Monday, February 28, 2011

Black Sheep on The Oscars

The 83rd annual Academy Awards began with a riveting montage of the fantastic batch of films that make up this year's Best Picture nominees. As Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's now Academy Award winning score from THE SOCIAL NETWORK triumphantly backed up the incredible imagery from these films, it felt like it was truly going to be the movies' biggest night. What followed was three hours of missed opportunities and lame ideas that amounted to an evening that didn't even seem the least bit concerned with the films it was meant to honour.

I was hopeful for Anne Hathaway and James Franco as hosts. Yes, it was obvious from the start that the Oscar producers, Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer, wanted to draw in a younger demographic. I'm surprised they didn't just enlist Justin Bieber to get the job done. At least he would have been awake for the whole thing, which is more than I can say for Franco. This is a man who clearly prides himself on walking his own line at all times. Why anyone ever thought he would be ideal to host one of the most mainstream events on the planet is beyond me? A number of people I spoke with wondered just how stoned he was, but all i could see was the look on his face that suggested he would rather be anywhere other than there. Maybe he was nervous being nominated but he had no chance of winning. A smart guy like Franco should have known that.

I do think that Hathaway has a very winning and inviting personality. When she sings, she is enchanting and when she jokes, she is adorable. But when she had to work double time to make up for the lack of personality in her co-host, it seemed to turn her into this combustible energy ball that could potentially implode at any moment, taking all of Hollywood with her. She did still come across as an appreciative person, humbled by the position she held for the night. It was endearing and I just really felt bad for her, having to endure through this clearly misguided adventure.

As awkward as they were, the transitions and pace of the rest of the show was infinitely more clunky. I thought they got the awards out fast enough but they kept singling out past Oscar winners to exemplify the categories that were about to be announced. The virtual screens that I read so much about before the big night ended up being a completely unnecessary distraction. A background is just that; you are not supposed to draw attention to it but yet we did over and over again and for what? To focus on films of yesteryear instead of actually allowing the films of 2010 to adorn the screens, perhaps allowing them to shine on their own night.

There were other choices too that were just too obvious to be ignored. No actor was ever played off by the orchestra, no matter how long they rambled on about self-important nonsense or pretended to be surprised by the win. Apparently actors could swear, quite obviously on purpose, and that would be fine too. Anyone else was fair game. The winners didn't really listen to the orchestra though and just kept going but maybe they wouldn't have had to if we didn't spend so much time listening to lengthy trips down memory lane from random, iconic actors - some were more enjoyable (Kirk Douglas) than others (Billy Crystal).

The producers cut the montages that apparently everyone hates but somehow found time to highlight previous Oscar telecasts and other random moments in Oscar history. This leads me to another major Oscar confusion this year. The show was constantly referred to as the young and hip Oscars. There was no continuity to this theme though. Tom Hanks would be presenting one moment and then Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake, the next. And if they were clearly trying to be so modern, why did they feel the need to spend so much time looking back instead of looking at all the fantastic movie magic that is happening right now? After all, wasn't that the reason we were there?

In the end, the tug of war between old and new also spilled over to the awards themselves, with THE KING'S SPEECH, a period piece about overcoming adversity in a historical context, triumphing over THE SOCIAL NETWORK, that rare film that taps directly into the pulse of of our current experience. By the time the announcement was made though, everyone knew what was coming and everyone just seemed to want it to come.

My suggestion for next year, fire Cohen and Mischer, and hire me to produce.

Here is the full list of Academy Award winners ...

BEST PICTURE


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Colin Firth in THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Natalie Portman in BLACK SWAN

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christian Bale in THE FIGHTER

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Melissa Leo in THE FIGHTER

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING

Tom Hooper for THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY


BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE


BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

IN A BETTER WORLD

CINEMATOGRAPHY


EDITING


ART DIRECTION

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

COSTUME DESIGN

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

MAKEUP


ORIGINAL SCORE


ORIGINAL SONG

"We Belong Together" from TOY STORY 3

SOUND MIXING


SOUND EDITING


VISUAL EFFECTS


DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

INSIDE JOB


DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

STRANGERS NO MORE

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

THE LOST THING

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

GOD WE LOVE

nicole richie

nicole richie wearing wildfox

nicole richie wearing wildfox with her son

nicole richie wearing wildfox with her son


nicole richie wearing wildfox with her son

Sunday, February 27, 2011

For Your Consideration 2011

Happy Oscar Day!! For all of you having guests over to watch the Academy Awards this evening, I offer you the following musical selections for your consideration. Throughout 2010, I took note of all the songs in the movies that stood out for me and have compiled this tracklisting to represent the year in film. There are a few songs from movies I love and a few from films I can hardly stand but this isn't about the movies for a change. It is about the music. And so I give you:

