Bring Back Snow White

I'd rather watch the SAG Awards or the Spirit Awards. Maybe I'm being naive but there seems to be something much more sincere about these awards then say The Academy Awards. 

The Academy Awards. The OSCARS. 
Not me. Not this year. Count me out. 

There's already been too much talk about the show itself. I feel bad for the people nominated (only slightly) because it just seems like the shine has been dulled a little by controversy and bullshit. It's becoming way too PC and political and those are too things which I detest. 

I'll catch all the news Monday morning in what I'm sure will be very insightful recaps of Hollywood's biggest night.  

Best part about not watching? It's three and a half hours I can devote to something else. 


No host this year? Okay.
Hey! Famous person! Who are you wearing? Yawn.
Won't...miss...any...of...it.

Let's make it short and sweet. 

Here's your OSCAR. See you at the after party.

A party! That's what it should be! Like The Golden Globes! Put a bunch of people in a room and give them free alcohol and let's see what happens! At the very least it'll be more interesting and entertaining.

Awards are nice and all...but...come on! Honestly?
It's all about money and politics. It's all about marketing.

As an actor I have to say that winning an OSCAR would be fucking awesome. What actor wouldn't want to be standing there holding that little golden man?

Okay. Sure. 
To be fair, though, Brando was an extreme example. 

(Coughs)

All actors want recognition for their work. 

The key however is not to create a film to win an Oscar. You can't base your performance on whether or not it will win you an OSCAR. 

Just do the work. Just tell the story. 
Be still and honest and then let it go.
Because once you are wrapped everything is out of your control anyway.



"You don't make pictures for Oscars." Martin Scorsese
Preach on, Marty.


Again, I've never been nominated for an Academy Award so it's hard for me to tell you what an OSCAR nominee should do or think.

I've been up for awards before and I can tell you that it is an honor and it is nerve-wracking. I've lost awards I've been nominated for and I can tell you losing is never fun. I survived though.


Not winning is only the end of the world if you define your world by winning. It just can't and shouldn't define who you are or what you do.


"The Oscars are really nice, but the best part is that I had the opportunity to do that kind of work." - Sally Field


"Hosting the Oscars is much like making love to a woman. It's something I only get to do when Billy Crystal is out of town." - Steve Martin

I'll admit I threw that one in for me. What can I say about tonight's awards ceremony?

I watched some brilliant movies this year. I saw some performances which transported me and made me want to be an actor even more than I do on any given day. How can you possibly select the best from such an impressive field? Guess we'll find out tonight.

If I had to pick?

I guess I should...shouldn't I?

So here my selections for who will win an OSCAR this evening.
I'll pick a will win and a should win.

Best Picture
“BlacKkKlansman” “Black Panther” “Bohemian Rhapsody” “The Favourite” “Green Book” “Roma” “A Star Is Born” “Vice”
WILL WIN: ROMA    SHOULD WIN: VICE

*I haven't seen ROMA but it certainly has the momentum at this point. VICE is a smart, well-crafted film with a great cast and writing.

Best Supporting Actor
Mahershala Ali, “Green Book” Adam Driver, “BlacKkKlansman” Sam Elliott, “A Star Is Born” Richard E. Grant, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” Sam Rockwell, “Vice”
WILL WIN: Mahershala Ali    SHOULD WIN: Richard E. Grant

Mahershala Ali is an amazing talent. I had the privilege of watching him work on House of Cards and I can tell you he is a consummate professional and extremely kind human being.  So why did I say Richard E. Grant should win? I feel Ali's performance in Green Book is a lead role and not a supporting role so therefore I can't say he should win for Best Supporting Actor.

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, “Vice” Marina de Tavira, “Roma” Regina King, “If Beale Street Could Talk” Emma Stone, “The Favourite” Rachel Weisz, “The Favourite”
WILL WIN: Rachel Weisz   SHOULD WIN: ???
**I've only seen The Favourite.

Best Film Editing

“BlacKkKlansman” “Bohemian Rhapsody” “The Favourite” “Green Book” “Vice”

WILL WIN: BLACKKKLANSMAN    SHOULD WIN: VICE

Best Costume Design
“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” “Black Panther” “The Favourite” “Mary Poppins Returns” “Mary Queen of Scots”
WILL WIN: THE FAVOURITE    SHOULD WIN: BLACK PANTHER 

Period films always seem to win this category and The Favourite is a feast for the eyes, especially the costumes. The costumes in Black Panther were stunning. 'Nuff said.

