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You are here: Home / TV & Movies / Movies / Oscar Predictions / Red Carpet Open Thread

Oscar Predictions / Red Carpet Open Thread

by | 428 Comments

This post is in: ,

By request. The Fug Girls liveblog for NYMag is going on now; the Vulture critics blog of the ceremony itself goes up at 8:30pm EST.

Anybody got links to other good blogs and/or streaming video?

Predictions about winners?

Speaking of winners, the Razzies ceremony was last night. Per the Washington Post:

Will and Jaden Smith have something they can bond over. They were both awarded Razzies for their performances in “After Earth.”…

“After Earth,” which was directed by M. Night Shyamalan, tied with “Movie 43” for the most prizes with three awards. The raunchy comedy anthology featuring the likes of Halle Berry, Richard Gere, Kate Winslet and Naomi Watts earned Razzies for worst picture, screenplay and director…

Tyler Perry also didn’t receive any good tidings from the Razzies . Perry — as feisty alter-ego Madea — was picked as worst actress for “A Madea Christmas,” while Kim Kardashian was designated worst supporting actress for her role in the drama “Tyler Perry’s Temptation.”

Despite being the year’s biggest box-office bomb, “The Lone Ranger” lassoed just one prize: worst remake, rip-off or sequel.

Uncharacteristically, Adam Sandler went home empty handed at this year’s Razzies…

Some years, the competition is just too intense!

Reader Interactions

428Comments

  3. 3.

    cathyx

    Not too many topics that I care less about than the oscars. Maybe the private lives of the celebrities.

  5. 5.

    JPL

    @cathyx: Bah Humbug! It’s a tradition. Although I only saw one of the films nominated, I filled out my NYTimes ballot. I’ll probably do better than in the past, just by guessing.

  6. 6.

    shelly

    Just saw ‘Nebraska’, and gotta say, kind of surprised about Bruce Derns nomination. I mean he’s good and all…..but spends the film hidden behind all that fly-away hair and grizzled countenance. A cranky old guy just lurching about and being obstinate. I was more surprised that Will Forte didnt get a Best Supporting nod. He’s wonderful.

  7. 7.

    Suzanne

    @JPL: Thanks for asking. Throat is still sore, but fever is gone, thank God.

    Cate Blanchett looks meh.

  8. 8.

    The Dangerman

    I’m “proud” to say I was an extra in a razzie winner (I Know Who Killed Me, Lyndsey Lohan, who was quite kind even if possibly quite wasted). Almost all of my scene ended up on the cutting room floor, sad to say.

    ETA: Hmmm, come to think of it given its “win”, maybe not THAT sad.

  10. 10.

    jharp

    My prediction is I don’t watch it for even one second. Tying my time spent watching the Olympics.

    Not sure I cold name even one movie this year.

  11. 11.

    Cassidy

    Not even 10 comments and we got the “this is so not important I won’t watch and will make sure I let everyone know over and over again” comments. Good job Juicers. Consistency is a virtue, unless you’re a fuckup.

  13. 13.

    Lolis

    I am just bummed this delays the Good Wife for another week. I really miss that show. I had no idea Jason Sudekis and Olivia Wilde were a couple. He is hilarious and the kind of guy I would want to date. So jealous.

  16. 16.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Randy P: Me too. But don’t sue me. No $$$.

    Is Tyler Perry’s Temptation a real thing? Wow. Love some of his movies, but he needs to take a break and come back with something strong.

  17. 17.

    Schlemizel

    Bah – give Shamalama-ding-dong a lifetime achievement razzie & be done with it. I’d have Sandler also get one, after all he didn’t win this year because he didn’t have an entry. Suck that bad should not go unnoticed simply because there is no new suckage.

    As for the less interesting awards, I have gotten so sick of all the speculation, whining and politicing that I just don’t care enough to pay attention. I’d like to see Barkhad Abdi win, not just because he did a nice job but also because he is not one of the Hollywood regulars.

  18. 18.

    Comrade Mary

    Got deadlines, but also have a beer, tv and this thread. See y’all at 8:30!

  21. 21.

    The Dangerman

    @Schlemizel:

    I’d like to see Barkhad Abdi win…

    Agreed.

    …because he is not one of the Hollywood regulars.

    Which is why he almost surely won’t win.

  23. 23.

    Ernest Pikeman

    @eldorado:

    is this something you have to have a tv to know about?

    Haven’t you heard? The new passive-aggressive purer-than-thou winning line is to declare you don’t use the internet. Feel free to use this idea. Maybe make some signs and stand in a street corner.

  24. 24.

    Cassidy

    Yes! Now we got a “I so don’t care, I don’t have a TV”. It’s like playing bingo.

  25. 25.

    mainmata

    The Oscars are too long and too self-involved. It just seems that the actual evaluation of the films and actors is distinctly secondary to the celebrity spectacle and occasionally the host(s). I get bored and so just flick in and out towards the end if I watch at all.

  26. 26.

    Cassidy

    @Schlemizel: I’m so sorry. I know text doesn’t convey intent. This is not me being upset. This is me laughing at the pretentiousness of a bunch of shut-ins trying to one up one another with their “I’m too cool and don’t care” schtick.

  27. 27.

