Merylathon: an update [and a digression about Barbra, and another about hats]

One of my New Year's resolutions was to watch every movie for which either Katharine Hepburn or Meryl Streep was nominated for an Oscar.

I decided to do Meryl first because I had seen less of her movies. I had already seen Music of the Heart through years of Orchestra classes. I've seen that movie/Mr. Holland's Opus way too many times, The Devil Wears Prada, and Julie & Julia. So I started with Kramer v. Kramer because it was her first Oscar win [and I was NOT watching The Deer Hunter by myself in my room (her first nomination)] and it is my dad's favorite Meryl movie. I won't give anything away, but I was especially excited with the ending because somehow in my dad's description of it I interpreted it ending the opposite way. And of course, Meryl is supporting in this role, but not out shined by Dustin Hoffman [whom I also adore, The Graduate is my favorite movie of all time]

Then I went to Doubt, simply because it was on Netflix instant watch. And holy moley, if Meryl can make me hate her, it just makes me love her more. Possibly her least fabulous role I've seen, she plays a nun, she is still Meryl through and through and doesn't let up until the credits role.

These were all preludes to my now favorite Meryl movie. I think Kramer v. Kramer is better and she is better in it. But five words: Robert Redford sans Barbra Streisand. I could go on and on about how much I hated Katie Morosky in The Way We Were as the only reason to watch that movie is the boat scene, but I digress.

Out of Africa was amazing. I don't think I can capture how much I loved this movie. But I can capture how much I loved Meryl's hats.

This is not the first time a movie has been ranked higher in my favorite simply for millinery. See His Girl Friday and A Room with a View

delicious=george emerson

first I have to say. I generally hate Helena Bonham-Carter. I hate all celebrities that break up celebrity couples that I have deemed to be perfect for each other. Another example it Brangelina. I only enjoy Brad Pitt up until 2005. Though with HBC, I can stand Kenneth Branagh, the other offending party their love-affair because Emma Thompson has found the gorgeous, wonderful Greg Wise.
so until Jennifer Aniston finds love, Brad Pitt is dead to be post-2005. But Angelina, I don't care. you suck.
BUTTTTT, Helena Bonham-Carter, as much as I would want to slap her in real life, is kind of awesome. and I mean it all worked out...sort of. She is committed to creeper Tim Burton. And Kenneth is married to Lindsey Brunnock--who Bonham-Carter introduced him to?...!?

whatevs.point of post. just got over my HBC hating enough to watch A Room with a View all the way through and omg. some where between George, bustle, cool hat, George, Italian murder, Italian piazzas, George, Maggie Smith and another cool bustle I fell in love. with GEORGE EMERSON.
you are a beautiful eccentric.
and now I understand why this is the movie is my mom's favorite movie that she most wants to live in.


could I have one please? kthx. oh, and that hat. and that hair. and that Italy. that'd be nice.

golden globe winners-a review

Best Supporting Actress

Mo'Nique for Precious: I can see this fitting in the logic of the Golden Globes but I do not see Mo'Nique taking home the Oscar. Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars is my single favorite category in any award show ever. EVER. I'm very defensive and protective of it. and I'm saying Julianne Moore or Anna Kendrick will rock it out in February.

Best Actress in a Comedy or a Musical

Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia: Of course, Meryl always deserves the Globe. And snaps for surpassing Jack and Angela in total wins! This role definitely has the best chance for a comedic Best Actress this year.

Best Screenplay-Motion Picture

Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner for Up in the Air: Yay. This writing really was amazing and was executed quite well by the cast. I'm still surprised Precious didn't get nominated for this category. I think it will for the Oscars and may take the Oscar, but if the Academy knows better they will see the genius that is Jason Reitman. [more on that later]

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds: eh. I'm still thinking Stanley Tucci as creepy pedophile man in The Lovely Bones is going to take the Oscar. The preview alone made me hate Stanley. and I LOVE STANLEY.

Best Director-Motion Picture

James Cameron for Avatar: Bull...wait for it...shit. In 10, 20, 30 years, the world will look back at 2009 and say "why did anyone like Avatar?" because by then the graphics and 3-d effects will look dated and old and the acting, writing and directing will still suck, just then every one will be able to see it because they are no longer ooo and awwing over 3-d.

Jason Reitman had the right to looked pissed afterwards. He deserved the Globe and will win the Oscar.

Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy

The Hangover: Probably the funniest movie of the year. But not the best movie of the year that was in the category. That would be (500) Days of Summer or It's Complicated. Since the Academy has been in the mood for changing the rules lately I propose a new category. What is there were separate things for like "funny movies" and then "comedys." Because granted I laughed three times as much as The Hangover then either (500) or Complicated, which does require skill from the director, writers and actors but it does not make it the best movie. Maybe a sub category in screenplay. Like best comedic screenplay.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture-Drama

Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side: Prime globe material that probably won't even get nominated for an Oscar. Carey Mulligan is going to take ALL OF Y'ALL. so get ready.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture-Comedy

Robert Downey, Jr. for Sherlock Holmes: Props for the best acceptance speech of the night. The only serious candidate from the comedy category to potentially have a nomination in February.

Best Actor in Motion Picture-Drama

Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart: Best Actor will literally be a race between George and Jeff at this point. My vote is with George. because my heart is with George. swoon. But yay for indie films!

Best Motion Picture-Drama

Avatar: I hate you, Hollywood Foreign Press. You just proved to the world that the Academy is way classier.

Ricky Gervais' hosting gets a C-, got us through the night without too many annoyances, but I didn't laugh at all.

Up in the Air-Review

With all the Oscar Buzz and the promise of George Clooney's face, I knew I had to go see it.

Though I did not know that I would love it. George Clooney is playing his suave charming self, except more isolated that normal, in a job that requires him to fly around the country and fire people. He also has to take recent college grad Natalie under his wing to show her the ropes after she suggests that the company goes online which would prevent George Clooney's character from reaching his goal of 10 million frequent flyer miles.

all while he is having an affair with the beautiful Vera Farmiga, who I've never heard of but it lovable and hate inducing at the same time.

Anna Kendrick, was absolutely wonderful as Natalie, the girl who has planned her life to a T and sees it falling apart in front her well starched skirt-suit.

and SNAPS to JASON REITMAN. I love him. my vote for best director goes to him. It was shot beautifully and the way the travelling was portrayed as well as the familial relationships was so poignant.

The movie also captured the distance and effort of human connection that is so personified in airports. which I love about airports but not that many people understand.

George Clooney is charismatic and wonderful as always but this may be the best he's ever been. I'm calling Oscar right now.

You're the moon over Mae West's shoulder [you're the top] pt. 4

25 Best Movies of 2000's, according to flippee.

Chronologically

2000

High Fidelity

O, Brother Where Art Thou?

Almost Famous

For how little music I liked that was released in 2000, it was a great year for soundtracks! All three movies have some of my favorite soundtracks of all time. John Cusack is at his adult best in High Fidelity as a jerk who we fall in love with as he reminisces about girlfriends, music and what a lameo Jack Black is.

O Brother Where Art Thou? is probably one of the most creative/best adaptations ever, earning both a stop in our hearts and the 9th grade English curriculum.

Almost Famous, annoyingly pretentious and hipster or adorably endearing and indie? Critics are still arguing. But whatever. I love Kate Hudson and if-you-blink-you-will-miss-them Anna Paquin and Zooey Deschanel. I still listen to the vinyl Bookends so I can pretend that I am Zooey Deschanel. And I dream about a singalong in a bus of '"Tiny Dancer." But I think everyone does after watching that movie.

2001

Gosford Park

The Royal Tenebaums

Amelie

Altman's last great film that was his own doing as Prairie Home Companion was tainted by Lindsay Lohan. A great ensemble film, as all of Altman's best are, Gosford Park is really just so good. You have to watch it multiple times to get all the dialogue. The story line is great and Maggie Smith, Kristen Scott Thomas, Jeremy Northam, Helen Mirren, Derek Jacobi, Emily Watson, Sophie Thompson, Ryan Phillipe (a little random, but he is annoying and supposed to be so it works) and Clive Owen. They are all wonderful and it shows that Altman is an actors' director through and through.

Ah, Wes Anderson--you are amazing. He may be seen as pretentious and overrated. I don't care. I love his movies and The Royal Tenebaums is probably his best. It captures what he does best, showing a family in turmoil, with no actually likable characters but the viewer ends up falling in love with all of them. AND ANGELICA HUSTON! Could she be more perfect? I want to look like her now, much less when I'm 60.

