Surprises Galore at the 82d Oscars.........

[dvdjunkie]

I was totally surprised and elated at the same time with the results of the Oscars last night.

While "Avatar" was a favorite, I truly deep down wanted to see "The Hurt Locker" win the Best Movie Oscar, which it did, and I got the bonus of Best Director Oscar going to Kathryn Bigelow for her film "The Hurt Locker". In fact, "The Hurt Locker" won six of their 9 nominations while "Avatar" only picked up three.

Best Actor honors went to a very deserving Jeff Bridges, for his part in the film "Crazy Heart", which also won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

Best Actress was the big surprise of the night as Sandra Bullock took home the honors. She truly appeared speechless when she was announced as the winner. She paid tribute to the other actresses and said that "Meryl Streep was the best kisser!"

The show was typically over-long, and dragged down in some parts, but overall it was a very smooth presentation without to many glitches along the way. Their choice of hosts was just okay, and I do hope that they coax Billy Crystal into doing it one more time next year.

;D

[Kimmer]

70% of people who were surveyed loved the hosts so who knows if Billy will host again? (I love him too, his opening was always the best!!)

I didn't think any of the awards seemed to be a surprise. It was almost like they knew Kathryn Bigelow would win since they chose Streisand to present the award.

One thing I really liked was the way they introduced the nominees for best actor/actress by having their costars introduce them. That was neat! And I liked the fact that when it was time to name the best picture winner, he didn't go through the list of nominees, he just announced the winner. Short and sweet.

[Hedvig]

First Oscar for best picture by a female director!!!

We're getting there.

[Midge]

In my opinion we'll have "gotten there" when it's no longer an issue that the winner is of any particular gender - or race, for that matter.

[filmnoirfanatic]

Hi! dvdJunkie, Hedvig, Kimmer, Midge and diner members,
I was busy helping my friend countdown 31 days to Oscars...that I forgot to watch the Oscar ...Just kidding!
I don't watch the Oscars@...
...but, I was glad to see a woman director take home Oscars@ gold too!
(For the first-time...according to TCM actress Ida Lupino, was one of the first pioneers when it came to female directors.)
DeeDee

[Hedvig]

Mar 9, 2010 19:40:14 GMT -6 Midge said:

In my opinion we'll have "gotten there" when it's no longer an issue that the winner is of any particular gender - or race, for that matter.

Undoubtedly, but that's going to take a while, and you're not going to get to the top of the stairs without taking the first step. There have in fact been women directors from the birth of cinema - Alice Guy bought her camera from the Lumiere brothers, and she was a pioneer in narrative technique and sound film. She founded her own company when she came to America, and had a fairly successful directing career, so she was no slouch when it came to either creativity or to industriousness. In Sweden Anna Hoffman Uddegren was the first person to get the opportunity to film the works of Strindberg, that known misogynist. She retired when she got married. In Hollywood the studio system of the 20's strongly regulated the opportunity for women to direct. In any creative field women have had to struggle to even get taken seriously as artists: first in novels, where they frequently took male pseudonyms, and then in fields like music, playwriting, painting, and film. I do like the fact that Kathryn Bigelow's movie is a war movie - it's not specifically a female topic to make a film about, which means it could be judged on it's own merits and not on the fact that it's a woman's story. It's not so limited, if you see what I'm saying. Male directors have always told womens' stories on film, and now a woman is telling a man's story and winning an Oscar for it, that's a step towards equality isn't it?

[Midge]

Mar 12, 2010 13:56:43 GMT -6 Hedvig said:

[I do like the fact that Kathryn Bigelow's movie is a war movie - it's not specifically a female topic to make a film about, which means it could be judged on it's own merits and not on the fact that it's a woman's story. It's not so limited, if you see what I'm saying. Male directors have always told womens' stories on film, and now a woman is telling a man's story and winning an Oscar for it, that's a step towards equality isn't it?

Yes, a very big step.

[dvdjunkie]

For Midge and the rest who don't get to the movies on a regular basis, most all of the films nominated this year for Best Picture are currently available or will be available in the coming weeks on DVD, and this would be the time to watch these in the comfort of your own home and make your own decisions.

"Up In The Air" is now available, "Princess and the Frog" will be released this coming Tuesday (March 16), and "The Blind Side" will be released March 23rd. "Avatar" has just been announced for released on DVD and Blu-ray on April 22. "Crazy Heart" with Academy-Award-winning Jeff Bridges, is still in theaters, and no release date for DVD is available.

