IT IS TIME. Below you will find my Oscar picks and predictions. Hover over each box to see what I think should win vs. what I think the ol' farts in the Academy will ultimately choose! This blog is gettin' interactive!
I'mma be honest with you guys and admit that I didn't get around to seeing all of this year's Documentary Features. I did see Searching for Sugar Man and The Gatekeepers, though, so I just chose between the two. (Both are wonderful, and I hope to see the rest!) Thanks for reading, and I wish you all a wonderful Oscar night!
I am no animation aficionado. I sketched a hand the other day and was so proud of it that I forced each of my family members to shower me with compliments as I held it three inches away from their eyeballs. ''LOOK. LOOK WHAT I DID. Do you SEE how almost life-like this hand is, you guys?!!?!" They each managed to stammer out a "nice job!" or a "look at those fingernails wow!" before things got too crazy. I was satisfied. So before I start, let me just state that I am in awe of anyone who can do draw something more advanced than bubble letters (my forte), and give a HUGE virtual hug to all who were involved in the production of these short films!
Adam and Dog, directed by Minkyu Lee
The SOUNDS in this film were incredible! Every footstep and every swaying blade of grass could be heard. My dog was sitting next to me as I watched this and did the adorable I'm-confused-back-and-forth-head-tilt the entire time, most likely because he thought I was holding live birds captive in my laptop. Bravo, sound design team! This was a beautiful, colorful telling of an old story, and I'm glad to have seen it. Also: dogs are da best.
Fresh Guacamole, directed by PES
I was so excited to see this listed as a nominee! I had seen the video a few months ago online and couldn't get over it. Honestly. How. I could watch this over and over again for the rest of the weekend. I probably WILL watch this over and over again for the rest of the weekend. I don't think the ol' Academy will give this one the gold, but it sure is a fun, impressive project. You can see "Western Spaghetti," a similar project by PES, here!
Head Over Heels, directed by Timothy Reckart and Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly
I'll just come out and say it: claymation has always creeped me the heck out. I really don't know why, because the only claymation I was exposed to was in Christmas movies! Whatever the reason, I was wincing as I clicked play on this one. I'm happy to say, however, that I really, really enjoyed it. It was a truly affecting display of what can happen in so many marriages: couples gradually drift apart until they're living two separate lives under the same roof. The creative upside-down concept was such a neat way of getting the message across, and the couple was adorable. I'm a sucker for lifelong love. NEAT FACT: This film was made by students! 'NOTHER FACT: I am also a sucker for underdogs. I can't imagine the whirlwind of excitement these talented guys and gals must be feeling.
The Longest Daycare, directed by David Silverman
I was an elementary school camp counselor last summer, and one day we took the young boys and girls to see Ice Age 3: Continental Drift (yawn). This short film played before the movie began, and I remember wanting to cover the kids' eyes! It was a little disturbing, what with the cement walled-rooms and crushed butterflies! I suppose it did make for an in-your-face commentary on our current school systems, though. Accelerated students getting star treatment while others are left with posters that read, "A is A" and "C is C." (I did enjoy the detail put into background elements of this film.) This wasn't my favorite of the bunch, if just for its lack of a "wow" factor.
Paperman, directed by John Kahrs
Oh, Paperman. Last but certainly not least. I don't have much to add to the conversation about this one. It's just wonderful. The combination of 2D animation and CG makes for such a lovely final product—can you pleeeeease make a feature film using this technique, Disney?! I was amazed at how they made animated objects look out of focus. And
the characters had such realistic movements! You could immediately tell Meg was in the middle of an interview just by her tense posture. It's nuts how much Disney got us rooting for George after just a minute or two, but I guess that's just the power of film for ya. Beautiful job. Good luck to all! I'll reveal my official Oscar picks in a future post. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!
After much consideration, I decided Beatles' lyrics would serve as a suitable title for an outfit that combined a '60s-tastic shag vest with a pair of shoes plucked straight outta the Fab Four's closet! (They were actually found buried deep in my mom's closet. Let me pretend.)
And now to give photo credit: Joseph agreed to climb a snowy hill, trespass on possibly private (but sweet-awesome graffitied!) property, and take pictures despite having strep throat. #1 trooper! He's #1! And with a smile to boot! I gave him $4 and a frozen pizza for his troubles. The price for photographers these days, man. Pretty steep.
