeiffer (I maintain that she's more frightening than attractive, and she looked like utter crap in Hairspray. But I'm clearly alone in this.)
032. Jake Gyllenhaal (obviously. Only #32??? UNDER CATE BLANCHETT???)
031. Cate Blanchett (sometimes she's gorgeous. sometimes she looks like a dude. sometimes she looks... like this. In short, she should not be this high.)
030. Marlon Brando (fuck yes. Obviously this is circa '51 and not the 90s, but...fuck yes.)
029. Charlize Theron
028. Keanu Reeves (I thought we were all done with Keanu. Is this the '90s?)
027. James McAvoy
026. Emma Watson (say what? Isn't she like 17? She's pretty, yes, but far from sexy.)
025. Clive Owen (ohhh, my Clive. I still love thee, even if you're not quite my #1 any more. Sexy as all hell in all sorts of crap [Derailed??!?!?!])
024. Salma Hayek
023. Daniel Radcliffe (EWWWW. He's not even good-looking.)
022. Kate Beckinsale
021. Orlando Bloom (well, as far as gorgeous guys who can't act for shit goes, at least he beats out Keanu.)
020. Kate Winslet (I love her, as all should know. But she's not quite this hot.)
019. Paul Newman (in the 1960s he was pretty much the hottest man to ever live. Period. Stunning. Gorgeous. Sexy. Every single word you can use to describe attractiveness, he was. Oh my God. He still looks good.)
018. Anne Hathaway (boring and rabbity-looking, with all the sexiness of that girl who sits behind you in math class. In short: no, bad choice.)
017. Matt Damon (he's gorgeous. Plus, I just read People's [shut up] Sexiest Man Alive issue [I know! It's late! I just got back from Spain and I have magazine backup. Geez.], and he's just utterly charming. I love him.)
016. Jessica Biel (she's not really all that pretty but if you told me today that I would one day have her ass, I think I would cry in joy.)
015. Hugh Jackman (yes, of course.)
014. Marilyn Monroe
013. Christian Bale (oh YES.)
012. Halle Berry
011. George Clooney (oh, George. How is it that you're, like, 48, and still so gorgeous? Maybe the world's most perfect man. I, like every sane female, adore him. It helps that he has his first really great performance since Out of Sight with Michael Clayton, too.)
010. Gerard Butler (his fans are CRAZY! Over Clooney??? But yeah, he's totally hot. Mmm, 300 was really enjoyable because of him.)
009. Keira Knightley (oh, just see what I've said 50486 other times. Not particularly pretty and definitely not sexy.)
008. Scarlett Johansson (I fucking love her, I don't care what absolutely horrible movies she's in as of late. Along with Rachel Weisz, my other major girlcrush. I want to come back in another life and look like her. I mean, look at this picture. She has a ridiculous bouffant thing, and stupid eye makeup, and she still looks absolutely amazing.)
007. Brad Pitt (forever.)
006. Eva Green (frightening, not sexy.)
005. Johnny Depp (meh. though I won't lie, lately his looks are decidedly growing on me. If only he'd look like this more often.)
004. Jessica Alba (obviously gorgeous, too bad she can't act at all. Like, I'm quite sure I would be better in any of her roles. Yikes, Jess, that ain't a good thing.)
003. Daniel Craig (...this is the highest ranking man on the countdown? Yes, he's hot. His body is insane. But his face is...okay. Shouldn't be above, like, Paul Newman or Jake Gyllenhaal.)
002. Natalie Portman (see below.)
001. Angelina Jolie (uh, I guess.)

Okay, here's just a note overall on the list: a primer on the word "sexy." I just... okay, I'm a straight girl so perhaps I'm not the best judge. But, for example, while Natalie Portman, #2, is simply stunningly lovely, she is neither sexy nor hot. This is also the case with guys, though. Leonardo DiCaprio is really hot. But he's rarely sexy. Chris Evans is ridiculously hot (see the picture at the top of this page, mmm), but not particularly sexy either. Well, actually, now that I think about it, in that picture up there... damn.

so, like, golden globe predix. i guess.

"Atonement, YOU FOOLS. Do you think just because you lead the field in nominations you're getting anything notable? HA. Also, why do I always play some sort of figure of law/authority?"

...yay for "press releases." Oh and I suck at this, so if I go, like, 1/whatever, that would be why. Hah.

Best Picture - Drama: No Country for Old Men (alt. Atonement)
Best Picture - Musical/Comedy: Juno (alt. Sweeney Todd)
Best Actor - Drama: DDL (alt. Clooney)
Best Actor - M/C: Depp (alt. uh, Hoffman? Depp should win this quite easily.)
Best Actress - Drama: Christie (alt. Jolie)
Best Actress - M/C: Page (alt. Adams. Okay, I know I'm supposed to say alt. Cotillard BUT I'M NOT, OKAY???)
Best Supporting Actor: Bardem (alt. Affleck)
Best Supporting Actress: Ryan (alt. Blanchett)
Best Director: Coens (alt. Burton)
Best Screenplay: Juno (alt. Atonement)
Best Original Song: "Guaranteed," Into the Wild (alt. "That's How You Know," Enchanted)
Best Original Score: Atonement (alt. The Kite Runner)
Best Animated Film: Ratatouille (alt. The Simpsons Movie)
Best Foreign Language Film: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (alt. Lust, Caution)

So I'm watching Shakespeare in Love right now and I just realized Colin Firth has to wear delicate little pearl earrings (foreshadowing?). And you know what? He totally pulls them off. That's right. Colin Firth is so good-looking and charming that he can pull earrings off.

Also, the best supporting actor in this movie is Ben Affleck by miles and miles. 'Cuz he's awesome.

you know what might be one of the better things in the universe?

Ryan Phillippe, circa Cruel Intentions (also notable for being the greatest guilty pleasure movie in the history of the world). Oh my.

