Gone With the Winners

I suck at them, evidently.

1. “Moon River,” by Andy Williams.

2. “Unchained Melody,” by the Righteous Brothers

3. “As Time Goes By,” by Dooley Wilson.

4. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Israel “IZ” Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole’s version

5. “Hello, Goodbye,” by the Beatles

I skipped a day. So sorry.

Day 2 Challenge - Favorite Actors

1. Kevin Spacey: Brilliant in everything, but of course, I’m going to have to go with 1999’s American Beauty as my favorite performance. It won him his second Oscar, and he deserved it. He was tragic, hilarious, unattractive, sexy, and an all around tour-de-force.

2. Leonardo DiCaprio: The fact that he hasn’t won an Oscar yet is a crime. Or a shondah, as us Jews say - a real tragedy. His range is incredible, and almost unmatchable. Watch 1993’s What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? for his remarkable turn as a mentally challenged teen, or 2004’s The Aviator, where he portrayed a young, OCD-inflicted Howard Hughes.

3. Tom Hanks: The male Meryl Streep, some would say. Another one with amazing range, who is believable in every role. My favorite performances include 1993’s Philadelphia and 1994’s Forrest Gump, for which he won back-to-back Oscars.

4. Clark Gable: A truly Hollywood leading man if there ever was one. Be still my heart, especially in 1934’s It Happened One Night and 1939’s Gone With the Wind.

5. Heath Ledger: I’m still upset about his untimely death. I dream of the performances that he had still had in him - of course, everyone talks about 2008’s The Dark Knight, for which he won a posthumous Oscar. But I love, love, love his understated in brilliance in 2005’s Brokeback Mountain.

Day 3 Challenge - Favorite Music Artists

1. Alanis Morrisette: Just listen to her 1996 album Jagged Little Pill.

2 Fiona Apple: Raw, edgy, sexy. A favorite of mine to sing in the shower.

3. Celine Dion: My first concert, when I was 7. Yeah, I’m special.

4. Lady GaGa: I haven’t heard a song of hers I didn’t like. Guaranteed to get everyone dancing.

5. Eminem: Talent is undeniable. And he’s a great actor.

Stealing this from my friend (everysecondis on Tumblr). I’m too dumb to figure out how to embed multiple videos, so for the first day (5 favorite actresses, I will list them and suggest a favorite movie).

1. Kate Winslet - She is incredible in everything. Nominated 6 times for an Academy Award (winning 1 for The Reader), I would suggest 2006’s Little Children, 1997’s Titanic, and her breakout movie, 1994’s Heavenly Creatures.

2. Cate Blanchett - Another transformative actress. One of her best roles is the role she won an Oscar for, 2004’s The Aviator.

3. Meryl Streep - Need I say more? Her most recent role that I was absolutely floored by was 2008’s Doubt.

4. Celeste Holm - An oldie but goodie. She won an Oscar for 1947’s Gentleman’s Agreement, but she’s also fantastic in 1950’s All About Eve.

5. Maggie Gyllenhaal - An earthy, independent pick. Check out 2002’s Secretary.

What a show.

Anne Hathaway should stick to movies. James Franco should stick to everything else. They were fumbling, awkward and trying too hard. The whole show was just stale.

And speaking of stale, why was Kirk Douglas asked to present Best Supporting Actress? Yes, I know he’s 94 and suffered a stroke 15 years ago but has still managed to maintain a remarkable sense of humor. I know this. God bless him. But when you have to strain your ears to listen to his banter (and then pray he doesn’t fumble the name when reading the winner and subsequently prompts the wrong nominee to the stage), it’s just a no-go. And it took him 20 minutes to spit out “Melissa Leo.” Yes, there is a special place in Hell reserved for me.

Randy Newman should never sing. One person should never be singled out at the In Memoriam (that was just tacky). Winners, no matter how boring and droning, should never be played off - this is their moment, for Chrissake. Let them enjoy it. And how dare you play off Aaron Sorkin. For shame.

As for PS 22, I thought they sounded lovely, but it was a wrong move to stick them in as the very last act, a moment where all the nominees and presenters are itching to get to the Governor’s Ball, and when the audience at home is switching the television channel. And let’s be honest - a singing chorus does not belong here. This isn’t the Emmy’s.