While I knew that food photography would be a tricky hobby to pick up, I never expected it would cause me to reach an about-to-bash-my-face-into-the-kitchen-window level of frustration. Like I almost did while attempting to take pictures of these meatball hoagies. No matter what I tried—flash, no flash, white background, wooden background, on a plate, on a pan—they. would not. look. appealing! Finally, I decided I'd just mess around in Photoshop and make some text that would hopefully distract viewers from the harsh appearance of these cheesy, delicious bundles of fun. (Did it work??? No??? Darn.) I suppose I'm going to have to chalk it up to experience, read even MORE photography tutorials, and do better next time. Can't get anywhere without a few bumps in the road, right? The hoagies were really tasty, by the way! The extra time that was needed to bake the homemade meatballs was worth it, and the cheese was reeeeeeal bubbly and nice when it came out of the broiler. Yumnumnum. Meatball Hoagies From Let's Dish. For the meatballs 1 pound ground beef 1 pound hot Italian sausage 1 small onion, chopped 3-4 garlic cloves 1 teaspoon basil 1 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1/2 teaspoon thyme 1/2 teaspoon rosemary 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1 egg, beaten 1-2 teaspoons olive oil For the sauce 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves 2 (28 oz. cans) crushed tomatoes 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 cup water For the sandwiches 6-8 hoagie rolls Sliced provolone or mozzarella cheese Preheat oven to 375°. To make the meatballs, combine the ground beef, sausage, and spices in a large bowl. Finely chop the onion and add to the meat and spices. Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and beaten egg, along with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Combine the mixture thoroughly with your hands. Form into meatballs, about the size of a walnut, adding more olive oil as needed to hold meatballs together. Place meatballs on baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce by heating the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add water a little bit at a time until sauce reaches desired consistency. Add the cooked meatballs to sauce and simmer gently for 30 minutes. To make the subs, preheat oven to 400°. Place open hoagie rolls on a large baking sheet. Spoon 3-4 meatballs into each roll, along with sauce. Top with sliced cheese and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the rolls are toasty and the cheese is browned and bubbly. Enjoy!
Yeah, yeah, yeeeeah, I'm still talking about nominations. Early last Thursday morning, golden tickets to Hollywood's biggest night were handed out, and—as it goes every year—a flurry of opinions are being pelted around the internet regarding blasphemous snubs and undeserved nominations. This video by Nick Bosworth from JoBlo does an A+ job in covering what was passed over for a chance at Oscar Gold:
From what I've seen and heard (especially on the comments section of this video), two general opinions have formed regarding this year's Academy Awards:
It needs to allow for more nominations in each category (This year it's 9 nominations for Best Picture and 5 nominations for all other categories).
It holds no importance whatsoever and we should not even waste our time talking about it.
After some intense soul-searching over a turkey sandwich this afternoon, I'm leaning toward the first point of view. If we were to completely disregard award shows, what would happen? Sure, we'd put ourselves above the disagreements that can arise over movie opinions or Oscar ballots, but that's the fun of it! I don't ever want to lose the consolidative sport-like aspect of awards season!
I read once that people love following professional sports because it's something bigger than themselves—something beyond their control. Fans don't invest in a game with the intention of personally influencing the score; they're doing it to be a part of something: to put a personal stake in an enormous occasion and watch with white knuckles as it unfolds. Movie-lovers should be treating the Oscars like THAT instead of trying to exert control by undermining their significance.
So, while I agree that there were some shocking snubs and mind-boggling nominations this year (Alan Arkin?!) I'm learning to take the nominations for what they are. Just as a diehard football fan would still attend a Super Bowl party despite his or her home team not playing in it, I will most definitely sit down with friends and family to watch one of the greatest events on television—no matter who or what was snubbed. Let the games begin! Let's make the Dolby Theater our arena, y'all.
I've been on a magazine binge these last few weeks, and...
ALL I'VE SEEN IS BLACK AND WHITE.
Elle! Vogue! Marie Claire! The combo is back with a vengeance, it seems. While I don't find it to be the most exciting of styles, it's a great staple to have in your closet. I just can't imagine a wardrobe made up of only these colors, though. Lookin' like a referee all day, every day? Flag! This ref calls foul due to a violation of fashion-funtimes.
You know what else is good? Having a brother named Joseph who is willing to take pictures of his sister in cold weather. Here's the ol' scallywag. He made this face for the entirety of our little photoshoot. I think it might actually be stuck like this forever:
Before I let these feelings fly outta my fingers, I have to share the unusual circumstances in which I saw this movie. I headed on over to the theater around 10:30 (on a SCHOOL NIGHT! I lead a wildly daring life) and there were only four or five people in the theater with me. I looked around during the pre-movie bombardment of television ads, and surprisingly, I saw that we all came alone. It sounds terribly depressing, but it was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had. We all felt free to belly laugh or audibly react when the film got intense, and we did so together. The weird sense of camaraderie escalated to the point where I thought we'd huddle up with a pen and paper and write a letter, Breakfast Club-style. It would be full of movie praises and compliments regarding the theater's cleanliness instead of sassy statements directed toward a vice-principal, of course, but I think it'd still make for a good read. Long story short: Take two hours for yourself and see a movie on a weeknight! It's a splendid time. OKAY. The movie. Let's talk.
