The Day After

Well it was a long Oscar season which, in retrospect was full of many solid films. The show itself was very watchable, perhaps because foreign winners don't seem to be contractually obligated to thank their lawyers. I found Jon Stewart quite amusing (though there are plenty out there who would disagree with me). It was nice to see a some brothers who have entertained me since childhood clean up and bring their idiosyncrasies to the podium. I was shocked at the low level of cynicism I felt throughout the telecast. Now if they could just bring themselves to cut out the message from the Academy president...

Segment #11

BEST DIRECTOR: This puts NCFOM as heavy favorite for the big award.
I love these guys. Now I love my two brothers, but I wish I was in their family.

Segment #10

BEST ACTOR: Helen Mirren's sparkly robo-sleeves are intoxicating.

Daniel Day Lewis is no surprise but satisfying just the same. DDL (as I call him) really WAS There Will be Blood. Paul Thomas Anderson has said that he would not make the film if Day-Lewis decided not to star.
FUN FACT: DDL is one of the only A-listers without an agent (thanks, Alex).

Segment #9

It was an interesting juxtaposition to have American soldiers present an award moments before the documentary feature award went to a film about American soldiers torturing Iraqis.

Diablo Cody! Are you kidding me? I have nothing to say so I will steal a line from Ms. Cody's stellar script and say "Oh my Blog!"

Segment #8

Jon Stewart deserves a humanitarian award for allowing that adorable piano player come out and finish her acceptance speech. Markéta Irglová made her second chance worth every moment with another great thank you.
This year seems long on nice speeches and short on thanking agents and managers. That is a nice change but now I am starting to feel sorry for all the agents and managers out there who are getting no love.

Segment #7

Renee Zellweger gets the award for buff squinty alien with sloppy pixie cut.

My friend Jessica just admitted that she has seen The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming! twice in the last month. Isn't that weird?


That was one of the most inspiring honorary Oscars in recent memory. I hope to be that enthusiastic about movies when I am 98.


Guttenburg update: It appears that the only reason Steve Guttenburg got a ticket was because he is going to be on Dancing with the Stars. That makes more sense.

Glad to know that Patrick Dempsey is both "Handsome and versatile".

Was that Amy Adams dancing during that terrible Enchanted song?

BEST SONG: Leave it to the Irish to take down the Disney juggernaut! That was truly an excellent speech. Though that was a particularly cruel musical send off.

Segment #6

Jonah Hill and Seth Rogan show us how nice it is to actually have funny people deliver Oscar patter.

Sell your stock in Hasbro, those Transformers have been rejected again and again. Apparently the sounds of cars becoming robots didn't impress the Academy.

BEST ACTRESS: HOORAY! This award drew applause from the couches and chairs in my house. Marion Cotillard was great on screen and at the podium. Everyone should thank love in their acceptance speech, though Marion may have done it because she has a limited English vocabulary.

Segment #5

The Academy always gets a comely actress to host the Technical Awards show. Bet those nerds were sad that Jessica Alba is pregnant.
Another Jack joke and reaction shot. That's three in an hour and fifteen minutes. Then another one occurred two minutes later.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Those shots of the screenwriters writing are ridiculous!
It is always nice to see the Coens get awards even if it is not for Big Lebowski.

Segment #4

Stewart's montage of montages had the entire living room in stitches, which is rare for Oscar comedy.

Jon Stewart suffered his first case of awkwardness when he said that Hal Holbrook was doing the "Cabin Patch". Don't let it shake you, Jon!

The song from August Rush is the night's first official lull. Bathroom breaks across the world.

The bee montage=LAME! Must we have an animated presenter each year?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Ruby Dee looked shocked to see that she was in American Gangster.do you pronounce the name of that little Irish girl from Atonement?
How
Tila Swinton, big surprise! Her speech was a little daffy (mention of both buttocks and nipples) and crowd pleasing.

Segment #3

The Rock is an excellent actor, though he shines brighter when wearing black bikini briefs.

Best Visual Effects: Hasbro's Transformers have suffered their first loss.

I love the technical awards because it is chance for hard core nerds to change out of their black T-shirts and rub elbows with the stars.

Best Art Direction: Sweeney Todd snags a well deserved statuette.


I am still sick of Jennifer Hudson. And Kate Hudson, for that matter.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Hal Oldbrook?
My friend Brady would like to request a George Clooney-Tom Wilkinson sandwich.
Javier Bardem's speech was nice and sincere and intercontinental.

There hasn't been a lame acceptance speech yet.

Segment #2

Update from segment #1: Elizabeth was a pretty easy choice for best costume. Bodices and crazy wigs still wow the voters. It is hard to see how Atonement was passed up. Though, that costume designer was a kooky fox.


Segment two was full of cuteness:

It's good to see George Clooney has rid himself of the puffiness that plagued him during Michael Clayton. His eagerness to please us is still disarming.

Best Animated Feature: Surf's Up was clearly robbed, right?