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
2011

Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross ... THE SOCIAL NETWORK ... In the Hall of the Mountain King
The Langley Schools Music Project ... CATFISH ... Good Vibrations
James Murphy ... GREENBERG ... Please Don't Follow Me
Radiohead ... INCENDIES ... You and Whose Army?
Florence + The Machine ... TWILIGHT: ECLIPSE ... Heavy in your Arms
Beachwood Sparks ... SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD ... By Your Side
MGMT ... THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT ... The Youth
The Beatles ... DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS ... Fool on the Hill
Eddie Vedder ... EAT PRAY LOVE ... Better Days
DeVotchKa ... JACK GOES BOATING ... Dearly Departed
Dinah Washington ... SHUTTER ISLAND ... This Bitter Earth
John Legend & The Roots ... WAITING FOR "SUPERMAN" ... Shine
Penny & The Quarters ... BLUE VALENTINE ... You and Me
Alicia Keys ... SEX & THE CITY 2 ... Empire State of Mind Part II
Christina Aguilera ... BURLESQUE ... Bound to You
The Knife ... LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES ... Pass This On
Daft Punk ... TRON: LEGACY ... Derezzed
Underworld ... BIUTIFUL ... Shudder / King of Snake
Hans Zimmer ... INCEPTION ... Time

That should all fit nicely on one CD. For those of you operating digitally, you can also add Hans Zimmer's "Half-Remebered Dream", also from INCEPTION, as the first track. It pulls it together nicely. Also, I had to cut one song because of space restraints but, again digitally speaking, you could also add the Oscar-nominated "Coming Home", as sung by Gwyneth Paltrow, from the film COUNTRY STRONG, right after the BURLESQUE track.

I hope you like the tunes. They make for great welcome music for your party. Then when the music fades, you can let the festivities begin. I will be at the Drake Hotel for dinner and the show tonight. Here's hoping for an exciting evening with some surprises and memorable moments. One last time for good luck .. Go SOCIAL NETWORK!!

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Black Sheep predicts The Academy Awards

Oscar weekend has finally arrived. I began my weekend's festivities last night with a panel discussion on the Oscars, on Montreal's CJAD show, Delmar at Night. (Click here for the audio.) I got to make my predictions in many of the major categories and chat up one of my favorite subjects on air, which is always just an incredible treat for me. And now the fun continues with my official Oscar predictions in all the categories. You can use them if you like in your Oscar poll but be forewarned, I do not always win the prize. This means you cannot come back crying to me if you lose using my suggestions. That said, I will want a 10% cut if you win.

And so, once again, here are the nominations for the 83rd annual Academy Awards ...

BEST PICTURE


Should Win: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

THE KING'S SPEECH is a beautiful film but it is simply easier to digest than THE SOCIAL NETWORK. One makes you feel good while the other makes you weary of where were headed. This should not be discounted when the king is inevitably crowned.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Javier Bardem in BIUTIFUL
Jeff Bridges in TRUE GRIT
Jesse Eisenberg in THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Colin Firth in THE KING'S SPEECH
James Franco in 127 HOURS

Will Win: Colin Firth
Should Win: Javier Bardem

I will applaud Firth's win because he is a fine actor who delivers a royal performance in THE KING'S SPEECH but he deserved to win last year for A SINGLE MAN. Bardem is simply heartbreaking in BIUTIFUL but the unexpected nod will have to be enough for him.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Annette Bening in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Nicole Kidman in RABBIT HOLE
Jennifer Lawrence in WINTER'S BONE
Natalie Portman in BLACK SWAN
Michelle Williams in BLUE VALENTINE

Will Win: Natalie Portman
Should Win: Natalie Portman

Although, my heart goes out to Annette Bening. She keeps bringing out these incredible performances in years when one other lady just happens to be getting a little more attention than she is.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christian Bale in THE FIGHTER
John Hawkes in WINTER'S BONE
Jeremy Renner in THE TOWN
Mark Ruffalo in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Geoffrey Rush in THE KING'S SPEECH

Will Win: Christian Bale
Should Win: Christian Bale

Geoffrey Rush could very seriously pull an upset here. He is invigorating in THE KING'S SPEECH and the film clearly has a great deal of support. Bale is transformed in THE FIGHTER though. He is also long overdue.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Amy Adams in THE FIGHTER
Helena Bonham Carter in THE KING'S SPEECH
Melissa Leo in THE FIGHTER
Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT
Jacki Weaver in ANIMAL KINGDOM

Will Win: Melissa Leo
Should Win: Melissa Leo

There is serious talk that Leo and Amy Adams will split the vote for roles in the same film, leaving Hailee Steinfeld to come through. This will be my biggest Oscar upset if this happens. Hopefully, common sense will prevail. They were just ads, people!

