No, I'm not literally hungover, but you can bet those who went to the after-party sure are. If anything, it's my fingers that are a little tired from so much live-tweeting (@KWRossman) during the telecast. Many thanks to those who followed along. It gave me something to do during those dead spots where the Oscars forgot it was a show about movies and temporarily morphed into the Grammys.
And that, of course, brings me to the main complaint, as it is every year with this ceremony: the length. Every time the show's producers cut one time-wasting item from years past (this time around: shorter acceptance speeches, no personal tributes to the Lead Actor and Actress nominees), something equally superfluous replaces it. I understand the desire to honor 50 years of James Bond by having Dame Shirley Bassey belt out "Goldfinger," but other than that, song performances need to be thrown out entirely; this isn't a concert. The Short categories take up less time, but still, these are movies that greater than 99% of America have not seen and don't care about (excepting Paperman, which was shown before screenings of Wreck it Ralph). Bottom line: this show needs to clock in under 3 hours; having the host repeatedly poke fun of the length isn't enough.
Speaking of the hose, some will cry foul over some of host Seth McFarlane's more offensive jokes, but really, anyone even remotely familiar with the man's work realizes that this is who he is. Ask any Family Guy fan and he/she will tell you that McFarlane has always pushed the envelope. Besides, he beat all his critics to the punch with the way he structured his opening numbers. Having William Shatner appear in Captain Kirk getup and explain how McFarlane's tasteless stunts (including the "we saw your boobs" musical number) result in bad reviews before actually showing them was a stroke of genius. McFarlane takes shots at everyone, but he leaves plenty in the tank for himself, making poor reviews almost redundant. Personally, I don't mind a little off-color in these telecasts to liven up the evening. Too often the Oscars are like weddings; everything is perfectly planned to a fault and anything spontaneous is frowned upon.
My grand total was 14/21, or 66%. Decent, but not nearly enough to win any contests. But just because I guessed wrong on a few major categories doesn't qualify any of these wins as "shockers." Best Supporting Actor was a tossup category from the outset all the way to the moment before Christoph Waltz's name was announced. So much for the theory that winning "too recently" counts against you. Kudos to those who picked Ang Lee as Best Director; there were rumblings that he was a close second to Speilberg and had a shot at passing him. I also whiffed on both Screenplay categories as well as Animated Film. Picking these winners is a lot like filling out a March Madness bracket. You want a good mix of solid favorites and brave upsets, but oftentimes you end up crossing the wires.
Argo was my No. 5 movie of the year, so I can't complain. Although it's set during an important historical event and has plenty of elements that excite the Academy, it also doesn't scream "artsy fartsy" at the top of its lungs. (No disrespect to the previous year's winner, The Artist, which I love, but Argo has much more mainstream appeal). Some will argue that the Best Director snub for Ben Affleck propelled the film's momentum, but it's still one of 2012's best movies with or without the assist. Also, on a night where long-winded speakers were quickly and rightfully yanked by the orchestra's rendition of the Jaws theme, letting the "big winners" (actors and directors) take more time to express emotion was a nice gesture.
So that's it. Comments? Hit me up here or on Facebook. Time to move on to March, where my blog entries will gravitate toward sports until the summer blockbusters roll around.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Academy Awards Predictions
This is the first time in many years that I have seen all of the Best Picture nominees prior to the telecast. I didn't see AMOUR in time for my Best 10 list, but it's a strong movie and would probably fall somewhere in the runner-up list. BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, on the other hand, I feel is vastly overrated. A solid movie, but nowhere near as moving or as entertaining as the other eight nominees.
Here are my predictions. Challenge me if you like.
THE MAJORS
Best Picture: Argo-- For a while, it seemed as though Steven Speilberg's Lincoln (my favorite of the nominees) would clean house and earn the first Best Picture Oscar for a Speilberg movie since 1993's Schindler's List, but a funny thing happened on the way to that coronation. Ben Affleck was snubbed in the Best Director category and suddenly everyone had to think of some way to honor him and his most celebrated film to date. ARGO has been cleaning up all of the minor award shows, and its win at BAFTA (British equivalent of the Oscars) sealed the deal. It's a lock.