Amelie is the best of what it is. What it is in a sweet, endearing movie that doesn't make much sense plotwise, or logicwise. But with Audrey Tautou's page boy hair-cut and knowing smile, the viewer willing gives up logic and stick her hand in the coffee beans.

2002

Chicago

The Hours

Chicago is one of the best movie musicals of our time. I love stage musicals, it's true. But I really love movie musicals, and that may offend the purists, but I love seeing how a director captures new things from the music and choreography. And this ones works the best. Except for maybe Oklahoma!

The Hours-I really am sucker Virgina Woolf, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman. WHOA. This movie was made for me. One of the best adaptations of a novel I've seen.

2003

Finding Nemo

Lost in Translation

Pixar's best of the decade, Nemo is both visually engaging and so emotionally endearing! Marlin and Nemo and Dory are so sweet, and they are fish, but some of Pixar's most human.

Sofia Coppola return to sanity and good movie-making entered her into Hollywood's favorite circle of directors with a little indie whisper. ScarJo before her chest was more famous than her major acting chops. and Bill Murray is his best role to date.

2004

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

I Heart Huckabees

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

The Motorcycle Diaries

Danny Deckchair

Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle

Three of my favorite surreal movies in one year! Sunshine, Huckabees, and Life Aquatic are in my cycle of fun indie films that make me feel like a little hipster. Of course these movies do have cinematic value as well. Jim Carrey when he isn't funny is at his sweetest and Kate Winslet! If I could two sets of movies to watch for the rest of my life it would Katharine Hepburn's canon and Kate Winslet's. she is just so wonderful. Huckabees is trippy, but really humane and fun, and Jason Schwartzman's character is one of my all time favorites. Then my favorite Wes Anderson film. Rushmore was more influential and Tenebaums was a better movie but Life Aquatic is so funny and quotable, Bill Murray in my 2nd favorite role of his is deadpan and hilarious.

2005

Walk the Line

Reese at her best and Joaquin before the crazy fully settled. I love June Carter and Johnny. They are so damn cute in the most destructive relationship way ever.

2006

Little Miss Sunshine

Stranger Than Fiction

Little Miss Sunshine- My first reaction was GRAPES OF WRATH. Which it totally is. And Steve Carell is so funny when he isn't being funny. Dwayne is the love of my indie life and I've adored Toni Collette ever since she portrayed Harriet Smith in Emma.

Stranger Than Fiction got a lot of crap about being too out there or whatever. But Emma Thompson is so serene as an actress in any role. And again features one of my favorite things, comedians not being funny. Maggie Gyllenhaal could be better. probably had her character been played by Zooey Deschanel. But Dustin Hoffman is sweet too.

2007

Juno

Once

Watching Juno now, I don't like it nearly as much as I thought I did when I was a junior in high school, but is changed what being a teenage protagonist meant. All of the sudden Juno was short, brunette, saucy and pregnant. She wasn't a fallen Christian girl, or a slut who needed to find the way. She was 16 and pregnant and herself. And that's why everyone took notice. Not to mention Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman's stellar performances as the yuppie adopters!

Just recently saw Once, and I felt like I had been punched in the stomach by the gods of music and love. or god of music and love; this movie makes it seem like they are the same. Again like Juno, Once is really real. Guy and Girl aren't perfect for each other, but perfect for each at that moment, which is a fact of humanity that is glazed over a lot in romances that create the idea of "the one." Once provides an alternative the cleanliness of that version, something truer and deeper and more congruent with the lives that we lead.

2008

Slumdog Millionaire

WALL-E

Another punch movie. Except Slumdog punched me in the face. Part Bollywood musical, part low-budget endearment, part sappy bildungsroman, Slumdog changed how I looked at movies. Before any indie movie I found was something I happened upon and liked in a little niche of my existence, like Wes Anderson films, that are rarely accepted into the wide canon of great movies, only to be praised by little hipsters. But Slumdog captured the country and made them love and not look away from the torture, game show or Bollywood dance number. Everybody loved to love Slumdog because it was just that good.

WALL-E will forever be known as the Best Picture that shoulda been. Oh well. Maybe it was the shout out to Hello! Dolly or the Fred-and-Ginger dance between WALL-E and EVE or the silence in which WALL-E commits all his actions, but WALL-E felt so retro, except of course it takes place in space and in the future. The retro and modernity gave Pixar their best film of the decade, and Toy Story a run for its money as the definitive Pixar film.

