Friday, February 24, 2012

OSCAR, OSCAR



It's almost the magical night of Oscar.  While the excitement and buzz about the Academy Awards isn't as strong here as other places I've lived (due in part, I have come to believe, that we don't have a chance to see all of the nominated films before the Awards air), Spence and I are forging ahead with our OSCAR predictions!  We worked very hard to see these films before the big night--sometimes traveling 50+ miles round trip.  So here goes:

BEST PICTURE:
Kate:  The Artist
Spence:  The Artist...I'll have to choose The Artist just for the sheer oddity of it being a silent film and because it was so well done in modern times. (Kate: oh brother....eye roll)

BEST ACTOR:
Kate:  Jean Dujardin  - The Artist
Spence:  Jean Dujardin - The Artist   


BEST ACTRESS:
Kate:  Meryl Streep (I usually avoid Streep movies because her accents are annoying but I forgot I was watching her in Iron Lady)
Spence:  Rooney Mara - The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo.  I had to remember that she was only acting and that's important.  She convinced me.    (Er, I fell asleep in The Iron Lady...) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Kate:   Christopher Plummer, Beginnings
Spence:  I didn't see any of the films nominated.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Kate: Octavia Spencer, The Help
Spence: Berenice Bejo, The Artist

Personal note:  One of the supporting awards is usually a huge upset, which one will it be?

BEST DIRECTOR:
Kate:  Michel Hazanavicious  - The Artist
Spence:  I could go with Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris, but I believe it will be a sweep with Michel Hazanavicious...yes, a semi-sweep. 

Kate - Biggest personal disappointments: Missing My Week With Marilyn when it was in Eureka; not having a chance to see Albert Nobbs, A Better Life, and the documentaries; seeing The Descendants after the hype--for me it was one of those smaller films that I needed to "discover" instead of going in with big expectations.

Spence - Biggest personal disappointments: I thought Hugo was a great special effects family film but didn't deserve an Oscar nomination and like Kate states, we get to see so few Oscar nominated films due to our Humboldt location. 

Billy Crystal, you can do it!

6 comments:

Kate said...

I admit, I love the Oscars...but I also have a sense of humor about it. LOVE this raking over the coals by deadspin...Ha!

http://deadspin.com/5887360/the-haters-guide-to-the-2012-academy-awards

Doug Brunell said...

I haven't cared about the Oscars in far too many years ... and I write for a movie site.

Kate said...

I generally prefer the smaller films that don't make the Oscar lists. But I also love the unoriginal and self-indulgent speeches, fake couples created for the red carpet, awkward moments when the "stars" that can't read the teleprompter, the poorly written banter--I love it all. The Oscars are a guilty pleasure for sure!

Kate said...

@Doug Brunell...what films that were not nominated did you like this year? So many I don't even hear about...would love to hear your thoughts.

Spence said...

Thank Gawd this night is over!

Ernie Branscomb said...

You were remarkably perceptive! How do you do it?