HAHA I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS

Keira: Just look fierce, James. It always works for me.
James: God, I'm so depressed.
Keira: James! James! Okay, so this cover was clearly planned back in, oh, October, when we were oh-so-obviously going to sweep the Oscars. Just...pretend this is October.
James: So...ignored...
Keira: Does that really say "the most unpredictable season ever?" [ed. note: no, does it? i can't exactly make it out but that's what it looks like] Yeah, well. Tell that to Julie Christie. That BITCH.
James: What happened to my life?
Keira: God, it was so much more fun to pose virtually naked with Scarlett Johansson than with you. Say, do you think she'd be up for cocktails? I mean, she knows all about being snubbed, right? And isn't it weird that she's the one with the BAFTA [ed. note: one of your best calls ever, BAFTA voters] and I'm the one with the Oscar nomination? Does anyone ever think about that besides the creator of this imaginary conversation?
James: (deep, deep, defeated sigh) Did you know I was the lead of Last King of Scotland? No, probably not.
Keira: Come back. Come back to me.
James: (deep, deep defeated sigh) Not helping.

ugh. :(

can someone just put Atonement out of its misery already? SNUBBED AT THE DGAs [update 1/11: AND THE WGAs! WHAT THE FUCK!!!] ! WHY DON'T YOU JUST SHOOT ME??? Gah, and I was fully prepared to totally hate the movie. BUT I DIDN'T! I LOVED IT! AND IT KEEPS GETTING SNUBBED!!!!! ARRRGHHHH.

personal acting finalists '07

20 in each category in alpha order, as to not give much away. I hope I've made both interesting and viable choices. The ones I haven't seen: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Talk to Me, Things We Lost in the Fire, We Own the Night, The Great Debaters, Paris je t'aime, and Black Book, most notably...

BEST ACTOR
Casey Affleck, The Assassination...
Casey Affleck, Gone Baby Gone
Christian Bale, Rescue Dawn
Josh Brolin, No Country for Old Men
Steve Buscemi, Interview
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Chris Cooper, Breach
Russell Crowe, American Gangster
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Tom Hanks, Charlie Wilson's War
Emile Hirsch, Into the Wild
Jude Law, Breaking and Entering
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah
James MacAvoy, Atonement
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Ulrich Muhe, The Lives of Others
Gordon Pinsent, Away from Her
Brad Pitt, The Assassination...
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

BEST ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Enchanted (okay, I'll ruin this one for you, because it's pretty fucking obvious: she's winning Best Actress from me.)
Juliette Binoche, Breaking and Entering
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Helena Bonham Carter, Sweeney Todd
Julie Christie, Away from Her
Jodie Foster, The Brave One
Katherine Heigl, Knocked Up
Ashley Judd, Bug
Nicole Kidman, Margot at the Wedding
Laura Linney, Jindabyne
Laura Linney, The Savages
Anamaria Marinca, 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
Rose McGowan, Planet Terror
Sienna Miller, Factory Girl
Sienna Miller, Interview
Ellen Page, Juno
Christina Ricci, Black Snake Moan
Dakota Blue Richards, The Golden Compass
Belen Rueda, The Orphanage
Tang Wei, Lust, Caution

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (kind of a weird year.......)
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
John Carroll Lynch, Zodiac
Jeff Daniels, The Lookout
Paul Dano, There Will Be Blood
Robert De Niro, Stardust
Robert Downey Jr., Zodiac
Morgan Freeman, Gone Baby Gone
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Tommy Lee Jones, No Country for Old Men
James Marsden, Enchanted
Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Superbad
Armin Mueller-Stahl, Eastern Promises
Jeremy Piven, Smokin' Aces
Paul Rudd, Knocked Up
Ed Sanders, Sweeney Todd
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Justin Timberlake, Alpha Dog (JUUUSTIN.)
Christopher Walken, Hairspray (anyone that would nom Travolta over him is ON CRACK.)
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
Steve Zahn, Rescue Dawn

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Rosario Dawson, Death Proof
Jenna Fischer, Walk Hard (PAM!)
Deborra-Lee Furness, Jindabyne
Charlotte Gainsbourg, I'm Not There
Romola Garai, Atonement
Jennifer Garner, Juno
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Southland Tales
Nicole Kidman, The Golden Compass
Keira Knightley, Atonement
Jennifer Jason Leigh, Margot at the Wedding
Kelly MacDonald, No Country for Old Men
Leslie Mann, Knocked Up
Samantha Morton, Control
Samantha Morton, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Vanessa Redgrave, Atonement
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Imelda Staunton, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
Marisa Tomei, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Kerry Washington, I Think I Love My Wife

perhaps the best faces in the history of all media.

I adore Jim Halpert like few other characters.

o nos

"Academy Voter,
In my dreams I kiss your If you do not vote for me and/or my movie, I will continue to stare somewhat creepily into your soul. I guess we need all the support we can get now. That is all. -Robbie"

Why is Atonement dead? It's because I like it, isn't it?

That said: I'd be utterly shocked to see The Diving Bell and the Butterfly get a Best Picture nomination. Best Director, no, but Best Picture, yes. Of course, I suck at predicting the Oscars, so I'm all ready to be shocked. But whatever. Go Atonement! Is it just me, or is the quality of the critical darlings really high this year? Usually there's one movie every year that is popular that just grosses me out/leaves me absolutely cold (Almost Famous, Amelie, Finding Neverland, Brokeback Mountain, Babel...). I can't really think of any, this year. Once, I guess, and it's not like that movie was flat-out bad, and the only major noms it's getting are in Song, which I absolutely cannot begrudge it.

Best Actress '06 poses with...

... Best Actress 07??? MAKE IT HAPPEN, BITCHES!!!!

(I'm not that delusional. Quite frankly, I'm just praying for the nomination.)

BFCA thoughts.

- to quote No Country for Old Men, "you can't stop what's coming." And that would be No Country / the Coens / DDL / Christie / Bardem / Ryan (or maybe Blanchett)...
- Why was no one there??? It's like, the one awards show with an actual waiver!
- Daniel Day-Lewis is incredibly charming. He still freaks me out because I've never seen more than one picture of that man where he looked the same.
- Javier Bardem's speeches were probably the best part of the night. He was hilarious, and the fact that he has problems with English makes his performance in No Country even more outstanding.
- The host was horrible.
- As far as the winners go, I have no real complaints. Yes, there were sometimes nominees I preferred over the winners but nothing made me gasp and go "HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!" except maaaybe Best Young Actor. Ed Sanders deserved it about 100000%.
- Enchanted won something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Oh my God, I felt so bad for poor Marion Cotillard. First, she's like, the only Best Actress nominee to actually show up (okay, her and Ellen Page, but at least Ellen Page got to ride a wave of Juno is the best movie evarrrr!!!! love). Then, the stupid red carpet reporter mis-identifies her as Emily Deschanel and she has to talk about things she probably knows absolutely nothing about. Then, she has to sit there while she loses to someone who wasn't even there (okay, Christie's win was deserving). Poor thing. I had no idea she was so pretty, though. My only reference for her looks is La vie en rose, which I keep trying to block out of my mind, and that still from La vie en rose where she looks kind of like she has to...sneeze, or cry weirdly, or something.
- I still have no desire to see The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Yeah, I'm sure it's great, but... I dunno... I guess if it gets the DGA/Oscar Best Director nod, I've gotta see it...
- That girl from Hairspray is adorable.
- Was I the only one that didn't think Leslie Mann was that funny?
- Angelina Jolie made the funniest faces ever.
- Can everyone please stop complaining about how "boring" every award season is? Yes, critics tend to agree on certain movies/directors/actors that go on to win the Oscar. But every award season, people act like this is new. Every year, anew, people declare "this is the most boring awards season ever!" Deal with it.

this guy?