My Grade: C

Forgive me for just posting this now, but a little thing called work and school started up again, so my free time has been limited. And without further ado (doo), here they are:

BEST PICTURE:

I successfully guessed 9/10. I thought The Town would have slipped in past 127 Hours, but I was wrong. Shocking, I know. It happens.

BEST DIRECTOR:

Consider me one of those Nolan-philes who are shocked that he didn’t get a nomination. What is this, like his third snub? WTF, Academy? Seriously, double-you-tee-eff. Anyway, I naively thought that since the Coens did not warrant a DGA nod that they would be excluded from the Oscars. I forgot how much the Academy LOVES the Coens. I predicted 4/5.

BEST ACTOR:

Another 4/5 for me. I was pretty surprised that 80 year old Robert Duvall didn’t get a nomination, but that Javier Bardem did. I’m not saying he isn’t amazing in Biutiful (he looks pretty damned amazing in the trailer, at any rate) but he wasn’t really getting much play this awards season. But then Julia Roberts opened her abnormally large mouth to rave about his performance, and when she speaks, people listen. Okay, okay, I know that technically she made her announcement AFTER Oscar ballots were already in, but let me have my Julia-Roberts-Rules-Everyone moment. I am also considering boycotting the Oscars for the shameful exclusion of Ryan Gosling.

BEST ACTRESS:

5/5, bitches. Every performance richly deserved (with the exception of Kidman, who I plain just don’t like).

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

4/5, but I predicted that Hawkes might squeak in over Garfield. I’m happy for Hawkes. He’s a richly talented and often overlooked actor. I don’t feel too badly for Garfield; he’s Spiderman, for Christ’s sake. Boo-frikkin-hoo.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

4/5 again. I am semi-surprised at the Mila Kunis snub, since she got more play than Jacki Weaver, but I’m hearing that Weaver is a tour-de-force in Animal Kingdom.

So my predictions are slightly different from that of some of the pundits I follow. Perhaps I just really, really want these films/actors to be nominated.

BEST PICTURE:

Black Swan

The Fighter

Inception

The Kids Are All Right

The King’s Speech

The Social Network

The Town

Toy Story 3

True Grit

Winter’s Bone

Alternate: 127 Hours. But I’m really hoping for Blue Valentine.

BEST DIRECTOR:

Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan

David Fincher, The Social Network

Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech

Christopher Nolan, Inception

David O. Russell, The Fighter

Alternate: I really think these five are a lock. MAYBE MAYBE Boyle or the Coen Brothers instead of Aronofsky.

BEST ACTOR:

Jeff Bridges, True Grit

Robert Duvall, Get Low

Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network

Colin Firth, The King’s Speech

James Franco, 127 Hours

Alternate: I’m really, really hoping Ryan Gosling bests either Bridges or Duvall. Also, don’t count out Mark Wahlberg.

BEST ACTRESS:

Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right

Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole

Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone

Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Alternate: I think these are a solid five. Michelle Williams might be edged out by either Halle Berry (who was nominated for a Golden Globe), Hilary Swank (who bested her for a SAG nomination) or Julianne Moore/Hallie Steinfeld, who the Academy might award with a nomination in the lead category.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Christian Bale, The Fighter

Andrew Garfield, The Social Network

Jeremy Renner, The Town

Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right

Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

Alternate: This one is tricky. I really believe anyone could be nominated and I wouldn’t be that surprised. I’d say John Hawkes could sneak in ahead of Ruffalo, who hasn’t been getting THAT much love compared to the others, or Garfield, who he bested at the SAGs.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Amy Adams, The Fighter

Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech

Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Mila Kunis, Black Swan

Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

Alternate: I feel pretty confident about this one. If by some chance Steinfeld makes it into the lead category, I’d say Julianne Moore, Jacki Weaver or Lesley Manville has a chance at taking her spot. Unless Moore is also nominated in the lead category, in which case my head may explode.

The BAFTAs (British Academy Awards for all you no0bs) always throw a monkey wrench into the nominees, effectively making people wonder if that has any bearing on the Oscars. This year they snubbed Melissa Leo for her role in The Fighter (but nominated Amy Adams). But Oscar ballots were due this past Friday and I’m fairly certain (okay, pretty damn certain) that Leo is one of the five. What really upsets me is that Blue Valentine got snubbed.

