Randomness: Oscars, Silents, Women Helmers, Loser Gifs

Salon on the reinvention of Brad Pitt. Good history piece / career overview
Vulture Best Pictures as infographics
Pajiba "interviews" Amanda Seyfried about her latest hacktress movie Gone.
NPR Monkey See smart provocative piece on the politics of Warrior (2011)
New York 100 pictures of Meryl Streep through the years. She ages backwards in this gallery
IMDb a gallery of your acting nominees in and out of character

My New Plaid Pants has my favorite "which is hotter?" of all time featuring (American Psycho)
Low Resolution's top ten films of 2011. Not your average top 10 list.
Some Came Running objects to the frequent comparisons of Singin' in the Rain and The Artist
Sunset Gun, now married to Guy Maddin -- is this the first time a film critic has married a director? trivia experts? -- explains his latest project, seances if you will to remake lost silent films.
Booby Finger How To Watch The Oscars a very snarky guide if you're into that sorta thing

Film Festivals Are Infinite
With Skyfall just around the corner I find myself thinking of 007 James Bond quite often and then Pierce Brosnan popped up in my inbox. Have you ever heard of Cinemagic? It's a film festival / workshop type thing for young people interested in filmmaking. (I'm reasonably confident that someone starts a new film festival every day of each year in the 21st century; they are infinite). It's Irish born but it's been expanding and Pierce Brosnan is a celebrity supporter.

Should I revisit all the Bond films this year. I'm torn on how to honor the 50th anniversary.

Our Apologies To 50% of the World's Population
Between the still pervasive global problems of sexist, patriarchal and theocratic governments and cultures and religions that love to treat women like shit, and the latest hypocrisies of the ever sick-making US Republican party ("we believe in small government except when it comes to war-making and your personal morality so hold still while we insert this probe into your vagina without your consent!") women just can't catch a break lately. So why not share this video from IndieWire's Women in Hollywood blog about the female directed movies Oscar didn't love.

It's interesting how many quality female-helmed films there were this past year and I absolutely support the notion that we need more female directors. But I also think it's worth being realistic and saying that none of these films would have won Oscar attention even if their directors had penises. Not that kind of movie(s).

Sally Kirkland when Cher wins. Love ya, SallyWhat you still need more Oscarable links? Jesus!
24 Frames interesting bit about Alfre Woodard's activism within AMPAS
Vulture Best Pictures as infographics
In Contention Guy defends The Artist ... and has money on it.
Gawker on Netflix user reviews of Best Pictures
Slate Acceptance Speeches! Yes, I linked / wrote it but wheeee interactive

Finally... fourfour has a "how they lost" an animated gif wall of Oscar name-reading and the instant smiling that follows. I don't know what caused it but I kind of think nominees are better at hiding their feelings in today's Oscar world which makes it less fun.

Naturally I love this gif wall though my favorite isn't listed. So here it is again for you because it's my preferred method of self-flagellation.

I love you Kathleen!

I'm aware that this post is extremely scattered but it's the day before the Oscars. I'm all over the place with anxiety!

Red Carpet Sans Chatter. And Michelle Williams.

So busy online with Oscar speeches, final predictions, and sprucing up the Oscar charts for posterity (ongoing though now you can see results of the reader's polls -- that's you! -- in the big six categories) and so busy offline with [insert non-cinematic things here, mostly involving earning moneys to keep this cinematic blog going] that we never had a chance to talk movie event fashions in the buildup to Oscar.

So herewith, talented beauties at recent premieres, awards nights and festivals we meant to chatter about. ...presented without chatter (though maybe you'll add some).

Marcia Gay Harden, Sandy Powell and Rooney Mara at the CDG Awards. Penelope Ann Miller & Missi Pyle (who we were just monologuing with) at a Hollywood Reporter Pre-Oscar event.

Sibel Kekilli, Léa Seydoux (did you love her in M:I-GP? I totes did), Christina Ricci and Charlotte Gainsbourg at Berlinale.

Malin Akerman and Jennifer Aniston at the LA premiere of Wanderlust and Angelina Jolie and Michelle Williams at different premieres in France.