Best Original Score
“Black Panther” “BlacKkKlansman” “If Beale Street Could Talk” “Isle of Dogs” “Mary Poppins Returns”
WILL WIN: MARY POPPINS   SHOULD WIN: MARY POPPINS

Best Animated Short
“Animal Behavior” “Bao” “Late Afternoon” “One Small Step” “Weekends”
*Haven't Seen Any of These 

Best Live-Action Short

“Detainment” “Fauve” “Marguerite” “Mother” “Skin”
*Haven't Seen Any of These 

Best Sound Editing

“Black Panther” “Bohemian Rhapsody” “First Man” “A Quiet Place” “Roma”
WILL WIN: FIRST MAN    SHOULD WIN: A QUIET PLACE

Best Sound Mixing
“Black Panther” “Bohemian Rhapsody” “First Man” “Roma” “A Star Is Born”
WILL WIN: FIRST MAN    SHOULD WIN: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

Best Director
Alfonso Cuarón, “Roma” Spike Lee, “BlacKkKlansman” Adam McKay, “Vice” Pawel Pawlikowski, “Cold War” Yorgos Lanthimos, “The Favourite”
WILL WIN: Alfonso Cuaron   SHOULD WIN: Adam McKay

**Since Bradley Cooper wasn't nominated I'm going with McKay.

Best Actor

Christian Bale, “Vice” Bradley Cooper, “A Star Is Born” Willem Dafoe, “At Eternity’s Gate” Rami Malek, “Bohemian Rhapsody” Viggo Mortensen, “Green Book”
WILL WIN: Christian Bale    SHOULD WIN: Willem Dafoe...damnit...just because.

This is a tight, tight race. The only movie I haven't seen is At Eternity's Gate. I want so badly for Bradley Cooper to be recognized for the all work he did on A Star Is Born. Prosthetics and weight gain aside, Bale transformed into Dick Cheney in Vice. Malek captured the energy and charisma of Freddy Mercury. This is another tight, tight race. I stand by what I said. 

Best Actress
Yalitza Aparicio, “Roma” Glenn Close, “The Wife” Olivia Colman, “The Favourite” Lady Gaga, “A Star Is Born” Melissa McCarthy, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
WILL WIN: Olivia Colman    SHOULD WIN: Glen Close 

Colman has the momentum at this point but having seen The Favourite, I see her as more a supporting role. Glenn Close is magnificent in The Wife. 
Best Adapted Screenplay
“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” “BlacKkKlansman” “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” “If Beale Street Could Talk” “A Star Is Born”
WILL WIN: BLACKKKLANSMAN    SHOULD WIN: CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

Best Original Screenplay
“The Favourite” “First Reformed” “Green Book” “Roma” “Vice”
WILL WIN: THE FAVOURITE    SHOULD WIN: GREEN BOOK/Vice
This one was such a toss-up. 
Best Animated Feature
“Incredibles 2” “Isle of Dogs” “Mirai” “Ralph Breaks the Internet” “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”
Only saw Incredibles 2. Spiderman seems to have the momentum.

Best Cinematography
“Cold War” “The Favourite” “Never Look Away” “Roma” “A Star is Born”
WILL WIN: ROMA    SHOULD WIN: A STAR IS BORN

Best Documentary Feature
“Free Solo” “Hale County This Morning, This Evening” “Minding the Gap” “Of Fathers and Sons” “RBG”
*Haven't Seen Any of These
I'm going with RGB
Best Documentary Short
“Black Sheep” “End Game” “Lifeboat” “A Night at the Garden” “Period. End of Sentence”
*Haven't Seen Any of These 
I'm going with Black Sheep because...just because....move along
Best Foreign Language Film
“Capernaum” “Cold War” “Never Look Away” “Roma” “Shoplifters”
*Haven't Seen Any of These

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
“Border” “Mary Queen of Scots” “Vice”
WILL WIN: THE FAVOURITE     SHOULD WIN: VICE

Best Original Song
“All the Stars” from “Black Panther” “I’ll Fight” from “RBG” “The Place Where Lost Things Go” from “Mary Poppins Returns” “Shallow” from “A Star Is Born” “When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings” from “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”

Shallow. Hands freaking down.

Best Production Design
“Black Panther” “The Favourite” “First Man” “Mary Poppins Returns” “Roma”
WILL WIN: THE FAVOURITE    SHOULD WIN: BLACK PANTHER

Best Visual Effects
“Avengers: Infinity War” “Christopher Robin” “First Man” “Ready Player One” “Solo: A Star Wars Story”
WILL WIN: AVENGERS    SHOULD WIN: READY PLAYER ONE

I know nothing except for there were some really good movies this year with outstanding performances. A lot of these categories are so, so close. 

Oh. I do one more thing. 
Nobody will remember who won Best this or that this year....next year. 

The world goes on. 

just keeping it reel

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