Best Director: Steven Speilberg (Lincoln)-- No Ben Affleck here means there's no "rising star" that the Academy always enjoys giving this award to. So go with Plan B. Speilberg will take home his third Best Director trophy here, but much like in Feburary of 1999, where Saving Private Ryan lost to The Miramax Marketing Machine, er, I mean..... Shakespeare in Love, he'll have to be content with half of the Big Two awards.
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)-- Biggest lock of the ceremony. As obvious now as it was when the movie debuted. Day-Lewis is notoriously picky with his roles, but when he wins his third Best Actor statue here, who can dispute it isn't a good strategy?
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)-- For a while, it was neck-and-neck between Lawrence and Zero Dark Thirty's Jessica Chastain. But the latter movie has suffered greatly from controversy. Certain liberals hate it because they think it glorifies torture. And conservatives simmer because they think the Obama administration gave the filmmakers improper access to classified material. Talk about a no-win situation. So Lawrence will win easily. At only 21 years old, she could shatter records at this rate.
Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)-- This is a "tossup" category. Jones gave the showiest portrayal of all the nominees, and its been 20 years since he last won an Oscar (for 1993's The Fugitive). But if the Academy decides on Christoph Waltz or Robert DeNiro, I won't be surprised. The latter would be interesting because DeNiro proved in Silver Linings Playbook that he can play a character in a comedy without the joke being all about him. Still, give Jones the edge.
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)-- Easy pick. A lock since the film's release. Despite being on screen for only about a quarter (at most) of Les Miserables, her character lingers in the mind long after the movie is over.
THE MID MAJORS
Original Screenplay: Amour-- Most movies about an individual on his/her last legs of life don't come close to the level of realism this movie provides. That's why I'm picking it.
Adapted Screenplay: Lincoln-- This is close. It's between this movie and Argo, but a movie about politics means lots and lots of speeches. The dialogue shines brightest here, so score another for Lincoln.
Foreign Language Film: Amour-- By far the highest profile of every movie in this category. Go ahead and bet the mortgage on it.
Animated Film: Wreck-it-Ralph-- I loved this movie, and it just missed my Top 10. Brave is the current front-runner, but not by much. Besides, without seeing either movie, just read about them on IMDB and find out which storyline is more inspired. My point exactly. Upset special alert.
Documentary: Searching for Sugar Man-- Haven't seen any of the nominees, but this is the only one I've even heard of (mostly because of Roger Ebert's glowing review of it). So this is my pick.
THE MINORS
Production Design: Les Miserables-- One of the things that impressed me most about this movie was how Tom Hooper opened up the setting far beyond what a play could provide. 19th Century France looks truly stunning.
Costume Design: Anna Karenina-- Look for the period piece movies to split some awards here. Just a hunch.
Makeup: Les Miserables-- Clearly, Tom Hooper was confident in the makeup jobs when he shot the movie with so many closeups. It put off some people, but I found it appropriate.
Music (Score): Lincoln-- John Williams. Need I say more?
Original Song: "Skyfall" from Skyfall-- It's one of the best Bond songs ever IMO. Adele is as hot a commodity as they come, and on a night when 50 years of 007 is being celebrated, how could this not take home gold?
Film Editing: Argo-- It's a tight race between this and Zero Dark Thirty, but while one movie is hot, the other is ice cold. Going with the momentum here.
Cinematography: Life of Pi-- So many breathtaking shots in this movie; from a purely visual standpoint, it's among the best of the year. And it uses 3D very well.
Sound Edting: Zero Dark Thirty-- The critics' darling of 2012 won't and shouldn't go empty handed. The climactic raid on Bin Laden's compound alone contains enough to win this one.
