Friday, January 11, 2008

I've been 40 for 13 hours

40 is the new 30.

Just as pink is the new black and brown is the new pink?

I turned 40 today and am not sure if I'm thrilled, scared, freaked out, or a little of everything. I really don't even know why I'm blogging, except that I read my friend Crystal's blog today and it inspired me. She inspires me. What can I say. Crystal is one of the coolest people I know. I think she may have convinced me to vote for Obama.

Anyway, here I am, giving this a try on my own. Which I might do for like a day or longer. I don't know. All I know is that my husband is asleep for his night job, there's a half-frosted yellow cake on the counter (my birthday cake, ya think?), and a full bottle of wine in the fridge. Oh yeah.

You know what I really want to talk about today? The frigging Golden Globe awards. The more I think about it the more I just stew and stew. I sent my annual email talking about who i think will win and why (which I send more for my benefit than anyone else's because I tend to be really full of myself in that aspect) but really, what's the point? The fun is all taken out of it now because there will be no fun dresses, no acceptance speeches, no reaction shots, and no Jim-Carrey-talking-out-of-his-ass. Oh, wait, never mind, he wasn't nominated. Bummer.

so: thanks to my friend Mark M (also known as DQ), I am totally in to LOST again. I just finished Season 2 and have Season 3 coming on Netflix. Since there will actually be SOME spring shows after all given that the Writer's Strike is killing off everything. Yes, PRISON BREAK does return on Monday, but for how long? And there is no Season 7 of "24" on the horizon, with the triumphant (and curious) return of Tony Almeda. So - LOST it is. For now.

For those who are curious, here is the annual Golden Globe email that I sent for my benefit more than anyone elses. Enjoy...now where is that wine??

So: here's the deal. I'm pissed! I haven't been this angry at Hollywood since they gave George Clooney an Oscar….

Why are they denying me my Golden Globes show? Don't they know that some of us really live for that stuff? Don't they know that I spend weeks preparing my picks and choices of who will win, and then sending it on to all of you? Don't they know that I plan my entire weekend around that day, just getting ready to enjoy the show? Why do they hate me?

Okay, that's melodrama at its best, but I needed to get it off my chest. Thank you.

For a while I thought I would just not send my picks to anyone since there is only going to be a News Special announcing the winners…but to not send my picks would then be denying all of you J. And I couldn't live with myself if I denied YOU my famous egotistical picks email. So here goes. Enjoy!

Best Motion Picture – Drama
"American Gangster"
"Atonement"
"Eastern Promises"
"The Great Debaters"
"Michael Clayton"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"

The critics have overwhelmingly chosen NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN as their choice for this year's Best Picture, so I'll echo those sentiments. I did enjoy this movie – although not as witty as other Coen Brothers vehicles, it's still a darn good movie.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Cate Blanchett – "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
Julie Christie – "Away From Her"
Jodie Foster – "The Brave One"
Angelina Jolie – "A Mighty Heart"
Keira Knightley – "Atonement"

I haven't seen her performance yet, but Julie Christie seems poised to win this and I guess that would be fine with me. My favorite female performances turn up in the musical/comedy category this year!

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
George Clooney – "Michael Clayton"
Daniel Day-Lewis – "There Will Be Blood"
James McAvoy – "Atonement"
Viggo Mortensen – "Eastern Promises"
Denzel Washington – "American Gangster"

My gut tells me to just go out on a limb and pick Viggo – his performance was certainly a daring one and he's way overdue for some sort of nomination or win…but the safe choice here is Daniel Day-Lewis. Even though he probably wouldn't have attended the ceremony anyway. Who knows?

Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
"Across The Universe"
"Charlie Wilson's War"
"Hairspray"
"Juno"
"Sweeney Todd"

Right now, SWEENY TODD seems the only choice for a chance at a Best Picture OSCAR, but I have to go with JUNO because it was one of my favorite movies of the year and seems destined to be the next LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams – "Enchanted"
Nikki Blonsky – "Hairspray"
Helena Bonham Carter – "Sweeney Todd"
Marion Cotillard – "La Vie En Rose"
Ellen Page – "Juno"

Ellen Page gets points here for being an ingénue but also for being darn funny and droll as Juno. Remember that the Hollywood Foreign Press loves those ingénues. However, don't count out Marion Cotillard either – she will most definitely get an Oscar nomination for La Vie En Rose.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Johnny Depp – "Sweeney Todd"
Ryan Gosling – "Lars and the Real Girl"
Tom Hanks – "Charlie Wilson's War"
Philip Seymour Hoffman – "The Savages"
John C. Reilly – "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story"

Johnny Depp is getting my vote here even though I would LOVE for Ryan Gosling or John C Reilly to win.

Best Animated Feature Film
"Bee Movie"
"Ratatouille"
"The Simpsons Movie"

I don't do the animated film thing – I saw none of these movies – but RATATOUILLE won most of the critics awards so why not Pixar, right?

Best Foreign Language Film
"4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days" (Romania)
"The Diving Bell And The Butterfly" (France, United States)
"The Kite Runner" (United States)
"Lust, Caution" (Taiwan)
"Persepolis" (France)

I usually haven't seen most of the Foreign Language nominees because they aren't in wide release, but I can tell you from what I've read that this is going to be a tight year competition-wise. All of these films received love from critics and film festivals. What makes this category confusing is that it's NOT the same category as the Oscar. The Hollywood Foreign Press will recognize the best film in a language OTHER than English – not the film from the country that isn't the United States. So, for example, THE KITE RUNNER shouldn't be eligible for an Oscar. And I understand that France did not submit THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY as their official entry. Which is why I'm picking it. Plus, it's a great story and quite beautiful to look at. The Romanian entry was an amazing movie and will more than likely take the Oscar, but WOW – was it heavy.

Best Performance By an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Cate Blanchett - "I'm Not There"
Julia Roberts - "Charlie Wilson's War"
Saoirse Ronan - "Atonement"
Amy Ryan - "Gone Baby Gone"
Tilda Swinton - "Michael Clayton"

Amy Ryan should just gear up her acceptance speeches – because if ANY awards shows actually go on this year, she should be doing a lot of talking. Cate Blanchett is the runner up here and still could win – she was really "out there" in her take as a Bob Dylan character.

Best Performance By an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Casey Affleck - "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Javier Bardem - "No Country for Old Men"
Philip Seymour Hoffman - "Charlie Wilson's War"
John Travolta - "Hairspray"
Tom Wilkinson - "Michael Clayton"

Most of the critics have chosen him and it's such a departure for him in terms of other characters he's played. I just love Javier Bardem. I am thrilled to see Casey Affleck getting some love from the critics and nominating groups this year – it's a happy thing.

Best Director - Motion Picture
Tim Burton - "Sweeney Todd"
Ethan Coen & Joel Coen - "No Country for Old Men"
Julian Schnabel - "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Ridley Scott - "American Gangster"
Joe Wright - "Atonement"

First of all let me say that poor Ridley Scott just never gets any love. Always a bridemaid, never a bride this one. And I don't think he'll win anything this year either L. But I dig the idea of the Coen Brothers winning their first directing Oscar, and I think the Globes are going to be the first stop for them. Couldn't SWEENY TODD have come out next year??

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Diablo Cody - "Juno"
Ethan Coen & Joel Coen - "No Country for Old Men"
Christopher Hampton - "Atonement"
Ronald Harwood - "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Aaron Sorkin - "Charlie Wilson's War"

No way anyone but Diablo Cody wins this. No way.

Okay I gave on up on the TV and stuff, mostly because that bottle of wine is calling me. Enjoy the "news conference" and let's hope the Writers Strike is over before the Oscars. Because otherwise I will need a really REALLY good therapist.

Thanks for reading. Let's see if I can keep this up.

1 comment:

Collins said...

love that you are doing this. you should absolutely do an entertainment blog with musings about your life scattered throughout. especially with you being in the big C.A. now, i'm sure a lot of people would love it. i know i always enjoy reading your predictions and reviews of TV and movies.

and yeah to you maybe voting for obama. you should go to his web-site and read some of his stuff or watch some of his speeches. for instance, the "yes we can" speech...

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid900881681/bclid900480414/bctid1372110765