It is the day of the Academy Awards. I usually watch the event and I usually do this alone because a) Steve doesn't care and b) I change the channel whenever I want to if it gets too boring or stupid like during acceptance speeches. I am one who would enjoy a shorter program; that is, cut out all the "banter" and live music. I say, have the announcements of who's up for whichever award, show a clip demonstrating why they were nominated -- yes, even the technical ones -- and then announce the winner who doesn't get to come on the stage and then move on. THAT would be ideal.
I have not seen very many if any at all of the movies that are contention here but I will make my predictions anyway based on my own personal criteria: if I like them, what buzz I've picked up, etc. So.....
Best Actor, the nominees are:
Javier Bardem in “Biutiful”
Jeff Bridges in “True Grit”
Jesse Eisenberg in “The Social Network”
Colin Firth in “The King's Speech”
James Franco in “127 Hours”
I choose Colin Firth because he played Darcy in Pride and Prejudice on A&E and if you saw it you will never forget the "wet shirt" scene. (see picture above) I'm thrilled he's finally about to get this award, he's actually a very good actor (he's a Brit and they just train them better there) and he has done very good work over the past years. He was nominated last year I believe and just missed.
Best Supporing Actor, the nominees are:
Christian Bale in “The Fighter”
John Hawkes in “Winter's Bone”
Jeremy Renner in “The Town”
Mark Ruffalo in “The Kids Are All Right”
Geoffrey Rush in “The King's Speech”
I WANT Geoffrey Rush to win because I think he's also an extremely talented actor. But I think Christian Bale is going to sweep the award year in this category. I've not seen the movie, The Fighter, nor will I because I don't like boxing movies. It's funny and I'll say here, once you've been nominated for an Academy Award, you're suddenly on their radar and you start getting nominated more often. Jeremy Renner was on nobody's radar until last year with great movie, The Hurt Locker (last year's Best Picture winner, deservedly so). It's like the Academy has those blinders on like horses do and can only see within a narrow view. Look how many times Meryl Streep has been nominated. She's not this year only because she didn't have a movie. End rant.
Best Actress, here are nominees:
Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right”
Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence in “Winter's Bone”
Natalie Portman in “Black Swan”
Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine”
I've been watching Natalie Portman's performances since her first movie, The Professional, in 1994 when she was 12. She was fantastic. Forget the Star Wars stint, she got exposure from them and probably good money. She will win this category because she's been sweeping pretty much all the awards this year. There is minor buzz about Annette Bening but I think that is just to try to generate some excitement in a given.
Best Supporting Actress, the nominees are:
Amy Adams in “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter in “The King's Speech”
Melissa Leo in “The Fighter”
Hailee Steinfeld in “True Grit”
Jacki Weaver in “Animal Kingdom”
I was going to say Melissa Leo because she's been winning them all year for this performance but I read an article today that said she took out an ad to promote herself and there may be backlash. But she's paid her dues on tv (anyone remember The Young Riders?) (also respectably on Homicide) and in independent films. I still think she's going to get it. The upset would be Hailee Steinfeld, the young actress from True Grit, the Academy loves to give to young girls every so often.
Animated Film, the nominees are:
“How to Train Your Dragon” Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
“The Illusionist” Sylvain Chomet
“Toy Story 3” Lee Unkrich
Yeah, you think anything is going to beat Toy Story, even a part 3?
Best Director, the nominees are:
“Black Swan” Darren Aronofsky
“The Fighter” David O. Russell
“The King's Speech” Tom Hooper
“The Social Network” David Fincher
“True Grit” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
This one is a tough a call. Usually the winner of the DGA Award (Director's Guild) wins, in that case it would The King's Speech. But they may want to throw a bone to The Social Network here instead of the big Best Picture award. I'll say The Social Network.
Best Picture, the nominees are:
“Black Swan” Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
“The Fighter” David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
“Inception” Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
“The Kids Are All Right” Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
“The King's Speech” Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
“127 Hours” Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
“The Social Network” Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
“Toy Story 3” Darla K. Anderson, Producer
“True Grit” Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
“Winter's Bone" Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers
They expanded this category to 10 recently for purely marketing purposes. If you think the Awards are about "art" or "the craft" you're mistaken. It's all marketing, baby. It's down to The King's Speech and The Social Network. Inception was a great, intricate film but people loved it and it made money so it won't get anything other than some technical awards and maybe a writing award. The King's Speech is an old school, older generation movie and The Social Network is the younger audience. The Academy always plays it safe (look at the showdown between Crash and Brokeback Mountain) and doesn't like upstarts (look at The Hurt Locker versus James Cameron's Avatar last year). I pick The King's Speech to take Best Picture.
The other awards don't really matter. Sorry. Not even best animated which I included here.
I didn't work on my newsletter yesterday so I will be doing so today. I'll finish laundry, walk Tug a couple times today I think, and do a little reading when I can.
Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster
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