Sunday, February 24, 2008

Live Blogging ~ Oscars Part Two

The earlier live blogging posts are much better (I was fresher. Carpal tunnel was only a notion rather than a fully formed fear ~ please read them)

Part 1
E! Arrivals
Part 2 More Arrivals and 1st Third of Show


I am bleeding inspiration. So tired. Marion Cotillard & the biopic collaborated to do me in ;) I'll be back to fight the good fight for recognizing fictional characters next year. One of these years they'll finally get bored of it. Won't they?

9:48 ADAPTED SCREENPLAY.
After double team action from James McAvoy and Josh Brolin (I'm towelling off now) who are both vying for "most wanted" in Hollywood right now, the Coen Bros win. Short speech and they keep it about the category. 'They're selective. They've only adapted Homer and Cormac McCarthy.'

9:51 More Plan B mini docs about Oscars. I know all of this already but I think it's good that the nearly one billion people watching are learning it too. Not that they aren't having potty breaks right now.

9:54 "That's How You Know" performed by Kristen Chenowith. This is a cakewalk for her. She does 8 shows a week.

10:01 I picked a weird time to start the third post. It's like the energy suddenly went out of the Kodak. But then again, it'll be hard to top the Tilda Swinton win.

10:02 Seth Rogen and (the name is escaping me) performing as Halle Berry and Dame Judi Dench. LOL. That joke started... but it didn't go anywhere? I thought there would be a skit or something. Sound Editing goes to The Bourne Ultimatum. Per Hallberg has both a pony tail and a dangling earring. The people who don't approve of Daniel Day-Lewis are seething right now. Sound Mixing goes to The Bourne Ultimatum. Will it go three for three with its nominations?

10:09 BEST ACTRESS. Clip reel first: Damn that Jessica Tandy. Now Pfeiffer will never have one! Forest Whitaker is presenting and it goes to Marion Cotillard who is very grateful and exactly how Oscar likes their Best Actresses: young, pretty, trembling and weepy. Congratulations Marion.

10:16 Why do I have this terrible feeling that this commercial break will be the longest evah. So that I can stew knowing that Hilary Swank is a two-time winner and Julie Christie is not. Oh the humanity. But such is the power of the biopic. 7 out of 10 of the past Best Actress Oscars 70%!!! have gone there. If Julie Christie wants a second Oscar she better damn well find a 60something famous woman to recreate for the movies. Learn your craft woman. ;)

10:19 I fucking love this song. Can I swear? Sure I can, it's Oscar night. The normal rules don't apply. "Falling Slowly" that movie is so loveable.

10:24 Jack Nicholson is talking about Best Picture. I'm so confused. Too early for that. Plan B Random Clip Reel ...and go!

10:29 Renée Zellweger presenting FILM EDITING. The win goes to The Bourne Ultimatum. Is Renée wearing her Chicago costume? I'm so confused. Marion Cotillard's win, which I confidently predicted without any personal joy, has left me strangely empty rather than angry. I guess after Brokeback vs. Crash I can handle anything. Nothing will be as embarrassing to the Academy / painful to me as that ever again. But still... I think it'd be so cool if the Oscars got away from biopics for awhile. It would really do the film world good to have more than one idea about what constitutes great acting. There are so many ways to express oneself in art. Why must they continually reward the same thing?

MOVING ON... Until next year when the next biopic performance wins.

10:33 Hey, it's Nicki Kidman! Why does my heart swell with love? She's there for an honorary Oscar presentation to Robert Boyle.

10:43 Penélope Cruz announces the FOREIGN FILM category. I am suddenly nervous about my Counterfeiters prediction. Could it be 12 instead? Or... Nope, Counterfeiters as expected.

10:46 I'm sorry but how many songs does Enchanted have. I'm so annoyed right now. But I've seen Patrick Dempsey naked so it's all good. (Just wanted to see if you were still reading -but yeah, I have... Some Girls) This song makes me ill. As does the Amy Adams impersonator in the purple dress. True story: Last week I rented the first season of Fame (the 80s television series) just to see if it was as good as I remembered it being --hey I was a kid. It wasn't. I don't know why I'm telling you this. I started typing the story and I totally lost the thread. I feel like I may be disappearing. BEST SONG is being announced. "Falling Slowly" wins. That's awesome.