    Suffern ACE

    Frozen should win best animated feature. I hope the academy doesn’t get all sappy over Miyazaki’s retirement and give a pity oscar. (Note to academy-for some reason a lot of otherwise smart people are convinced that Miyazaki is a genius. Don’t fall for it).

  28. 28.

    Keith G

    I like the Oscars. It beats watching felons give each other TBIs on the gridiron. The awards don’t mean much as a metric, but it is a cultural touchstone.

  29. 29.

    Suzanne

    I hope Lupita Nyong’o wins every award so I can just look at her in that dress over and over again. I’m sure she’s a great sound editor. Right? RIGHT?!

  30. 30.

    Eric U.

    if only I had the internet, I could watch this live. Actually, I have 2 Rokus that refuse to link up, I am trying to figure out if they bricked them with an update or if it’s something I did

  31. 31.

    Suffern ACE

    @Suzanne: she oversaw the special effects for Pacific Rim and designed the Kaiju costumes. She’s a right renaissance woman, she is.

  32. 32.

    shelly

    And the eternal Oscar complaint, “Why can’t they keep it to a reasonable length, like the Tonys or the Globes?” is futile. Being excessive, lavish and over-the-top indulgent is kinda the point.

  34. 34.

    TCG

    Sometimes I like the Oscar’s. And then other times I think about who has won and Oscar and who hasn’t and it seems like bullshit. Peter O’ Toole never won an Oscar and Gweneth Paltrow did. Seriously?

  36. 36.

    Comrade Mary

    I think that Jennifer Lawrence is pulling off tomato red — and a peplum! — very well.

    I’ve loved all of Lupita’s award season outfits, but I’m not sure about tonight’s plunging neckline on such a delicate woman.

  38. 38.

    Suzanne

    @Comrade Mary: Agreed on Jennifer Lawrence’s dress, although she wore a similar tomato red the year she was nominated for Winter’s Bone, and I think that dress was even more rad than this one. I don’t like that she’s wearing another backwards necklace, though. She wore that last year!

  39. 39.

    GHayduke (formerly lojasmo)

    Best picture: Gravity
    Best Actor: Mathew M. Dallas Buyer’s club
    Actress: Amy Adams

    Oh, hell. I don’t know.

  41. 41.

    Elizabelle

    This is a year where I don’t know how I would vote in several categories. Good year for flicks.

    Did not see “Blue Jasmine.” Hope it comes back to theatres.

  42. 42.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @cathyx:
    @jharp:

    Yeah, I’m sure I come across as a total Grinch, but I have absolutely NO interest in award ceremonies, “reality” programs, beauty contests, or manufactured “talent” shows. I can find out tomorrow morning who won Best Whatthefuckever — I don’t need to be there at the moment.

    Sorry to be all bah, humbug about this, but for the past 15-20 years or so, I have been completely repelled by the emphasis on who is wearing what (or whom). No offense to anybody who enjoys this. Me, I’m reading a book.

    /pompous female cultural dickishness

  43. 43.

    Comrade Mary

    @SiubhanDuinne: I can’t stand 3 out of the 4 things you listed, but I love the Tonys for all the talent on stage (and NPH), the Golden Globes for the drinking, the long walks from the back of the hall, and Emma Thompson, and the Oscars because tradition and pretty dresses.

  46. 46.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Comrade Mary:

    I used to watch all those awards programs avidly. Wish I could remember what turned me away. I think it might have been when Joan Rivers and her daughter began doing the “Who are you wearing?” red carpet shit. Just turned me right off..

    ETA: And no question, there’s some incredible talent on B’way, in Hollywood, and in the recording studios. I’m not dissing the talent for a minute. It’s just the over-the-topness of the awards shows that sends me screaming into a nice trashy novel.

  47. 47.

    JPL

    @SiubhanDuinne: It’s actually nice to have films and the talent recognized. Cinematographers, sound effects and costume designers are seldom recognized. You are right that the award ceremonies have gone overboard but I’m still looking forward to seeing Ellen’s opening. She is really a talented person and her timing is perfect.

  49. 49.

    Comrade Mary

    @SiubhanDuinne: Oh, I skip all the red carpet bullshit because I cherish my few remaining brain cells. (I use the net to find the pretty, pretty dresses in glorious silence.) But yes, my tolerance for inane nonsense is decreasing in general, so I may yet give up award shows, too.

  50. 50.

    Keith G

    @SiubhanDuinne: I have watched lord knows how many Oscar Awards, but never the “pre-game” show – and usually avoid any “what did they wear” commentary.

  52. 52.

    shelly

    , I have been completely repelled by the emphasis on who is wearing what (or whom).

    It was kinda fun when it was just a few pictures in the various scandal rags, with the occasional ‘What was she thinking.” But then when it blew up into it’s own cottage industry with Joan Rivers and spawn having hour long specials about it..Ugh.

  56. 56.

    JPL

    @Keith G: It depends on who votes for her return… Liza did not look happy..

    She had to add the Jennifer Lawrence bit about falling out of the car cuz that just happened..

  59. 59.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @cathyx: I tend to avoid the threads that feature topics in which I am not interested rather than telling people how uninterested I am. YMMV.

