"I Have a Link!" "Yes You Do."
Monday, January 31, 2011 at 10:00AM 
The Pixar Blog Toy Story 3 gets a huge billboard in LA.
Basket of Kisses John Barry, oft-Oscared composer passed away at 77. RIP. True story: When I first became obsessed with the movies in the mid 80s, Out of Africa was one of the first LP film scores I ever bought.
The Telegraph Should you revisit beloved Disney films from childhood? Retrospectives have Tim Robey wondering. I've been contemplating revisiting the Disney oeuvre myself.
Your Movie Buddy plays an Oscar nominee name game. Love the finale.
The House Next Door 'The Conversations' takes on Coen Bros True Grit What's the hashtag for this? Oh yes, #longreads
Cinema Blend offers up a Sundance Sales Guide. I've been waiting for someone to compile this rather than report solely on them as they happen. Thank you!
Kenneth in the (212) lusts after Henry Cavill, our new Superman. Agreed that Cavill (of The Tudors fame) is a fine specimen but Brandon Routh was so perfect in Superman Returns. And his recent cameo in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was so funny that I longed ridiculously for him to take back up the cape.
Boy Culture I've been so consumed with awards season I keep missing other stuff. Like Geri from The Facts of Life coming out of the closet. She can't even walk straight!
It's Bertie's World. You're Just Living In It.
Playbill The King's Speech was conceived as a play and may head to the stage.
Gawker The Best Picture nominees in Legos. Figures that TKS is the most boring one (but I love the one for 127 Hours.)
"why should i waste my time listening to you?" "BECAUSE I HAVE A VOICE"
Finally, Tom Shone, a critic I personally love, has an unfortunate affection for The King's Speech. But his piece about the Oscar race upheaval and the falsity of projected versions of Oscar as either old fuddy duddies or young hepcats is fun.
The academy haven't lost their taste for Oscar bait. They just haven't been let near a healthy enough specimen. They're like drunks who've managed to stay dry for several years not because they have lost their taste for alcohol but because nobody has offered them a drink.
Though I warn you: this may be a depressing read if you've been convincing yourself that the Academy has changed due to the last few winners.
Oscars (10), Superman, The King's Speech, animated films
Reader Comments (13)
Very sad news about the film composer John Barry.
Please check out my own tribute at http://adventures-in-couchsitting.blogspot.com/
All the best.
Jon
Count me in as a fuddy duddy rooting for TKS.
(Well, actually, I'm just rooting against The Social Network and The King's Speech happens to have the best chance among the nominees of taking away their Oscar.)
Oh. That explains everything. The King's Speech is a bad stage to film adaptation (meaning a bad adaptation of a much better stage show) that skipped the stage part so people couldn't just say "they moved the play into real world settings and changed nothing else." Gotcha. I'd love that stuff on stage where I don't mind if an intimate story has no stakes other than clever wordplay and great acting.
I wouldn't worry about the tastes of the Academy that much. I doubt The Hurt Locker was a choice in the absence of anything more baity.
I've said it before and I will say it again: TKS should be/have been a musical. As it is, it's just dull.
James T -- that's actually a brilliant suggestion. Because the songs would be ABOUT transcending our verbal limitations which is secretly what musical songs are always about... something one can't express in normal life.
Why is it that if some one likes something you don't it's "unfortunate?"
Get off your damned high horse you fucking loser.
Has any pointed out the parallels between the succession storyline "The King's Speech" and the movie's sudden replacement of "The Social Network" as the Best Picture-to-be? I find it hilarious, if sad.
Mr. 9, we're all just stating our opinions. Nothing more, nothing less.
I am actually rewatching the Disney 50 right now. I plan on ranking all 50 films when done!
Why is The Social Network so bad? I guess: 1. It's cold (cynical). Wake up and smell the John Huston folks. 2. It has small stakes. (Arbitrary criticism. If you think about all movies in the most basic terms possible, everything has small stakes.) 3. Zuckerberg's a d-bag, which means it's a bad movie. Can I just say it again: Wake up and smell the John Huston. In the major John Huston movies (Falcon, Madre, Man Who Would Be King), you (first it's an amoral private dick) don't (then a greedy propspective prospector) really (then a couple of moronic imperialists) like the leads.
I don't think that The Social Network is a bad film by any means. It's a very good film. Just overrated, that's all.
Just stating my opinion; nothing more, nothing less.
I never understood how people can claim the Academy changed their tastes. What is this based off of? They've always voted with their hearts. When I say hearts I don't mean that they need to have a sympathetic character or like them or what have you, it just means that they vote for the film that made them FEEL something. They havfe to be moved somehow, and it isn't only "oscar bait" that does that, plenty of good films that people don't perceive as oscar bait can do that.
As a young fuddy duddy I'm rooting for The King's Speech. The Social Network was entertaining and well made but ultimately never kept me interested in the story or characters. It was sort of like a long episode of some TV show I got to watch at the cinema. The King's Speech was witty and very moving. It's Oscar bait but with class and worth. I'd like to see something like that win Best Picture because it's brings me back to those old Oscar winning movies. It has a heart but it also very beautiful. Great art direction to boot.
p.s. Not keep on hating because I do really like The Social Network.. but TSN is the most boring lego recreation. Just saying.