No self respecting film critic (is that what I think I am?) lets the Oscars come and go without running their mouth.
For 20 years I couldn’t wait for the Siskel & Ebert Oscar show when they’d tell us who should win. Unfortunately, Gene Siskel has left us and Roger Ebert has been (vocally) silenced by cancer, so I’ll give you my gonna/shoulda.
Unfortunately, in recent years, the Oscars have become less suspenseful as clear favorites have emerged each year, but here goes:
Best Supporting Actress:
Will Win: Mo’Nique for Push – She’s swept all the awards. I didn’t see it. Oops, guess I'm not much of a film reviewer
Should Win: Anna Kendrick. When you steal a movie from George Clooney and Vera Farmiga, you should win. She has no chance, but of the ones I saw, hers was the knockout performance.
Best Supporting Actor:
Will Win: Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds. He’s swept all the awards too
Should Win: Christoph Waltz and it’s not even close. When you hate a villain this much, you know he’s working some magic.
Best Actress
Will Win: Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side
Should Win: Sandra Bullock in The Proposal (I liked her even better in that movie). Actually, from a technical standpoint, what Meryl Streep did in Julie and Julia far outpaces Sandra, but Sandra’s got the momentum, the flashier role, and the usual “Lifetime of work” recognition on her side. Meryl’s going for the party. But don’t be surprised if she pulls the slight upset. The Academy can’t keep making Streep a bridesmaid when she’s churning out incredible performances year in, year out. Both were awesome.
Best Actress
Will Win: Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart
Should Win: Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker. Sorry, he has no chance, but this portrait of an adrenaline junkie was a character study for the ages.
Best Director
Will Win: Kathryn Bigelow for the Hurt Locker
Should Win: James Cameron for Avatar. These movies are both such incredible achievements, and so dissimilar, that I’ll be rooting for a tie. The fact that these two directors were once married makes this the most suspenseful race of the night, in a Jersey shore kind of way.
Best Picture
Will Win: Avatar
Should Win: The Hurt Locker, by the tiniest of margins. While Avatar is a stunning achievement, the intensity of sitting in a theater watching The Hurt Locker has stayed with me for 9 months. I can’t wait to see it again, and yet I’m not sure if I can sit through it again. It’s a masterpiece, and definitely not for the faint of heart.
If Avatar wins it will be the highest grossing film to ever win Best Picture, and if The Hurt Locker beats it, it will be the lowest. Now, that’s suspense.
Other comments: Funny that in the year that the Academy decided to add five more pictures to the Best Picture pool, the second five clearly don’t belong. And the inclusion of District 9 (which I thought rivaled Planet 9 as one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen) instead of Star Trek strains all credibility.
In general, I suspect it will be an Avatar night, and it will be well deserved.
Pass the chips.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
At the Cinema - February 2010
Shutter Island – 8 out of 10
You’ll like this movie if you
a. like mysteries
b. like Martin Scorcese
c. like to discuss a movie afterward
When you go to as many movies as I do you see a lot of previews – the coming attractions. Recently a movie came and went in theaters very quickly. I’d seen the previews of “The Lovely Bones” so many times that a) I felt like I’d seen the whole movie and b) I felt very invested in it. Since it was a Peter Jackson movie, heavily hyped, I thought it would be around a while and be a big hit.
Wrong. Bad reviews and it was gone quickly. I was disappointed that I didn’t get to see it, only because I was so invested in having seen those previews for months.
Martin Scorcese’s latest epic suffers from the same “trailer overkill.” I’d seen the previews so many times, I went in to the theater correctly predicting what the story was ultimately going to be about.
The movie is a roller coaster. It alternates scenes of brilliance with clichéd scenes you’ve seen a million times. I laughed at the manipulation in some scenes in the early goings, but ultimately the master finds his footing with a great final 30 minutes that may leave you befuddled. I left the theater absolutely sure of what I thought had happened. I suspect the internet boards will be debating the ending, but what you can’t debate is how good Scorcese is at his craft.
Leonardo DiCrapio, Scorcese’s current day DeNiro, tackles the toughest roll of his career with great conviction. He is totally convincing as the conflicted US Marshall. It is a great performance and it has to be because the movie’s centerpiece is his believability.