  61. 61.

    GregB

    Yeah, I pretty much loathe the whole high fashion nincompoopery, couldn’t care any less about that shit.

    But I still find film to be an incredible art worthy of appreciation.

    Much less Joan Rivers, more James Lipton.

  63. 63.

    cckids

    Jared Leto’s speech is great, I especially love his tribute to his mom. Very graceful.

  67. 67.

    cckids

    @Redshift: I’ve seen that several times, & all I can think Cadillac is saying is “our customers are pretentious douchecanoes, and proud of it.”

  69. 69.

    Keith G

    Neat song and stage production, but they have only given out one award…..jeeeze

  70. 70.

    cathyx

    @Omnes Omnibus: Since I’m so pretentious, I will say that I think that your comment is very pretentious pointing out how wonderful you are to avoid topics that don’t interest you.

  72. 72.

    cckids

    @Gin & Tonic:

    When’s the last time Jim Carrey was funny?

    I’ll admit a soft spot for “The Mask”. Just because. Carrey had a director who would actually rein him in a bit, & he was all the better for it.

  74. 74.

    Ultraviolet Thunder

    I’m a TV abstainer but my wife is watching the Oscars in the same room. I’m glad someone cool like Ellen is hosting. The whole ridiculous proceeding needs someone like her to ground it and provide context.

    Here’s that Cadillac commercial again. I’ve actually been in the plant where that car was made. It was empty at the time, down for holiday model changeover. So, there Mr. Cadillac Douchenozzle. But it really is a swell car and I hope Cadillac sells a zillion.

  76. 76.

    Elizabelle

    Liked Pharrell’s hat.

    Liked that we don’t have to sit through “We Saw Your Boobs” again this year.

  77. 77.

    mouse tolliver

    I once saw this listicle that compared retouched celebrity photos to unretouched celebrity photoes. Naomi Watts was the only one that looked even remotely glamourous without Photoshop.

  80. 80.

    JPL

    Well my goodness according to my ballot on the NYTimes, I’m batting a thousand or something.

  82. 82.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @JPL:

    My brother worked sound effects for years, was nominated several times and won (as part of a team) for “Glory.” Please don’t get me wrong, I’m a big believer in recognizing and honouring good work, from directing and acting down to who selected the buttons for period costumes. It’s just the awards shows that turn me off. DSFDF :-)

  84. 84.

    mouse tolliver

    I noticed they added hair styling to the makeup category. Guess they got tired of it going to best creature effects every year.

  86. 86.

    cckids

    @Elizabelle: I keep imagining William Shatner in that commercial, he’d have killed in it, he could tweak it just enough to make it funny rather than irritating.

  88. 88.

    Comrade Mary

    @Elizabelle: Le Guy and i just caught it and were really disappointed. GoodFellas zipped by at 2.5 hours: 3 hours of WoWS seemed endless. I think Scorsese was making a shaggy dog joke out of the repeated BRING IN THE HOOKERS AND BLOW! scenes, but it was just part of the whole movie grinding to a halt.

  89. 89.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @cathyx: I didn’t say you were pretentious. And I wasn’t being pretentious; I was being condescending.

  91. 91.

    NotMax

    Doesn’t air here for hours and hours yet, but only thing curious about is how short a shrift Deanna Durbin gets in the memorial reel and whether mention is made of Roger Ebert.

  93. 93.

    Keith G

    To quote Marc Hirsh of NPR

    Harrison Ford’s longstanding utter humorlessness out of character is one of the greater disappointments in the world

    Although, I feel it’s a lifelong performance piece.

  95. 95.

    Comrade Mary

    Ouch. First the dick jokes, now the consolation prizes for the nominees who didn’t win. Ellen is not thrilling me tonight.

  96. 96.

    Comrade Mary

    But then again, whoever is writing scripts tonight is doing a great disservice to the presenters, too.

  98. 98.

    JPL

    @Comrade Mary: She did add the line about Lawrence tripping tonight so she has to be in charge.

    so far according to my times ballot I’m four for four..
    It pays not to watch the films.

  100. 100.

    NotMax

    Grateful that The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming was not remade and eligible for mention of the title this year.

  101. 101.

    cckids

    @Elizabelle: Its a lot of fun. The girls get to be the heroes, and though there’s a bit of a romance, NOBODY GETS MARRIED AT THE END. Refreshing.

    And, though my daughter is now 19, I have nieces in the target age range for it, and little girls are LOVING it.

  102. 102.

    Keith G

    More time spent not giving awards…should have taken a nap.

    Worse yet…I had to see Mel fucking Gibson

  103. 103.

    Comrade Mary

    Some weak and cheesy stuff in that heroes montage, but what was good still made me teary. Good move ending with O’Toole.

  108. 108.

    Comrade Mary

    Karen O is on tonight? I had no idea. And she deserved a better intro.

    Kim Novak is a talented actress who is being subjected to some really shitty comments on Twitter right now. There’s always a few people who don’t win the aging gracefully award, and it hurts my heart to see them take the abuse.

  110. 110.

    mouse tolliver

    re: Tina Fey commercial

    Shouldn’t we all feel terrible when someone makes a “dingo ate my baby” joke? Because that actually happened.

