"Oscar Winning Actor"

Now that Kate Winslet is an Oscar winner. It got me thinking...who is the best current actor or actress--really in their prime--that can claim the dubious distinction of not being an Academy Award winner.

Is it Leonardo DiCaprio (Winslet and him will always be linked so maybe there's something to him now carrying the mantel)? Is it Tom Cruise (although he still seems too polarizing)? Is it Ed Norton (he's been nominated twice and arguable should have won both of those times). Or is somebody like Don Cheadle, Jude Law or Ryan Gosling.

But after thinking about it...there's no doubt that the most deserving contemporary actor most deserving of having title "Oscar Winning Actor" is now...

...Johnny Depp.

Depp's been nominated three times before. Obviously while he hasn't won, he's been up against some strong competition--Daniel Day Lewis from There Will Be Blood (2008); Jamie Foxx in Ray (2005) and Sean Penn in Mystic River (2004). In retrospect one could make the case for Depp winning in 2004 but the Academy rarely rewards roles in genre pictures (Pirates of the Caribbean). One thing that baffles me are the parts where Depp didn't even garner a nomination. There was no love for his work in Ed Wood (I think his best performance), Donnie Brasco or Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

My bet is that he will eventually win an Oscar. And it might similar to how Winslet got hers. The Reader wasn't Winslet's best performance but she was very good in it and it was hard to make a strong case for the other four nominees as none of them really out-shined her. I think she kind of won it by default and I don't have a problem with that because Winslet deserves the distinction of being an "Academy Award winning Actress".

So now Depp can claim the title of best current actor to not have an Academy Award...because I don't think he'll have it long.

Post Oscar Wrap-Up

With a (slight) increase in ratings, The Academy achieved its objective of a livelier show. Some of that can be attributed to first-time host, Hugh Jackman. Jackman wasn’t flashy or overly funny but he was charming and engaging. He is definitely a man with a lot of talent and it showed during the telecast with several noteworthy song and dance numbers. I could see him hosting again as he didn’t do anything to embarrass himself.



One change to the show that I did like was the order in which the awards were given. The show producers were trying to deliver a show with a narrative and they succeeded to some degree. The technical awards were awarded in order of how a movie is made—the pitch, pre-production, production and post-production. Instead of having a presenter for each technical award they had one (and sometimes two) people presenting the awards for each technical grouping. I thought that was an efficient idea and it greatly helped the flow of the show.



What didn’t help the flow of the show was the past Oscar winners presenting the acting awards. It’s always nice to see former Oscar winners at the ceremony and I understand how The Academy likes to honor its history but the presentation of the four acting categories took too much time. It was pretty cool to see past winners talk personally to the specific nominees but besides taking too long it also provided for some awkward moments—Cuba Gooding Jr. comes to mind.



As far as our predictions went--Andy went five for six in the major categories and I went six for six. In essence there weren’t any major surprises. But sometimes that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as the people who deserve to win did win.



I'm hardly alone in this assessment but the most poignant moment during the ceremony came when Heath Ledger won for Best Supporting Actor for his iconic portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight. Alan Arkin, who announced the winner, was visibly shaking when tearing open the envelope. The anticipation of him winning was almost overwhelming. I don't believe there was many a dry eye either at the Kodak Theatre or at television viewers' homes.



It should be pointed out that out of the three major artistic awards that are televised--the Emmys, the Grammys and the Oscars—that the Oscar award holds the most weight. But winning an Oscar isn't absolute. The Academy still shouldn't be let off the hook for nominating a Best Picture grouping that was hands-down the weakest in years. AO Scott, the respected film critic of The New York Times, recently stated, in reference to this year's nominees, that, “The Oscars are an odd phenomenon because what they are about is the American film industry image of itself.” The Best Picture nominees aren't the five best films of the years but an expression of what Hollywood sees in the mirror. I'm not sure if it is as grave as an artistic situation as Scott says but it does shed a lot of light on the biases against genre movies and films that are popular at the Box-Office. If a genre picture like The Dark Knight or an animated feature like Wall-E can't crack the Best Picture mark in a year with relatively weak dramatic movie fare then I'm not sure when they will. I'm not suggesting that a Best Picture nominee has to gross X-amount of dollars to be nominated—that would be ridiculous—but The Academy is slowly gravitating toward an island of self-importance that shouldn't be desirable especially when the success of your industry depends on the general population.



