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Oscars
Feb 28, 2011 20:33:22 GMT -5
Post by Mod City on Feb 28, 2011 20:33:22 GMT -5
Was I the only one who thought James Franco and Anne Hathaway bombed big time as Oscar hosts? I thought Hathaway was alright, but Franco was absolutely terrible. He looked odd the whole time. He's a really good actor, but man, that was rough.
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Oscars
Feb 28, 2011 21:12:32 GMT -5
Post by theroadtodeep13 on Feb 28, 2011 21:12:32 GMT -5
Letterman was worse than Hathaway and Franco. Conan will host next year.
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Oscars
Mar 1, 2011 0:48:56 GMT -5
Post by Mighty Jack on Mar 1, 2011 0:48:56 GMT -5
This was the first Oscars I’ve watched in years. It was pretty predictable this year to my mind. The major awards all went according to Hoyle. The Kings Speech was a pleasant, safe pick. I’m just glad Social Network didn’t win – though I think it’s absurd that Kings won for best director. That was an actors/screenplay movie, and didn’t have the visionary scope of what Nolan (ignored) or Aronfsky (nominated but lost) delivered as directors. As to the poll, Winters Bone was my choice for Best Picture. I wish we could have had a better song – that was not Newman’s best… and his act has grown stale regardless. Congrats to the winners: Bale and Portman - Firth gave a nice speech, though Melissa Leo came off like an idiot (I think Leo’s a fantastic actress, and knew she would win… though I wanted Steinfeld from True Grit) The hosts were m'eh. Hathaway had much more of a spark while Harry Osborn came off stiff and uncomfortable. The jokes they were given were lame for the most part. The opening skit was a great idea back when Billy Crystal started doing it, but came off pretty weak… the brown duck? –groan- even with her charm Anne came off embarrassing there (Billy could probably act as host, and be wonderful again – bring him back). Still, they weren't as wretched as Chris Rock. (here's an old article on the best and worst hosts... Oscar hosts) I thought Cate Blanchett did well as a presenter. She’s like a classic Hollywood leading lady. She looked great, was graceful and well spoken, without being cold or snobby – I loved her funny/natural response to the werewolf scene (“That was gross”) And thems my opinions on something that doesn’t really matter but is fun to discuss
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Oscars
Mar 1, 2011 10:11:58 GMT -5
Post by GProopdog on Mar 1, 2011 10:11:58 GMT -5
"though Melissa Leo came off like an idiot"
If Melissa had not won any other major awards on TV, I could say "Well, it was just her being nervous.." but she acted the *same* way when she won the Golden Globe. All "Duh....DUH, DUH, DUH!" at the podium.
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Oscars
Mar 1, 2011 14:03:07 GMT -5
Post by mrmeadows on Mar 1, 2011 14:03:07 GMT -5
Letterman was worse than Hathaway and Franco. Conan will host next year. Wrong. Letterman's Oscars might have been the only time I actually enjoyed the show. ;D
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Oscars
Mar 1, 2011 14:21:26 GMT -5
Post by mrmeadows on Mar 1, 2011 14:21:26 GMT -5
The Kings Speech was a pleasant, safe pick. I’m just glad Social Network didn’t win – though I think it’s absurd that Kings won for best director. That was an actors/screenplay movie, and didn’t have the visionary scope of what Nolan (ignored) or Aronfsky (nominated but lost) delivered as directors. As to the poll, Winters Bone was my choice for Best Picture. Haven't seen King's Speech yet (but looking forward to it), but thought that Fincher and the Coen Bros. did equally bang up jobs on their films as did Nolan and Aranofsky. Aranofsky in particular raised what was honestly a borderline trite script into something amazing, which is quite a feat. (Portman also had something to do with it.) What did you dislike about Social Network? I found it to be fascinating, considering going in I really couldn't have cared less about the subject matter. I thought Fincher and Sorkin did a fantastic job in turning what is essentially a courtroom drama into something gripping and cinematic. Along with Black Swan, I felt it was the most difficult film of the bunch to pull off as successfully as it was. I wish we could have had a better song – that was not Newman’s best… and his act has grown stale regardless. I love Randy Newman....'s old stuff. Ridiculous that this guy never won for the timeless, iconic work he did for The Natural or Ragtime, but he wins for a couple of forgettable Pixar tunes he probably pounded out in 10 minutes. He's a gifted songwriter, and I'm a big fan of his "Good Old Boys" and "Sail Away" albums from the 70's. Also true that there wasn't much to choose from in the way of songs this year. Congrats to the winners: Bale and Portman - Firth gave a nice speech, though Melissa Leo came off like an idiot (I think Leo’s a fantastic actress, and knew she would win… though I wanted Steinfeld from True Grit) Agreed all around. I wasn't as big on Bale as most were, but fine. Portman was the clear winner in her field, and I think Steinfeld's loss was the biggest disappointment of the night for me. Leo's role was showy, loud, and vulgar. . .it didn't impress me, frankly. Steinfeld's role was restrained and guarded, but unfortunately the Academy isn't known for rewarding subtley. Leo's act during her speech turned me off even more. With the exception of Letterman, I've never enjoyed an Oscar host. Even people I like, such as Jon Stewart, always seem to swing and miss at these events. I think it's often times a problem with the material they are given to work with, which is often "safe" and therefore not funny. I think most the same writers have worked on it every year for the last couple of decades...maybe we should be blaming them. Crystal was a bearable host, but even I think his shtick is overrated. I think he just seems better than most (which is true) because of what we saw from people like Hathaway and Franco. And sure, Hathaway SEEMED to do a decent job compared with Franco, but that's because he was practically non-existent. But no, she was pretty weak, too. Still need to see Winter's Bone. Looks good.