  114. 114.

    NotMax

    Whatever the name is of the place where the ceremony is being held ought to be rechristened Silicone Valley for this one night.

  115. 115.

    Suffern ACE

    @cckids: the last three Disney princess movies have focused on the relationships between family members and made the romance secondary to overcoming estrangement between family members. For Brave, it was mother/daughter. The Croods was Father/Daughter. Frozen just continues that message with siblings. And songs. Did I mention Frozen has songs, too?

  119. 119.

    hildebrand

    Utterly OT: Why are all of the RWNJs on my Facebook feed pumped about Putin? I just don’t get this.

  120. 120.

    Keith G

    @Comrade Mary: I liked the way Matthew M was a bit protective of her – the way he played off her and guided her.

    I appreciate him even more.

  121. 121.

    Suffern ACE

    @Comrade Mary: at one point, Kim Novak was considered one of the most beautiful women in the world. Something twitterati can never claim for themselves.

  123. 123.

    cckids

    @Suffern ACE: I guess I didn’t realize that The Croods was Disney.

    It is great to see kid’s movies moving away from the typical fairy tale story about “true love”. Frozen just seems to really hit the sweet spot for today’s girls with its message about taking your own power & getting over society’s “shoulds”.

    And yes, about the songs, have you seen this: it is hysterical & very, very true.

  124. 124.

    Suffern ACE

    @hildebrand: it confirms that Obama is weak. It confirms that you don’t need no UN to conduct the hawkish foreign policy of their dreams.

  125. 125.

    mouse tolliver

    Jeremy Scahill’s movie up for award… And loses to 20 Feet From Stardom.

  126. 126.

    David Koch

    @hildebrand:

    a) because they feel he validates their homophobia

    b) ODS. It’s like how the teaparty “patriots” celebrated when Chicago didn’t get the Olympics.

  128. 128.

    the Conster

    @Keith G:

    MM and Jared Leto have set a new standard. They made Dallas Buyers Club an amazingly important movie, and redefined acting. MM was a scarecrow near death in that movie, and yet he wasn’t.

  135. 135.

    Elizabelle

    The docs, animation and small films look worth a look, to the last.

    Darlene Love, for the win.

  138. 138.

    Cassidy

    Bill Maher
    The liberals here are so torn – slavery, aids – wheres a holocaust movie when you need a tiebreaker ?

  139. 139.

    Keith G

    @the Conster: I caught that film at a small art house theater in Houston. The audience was very appreciative of their effort. I think it helps to watch films like that one in smaller, intimate settings.

  144. 144.

    mouse tolliver

    @Cassidy: When Kate Winslet was on Extras (playing herself) she was making a holocaust movie about a nun for the sole purpose of winning an Oscar. A couple years later she actually won an Oscar for a holocaust movie.

  147. 147.

    Mnemosyne

    @cckids:

    Several of my co-workers have small kids and, yes, they insist on listening to the “Frozen” soundtrack over. and over. and over.

    In a meeting, my boss deadpanned, “Maybe you should introduce them to some of the other works of Bobby Lopez, like Avenue Q. Or Book of Mormon.”

  149. 149.

    Suzanne

    How beautiful are Ewan MacGregor and Viola Davis? It’s like they sucked all the beauty out of the room for themselves.

  150. 150.

    cckids

    @Mnemosyne: I know, right? He’s got some range.

    When my daughter was that age, Hillary Duff was all the rage. I’d have taken Frozen any time.

  151. 151.

    mouse tolliver

    Dances with Wolves music (John Barry).

    Anybody want to play name that tune with the music cues?

  154. 154.

    Mnemosyne

    I think we’re a little behind on the Tivo, but it was kind of funny to see the two pregnant women in the audience (Kerry Washington and the woman behind her) shoot their hands up as soon as Ellen said “pizza.”

  157. 157.

    Keith G

    There was a time when I enjoyed Bono’s vocals more than I do now. I wonder if his voice is a bit too beaten up due to his style of singing.

  158. 158.

    Elizabelle

    The musical performances have been better than your average bear this year.

    Enough to make one stop thinking of Rob Lowe and the Disney characters. Many moons ago.

  161. 161.

    Mnemosyne

    @Suzanne:

    You can see why from those pictures, though — poor guy was all but bald by the time he was 25.

    We’re just at Kevin Spacey, so we’re still a little behind.

  176. 176.

    TCG

    @Suzanne: She was a user when she was younger and I really think that like a lot of people she goes sober and then starts using heroine again. That shit is a demon to kick. The loss of muscle mass and the accelerated aging is the give away. She’s also losing her hair. It’s a shame, she was so beautiful once.

  191. 191.

    mouse tolliver

    Best speech of the night. Hope she can defy that Supporting Actress Oscar curse.

    …

    Willy Wonka

  193. 193.

    Elizabelle

    @cckids:

    Yesh. And she turns out to be wonderfully talented and a humanitarian to boot. Damn her.

    Speaking about both Ms. Jolie and new Oscar winner Lupita. It will be lovely to watch Lupita’s next roles.

  194. 194.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @cckids: Pure Imagination. Lupita’s speech closed with talk of dreams and the music referenced the power of dreams and imagination. Coincidence or inspiration?

