Oscar picks
Note: Bug’s picks are who I think should win, not who I believe will win.
Best actor
Leonardo DiCaprio: best known to me as Luke Brower; the cute but unnecessary addition to the “Growing Pains” household. And Kirk Cameron now is selling Christ to people on his webpage? My friend Alex ran into Kirk Cameron on a ski slope and she had that picture with him proudly displayed on her vanity mirror. He was brilliant in his turn as Danny, the diamond smuggler in “Blood Diamond”. AND he pulled off a convincing South African accent which is brutally difficult, you know, unless you are Charlize Theron.
Ryan Gosling: I saw him in “The Notebook” and did not stop weeping for days. He is supposed to have been brilliant in this film, but I did not see it. They say “Half Nelson” is like the “Crash” of last year and could take the Academy by surprise. I do not see it happening.
Peter O’Toole: Falls for his friends punky granddaughter in “Venus”. I have not seen this yet either, but as he has been nominated 7 times before, and has only received an honorary Oscar, I think he will be going home empty handed yet again.
Will Smith: I have not seen “Pursuit of Happyness”. I know, it is like what movies HAVE you seen, Bug?
Forest Whitaker: It is about time you play an exceptional role, Forest. I have always thought he was a good actor. I thought he was great in “The Last King of Scotland”, though honestly this role seemed more like a supporting role with James McEvoy’s character Dr. Garrigan being the lead. And he was completely overlooked. One of my biggest rationale for picking an Oscar winner is that no one else could have played the role as well as the one cast in it. Truthfully, I would have liked to have seen Michael Clark Duncan in it. He looks like Idi Amin.
Critics pick: Forest Whitaker
Bug picks: Forest Whitaker
Best Actress
Penelope Cruz: Used to date Tom Cruise. Her credibility is shot! She is supposed to be really great in her native Spanish films and Pedro Almadovar seems to just love her. She annoys me, but I have never seen her in a Spanish film.
Judi Dench: is terrifying in “Notes on a Scandal”. I never noticed it before, but she looks a bit like my mom’s neighbor Mary. I think that Judi Dench is brilliant. She plays this role without being obsequious, even though her character is internally falling all over Sheba, the art teacher. Dench walks a fine line between wicked and human, but you still end up feeling for her.
Helen Mirren: Looked like the Queen. She brought a character that we are all very familiar with, to life. I know that the Queen is a real person, but we never see anything past the hats , the corgies and the weird little wave. It was extraordinary to see how almost ordinary the Windsor’s live (you know, save for the palace, and all…). I loved her Wellingtons.
Meryl Streep: Love her. She, too, brought humanity to a vicious character. But again, falls into the category of anyone else could have played this role.
Kate Winslet: I did not see this film. A truly remarkable actress. I am a huge fan.
Critcs pick: Helen Mirren
Bug's pick: Helen Mirren
Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin: Ha! So brilliant. Won’t win. Comedic actors never do.
Jackie Earle Haley: Sex offender in “Little Children”. Did not see it. Have not heard much chatter about him.
Djimon Hounsou: In the film “Blood Diamond”, he managed to keep all of his limbs intact and stay alive. On the set, he was almost executed by a man who took exception to him being alive. He was saved when Leonardo DiCaprio stepped between the gun and Hounsou and told the shooter he would have to shoot through him to shoot Djimon. I think Djimon Hounsou is a tremendous actor. I think he was great in this film. I worry a bit that it again, is a role someone else could have played just as well. He would be my pick otherwise.
Eddie Murphy: Is nominated? For this role? He was utterly forgettable to me and if he wins, I may just boycott the Academy Awards next year. I think there are some politics here and it is possible that by doing that “Norbit” film, he shot himself in the foot with the snobs in the Academy.
Mark Wahlberg: He has really become a great actor. Once, when Marci went to LA, I told her to tell Marky Mark that I say hello, and then she saw him at the Coffee Bean on Sunset. I tell you, I am psychic! I loved him in this film, but it did not seem that very Oscar worthy to me.
Recap: This is a difficult category for me. None of these roles are particularly award worthy.
Critics pick: Eddie Murphy (Whaaa…?)
Bug’s Pick: Alan Arkin
Best Supporting Actress
Adriana Barraza: She was the nanny in “Babel”. I dunno. She was good and boy I felt sorry for her, but it was not that captivating of a role and again, anyone could have played it just as well.