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Oscars
Mar 1, 2011 19:02:27 GMT -5
Post by Satchmo on Mar 1, 2011 19:02:27 GMT -5
I wish we could have had a better song – that was not Newman’s best… and his act has grown stale regardless. You have to keep in mind that songs like that aren't actually Newman's traditional "act", even if they're his best known work. Anyways, original song has always been a lackluster award, with brief exceptions (such as the year "Falling Slowly" won, though that's the only exception I can think of for the last decade or so).
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Oscars
Mar 1, 2011 20:36:35 GMT -5
Post by mrmeadows on Mar 1, 2011 20:36:35 GMT -5
You have to keep in mind that songs like that aren't actually Newman's traditional "act", even if they're his best known work. Anyways, original song has always been a lackluster award, with brief exceptions (such as the year "Falling Slowly" won, though that's the only exception I can think of for the last decade or so). The best song in a movie a couple years ago was Bruce Springsteen's in "The Wrestler". . .and it didn't even get nominated. But then, they DID give one to "It's Hard Out There for a Pimp".
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Oscars
Mar 2, 2011 0:30:04 GMT -5
Post by Mighty Jack on Mar 2, 2011 0:30:04 GMT -5
I loved Falling Slowly, was very happy to see that win. But yeah, most of the time they go with safe and easy. (as when that damn monkey song from Phil Collin's beat Aimee Mann's stirring ballad from Magnolia). I'm familiar with Newman from waaaaay back, before the Pixar days. I'm just tired of him. He always sounds the same. Oh man mrmedows you had to ask... "Release the Kraken!" I hated, hated the Social Network. I found Fincher's direction cookie cutter bland, hated the melodramatic bro-mance and the a-hole characters and their sense of entitlement... you name it, I loathed it. People keep telling me it's gripping, it wasn't for me. Everyone adores the thing but I couldn't hate a movie more (Unless it's directed by Michael Bay). Bite me Social Network! Grrr! Ah, I feel better now. You can put the Kraken back on its leash. And yeah I know, I just pissed off everyone.
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Oscars
Mar 2, 2011 1:08:24 GMT -5
Post by mrmeadows on Mar 2, 2011 1:08:24 GMT -5
I hated, hated the Social Network. I found Fincher's direction cookie cutter bland, hated the melodramatic bro-mance and the a-hole characters and their sense of entitlement... you name it, I loathed it. People keep telling me it's gripping, it wasn't for me. Everyone adores the thing but I couldn't hate a movie more (Unless it's directed by Michael Bay). Bite me Social Network! Grrr! And yeah I know, I just pissed off everyone. Well, no...I'm not pissed. Everyone's entitled to their opinion of a movie. But I think this came up on another topic about how you dislike movies with "a-holes" characters as the protagonists. I get that. . .and I agree the characters in TSN were mostly d-bags. But it's the same as a gangster movie where the "good guys" are essentially murders and thieves, but I happen to think that these kind of flawed characters can often make for the most fascinating stories. So this was like a nerd gangster movie, with figurative backstabbing vs. literal. But yeah, in the end they're all jerks, so I can see where that would turn you off. And I had forgotten that Aimee Mann was nominated for Best Song for Magnolia. You are correct that she should have won for that over that lame Tarzan song. Phil Collins--like Randy Newman--is a another guy with chops, but that was pure hack work.
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Oscars
Mar 2, 2011 2:43:36 GMT -5
Post by Mighty Jack on Mar 2, 2011 2:43:36 GMT -5
It depends with me, I mean Wes Anderson and Pedro Almovidar films are filled with flawed characters, some in Pedro's are kind of deviant. Many in Anderson's are sexist pigs -- but I like both director's work. Sometimes a movie characters) will push my buttons the wrong way. But TSN was a disappointment pretty much right on down the line. With gangsters it more the glorification of them, especially in American cinema. Specifically in that discussion about the Town, it was where they are trying to manipulate me into rooting for Affleck's character. I can't do it, I can't make a cop killer and thief a hero even if he does some things right. In the end, he needs to be in jail. I still thought the movie was great, I just couldn't buy into the 'villain as hero' - 'cops are the enemy' aspect of it. I wanted the cops to nail his ass.
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Oscars
Mar 2, 2011 12:41:15 GMT -5
Post by mrmeadows on Mar 2, 2011 12:41:15 GMT -5
Haven't seen The Town, but getting me to "root" for a cop-killer does sound like a stretch even for me.
Wes Anderson made last year's #1 best movie, in my opinion: Fantastic Mr. Fox. (And I'm not even a big animation guy.)
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