Is actually hilarious. Garrrr, Critics' Choice...I hope you're not the only awards show this year...

lol

Cate Blanchett's performance in Elizabeth, The Golden Age is on the Razzie shortlist. Then again, so is Nicole Kidman's in The Golden Compass, a performance I thought was excellent, so...

(Okay, I admit it: Cate is a hoot in that movie. Is it a good performance? No. No, it is not. But it's hysterical.)

OH MY GOSH!

JIM! You're in Dreamgirls! And I totally didn't realize it until...now. Right now! AIEEEEEE.

rewatching Dreamgirls...

I really like it, okay, so suck it. No, it's not Chicago, but neither is it Rent. Jennifer Hudson makes me want to cry with how fugging awesome she is. But, Jamie. Oh, Jamie. As you see, your poster here says "steppin' to the bad side." It was...it was referring to your acting in this movie, right? Because JESUS CHRIST YOU ARE AWFUL.

No Country for Old Men.

I'm still not sure I understood anything that went on in that movie. But yeah...not since I saw Magnolia have I been so sure I've been in the presence of a masterpiece that I may not fully comprehend, but am not to argue with. Damn.

And because you all are lovely and I care about your readership, if you ever find a ton of money in a suitcase in the middle of nowhere in Texas, and there's a bunch of dead bodies around it, trust me: just leave it there. Your life will be much better because of it.

maybe my favorite TV couple ever.

How am I obsessed with this show? How? I watched like, one season! AAAH.

I continue to amuse myself

David: Braaaaains... braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiinsssss...
Viggo: Oh my God. I am so nervous. I really... I think he kind of forgot to take his vitamins, don't you? Does he think I don't remember the end of To Die For? Please hide me.
David: So sweet......... so succulent.........
Viggo: Do you think he won't recognize me if I get a really bad haircut? God, I hope so.

Viggo speaks.

"...aaaand this was how I felt at the end of shooting Eastern Promises. I mean, I've done two movies with David Cronenberg! Two! And I didn't get much-deserved Oscar nominations for either!* Do you know the shit he puts you through? Trust me, you don't want to know. Well, I guess it could be worse. It could have been that other weird David guy..."

* Well, okay, it's very possible he'll get one for Eastern Promises. Shhh.

and also, let's face it.

Jim? Really not too hard to look at.

post 500 is a little anticlimactic

So tonight my friend and I watched like twelve episodes of The Office. I'd never watched the show before, but I absolutely loved it, not least of all because you know who was on it?

JESUS!

NOOOOOOOOO JAKE!!!

JAKE! Jake, my love, is that... is that... is that... a BOSTON RED SOX hat on your head???? NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

why can't we be friends, why can't we be friends

^ Julie just wants to ignore all the mean things these people are saying about her

Julie Christie.

Marion Cotillard.

Why is it that the supporters of either of these ladies cannot support their respective choice without constantly bashing the other? Look, I know whose side I'm on. In my quest (...) to see all the big movies of 2007, I watched both Away from Her and La vie en rose again. Away from Her holds up just as well as it did in the early part of this year; La vie en rose, while always a horrible movie, now no longer enchants me through its lead performance either. Goodness, Cotillard sure was... trying, wasn't she? But just because I support Christie doesn't mean I'm going to perpetually bash Cotillard all the time.

One thing I don't understand is how both of them are locks for Oscar nominations. When I left for Spain, back on September 1, both their buzz was dead. Oh well. Also, can people stop saying stupid things like "the Academy isn't going to give the Oscar to an old person 2 years in a row"? From 1997 up to and including 2005, they gave the Best Actress Oscar to a (relatively) hot (relatively) young thing. Who's to say they won't give it to a hot old thing two years in a row?

the thing about keira...

As should be blatantly obvious from this blog, I am no fan of Ms. Knightley. I think she's not really pretty and for the most part a quite bad actress (the only exceptions being Pride and Prejudice, Atonement, and to a far lesser extent Bend It Like Beckham). However...I think all these people accusing her of being anorexic is unfair. Yes, at times, she's been skinnier than usual (think of the summer she was promoting Pirates 2 and this dress), but I do think she's just a naturally skinny person. Her weight doesn't change at alarming rates, such as, say, Lindsay Lohan. Yes, sometimes I see pictures of Keira and think, "oh, honey, you could use a burger." But I ain't gonna say she's flat-out not eating them. Bitch is skinny. Ain't nothin' wrong with that.

GODDESS.

And McDreamy ain't bad either...

yes, yes, I know. Ya'll loved her in Junebug. I was resistant. But oh how I love her now. Amy Adams is Jesus!

and on the writers' strike...

What I Say: "Oh, yeah, it's great that the writers are finally going to have a say! Of course I support the strike!"
Let's All Face It, What I Think: "Goddammit! I just want my Oscars! Is that so difficult????!!!"

BAFTA longlist thoughts.