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING

Darren Aronofsky for BLACK SWAN
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for TRUE GRIT
David Fincher for THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Tom Hooper for THE KING'S SPEECH
David O. Russell for THE FIGHTER

Will Win: David Fincher
Should Win: David Fincher

Tom Hooper won the Director's Guild Award and has that great KING'S SPEECH momentum behind him so he could upset but this is only his first nomination. Fincher has been making great films in Hollywood for years. I would have said that Christopher Nolan had the best chances but somehow, he failed to get a nomination. Bizarre.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY


Should Win: THE KING'S SPEECH

INCEPTION and THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT are serious contenders here. The Academy might want to reward Nolan here for their director gaffe and he did also win the Writer's Guild Award. Still, David Seidler's script for THE KING'S SPEECH is fresh and unexpected and my guess is will be swept up with the support for the film.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY


Should Win: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

This one is a lock. Check it off right now. Don't even think about it. Done. Move on already.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

Will Win: TOY STORY 3
Should Win: TOY STORY 3

Another lock. We're done here.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

DOGTOOTH
IN A BETTER WORLD
INCENDIES
OUTSIDE THE LAW

Will Win: BIUTIFUL

I can't really say what should win here as I have not seen all five nominees. I can say that BIUTIFUL obviously has strong support as it has a Best Actor nod as well and is an incredible movie. I did not love INCENDIES but I would still be thrilled to see Montreal's Denis Villeneuve take the Oscar!

CINEMATOGRAPHY


Will Win: TRUE GRIT
Should Win: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

All five nominees are visually stunning and THE KING'S SPEECH could always sweep here too but TRUE GRIT cinematographer, Roger Deakins, has been nominated nine times now and has never won. This would be a good year for him to do so.

EDITING


Should Win: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

All that going back and forth in space and time between the past and two simultaneous lawsuits should do the trick here.

ART DIRECTION

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Will Win: ALICE IN WONDERLAND

I just keep thinking those Harry Potter movies keep getting better looking each year. I would love to see THE KING'S SPEECH take it though considering the recent accusations that they used the same set as a gay porn film.

COSTUME DESIGN

ALICE IN WONDERLAND
I AM LOVE
THE TEMPEST

Will Win: ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Should Win: ALICE IN WONDERLAND

If Tim Burton's mess has one thing going for it, it's outlandish costume work.

MAKEUP

THE WAY BACK

Will Win: THE WOLFMAN
Should Win: BARNEY'S VERSION

If only because BARNEY'S VERSION makeup artist, Adrien Morot is from Montreal. It was a great job too. Also, THE WOLFMAN should not win an Oscar.

ORIGINAL SCORE

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

Should Win: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

I'm thrown with this category. Apparently THE SOCIAL NETWORK score is too modern for the Academy. Why then am I reading that Alexandre Desplat will take it for THE KING'S SPEECH when the obvious second choice is Hans Zimmer for INCEPTION?

ORIGINAL SONG

"If I Rise" from 127 HOURS
"Coming Home" from COUNTRY STRONG
"I See the Light" from TANGLED
"We Belong Together" from TOY STORY 3

Will Win: 127 HOURS

The Academy has clearly shown its love for A.R. Rahman and I don't see it stopping anytime soon.

SOUND MIXING


Will Win: INCEPTION
Should Win: INCEPTION

No contest. Maybe THE SOCIAL NETWORK. Big maybe though.

SOUND EDITING

UNSTOPPABLE

Will Win: INCEPTION
Should Win: INCEPTION

This time, no contest at all.

VISUAL EFFECTS

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Will Win: INCEPTION
Should Win: INCEPTION

Please. They folded a city in half.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP
GASLAND
INSIDE JOB
RETREPO
WASTE LAND

Will Win: INSIDE JOB

The insider trading documentary about the financial meltdown has the relevant edge but I sure am hoping Banksy takes it for EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP. I want to see art happen on stage or people in monkey masks circling Anne Hathaway and James Franco.

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

KILLING IN THE NAME
POSTER GIRL
STRANGERS NO MORE
SUN COME UP
THE WARRIORS OF QUIGANG

What might win: KILLING IN THE NAME

I have seen none of these so I am fully going on what I am reading online here.

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

DAY & NIGHT
THE GRUFFALO
LET'S POLLUTE
THE LOST THING
MADAGASCAR, A JOURNEY DIARY

Will Win: DAY & NIGHT

I am reading a potential upset by THE GRUFFALO or LET'S POLLUTE sounds interesting but my fingers are crossed for this simple and original Pixar short.

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

THE CONFESSION
THE CRUSH
GOD WE LOVE
NA WEWE
WISH 143

Will Win: NA WEWE

My gut is telling me this way but I hear THE CONFESSION has a shot too.