10:52 Jon Stewart loves Once. It's so heartening to discover more fans.

10:57 Jon Stewart is my new hero. He actually brought out Marketa Irglova to give her acceptance speech since they cut her off at the mic. Awesome. Why do they cut these people off. It's their once in a lifetime moment. Cut some damn tribute to binoculars instead.

10:59 Cameron Diaz. Every time she comes on with her aw shucks fidgety cute/hotness all I can think is where is Anna Faris' Oscar for mimicry for her spot on Diaz in Lost in Translation. Seriously. Where's that Oscar? BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Robert Elswit There Will Be Blood. Hooray.

11:03 In Memoriam. There was a stuntman in there. It's still so weird to me that stunts and casting don't have Oscar categories. And yet "song" does. Which has more meaning and prominence in the movies?

11:09 Amy Adams. My cat is hissing. ORIGINAL SCORE goes to Atonement. I like Dario Marianelli's work. His Pride & Prejudice score is so pretty as well. I know some take issue with the typewriter but I like inventive scores.

11:14 DOCUMENTARY SHORT. presented by the US Troops. Interesting. The winner is Freeheld. Ohhh, there so happy. The woman in the audience during the reaction shots looked just like Grace Zabriskie from David Lynch movies. So naturally I'm petrified right now. DOCUMENTARY FEATURE. The winner is not me because I'm totally bored right now. Sorry, I am. I'm just speaking my truth. It's not that I don't love the smaller categories. I just think they should not throw in so much filler so that by the time we get to the later awards everyone is so tired. The winner is Taxi to The Dark Side. Did you hear how they banned the poster for this movie? Incredibly sickening to do that when they let crap like Hostel by. Argh.

11:21 So, they're showing a commercial for A Raisin in the Sun. I want to see it because I love Audra McDonald and I wanted to see it on Broadway. But earlier this evening as Sean P Combs walked the red carpet he actually plugged it saying that it was his "debut as a movie star" Oy. TV movies of Broadway shows are not movies! Everyone knows that. There's healthy ego and then there's stupidity.

11: 24 Harrison Ford presenting ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY to Juno. A shout out to "the superhuman Ellen Page". Wow. She was moved but a lot of people will be disappointed in how plainly acceptance-speechy that was. No quirky flourishes. No Junoisms. Nothing.

11: 27 It's 11:27. We still have Best Picture and Best Director and Best Actor to go.

11: 31 Queen Mirren shows up. All older women in Hollywood weep. They know that she filled the quota of Oscars to older women for another couple of decades. Shame since Julie Christie in Away From Her is not only better than Marion Cotillard's Piaf but also better than Mirren's Queen. BEST ACTOR. They're not being very original with the clips tonight. Daniel Day-Lewis wins. It's the first time ever (supposedly) that no Americans have won in the acting categories. CORRECTION: Only the second time ever --the first was the 64/65 Oscars when Julie Andrews won for Mary Poppins.

11:40 I am so sleepy and I don't know how I didn't realize this up until now since it's so standard but I do actually have to work tomorrow. Which means sleep is a necessity. BEST DIRECTOR Martin Scorsese is presenting. I'm sure this is going to The Coen Bros but since I sat in the DGA theater listening to Scorsese interview PTA so that would be sweet to see Part 2. The Coen Bros win it. So heres' another Mr & Mrs with Oscar Frances McDormand and her man.

11:46 Denzel Washington to announce BEST PICTURE for No Country For Old Men. Great movie. After several years of so-so winners it's nice to see two really good movies win back to back. Ohmygod. Cormac McCarthy is there. He is so elusive. It's bizarre to claim that it's a total surprise though.. I mean seriously, are only Oscar fanatics following along as the year progresses? I imagine the Hollywood community does as well. Even more so. They have to actually dress up. Me, I'm in jeans and a polo you know. They have to plan.

And we're done. Sorry for the anti climax.

kiss kiss. THE FILM EXPERIENCE IS YEAR ROUND. It's just as much fun in the off season. Come back later tomorrow for wrap up afterthoughts and later this week for another peak at 2008 cinema --from an acting angle. Good night.

psssst. this was part 3
Back to Part One E! Arrivals. La Pfeiffer and I hit the red carpet (we have very different tastes in Oscar fashions. Was that the most boring parade of gowns, ever? I think so)
11*

95 comments:

russtifer said...

