Monday, February 25, 2013

What a night at the Oscars! And "Sound Editing" wasn't the only tie...

So we stayed up extra-late last night (on a school night!) to watch the Oscar telecast to the bitter end. You see, if you’ve been paying attention, there was a somewhat heated competition going on between me and my colleague over at Blobby’s blog. For the second year in a row, Mr. Blobby has challenged me to a contest that puts our knowledge of everything Hollywood to the test. And for the second year in a row – amazingly enough – the competition has ended in a tie! Go figure! How did Blobby even get CLOSE to me?

I must admit – there were a few nail-biting moments during last night’s Oscars. At one point, Blobby was two points ahead of me (Hello Sheer Luck? It’s Blobby calling.) But then because I had smartly tapped deep into my exhaustive knowledge about what it takes to pull off a win in the “Sound Mixing” and “Documentary – Short Subject” categories, I was able to tie things back up. From that point forward, the game was over, as we had pretty much selected the same answers in the major categories.

So about that wager…the winner was supposed to receive a free, frosty beverage of his choice this summer, when Blobby and 710 visit Boston on their way to their summer getaway in Maine. But now, because of the tie, Blobby writes on his blog: “I’m happy to go dutch on drinks and dinner this July when we are back in Boston.”

Yes, I’m happy to go dutch too. Why don’t you let me get the first round? I think a nice tall glass of water with a healthy slice of lemon would suffice, just to make sure you’re sufficiently hydrated. Then you can pick up the second round. I’ll have a double Bombay Sapphire martini, straight up, dirty, with extra olives and a side of chicken wings. Thanks in advance, my friend!

Blobby ended his Oscar wrap-up post by saying something very nice – proof that inside, deep, deep, deep inside, he’s a decent guy. I’m happy to call him a friend and even happier that he’s buying the second round.

So a few thoughts about the Oscars…

  • Am I the only one who thinks Adele was lip-synching? Catherine Zeta-Jones certainly was during the Chicago number.
  • Does Anne Hathaway read ANY of the negative coverage she’s been receiving this entire award season, with her over-the-top, doe-eyed, fake humility, “Oh my god, this is happening” schtick? So tiresome. You think she might have tried something different at the Oscars.
  • Shirley Bassey rocked “Goldfinger” no?
  • What tragedy has befallen Renee Zellweger’s face? Not to sound mean, but sheesh…
  • What was with all the facial hair? Ben Affleck. George Clooney. Hugh Jackman. Catherine Zeta-Jones…
  • Never knew much about Seth McFarlane, but he did a decent job hosting. The opening number went on a little long, and I could do without William Shatner. His “Flying Nun” spot with Sally Field was hilarious.
  • Heard a clip on the radio this morning of Barbra Streisand singing her tribute to Marvin Hamlisch. Perfection. Watching last night? Totally distracted by her jewelry and Morticia Adams get-up.
  • Poor Jennifer Lawrence tripped up the steps. She was a good sport and handed it with grace and wit but it made me wonder why ladies who wear these long gowns don’t practice walking up stairs.
  • Best acceptance speech of the night? Daniel Day-Lewis.
  • Is Jack Nicholson creepier than ever or is it just me?
  • Say what you will about Blobby, but he totally owned Bjork’s swan dress. I told him he didn’t have the gams to pull it off, but he proved me wrong.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Who will win at the Oscars?


So over at Blobby's blog, I'm sure there is much snark and some sharp taunts pointed in my direction. You see, it's time for each of us to pick the winners that will announced at the Oscar telecast one week from tonight.

I did receive a personal e-mail from Blobby -- saying that he had made his picks. But because I don't want to be swayed or mis-directed by his random choices, I'm going to stay away from his blog until I'm done selecting the winners myself.

An update: Seems Blobby won't be posting his selections until later this week. Scaredy cat.

I haven't seen most of the nominees this year. We did catch "Lincoln", "Zero Dark Thirty", and "Les Miserables" in the theater, but am waiting for the video release of everything else. But i've done countless hours of research (I looked at two websites, flipped through an industry magazine, and looked at the critic's choices in today's Boston Sunday Globe) and feel quite confident in my choices below.