Sound Mixing: Les Miserables-- Much was made about how songs were recorded live on set rather than pre-recorded and lip-synched later. So chalk up another for Les Mis.
Visual Effects: Life of Pi-- The Academy typically goes with an artistic style of movie that uses special effects. So while The Avengers and Prometheus may be bigger movies with more pronounced visuals, they'll lose to Ang Lee's movie here.
So that's it. I've got Argo winning just two awards including the biggest one of the night. Perhaps next time, the Academy should consider broadening the Best Director field or just limiting the Best Picture field to five again.
Here are my predictions. Challenge me if you like.
THE MAJORS
Best Picture: Argo-- For a while, it seemed as though Steven Speilberg's Lincoln (my favorite of the nominees) would clean house and earn the first Best Picture Oscar for a Speilberg movie since 1993's Schindler's List, but a funny thing happened on the way to that coronation. Ben Affleck was snubbed in the Best Director category and suddenly everyone had to think of some way to honor him and his most celebrated film to date. ARGO has been cleaning up all of the minor award shows, and its win at BAFTA (British equivalent of the Oscars) sealed the deal. It's a lock.
Best Director: Steven Speilberg (Lincoln)-- No Ben Affleck here means there's no "rising star" that the Academy always enjoys giving this award to. So go with Plan B. Speilberg will take home his third Best Director trophy here, but much like in Feburary of 1999, where Saving Private Ryan lost to The Miramax Marketing Machine, er, I mean..... Shakespeare in Love, he'll have to be content with half of the Big Two awards.
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)-- Biggest lock of the ceremony. As obvious now as it was when the movie debuted. Day-Lewis is notoriously picky with his roles, but when he wins his third Best Actor statue here, who can dispute it isn't a good strategy?
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)-- For a while, it was neck-and-neck between Lawrence and Zero Dark Thirty's Jessica Chastain. But the latter movie has suffered greatly from controversy. Certain liberals hate it because they think it glorifies torture. And conservatives simmer because they think the Obama administration gave the filmmakers improper access to classified material. Talk about a no-win situation. So Lawrence will win easily. At only 21 years old, she could shatter records at this rate.
Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)-- This is a "tossup" category. Jones gave the showiest portrayal of all the nominees, and its been 20 years since he last won an Oscar (for 1993's The Fugitive). But if the Academy decides on Christoph Waltz or Robert DeNiro, I won't be surprised. The latter would be interesting because DeNiro proved in Silver Linings Playbook that he can play a character in a comedy without the joke being all about him. Still, give Jones the edge.
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)-- Easy pick. A lock since the film's release. Despite being on screen for only about a quarter (at most) of Les Miserables, her character lingers in the mind long after the movie is over.
THE MID MAJORS
Original Screenplay: Amour-- Most movies about an individual on his/her last legs of life don't come close to the level of realism this movie provides. That's why I'm picking it.
Adapted Screenplay: Lincoln-- This is close. It's between this movie and Argo, but a movie about politics means lots and lots of speeches. The dialogue shines brightest here, so score another for Lincoln.
Foreign Language Film: Amour-- By far the highest profile of every movie in this category. Go ahead and bet the mortgage on it.
Animated Film: Wreck-it-Ralph-- I loved this movie, and it just missed my Top 10. Brave is the current front-runner, but not by much. Besides, without seeing either movie, just read about them on IMDB and find out which storyline is more inspired. My point exactly. Upset special alert.
Documentary: Searching for Sugar Man-- Haven't seen any of the nominees, but this is the only one I've even heard of (mostly because of Roger Ebert's glowing review of it). So this is my pick.
THE MINORS
Production Design: Les Miserables-- One of the things that impressed me most about this movie was how Tom Hooper opened up the setting far beyond what a play could provide. 19th Century France looks truly stunning.
Costume Design: Anna Karenina-- Look for the period piece movies to split some awards here. Just a hunch.
Makeup: Les Miserables-- Clearly, Tom Hooper was confident in the makeup jobs when he shot the movie with so many closeups. It put off some people, but I found it appropriate.