There you have it. My official predications for this year's Oscars. Well, they are official for now. I might change my mind at the last second. As long as the ballots are in before the first award is announced, it is fair game.

I am to spend the rest of the day watching some Oscar nominated classics and relaxing. Check back tomorrow for my annual Oscar mix CD tracklisting. Let Black Sheep set the mood for your pre-show party ...

Good luck with those polls!

Friday, February 25, 2011

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Thursday, February 24, 2011

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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Monster Cereals: Eating What Scares Us

If ever there was anything dependable about the nature of humanity--other than the fact that we will always find reasons to divide ourselves--it's that we will do anything we can to mentally protect ourselves from that which we fear. And because the ultimate fear for the human race has always been death--the great unknown certainty from which none of us can escape--it's fascinating to see just what lengths we will go to bury that certainty deep down in our psyche. Horror in particular is not much more than a vast exercise of this very kind.

After all, how else to explain why the people most obsessed with all things mortal and macabre take the keenest interest in horror? Simply put, it's a catharsis; a way of coping in a fun and deflected way with something many of us have trouble dealing with, but are nonetheless fascinated by. So when my brethren in the League of Tana Tea Drinkers proposed a blog roundtable discussion on the phenomenon of "cute monsters" in horror, the whole thing was a no-brainer for me.

The question is, why do we infantilize creatures of horror the way we do in our modern culture? Why do we tend to make them "cute"? For my money, one of the most profound and telling examples of this is the beloved series of monster cereals from General Mills: Most famously Frankenberry and Count Chocula, but also their occasional friends Boo Berry, and yes, even Yummy Mummy. Here we have creatures that once inspired genuine terror in the hearts of men (and women)--turned into tasty, sugary treats for children (young and old) to eat while watching cartoons on a Saturday morning.

Think about it for a moment. Let's deconstruct, shall we? Once we peel back the layers of cuteness, what do we have? A cereal made in the likeness of a murderous, mindless being stitched together from corpses, and another in the likeness of a demonic vampire who drains the blood of the living. A cereal based on the immortal soul of a human being who has passed on, and another on the mummified and resurrected corpse of an ancient Egyptian pharoah. Granted, that's certainly reading a lot into it, but at the very base of it, isn't it true?

In the case of three of those monsters, the origins in popular culture can be traced to the classic Universal horror films of the early 1930s. Were it not for those films, there would certainly be no General Mills monster cereals. Yet those films were intended as straight-up horror, to chill the blood and inspire terror in the masses. And even before the days of motion pictures, the legends those films were based on stretch back even further into time--the novels of Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker; and further still, the dark folklore of ancient and medieval Europe, in which creatures such as vampires were wretched, repulsive enemies of humanity.

And yet fast forward a few centuries, and we're sitting on the couch munching on their little faces, soaked in multi-colored milky goodness. The ad campaigns surrounding the cereals have turned the monsters in cartoon characters, voiced in the likeness of famous horror actors of the past like Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Peter Lorre (again, individuals whose job was to inspire abject fear, now transformed into juvenile comedy).

Clearly, the bite of the classic monsters (pardon the pun) is dulled by portrayals such as this. I'm not saying they still don't have the power to terrify us--personally, I find Dracula, Frankenstein and The Mummy to still be frightening and powerful horror films. Nevertheless, it can't be denied that creatures which were once taken far more seriously have now become safe, tame, and consumable by children.

Why has this happened? Familiarity is part of it, to be sure. After all these years of being seared into our consciousness, Drac, Frank and the gang are more like old friends than entities out to destroy us. There's also the type of thinking alluded to earlier: Specifically, our willingness to take something which frightens us and defang it (quite litereally) so we can more easily process it psychologically.

Since death is at the very heart of horror, it's no suprise that most monsters are linked very closely to it. When we break it down, every single one of the General Mills cereal monsters is technically a dead person. Quite jarring to analyze it that way, but also quite true. They are based on beings which do nothing if not remind us of our own mortality. This is the basic source of the horror they all inspire; whether ghost, mummy, vampire, or flesh golem.

And so we do what we always do--we protect ourselves from what we fear, in this case using one of the most tried-and-true methods. We take away its power by turning it into something which is a parody of itself, a harmless representation suitable for small children--so far removed from its origins that one really has to do some mental gymnastics to make the connection.

But the connection remains--twisted, warped and mangled far from its original meaning--yet still there. We've transformed the monstrous into something more manageable, but it's still present, if only we look hard enough. So the next time you're loafing on your recliner, a heaping bowl of Frankenberry and pink milk sitting on your belly as you take in ESPN Sportscenter, think long and hard about the gruesome, undead, homicidal atrocities that inspired your delicious, cavity-inducing breakfast.

Bon appetit!