Sat 2/26/11 The 83rd annual Academy Awards or Oscars (as it's more commonly called) is tonight and I have my winners picked!
Oscar Night Picks and Pans:
Here are my Oscar picks and why-
Best Picture Nominees:
Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The Kids Are All Right, The King's Speech, 127 Hours, The Social Network, Toy Story 3, True Grit, Winter's Bone And the Winner is:
I pick The King's Speech for the win but Toy Story 3 was the best IMHO! It was well written and very touching, just like UP and WALL-E before it.
Best Lead Actor Nominees:
Javier Bardem, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, Colin Firth, James Franco
I pick Colin Firth for the win because Jeff Bridges won last year and Oscar loves classic British actors and accents. Bardem already has a best supporting Oscar so he can wait a bit for his next one. Eisenberg and Franco are young and talented and they have much more to show the Academy in the future.
Best Lead Nominees: Annette Bening, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lawrence, Natalie Portman, Michelle Williams
I pick Natalie Portman is a shoe-in because acting crazy always wins!
Best Supporting Actor: I pick Christian Bale 'cause crazy and crack always wins. Best Supporting Actress: I pick Melissa Leo but Amy Adams has a slight chance to edge her out. Either way, The Fighter sweeps the best supporting category.
Best Director:
I think DavidFincher wins because I just feel it took more to get performances from such young actors as in the Social Network. No disrespect to King's Speech director, but I doubt that Geoffery Rush, Helen B. Carter and Colin Firth needed much directing for their performances. But, who knows, the Brits may win this category as well!
Best Original Screenplay:
David Seidler for The Kings Speech 'cause I didn't think Inception was original at all :P
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Aaron Sorkin is a lock to win!
Best Animated Film:
Toy Story 3 for the win but HTTYD was very good, too.
Update: 2/27/11
Hey, I only missed with one of my predictions so Oscar was a bit predictable this year. Still, my congratulations and God's blessings to all who won!
Happy Oscar Sunday: Sun 2/27/11
The morning of the Oscars didn't dissapoint as I had a great day at church where we continued in I Corinthians Chap 8 & 9 lead by Brian(a church elder and writer). Most of the congregation of Ecclesia are in the entertainment industry or aspire to be, so we were encouraged to “do everything for Christ” and to do our best not to cause "anyone to stumble through our actions". And lastly, as Brian held up a small Oscar-like statuette, we were instructed through the word that we shouldn't make anything an idol in our lives. He reminded us also that as we walk on the stars of Hollywood Blvd., we haven't a clue who the past stars are proving that idols don't last but that God does! Then he prayed over us and blessed us and sent us off to have a "Happy Oscar Sunday"! I had brought my most recent script to church hoping for such a sermon of encouragement from fellow Christians within the industry and I thank God for it.
The Oscars Night Red Carpet & Arrivals:
Feeling inspired from the church service, I braved the crowd at H&H Blvd. and, despite the usual craziness plus the new caged-in feeling due to the new heightened security measures (10 feet tall fencing, cement barricades, metal detector wands and bag searches), I still had a wonderful time. I ended up in the best spot in the front row where I could lean up along a fence post and I even had a little foot rest to put my foot up. All the arrivals happened in less than 2 hours so the standing was less than last time. Though the crowd was easily 10-12 people thick, even the pushing wasn't a big problem because most of the people around me worked together to form a buffer zone and the police also kept an eye on us. God is so amazing!
The Who's Who of Oscar Night:
I was able to see practically everyone as they arrived! Sandra Bullock (happy and waving to the shouting crowd), Matthew McConnaughy and Afro-Brazillian beauty, Camilla, Robert Downey Jr. and wife, Halle Berry (smiling and solo), Natalie Portman 9glowingly pregnant), Penelope Cruz (looking surprisingly lithe and busty after her recent pregnancy) and Javier Bardem(ruggedly handsome), and Colin Firth(all British suave and sophistication).
I also saw famed The Godfather director, Francis Ford Copola as well as Jeniffer Hudson(almost unrecognizable now but gorgeous dress), Jessie Eisenberg (looking tousled), Justin Timberlake, Robert Downey Jr, Russel Brand, Amy Adams, Mark Ruffalo and Sunrise(she looks like Medium actress, Arquette). Then I saw Donald Trump, Mario Von Peebles, Ed Beagly Jr. and David Seidler, the 73 year old screenwriter and winner of the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for The King's Speech.
Near misses:
Mark Wahlberg practically raced by and got swallowed up in the arrivals crowd so I only saw his head. I saw (but didn't recognize) Celine Dion looking extremely thin in a close-fitting silver metallic gown. The same went for Geoffrey Rush whose hair is all shaven off, hopefully for an upcoming role.
Mistooks:
We mistook an Oprah-look alike in Navy gown for Oprah but it wasn't her. Instead, Oprah was wearing an off the shoulder, dark grayish black down with sequences on the skirt and an off the shoulder bodiced top.
Who I didn't see enter:
I didn't see Christian Bale enter but I really wanted to see him. Later, I saw pics of him totally unrecognizable with a reddish longish beard and goatee. I also wanted to see Helen Mirren, Anne Hathaway and Helen Bodham Carter in person as they are the poster children for fashion do's and don'ts, respectively.
Speaking Of Fashion:
I saw all the fashions up close and it was exhilarating! Lots of shades of reds and purples and nude/peach tones and even a few chartreuse colored gowns but not much black, blues or grays. Lots of ruffles, tiers and sequences and structured garments and free-flowing ethereal or draped Grecian styles. Then the shoes! There were stacked platform pumps or stroppy sequenced sandals all with 6 inch heels. I even saw a pair of flip flops (lol). The jewelry was understated but elegant (read as not much bling) and the bags were understated, too.
The men were all handsome, mostly in black tuxes of satin or velvet fabrics. A few men deviated from black and wore navy blue (Robert Downey Jr.) or dark gray (Justin Timberlake). Still, as lovely as everyone was, this red carpet was not as glamorous as previous years.
My Best Dressed Noms:
Michelle Williams (serene and beautiful in a beaded smoky column gown with capped sleeves)
Sandra Bullock (elegant and refined in red sculpted gown with bow at back).
Gwyneth Paltrow (sleek and icy in metallic silver fitted sleeveless gown).
Halle Berry (in nude frothy ruffled fish tail gown with a train).
Honorable Mentions:
Natalie Portman in a maroon drape off the shoulder dress with a small train Jeniffer Hudson in tangerine-red sculpted gown with plunging neckline(maybe too daring) and a fish-tail. Her hair and make-up were also flawless. Reese Witherspoon (classic in black gown with diagonal white off the shoulder draping at the neckline Hailee Steinberg was beautiful and age appropriate in a pale pink 3/4 length tulle princess dress. <
Oscar Goes Young With Oscar Telecast:
The academy is trying real hard to bring in younger viewers besides the choice of Anne Hathaway and James Franco as hosts for the show. Last week, on-line voters picked the dress that the presenting models would wear for the evening. The Academy is also using social networking to promote online Viewing and Live-Streaming with 8 on-site camera's at the Oscars and after-parties. Follow the happenings at Oscars.com, twitter or facebook.
Update:2/28/11
Apparently the choice of going young may have backfired on the Academy with poor ratings and lots of post-Oscar panning. From the little I saw, Hathaway was okay but Franco seemed in over his head and very distant.
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