2009

Up

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Two animations in one year and no live action movies. Granted I haven't seen my pick of Best Picture right now (Up in the Air) yet, but these were my two favorites of the year. Up and Fantastic Mr. Fox were the most humane movies of the year. They addressed human issues of family and loss and love and that's what I love most about movies. Identifying with the characters, or feeling pathos for them. I felt more connected to George Clooney as a fox than I have a character in a long time. and if you didn't cry during Up, I'd suggest you go back to your charger or home planet because you are obviously either a robot or an alien.

Still Haven't Seen

Up in the Air

An Education

A Single Man

Invictus

Sherlock Holmes

pajamaspajamaspajamas

Could Claudette Colbert get cuter? She rocks the too-short bangs and pencil thin eyebrows harder than anyone could ever dream to. It Happened One Night is one of my favorite movies of all time. and I love the clothes. There are about two outfits in the whole thing though, so you wouldn't think I'd get inspo from it right? negativo, my friend.

I mean they are travelling from Miami to New York and she has a sweater and skirt and an adorable kid hat. plus her wedding dress. albeit fabulous, I can't just wear a wedding dress in homage to Claudette. but I do love those pjs!

Of course Clark is looking swanky. I adore him in this. I undercover hate Gone With the Wind. I know. I am a horrible southerner or whatever. But the women are annoying and the men are abusive and/or drips. But Clark is just wonderful in this movie. I'm am a sucker for newspaper men. (Cary Grant in His Girl Friday? yes please)

A recent viewing of this movie has me craving some mens-style pajamas a la these:

Pajama Gram

The Cat's Pajamas

aerie.com

some more adorable pjs for you. I LOVE THE BANANAS IN PYJAMAS. so cute

birken gainsbourg family

Jane Birken, Serge Gainsbourg and their progeny, Charlotte, are beautiful and have of hold on my interest. A few other people do this as being so supremely interesting; Katharine Hepburn, Angelica Huston, Buddy Holly. and I could very well write this post about the Rossellini-Bergman family.

my first exposure to birken-gainsbourg world was the birken bag reference on sex and the city.

which is funny because jane birken supposedly commented on how when her daugther would come to america people would ask her if she was the daughter of the bag.

later, in november of 2007, lisa robinson wrote this fascinating article about the home/world of Serge Gainsbourg for Vanity Fair. now as much as I regret it, I am not a regular Vanity Fair reader. whenever I read it I feel terribly bourgeois. And the text is really tiny. but this picture captured me:

Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg on the set of the movie Slogan, June 1968. By Gilles Caron/Contact Press Images.

They look so supremely happy.

Of course, Serge was a raging alcoholic...but this is right when they were about to get married/just married.

I imagine Jane as sort of backwards Eleanor of Aquitaine. Eleanor was French best known for marrying an Englishman, but a formidable woman in her own right, and Jane was just this flipped. An Englishwoman so intertwined with French culture with a completely French daughter.

Charlotte! my favorite part of I'm Not There, a movie I found pretentious and annoying except for a few select parts. Well those select parts when the little boy obsessed with woody guthrie, heath ledger, cate blachett, and CHARLOTTE.

but seriously. check out that vanity fair article.

Fantastic Mr. Anderson

My love affair with Mr. Wes Anderson began when, in a fit of insomnia that plagued my early high school, I watched The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. As far as I can see, Anderson is best watched in a dream-like state because if you aren't there already, he will slowly nudge you until his oddly juxtaposed orchestration of a sixties pop song and denouement in the film finally lulls you completely in the fantasy worlds that he creates.

And creates he does in his new film Fantastic Mr. Fox. This movie is basically Life Aquatic, Tenenbaums, Ocean's 11 and Old Mother West Wind stories put together.

Once again Anderson focuses on what he does best and doesn't stray too much. At the center, a dysfunctional, albeit loving, family with a disillusioned patriarch who has seen better days. But in animation maybe Anderson had found the entry point to the mainstream that big name stars haven't been to give him.

In Fox, Anderson still has the wit and subversiveness that 20-somethings and up love, but the story of a child being misunderstood by his father would resonate with anyone one 12 and under.

Still even the patriarch is slightly more lovable than the abusive Royal Tenenbaum or distant Steve Zissou. That may be, of course, because Mr. Fox, is a fox. And fact: furry animals are just more lovable.