Silver Linings Playbook
★★★
It's about a man named Pat Solitano, (Bradley Cooper) who has just finished a stint in a Philadelphia mental institution. He's adamant on mending his relationship with his estranged wife, but after he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), an in-your-face widow who recently went through some personal problems of her own, things get a little complicated in the romance department. Bradley Cooper was f a n t a s t i c. Before Silver Linings Playbook I had only seen him in The Hangover, so his vulnerable, ulfaltering performance was all the more surprising. Due to his character's recently diagnosed bipolar disorder and tendency to "snap" in high-stress situations, his moods had to be all over the place, and Cooper played every mental state with enough heart and authenticity to send me careening off on an emotional tilt-a-whirl. What I really loved was how he made his mood swings and incredibly blunt social behavior seem understandable and even endearing, despite the possibility of them simply being the result of chemical imbalances in his brain. And Jennifer Lawrence! Heavens to Betsy! She is everything anyone's ever cracked her up to be. At only 22 years old, I'm convinced she could play Betty White in a biopic and somehow make it great. Tiffany, like Pat, is a little socially unorthodox, but Lawrence also finds a way to make her boldness and outbursts seem rational. I was driving home from the movie and belting out to Miley Cyrus's See You Again (just s-s-succumb to that beat, you guys) when a car pulled up next to me at a stoplight. I looked over and had an internal argument with myself in the span of 3 milliseconds: Oh God those are boys in that car. I should stop dancing. Stop it, Kati--hey wait, what would Tiffany do in this situation? She'd keep dancing! Then I did a final head thrash, turned up the volume, and drove off, leaving those boys in the trail of dust and flames my minivan left behind. What I'm trying to say is, Tiffany's "I'mma do whatever the heck I want" attitude really stuck with me, and I send out a big virtual hug to Jennifer Lawrence for playing her with such confidence and ingenuity.
I know Academy Award nominations just came out this morning (STILL CRYING ABOUT LEONARDO'S SNUB), but can we just ask Seth MacFarlane and Emma Stone to make an addendum and tack on a Best Supporting Ensemble category? Because the talented ladies and gents that played the tertiary characters in Silver Linings Playbook are so, so deserving of recognition. They were my favorite part of the movie, actually.
First you have Jacki Weaver, who plays Pat's loving, clucking, adorable mother, and I just wanted to squeeze her and watch football with her and gobble up all of her delicious "braciole, crabby snacks, and homemades." Whatever those are. And then there's Robert De Niro(!) who was in top form as Pat's dad: a bookmaker with slight OCD tendencies, who expresses his love in peculiar but well-intentioned ways. "I only talk about football because I love you and want us to have a common interest! I'm going to bet my entire life savings on this football game just because I LOVE you!" He was wonderful. And my goodness, the actors who played Pat's friends often stole the show. I hadn't seen Chris Tucker (Danny) or John Ortiz (Ronnie) before, and I can't wait to see more of them! They brought such understated humor and lightness to a movie that touched upon some heavy subjects. And now to put a cork in my gushing: there were some aspects of the film I wasn't crazy about. Like how it was brought to a close. Up until the last 15 minutes, I was amazed at how fresh of a romantic comedy it was. The dialogue and the direction of that dialogue was consistently impressive while still being subtle, and the actions of the main characters were never predictable. But then, after the Little Miss Sunshine-like "climax" of the movie--which I found difficult to be emotionally invested in--David O. Russell seemed to just abandon all the realistic aspects of the plot and turn it into a straight-up clone of the endings found in any number of the forgetful love stories Hollywood churns out each year. Even more aggravating was how Pat and Tiffany seemed to lose their "crazy" by the end! Poof! All chemical imbalances can be cured by the clarity of love, apparently. The messier sides of mental illnesses that were well-addressed earlier in the film are pushed aside to make room for a happy ending, which knocked me off of my movie-watchin' cloud and brought me back to reality before the credits rolled. Oooooooh well. I'd still recommend seeing this, even if just for the performances, skillful directing, and soundtrack. Gotta find those silver linings, you know?