To re-cap: we each need to select the winner in all 24 categories. No "shoulda's", "couldas" or "woulda's" will be counted, although comments are welcome. The winner will be determined via a  straight tally of the results as each gold envelope's contents are revealed. And much rides on our decisions -- a cold frosty cocktail (or three) will be awarded to the winner of this year's race, which last year, ended in a tie.

Here's the full list of what we'll be voting on. I've marked my predictions in bold blue. Take a look and let me know what you think in the comments section below. Then check out Blobby's predictions (I'll add a link here after I finish posting my votes). Who do you think is going to win? All I know is that I'm feeling awful thirsty...

1. Best Picture: "Amour," "Argo," "Beasts of the Southern Wild," "Django Unchained," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Zero Dark Thirty."
Comment: Things seem to be swinging Ben Affleck's way recently -- and with a snub in the "Directing" category, the Academy just might award him the night's biggest prize.

2. Actor: Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"; Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"; Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"; Denzel Washington, "Flight."
Comment: Everyone is saying this a "lock" for Day-Lewis. Who am I to argue?

3. Actress: Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"; Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Emmanuelle Riva, "Amour"; Quvenzhané Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Naomi Watts, "The Impossible."
Comment: Never have seen her in any movies, but seems to be the "darling" of the Hollywood circuit right now.

4. Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin, "Argo"; Robert De Niro, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Philip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"; Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"; Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained."
Comment: Lee Jones is an old crab, so I won't vote for him. De Niro seems to be getting some buzz and although I think he plays the same character in every movie he's in, I think he's going home with Oscar next Sunday night.

5. Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, "The Master"; Sally Field, "Lincoln"; Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"; Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"; Jacki Weaver, "Silver Linings Playbook."
Comment: Hate to make Hathaway's name bold, but her win for her bloated performance seems inevitable. She's so very annoying. You did see this video of her complaining about her name being misspelled at the Critics Choice Awards, didn't you?

6. Directing: Michael Haneke, "Amour"; Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Ang Lee, "Life of Pi"; Steven Spielberg, "Lincoln"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook."

7. Foreign Language Film: "Amour," Austria; "Kon-Tiki," Norway; "No," Chile; "A Royal Affair," Denmark; "War Witch," Canada.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio, "Argo"; Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; David Magee, "Life of Pi"; Tony Kushner, "Lincoln"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook."

9. Original Screenplay: Michael Haneke, "Amour"; Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"; John Gatins, "Flight"; Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, "Moonrise Kingdom"; Mark Boal, "Zero Dark Thirty."

10. Animated Feature Film: "Brave"; "Frankenweenie"; "ParaNorman"; "The Pirates! Band of Misfits"; "Wreck-It Ralph."
Comment: Just want them to say "Frankenweenie" on TV.

11. Production Design: "Anna Karenina," "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln."

12. Cinematography: "Anna Karenina," "Django Unchained," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Skyfall."

13. Sound Mixing: "Argo," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Skyfall."
Comment: Much ado has been made about the actors all singing live, so this seems like a homerun.

14. Sound Editing: "Argo," "Django Unchained," "Life of Pi," "Skyfall," "Zero Dark Thirty."

15. Original Score: "Anna Karenina," Dario Marianelli; "Argo," Alexandre Desplat; "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna; "Lincoln," John Williams; "Skyfall," Thomas Newman.

16. Original Song: "Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice," J. Ralph; "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from "Ted," Walter Murphy and Seth MacFarlane; "Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayashri; "Skyfall" from "Skyfall," Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth; "Suddenly" from "Les Miserables," Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil.
Comment: Who doesn't want to see Adele win an Oscar?

17. Costume: "Anna Karenina," "Les Miserables," "Lincoln," "Mirror Mirror," "Snow White and the Huntsman."

18. Documentary Feature: "5 Broken Cameras," "The Gatekeepers," "How to Survive a Plague," "The Invisible War," "Searching for Sugar Man."

19. Documentary (short subject): "Inocente," "Kings Point," "Mondays at Racine," "Open Heart," "Redemption."

20. Film Editing: "Argo," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Zero Dark Thirty."

21. Makeup and Hairstyling: "Hitchcock," "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Les Miserables."
Comment: Hairy feet (no, not Anne Hathaway's) will rule this category.

22. Animated Short Film: "Adam and Dog," "Fresh Guacamole," "Head over Heels," "Maggie Simpson in `The Longest Daycare,'" "Paperman."