  195. 195.

    NotMax

    Captain Blood coming up next on TCM.

    Erroll Flynn’s best buckling of some swash, IMHO.

  201. 201.

    cckids

    I do like getting Weinstein to tip the pizza guy.

    The never-ending plugs for the new show “Resurrection” . . . am I the only one skeeved out by this show? I know my emotions are due to a good family friend losing his only son last year in a horrendous accident, but these ads are really bugging me.

  202. 202.

    Elizabelle

    @NotMax:

    Caught “in the heat of the night” last night.

    Think you and others were discussing Rod Steiger’s performance? It was as good as you said.

    The gum chewing got on my last nerve, though.

  204. 204.

    Suzanne

    Amy Adams looks uncharacteristically dull. She normally looks so good. Navy blue has got to be the most boring color ever. Even more boring than black.

  207. 207.

    Elizabelle

    Harold Ramis call out. Good for Bill Murray.

    Cinematography to Gravity. Which is having a good night.

  211. 211.

    Gordon, the Big Express Engine

    Just got a little dusty here at chez Gordon with the Harold Ramis mention by Bill Murray

  212. 212.

    TCG

    @Elizabelle: It’s not food and it’s not her fault. She’s human and she has a problem that’s really hard to beat. Even if it wasn’t drugs and is an eating disorder, forcing her to eat wouldn’t work. She would need serious help to get better.

  213. 213.

    cckids

    Whoever designed Anna Kendrick’s dress needed to lose one detail, there is too much going on.

  223. 223.

    mouse tolliver

    I thought Lucille Austero was going to be in this number. Hope her vertigo isn’t acting up again.

  227. 227.

    gogol's wife

    @Keith G:

    God that was terrible. They couldn’t find someone with the breath control to sing a phrase? In tribute to Judy Garland?

    I’m waiting for the tribute to Shirley Temple. That’s not going to happen.

  228. 228.

    Elizabelle

    @TCG:

    Yeah. AJolie was so gaunt, I worried she might have a serious illness.

    But an eating disorder and/or addiction are life threatening too. Do hope she recovers her health.

    Tears will be shed tonight when they get to Philip Seymour Hoffman.

    So cruel his road came to an end so abruptly.

  231. 231.

    ruemara

    @NotMax: Wish I had that channel. I love Errol.

    @Omnes Omnibus: It’s awful

    Angelina is gaunt as hell, but she’s had cancer scares and frankly, no we do not know that she’s using heroine. Christ.

  234. 234.

    ruemara

    A lot of these technical awards are usually covered in the schmemmies, surprised they kept so many in the main program.

  235. 235.

    Elizabelle

    Second Oscar of the evening to Catherine Martin and fourth Oscar of her career.

    Had no idea she’d been so honored.

  236. 236.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Did anyone actually go see The Great Gatsby? Love the novel, hate Baz Luhrmann. I avoided the movie like the plague.

  237. 237.

    Suzanne

    @ruemara: I doubt she’s using heroin. I know that after her mom died, she stopped eating for a while. An eating disorder seems more likely to me.

  240. 240.

    Gordon, the Big Express Engine

    So jaden smith in the karate kid remake makes it into that montage?

  243. 243.

    Gordon, the Big Express Engine

    Okay this Pepsi commercial blows away all of the Super Bowl commercials from this year…

  244. 244.

    Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn

    Zack Hemsey’s original trailer music for Inception getting a shout-out for the montage. I love Zimmerman’s score for that film (way more than I enjoyed the movie itself), but the trailer score is worthy of its own recognition.

  245. 245.

    Comrade Mary

    @Mnemosyne: I doubt she would be up for it, true, but if they wanted to have a tribute to her mother, there would have been more graceful ways to manage it. Sheesh, Liza didn’t even get to be in the mega-selfie (which did, indeed become the most retweeted of all time).

  246. 246.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Elizabelle: You should understand that I would gouge out my eyes with a spork before I watch Moulin Rouge again. And it is set in bohemian Paris. The hip-hop score idea doesn’t bother me. I liked what Sofia Coppola did with the music in Marie Antoinette. Baz makes me stabby.

    @schrodinger’s cat: I just kept wishing that Kidman’s character would just die already so the movie could end.

  250. 250.

    NotMax

    @Omnes Omnibus

    It ran on a flight was on, and sort of paid attention.

    It was stridently pretty. But apart from the few scenes with fireworks, most everything else in the movie seemed like an afterthought, something to be endured in order to get to the next luscious setting.

  255. 255.

    gogol's wife

    Two seconds each for Deanna Durbin, Shirley Temple, Joan Fontaine. Sic transit gloria mundi.

    And so to bed.

  258. 258.

    Mnemosyne

    Can I say for a minute that I love how well so many of the older actresses are dressing? Glenn Close looks great. Meryl Streep looks great. Heck, even Liza Minnelli managed to wear a dress in her style and still look good.

  260. 260.

    patrick II

    I noticed that Roger Ebert was included in tribute film. When Siskel passed they didn’t include him because (they said) he wasn’t actually involved in the making of movies. Whoopie, who was host that year, didn’t care and ad-libbed a tribute to him at the end of the film. One more reason to like Whoopie.