TILDA! I'm so excited you have no idea.

Anonymous said...

Why did Kristen choke so hard on the song? It seemed like she was completely uncomfortable in that key the whole time. Couldn't they have worked on that in rehearsals? And couldn't they have put her in something less "gown-y" so that she could have cut it up on the stage? I was so afraid she would trip the whole time.

Musical numbers--major disappointment so far.

Marius said...

Jonah Hill! LOL!

Marius said...

russ, your profile pic is disturbing. Nice!

Marius said...

Oh, Julie Christie. You are amazing.

Yaseen Ali said...

WHOA. I predicted Cotillard myself, but even I'm a little shocked.

russtifer said...

Lol, it's Taz! ;)

And Marion!?!?! :D

lawyer tony fernando said...

MARION, AKA OH FUCK FRENCH BITCH GOT IT!

Anonymous said...

Ok, come on now Nat, we were all rooting for Christie, but you have to admit that Cotillard had an incredible speech and reaction. Thank you love! And dripping in Gaultier couture--though I'm sure boyfriend was disappointed she didn't speak a petit bit of French.

And if you can't be down with that, at least love the fact that Blanchett knew how bad she was and acted embarrassed to be in the company of such fine performances.

Anonymous said...

Oh crap...I picked Tilda, but I didn't pick Marion! Damn. I'm not winning anything this year.

Hey, I'd rather be dame Judy than Halle you piece of crap. Why must we insult an incredible woman by fighting over who will be the so called "pretty one?"
Lame.

Marius said...

I'm shocked, but Marion's speech was wonderful. I'm happy for her.

Anonymous said...

Worst Best Actress winner since Jessica Lange.

You would've thought she would've made more of her time up there though, wouldn't you?

For some reason (whether it be the presenters chosen/speeches given), there's a feeling of throwaway and disposability about the Oscars this year.

The Jaded Armchair Reviewer said...

Best Actress so early?

Maybe it's just my feed but for the musical numbers, the sound is overpowering the vocals.

Marius said...

I love this song. Brings a tear to my eye.

Unknown said...

Colin F. -- woo hoo. Jon Stewart is disappointing so far, though, no? Btw, what did you make of Francis Ford Coppola's Youth Without Youth? It hasn't gotten much play, but it's a more engaging film than many of those being given awards tonight. Here's an interesting discussion of the film.

Anonymous said...

I'm sick after the Best Actress announcement.

Going to bed now.

Bite it Oscar.

Marius said...

Why are Eastern European women so darn cute? Markéta Irglová, I heart you! And I also love Uli from Project Runway 3.

Anonymous said...

I thought that Julie Christie and Laura Linney and Nicole Kidman and Angelina Jolie... were better thus year than Marion Cotillard, but good for her, it's good to see a French-speaking actor up there, it doesn't happen very often !
Actually it's good to see 2 European actors winning, especially non-native English speakers

Anonymous said...

My Marion did it! I never lost hope, and now she's an Oscar winner! Congratulations for your amazing achievement!

Marius said...

I HATE Crash. I still can't believe it won the Oscar for Best Motion Picture.

Anonymous said...

Yeah. That’s always gonna sting.

Sid said...

Cotillard! I knew it!

And Swinton! (my last minute prediction, thanks to Nat!)

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but we (and most people for that matter) know what film belonged in the 2005 slot.

Marius said...

Ok, so I have a question. One of the Gawker blogs (the Defamer) claimed that they would be live blogging the Oscars. It was advertised on all of their blogs. But they stopped updating their blog well over an hour ago (or maybe I just can't find the right post). People are still commenting, of course, but the bloggers aren't really blogging! What's the deal? It's false advertising.

I'm starting to hate Gawker Media and many A-list bloggers. It's all about the bottom line for these people. Bless your heart, Nat, for never letting us down. :)

NATHANIEL R said...

thank you.

i need the hugs after Julie's loss.

sigh. i mean i knew it was coming which is probably why it didn't hurt as bad as it would have a month ago... but still.

at least i have TILDA... i know they probably voted for it for the wrong reasons (i.e. to give Michael Clayton something) but it's such an amazing unusually inspired performance.

still why do they always show the worst clip?