Cate Blanchett: Won this award in 2005. They won’t let her win again so soon. She brought to life this character of Sheba in “Notes on a Scandal”. I think another actor could have let this role become very one dimensional.
Abigail Breslin: Better known to me as the kid sister to Spencer Breslin who played the kid in one of my favorite guilty pleasures “The Kid”. Abigail is ten years old. Adorable, check. Funny, check. Gonna win? Not going to happen. Relax, Tatum. You still reign that throne.
Jennifer Hudson: shrieked at me. Will she completely fall away after this? Was this her one role? If she does win the Oscar and that does happen, she should have to give it back. Hmph. I don’t know. I just don’t think this film was good. Apparently the academy did, though because DAMN! 8 nods.
Rinko Kikuchi: I am a little jaded when it comes to her and it is not her fault. It is because her story line did not fit into this film at all. She was excellent, though. I did not need to see her soft parts. Thankyouverymuch.
Critics pick: Jennifer Hudson
Bug’s pick: Rinko Kikuchi (Though only for lack of better choices.) Maybe I would pick Cate Blanchett. Gah! Too much pressure!
Best Director:
Not going to go into detail.
Should be and will be Martin Scorsese for “The Departed”.
Best picture:
“Babel”: No. It did not make sense. I get it. We are all interconnected. But you reached too hard and fell off. NONONONONO. I think "Blood Diamond" should be here instead of "Babel".
“The Departed”: Excellent. Violent. Unexpected. Surprisingly good.
“Letters From Iwo Jima”: Did not see it. Did not hear much about it. But who does not love Clint Eastwood? Even with his newly ironed face.
“Little Miss Sunshine”: Cute, smart, interesting. Comedies never win.
“The Queen”: Interesting. Compelling enactment of something we all felt like we were a part of.
Critics Pick: The Departed
Bug’s Pick: Little Miss Sunshine
Best actor
Leonardo DiCaprio: best known to me as Luke Brower; the cute but unnecessary addition to the “Growing Pains” household. And Kirk Cameron now is selling Christ to people on his webpage? My friend Alex ran into Kirk Cameron on a ski slope and she had that picture with him proudly displayed on her vanity mirror. He was brilliant in his turn as Danny, the diamond smuggler in “Blood Diamond”. AND he pulled off a convincing South African accent which is brutally difficult, you know, unless you are Charlize Theron.
Ryan Gosling: I saw him in “The Notebook” and did not stop weeping for days. He is supposed to have been brilliant in this film, but I did not see it. They say “Half Nelson” is like the “Crash” of last year and could take the Academy by surprise. I do not see it happening.
Peter O’Toole: Falls for his friends punky granddaughter in “Venus”. I have not seen this yet either, but as he has been nominated 7 times before, and has only received an honorary Oscar, I think he will be going home empty handed yet again.
Will Smith: I have not seen “Pursuit of Happyness”. I know, it is like what movies HAVE you seen, Bug?
Forest Whitaker: It is about time you play an exceptional role, Forest. I have always thought he was a good actor. I thought he was great in “The Last King of Scotland”, though honestly this role seemed more like a supporting role with James McEvoy’s character Dr. Garrigan being the lead. And he was completely overlooked. One of my biggest rationale for picking an Oscar winner is that no one else could have played the role as well as the one cast in it. Truthfully, I would have liked to have seen Michael Clark Duncan in it. He looks like Idi Amin.
Critics pick: Forest Whitaker
Bug picks: Forest Whitaker
Best Actress
Penelope Cruz: Used to date Tom Cruise. Her credibility is shot! She is supposed to be really great in her native Spanish films and Pedro Almadovar seems to just love her. She annoys me, but I have never seen her in a Spanish film.
Judi Dench: is terrifying in “Notes on a Scandal”. I never noticed it before, but she looks a bit like my mom’s neighbor Mary. I think that Judi Dench is brilliant. She plays this role without being obsequious, even though her character is internally falling all over Sheba, the art teacher. Dench walks a fine line between wicked and human, but you still end up feeling for her.
Helen Mirren: Looked like the Queen. She brought a character that we are all very familiar with, to life. I know that the Queen is a real person, but we never see anything past the hats , the corgies and the weird little wave. It was extraordinary to see how almost ordinary the Windsor’s live (you know, save for the palace, and all…). I loved her Wellingtons.
