Sunday, February 08, 2009

'I swear, if you existed, I'd link you!'

programming note: I'll get to the BAFTA's live blogging --well, tape delayed reactions -- later tonight (approx. 10:00 pm EST) I can't pass up a concert with Kristin Chenowith. Wheeeee

The Carpetbagger has a fun theorizing piece on celebrity interviews
Actress Archives says goodbye to actor James Whitmore (RIP)
Low Res goes xenophobic (but has an archival point)
wipe that smirk off your face has really tough Oscar trivia. I'm stumped


Scanners on the ho hum controverseries for this year's Oscars
Silly Hats Only the Muriel Awards have begun
The NY Post on the New York Times strange sin of omission in regards to one the First Lady of MGM Norma Shearer. As you may have guessed, this is not okay with yours truly
Thompson on Hollywood the WGA winners. Stop this Slumdog train, I want to get off. I get that people like it but Best WRITING ??? ... and so often? I weep for our collective discernment skills. P.S. On a totally shallow note: How cute is Milk screenwriter, Dustin Lance Black?

Finally, I love this piece at Bright Lights After Dark that talks about the problem of "craftsmanship" in our prestige pieces.

10 comments:

Neel Mehta said...

Stop this Slumdog train, I want to get off. I get that people like it but Best WRITING ??? ... and so often? I weep for our collective discernment skills.

I don't know if Slumdog Millionaire is objectively a great script, but it's a FANTASTIC adaptation. It improves upon its source material (the novel Q&A) in every way imaginable. They really only share a premise -- unlikely game show contestant knows the answers based on life experience.

So for that reason alone, it would be a deserving winner.

The closest comparison, ironically, is Eric Roth's adaptation of Forrest Gump, which took a horrible book by Winston Groom and made it into something that, well, a whole lot of other people care about. Not a fan of the film, but I will admit that it's so much better than the novel.

Neb said...

I'm not sure about the merits of that arguement.

If you take the world's crappiest book and adapt it into a mediocre to average film, that is a huge improvement upon the book. It doesn't necessarily make it worth an Oscar. It just makes it a mediocre to average script.

If there is any justice in the world, The Reader will win Best Adapted Screenplay (though we all know there is no justice in the world).

Anonymous said...

As far as Mrs. Thalberg is concerned, I'm 100% with Crawford.

Anonymous said...

On a personal opinion: yes, Dustin Lance Black is quite cute ;)

Michael B. said...

I had the opportunity to speak with Dustin Lance Black at the PGA Awards 2 weeks ago and I have to say that he was very kind and humble. We spoke for only a few minutes but I noticed he was very excited and happy about this award season and am glad he won at the WGA.

He also got a standing ovation at the WGA last night when he won and talked about Prop 8, and I think that his Oscar speech will be very touching as well.

Rich Aunt Pennybags said...

Thanks Nat for your link to the Muriel Awards. You've probably linked to them before, but this was the first time that I did so. I can't believe that I actually know the person behind them since we had a Geology class together at tOSU. I was wondering what happened to him since I lost contact with all of my AOL movie friends. It's a small world I guess. :)

Dame James said...

Norma's had 26 years to grow claws...jungle red! Just imagine what she going to do with those claws once she meets this ridiculous reporter.

Rob said...

When I met him, I found Black to be gracious, if a bit self-satisfied, though I suppose that's natural for someone who's presumably getting as much dick as he is right now.

He's a young, blond, toned, attractive surfer dude who's now also an oscar nominee, and on February 22nd, he may officially become the first twink to win an Academy Award.

I've recently been told he's 34/35, which is insane, because when I met him, I could've sworn he was no older than 15.

Anonymous said...

You would be more than correct about Dustin Lance Black. I became a fan of his 'work' before I even saw Milk.

Erich Kuersten said...

Yo! What it is, kid! Thanks for the nice link.

I haven't seen Slumdog, but the whole premise unnerves me, as does the popular support.

It's nothing against the film, which I am sure I'd probably like once I can see it without having to fight for an aisle seat against the ceaseless sell-out crowds of hipster couples at the Angelika, it's more the self-congratulatory vibe I catch off its upper crust supporters, like the rich wives who pool money together and announce proudly at the ball: "we're sending a poor Indian boy to school!" -- a few years ago they applauded themselves for accepting black actors as best picture winners (Ray and Monster Ball), then it was copping out on the gay issue by giving it up for fucking CRASH instead of Brokeback Mountain-- then it was Kiwi Lord of the Rings sweepstakes -- this year it's going to be Indian, it's like living in NYC with your batch of take out menus - "tonight, let's order Indian" that's fine, but when it's the Oscar bourgeoisie, they let the whole world know how forward-thinking they are by "going Bollywood" and you suddenly can't order Indian yourself without feeling sick.