Anonymous said...

well, we've been waiting for annette bening to get her oscar....she's playing helen thomas....that should do the trick next year. de-glam too!

Marius said...

Penelope's dress is growing on me.

Evan said...

Does anybody know the name of the well-known movie theme that was played during the Best Picture montage?

Anonymous said...

The more and more I think of the Cotillard win, the more it angers me. I hadn't really thought of it as a calculated move on the Academy's part to get a hot young thing up there (they look great in clip reels too! Just look at Grace Kelly [instead of Judy Garland]!) but now I'm a little steamed. Not at Cotillard, obviously, but the powers that be. Hmm.

Why do I get such a rush from seeing Kidman up there on stage? And why does it make me so happy to know that a 98-year-old legend, who has seen and worked with his fair share of real stars, thanks her? Ah, the true movie star lives.

Evan said...

Does anybody know the name of the well-known movie theme that was played during the Best Picture montage?

Anonymous said...

who's that yummy young thing singing?

RahulB said...

These Oscars...are really boring yes?

Or is it just me ?

I mean, the only thing keeping me going is this, so thanks Nat.

Marius said...

Falling Slowly!!!!!!

Marius said...

Europeans are dominating.

Anonymous said...

Didn't think I'd be saying this 3 months ago, but the Once win is the sweetest of the night. The other choices except for Tilda have been uniformly bad.

For some strange reason, it felt like that Glen and Marketa were winning for acting. Well-deserved Oscars for their contributions to that film anyhow.

Anonymous said...

well, we've been waiting for annette bening to get her oscar....she's playing helen thomas....that should do the trick next year. de-glam too!

Marius said...

The Chinese people hate you, Steven Spielberg. But I guess you already knew that.

RahulB said...

Marketa not speaking was one of the saddest things I've seen.

The Jaded Armchair Reviewer said...

Agree about the choice for Tilda's clip. They just had to show one with George Clooney in it which further makes most of the sentiment obvious. But ah, she got hers just the same.

Marketa gets to talk! :)

Marius said...

Markéta Irglová!!!! You have my heart!

Anonymous said...

Ah, my boy Heath.

You gave us Ennis. Rest In Peace. You will always live in our hearts!

Anonymous said...

who's presenting for best pic? julie chrisite, maybe???

Anonymous said...

Ok Elswitt's win was SWEET!!!

Anonymous said...

oh nathaniel, of course the song has prominence, but just may be not recently. from "you must love me" to "the way we were", "my heart will go on" and "wind beneath my wings", songs can have a monumental impact to a movie.

The Jaded Armchair Reviewer said...

Oh and now that Cate lost, does this mean he makes good on his word and WEINSTEIN GOES TO SLEEP?

lawyer tony fernando said...

I was not paying too much attention, but no Brad Renfro? please someone confirm?

RahulB said...

Denzel Washington is presenting Best Picture...

I don't think it's going to be that much longer.

Anonymous said...

Wow they're really waiting to give Diablo Cody her Oscar (for once, very briefly, and as research for a writing project, being a stripper, and not original screenplay as alleged). She's the real celebrity here it seems.

Anonymous said...

For some reason I had considered Marion a sure thing for a long time. This soming from someone judging only on buzz as I had only seen Juno out of the nominees.

The Jaded Armchair Reviewer said...

Yes, no Brad Renfro, which made me think that does the Academy only include members in the "in memoriam?"

RahulB said...

I really liked Juno and I never understood the unbridled hate it received...

So it's nice to see it win.

Anonymous said...

These oscars sound very long and not overly exciting. I'm in Australia so I guess I can watch South Park, Drawn Together, Dirty Sexy Money and 30 Rock as usual and just flick over in the ads or every so often.

I wonder what Kidman is wearing. Besides those hideous lips. Have to check the red carpet on loop at E!. Do actresses not realise that messing with their lips and eyes too much pretty much screws their careers from reaching full potential? Nicole's still bearable though with lighting and makeup.

Sorry for the rant. :P

Anonymous said...

Good acting choices. Fairly safe winners buzz-wise. Most people had realised Tilda's good chances in the last few weeks.

I'm kinda hoping for a best picture upset to make it exciting.

RahulB said...

Scorsese is the cutest old man ever.

I love that he's an Oscar winner.

