pop culture, reviewed

I’ll admit it. I’m underwhelmed by the Academy Awards this year. I still haven’t seen The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, La Vie En Rose, Sweeney Todd, or either of Cate Blanchett’s movies, but I’ve seen everything else in the major categories (which to me are Best Picture, Best Director, and the acting and screenplay awards). Of all the nominations, I would be most excited by a Hal Holbrook win or a Tilda Swinton or Amy Ryan win in Best Supporting Actress. I will be most dismayed by a Ruby Dee win, because I’m sorry, I know she’s old and I’m happy for her and all, but she had about two minutes of dialogue in American Gangster and there is no way that was an Oscar-worthy role or performance. For real.

I guess I’m underwhelmed by the films this year because while I LIKED a lot of them, I did not LOVE a lot of them, and the ones I liked the most were mostly overlooked (those mostly overlooked ones were probably Eastern Promises, In the Valley of Elah, Once, Into the Wild, Lars and the Real Girl, Zodiac, and 3:10 to Yuma). Of the Best Picture nominees, I thought that only No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood were grand enough or important enough to be true Best Picture contenders. (And even NCFOM was almost a disappointment for me, only because it was SUCH a perfect adaptation that having read the book really meant that there was no way I could feel the film’s impact as fully as I would have otherwise.) Daniel Day-Lewis’s performance was a marvel, no question, and the more I think about There Will Be Blood the more I liked it, but I was almost equally impressed by Tommy Lee Jones in In the Valley of Elah and Viggo Mortenson in Eastern Promises. Sometimes the subtle performances impress me more than the over-the-top ones — but I’m not denying how awesome DDL was (and obviously he’ll win).

Juno was precious but not Oscar-worthy in my opinion — except maybe for screenplay, which would be an appropriate way to reward the film — and I’m kind of over Ellen Page already. She’s a little too cool for school for me — I like my baby celebrities to be excited by their fame and not act so unenthusiastic. I mean, girlfriend wasn’t even excited when she was on Oprah. If you’re 20 and you’ve been famous for three minutes, at least act appreciative of your success, you know? But maybe I am biased because I am nothing if not enthusiastic. People who are that cool make me suspicious.

I thought Atonement was just okay. Parts were really nice, but I didn’t cry at the end. That means something’s wrong because I cry in dog food commercials on a regular basis. I loved Michael Clayton but still wouldn’t give it Best Picture status.

Mostly, I am excited to see my loves Glen and Marketa performing for nominated song. Now THAT will probably make me cry. Oh, and I’m excited about seeing Angelina’s baby bump. Now, must attend baby shower, make (just kidding — purchase) dessert for Oscar party (which we will only attend for the red carpet because I have to watch the actual awards in the quiet of our own home, uninterrupted), and try to watch La Vie En Rose before tonight. More afterward.