So the acid tongued wife and sassy adolescent get away with unlikeable nature that would be off putting in a children's movie, but perfect in an Anderson movie, simply because their red fur and awkwardly gangly legs that remind the viewer of Anderson's skinny chicken legs, are so darn cute.

With everyone Anderson archetype filled by his regulars of over-the-top actors, Fantastic Mr. Fox may be his first non live-action film, but I believe Mr. Anderson could find a long career in children's movies. For the past decade he's been making movies for adults for the neglected child within. I wish he would continue to work with Roald Dahl books because this is by far the best adaptation I've seen.

christmasssss wishinnggg.

I sincerely love the holidays.

if only for Kearney family traditions, including watching Stalag 17, possibly the least festive Christmas movie ever. But it is set during Christmas.

I'm tellin' ya, Animal, these Nazis ain't kosher!

so in honor of Manfredi and Johnson, here is my christmas wish list.

1. North by Northwest: 50th Anniversary Edition-Hitchcock! Grant! Mt. Rushmore! I seriously love this movie. and I don't have it on DVD period. I want, I need.
2. Dark was the Night-seriously, check how this compilation/collaborations. Feist and Ben Gibbard, Bon Iver, The Decemberist, Iron and Wine, Sufjan, Sharon Jones, Cat Power, Andrew Bird, and my most anticipated track...Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch!
3. Monsters of Folk [Vinyl plus MP3]-M. Ward, Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis and Jim James. WHY IS THIS JUST NOW HAPPENING? This is like my dream supergroup. Except Gillian and Zooey aren't there. They should tag team.
4. The Avett Brothers-Can I have them to live in my pocket and sing to me when I am sad? The answer is...no. BUT, I can have them come to the Fox Theatre and I can go see them. [which I am doing!]
5. Paste Magazine-to survive another year
6. These shoes from Anthropologie

so damn kitsch

BTW. Just announced, Mark Ruffalo's directorial debut in the lineup for Sundance. Starring Ruffalo, Orlando Bloom, Laura Linney.

I want it to be awesome because I luff Ruffalo. and Laura Linney. Maybe she will be stupendous, garner an 2011 Oscar Nod in Best Supporting Actress and win. Because she's awesome.

Oscar Buzz

K, so I know it is November, but I am so excited about award season! Golden Globes are less than two months away. and I'm so ready.
I get really competitive with Oscar Pools, so I've already started my research. Here my picks for nominees.

Best Picture
1. Inglourious Bastards-As much as I hate Tarentino and what he stands for [annoying loud, plot driven, but not really, movies] with 10 nominations this year, I don't think there is a way around this being nominated.
2. Precious-I've heard this film being called "this year's Slumdog." I'd like to remind everyone that Slumdog almost didn't get theatrical release. It almost went to straight to DVD. While not a huge star vehicle, Precious is still more mainstream then Slumdog. Nevertheless, it will no doubt garner a nomination, but may fall into the trap of indie movies winning Best Screenplay in lieu of Best Picture, i.e. American Beauty, Almost Famous, Gosford Park, Lost in Translation, Eternal Sunshine, Crash, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Milk.
3. Up-Possibly my favorite movie this year. I'm biased. My experience seeing it was right around my graduation, and my entire family came to it with us. So we had a row a Kearneys looking up in headache inducing 3-d glasses and fogging them up as we cried our eyes out.
4. Nine-Star-studded cast. Let me rephrase that. Star-Studded cast of people who can actually act. Literally everyone is in this movie. It is like a modern day, coed, musical A Bridge Too Far. While musicals don't always fair well, Rob Marshall's name will probably prick the ears of voters.
5. Up in the Air-George Clooney and Jason Reitman team up. I adore both of them. Any time George Clooney falls in love is a good one.
6. The Lovely Bones. I'm pretty sure I'm the only girl my age who hasn't read this book. But Peter Jackson's project has piqued my interest.

7. A Serious Man-Coen Brothers always have something for us to watch. I don't usually get it. or know what I'm watching. But it is interesting.
8. It's Complicated-My favorite for a comedic live-action nod. Though I would still say Up is a drama. Blubbered like a baby. Meryl, Alec and Steve? Mention Meryl during Oscar season and swoons should occur. Alec has been getting more and more rave reviews about 30 Rock and Steve seems to have found his way out of campy, broad comedy [Why did you make Cheaper by the Dozen?]
9. Invictus-Nelson Mandela story with Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. Political, but not really? It's Academy gravy. Plus it is directed by Clint Eastwood, another recent Academy favorite.
10. In lieu of a tenth nomination, I am going to explain why I think 10 nominations is about as ridiculous as instant replay in baseball.