All in all the 81st Oscar telecast was a step in the right direction. The telecast was more accessible to the general audience while also appealing to film geeks out there like me.

Starvin' Marvin

It's definitely a sad day in Colts Land with the impending release of WR Marvin Harrison. Marvin's always been one of my favorite Colts and I believe he is one of the most underrated players in NFL history. He's the second best WR of all time (behind Jerry Rice)...no question about it. The tandem of Manning to Harrison is the best QB-WR tandem in NFL history as well.

I know Marvin's had some off-field issues here lately but on the field he was what one wanted in a WR. More to the point he was a stud WR without all the crap that most stud WR's bring to the table. He didn't have elaborate TD celebrations (he simply handed the ball to the ref)...he wasn't a locker room cancer...and he didn't heap attention on himself. Yeah he wanted a ball...but all WR's say that. He was just a helluva of a wide receiver and certain to be a hall of famer some day.

I would have wished that he finished his career in Indy but that's the unfortunate cold reality of the NFL. Without guaranteed contracts, messy divorces are the norm in the NFL. It is what it is. Although I don't really think this is that messy of a split...I think both parties know where the other is coming from. The reality is that Marvin's production has fallen off in the past couple of years and the Colts really just can't afford the cap hit that his current contract would allow for.

It will be strange to see Marvin in another uniform but The Colts have to do what is in the best interest of the team. But I'll miss Marvin. Again I know he's had some off-field issues to deal with but he was a professional on the field.

He'll always be a Colt in my eyes.

Artcraft Theatre

On Friday Jenny and I had the pleasure to attend the sponsorship party at the Artcraft Theatre in Franklin. The Artcraft Theatre is currently owned and operated by The Franklin Heritage group and one of the things they do is to show classic films--on an every other weekend basis. I haven't been as many times as I should have been but over the years Jenny and I have enjoyed some awesome cinematic experiences--watching Ben-Hur and Bullitt on the big screen among others.

Although we didn't pony up enough funds to sponsor a movie I still feel the need to spread the word in what the Artcraft is doing. Over the next year and half they will be showing such gems as The Last Crusade, E.T., The Philadelphia Story, It Happened One Night, The Godfather, On the Waterfront and Casablanca.

Over the next year Jenny and I are going to make a more concerted effort to hit some of these movies and to invite our friends along.

Nothing beats watching a movie on the big screen (and eating pizza at The Williard--which is conveniently located next door to the theatre).

"The Wrestler" (music video)

It still bewilders me how Springsteen didn't earn an Oscar nomination for this song.

Ridiculous.

But here's the official music video.

"Inglourious..." Teaser Trailer

Here's the trailer to Quentin Tarantino's latest film, Inglorious Basterds.



I'm normally on board with whatever Tarantino does.
I didn't have an issue with Death Proof...like some people did...but I don't know about this.

Oscar 2009 Predictions

The 81st Academy Awards airs this Sunday on ABC at 8:00. Here are our predictions in the six major categories.





Supporting Actress: Amy Adams (Doubt); Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona); Viola Davis (Doubt); Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button); Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)




Ryan: With Kate Winslet being relegated to the leading actress category, the best supporting actress category is completely wide open. Ultimately it's going to come down to Cruz and Davis and while both are equally deserving I believe Cruz will win. It's just been awhile since the Academy recognized a performance in a Woody Allen picture.




Andy: The class of this category is clearly Cruz and Davis. I would have no problem whatsoever seeing Cruz win for her intense performance in Vick Cristina Barcelona, but I think I would give the slight edge to Viola Davis. Much has been made of the fact that she is on screen for approximately eleven minutes, but during those eleven minutes she absolutely owned the screen that she was sharing with Oscar darling Meryl Streep.




Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin (Milk); Robert Downy Jr. (Tropic Thunder); Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt); Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight); Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)




Ryan: With apologies to the other nominees, Ledger will and should win this category. Make no mistake about it. This isn't based on sentimentality. Ledger gave the performance of the year and arguably the performance of the decade. It's rare when a performance becomes instantly iconic. Ledger did it.