  262. 262.

    Comrade Mary

    On the one hand, Bette has looked AMAZING in both outfits tonight, and she is still a strong singer.

    On the other hand, this song makes me want to do terrible, terrible things.

  265. 265.

    Comrade Mary

    Oh, wait, pitchy now. Bad Bette! No biscuit!

    Seriously, who the fuck wrote and directed this mess tonight?

  266. 266.

    Keith G

    Dear Academy. Please fire this production team. I do not care if they are responsible for “Chicago”. Now, they suck.

  267. 267.

    Omnes Omnibus

    I hate this song with the fire of a thousand suns. During the Persian Gulf War it seemed as though Armed Forces Radio played it and Proud to be an American in a near constant rotation – with maybe one or two other songs in between.

  269. 269.

    Suzanne

    @Mnemosyne: I thought Glenn Close could show a little skin. She’s a good-looking lady and she doesn’t need to be so covered up.

  272. 272.

    Suffern ACE

    @Omnes Omnibus: I did. If you don’t like Baz luhrman, you aren’t going to be converted by that film. However, if you do like Baz Luhman, you probably won’t like it as much as Moulin Rouge. I am “meh” of Luhrman, but thought it was a very good movie. Probably the best Gatsby movie. The soundtrack was not the problem. The problem for me was that the actors were far too old for their roles.

  274. 274.

    Elizabelle

    @Mnemosyne:

    Although.

    Glenn Close’s dress was funereal. Was wondering “who died?”

    And then her intro begins …

    Opens with James Gandolfini, closes with Philip Seymour Hoffman. Neither had any business being in that tribute, just yet. (Or Paul Walker, for that matter …)

  275. 275.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @patrick II: Ebert had at least one screenwriting credit – a Roger Corman film if memory serves.

    ETA: Meyer, Corman. Whatever.

  278. 278.

    Comrade Mary

    @patrick II: To be picky, Ebert did have screenwriting creds, but yeah, he wasn’t up there for that. From Wiki:

    Ebert co-wrote the screenplay for the 1970 Russ Meyer film Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and sometimes joked about being responsible for the film, which was poorly received on its release but is now regarded as a cult classic.[26] Ebert and Meyer also made Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens, Up!, and other films, and were involved in the ill-fated Sex Pistols movie Who Killed Bambi? (In April 2010, Ebert posted his screenplay of Who Killed Bambi? aka Anarchy in the UK on his blog.)[27]

  279. 279.

    Elizabelle

    @hilts:

    Did see the earlier Gatsby, but so many years ago. Remember someone named Jordan was very good as the female sidekick … time to see it again, maybe.

  280. 280.

    Mnemosyne

    “Wind Beneath My Wings” story I was told — when they were doing the table reads and casting for Frozen, they didn’t have any of the songs ready, but they had Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell do a duet of “The Wind Beneath My Wings.” The production folks said that was when they knew the movie was going to work.

  282. 282.

    Keith G

    @mouse tolliver: Back in ’77, I was able to worm my way backstage after a touring performance of “The Belle of Amherst”. Ms Harris was the embodiment of both grace and gentile glamour. Such a kind soul. She made one teenager boy very awestruck that night.

  285. 285.

    Mnemosyne

    @patrick II:

    He probably was also included because he was part of the Oscars broadcast team for years, doing the pre-show and after-show.

  292. 292.

    Elizabelle

    @hilts:

    That sounds right. And whoever said the Redford Gatsby movie was a snore: yes, it was.

    A good looking snore.

    Weirdly, some of the fashions were kinda back in style when it came out…

  296. 296.

    gogol's wife

    @Elizabelle:

    It had a huge effect on fashion. But it was a snore. I didn’t even remember Bruce Dern was in it, which is weird, since I’m a fan.

    I thought Jim Carrey’s Bruce Dern impression was the highlight of the evening. Although it’s not as good as my husband’s.

  297. 297.

    Mnemosyne

    They shortened “Let It Go” a little. They probably did the same with the other songs and I just didn’t know them well enough to notice.

  298. 298.

    gogol's wife

    If I thought Dern had any chance of winning, I’d stay up. But good night, all.

  301. 301.

    Elizabelle

    @gogol’s wife:

    Yeah, the Dern imitation was uncanny.

    And I am glad to see Bruce Dern getting some love while he is still around to enjoy it. He’s got more movies ahead of him.

  303. 303.

    Keith G

    I have had to leave the room a few times. Has Gravity lost an award that it was nominated for?

  304. 304.

    Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn

    Steven Price for Gravity — YESS!!!! And hwo amazing it must be for this young man, having his name called while he’s sitting next to John Williams.

    I’ve listened at least a few tracks to that score almost since the day it came out. Quite well earned.

  307. 307.

    Mnemosyne

    @Suzanne:

    What the hell was up with that? He went through the “Wicked” reference and still got it wrong. Ellen had to correct him.

  309. 309.

    NotMax

    @Omnes Omnibus

    He’ll be remembered as a film critic, but his being a dues-paying member of the Writer’s Guild gives a direct connection to film making.

    Don’t know if he was ever a member of the Academy, but qualified for membership.

  315. 315.