WTF doesn't necessarily indicate bad choices (though sometimes it does), just...weird ones

BEST PICTURE
American Gangster
Atonement
The Bourne Ultimatum
Charlie Wilson's War
Control
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Eastern Promises
Into the Wild
Juno
The Kite Runner
The Lives of Others
Lust, Caution
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
WTF?: The Bourne Ultimatum, Control, The Kite Runner, The Lives of Others

BEST DIRECTOR
the same, except instead of Nichols for CWW there's James Mangold for 3:10 to Yuma

BEST ACTOR
Christian Bale :: 3:10 to Yuma
Daniel Day-Lewis :: There Will Be Blood
Denzel Washington :: American Gangster
Emile Hirsch :: Into the Wild
George Clooney :: Michael Clayton
James McAvoy :: Atonement
Johnny Depp :: Sweeney Todd
Josh Brolin :: No Country for Old Men
Matt Damon :: The Bourne Ultimatum
Russell Crowe :: 3:10 to Yuma
Sam Riley :: Control
Tom Hanks :: Charlie Wilson's War
Tommy Lee Jones :: In the Valley of Elah
Ulrich Muhe :: The Lives of Others
Viggo Mortensen :: Eastern Promises
WTF?: Bale (they couldn't go for Rescue Dawn?), Damon, Crowe (they couldn't go for American Gangster? Well, okay, they did in supporting), Muhe

BEST LEAD ACTRESS
Angelina Jolie :: A Mighty Heart
Cate Blanchett :: Elizabeth, The Golden Age
Charlize Theron :: In the Valley of Elah
Ellen Page :: Juno
Halle Berry :: Things We Lost in the Fire
Helena Bonham Carter :: Sweeney Todd
Julie Christie :: Away from Her
Katherine Heigl :: Knocked Up
Keira Knightley :: Atonement
Marion Cotillard :: La vie en rose
Marketa Irglova :: Once
Martina Gedeck :: The Lives of Others
Naomi Watts :: Eastern Promises
Nikki Blonsky :: Hairspray
Tang Wei :: Lust, Caution
WTF?: Theron, Berry, Irglova, Gedeck, Watts

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada :: The Kite Runner
Armin Mueller-Stahl :: Eastern Promises
Casey Affleck :: The Assassination...
Chiwetel Ejiofor :: American Gangster
Clive Owen :: Elizabeth, The Golden Age
Geoffrey Rush :: Elizabeth, The Golden Age
Hal Holbrook :: Into the Wild
Javier Bardem :: No Country for Old Men
John Travolta :: Hairspray
Paul Dano :: There Will Be Blood
Philip Seymour Hoffman :: Charlie Wilson's War
Russell Crowe :: American Gangster
Tom Wilkinson :: Michael Clayton
Tommy Lee Jones :: No Country for Old Men
Vincent Cassel :: Eastern Promises
WTF?: Mahmoodzada, Mueller-Stahl, Ejiofor, Owen, Rush, Cassel

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Allison Janney :: Juno
Brenda Blethyn :: Atonement
Cate Blanchett :: I'm Not There
Catherine Keener :: Into the Wild
Joan Allen :: The Bourne Ultimatum
Julia Roberts :: Charlie Wilson's War
Kelly MacDonald :: No Country for Old Men
Michelle Pfeiffer :: Hairspray
Michelle Pfeiffer :: Stardust
Romola Garai :: Atonement
Samantha Morton :: Control
Samantha Morton :: Elizabeth, The Golden Age
Saoirse Ronan :: Atonement
Tilda Swinton :: Michael Clayton
Vanessa Redgrave :: Atonement
WTF?: Janney, Blethyn, Allen, Pfeiffer x2

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
American Gangster
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Eastern Promises
Elizabeth, The Golden Age
Hot Fuzz
In the Valley of Elah
Juno
Knocked Up
The Lives of Others
Michael Clayton
Once
Ratatouille
Things We Lost in the Fire
This Is England
La vie en rose
WTF?: The Golden Age, Things We Lost in the Fire, This Is England, La vie en rose

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
3:10 to Yuma
Atonement
The Bourne Ultimatum
Brick Lane
Charlie Wilson's War
Control
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Into the Wild
The Kite Runner
Letters from Iwo Jima
Lust, Caution
No Country for Old Men
Sweeney Todd
There Will Be Blood
WTF?: 3:10 to Yuma, The Bourne Ultimatum, Brick Lane, Control

Okay, so, thoughts, thoughts, as I catch up on the movies of 2007 (thank god for *cough* certain...locations)...

- Imelda Staunton still can't get nominated, even in a list of freaking 15, on her home turf?
- The BAFTA longlist always goes apeshit for one big blockbuster smash every year, don't they? Last year it was Casino Royale, which was understandable. This year, it's... The Bourne Ultimatum? Sure, why not. It was a good movie, and the Damon had a good year.
- Sweeney snubbed for Picture and Director? That can't be good. For crap like The Kite Runner?
- At first, I was pretty weirded out that Gone Baby Gone was a complete snub (especially Amy Ryan), but then I remembered that its British premiere won't be until next year; it's been pushed back becuase of the Madeleine McCann case.
- No Amy Adams? MAY GOD DEVOUR THEIR SOULS!
- Brenda Blethyn? I love her, but puhleeze, she had nothing to do in Atonement. They left out Imelda for that?
- While Michelle Pfeiffer was highly entertaining in Stardust, she really did nothing in Hairspray besides look really really bad (seriously, she looked awful. Sorry to those of you out there who are all like "SHE IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN ON EARTH BLAH BLAH BLAH"). John Travolta was just flat-out awful in the same movie and I truly hope he doesn't get an Oscar nomination.
- Casey Affleck is just great in The Assassination..., but LEAD. LEAD LEAD LEAD LEAD. Like, undebatable. This is possibly worse than Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain. Possibly worse than Jamie Foxx in Collateral. Jesus. The same goes for Russell Crowe in American Gangster.
- I'm glad to see all three Brionys from Atonement get in. They were all pretty damn amazing.
- I think this is the year where I realized the genius of Tommy Lee Jones. He's never quite impressed me before, but he just MIRACULOUS in No Country for Old Men and In the Valley of Elah. Thanks, BAFTA, for agreeing with me.
- Janney over Garner for Juno? BOO.
- the supporting actor noms are so... Brit-loving. Oh Clive, you know I love you...but you don't deserve to get shortlisted over... a lot of people. Chiwetel Ejiofor did nothing in American Gangster.
- I did like Marketa in Once and I'm glad she got shortlisted here, as she's pretty underrated. Her character was annoying and bizarre (dragging a vacuum cleaner through Dublin? Durrr...), but she was adorable and charming. Though, really, if you want potentially annoying/bizarre turned into adorable and charming, again, you need my girl Amy Adams.
- Jesus Christ can we get over Elizabeth, The Golden Age? That movie was a pile of suck. Cate Blanchett was highly entertaining in it, but in the same way as Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert DeNiro in Stardust: bad, but so very over-the-top that you can't help but feel grateful every time she's on screen.
- the Original Screenplay longlist is half-inspired and half-horrendous.
- Yay for Atonement love, among others...
- why oh why are Laura Linney's Oscar chances/precursors d-e-a-d dead :( ?

