Link Shelf
Monday, February 10, 2014 at 7:32PM Can we talk about the official Oscar site for a minute? The past few years they've really improved it but some things are questionable. Like their live blog of the nominee luncheon being just a series of photos or this weird article about the biggest Oscar surprises evers that seeks to rewrite history and imagine a world where everyone didn't know that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were winning Screenplay for Good Will Hunting. LMFAO. Everyone knew that. But I have to say that I love their nominee questionnaire. Especially the handwritten responses from various celebrities and filmmakers.
Okay, Links
Pajiba Fox News' hilariously dumb war against the "anti-capitalist" The LEGO Movie. Hahaha. I swear they get dumber every year over there and they were pretty stoopid to begin with
Glenn Dunks Laura Dern's greatest faces
i09 the cast of Frozen, including Idina, did a live concert. Will Disney finally wise up and realize original voice recordings are better than overproduced lame pop versions of the song?
/Film Weinstein Co drops a lot of money on Imitation Game (2014). We already thought it was an Oscar contender and this confirms it
Oh and have you seen McConaughey on Graham Norton talking about his Wolf of Wall Street chant? For some reason Julianne Moore is there, too, and eager to hear it. (I missed this episode, obviously)
Cinema Blend Anne Hathaway considering taking the lead role in The Intern, vacated by Reese Witherspoon opposite Robert DeNiro (but why are there two recent comedies about middle aged or senior guys doing internships -- is this a business trend I'm unaware of or just Hollywood being dumb?)
Grantland Mark Harris on Oscar season turning ugly
Pillow Tweets [NSFW] W Magazine has compiled a bunch of photos of stars in various states of undress with their white sheets and pillows including current Oscar nominee Pharrell Williams, increasingly naked Miley Cyrus, Joe Manganiello, noted homosexual Luke Evans and many more.
BOOKS!
I wanted to take the time out to congratulate some online writer friends. Manuel Muñoz's first full novel "What You See in the Dark" was inspired by and evolves as kind of an adjacent story to the making of Hitchcock's Psycho (we've discussed it a few times because it's awesome) and it's now been translated into French - here's a review if you're a francophone! Christopher Smith, who once upon a time vouched for me for BFCA membership, left film reviewing to become a best-selling novelist.He just keeps churning them out!
But the real reason I'm posting this is three more online friends have new books out or arriving soon! Kenneth in the (212) wrote the pop culture saturated memoir "Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful?" which is available now. Dan Callahan, who was delighted when we coined the term 'actressexual' here (and definitely is one) has previously written a book on Barbara Stanwyck. His new book is "A Life of Vanessa Redgrave" which doesn't arrive until May but I have a delicious looking copy on my coffee table because I am special. And last but not least, the Self Styled Siren (a must read blogger for you fans of classic cinema) also has a book coming out later in 2014 though I don't think we're allowed to share details just yet. Be assured that we'll discuss it when it arrives. I am officially now the only reasonably-somewhat-sort-of-well-known blogger I've ever met who never got a book deal. I am officially also quite happy for all of them. Well done!
Reader Comments (16)
Nathaniel, the biggest surprises video is only available in the United States, which I find hilarious and kinda stupid. Could you, or anyone else here, say which ones they list as the surprises? Thanks!
Of course Sally Hawkins filled out her nominee questionnaire in light blue marker and covered the entire page with text. I would have been surprised if she didn't write an essay for each answer.
And they said Kathryn Bigelow winning Best Director for The Hurt Locker was one of the top 5 surprises in Oscar history? Sheesh. That was just 4 years ago. There's no excuse for not remembering that she was a lock for at least 2 months beforehand.
Nathaniel (and fellow commenters) in this Oscar thread, can we jump start the Oscar drinks/appetizers theme? My friends and I are having trouble. We did come up with the drink: "Guava"ty, gauva rum meets Elmer Fudd = our Best Pic frontrunner. But we are stumped on other appetizers thus far (last year's Argochoke dip, Mango Unchained were too easy). Suggestions? We tend to keep it to Best Picture themed puns.
Edwin, I tend to think we are the obsessed. Most people in my social circle didn't know Bigelow/Cameron were married until Oscar weekend; clearly not clued in on PGA/DGA sweep.
There's a typo in the non-handwritten questionnaire responses. Namely, both Jared Leto and Michael Fassbender are listed as being nominated for "supporting actor in a leading role." I'd make a joke about category fraud, but neither of them fits the description, so it doesn't apply here. When I first noticed it on Fassbender's questionnaire I thought it was him not knowing the name of the category, but when I saw the same thing on Leto's, I realized it was actually a mistake on the part of whoever typed up the non-handwritten responses.
Also, Sally Hawkins is adorable. After reading her responses, I really wish she would write an autobiography.
With Can A Song Save Your Life and The Imitation Game so close to each other, is Keira Knightley becoming a Harvey girl?
Yes to the food-themed Best Picture nominees suggestion! I try to do this every year and we need to get a TFE suggestion thread going if Nat chooses to offer any suggestions in a post.
I also loved those hand-written notes. So interesting to see that most of them are waiting by there computers to find out. I guess I would be doing the same thing, but usually people act so modest and humble about it when asked.
OMG! A life of Vanessa Redgrave. Why didn't I think of that?
everyone -- i have taken your notes and yes we should do an oscar party suggestion post. let me think it over.
So I guess Cumberbatch is an early front runner for next year's Best Actor race? It does feel like his time to get a nomination now.
Biggest Oscar surprises: Bradley Cooper cites Glenda Jackson as an inspiration in his questionnaire. If I wasn't a fan before, I am now...
Edwin: You'd have certainly been justified to make a joke like that if that typo was on Barkhad Abdi's or Bradley Cooper's. (He's one of the three narrators. If he had no narration, I could buy viewing him as a supporting (borderline lead even without it, but okay) and intepreting ONLY Bale and Adams as the leads, but the presence of it, in my eyes, forces me to view him as a co-lead actor.)
Graham Norton episode with Mcconaughey and Moore was awesome - she was there promoting some movie she did with Neeson, that looks idiotic.
According to Vulture if Let it go wins the Oscar, Anderson Lopez, the song writer will become the youngest EGOT winner.
http://www.vulture.com/2014/02/sneak-peek-at-what-frozen-could-be-on-broadway.html
jtagliere - I keep trying to think of something using phyllo (or filo) dough for Philomena. Phyllo-mena...cream cheese bites? Something like that. Obviously I'm terrible at these.
Also, the obvious: Dallas Buyers Club sandwiches.