If you can figure out what to believe.
Garbage – The Revolution Starts at Home – 10 out of 10
You’ll like this movie if you
a. are breathing
b. care at all about the environment
c. want to keep breathing
Ok, technically this is a 2007 Documentary. But I just had to write about it, because this is the reason I have DirecTV and all those overpriced movie channels. Sometimes I can’t sleep, so I get up at 3 in the morning, and I catch a riveting movie I’ve never heard of on one of those obscure channels.
Revelations – that’s what this movie is about. Filmmaker Andrew Nisker convinces a Canadian family, the McDonalds, to keep all their garbage for 90 days. Along the way he tells us more about the waste we produce than we ever wanted to know. From showing us what really happens in a recycling plant, to where our garbage goes, to the impact of the chemicals we use, to the difficulty in dealing with that stupid packaging we all struggle with, well let’s just say that the hits just keep on coming.
We went to Winn Dixie the next night and I took those canvas sacks, determined to lessen my use of plastic (sorry Dustin) for good.
We learn that Canada is exporting garbage to the US along with those hockey players. We learn that 3 million water bottles a year are going into land fills, never to be decomposed. We learn the impact of strip mining in West Virginia, and land fills in Michigan.
If this movie doesn’t shock you just a little I’d be really surprised.
And there’s no need to store your garbage for 3 months to get the message.
Crazy Heart – 8
You’ll like this movie if you
a. like country music
b. like great acting
c. like an adult evening at the movies
Jeff Bridges gives a sure-to-be-Oscar-winning performance as Bad Blake, a prototypical down and out fading country singer. He’s a-smokin’ and a-drinkin’ and a-womanizing his way through 2 bit bowling alley and honky tonk venues when he runs smack dab into Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and who wouldn’t be awakened by that. That’s believable. Not being a woman I can't explain why she finds him attractive. But this is movieworld so to advance the story she conveniently falls for him and you could write the rest of the story. Drunk gets girl, drunk loses girl, etc. etc.
This is a paint by the numbers movie that you’ve seen a thousand times before, as recently as last year (The Wrestler.) It is the two stars who elevate the material, keeping us interested through the predictable and inevitable conclusion. What’s nice about the movie is that it is adult fare, methodically paced, with intelligent conversation and characters we care about. We’re just not sure why they care about each other. Love works in mysterious ways.
Bridges will win his Academy Award as a nod to a career of stellar work, and this is one of those showy performances that soak up awards like a sponge. Many a competent actor could have pulled off the dramatic scenes. It is actually Bridges’ singing and stage work, wonderfully captured in sound and atmosphere, that escalate the performance. His song writing scenes are fascinating and lend some insight into the genius of both Bad and Jeff. Maggie Gyllenhaal also adds to her resume with a great performance. She’s terrific.
Jeff, clear one more spot on the mantel to go with the passel you’ve won so far. A Lifetime Achievement Award is coming your way.
You’ll like this movie if you
a. like mysteries
b. like Martin Scorcese
c. like to discuss a movie afterward
When you go to as many movies as I do you see a lot of previews – the coming attractions. Recently a movie came and went in theaters very quickly. I’d seen the previews of “The Lovely Bones” so many times that a) I felt like I’d seen the whole movie and b) I felt very invested in it. Since it was a Peter Jackson movie, heavily hyped, I thought it would be around a while and be a big hit.
Wrong. Bad reviews and it was gone quickly. I was disappointed that I didn’t get to see it, only because I was so invested in having seen those previews for months.
Martin Scorcese’s latest epic suffers from the same “trailer overkill.” I’d seen the previews so many times, I went in to the theater correctly predicting what the story was ultimately going to be about.
The movie is a roller coaster. It alternates scenes of brilliance with clichéd scenes you’ve seen a million times. I laughed at the manipulation in some scenes in the early goings, but ultimately the master finds his footing with a great final 30 minutes that may leave you befuddled. I left the theater absolutely sure of what I thought had happened. I suspect the internet boards will be debating the ending, but what you can’t debate is how good Scorcese is at his craft.