Music (Score): Lincoln-- John Williams. Need I say more?
Original Song: "Skyfall" from Skyfall-- It's one of the best Bond songs ever IMO. Adele is as hot a commodity as they come, and on a night when 50 years of 007 is being celebrated, how could this not take home gold?
Film Editing: Argo-- It's a tight race between this and Zero Dark Thirty, but while one movie is hot, the other is ice cold. Going with the momentum here.
Cinematography: Life of Pi-- So many breathtaking shots in this movie; from a purely visual standpoint, it's among the best of the year. And it uses 3D very well.
Sound Edting: Zero Dark Thirty-- The critics' darling of 2012 won't and shouldn't go empty handed. The climactic raid on Bin Laden's compound alone contains enough to win this one.
Sound Mixing: Les Miserables-- Much was made about how songs were recorded live on set rather than pre-recorded and lip-synched later. So chalk up another for Les Mis.
Visual Effects: Life of Pi-- The Academy typically goes with an artistic style of movie that uses special effects. So while The Avengers and Prometheus may be bigger movies with more pronounced visuals, they'll lose to Ang Lee's movie here.
So that's it. I've got Argo winning just two awards including the biggest one of the night. Perhaps next time, the Academy should consider broadening the Best Director field or just limiting the Best Picture field to five again.
Monday, February 4, 2013
The Controversy-Bowl
I freely admit that's not a clever moniker for this year's Super Bowl, but I'll be damned if it isn't accurate. The two week period for the most watched sporting event in America can be nauseating, even if the matchup is the one you wanted (as it was for me). Still though, in the aftermath of a game featuring alleged blown calls, a momentum-shifting power outage, and an uber-controversial player's final performance, the "Harbowl" hype was the last thing on anyone's mind. There were plenty of things to enjoy about this year's iteration, such as an-almost-comeback by the 49ers, a record-setting kickoff return, and a few genuinely funny commercials. But as memorable as those examples and the overall triumph for the city of Baltimore (which I have lived in for a few years), there is an overall disturbing feeling I find impossible to shake.
Sports bring out some fascinating emotions in all of us. For every team that we love to death, there is of course a binary opposite, a blood rival, borne out of many possible reasons. Sometimes, it's jealousy or media hype (I admit this is why, as a Bears fan, I dislike the Packers so much), and sometimes its a fun local rivalry. Other times, it's management moving the team (Sonics and Browns fans feel me here). And we cite those reasons as why we hate so much. It's cool, right? Intellectually, we know it's "just sports" and there are no laws or human lives at stake. But that doesn't stop us from repeatedly reacting "in the moment", moment after moment, then brush it aside when it's all over. But what about when it isn't just about a rivalry? What about when there's something deeper and more sinister beneath the surface of all the cheering and booing?
And that brings me to the Baltimore Ravens. Judging by the reactions at the Super Bowl party I attended as well as a few other Facebook friends, you'd think Ray Lewis was Hitler and Stalin rolled into one. The murder case where Lewis reached a plea deal for obstruction of justice instead of going to court has been well documented. That was 13 years ago, but the hate is alive and well largely because he is on the biggest sporting stage in the country. Yes, it really is hate. The cries of "Murderer! Stabby! He should be in jail!" aren't lighthearted, jokey comments like the kind you see on profootballmock.com. They're vicious, mean-spirited, and full of bile; reminiscent of partisan jabs thrown about during Presidential Election season. Anything can be made fun of, but the tone of these comments I've witnessed is almost frightening. And these are otherwise honorable, caring people who say these things.
