My friend Nathaniel R of The Film Experience has posted his Oscar predictions and now must sweat it out like the rest of us to see what happens tonight. In addition, he has created the hilarious image below suggesting what he thinks might take place, and what I hope takes place, once all the pre-game festivities are dispensed with and the statues start flying. I hope your Oscar ballots are all ready to go. If not, visit Nathaniel and crib from him instead of me-- you're likely to do a lot better in the long run! I will be sitting high atop Springfield, Oregon, just under the water tower, overlooking the fogged-in, rained-in cityscape of Eugene, and doing my best to cheer the Coen Brothers on to a historic four-for-four as the show gets underway. Enjoy it, everyone, for tomorrow is just another work day. And be sure to have a list at hand, as I surely will, to remind you of all the great movies and artists that never won Oscars which you can use to console yourself if and when your favorite takes a dive.
There's more to this swell picture, and Nathaniel will ensure it meets your eye...
UPDATE FEB. 25 10:30 p.m.: Just off the plane from Eugene, and I'm heading to bed. It is nice to know that, the inevitable Diablo Cody statue notwithstanding, the Juno bug has effectively been slain. Now it's on to a hugely profitable DVD that I don't have to pay any attention to! How nice it was to go to bed last night knowing the best picture of 2007 actually won the award. I will try to cobble together some more thoughts tomorrow, before all memory of Oscar fades. But until I do, please check out Kim Morgan's Oscar piece at MSN.com. Kim says just about everything I would say and more, and she's a lot more fun to read. I'm not sure there's anything left to say after her keen article, but if I think of something I'll do so tomorrow.
I can feel the excitement. I will, as usual, spend commercials rehearsing my own acceptance speech for next year which always seems to get pushed back to the year after that.
ReplyDeleteI hope Dennis gives us his Oscar reaction soon.
ReplyDeleteMe too.
ReplyDeleteI just got back into town, boys. Patience!
ReplyDeleteJonathan: If you haven't checked it out yet, head over and read Kim Morgan's Oscar reaction. I'm not sure there's much more to be said, particularly by me. Kim's piece is spot on and funny too.
ReplyDeleteFelt obligated to mention my favorite Oscar moment since it falled under "other".
ReplyDeleteIt's when Paul Thomas Anderson cringed as the Coens were named Best Director. Wouldn't call it injustice, I mean if There Will Be Blood is a 100 on a scale of 1 to 100; No Country for Old Men is at least a 99, know what I'm saying. And besides, the Coens have a body of work and really had to work their way up to it.
But it would have been fuckin' awesome if Martin Scorsese gave PTA the Best Director Oscar. Don't think we're ever going to have an opportunity to see that again. I know that Anderson was thinking that too.
Just saw the Kim Morgan entry and she reminded me of my favorite Jon Stewart joke: When he calls the Oscars the "make-up sex" after the strike. Haven't seen anybody mention that yet, but this got the biggest laugh from me.
ReplyDeleteAlex: I didn't remember seeing the cringe (I think I was closing my eyes hoping for the Coens). But I did see it on YouTube this afternoon, and it was, thankfully, much more good-natured than I imagined. You're right-- PTA will have his day, and if you like both movies it's kind of hard to begrudge the directors of Miller's Crossing and The Big Lebowski, et al., their moment.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite moment is probably among those cited in the poll, but I also loved the picture of "Roderick Jaynes" inserted among the live feeds of the film editing nominees present in the room. Apparently Ethan Coen commented after the Film Editing loss that Jaynes stayed at home and was at that very moment "elderly and unhappy." :)
Was this the first Oscar telecast in 24 years NOT to feature a cutaway reaction shot of Louis Gossett Jr.???? (Though he was featured receiving his supporting award in a montage, so that almost counts.)
ReplyDeleteIt's not the Oscars without Lou Gossett!!!
Diablo Cody is like every chick who's ever seen a movie at the Vista.
Two years in a row where an awesome movie won BP. Quite delightful. I'll always remember the 1998 Oscars when they'd show these intense, amazing clips from PRIVATE RYAN and THIN RED LINE... then a clip of Joseph Fiennes mincing while covering his mustache.
And that won.