HA.

So it's officially okay to like Baffleck now right? HA. I win. I loved him before Gone Baby Gone. I loved him before Jen did! I win!

biggest difference in attractiveness EVER?

In other news, how much was Shoot 'Em Up trying to be Tarantino, but at times, pretty fully landing on the side of "tasteless" that he manages to avoid? How was it still pretty entertaining nevertheless? B-

Atonement won't get out of my head. Great great movie... I'm going to see it again this weekend, along with The Savages (I'm still praying Laura gets that longshot Oscar nom but...it is a long shot, isn't it?).

the movies of 2008.

The only exception I'm leaving out on purpose is The Young Victoria. Ya'll should know by now that I am not the biggest fan of Miss Blunt.

So, in no particular order, the movies of 2008 I am at least sort of interested in seeing. (they're 2008 for now. They may change.)

City of Ember - Bill Murray, I shall follow you to the ends of the earth!
Cloverfield - I'll admit I'm totally intrigued, if only to just friggin' see the monster.
Be Kind Rewind - Michel Gondry was responsible for a lot of Eternal Sunshine's success (making Kaufman change that ending made it a masterpiece), and the trailer is just fantastic. My only problem? Ew, January.
Synecdoche, New York - On the subject of Kaufman, he's undoubtedly a great screenwriter, but always a little...I don't know. Cold? (except Eternal Sunshine, and even there the original ending is so cruel it's ridiculous.) Even if this is the same, though, it's got a great cast.
The Other Boleyn Girl - Okay, everything about this seems to hint that it's not a very good movie. And the move from fall 2007 to the beginning of 2008 really doesn't bode well. But despite all that... Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman in a bitchfight? My ass is in that seat.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - I kind of hate this title. But still. Indy. And today, I saw the first picture of C. Blah as the villain, and my first thought was "since when is Mia Wallace an Indiana Jones villain?" This is an extremely good thought, we can all agree.
Righteous Kill - De Niro! Pacino! Okay, so the two of them have been kind of...uneven recently, and the supporting cast is...um... (50 Cent? Wahlberg The Lesser?) but who am I kidding, De Niro! Pacino!
Choke - My second-favorite Palahniuk book (Invisible Monsters is my favorite). Fight Club was pretty great...it'll be interesting to see what they do with this one.
The Incredible Hulk - Ang's version was quite bad. Let's see if Ed can help make this any better.
Get Smart - I don't like Anne, sure, but oh my God I love Steve, and the trailers are amazing. One of my top 5 most anticipated.
Wall-E - Pixar = genius
The Dark Knight - Fucking duh. An easy #1 most anticipated for me, and, oh, you know. THE WORLD.
The International - I've never liked a Tykwer movie all that much but... Cliiiive.
Trailer Trash - I loved Grindhouse.
Where the Wild Things Are - The stills I've seen look so cool.
The Time Traveler's Wife - Rachel McAdams is a good actress but needs to do a little more to live up to her hype. Maybe this'll be it?
James Bond 22 - Casino Royale is great and I think we can all agree Daniel Craig is indeed a really good James Bond. Marc Forster is...not the greatest director on the planet, but we shall see.
The Changeling - Say what you must, I usually like Clint Eastwood's movies a great deal, especially lately...
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - My second-favorite book in the series, so yay. The last movie was pretty great, so I'm quite psyched about this.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Fincher can be awesome (like in Zodiac). (very) Early buzz about this is great.
Australia - BAZ LUHRMANN.
Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America... - Okay, this is probably a 2009 release, but whatever. I loooved Borat and Baron Cohen is a genius (I'm not using that term lightly here). Hopefully this'll be just as hilarious and subversive.
The Fighter - Probably 2009. But Aronofsky...and the plot...and the cast... oh I so hope it's a masterpiece.
Frost/Nixon - Great play. Please prove yourself, Ron Howard, so I can stop feeling bad for liking you.
Revolutionary Road - Yeah, I can't believe it took me this long to get here, either. Kate. Leo. Together. Again. With Sam Mendes. AIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (#2 most anticipated of the year.)
The Reader - Ralph + Nicole? That's pretty awesome...
Blindness - Interesting plot and Meirelles is a fantastic director. I can't wait to see what he does with Julianne.
Doubt - Incredible play, incredible cast.
The Argentine - If anyone can make anything as normally dull as a biopic interesting, it's crazy ol' Soderbergh.
Elegy - I wanna see if Penelope Cruz can act in English in a project that is actually probably good...no probably not.
Mamma Mia! - This will probably suck, really hard, but it's going to be awesome and hilarious to see Meryl Streep singing ABBA.
Appaloosa - So, Viggo Mortensen is awesome, and so is Ed Harris.
Leatherheads - Good Night, and Good Luck. was just great and this looks utterly charming.
Margaret - This has been delayed like five years, right? So it's gotta be at least...okay, right? I loved You Can Count on Me...
The Women - The 1939 movie is great and I like the play. This cast is... ... ... ... ... interesting, right?
He's Just Not That Into You - Well, everyone in the world is in it. Jennifer Connelly might crack a joke! Watch out everyone!
My Blueberry Nights - The reviews were... not ecstatic, but I still think it looks gorgeous.
Funny Games - I wanna see what Haneke can do with this.
Savage Grace - Maybe this is Julianne's comeback year. I've heard great things about her performance here.
Sex and the City - omigod please don't suck please please please
The Countess - It looks fascinating, and everyone said Julie Delpy was a good director for 2 Days in Paris, right? I didn't see it, but I want to.
State of Play - greatest cast ever yes/yes?
Middle of Nowhere - I just like the synopsis.
The Brothers Bloom - Amazing synopsis. Girlcrush Rachel Weisz. Yay!
The Informers - I kind of hate the cast...but American Psycho was a Bret Easton Ellis and I still consider Christian Bale's performance there to be one of the best of the 2000s. Maybe this will yield an almost-as-good performance...