Best Makeup: Katherine Heigl's nervousness was refreshing! La Vie en Rose's win was quite deserved as well.

Amy Adams is adorable, and if she ever falls on hard times could certainly get a job at Disneyland.

Segment #1

Jon Stewart's opening "make up sex" joke fell flat but delivered a series of good bits to follow it up. A nice mix of edginess (Gaydolf Titler!) with more traditional fare (lawyer jokes!). He is off to a solid start. His low key approach is winning him points in my living room.
Two Jack Nicholson reaction shots in the first 5 minutes. It is nice to know that somethings never go out of style.
Wesley Snipes and Spike Lee got the honor of being cut to after the night's first racial joke; it is sad to know some things never go out of style.
Barbara Streisand's attempt at humility in the look back at her Oscar win shows that she isn't that great of an actress.

Oscar Pre-Show coverage

The snacks are set, the predictions are in and the pre-show has begun.
I have assembled a crack team of movie aficionados to help me fill the evening with comments both snarky and sincere.

Here is what we have learned so far:
SEXUAL ASSAULT ALERT: Gary Busey has struck again, kissing a shocked Jennifer Garner on the neck. Mothers, lock up your daughters.
John Travolta's spray-on hair has powers, evil powers.
Regis Philbin can do a better interview than Ryan Seacrest even though he appears to be almost completely deaf.
Steve Guttenburg seems to have gotten an invitation Oscars, so there is hope for all of us.
Mickey Rooney is alive and still adorable.
Ellen Page still has some work to do to prove that she is not a pretentious hipster snob.
Well, as Regis just said "Everything is in readiness". It is time for the show. Check back in at the first break!

10 Second Oscar Reviews

In case you missed one of the best picture films, here are short reviews of each. Now you have something to say about each of them, no matter who wins.

Juno is an amusing comedy for the 14 year old pregnant girl in all of us. Its just not best picture (or director, or screenplay or actress) material.

There Will be Blood is the work of a talented auteur who has taken his craft to the next level. Whether it appealed to you or not you must admit this movie is way more than a line about milkshakes.

No Country for Old Men is more evidence that no one can tell a story quite like the Coen brothers. This film does not ooze originality in the way that many of their past tales have, but the quality of the work is undeniable.

Atonement deserves credit for revamping the wartorn romance genre(which is itself rather wartorn). This is a visual masterwork that could be enjoyed with the sound off (though you would miss the cool typewriter music).

Michael Clayton plays like a gripping, intelligent thriller straight out of the 70’s school of cinema. Once everything is unraveled, however, the viewer is left with surprisingly little to ponder.

How to Host a Superior Oscar Party #2

Today’s Topic: Snacks

There are a number of factors to take into consideration when it comes to Oscar food. Do you go with overly cute themed items (i.e. No Casserole for Old Men washed down with Gin and Juno)? How do you ensure that the food isn’t so crunchy that you can’t hear the nerdy visual effects guys accept their awards? These questions can be stressful.

Since the Oscars are a fancy event for the movies why not serve fancy versions of movie food? Here are some suggestions:

Elegant popcorn bar: Give each attendee a small bowl of popcorn. Lay out as many ingredients and additions that you can find in your cabinets (spices, candy, tuna, don’t limit your creativity). Have each person make their own artisan popcorn creation. Then hold a taste test and declare a winner.

Goobers and Raisinettes are great but they are often stale coming out of the box. Solve this problem by melting chocolate and making fresh versions of these movie theater staples. Don’t limit yourself to raisins and peanuts, I bet Craisinettes would be excellent.

The possibilities are endless but I am sure that adding class to any movie snack will add a dash of class to your party, even if it is not black tie.

How to Host a Superior Oscar Party #1

Today’s Topic: Oscar Polls

Oscar polls are a staple of any upstanding Oscar party. However, the concept needs a bit of spicing up. Here are some suggestions for creating memorable Oscar polls.

1. Pick who you actually want to win.
I have spent many an Oscar night strategizing how to win the poll only to find myself rooting for movies that I didn’t actually enjoy. For a more enjoyable experience, have attendees fill out their ballots based on their personal preference (be honest!), not the odds on favorites. This way you can give out a Happiest Viewer Award (to the person who had the most choices actually win) and a Most Avant Garde Viewer Award (for the person who had the fewest winners on their list.

2. Switch up the prizes.
Traditional Oscar polls have each attendee put some money in a pot and the winner takes the spoils. Not only is this practice played out, but it reinforces how commercial the movie industry is. Instead have each person bring a white elephant gift, throw them in a bag and the winner takes home a whole bunch of odds and ends (gum, coupons, hair products, etc.) Or, create a treasure chest like they have at the dentist’s office. Fill it with little baubles and each time someone makes an accurate prediction have them take a trip to the treasure box. This will surely pass the time during any montages or dance numbers.