Leonardo DiCrapio, Scorcese’s current day DeNiro, tackles the toughest roll of his career with great conviction. He is totally convincing as the conflicted US Marshall. It is a great performance and it has to be because the movie’s centerpiece is his believability.
If you can figure out what to believe.
Garbage – The Revolution Starts at Home – 10 out of 10
You’ll like this movie if you
a. are breathing
b. care at all about the environment
c. want to keep breathing
Ok, technically this is a 2007 Documentary. But I just had to write about it, because this is the reason I have DirecTV and all those overpriced movie channels. Sometimes I can’t sleep, so I get up at 3 in the morning, and I catch a riveting movie I’ve never heard of on one of those obscure channels.
Revelations – that’s what this movie is about. Filmmaker Andrew Nisker convinces a Canadian family, the McDonalds, to keep all their garbage for 90 days. Along the way he tells us more about the waste we produce than we ever wanted to know. From showing us what really happens in a recycling plant, to where our garbage goes, to the impact of the chemicals we use, to the difficulty in dealing with that stupid packaging we all struggle with, well let’s just say that the hits just keep on coming.
We went to Winn Dixie the next night and I took those canvas sacks, determined to lessen my use of plastic (sorry Dustin) for good.
We learn that Canada is exporting garbage to the US along with those hockey players. We learn that 3 million water bottles a year are going into land fills, never to be decomposed. We learn the impact of strip mining in West Virginia, and land fills in Michigan.
If this movie doesn’t shock you just a little I’d be really surprised.
And there’s no need to store your garbage for 3 months to get the message.
Crazy Heart – 8
You’ll like this movie if you
a. like country music
b. like great acting
c. like an adult evening at the movies
Jeff Bridges gives a sure-to-be-Oscar-winning performance as Bad Blake, a prototypical down and out fading country singer. He’s a-smokin’ and a-drinkin’ and a-womanizing his way through 2 bit bowling alley and honky tonk venues when he runs smack dab into Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and who wouldn’t be awakened by that. That’s believable. Not being a woman I can't explain why she finds him attractive. But this is movieworld so to advance the story she conveniently falls for him and you could write the rest of the story. Drunk gets girl, drunk loses girl, etc. etc.
This is a paint by the numbers movie that you’ve seen a thousand times before, as recently as last year (The Wrestler.) It is the two stars who elevate the material, keeping us interested through the predictable and inevitable conclusion. What’s nice about the movie is that it is adult fare, methodically paced, with intelligent conversation and characters we care about. We’re just not sure why they care about each other. Love works in mysterious ways.
Bridges will win his Academy Award as a nod to a career of stellar work, and this is one of those showy performances that soak up awards like a sponge. Many a competent actor could have pulled off the dramatic scenes. It is actually Bridges’ singing and stage work, wonderfully captured in sound and atmosphere, that escalate the performance. His song writing scenes are fascinating and lend some insight into the genius of both Bad and Jeff. Maggie Gyllenhaal also adds to her resume with a great performance. She’s terrific.
Jeff, clear one more spot on the mantel to go with the passel you’ve won so far. A Lifetime Achievement Award is coming your way.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Exhale
I need to write about something other than the New Orleans Saints.
I rarely write about politics, because I believe none of what I hear and half of what I see. I think I’m just a natural born contrarian. (I know what you just said.) I find that the majority side of any issue is rarely the place to be, and my natural reaction to most political statements is “What BS!”
Sometimes I think the less Government does the better, followed by wondering why they never seem to get anything done.
My current concern was beautifully expressed by somebody I saw interviewed on TV the other day. I wish I could remember who he was to give him proper credit, but he talked about what he called “the sorting of America” in that we’ve all sorted ourselves into two viewpoints and they conflict so much that nothing gets done.
The contrarian point is one often expressed by another commentator who thinks there is only one party in America because both parties are beholden to corporations, so they manipulate everything.
Either way you look at it, I almost jumped out of my seat when I read this paragraph of Leonard Pitts' column this morning:
To listen to talk radio, to watch TV pundits, to read a newspaper’s online message board, is to realize that increasingly, we are a people estranged from critical thinking, divorced from logic, alienated from even objective truth. We admit no ideas that do not confirm us, hear no voices that do not echo us, sift out all information that does not validate what we wish to believe.