[Interlude:

How is the Academy going to pick 10 films?!?

My mind has been trained to pare down any given year of films into five best, most deserving. I don't care what people say, The Dark Knight, while awesome, was not the best film of the year in 2009 for the Academy. It wasn't. While the Academy has prestige, and the seemingly definite answer on what was the "Best Picture" of the year, remember these are the people who pickedShakespeare in Love over Saving Private Ryan or even Life is Beautiful.

I understand the Academy wants more people to watch the show or whatever. But I think what is going to happen is that more indie, obscure films will be nominated. I mean, of the five or so top box office hits this year, Up has the best change of getting a nod for Best Picture.Transformers? Here's hoping for a nod in Sound Editing. But with a Rob Marshall music out and Terminator? A win is still up for grabs]

Best Actress
1. Gabourey Sidibe-I haven't seen Precious yet, but I will. Maybe this weekend. And Gabourey is so sweet and personable in all of her interviews. Oscar voters will lap this up, and possibly make up for the snub of underdog movie stars of Slumdog last year.
2. Carey Mulligan-An Education, again, haven't seen it yet. But she's young and an ingenue, with acting chops.

3. Meryl Streep-Julie & Julia, first off. it is an amazing movie. And while it may have been the vehicle to remind everyone that Amy Adams is more than Princess Giselle, [did you see Junebug? she was awesome and earned her first Oscar nod], Meryl makes a movie, you nominate her. She is fabulous and wonderful and sassy and feisty.

4. Penelope Cruz-Broken Embraces, Almodovar helped her be nominated for Volver in 2006, so she'll definitely be considered again

5. I don't know. I can't decide between so many previous, recent winners who seem to be pulling out stellar performances again. As much as I wish Zooey Deschanel would get nominated, I think she'll have to settle for a Globe nomination. Maybe previous Oscar winner Marion Cotillard for musical Nine.

Best Actor

1. Matt Damon-The Informant!-the mustache should win him at least a nomination.

2. Daniel Day-Lewis-Nine. Could this man be any more fabulous? He sings, he dances, he makes his own shoes. Plus being a two-time Oscar winner, just recently enough, helps.
3. Morgan Freeman-Invictus.

4. George Clooney-Up in the Air. He is beloved by the Academy. And I don't think his turn from dramatics to dramedy will hurt him.

5. Could Colin Firth pull it off? I know quite a few high school English teachers who would rejoice in his first nomination. I'd say his role in A Single Man or Jeff Bridges' in Crazy Heart, which is generating the right amount of buzz, at the right time. Still even Johnny Depp from Public Enemies might have a chance.

Other nominations I'd bet on;

Best Supporting Actress: Julianne Moore-this year's Kate Winslet. How has she not won? She split her own vote in 2002 with The Hours and Far From Heaven. I would say she'll be at least nominated, but with Mo'Nique's out of nowhere performance in Precious, Julianne might have to wait a few more year for the win.

Original Score-Where the Wild Things Are-How cool would it be for Karen O in all over her blunt banged glory be nominated for an Oscar? Remember Three 6 Mafia won an Oscar BEFORE Martin Scorsese did.

Cinematography-Public Enemies-A combo of gun fights and costume drama plus weird lighting to contrast New York and Miami? This movie has got Cinematography in the bag as far as I'm concerned. Nine will probably get nominated because it is a musical and they tend to do well here.

Short Films/Oscars' Prep

I'm a sucker for disenfranchised art forms. [I know art forms have no right to vote, but if feature length films did, you bet short films would have to fight for their own enfranchisement, and I am suffering for a lack of a better word]

It is probably genetic. My mom loves short films, and my dad likes cartoon a lot, especially the Droopy ones.

Also I probably enjoy them so much because short films tend to be poignant, sweet, and well, tear-jerking. and I love a good catharsis.

Last January/February, sometime between the Oscar Nominations were released and the Oscar's happened [HUGH JACKMAN!] I had the opportunity to see the five nominated animated short films, as well as other celebrated short animated films from that year.

This wasn't an entirely noble plan. I am very competitive when it comes to Oscar Pools. When I was little, my dad usually won, as he works on a newspaper and read a lot more about the movies [plus saw more of them] but ever since I was all of 15, I've done extensive research is all categories. So the ones we usually just guess at,[Best Sound Mixing anyone?] I could get. So right now I have a threepeat going.

