Who doesn't love to watch the Oscars? I mean, its hard to beat four hours of prime time hairstyle and fashion critiquing all from the comfort of your own home! You can flop on the sofa wearing your sweats, eating pizza and swigging beer all the while remarking how tacky Nicole Kidman's dress is and how it makes her look like a hostess at Panda Express (according to Kojo). Regardless, all the movie stars are cleaned up, bedecked and bejeweled in total fabulosity. Its some of the best people watching of the entire year, except for maybe the Golden Globes where caution is thrown to the wind and everyone is way more relaxed as well as lubricated and clearly there to have a good time. Yes, the Oscars are a bit more conservative than the Golden Globes, but still incredible people watching.
I'll just start by admitting right off the bat that I am somewhat superficial, shallow, whatever you want to call it. When I go to the movies I go purely for entertainment and of course, the popcorn. I don't want to be provoked by some "humanitarian cause" or to have my loins stirred up. I prefer to leave the theatre feeling happy and carefree, even emotionally transported if you will, to another place. As long as the other place is inhabited by attractive people. There, I said it. And I'm not totally opposed to leaving the theatre with a few new and or occasional deep thoughts as long as the person in the movie that inspired those new thoughts was appealing. That being said, I try to see a handful of Academy Award nominated films every year.
Recently I saw "Another Year". Sitting through it actually felt like another year had passed. As the seasons changed in the movie, my hair turn grayer and my joints stiffened up! All that plus I would be hard pressed to think of another movie starring such unfortunate looking people. This went way beyond the usual British bad teeth and frizzy hair thing. I had to wonder how Mike Leigh auditioned the actors. Did they receive calls from their agents telling them this was the perfect, "written with them in mind" part? The male lead could have honestly been mistaken for Larry (of Three Stooges fame) while the female lead bore an uncanny and at times downright frightening resemblance to Nanny McPhee! Watching them was painful, even though they moved with a cloud of blissful serenity hovering over their heads. Their surrounding cast of characters was not much better looking and hopelessly dysfunctional on top of that. The plot seems to revolve around this contented middle-aged couple who loves to garden and their odd group of friends who are alternately depressed, anxious, overeating, over smoking and all liquored up and dealing however poorly with a multitude of crisis in their lives. Larry and Nanny provide a stable and calming influence, a soft shoulder if you will, along with food and adult beverages enough to wash it all down. The message, I guess, is that you can be homely as dirt, live in a ramshackle house with bad furniture, grow vegetables in a public garden miles from your house, tending it in the constant drizzle, have all these needy friends and what ... be happy? I dont know. I dozed off for a bit during the first 30 minutes but as far as I could tell, I didn't miss any pivotal moments. Did I mention this film was up for an Academy award? I forget the category. Perhaps it was Most Forgettable.
"Alice in Wonderland" and "Toy Story 3" are the only movies in 3D that I have ever seen. What a trip! The first 3D movie I saw was Alice and it took a little while before I stopped flinching and ducking and settled into enjoying the movie. I love Johnny Depp but these days when you hear that Johnny Depp is in a movie, you better look closely and check online because he might actually show up as a creepy lizard puppet. There are so many animated movies these days that you can never be sure the 'star' is going to be in their recognizable human form! Aside from animation the stars can also be transformed into some futuristic robot machine like in a 'mageddon' movie. You just really never know. I dont have to see those mageddon movies now that Im married. Just like I dont have to go camping or pretend to like basketball. Plus I can wear my sweats, flop on the sofa, eat pizza drink beer and critique movie star's hair and outfits on televised award shows.
Back to the Oscars; there was actually a part of me hoping "Toy Story 3" would get Best Movie if for no other reason than to see Woody, Buzz and Jessie in her red sparkle boots give their acceptance speech. How cool would that be?
Really though, Im thrilled "The Kings Speech" won. It had every single element needed to earn "the perfect movie" award in my book. A few British films are so good you scarcely notice the abundance of poor dental care and frizzy hair. Colin Firth will forever be my favorite Mr. Darcy, and who can forget him in "The Importance of Being Earnest". Watching Colin Firth makes me sigh with contentment. All that charm and wit and I hear he even loves to cook!
Hooray For Hollywood
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Ha! I didn't realize you hated "Another Year" SO MUCH! I wouldn't say it was my favorite movie, but I definitely saw its worth and enjoyed it, as well as many of those unattractive people! I actually thought the woman who played the needy friend should have been nominated for best supporting actress. And I LOVE Jim Broadbent ("Larry"). Just watched him in "Any Human Heart" on Masterpiece. Always great. I had to laugh when you said "who can forget" Colin Firth in "The Importance of Being Ernest." Evidently I did! You know how much I love Colin Firth-he's my favorite Darcy, too- but my immediate reaction to the aforementioned movie is RUPERT EVERETT. HE is who I cannot forget in that movie! I looked it up and I don't even remember Reese Witherspoon in it! Guess I need to see it again. Anyway, caught up on your postings. Bet you're writing another right now!
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