RahulB said...

No Country for Old Men is a phenomenal film and totally deserved it.

Anonymous said...

is the show always this "bleh"? a bit disappointing to have stayed up all night when there was a bit of excitement lacking...

but pretty well pleased with the awards!!! (at least all were deserving)

Anonymous said...

For once the Academy did an excellent job of picking the right winners ... of course, the overall nominations were excellent, so even if your favorite didn't win, the alternatives were good!!!

Anonymous said...

Is this the first year without an American actor/actress winning an Oscar in the performance categories?
I'm sad that Julie didn't make it.
Glad for Atonement's score win. That movie deserved the best picture. It's the movies people stop over thinking them and make pure cinema stuff.

gabrieloak said...

Listen, I am happy for Cotillard but her speech was pathetic. There was nothing remotely gracious or exciting about it. At least at BAFTA her speech seemed real. The other acting speeches were much better.

I enjoyed the show for the most part though there was a lack of suspense.

gabrieloak said...

Scott Rudin thanked his honey, a guy, That was pretty significant.

Keith said...

It's not the first ever shutout for Americans in the four acting categories, but it's only happened once before: 43 years ago, when Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews, Peter Ustinov, and Lila Kedrova were the winners. (You could also point to 1929/30, when the awards when to Brit George Arliss and Canadian Norma Shearer, but there were no Supporting Oscars yet.)

Anonymous said...

I would just like to say, for the sake of Oscar trivia (and maybe someone all ready said it), this is NOT the first time all four acting winners have been foreign. It happened in 1964 when Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews, Lila Kedovra, and Peter Ustinov all won.

Vertigo's Psycho said...

At least Christie looked great and seemed happy- I got the feeling this awards season that she didn't really give too much of a rat's ass how things played out, and was bemused by all the attention and awards she did take home. I guess I need to thank Heaven that Julie managed to beat that other Julie for the prize many moons ago.

It killed ME to see Christie lose the big one for such great work, though (I also wanted Away From Her to have "Academy Award Winner" attached to it, similar to when Bill Condon won the screenplay award for Gods and Monsters, marking it an "Oscar winner" for eternity). Consolation prize: I don't think Christie had ever won a Golden Globe before this year, so at least she can put that on her mantle next to her Oscar.

I was glad to see Swinton win for a smart, no frills performance. Just great playing of a great part, no gimmicks required (for example, fancy makeup, dubbing, etc.). Yes, I'm bitter about the Christie loss, but great "transforming" makeup and lip-synching is not great acting- it's makeup and lip-synching, so there.

I thought There Will Be Blood might upset, judging by the audience's reaction to the film's clips. Overall, Oscar did spread the wealth, completely killing my chances in the Oscar contests I entered (I knew Julie might be upset, but what happened to Transformers and No End In Sight?). 15 out of 24 is the best I guessed in any contest this year. Bleeccch.

Michael B. said...

Christie's performance was amazing, but I wanted her to win not only becuase of the performance and her career, but it seems that she will never make another movie like this again. There arn't many good roles for older women and I just thought that Christie should have won since we might not have ever seen her again...

But Christie had a good award season. She won SAG and a GG, 2 things she has never won before.

I loved how Blanchett was soo happy for Cotillard, same with Christie. Also there was a LOT of love for Once from the crowd.

Anonymous said...

MARION COTILLARD WON! Finally, after all of this back and forth in the precursors, she came out on top with her brilliant performance in "La Vie en Rose". Her speech was sweet and heartfelt. That was the best win of the night. Cheers for Daniel Day-Lewis, Diablo Cody, Christopher Rouse, Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova, and Dario Marianelli.

Not thrilled at all that "No Country for Old Men" won instead of "There Will Be Blood" for best picture, but I do get a perverse pleasure out of Scott Rudin on stage thanking his man ("honey") and winning an Oscar for one of the most brutal and macho films the Academy has ever rewarded in best picture.

Anonymous said...

Bravo Marion Cotillard and Tilda Swinton!!! Marion was my favorite female lead performance of the year including better than Julie Christie (She's good but not great, at least for me). Her speech was fantastic and incredible for surprise. She deserves the Oscar, Sorry detractors!!!. P.D.: She makes history. First french speaking actress winning the Oscar in a french speaking role. and the seond after Sophia Loren...
In the supporting category Cate Blanchett was my favorite but Tilda was near in second place.

