I can't ever remember a time when I did not mark my calendar for the Oscar Nomination announcement and woke up at 5:30am to check out the nominees. I used to make predictions, email them to my friends, make bold comments on Facebook, etc. My entire spring semester was scheduled around when the Oscars were on, what kind of party I'd be having, reading up on the front runners, and completely analyzing my own selection of "Oscar Picks".
These days - I still have plenty of opinions but I see way fewer movies and just not as jazzed up about who got nominated for what as I used to be. Still, there was something about this morning's nominations that resonated with me, so naturally i have to say SOMETHING about it.
So, without further adieu, here are ten reflections on this morning's Academy Award Nominations:
1. Run, don't walk, to see WHIPLASH as soon as you find it playing in your town. It is exceptional. If you thought JK Simmons was evil and sadistic as Vern Schillinger on "OZ" (HBO Series, from 1997-2003), you ain't seen nothin' yet. And Miles Teller is AMAZING. It's truly the little indie that could...and never mind that my neighbor was the Construction Coordinator on this film...AND my hubby worked one day breaking down the set. Very cool.
2. If you are a grown woman who either (1) lost their mother; or (2) ever cheated on someone, then you MUST MUST MUST see WILD. I'm super frustrated that it was NOT nominated for Best Picture or Best Adapted Screenplay, but I will settle for acting nominations for Reese Witherspoon and especially Laura Dern. WILD will also be the next book I buy....although I have to read FINDING ULTRA first!
3. Don't get me started on Best Original Song. I get pissed about this every year, I just need to let it go already. But THANK GOD that "Lost Stars" was nominated. BEGIN AGAIN was my favorite movie of the summer, and EVERY SINGLE SONG on that soundtrack is brilliant. Me, personally, I would have nominated "Tell Me If You Wanna Go Home". Best scene in the whole film!
4. Best Animated Feature: sorry. Who fucking cares?
5. Don't get me wrong - I love Meryl Streep. But is there some law of nature that says if she's in a period piece, musical, or movie where she uses an accent that we have to nominate her? Granted, I haven't seen INTO THE WOODS, but couldn't we maybe hit up Jessica Chastain for A MOST VIOLENT YEAR or even Rene Russo for NIGHTCRAWLER? I guess not. Sad face.
6. How much more excited could I be about Wes Anderson FINALLY getting a Best Director nomination? I dig this guy SO much and his movies are so quirky and so NOT Hollywood. Glad to see he's getting some love from the snooty academy.
7. Bradley Cooper is a fucking force of nature. The first time I remember seeing him in a movie was when he played that total prick in WEDDING CRASHERS. And then I had to remember...he was an actual student of The Actors Studio and asked questions of the guests that were interviewed by James Lipton on the Bravo show. It's amazing that this is his third consecutive nomination - and while I'm pretty sure that Michael Keaton will win, it would be SO cool to see Bradley get a statuette on his third trip to the rodeo. I think that was how it went down for Russell Crowe, although he won for the wrong movie.
8. OH MY GOD! I've actually seen 50% of the Best Picture Nominees! Of course, AMC will structure their Best Picture Showcase in a way that I won't be able to knock out the other four in one sitting. One can hope....
9. I haven't seen LIFE ITSELF, the documentary about Roger Ebert, but who was the asshole that managed to keep that off the ballot. If the fucking film community isn't going to accept his legacy as probably the greatest film critic of all time....well, I'm completely at a loss for word. Sick, utterly wrong, and truly disappointing.
10. Today - right at this moment...I'm rooting for Richard Linklater, every actor in the Best Actor Category (sorry, that's not ideal, but I can't help it), Julianne Moore, Ethan Hawke, every actress in the Best Supporting Actress Category - except Meryl (sorry, that's not ideal, but I can't help it.), and "Lost Stars". And assuming we have an antenna by February 22nd, rooting for NPH to be a bang up host.
Sorry for alll the foul language. I'm on a roll....
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