Another one of my goals is to see every best nominated picture before the awards show, and then the more complicated goal of seeing every picture in theaters during its original release. I haven't achieved the first one yet, so I'll get there first, though it will be hard this year considering there are going to be 10 nominated films!

I am slowly improving my stats, in 2007 I saw Juno in theaters, and in 2008 I saw Slumdog [winner!] and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
I also saw Chicago in theaters in 2002, but that was pure chance because I never miss musicals. I wasn't going to see it because of the competitive edge.

Back to the origin of the post. I love short films.
I thought I would post some of my favorites.
The Dot and the Line-A Romance in Lower Mathematics
John and Karen
Lavatory Lovestory

The 1st is a classic, the 2nd I saw when I saw all the short films from 2008, but it wasn't nominated, and the 3rd, I wanted to win, but I didn't pick it because I knew the one that did win was better.

Musings on Musicals

So I love musicals. Everyone knows this.

But I was thinking what makes me like a musical. I thought of a few concise things that should be included in case someone were to make the musical of all musicals. Take note.

1. Nuns-Nuns are hilarious. They just are. In Sound of Music, "(How Do You Solve A Problem Like) Maria" is crazy funny, and witty with the incorporation of their prayers as subtle choreography. When the nuns steal the car parts from the Nazis, good triumphs evil succinctly and humorously. And "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" is oddly jocular, just because Mother Superior's mouth is so large.

2. Prostitutes/Underwear Scenes-Not in a kinky way. But these scenes, like The Ballet or "Many a New Day" in Oklahoma or "Lovely Ladies" in Les Miserables allow for really, really amazing costuming and choreography. And some cool minor key changes. Even wholesome Singin' In the Rain has Cyd Charisse in "Broadway Melody," who pretty much is the creepy gangster oddly flexible prostitute. Another good underwear scene is in An American in Paris when Gene Kelly first gets up and dances in his tiny apartment.

3. All Male Scenes-While I realize this is extremely difficult, I do tend to enjoy large dancing scenes with all men. Examples-"Barn Raising,"Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, 1776, "Kansas City," Oklahoma, and all the Jet and Shark scenes in West Side Story

4. Gangsters-Notably West Side Story, but "The Farmers and the Cowmen," Oklahoma, and Guys and Dolls. Gangs allow for more athletic dancing and fake fighting atypical of floofy musicals, or adorable scenes like "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" from Kiss Me Kate.

5. Anything Bob Fosse or Stephan Sondheim related, or that doesn't smell of Andrew Lloyd Webber-As a self-respecting musical lover I cannot say I enjoy ALW. Phantom-sucked, Evita-sucked, and Cats was only good because T.S. Eliot wrote the lyrics.

Movie Review-Julie&Julia

ohmygoodness, wonderful!

Two of my favorite actresses, Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, and the adorable Stanley Tucci were amazing. Meryl Streep, in her eternal beauty and classiness, captured Julia Child's oooOOOOooooos and 6'2ness without making her into a caricature. And Amy Adams with her wonderfully crooked teeth and whole-hearted earnestness takes the viewer on the desperate journey from secretarial pool to cooking school.

In comparison to the book, the movie is a lot less political, at least in the Julie plot line. And the softening of the complete depth of despairs that in more gastronomical circles is known as aspics, upset me a little just because in the book, Julie Powell's journey is so miserable and triumphant in the end. But the movie is technically not just an adaptation of Julie & Julia, it is also an adaptation of My Life in France, by Julia Child, so this wonderful edition does call for some cuts from the nominal work. Paul and Julia are adorable together, and when she says that her cook book is his too, it shows how beautifully codependent they are on each other and the meals they share.

But the unsung hero of the these two women's lives, the books and the movies is the recipes. We are shown the direct link between the women and how it affected their husbands, friends and lives. But they also touched so many other people, which was beautifully shown in a scene from neither book where Judith Jones, Julia's book editor, cooks Boeuf Bourguignon. This woman, who is not a housewife, but instead a working woman, not in a kitchen, but a publishing house, cooks a stew and falls in love with the idea that she CAN cook. And that is what Julia has done and will continue to do for generations. The movie captures that better than Julia's accent or Julie's struggle and that's why I enjoyed it so insanely much.