Andy: Agreed. Thanks for playing, everyone else in this category. Even without his untimely death, Ledger’s Joker was destined to be a pop culture landmark, and the creepiest incarnation yet of the Joker. Ledger’s supreme acting chops took a good movie and turned it into a great one.




Best Actress: Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married); Angelina Jolie (Changeling); Melissa Leo (Frozen River); Meryl Streep (Doubt); Kate Winslet (The Reader)




Andy: Kate Winslet is clearly one of (if not the) best actors of her generation, and the fact she does not have an Oscar is quite surprising. I would expect that to end this weekend, as her very deserving performance in the otherwise boring film The Reader seems poised to bring her a trophy. It should be pointed out that this is not Winslet’s best work, but worthy work just the same.




Ryan: It's shaping up to be Winslet's year and she will more than likely win. I don't have a problem with Winslet winning the Oscar because she is such a talented performer and she deserves the recognition of being an Oscar winning actress. But if I had the vote I would vote for Hathaway. She delivered the extraordinary performance in that she developed a character that one likes just as much as one despises.




Best Actor: Richard Jenkins (The Visitor); Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon); Sean Penn (Milk); Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button); Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)




Ryan: This is a two horse race between Penn and Rourke as they have virtually split the notable Oscar pre-cursors. While both delivered strong Oscar worthy performances, my vote would go to Rourke's tragic performance in The Wrestler. But I'm convinced that Penn is ultimately going to win for his heartfelt portrayal of slain gay-rights activist Harvey Milk.




Andy: I’m afraid Ryan is right on this one, and it comes down to who should win and who will win. All of my hopes are for Rourke, who delivered a performance that we will not likely see the caliber of again for a decade. His unique combination of raw emotion (up and down the spectrum), subtlety, and physical power is incredible to watch. Penn’s performance is very solid, but it seems to me that it is not quite on the rare level Rourke achieves.




Achievement in Directing: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire); Stephen Daldry (The Reader); David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button); Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon); Gus Van Sant (Milk)




Andy: It seems likely that this one belongs to Danny Boyle, as his direction in Slumdog Millionaire is almost flawless. He seems to me to be well above the other nominees this year. That said, I feel that the snubbed Darren Aronofsky can claim the best direction of the year for the aforementioned The Wrestler. The fact that a beautiful and tragic story can be told so flawlessly on the screen and lose a nomination to a movie as messy Benjamin Button is beyond me.




Ryan: Slumdog Millionaire has been on a role so I look for Boyle to win Best Director. He crafted a vibrant and exciting story that was both familiar and fresh. His only competition will be from Van Sant. The biopic picture needed a reboot and Van Sant brought a auteuristic flair that made Milk significant both from a historic and contemporary standpoint.




Best Picture: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Frost/Nixon; Milk; The Reader; Slumdog Millionaire




Ryan: Unfortunately this is the weakest crop of Best Picture nominees in years. Years from now there will be plenty of head-scratching with a majority of these selections. In my book, only Milk and Slumdog Millionaire belong in this category. In the end one of those two movies will win. Milk might be more relevant but Slumdog Millionaire will win. Its transcendent love-story has captured the global collective consciousness.




Andy: I’ll start by saying that Slumdog Millionaire better win best picture. If it doesn’t, something is definitely not right with the Academy, as it is clearly the best of the bunch. I also agree with Ryan that this is an almost inappropriately weak field this year, with just Slumdog and Milk (and possibly Frost / Nixon) being truly worthy. Movies that easily could have, and probably should have been included that weren’t include The Dark Knight, Wall-E, The Wrestler, Doubt, and there are probably a few others.




That’s all for this week; next week we will return with a look at a new release.

Peter Griffin vs. Christian Bale

I told myself I wasn't going to post anything about Christian Bale's infamous rant (because I didn't think that it was as big as a deal as it was made out to be) but this mash-up actually made me laugh.

(Warning...this clip--obviously--does contain some strong language).

Things of Interest

I thought I would pimp some things that have caught my interest in the past few weeks.