23. Live Action Short Film: "Asad," "Buzkashi Boys," "Curfew," "Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)," "Henry."

24. Visual Effects: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Life of Pi," "Marvel's The Avengers," "Prometheus," "Snow White and the Huntsman."

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Oscar, Oscar, Oscar...let the winning begin

Me and Angelina at last year's Oscar bash.
So last year, after much chest-puffing and gloating on either site, the Oscar race between me and Blobby ended up in a tie. "How could that have happened?" I wonder to this day. Aren't I the guy who swept the office Oscar contest several years running?

This year will be different, I vow. Either I'm winning big (fingers crossed) or I'm losing big (I've seen only a fraction of the nominated films). And there's a cocktail riding on the outcome. So come this summer, when Blobby visits Boston on his swing through New England, one of us will be hanging our head in shame while the other enjoys a frosty beverage.

My blog, my rules. This year, we're trying to choose winners for all 24 categories that will be announced on Oscar night. Yup, I'm hoping that if I screw up the main categories, i can rebound by blindly and luckily choosing the winners in the areas of "Documetary (Short Subject)", "Make-Up and Hairstyling", and "Film Editing".

Here's the full list of what we'll be voting on...I'll update this blog with my choices as the awards show creeps closer.

1. Best Picture: "Amour," "Argo," "Beasts of the Southern Wild," "Django Unchained," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Zero Dark Thirty."

2. Actor: Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"; Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"; Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"; Denzel Washington, "Flight."

3. Actress: Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"; Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Emmanuelle Riva, "Amour"; Quvenzhané Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Naomi Watts, "The Impossible."

4. Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin, "Argo"; Robert De Niro, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Philip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"; Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"; Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained."

5. Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, "The Master"; Sally Field, "Lincoln"; Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"; Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"; Jacki Weaver, "Silver Linings Playbook."

6. Directing: Michael Haneke, "Amour"; Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Ang Lee, "Life of Pi"; Steven Spielberg, "Lincoln"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook."

7. Foreign Language Film: "Amour," Austria; "Kon-Tiki," Norway; "No," Chile; "A Royal Affair," Denmark; "War Witch," Canada.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio, "Argo"; Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; David Magee, "Life of Pi"; Tony Kushner, "Lincoln"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook."

9. Original Screenplay: Michael Haneke, "Amour"; Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"; John Gatins, "Flight"; Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, "Moonrise Kingdom"; Mark Boal, "Zero Dark Thirty."

10. Animated Feature Film: "Brave"; "Frankenweenie"; "ParaNorman"; "The Pirates! Band of Misfits"; "Wreck-It Ralph."

11. Production Design: "Anna Karenina," "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln."

12. Cinematography: "Anna Karenina," "Django Unchained," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Skyfall."

13. Sound Mixing: "Argo," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Skyfall."

14. Sound Editing: "Argo," "Django Unchained," "Life of Pi," "Skyfall," "Zero Dark Thirty."

15. Original Score: "Anna Karenina," Dario Marianelli; "Argo," Alexandre Desplat; "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna; "Lincoln," John Williams; "Skyfall," Thomas Newman.

16. Original Song: "Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice," J. Ralph; "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from "Ted," Walter Murphy and Seth MacFarlane; "Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayashri; "Skyfall" from "Skyfall," Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth; "Suddenly" from "Les Miserables," Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil.

17. Costume: "Anna Karenina," "Les Miserables," "Lincoln," "Mirror Mirror," "Snow White and the Huntsman."

18. Documentary Feature: "5 Broken Cameras," "The Gatekeepers," "How to Survive a Plague," "The Invisible War," "Searching for Sugar Man."

19. Documentary (short subject): "Inocente," "Kings Point," "Mondays at Racine," "Open Heart," "Redemption."

20. Film Editing: "Argo," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Zero Dark Thirty."

21. Makeup and Hairstyling: "Hitchcock," "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Les Miserables."

22. Animated Short Film: "Adam and Dog," "Fresh Guacamole," "Head over Heels," "Maggie Simpson in `The Longest Daycare,'" "Paperman."

23. Live Action Short Film: "Asad," "Buzkashi Boys," "Curfew," "Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)," "Henry."

24. Visual Effects: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Life of Pi," "Marvel's The Avengers," "Prometheus," "Snow White and the Huntsman."

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