Have to admit that I found that rather profound. Just doesn’t seem like we as a nation think much anymore, or find ways to solve problems. Everyone just pounds away on the talking points. Where did our problem solvers go? Once I was told by someone that your sole worth to the company you work for is in your ability to solve problems. If you can’t do that, you won’t have a job long.
Made me think about Congress which increasingly resembles that scrum after the Saints on-side kick. Except there’s no ball in there – they’re just rassling.
I rarely write about politics, because I believe none of what I hear and half of what I see. I think I’m just a natural born contrarian. (I know what you just said.) I find that the majority side of any issue is rarely the place to be, and my natural reaction to most political statements is “What BS!”
Sometimes I think the less Government does the better, followed by wondering why they never seem to get anything done.
My current concern was beautifully expressed by somebody I saw interviewed on TV the other day. I wish I could remember who he was to give him proper credit, but he talked about what he called “the sorting of America” in that we’ve all sorted ourselves into two viewpoints and they conflict so much that nothing gets done.
The contrarian point is one often expressed by another commentator who thinks there is only one party in America because both parties are beholden to corporations, so they manipulate everything.
Either way you look at it, I almost jumped out of my seat when I read this paragraph of Leonard Pitts' column this morning:
To listen to talk radio, to watch TV pundits, to read a newspaper’s online message board, is to realize that increasingly, we are a people estranged from critical thinking, divorced from logic, alienated from even objective truth. We admit no ideas that do not confirm us, hear no voices that do not echo us, sift out all information that does not validate what we wish to believe.
Have to admit that I found that rather profound. Just doesn’t seem like we as a nation think much anymore, or find ways to solve problems. Everyone just pounds away on the talking points. Where did our problem solvers go? Once I was told by someone that your sole worth to the company you work for is in your ability to solve problems. If you can’t do that, you won’t have a job long.
Made me think about Congress which increasingly resembles that scrum after the Saints on-side kick. Except there’s no ball in there – they’re just rassling.
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Saints Championship Report # 20 - February 8, 2010
I’m almost writeless.
Almost.
I’m almost speechless.
Almost.
My voice ran 74 yards with Tracy Porter. The Saints finally completed the march.
The New Orleans Saints have won the Super Bowl. Put that in your straw and drink it.
For 43 years the Saints fans have experienced the agony of defeat.
But the turning point came with the real agony of Hurricane Katrina
That’s when we realized that defeat isn’t an agony. Defeat in a ball game is going to happen from time to time, but it’s a temporary pain, and it’s disappointing but it ain’t agony.
Agony is when you’re in the superdome and it’s not for a football game.
Agony is the moment you realize your house has floated away, or your friend is homeless.
That’s agony.
We’ll take more football defeats, just let us keep our team.
Losing is painful, but it’s not as bad as not having a team at all.
Now the thrill of victory – that’s for real. When the Saints won the 44th Super Bowl last night 31-17 it made 43 years of defeats slide away into the swampy Bayou.
My Random thoughts:
Can you remember each Brees incompletion?
It was the Saints receivers who shone. We knew they were better than these inexperienced Colts receivers. Yes, Dallas Clark was great, but the rest of the receivers looked the way the Saints were supposed to look – star struck and nervous. Clank.
Everyone is talking about the Colts’ drops of passes, but if Marques Colston hadn’t killed a drive whiffing on an early pass that Brees almost planted in his facemask, the Saints may have gotten rolling a lot sooner.
Everyone is talking about Sean Payton’s decision to on-side kick to start the second half. They should be talking about it, because what we were talking about during the halftime (which lasted longer than an episode of Grey’s Anatomy) was how critical the first drive was going to be – and that the Saints had to stop the Colts, they couldn’t afford to fall behind 17 – 6. Sean Payton was thinking the same thing.
When you have The Who playing at halftime, don’t you think the Who Dats are going to win?
I’ve played and coached a lot of sports, sometimes not very well. A competitor doesn’t always trust his coach. What is obvious about the Saints (and their fans) is that they have complete trust in Sean Payton. As Dizzy Dean used to say, “It ain’t braggin’ when you done done it.” Now Payton has done done it to the tune of a championship. With one under his belt, watch out.
