"It's a Wonderful Night for Oscar"

And what a Wonderful Night it was!

Not that I did that great in my predictions (see previous post), but in the first year I can remember, more of my Wants won than my Thinks! I honestly have no complaints with the Academy this year. Lest you think this will make for a boring post, keep reading--I'm bound to strike a nerve with my unbridled enthusiasm.

First, Jon Stewart made a strong case for being named permanent host. Sure, the writer's strike gave the proceedings a thrown-together quality, but the key to a good host is not his material, but how he handles the ad-libs. And Jon Stewart did something no host has ever had the cojones to do: he brought a winner back out onstage so she could give her speech without interruption by that idiot conductor with the itchy baton-hand (it's the same guy every year).

I'm sure the director or producer will try to take credit for this impromptu act of generosity, but the fact that it has never been done before is proof that somebody with great instincts has wrestled the telecast away from the heartless hacks who have run it for the past decades (Gil Cates, I'm callin' you out!) Since the courtesy was extended to the Czech singer from my favorite Irish musical "Once," I am doubly pleased.

The awards were spread-out nicely among the deserving nominees, except I would have liked for "The Diving Bell & the Butterfly" to get a statue. "La Vie en Rose" won two, however--who predicted that? Best Actress Marion Cotillard was a charming, gracious winner ... which leads to the second-half of my annual Oscar Recap: my totally-biased, unscientific ...

Best Dressed / Best-Looking List!
I'll say this right at the start: all those people who cannot bring themselves to say anything nice about Renee Zellweger (you know who you are) -- get over it! That talented Texas gal has a 'smoking-hot bod' -- smokin' hot!
6. Kelly Preston - wife of John Travolta
5. Anne Hathaway - red dress, porcelain skin
4. (tie) Penelope Cruz / Jennifer Garner - because these two carried-off the black (and because I'm running out of spots)
3. Amy Adams - green dress, porcelain skin, red hair (great combo!)
2. Katherine Heigl - I cannot deny her old-Hollywood glam!
1. (tie) Keri 'Felicity' Russell & (you guessed it!) Renee Zellweger!
(both wore silver).

This may not be the right time to air this gripe, but I am so sick of hearing (from media types) that the Oscar telecast is "the Super Bowl for women ... and gay men." Where, pray tell, do I fit in to that equation??

OSCAR Want/Think/Winner!

Yes, it's time to make predictions, so without further ado:


Category Want / Think Winner [Pt.]
BEST PICTURE "No Country For Old Men" / "No Country For Old Men" [1]
BEST Director Paul Thomas Anderson "TWBB" / The Coen Bros. "NCFOM" [1]
BEST Actor Daniel Day-Lewis "TWBB" / Daniel Day-Lewis "TWBB" [1]
BEST Actress Marion Cotillard "La Vie en Rose" / Julie Christie "Away from Her" / Marion Cotillard
BEST Supporting Actor Javier Bardem "No Country" / Javier Bardem [1]
BEST Supporting Actress Amy Ryan "Gone Baby Gone" / Cate Blanchett "I'm Not There" / Tilda Swinton "Michael Clayton"
BEST Original Screenplay Diablo Cody "Juno" / Diablo Cody "Juno" [1]
BEST Adapted Screenplay Joel & Ethan Coen / Joel & Ethan Coen "NCFOM"[1]

BEST FOREIGN FILM "Mongol" (KAZ) / "The Counterfeiters" (AUS) [1]


BEST Original Score Dario Marianelli "Atonement" / Atonement [1]
BEST Original Song "Falling Slowly" Once / "Falling Slowly" Once [1]
[these two categories are -- or should be -- locks! And they were!!]

BEST Art Direction Sweeney Todd / There Will Be Blood /Sweeney Todd
BEST Cinematography Diving Bell...Butterfly / Diving Bell / There Will Be Blood
BEST Film Editing Diving Bell...Butterfly / No Country / Bourne
BEST Costume Design La Vie en Rose or Atonement / Atonement / Eliz. 2
BEST Make-up La Vie en Rose / Pirates 3 / La Vie en Rose
BEST Visual Effects The Golden Compass / Pirates 3 / The Golden Compass
BEST Sound Mixing Bourne or 3:10 to Yuma / Bourne [1]
BEST Sound Editing There Will Be Blood / No Country / Bourne
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
BEST ANIMATED FILM "Persepolis" / "Ratatouille" [1]
Best Documentary Feature "Sicko " / "No End in Sight" / Taxi to the Dark Side

I just experienced the greatest concert of my life...

. . . and I wasn't even there!

Before you say to yourself 'foreignfilmguy is tripping,' let me explain: I plunked down $13.50 to see an IMAX movie last Saturday night at 11:30pm, and it was worth every penny! Because it was "U2: 3D" The concert event of a lifetime!

Why? Because you get more than a front row seat: you actually get to reach out and touch the performers! On more than one occasion I wanted to: 1) wipe the sweat off of Adam Clayton's brow; or 2) reach out and touch fingers with BONO his-own-self! You are literally closer than any front row seat would provide (and those 3D glasses really work ... even though they've had 40 years to perfect the technology, you still have to wear cheap plastic glasses).

Also better than a real concert, you don't have to deal with the crowds, the smoke, the interminable wait for the show to start, or the dreaded 'new material.' Instead, U2 3D gives you their greatest hits, one after the other, without let up. I had chills up my spine during BOTH "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day" (my two faves). Except for maybe one song towards the end that drags (I won't say which one), there is not a weak moment in the entire show. [True confessions: I was late to the screening, so I missed half of "Beautiful Day" and all of "Vertigo."]

One minor drawback kept this from being the perfect concert-going experience: this South American chick who was sitting right in front of me kept standing up and waving her arms. And she wouldn't sit down!! [I was going to say something to her afterwards, but as soon a the movie was over, she was gone.]

I cannot close this review without giving credit where it is due: a week ago I got this email: 'Hey! Everybody stop what you're doing, find the nearest IMAX theater that's showing U2 3D and go there and experience it for yourself. You'll be blown completely away. And for the rest of your life you'll say to yourself "I sure am thankful Bum recommended I [see] that."' (And this from a guy who recommend I go see 'In the Shadow of the Moon.' That's what I'll remember for the rest of my life, Bum!!)