Whew.

the only 2007 movies i've seen between september 1-now.

no reservations: absolutely harmless, but the ending makes it compare - unfavorably - with ratatouille, a far superior film. B-

el orfanato (the orphanage): it's getting overrated by those who have seen it. it's like some strange combo of the sixth sense and the ring. also, the first-time director seems, at times, to be a little bit like "LOOK AT ME!!! I'VE GOT A CAMERA!!! WHEEEE!!!" (this is like last year's last king of scotland, though not nearly as bad). still, belen rueda is great, and it's certainly solid. B

fracture: why did nobody tell me this was terrible? ryan gosling is okay but his part is terrible, anthony hopkins is just kind of like "hey...remember that silence of the lambs movie? i think i'm just gonna do that again." the twist is silly. it isn't painful, but it's bad. C-

superbad: okay, i think i need to see this in english before i judge it (with the slang and whatnot, i could understand about 90% of it in spanish, but a lot of things probably don't translate directly), but i did think it was funny, if a little too crude at times (the blood, ewwww.). B

enchanted: okay, it's a little too disney-perfect, but i found it simply magical and absolutely wonderful. 90% of this is due to amy adams, who i now worship. WOR. SHIP. you have no idea. A-

august rush: i read some review that said "the worst film that will make you cry this year." i disagree even with the latter...it's supposed to make you cry, but it's just so generic and not-particularly-well-acted that it doesn't. D+

sweeney todd: i don't feel, at all, like it's tim burton's masterpiece or johnny depp's best performance (those are both ed wood), but it's still very strong. it's hard to ruin source material that good. B+

atonement: i didn't think i would like it as much as i did. it's beautiful, and that ending - heartbreaking. i see how it could be considered a little cold, but that last scene...amazing. james mcavoy finally gives a performance that makes him live up to his hype. A-

she's baaaack.

New Years' resolution:
Be more like these two, obviously!

quick update...

...home soooo soon. But I decided to randomly update my Oscar predictions...

Best Picture
Atonement
Juno
No Country for Old Men *
Sweeney Todd
There Will Be Blood

Best Director
P.T. Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Tim Burton, Sweeney Todd
Coen brothers, No Country for Old Men *
Sean Penn, Into the Wild
Joe Wright, Atonement

Best Actor
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood *
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
James McAvoy, Atonement
Denzel Washington, American Gangster

Best Actress
Julie Christie, Away from Her *
Marion Cotillard, La vie en rose
Keira Knightley, Atonement
Laura Linney, The Savages
Ellen Page, Juno
(I left out Blanchett for my own sanity.)

Best Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James…
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men *
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson’s War
Tommy Lee Jones, No Country for Old Men
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There
Kelly Macdonald, No Country for Old Men
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone *
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton

Best Original Screenplay
Juno *
Knocked Up
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
The Savages

Best Adapted Screenplay
Atonement *
Charlie Wilson’s War
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

I´m not dead!

Just in Spain. :D :D :D Land of fantastic-ness, but no internet. I´ll be back for real in January, but probably pretty useless as I won´t have seen any of the big movies, dammit...

Oh how I love cracked.com.

Via them:
"[T]he Shrek franchise has always been one hell of a great time, the sort of movie you can take your parents to and all have fun watching, and this looks like no exception. If you're a Shrek-hater, there's clearly not enough actual misery in your life, and you're just picking things randomly to vent at. You need more hobbies."

Because...

Looking down this page, I realized there were only women in the pictures of the blog, and me gushing about their beauty (or in Keira's case, lack thereof). This will not do!

I want Scarlett's shoes.

And her hair. And her face wouldn't hurt either.

so

I'm off to Spain tomorrow to study abroad for a semester. I'm obviously excited. For my loyal readers (...?), I dunno about my posting schedule there, or even if the internet will work properly. If the internets is all crazy, I'll be back around January. If not, I'll try to post as much as I can...

See, I don't know why you'd ever want Keira when you could have

Her.

As a bonus, she can actually act too (yeah yeah, Keira was great in Pride and Prejudice, but I'm counting that as a fluke until I see her in Atonement)...

Please explain why anyone would think she's attractive.

At least she seems to have some sort of personality in this one and is kind of fetching. Actually, the more I look at it, the more it grows on me. Keira, see, you might actually be worth the hype I keep hearing about you if you'd just stop making that stupid face!

happy birthday Cameron Diaz!

Or maybe this was just an excuse to post this outfit which is FANTASTIC.

More stupid criticism

"If Brokeback Mountain wasn't about gays, it would have been totally ignored!"

Durrr. Everyone knows I'm not the biggest fan of Brokeback Mountain. I gave a rather maniacal giggle of joy when Jack Nicholson announced "Crash...whoah." But well, the fact that Brokeback Mountain was a gay movie, but with every cliche of a straight romance, is the entire point of the movie. It's a genius concept...but the script is so stupid and over-the-top and it's so endlessly miserable with no payoff/catharsis at all (others will disagree, but that's how I feel.) that it doesn't work.

Movies I am pretty ambivalent about

that everyone else seems to either love or despise.

I Heart Huckabees
Little Children (I err far more toward the side of positive)
Mulholland Dr.
The Terminal
Match Point
Punch-Drunk Love
Closer
The Cell

I'd like an otter, please.

His name is Odie and I am in love. (sorry, Jason)

those sort-of sexy lists

Top 10 of the '60s and '80s, prone to rapid change at any time.

1960s
1. The Graduate
2. 8 1/2
3. Belle du jour
4. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
5. Midnight Cowboy (I just rewatched this a few days ago. Wow. Those filmmakers were on drugs. Still a great movie)
6. Blow-up
7. Repulsion
8. The Apartment
9. To Kill a Mockingbird
10. La dolce vita

1980s
1. Amadeus
2. Raging Bull
3. Do the Right Thing
4. Tootsie
5. Hannah and Her Sisters
6. When Harry Met Sally...
7. Wings of Desire
8. The King of Comedy
9. The Shining
10. The Princess Bride

Let's all note that according to AFI, all of those movies except Raging Bull and Tootsie are apparently inferior to Sophie's Choice.

Random theoretical question.

So if we were lucky enough to live in a world where Kate Winslet was the one with the Oscar of the two in this above photo, and Cate Blanchett (rightfully) never had one, whose fanboys (as much as I hate that term) would be more annoying? I'm willing to bet Blanchett. Her fans are already way more so. Yeah, Winslet attracts way more psychos, but Blanchett's average fans are far more irritating; they give her nominations for any time she pops on screen (and no, I don't do that for Kate) and then deny their fanboy-ism. Dude, I'm proud to be a Kate Winslet fangirl. I wouldn't be one if I didn't think she was amazing. Just frickin' admit it already.