Anonymous said...

i am really etting pissed off with all this lip synching/make up business let's make a film about edith piaf but let the actress glam up all the way to the death bed scene while we are at it let her lip synch to madonna no one will know hey americans proably don't know who she is,people have used make up etc for years to emphasise performance whether men dressing as women or vice versa where are the sout downs for blanchett oooh shes playing bob dylan how dare she dress like him and wear a wig could she not dress as liza!!!!

if you play a real live person you have to either be them or be made to look like them would we have taken theron seriously if shed have turned up in her oscars dress and played aileen wuornos, stupid stupid people or geoffrey rush in shine or dustin hoffman in tootsie or midnight cowboy how about jack nicholson teeth in prizzis hornor how dare he employ make up people!!!

are people saying that because of the make up cotillard sleep walked through her role.

Glenn Dunks said...

Evan, "Does anybody know the name of the well-known movie theme that was played during the Best Picture montage?" it was the main theme to Dragonheart by Randy Edelman. Trust me, it is. My friend and I searched feverishly to discover what it was. I thought it was Shakespeare in Love at first.

JS, I remember Peggy Lee's family were upset several years ago when the Academy didn't include Lee, but did include Aaliyah, and - as much as I love Aaliyah - I can't understand why she was in their In Memorium package.

Glenn Dunks said...

Some thoughts:

The best wins of the night were the Once pair, TILDA, Javier and No Country for BP.

The Australian telecast, as far as I know, edited out the Best Foreign Language Film category and the Best Documentary Short category. I was so confused when I saw Penelope Cruz and some army people via satellite during the end credits, but then when reading this I realised! Stupid Australian TV.

The ceremony was... average. I was glad Stewart didn't do many skits. But, yeah, I'll never understand why they do all these montages (that the host always ridicules and jokes about) or have the presenters like Cameron Diaz waffle on for hours on end and then cut off people who have a right to say their thankyous.

What was with the Bee Movie thing? It wasn't even nominated!

Best dressed of the night was - surprise! - Saiorse Ronan. A second would be Nicole Kidman, although 95% of that is because of the necklace. Yowza! I adored Saiorse's outfit though. Beautiful. How come she can dress better than all of Hollywood? Ugh. Tilda disappointed me, actually. A black velvet caftan thing.

On Aussie TV we had a red carpet thing hosted by scum of the earth Richard Wilkins. So funny though, all the international people he spoke to (Cameron Diaz, John Travolta etc) chat and all that, but both Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman were desperate to get away from him (for good reason, he's an idiot). My friend from another state text messaged me about it so I found it amusing that others noticed it.

Blah to Marion's win, but oh well. Agreed that I feel more "empty" than "angry. Like, I should've known the Academy couldn't resist a pretty young lady doing what she did in that movie.

I'm so looking forward to seeing Carell and Hathaway together on Get Smart. Random, but true. I adore those two.

I still can't stand listening to Forrest Whitaker speak.

Vertigo's Psycho said...

The point I was making concerning makeup and lip-synching/dubbing is valid: makeup and lip-synching are not talent, any more than buffing up or losing or putting on weight for a role constitute acting ability. However, factors such as these frequently come into play when voters choose Oscar winners, and it's not unfair to mention when a performer uses extras unrelated to their acting abilities, even if the extras are necessary (and the dubbing may have not been necessary: Sissy Spacek was playing a legend in Coal Miner's Daughter, yet she was brave enough to take the risk and do the vocals herself).

This is not to say actors who use extras in a portrayal aren't gifted, but I prefer winners such as Swinton, who only had her abilities as an actress to lean on in crafting a great performance.

Anonymous said...

oh well if someone decides to make a film about aretha up until now i hope they cast halle berry and ler her stay slim and glam and ner gain an ounce wouldnt she be so believable maybe they should make a fil mabout stephen hawking and let emile hirsch play him with no wheelchair or make up!!!! CRAP CRAP CRAP,suspension of disbelief,we would never believe in these films/people unless they lose/gain weight,would john hurt have been believable as the elephant man without the make up ,it was what he brought from within just like theron in monster yes the make up helps but it is the actor beneth who makes you believe to dismiss make up/weight gain etc is too dissmissive.