3. Don’t just predict winners.
Make up other categories to place wagers on that will keep you engaged throughout the evening. Predict how many times producers will cut to Jack Nicholson for a reaction shot. Which presenter will be the first to stumble over the words on the teleprompter? How many winners will be shooed off by the orchestra? Have each attendee come up with a category and play until everyone is a winner.

Please post any other ideas and suggestions in the comments section.
Stay tuned for more amazing tips...

The MFS' Web Based Oscar Party

The Middlebrow Film Society is proud to announce live Oscar updates from my living room! As we all know the 80th Academy Awards will air this Sunday February 24th at 5pm in Hollywood and 8pm in New York. It is a big night for movies and the Society is going to celebrate in a special way.

Here is the deal: Check this website during each commercial break for insights, predictions and snide comments from yours truly and my panel of non-celebrity pundits. There will be space for you to add updates from your Oscar party as well. It will be like we are all trash talking together!

Watch the site in the days ahead for predictions, laments, and recipes to get you ready for an award winning Oscar Sunday. Hey, you could serve Oscar Sundaes On Oscar Sunday!. There are plenty more ideas to come...

A Valentine to Juno; or How Pulp Fiction Saved My Life

I want to apologize to Juno. In order to do that we need to take a trip in the way back machine...

In the fall of 1994, I had a transformative experience. An experience that I recall here in startling detail. I remember being dropped off at the Century 10 (it would later be rebuilt as the Century 16) Cinemas in Mountain View, California. Indian summer was waning and there was a chill in the air. I remember sitting in the second row of the theater with three friends, one named Nick and two named Alex. I remember the twenty-something goobery guys in front of us who chatted endlessly before the lights dimmed. I remember that the movie started forty minutes late, though I don’t think that a rationale for this was ever supplied. Perhaps just to build anticipation. I remember all this before one centimeter of celluloid was projected.

Pulp Fiction was over 154 minutes later and I was a changed fourteen-year old man. I was certain no film would ever matter to me as much as Pulp Fiction. I now had a concrete definition of cool and it involved large helpings of blaxsploitation, Dick Dale, and Royales with Cheese. The film became a focal point of my social life. My friend’s and I devoured the soundtrack and the paperback version of the script. I performed Jules’ speech from the diner in my 9th Intro to Drama class. I immediately started typing out a script on my Macintosh Performa (it never got past the first page but it involved a car full of cool cats in on the run from the law and about 36 pop culture references, many from movies I had never seen). I even borrowed my mom’s bible and looked up a certain passage about the path of the righteous man.

Fast forward. I am now twice the age I was on that October night and I can no longer watch more than eight minutes of Pulp Fiction at a stretch. I find it hopelessly dated and chock full of hard to swallow dialogue (which I still have memorized). Perhaps it also reminds me of a time when I was at the apex of adolescent awkwardness. That being said, I still love this film for showing me the force that the medium can have. Seen at the right time of life, a movie can make you feel connected to a world that you have no physical connection to. Quentin Tarantino’s imagination reached out and grabbed hold of me. His movie validated my sensibilities about art which were only in their earliest stages. Because Pulp Fiction existed, there must be something right about the world.

What does this have to do with Juno? As I have observed the outpouring of elation over a movie that I found rather jejune, I had a revelation. The dialogue hit my adult ears just like the lines in Pulp Fiction do. This movie is not for me. This movie is for all of those fourteen year olds out there who think they are smarter than everyone else in the 9th grade and most of the teachers. Not book smart, but world-wise. For those kids, Juno is a sign of life, a touchstone, in a world where they are expected to accept Meet the Spartans as entertainment.

In the early spring of 1995 I sat in front of my television and made a wish. I wished that Pulp Fiction would win the Academy Award for Best Picture. I wished that Forrest Gump would be exposed as drivel and Quentin would get to bask in the glory of Oscar. I wanted him to be rewarded for giving me and my friends something to rally behind, something to identify with (though none of us has ever come close to shoving a hypodermic needle through someone’s breast plate). I am sure there are kids out there who have the same wish for Juno. My feeling is if this movie is providing these kids something along the lines of my Pulp Fiction odyssey, it has more value than I initially thought. Perhaps it merits a humanitarian award instead of an Oscar.

A Paper Anniversary for a Paperless Publication

A year ago today the Middlebrow Film Society was launched. What started as an idea that I was sure I would never get around to has turned into quite a nice little corner of the internet (if I do say so myself). I want to thank anyone who has ever laid eyes on this page even if it was by mistake (sorry if you were looking for some sort of filmy substance that removes your middlebrow). I love movies more than I did a year ago because I get to share ideas and feelings with each of you.

A special thank you goes to those of you who have written articles and posted comments (though some of you need to learn how to sign a proper name on the byline). A goal for this year will be to get more voices onto the page. Another goal is also to finish watching all of those terrible movies you submitted and choose a winner, though thinking about screening any of the Look Who’s Talking movies right now is unsettling to my stomach.

As your chairman, I am very grateful for your patronage. Cheers to you and here is to another wonderful year!