    Mnemosyne

    And now Bobby Lopez has the EGOT — Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. I wonder if he’s the youngest one to have it.

  316. 316.

    Elizabelle

    @Mnemosyne:

    Gravity has not been brought down to earth.

    I kind of hope 12 Years gets best pic.

    Predictions for best pic and best director, anyone? Best actor? Best actress?

  320. 320.

    Suzanne

    My Spawns just lost their shit watching “Let It Go”. We had to rewind to watch it again so they could sing along.

  322. 322.

    ruemara

    I just can’t make myself watch 12 years. For pity’s sake, even if it was fake, I’d be too sickened by it. It’s fucking real and I can’t watch the inhumanity on film. Yet I know I will have to try.

  323. 323.

    Elizabelle

    Oh, right. John Ridley, 12 Years ….

    but DBC dialogue sang, too. Or is DBC not adapted …. anyhoo …

  328. 328.

    Suzanne

    @ruemara: I have stayed away from it for the same reason. I know that it will make me just so horribly upset and I won’t be able to sleep.

  330. 330.

    Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn

    Cuarón gets Best Director, hands down. Best film’s up for grabs from where I sit.

    Bullock for Best Actress, because she earned it. Best Actor, my sentiments are with McConaughey.

  332. 332.

    Mnemosyne

    Fun fact: John Ridley wrote the story for David O. Russell’s Three Kings, which co-starred … Spike Jonze.

  333. 333.

    mouse tolliver

    @hilts: I think he goes back even before Morning Joke came along. I think he was a regular on Tucker Carlson’s old show.

  334. 334.

    gian

    @Mnemosyne:

    my four year old daughter was just puzzled that elsa wasn’t singing. She was almost in bed for the night when it came on and we let her watch.

    I’m not an awards show guy, I might read the paper to see who won, but it’s not my thing.
    otoh I’ll hang out and watch something if my kids really want.

    if you get a chance read the article at slate and the comments from the person who doesn’t like the part of the movie where elsa sings this and changes her costume. – it’s entertaining in the article and the comments were sometimes enlightening.

    (the one which suggested a pressure to be a little girl forever “perfect girl is gone” versus growing up and hitting puberty seemed insightful)

    off to watch Phineas and ferb, the 8 year old is nearing bed, and he gets a show too…

  335. 335.

    Suzanne

    I don’t want Cate Blanchett to get best Actress because I hate Woody Allen so much.

  336. 336.

    Gordon, the Big Express Engine

    Wooderson for best actor
    Cate blanchette for best actress
    Cuaron for director
    12 years for film

  339. 339.

    Mnemosyne

    @ruemara:

    I have a feeling it’s going to be one of those movies like Von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark — great film, but will never want to watch it again.

  350. 350.

    Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn

    “The wiseguys of Warner Bros.” — priceless!!! Go Alfonso!

  351. 351.

    Elizabelle

    @hilts:

    Oh yeah, Mr. Jonze is def talented.

    But enough competition of the human variety. Who wants to play second fiddle to someone’s operating system!

  354. 354.

    Elizabelle

    @Mike in NC:

    Have not seen it. And NOT a Spike Jonze detractor. He’s amazing. Just surprised for this year with that film.

    Which I saw.

  360. 360.

    Elizabelle

    Good speech by Cate Blanchett, interesting take on how the award is subjective, which it is.

    And a good shoutout for films for women. And Woody gets thanks.

  363. 363.

    Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn

    Didn’t get to see Blanchett’s perf to compare against Bullock, but she’s a damn fine actor and her speech is full of class. But, yeah, for the reason Alfonso sighted, Bullock was Gravity, and I thought she had the lock.

  364. 364.

    Elizabelle

    @Suzanne:

    Yeah, the Blanchett dress would work for Sandra Bullock if she wanted to remind viewers that she spent her film dodging space trash.

  369. 369.

    Comrade Mary

    @kc: Lots of pressure on her re Woody allegations. Some have noted that her thanks have been less effusive as the award season went on.

  374. 374.

    Mnemosyne

    @gian:

    I didn’t really agree, and people in the comments articulated why: in the other examples the writer mentioned, the girl/woman gets a makeover to impress a man. Elsa does her makeover for herself — the song is explicitly about living her life the way she wants to without anyone’s approval.

    That may be what bothered the writer — given the choice, Elsa decides to be fabulous and not, say, put on the fairy tale equivalent of sweats. But aren’t we allowed to want to look fabulous when we’re feeling good about ourselves?

  375. 375.

    Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn

    NICE! Well-deserved nod for McConaughey. He can thank who he wants, he earned this.

  378. 378.

    Mnemosyne

    The Academy thinks the winner is going to be 12 Years A Slave. We’ll see.

    ETA: YEP!

  381. 381.

    Comrade Mary

    Wow. Except for Gravity taking a string of tech awards, no one film dominated. They shared those out.

  384. 384.

    the Conster

    It was between the guy who lost 40 lbs and the guy who put on 50 lbs. The guy who lost, won. Rightfully.

  385. 385.

    Keith G

    This has been a great awards presentation…superb and thoughtful choices.

    The show part of this was a bit lacking, but the latter does not take away from the former.

  387. 387.

    mouse tolliver

    OK, 12 years, not Gravity.