Anonymous said...

we need to get over the brokeback vs. crash thingie. brokeback was a dreadful movie. crash deserved it.

NATHANIEL R said...

mr ripley, i don't think anyone is saying that if your performance is enhanced by makeup and someone else's vocals it makes it a bad performance. Nobody is saying that.
but it DOES mean that your performance is enhanced.

Julie, Laura, Cate and Ellen had only their own bodies, voices, and imagination to work with.

I was watching that clip of Cotillard (and remembering the movie) and i was like DAMN THAT EDITH PIAF HAD A SENSATIONAL VOICE --evocative soul shaking ... it is really mesmerizing.

but i'm sorry. That's Piaf, not Cotillard. no offense to Cotillard --i would hate it if they made a Judy Garland bio and used someone else's voice...

but it would still be Judy doing the heavy lifting, you know?

NATHANIEL R said...

er sorry. obviously marion was using her own body. Hee!

she did good work there, what with the hunching and frailty... similar to how Charlize was able to alter her body language impressively in Monster

Anonymous said...

yay Marion Cotillard!!! I knew that you'd win the Oscar. Congrats on your win! Your speech was incredible!!!

Anonymous said...

Cotillard's speech was incredible ? She can't speak English to save her life, I mean she's not 12 she's 32, she had enought time to rehearse and come up with something decent..in English, not Franglish. And I'm saying that as a French native speaker !!

Anonymous said...

It's not about the message, it's about the emotion... Yes, marion speaks french. So What?... I'm mexican and I'm speak spanish.

her speach is emotive about the emotion, the surprise factor, just like Tilda Swinton's speech. I love that kind of speech, not very mecanic: "Oh, I have to say thank you to the director, to my parents..." It's a little bit boring and less of emotion

Anonymous said...

Sorry for "I'm Speak" It's I speak

Anonymous said...

i wonder if la pfeiffer starred in a judy garland biopic and de glammed cos let's face it she'd have to to play that washed up mess past 40 narrow minded nat would change his mind just like he has because penns playing a gay person!! nat u r full of shit!!!

Anonymous said...

let me tell you someting i have nursed alzheimer's patients and none ever ever behaved like christie or looked as beautiful.

Anonymous said...

nat it has to be enhanced imagine michelle pfeiffer playing er i don't know marlene dietrich and tring to recreate her voice and being unable for singing they would then have to use marlenes real singing voice simple,sometimes actors cannot do everything some can't sing.

NATHANIEL R said...

anonymous --i'm not arguing that performances shouldn't be enhanced! I'm just arguing that we should recognize that they HAVE BEEN enhanced.

as for me being full of shit...
you're free to enjoy your own opinion. I guess you didn't notice that sometimes i nominate biopic performances in my own awards too. My stance is consistent: I object to default situations. And no matter how much you love any performance in a biopic ... you're willfully being thickheaded and stubborn if you don't see that the academy has a clear preference for this type of work.

Anonymous said...

Cotillard's speech was incredible?

Yes, that's what it says.

Anonymous said...

so what if they do!!! if the best is the best and everyones opinion differs then the best wins it's a competition and julie c was not the best they have a clear bias againsy gay actors unlees they are in the closet a la spacey and clooney.

Glenn Dunks said...

Ugh, now Clooney's secretly gay too?

I love how Anon 4.04 says everyone's opinion differs but then says "julie c was not the best". Yup.

Also, PLEASE, it's called punctuation!

Anonymous said...

Billy D: I have to agree with you 110 percent. Chenowith reeked like Angelina Jolie's performance in Alexander combined with J-Lo in any movie. What an awful, awful performance. They should have just let Amy Adams do it. Or at least her co-star from Wicked Idina Menzel. I think Chenowith is great in "Wicked"and on tv, but she was suffering and it was obvious. What a disaster. The musical performances all sucked, except Once.

Anonymous said...

NOTE TO ACADEMY:
PLEASE GIVE OSCARS TO THESE PEOPLE NEXT YEAR AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT:
LAURA LINNEY
JULIANNE MOORE
KATE WINSLET
GLENN CLOSE
ANNETTE BENING
OH, AND P.S STOP GIVING OSCARS TO NEW PEOPLE WHO WILL NEVER AGAIN DELIVER ANYTHING EVEN REMOTELY CLOSE TO AN OSCAR CALIBER PERFORMANCE. WHAT'S COTTILARD GONNA DO NEXT, STAR IN A ROMANTIC COMEDY AS A FRENCH IMPORT?