John Adams. This seven-part miniseries by HBO is fantastic. If one was a fan of Deadwood or Rome than one is going to like HBO's latest historical drama. (Don't fret for those that didn't like those other two shows...John Adams is free from some of the rated-R ridiculousness that alienated some people from Deadwood and Rome). Nonetheless I along with Jenny were utterly enthralled by the miniseries. Paul Gimatti and Laura Linney were outstanding as John and Abigail Adams. The guy that played Thomas Jefferson, Stephen Dillane, was simply transcendent. I had this idea of who Jefferson was and Dillane perfectly brought that image to life. The beauty of the miniseries is that it breathed fresh air into a historical era that people are familiar with (to a degree). It brought that era to life in a vivid and believable manner.

The Last Campaign: Robert Kennedy and the 82 Days that Inspired America by Thurston Clarke. The book the Last Campaign documents the inspirational and ultimately tragic presidential bid of Bobby Kennedy in the spring of 1968. That subject has always held a special place with me as its a subject that I thoughtfully researched while in college (it was my senior thesis). Ever since then RFK has become one of my favorite historical figures. There was something so honest and inspirational with his campaign that it continues to leave a strong impression on me. Clarke's book is an excellent recounting of his campaign and what it meant to the people around Kennedy but also what it meant to the American citizens that Kennedy touched. I hate to speculate how this country would have been different if Kennedy would have won the nomination and the election--mainly because it makes me sad--but there's no question that Kennedy's authenticity in dealing with poverty, negotiating peace overseas, and bringing harmony to the races would have resulted in our country being in a better place than it is now. I know...that's a pretty bold statement but the Nixon era led us down a path of so much anguish that it's shadow of disillusionment and cynicism continues to hover over the country. Click here to read an excerpt.

Working on a Dream by Bruce Springsteen.

What a shocker...

...although I would say that this album doesn't measure up to his last effort, Magic. But there are some standout tracks--besides the title track. "My Lucky Day" sounds like a quintessential 80's Springsteen rocker. "This Life" and "Surprise, Surprise" continues Springsteen's flirting with pop music. I wouldn't argue that these two songs are great but they are good tunes.

That's all for now.

"The Reader" Movie Review

This week we close out 2008’s best picture nominees with Stephen Daldry’s The Reader (R). Kate Winslet and Ralph Fines star in this look back at two people in the aftermath of WWII Germany.

Ryan: When The Reader was nominated for Best Picture, I was quite surprised. After watching it, not so much. Let me clarify that I don’t believe that The Reader is worthy of its Best Picture nomination. But I clearly see why it was nominated. It has the ingredients that academy members go for--provocative performances, a complicated atypical love story and the Holocaust. Mix that all together with an Academy-friendly director and in retrospect it’s not shocking at all that The Reader scored multiple Oscar nominations.

Andy: I would have a very hard time making the argument that The Reader is one of the five best movies of the year. Truth be told, I don’t know that it would crack my top ten. Its first problem is that it is impressively (or oppressively) boring. The movie runs right around two hours in length, but it is a long, drawn out two hours, jumping needlessly from decade to decade spanning a forty year period in the second half of the 20th century.

Ryan: The Reader is far from being a great a movie or even a very good movie. It's a flawed work that's mildly engaging. At its essence its nothing more than cinematic window-dressing. It has the look and aspirations of a prototypical indie flick but all those moviemaking elements exists on the surface. At its core The Reader offers very little. The ambitions are definitely there as the film attempts to address several moral dilemmas. But ultimately if one doesn't buy the love story in the movie then one is going to have a tough time in caring about the consequences from the choices that they make.

Andy: The Reader exists in two very distinct sections. The first section is set in post-war Germany and is a little more creepy than it is engaging, as Winslett seduces a teenaged boy. The second section, set in 1966 and the 1980s, could have been a very interesting short film about the intersection of ethics and law in the trial of Nazis decades removed from the war. Instead it comes across as a slightly awkward and disjointed conclusion to the film’s first section. And for seemingly no reason other than to add dramatic flair, the movie includes sections from 1995 that don’t seem to really fit in at all.

Ryan: Kate Winslet continues her string of strong work with her performance in The Reader. This isn't her best work but when has she ever given a poor or even a run-of-the-mill performance? She is arguably the best actress of her generation and probably the front-runner to pick up (finally) her first Academy Award. Also delivering a solid performance is German-born actor, David Kross. He's a newcomer to Hollywood but he more than held his own with his scenes in the movie—especially the ones with Winslet.