When did I know that the Saints finally had a coach?
A few years back when he cut his own fifth round draft choice Antonio Pittman to keep Pierre Thomas. It had been obvious during the pre-season that Thomas was clearly better, and Sean Payton didn’t hesitate to cut a draft choice that had been outplayed.
It was a lot of fun to beat the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. Again.
We will now get to see Tracy Porters’ interception return more than Billy Cannon’s Halloween run. Probably already have.
What I love about the Saints is the role that is played by the over-achievers like undrafted free agents Pierre Thomas, Lance Moore, and Chris Reis, who recovered the on-side kick. Something to be said for some talent, grit, and steady development.
Stick with me. Back on September 10th I told you the Saints would win the Super Bowl and Drew Brees would be the MVP of it. These playoffs reminded me of the 1971 World Series when the world finally got to see how good Roberto Clemente was. Now the world knows the secret, that Brees may be the most accurate passer ever. And the difference between Manning and Brees? Touch. Did you notice how many drops the Colts had on difficult and hard passes? Manning, like Brett Favre, throws bullets. Brees feathers the ball into tight spots. The secret’s out.
It was during the early season 13 – 0 run that I knew it was going to happen. Not just because they started 13 – 0, but because they won every conceivable way. Coming from behind, blowing teams out, grinding it out, catching lucky breaks. It’s an intangible confidence- like thing. They had it – if you went to a game, you could just see it.
Like the man said about pornography, “I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it.”
Here’s a forgotten MVP – How about right tackle Jon Stinchcomb? While all the focus was on Dwight Freeney and Jerome Bushrod, did you ever hear the name of Robert Mathis, their other Pro-Bowl defensive end called all night? I didn’t. The Saints offensive line made the Colts defensive line disappear.
We were all excited when Payton fired his good friend Gary Gibbes as defensive coordinator and replaced him with Gregg Williams. The reason I was so sure this was the Saints year was they did exactly what I told them to. When they called me to ask me if I was going to renew my season tickets, I told the caller, “Would you please tell GM Loomis to draft all defense?” They did. First round pick Malcolm Jenkins, while he struggled at times, was a big contributor last night. We haven’t even seen several of the draft picks yet. They spent the year on injured reserve – just think if they’re as good as our recent drafts. Free agents Jabari Greer and Darren Sharper gave the defense jolts of credibility and experience. Everyone kept talking about the Saints being ranked 25th in defense this year. They failed to realize that they were rated about 8th until the 2 starting cornerbacks Greer and Porter went down with injuries.
At the time I thought it was a gamble to draft a kicker and a punter in consecutive drafts. Again, the Saints brain trust proved that they are superior evaluators of talent. Both Morstead and Hartley played huge rolls last night.
I truly believe this is just the beginning of a Patriots-like run.
Who Dat can’t wait to do it again?
So, Excuse me while I go clean the champagne out of the carpet. I always wanted to pour champagne over people’s heads, but I didn’t know it was so sticky.
See you at the victory parade. New Dats welcome.
Wait til next year.
Almost.
I’m almost speechless.
Almost.
My voice ran 74 yards with Tracy Porter. The Saints finally completed the march.
The New Orleans Saints have won the Super Bowl. Put that in your straw and drink it.
For 43 years the Saints fans have experienced the agony of defeat.
But the turning point came with the real agony of Hurricane Katrina
That’s when we realized that defeat isn’t an agony. Defeat in a ball game is going to happen from time to time, but it’s a temporary pain, and it’s disappointing but it ain’t agony.
Agony is when you’re in the superdome and it’s not for a football game.
Agony is the moment you realize your house has floated away, or your friend is homeless.
That’s agony.
We’ll take more football defeats, just let us keep our team.
Losing is painful, but it’s not as bad as not having a team at all.
Now the thrill of victory – that’s for real. When the Saints won the 44th Super Bowl last night 31-17 it made 43 years of defeats slide away into the swampy Bayou.
My Random thoughts:
Can you remember each Brees incompletion?