It's okay to believe that someone who has been acquitted of a crime is actually guilty. Opinions are not fact, but everyone is entitled to have one. If there's one thing we love as much as football in America, it's believing that we, the Court of Public Opinion, are so infallible and more "right" than our justice system. It was the case (no pun intended) with O.J. Simpson and Casey Anthony. But those trials were televised in all their dubious glory. Ray Lewis never went to trial. The matter was settled out of court and he plead guilty to obstruction of justice. So its possible that these opinions, like the trial that never was, are only half-formed. Of course, very little of this hate would be bubbling over today had the Ravens lost their first playoff game. There's just something about saturation-level media coverage of a two-week Super Buildup that makes the blood of any sports fan boil. We want to prove we're not lemmings and go the other way on an over-talked subject. That's Newton's Third Law as applied to the social media realm.
I like the Ravens; they're my second favorite team next to the Bears, so it comes as no surprise that I've been a fan of Ray Lewis for a long time. Regardless of what happened that night in Atlanta, he has worked tirelessly for the next decade-plus to rehab his image, be a leader on and off the field, and act as an ambassador for the NFL. His teammates and coaches love him. And I believe his religious feelings and his tears are genuine. But none of that goodwill matters to Ravens-bashers. He got away with murder. He's a fraud. He cannot be redeemed. The media lauds him, but every single one of those analysts, coaches, general managers, and current/former players is dead wrong. Or so they say.
I admit I'm not exonerated from "sports hate." I've "hated" the New York Yankees for a long time and used to crusade relentlessly about how they have an unfair advantage in baseball due to their massive wealth that most teams do not come close to possessing. I stopped feeling that way in 2009 after their title when I realized that a) other teams spend pretty damn close to what they do, and b) money alone can't buy championships if the players you buy don't fit. I congratulated them and felt their World Series victory was legitimate and fair. You won't see or hear that from certain corners regarding the Ravens, who claim that they're just a bunch of thugs and curse their names forevermore.
I've had similar reservations about Brett Favre. As a Chicago Bears fan, of course I dislike him and root for him to fail-- on the football field. And I believed he showed unparalleled diva tendencies when he waffled back and forth with the retirement/un-retirement phase. So yes, I rooted against him largely because of his behavior and wretched when those who thought his comeback in 2009 was "a great story." But he's been out of the game for a few years and handled it with dignity. He's shown plenty of amicability in his appearances with ESPN and NFL Network. And he is unquestionably a First Ballot Hall of Famer when the day arrives. But you won't see this from Ray Lewis detractors. Judging by what I've seen and read, they'll likely spew bile at him during every appearance as an ESPN analyst and vomit during his Hall of Fame induction speech. Such is their right, but that doesn't mean I'm not at least a little uneasy about their mentality.
Bottom line: I've crushed players and teams plenty of times, but never accused someone of a crime when he has not committed one. And yes, I've made jokes about Kobe Bryant's and Ben Roethlisberger's "rape" episodes in which both athletes were acquitted, but I consider that different from screaming "Fuck you! You're a rapist!" Tone matters. And nothing controversial has come out of them since then.
Football season is over. Our national obsession will dip considerably for the next 6 months, occasionally peeking its head out for free agency, the draft, and mini-camps. But with that obsession and passion comes hatred. This past season, I haven't been using the term "hatred" lightly. But then again, maybe I'm just more forgiving than is good for me.
Sports bring out some fascinating emotions in all of us. For every team that we love to death, there is of course a binary opposite, a blood rival, borne out of many possible reasons. Sometimes, it's jealousy or media hype (I admit this is why, as a Bears fan, I dislike the Packers so much), and sometimes its a fun local rivalry. Other times, it's management moving the team (Sonics and Browns fans feel me here). And we cite those reasons as why we hate so much. It's cool, right? Intellectually, we know it's "just sports" and there are no laws or human lives at stake. But that doesn't stop us from repeatedly reacting "in the moment", moment after moment, then brush it aside when it's all over. But what about when it isn't just about a rivalry? What about when there's something deeper and more sinister beneath the surface of all the cheering and booing?