AND WHAT'S JENNIFER HUDSON GONNA DO, STAR IN SISTER ACT 3?

C'MON....

Anonymous said...

I'm Sorry, but What stupid comment!!!:

"WHAT'S COTTILARD GONNA DO NEXT, STAR IN A ROMANTIC COMEDY AS A FRENCH IMPORT?"

If you never know, Cotillard has important films not only romantic comedies. She have drama films: A very long engagement, Children play, Chloë. Action films: Taxi (From Luc Besson). She's a fantastic actress, and yes she has a little roles in Big Fish, Highlander and A good year, but someone starts in somewhere...

And, if I remember she's in the next Michael Mann's film "Public Enemies" with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. A western drama about John Dillinger. "Nine" is romantic (I know) but not a stupid hollywood cliche with Javier Bardem.

If I practice your theory, they never give the Oscar to Reese Witherspoon (Queen of the romantic comedy), and "Rendition" was awful, ¿No?. She's in three diferents romantic comedies. Or Niocle Kidman's awful choices

About Jennifer Hudson maybe you're right maybe not, but this year we know she has talent or she's a lucky girl. But everyone has chance to prove.

P.D.: About the first part, you right. Annette Bening, Laura Linney, Glenn Close and Julianne Moore deserves the Oscar. I think this 2009 is Moore's year with savage grace and Blindness (I hope so)

It's not a defense, it's reason.

Anonymous said...

Another point:

Marion Cotillard has a intersting bridge. She will have a great career between Hollywood and Europe. Not all european actress-actors after an Oscar nomination need working in USA. We know Juliette Binoche especially for european and especially french films or Ida Kaminska, Marcello mastroianni, Liv Ullmann and Javier Bardem (He was working in only two american films: Before night falls and Collateral)

Glenn Dunks said...

I'd say Nicole has given Oscar-worthy work since her win, just not in movies the Academy wants to watch let along give nominations to. But, yeah, I don't like Cotillard's performance but I hope she succeeds if, for no other reason, than to not make her Oscar a pointless page in history like Halle Berry. Plus I liked her in A Very Long Engagement!

"AND WHAT'S JENNIFER HUDSON GONNA DO, STAR IN SISTER ACT 3?"

i NEED that to happen right now. If you wanna be somebody, if you wanna go somewhere, you better wake up pay attention!

I covet that movie.

NATHANIEL R said...

indeed that is a BRILLIANT idea. comedy + music + mainstream.

Anonymous said...

Great running commentary -- I admire your stamina (and restraint)

NATHANIEL R said...

thanks pppatty! i looked at your blog. I wish i had your restraint. I've often thought it would be better to watch it leisurely the next day. But I can never wait ;)

Anonymous said...

Jennifer Hudson will be just fine in the three films that she has coming out in 2008 and her debut album. Halle Berry will be just fine in her continued projects and in the upcoming birth of her child (which should be her main priority). Marion Cotillard will be just fine after her Oscar win bridging Hollywood ("Public Enemies", "Nine") with French cinema just like Juliette Binoche does. None of their Oscar wins will be considered "footnotes". They were all deserved wins, and all three of those actresses can look forward to fine careers if they want them post Oscar wins.

Anonymous said...

MARION COTILLARD WAS THE BEST DESITION BY THE ACADEMY IN YEARS. JULIE CHRISTIE SUCKS IN AWAY FROM HER. THE MOST NORMAL, BOREIGN, AND SIMPLE PERFORMANCE EVER. COTILLARD WAS BRILLANT, POWERFUL AND UNFORGETABLE. CHRISTIE LOSE BEACOUSE SHE WASNT BETTER. PERIOD. AND BY THE WAY???WHO WON??? MARION COTILLARD!!!! FINALLY AN FOREIGN PERFORMER WINS!!! SO DESERVED!! SO BRILLANT. JULIE CHISTIE'S ROLE, CAN BE ALSO PLAYED BY HELEN MIRREN, JUDI DENCH, JESSICA LANGE, COTILLARD WAS UNIQUE!