It was the Saints receivers who shone. We knew they were better than these inexperienced Colts receivers. Yes, Dallas Clark was great, but the rest of the receivers looked the way the Saints were supposed to look – star struck and nervous. Clank.
Everyone is talking about the Colts’ drops of passes, but if Marques Colston hadn’t killed a drive whiffing on an early pass that Brees almost planted in his facemask, the Saints may have gotten rolling a lot sooner.
Everyone is talking about Sean Payton’s decision to on-side kick to start the second half. They should be talking about it, because what we were talking about during the halftime (which lasted longer than an episode of Grey’s Anatomy) was how critical the first drive was going to be – and that the Saints had to stop the Colts, they couldn’t afford to fall behind 17 – 6. Sean Payton was thinking the same thing.
When you have The Who playing at halftime, don’t you think the Who Dats are going to win?
I’ve played and coached a lot of sports, sometimes not very well. A competitor doesn’t always trust his coach. What is obvious about the Saints (and their fans) is that they have complete trust in Sean Payton. As Dizzy Dean used to say, “It ain’t braggin’ when you done done it.” Now Payton has done done it to the tune of a championship. With one under his belt, watch out.
When did I know that the Saints finally had a coach?
A few years back when he cut his own fifth round draft choice Antonio Pittman to keep Pierre Thomas. It had been obvious during the pre-season that Thomas was clearly better, and Sean Payton didn’t hesitate to cut a draft choice that had been outplayed.
It was a lot of fun to beat the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. Again.
We will now get to see Tracy Porters’ interception return more than Billy Cannon’s Halloween run. Probably already have.
What I love about the Saints is the role that is played by the over-achievers like undrafted free agents Pierre Thomas, Lance Moore, and Chris Reis, who recovered the on-side kick. Something to be said for some talent, grit, and steady development.
Stick with me. Back on September 10th I told you the Saints would win the Super Bowl and Drew Brees would be the MVP of it. These playoffs reminded me of the 1971 World Series when the world finally got to see how good Roberto Clemente was. Now the world knows the secret, that Brees may be the most accurate passer ever. And the difference between Manning and Brees? Touch. Did you notice how many drops the Colts had on difficult and hard passes? Manning, like Brett Favre, throws bullets. Brees feathers the ball into tight spots. The secret’s out.
It was during the early season 13 – 0 run that I knew it was going to happen. Not just because they started 13 – 0, but because they won every conceivable way. Coming from behind, blowing teams out, grinding it out, catching lucky breaks. It’s an intangible confidence- like thing. They had it – if you went to a game, you could just see it.
Like the man said about pornography, “I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it.”
Here’s a forgotten MVP – How about right tackle Jon Stinchcomb? While all the focus was on Dwight Freeney and Jerome Bushrod, did you ever hear the name of Robert Mathis, their other Pro-Bowl defensive end called all night? I didn’t. The Saints offensive line made the Colts defensive line disappear.
We were all excited when Payton fired his good friend Gary Gibbes as defensive coordinator and replaced him with Gregg Williams. The reason I was so sure this was the Saints year was they did exactly what I told them to. When they called me to ask me if I was going to renew my season tickets, I told the caller, “Would you please tell GM Loomis to draft all defense?” They did. First round pick Malcolm Jenkins, while he struggled at times, was a big contributor last night. We haven’t even seen several of the draft picks yet. They spent the year on injured reserve – just think if they’re as good as our recent drafts. Free agents Jabari Greer and Darren Sharper gave the defense jolts of credibility and experience. Everyone kept talking about the Saints being ranked 25th in defense this year. They failed to realize that they were rated about 8th until the 2 starting cornerbacks Greer and Porter went down with injuries.
At the time I thought it was a gamble to draft a kicker and a punter in consecutive drafts. Again, the Saints brain trust proved that they are superior evaluators of talent. Both Morstead and Hartley played huge rolls last night.
I truly believe this is just the beginning of a Patriots-like run.
Who Dat can’t wait to do it again?
So, Excuse me while I go clean the champagne out of the carpet. I always wanted to pour champagne over people’s heads, but I didn’t know it was so sticky.
See you at the victory parade. New Dats welcome.
Wait til next year.
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