Also annoying: People who have Mulholland Dr. as their greatest movie of all time. Okay, it's a good movie. Those that dismiss it as utter shit or "an excuse to have David Lynch watch Naomi Watts touch herself" are d-u-m-b dumb. However, Mulholland Dr. is also one of few movies that are actually pretentious, as in it thinks it's way more important than it really is. It doesn't really say anything about Hollywood, which it's ostensibly trying to do. Also, the end just really bothers me... "it was all a dream!!!" This has been the lazy fallback of sitcoms for decades, but just cuz Lynch does it it's suddenly genius. Not to overly hate on Mulholland though. It's a B.

I have the most boring top 5 of the 90s ever.

Pulp Fiction
American Beauty
Schindler's List
Magnolia
Goodfellas

zzz. I swear I am not usually this boring. For example, you should see my top 10 of the '60s, as well as of the '80s. They're deathly sexy lists. In fact... I may post them right after this.

I have a SHAMEFUL soft spot for this movie

...much like its lead actress actually

Sarah Rose knows you're a beautiful person.
Sarah Rose knows you have an unusual talent.

Um, ew...?

http://www.fox.com/teenchoice/winners/

And I thought the MTV Movie Awards were bad. Yikes. They really like Sophia Bush don't they?

Another really stupid item of criticism

"Schindler's List shouldn't have ended the way it should have. It's so sappy!"

Okay. We live in a world rampant with people who would deny the Holocaust. In including the actual people in the film, Spielberg is, essentially, flipping these idiots the middle finger. He's saying, "This really happened." The fact that the past three hours were indeed based on truth and things the survivors went through only makes the (amazing, BTW) movie more potent.

Damn, bitch can sing.

I think if you told me that she was gonna win the Oscar in the future though, I would have asked you to hand me whatever you were smoking since it was pretty clearly potent.

oh my God, it's weird to watch Wedding Crashers

"I'm reading don't-kill-yourself books."

Resurrecting the Champ

So what the hell is that movie about? Cuz half the ads make it look like an inspirational sports movie and the other half make it look like a stalker film.

looking back at my year-in-advance Oscar picks

So, I Was Wrong.:
- Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart
- Goya's Ghosts
- Milos Forman, Goya's Ghosts
- Robert De Niro, Stardust
- James McAvoy, Becoming Jane (he'll probably get in for Atonement... at least, that's what it looks like at this point)
- Glenn Close, Evening (lol)
- Jane Fonda, Georgia Rule (lololololol)

hah!

I maintain that, whether you're in a bad mood or not, one of the absolute best things to do for entertainment is to go and read comments under IMDb "Hated It" for your favorite movies. This is hilarious. Especially if Lost in Translation ranks up there among your favorite movies, as the criticism for this movie is so misguided. Because I have no life (I head off to Spain in a little less than a week for study abroad, whee, but I've got nothing to do until then) I collected stuff from just the first 7 pages... oh, the hilarity.




What actually happens? I had a day like this 3 weeks ago.
that's kind of the point of the movie

It reminded me of the worst excesses of 60's French New Wave. Long stretches of people staring. Long stretches of silence and monosyllables. More long stretches of loud noise and incomprehensible voices. Short cut-in scenes that advanced the story (what there was of it) and characters not a bit.
they're really not that bad. if you saw all that much french new wave, you should easily be able to deal with lost in translation.

Can I believe in a young woman who's supposed to be a recent philosophy graduate of Yale, who can't think of anything to do with her time but stare out the window of her expensive hotel?
sure you can. my boyfriend just graduated, and he totally connects to just... despite the fact that he's gotten a great education and he's got a job and what not, he just feels lost. I can't put that feeling in more articulate words. but most recent college graduates, even those that have jobs and whatnot, feel more than a little lost sometimes.

You're in a different country - go out, go sightseeing, try the local food, go shopping, learn about the country, or even go and spend the day at the hotel pool, reading a good book - don't sit there feeling sorry for yourself and look for someone to cheat with.
errr... they do all that. a lot.

Bill Murray looks utterly lost as if he has not been paid his salary for playing the part in the film.
um, that's kinda the point of his performance

directed with bland nothingness by a girl who, had she had different parents, nobody would blink twice about.
oh how i love this criticism. it's so legitimate.

The film shows two Americans having trouble relating to Japanese culture, perhaps this is because Japan IS A DIFFERENT CULTURE!!!! This film could have taken place in any country that doesn't speak English and the same feeling of isolation would have been prevalant.
well, yeah. that's one of the strengths of the film - it's so specific and personal yet feels like it could apply to anyone. look, i'm not saying i don't like it more because i do feel a connection to it, at times. but the fact that it works on both those levels is a miracle.

And by the way I went to Yale myself so there!
good for you. (go harvard)

I challenge somebody to find any shot in this movie of a japanese person (or perhaps apes in japanese costumes) who isn't acting silly or over the top, as part of a joke, a joke in which the japanese are the being punched by the line.
there are plenty, like the woman who tries to help charlotte with the flowers. the film treads the line with those L-R jokes, but it manages to err on the side of good taste. other than that? charlotte and bill are different. that's the point. they see things differently. i bet there could be a companion movie from the point of view of charlotte's japanese friends, in which charlotte and bob would look like bumbling fools.

This film just further proves that I simply do not understand film critics. Lost in Translation is horrible. What exactly is this thing supposed to be about? Nothing happens. The characters do not develop, change, or even engage in anything relatively interesting. I don't need a movie to enjoy a "snippet of life", all I have to do is look around me.
THE POINT.

Having two leads who speak English, but cant be bothered to say anything because there so depressed is ridiculous.
they don't say anything...?

If anyone here thinks that Godfather C's daughter isn't going to have all of hollywood praising her (whether she makes a good movie or not), they need to go see Tony Soprano's shrink. This praise that's sweeping the country is purely political to make the old man happy. I'm sure he has the power in tinseltown to make anybody have a bad day.
again, i just love this criticism. it's even better when applied to marie-antoinette.