Meryl Streep: Love her. She, too, brought humanity to a vicious character. But again, falls into the category of anyone else could have played this role.
Kate Winslet: I did not see this film. A truly remarkable actress. I am a huge fan.
Critcs pick: Helen Mirren
Bug's pick: Helen Mirren
Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin: Ha! So brilliant. Won’t win. Comedic actors never do.
Jackie Earle Haley: Sex offender in “Little Children”. Did not see it. Have not heard much chatter about him.
Djimon Hounsou: In the film “Blood Diamond”, he managed to keep all of his limbs intact and stay alive. On the set, he was almost executed by a man who took exception to him being alive. He was saved when Leonardo DiCaprio stepped between the gun and Hounsou and told the shooter he would have to shoot through him to shoot Djimon. I think Djimon Hounsou is a tremendous actor. I think he was great in this film. I worry a bit that it again, is a role someone else could have played just as well. He would be my pick otherwise.
Eddie Murphy: Is nominated? For this role? He was utterly forgettable to me and if he wins, I may just boycott the Academy Awards next year. I think there are some politics here and it is possible that by doing that “Norbit” film, he shot himself in the foot with the snobs in the Academy.
Mark Wahlberg: He has really become a great actor. Once, when Marci went to LA, I told her to tell Marky Mark that I say hello, and then she saw him at the Coffee Bean on Sunset. I tell you, I am psychic! I loved him in this film, but it did not seem that very Oscar worthy to me.
Recap: This is a difficult category for me. None of these roles are particularly award worthy.
Critics pick: Eddie Murphy (Whaaa…?)
Bug’s Pick: Alan Arkin
Best Supporting Actress
Adriana Barraza: She was the nanny in “Babel”. I dunno. She was good and boy I felt sorry for her, but it was not that captivating of a role and again, anyone could have played it just as well.
Cate Blanchett: Won this award in 2005. They won’t let her win again so soon. She brought to life this character of Sheba in “Notes on a Scandal”. I think another actor could have let this role become very one dimensional.
Abigail Breslin: Better known to me as the kid sister to Spencer Breslin who played the kid in one of my favorite guilty pleasures “The Kid”. Abigail is ten years old. Adorable, check. Funny, check. Gonna win? Not going to happen. Relax, Tatum. You still reign that throne.
Jennifer Hudson: shrieked at me. Will she completely fall away after this? Was this her one role? If she does win the Oscar and that does happen, she should have to give it back. Hmph. I don’t know. I just don’t think this film was good. Apparently the academy did, though because DAMN! 8 nods.
Rinko Kikuchi: I am a little jaded when it comes to her and it is not her fault. It is because her story line did not fit into this film at all. She was excellent, though. I did not need to see her soft parts. Thankyouverymuch.
Critics pick: Jennifer Hudson
Bug’s pick: Rinko Kikuchi (Though only for lack of better choices.) Maybe I would pick Cate Blanchett. Gah! Too much pressure!
Best Director:
Not going to go into detail.
Should be and will be Martin Scorsese for “The Departed”.
Best picture:
“Babel”: No. It did not make sense. I get it. We are all interconnected. But you reached too hard and fell off. NONONONONO. I think "Blood Diamond" should be here instead of "Babel".
“The Departed”: Excellent. Violent. Unexpected. Surprisingly good.
“Letters From Iwo Jima”: Did not see it. Did not hear much about it. But who does not love Clint Eastwood? Even with his newly ironed face.
“Little Miss Sunshine”: Cute, smart, interesting. Comedies never win.
“The Queen”: Interesting. Compelling enactment of something we all felt like we were a part of.
Critics Pick: The Departed
Bug’s Pick: Little Miss Sunshine
Buggie spilled her guts for you at 2/25/2007 11:20:00 AM
2 Comments:
I agree with you on Best Picture. Then again, I did not actually see any of the other ones.
Penelope Cruz is a brilliant actress...she just does terrible in films that are not her native language and Volver is pheonmenal.
Also Ryan Gosling is amazing in Half Nelson but the movie is a REAL indie...not like Crash--which was an ensemble of popular actors pretending to be in an indie. Half Nelson won't take anything but Ryan sure as hell deserves for the film and his performance.
:)
Post a Comment
<< Home