;D

[Midge]

Thanks, Bill. I almost got to see two of the nominated performances. My friend Beth came to town and we were going to go see The Last Station with Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren. When we arrived at the box office, we discovered that the newspaper listing had misled us, and it wasn't playing after all. We ended up at a different theater where we saw the new Roman Polanski movie, The Ghost Writer, starring Ewan McGregor. It wasn't up for any awards, though.

[Larry's 66 Diner]

My apologies, but I failed to mention here that we did not see the awards.

[Midge]

Mar 16, 2010 22:06:44 GMT -6 Larry's 66 Diner said:

My apologies, but I failed to mention here that we did not see the awards.

You really didn't miss that much.

[dvdjunkie]

This week we can all catch up the movies that were nominated for Academy Awards for 2009, as all but one of them are available to rent on DVD or On Demand.

Tuesday, March 23, "The Blind Side", starring Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock will make its debut on DVD and Blu-ray.

That leaves only "Crazy Heart" the film starring Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges to be released and it hasn't been announced as of yet.

All of the other films can still be seen in theaters or on DVD or Blu-ray.

;D

[Midge]

I think Crazy Heartis still playing in theaters. At least it is where I live.

[dvdjunkie]

Yes it is still playing to "sold out" houses at our theaters here in Wichita. Looking at Coming Soon on the net, it looks like July or August for the DVD release of this really fine movie.

Also I forgot to mention that "AVATAR" is still running in theaters, but has a release date of April 22 on DVD and Blu-ray.

;D

[Hedvig]

I am getting really interested in An Education. I think I might have to order it, since it disappeared pretty quickly from the store. Is that also still running?

[robin]

Like Knighthoods, they give these things away to just about anybody thesedays.

I've never seen - or want to do - any of these films. They are probably so boring and so long that you'd need a packed lunch and sleeping bag to endure them.

ZZZZZZZ....

[dvdjunkie]

Robin, I can tell you that none of these films are boring in the least. None of them have horrible language or things that make your skin crawl. "The Hurt Locker", which won Best Director and Best Picture is probably the most violent of the films, but since it takes place in Baghdad and is based on true facts, it is definitely worth a watch.

"The Blind Side", which Sandra Bullock won the Best Actress Oscar for, is a definite feel good movie that is based on the life of a young uneducated, African-American who was taken in by a well-to-do Southern Matriarch and her family and is a warm, friendly movie that will make you laugh and make you cry, sometimes at the same time. I can highly recommend this one.

"UP", straight from the Disney/Pixar studios, won Best Animated Feature and is just a fabulous movie. Featuring Ed Asner and host of other known voice actors, the story is superb, and the animation is spectacular.

"An Education" is another wonderful feel good movie that I think you would enjoy.

"Avatar", for all of its CGI Animation and Live-Action that are mixed seemlessly, is jaw-dropping in its storyline, and acting, and non-cop-out ending. This film has made over 2.6 billion dollars worldwide and was done by the same director who did "Titanic", James Cameron. See this one for sure, after you have seen the others above.

This year's compilation of movies nominated for Best Picture were truly all deserving of the award, but "The Hurt Locker" reigned superior above all the rest..

;D

[diane]

I am a bit like robin. I haven't been to the movies for a few years - I did see "The
Queen" with Helen Mirren and was completely bowled over by it - it was excellent.
Whenever my husband goes which is not often - about twice a year - the thing
that always concerns him is the length. The other day I was reading a chapter about
Jennifer Jones. It was to do with her film "Since You Went Away" and there was a
big fuss made because at just over 3 hours it was going to be the longest film
since "Gone With the Wind" 6 years previously. I said to Herb - you know some
children's films are that long now. I can remember going to see the first Harry
Potter movie (which I loved) and a woman sitting in front took her children for
a much needed toilet break - missing the crux of the whole movie. I felt so sorry
for her as the film went on and I really feel that films of that length (designed for
children) do need an interval in the middle.
I actually stopped going to movies because I developed a phobia about leaving the
house and while I am not that bad now - I have not been able to go to cinemas (just
in case people thought I was trying to be superior!!!!!)

[Midge]

Diane, I agree about the length of films. Children's movies especially shouldn't be longer than a child's attention span (and bladder capacity).

My husband does not like to go to movies at all. He's not phobic, but he's a confirmed stay-at-home type. There are many days when he doesn't leave the house. I believe the last movie we saw at a theater was Sicko. Luckily I have girlfriends who like to go out and do things with me or I would be bouncing off the walls with boredom.

[diane]

Midge, maybe I have developed into a stay-at-home type, just like your
husband. "Sicko" sounds interesting. I once saw a British documentary
called "Sick" and it was about how different countries cope with health
care - is "Sicko" in a similar vein???

[Midge]

Diane, this thread has veered so far off topic that I have replied to you in a separate thread titled Sicko.