If there was any justice in this world, Blue Valentine would be nominated for Best Picture, even though I know it won’t be. Michelle Williams has a very fair shot at a Best Actress nod, but I think the movie belongs to Ryan Gosling. He is virtually unrecognizable. Derek Cianfrance’s film about a couple in love (and then subsequently out of love) is gripping, painful, riveting, real and haunting. I’d go on and on about how much I loved it but I’m still not recovered. A+. Jesus.

I seriously can’t remember a Golden Globes that felt longer and more tedious, even though this one ended a few minutes BEFORE the running time, and the cast and crew of The Social Network were forced to stand onstage while the orchestra awkwardly played them off.

As far as the TV categories go, I felt there were some inspired (and deserved choices): The one that obviously sticks out is Chris Colfer from Glee, who won a Best Supporting Actor award for his role as fan-favorite Kurt Hummel. Can we just give him the SAG and the Emmy now please? Why even bother with the formality of having four other nominees? Also surprising (at least to me) was Katey Segal winning Best Actress in a Drama for her role on Sons of Anarchy. I don’t watch that show - what is it about? Motorcycles? I did love the little cutaway to Ed O’Neil when she won, a nod to their days as husband and wife on Married with Children. And my favorite misfit, Steve Buscemi, won Best Actor in a Drama for his role as renowed gangster Nucky Thompson on Boardwalk Empire, which also won Best TV Drama. Glee won Best Comedy, which made Lea Michele turn on the waterworks for the third time that night (she cried when Chris won, then again when Jane Lynch won Best Supporting Actress). The biggest surprise was the NO LOVE for Mad Men. None. Nada. Zip. Way to go against the grain, Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Unfortunately, their film picks were not nearly as inspired. It seemed like they just followed the lead of the other critics’ and associations and bestowed the hat trick upon The Social Network - Aaron Sorkin for Screenplay, David Fincher for Director and Best Motion Picture - Drama. Perhaps I am missing something because I cannot see for the life of me why people are calling TSN “the best film of 2010” or the “movie for a generation.” I’m pretty sure it’s my generation they are speaking about, and I don’t feel it represents me at all. Yes, it was an enjoyable film with some great one-liners and some awesome performances, but culturally and generation defining? Really? Perhaps a re-watch is in order.

The Kids Are All Right won Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, which is weird because I don’t remember that film being either musical or comedic. Apparently, the HFPA finds lesbians and their sperm donor extremely amusing. However, in that abysmal category, Kids was the only reasonable choice. (Although I was hoping by some long shot that Burlesque would win, if only to see the blogosphere explode). Annette Bening won Best Actress - Musical or Comedy like she was supposed to, officially sealing the rivalry between her and Portman for the Oscars (Portman won Best Actress - Drama). I think it’s Portman’s award to lose, but we’ll officially know that by who wins the SAG Award. Paul Giamatti and Colin Firth won the Best Actor awards in Musical or Comedy and Drama, respectively. Let’s just start engraving Firth’s Oscar now, shall we? Unsurprisingly, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo won the supporting acting categories for their roles in The Fighter.

The awards ceremony was surprisingly biting and snarky this year. Ricky Gervais crossed the line a couple of times, I thought, and when he mysteriously went MIA for the middle chunk of the show, Twitter was a-twitter (haha) with rumors that he got canned mid-show. (Hello, the president of the HFPA called him out - rumor has it he was not pleased with a joke Gervais made about The Tourist bribing the HFPA to get a nomination. And he also indirectly called John Travolta and Tom Cruise gay. Yeah.) He reappeared towards the end, but it’s safe to say Gervais’s role as MC of an awards show are numbered. Robert DeNiro, the recipient of the prestigious Cecile B. DeMille award, was also off-color and frankly, not that funny. He made cringe-worthy jokes about both the HFPA and the waiters’ being deported, as well as some corny jokes about Megan Fox. Ack.

Best Dressed of the night? Olivia Wilde in Marchesa (my favorite designer), Catherine Zeta-Jones in Monique Lhullier, Amber Riley in Oliver Tolentino, and Melissa Leo in Elie Saab (I think).

Worst Dressed? Tilda Swinton in Jil Sander, Emma Stone in Calvin Klein, Julianne Moore in Lanvin, and Heidi Klum in a schmata.