    Actors winning Oscars as producers is now a thing. Used to be actors winning Oscars as directors. But that’s so 1980s.

  388. 388.

    Suzanne

    Brad Pitt just seems like such a nice person. As does McConaghuey. However you spell that.

  390. 390.

    mouse tolliver

    I hope they don’t play Gone With the Wind music during the credits like they do every year.

    E.T., Love is a many splendored thing, Oklahoma…

  393. 393.

    CaseyL

    @Comrade Mary: @Elizabelle:

    I agree; I like it when the awards are spread out. It’s so hard to say one film is better than another, or one performance better than another, when the films and people nominated are so uniformly excellent.

  395. 395.

    Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn

    Delighted for: Steven Price, Alfonso Cuaron, Matthew McConaughey, Steve McQueen. Disappointed for: Sandra Bullock. And I’ve *never* been any sort of Team Bullock kinda person, but she freaking earned her nom.

  396. 396.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Suzanne: An Esquire writer who profiled Pitt, Damon, and DiCaprio characterized them as follows: if you were in a room with one of them and you passed out this is how each would respond, DiCaprio would call his publicist, Pitt would perform a tracheotomy with a pocket knife and ball point pen, and Damon would tie your shoelaces together.

  397. 397.

    mouse tolliver

    They did retire the Gone With the Wind theme from the Oscar end credits. It’s usually the first thing they play. Wonder if that was a deliberate choice?

  400. 400.

    Mnemosyne

    @CaseyL:

    I think it was the right decision, too — Gravity was a good film, but more than that it was a HUGE technical achievement, and Cuaron deserved to win for the achievement of putting it all together. McQueen is young (like me, he’s turning 45 this year) and all three of his feature films have been critically acclaimed, so he has plenty more chances to win Best Director.

  407. 407.

    gian

    @Mnemosyne:

    when I wrote entertaining and enlightening.

    I meant to suggest the initial writer was entertaining, but not particularly insightful, while some people in the comments seemed really smart.

    FWIW, I see it in the plot where after the incident with hurting her sister, she was hidden from the world, her family and her sister – isolated and was told by parents to cover every bit of her except her face out of fear of her power (this is where the comments were I thought insightful at least for how people could see it)
    and with the song she basically changes costume and says “this is me, suck on it”

    I’m not off to hijack a thread. the commenters who felt like it hit a chord with them about hitting puberty and not being a “perfect (innocent) girl” and wanting to be themselves made me think. That does not exclude the possibility that I’m incapable of understanding. All I know is I saw the flick with my 4 year old and ordered the soundtrack from amazon that same day…

  408. 408.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Mnemosyne: Rathbone was simply awesome; I cheered for him over Flynn and Power. Apparently he also gave some of the best parties in Hollywood.

  409. 409.

    NotMax

    @Omnes Omnibus – @Mnemosyne

    A minor point, but notable that that particular duel was one of the few times (in A-list movies of the period) such scenes were not edited to avoid showing the big half-moons of sweat under the arms drenching the shirts of the duelists.

  410. 410.

    Mnemosyne

    @gian:

    Actually, I’m pretty sure you and I agree that the writer is a little off-base. I definitely agreed with the commenters much more than the article itself.

  411. 411.

    Mnemosyne

    @NotMax:

    Since it wasn’t shot on a soundstage, it was probably partially a practical reason — there were only so many shirts you could schlep up to Laguna Beach for the shoot, and trying to keep the shirts pristine would become a continuity problem of its own.

  412. 412.

    Suzanne

    I think Charlize Theron had the best look of the night. Her dress was fabulous, and made basic black so modern and awesome. Her makeup and hair was great, and the jewelry was perfect. Lupita was a close number two.

  421. 421.

    Studly Pantload, the emotionally unavailable unicorn

    @Omnes Omnibus He earned it, through and through. I’m just a lousy post-Oscar keyboardist.

  424. 424.

    NotMax

    Getting late on the East Coast (well, early actually) but can still get this thread over the magic 500 number…

  425. 425.

    Mnemosyne

    @NotMax:

    Yep — It Happened One Night is one of those classic Pre-Code films that no one realizes is Pre-Code (like The Public Enemy or Little Caesar), which is why Gable was able to do it. Undershirts remained in place for lesser actors.

  426. 426.

    Mnemosyne

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Not to go off on too much of a late-night rant, but one of the frustrating things about the Production Code is how inconsistent it could be. Like the ratings system today, certain directors were allowed more leeway than others, especially in comedies. Lubitsch and Sturges got away with a LOT more than other directors, just because Joe Breen liked their work. Curtiz (the director of Captain Blood) did a lot of manly genre pictures (swashbucklers, mysteries, westerns, etc.) so he was allowed to show a little sweat … but no blood.

  427. 427.

    NotMax

    @Mnemosyne

    Actresses did not sport undershirts, but garment absence was certainly suggested, Both pre-code and on into the late 1930s, even when dressed to the nines there was often fairly evident, um, nipplage on display.

  428. 428.

    Keith G

    Samuel L. Jackson playing a dentist in an Jimmy Kimmel Live bit

    I said spit, bitch!

    Priceless.*

    *Maybe it’s the sleep deprivation

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