And that brings me to the Baltimore Ravens. Judging by the reactions at the Super Bowl party I attended as well as a few other Facebook friends, you'd think Ray Lewis was Hitler and Stalin rolled into one. The murder case where Lewis reached a plea deal for obstruction of justice instead of going to court has been well documented. That was 13 years ago, but the hate is alive and well largely because he is on the biggest sporting stage in the country. Yes, it really is hate. The cries of "Murderer! Stabby! He should be in jail!" aren't lighthearted, jokey comments like the kind you see on profootballmock.com. They're vicious, mean-spirited, and full of bile; reminiscent of partisan jabs thrown about during Presidential Election season. Anything can be made fun of, but the tone of these comments I've witnessed is almost frightening. And these are otherwise honorable, caring people who say these things.
It's okay to believe that someone who has been acquitted of a crime is actually guilty. Opinions are not fact, but everyone is entitled to have one. If there's one thing we love as much as football in America, it's believing that we, the Court of Public Opinion, are so infallible and more "right" than our justice system. It was the case (no pun intended) with O.J. Simpson and Casey Anthony. But those trials were televised in all their dubious glory. Ray Lewis never went to trial. The matter was settled out of court and he plead guilty to obstruction of justice. So its possible that these opinions, like the trial that never was, are only half-formed. Of course, very little of this hate would be bubbling over today had the Ravens lost their first playoff game. There's just something about saturation-level media coverage of a two-week Super Buildup that makes the blood of any sports fan boil. We want to prove we're not lemmings and go the other way on an over-talked subject. That's Newton's Third Law as applied to the social media realm.
I like the Ravens; they're my second favorite team next to the Bears, so it comes as no surprise that I've been a fan of Ray Lewis for a long time. Regardless of what happened that night in Atlanta, he has worked tirelessly for the next decade-plus to rehab his image, be a leader on and off the field, and act as an ambassador for the NFL. His teammates and coaches love him. And I believe his religious feelings and his tears are genuine. But none of that goodwill matters to Ravens-bashers. He got away with murder. He's a fraud. He cannot be redeemed. The media lauds him, but every single one of those analysts, coaches, general managers, and current/former players is dead wrong. Or so they say.
I admit I'm not exonerated from "sports hate." I've "hated" the New York Yankees for a long time and used to crusade relentlessly about how they have an unfair advantage in baseball due to their massive wealth that most teams do not come close to possessing. I stopped feeling that way in 2009 after their title when I realized that a) other teams spend pretty damn close to what they do, and b) money alone can't buy championships if the players you buy don't fit. I congratulated them and felt their World Series victory was legitimate and fair. You won't see or hear that from certain corners regarding the Ravens, who claim that they're just a bunch of thugs and curse their names forevermore.
I've had similar reservations about Brett Favre. As a Chicago Bears fan, of course I dislike him and root for him to fail-- on the football field. And I believed he showed unparalleled diva tendencies when he waffled back and forth with the retirement/un-retirement phase. So yes, I rooted against him largely because of his behavior and wretched when those who thought his comeback in 2009 was "a great story." But he's been out of the game for a few years and handled it with dignity. He's shown plenty of amicability in his appearances with ESPN and NFL Network. And he is unquestionably a First Ballot Hall of Famer when the day arrives. But you won't see this from Ray Lewis detractors. Judging by what I've seen and read, they'll likely spew bile at him during every appearance as an ESPN analyst and vomit during his Hall of Fame induction speech. Such is their right, but that doesn't mean I'm not at least a little uneasy about their mentality.
Bottom line: I've crushed players and teams plenty of times, but never accused someone of a crime when he has not committed one. And yes, I've made jokes about Kobe Bryant's and Ben Roethlisberger's "rape" episodes in which both athletes were acquitted, but I consider that different from screaming "Fuck you! You're a rapist!" Tone matters. And nothing controversial has come out of them since then.
Football season is over. Our national obsession will dip considerably for the next 6 months, occasionally peeking its head out for free agency, the draft, and mini-camps. But with that obsession and passion comes hatred. This past season, I haven't been using the term "hatred" lightly. But then again, maybe I'm just more forgiving than is good for me.
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