Andy: Winslet is nothing short of amazing in this movie. She is the primary reason to watch it, as she takes a complex and difficult character and makes her seem incredibly human against all odds. She will likely gain her Oscar for this performance, and there is no reason to dispute that.

The reader has some amazing performances and grand ambitions, but it generally falls short. Final grade: C+.

Something's Not Right

It seems like one of the plagues of ancient Egypt has hit Greensburg and more specifically Gas Creek. I just took this photograph--looking south on Gas Creek while standing on the bridge on North St. More specifically it's across the street from the armory...next to the motel.

While the water in Gas Creek hasn't turned to blood, I would like to know what is going on. Really...that is disturbing.

Cookie Monster vs. Jay-Z

"If you're having cookie problems I feel bad for you son...I gotta 99 problems but the cookies ain't one. (Warning...video contains strong language.)

"Frost/Nixon" Movie Reivew

We continue our look at Best Picture nominees with Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon (PG-13). Adapted from the play of the same name, the movie dramatizes a series of interviews (and the events leading up to it) involving British media personality David Frost (Michael Sheen) and former president Richard Nixon (Frank Langella). Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt and Kevin Bacon costar.

Ryan: Let me start by saying that Frost/Nixon is a pretty good film. It's generally a well-rounded and constructed movie that is not only intriguing but satisfying as well. It showcases two outstanding performances and in a two hour span it successfully sets out what it was trying to accomplish. But even with all those positive accolades, I can clearly state that this movie is not Best Picture material. It's a good movie but not a great one.

Andy: Frost/Nixon is a compelling, well put together movie with few flaws. The movie continues Ron Howard’s run of consistency, adding a nice critical feather to his cap. He is able to maintain the focus of the film very well, not turning it into something bigger than it needs to be. While I would be shocked if it won best picture, I have no problem with it being included on the list of the year’s best.

Ryan: One of my biggest issues with the film is the need for it. The movie does an admirable job recreating parts of the interview and the dramatization of the events leading up to the interview are worthwhile. But the actual interview is out there. If one really wants to watch it it's not too difficult to locate. And the fact that the movie is not completely accurate (1, 2, 3) also lessens its cinematic significance especially compared to the real interview. Furthermore the film takes itself too seriously with its subject's importance. Yes, Watergate and its aftermath is crucially important to recent American history but the Frost/Nixon interviews were significant--only as a footnote to Watergate.

Andy: I disagree on the issue of relevancy. Many people, especially baby-boomers who were outraged at what Nixon did to our country, have drawn parallels between the Nixon presidency and that of George W. Bush. A film analyzing the critical moments of atonement for Nixon seem especially relevant as Bush leaves office. The debates about how much time America should spend looking back when there is so much to do going forward resonate in this film, and it is no surprise that baby-boomer hero Ron Howard took the challenge of historically addressing some of these issues.

Ryan: The highlight of the film is without question the performance by Frank Langella as Nixon. His performance is not an impression. More to the point Langella embodies the larger-than-life personality of Nixon. He was nominated for an Oscar and it's hard to argue against that honor. Praise should also be awarded to Michael Sheen as he continues his fine work in being the suitable historical foil to a more famous figure (think back to The Queen). His performance was not recognized by the Academy but his time is coming. Overall, Frost/Nixon is good, but not great. Final grade: B.

Andy: Frank Langella’s performance is truly transcendent. He takes one of the most recognizable politicians of the last century and defines him as a person with such presence, uneasy charm, and terrifying temper, that you quickly forget that he doesn’t look at all like Nixon, and barely sounds like him. He deserves his Oscar nomination. Not to be outshone is the rest of the cast, led by the aforementioned Sheen. Sam Rockwell also puts in a solid performance, making the movie full enough of good acting to warrant a final grade of A-.

"It's Boss Time"

No surprise here...Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band rocked the halftime show at the Super Bowl last night. (The game itself ended up being quite exciting at the end as well). When Bruce and the band are on their game...there's just nothing better.

Nonetheless...here's the video from last night's performance. I enjoyed watching it again and picked up on a few things...like Springsteen changing the baseball references in Glory Days to football references.

At the very least one can watch again such instant classic moments like Bruce's crotch-slide into one of NBC's camera or the various (Arne Harris inspired) shots of come cougar in her red tank top.