That's my first major criticism of the movie; it settles into itself to a point where after a while you forget you're watching a movie, and it just seems like you're simply watching a fish bowl with two people in it; and although this is good in terms of realism, and I don't doubt that Sofia intended it that way; movies are supposed to be an escape from reality, and although some people would disagree; movies are also meant to be entertaining, and I for one don't watch movies to not be entertained; Lost in Translation fails in both of those respects.
for one thing, i don't really understand what this person is going on about, but if what i think is correct... well, yes. movies can be an escape from reality. but sometimes, movies try to emulate reality. that was lost in translation's goal, and it totally succeeded. as far as entertaining, well, that's everyone's own point-of-view, but i sure as hell thought it was.

And she, wandering around in her philosophical haze, could have come up with something more dramatic than visiting a Buddhist temple a couple times. How about a suicide attempt? A big fight with her husband when he's sucking up to the hot, blonde starlet? Something, anything!
the point of the movie isn't BIG EMOTIONS!!!!!, at least not in the usual oscarish way. yeah, these characters have strong feelings, but they deal with them in a totally normal way. people hold in their anger every day. people feel unsatisfied but certainly not depressed enough to commit suicide every day. arguments like this only add to lost in translation's strength.

Can't understand the enthusiasm for this boring travel log.I like Bill Murry in other films 'Ground Hog Day" ect. but this was so boring, watching someone pick his nose and comb his hair in a hotel room was, well, just too little. snore
a. again, THE POINT.
b. did he even do either of those?

I feel Sofia went above and beyond to make herself look like a victim when in fact she made herself look like an overly-sensitive snooty ivy leaguer whose problems are dwarfed by the average person's. "Oh no, I graduated from Yale but don't know what I want to do so I'll just follow my rich and successful husband to Japan and hang out there." Yeah, try getting laid off from your job and having to go home to your wife and kids. Try losing a loved one to a drunk driving accident. Try working two jobs to put yourself through community college. There are so many greater things to be upset about, but you don't see these people grasping for sympathy.
uh... sofia is never trying to say "what's happening to the protagonists in this movie is the absolute worst thing that could ever happen to a person." they don't even think it is, they're just not happy where they are. does this make them seem a little self-centered at times? yes, but it also helps in character development. it makes them (far) more realistic as people to not be happy perfect little chipmunks.

how on earth Copolla won Best Original Screenplay for a film without dialogue is beyond me
i think you should exaggerate some more

the "kinda missed the point, didn't you?" quotes of the day

"Dennis Hopper [Christian Bale] was so over-the-top in Blue Velvet [American Psycho]. He was utterly ludicrous!"

"My God, Lost in Translation is boring. Nothing happens in that movie."

The Nanny Diaries

Um, Scarlett, lovely, how is it that your talent seems to be diminishing with every performance? And how is it that Laura Linney is always the most incomparably awesome actress in the world, and gets no credit?

I think you know it's a bad thing when a film has you utterly yearning for the wit of The Devil Wears Prada...

Edit, January '08 (ha): You know what? This movie really isn't so bad. It's not The Devil Wears Prada, but it's not as bad as...well...no example is coming to mind right now. But it's not a horrible way to pass an hour and 45 minutes. Not highly recommended, but far, far from awful. Linney is fantastic, yeah, but it's not anywhere near her best performance, and Scarlett is fine, if not anywhere near great (or even all that good). She's more miscast than bad.

"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant."

The best song ever or the best song ever?

GARRRRR

Via Oh No They Didn't, via some other site:

Warner Bros wants Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street director Tim Burton to “butcher” his own film, according to a report from the Daily Mail. Apparently the early footage from the film was so extremely bloody that the studio executives have become a tad squeamish and are requesting the film to be re-cut. In its present form the film would merit an R-Rating, but Warner Brothers would prefer it to be released with a PG-13 MPAA tag.

Sweeney? PG-13? HEADDESK.

Wow, that's fucked up...

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/owen_wilson_hospitalized/celebrity/64164

I hope Owen's doing better. He isn't one of my favorite actors, but I've seen how suicide devastates those who knew the person. It's awful. Again, I hope he's better soon.

cuz apparently I can't talk about anything besides Harry Potter

I know this ain't exactly an original thought, but my God, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson really are like the worst actors ever (at least in the Harry Potter films), aren't they? And Daniel Radcliffe ain't a prize either (though he shocked me at how good he was in the fifth one)...

Tootsie

Okay so we all know Tootsie is awesome right. And if the answer is not "right," then you might as well not read my blog any more (not that anyone does to begin with but whatever). However, the movie gets a weensy bit... "ruined"... by the fact that it was made in the 80s. Like, you'll be watching some wonderful scene and out of nowhere, some gawdawful 80s song will come on. Gar!!!

Mini-rant.

Okay, so to preface this entry, the large majority of my home friends are excessively annoying. The minute I graduate from college, I'm gonna move in with one of my college friends in not-this-state (as much as I love NYC) or something. But anyway, a few days ago, we went out to celebrate a friend's birthday, and the subject of Harry Potter was brought up (of course; they all think it's flawless, eyeroll). They all kept bitching about the fifth movie and how it was bad because it "cut so much out."

Whoah.

Here is the main point of this entry: movies and books are different things. Shocking! I know! And yes, sometimes these two forms of art can combine. And when they do, and here is my second main point: movies do not have any sort of obligation to be exactly like the books they are adapted from. Should they completely change, well, that's kinda BS (though they wouldn't be claiming it was based on a book any way), but those that make the movies have the right to do that. It's crap that fans of books/comic books/whatever they adapted complain about what they left in and what they didn't, and judge the movies primarily based on that. Movies are completely different. Of course Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix couldn't put everything from the book in the movie. The book was...I don't even remember how many pages, 800+? 900+? 1000? The movie would have been ten hours long. In fact, it's a credit to the movie (or a detraction from the book, which is how I prefer to think of it...) that it's the shortest and best of the series (without leaving anything important out - maybe the locket could have been in there, but what would they have done? just shown them all holding a locket? that would have been tooooo obvious), while the book is the longest and absolute worst of the series. I mean, we are all fans of certain books or whatever, and I'm sure many among us has held his or her breath in the hopes that that movie based on that book you loved would turn out just as good. And I'm sure you all whined when whatever scene was cut out... but I'm also sure you appreciated the movie on its own terms (unless, say, that book was Bonfire of the Vanities, in which case you have every right to be upset).

I can't write. But my basic point is: movies and books are different. The directors, writers, and editors of movies have every right to cut out what they want from books, if they feel it will make their movie better.