*

Presented without chatter not in honor of a certain buzzing silent film, just for lack of time. It seemed wasteful to not share the photos after editing.

Presented without chatter but for to say, Christina Ricci!!! Post Pan Am won't someone give that career a solid role again. Also: Michelle Williams and Angelina Jolie both sure surprised with more extravagant (for them) looks. We'll see half of them again at the Oscars. Who is going to wear what? Can't wait.

P.S. Care to guess what color / style Michelle Williams wears on Oscar night? She's already burned through black, pink, blue, red, and an array of champagney off white. Though black and white paired seems to be the preferred fall back. Winner wins bragging rights and... something. She's less predictable with the palette than Rooney & Glenn & Meryl among the non-Viola Best Actress nominees.

Final Oscar Predictions: Oui, It's "The Artist"

We'll talk more this weekend but I want to get this posted. I'll be applauding loudly when The Artist wins. Everyone always complains that Oscar doesn't appreciate comedies and then when they do, everyone always screams "trifle!" with holier than thou disgust; the Academy can't win! But this (presumed) winner is a beauty. All twinkly-eyed, big hearted and (mostly) light on its feet. The only real question seems to be how many Oscars will it win. I'm guessing seven... though three of those guesses are easy to see flopping (Actor, Costumes, Cinematography). I don't see it any scenario where it wins Art Direction, Supporting Actress or Screenplay so I'm guessing seven is the maximum. Since you can make such a viable argument for literally any of the five nominees to win Costume Design, I'm guessing the showiness / baitiness of all of them will tip things ever so slightly into the Artist column, which is also I think what's going in Cinematography. I just can't quite believe that "El Chivo" will finally win the gold he's deserved for so long (the latest chance being with The Tree of Life). I've highlighted the true nailbiter categories in red; if you get them right you win the Office Pool.

Best Picture
Will Win: The Artist
Spoiler: The Descendants and The Help are the only films with spoiler heat but even if you try and talk yourself into them, you think you're lying right?
Should Win: Haters gon' hate but The Artist is a beautiful funny rare gift. 

Best Director
Will Win: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Spoiler: Martin Scorsese started precursor season strong with Hugo but the movie has been cooling so I have to wonder if it isn't Alexander Payne in second position for The Descendants
Should Win: I'll clap loudly for Hazanavicius but if they decide not to give the Artist everything, a surprise career win for Terrence Malick would be delicious

all categories after the jump...

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2 Days Till Oscar. Speech! Speech! Speech!

If you've been wondering what sent me into such a flashback mode these past two weeks prior to Oscar night, the answer can now be revealed.

I've been in my gold plated Oscar Laboratory crunching a ton of data for this Acceptance Speech Analysis at Slate. It's my first piece for Slate and it's even got fancy interactive infographics courtesy of Natalie Matthews-Ramos. Fun that they found a Natalie to accompany me, yes? 

It’s my firm belief that what comes out in the moment—or doesn’t—is a true reflection of feeling, whether the speech feels rehearsed and polished or immediate and spazzy. And in Hollywood—and what’s more Hollywood than the Oscars?—billing matters.

I'm so proud of it I think somebody should give me a trophy so that I can cry, shake, tremble and forget who I should be thanking on Oscar weekend. Well, all of you reading daily, for sure.

Go read it and share with everyone you'd thank on the big night.

The Girl With the CDG Statue

Awwwww, Clint Eastwood looks so happy at the Costume Design Guild Awards. They were honoring Deborah Hopper (second from left) and the man himself with their "Distinguished Collaborator" Award. (Many of the guilds like to honor directors outside their own profession at their particular ceremonies... but we like this joint award definition since films are such team efforts.) 

This photo is giving me such 2003 flashbacks with Mystic River's Marcia Gay Harden and The Last Samurai's Ken Watanabe all snuggled up with Clint and Deborah.

Strangely Hopper has never been Oscar nominated despite working with such an Oscar magnetized director. Not even those cloche hats from Changeling won her a shortlist spot. She's been working with Clint since Space Cowboys (2000).

This year's winners, more photos, and a fun "Revenge" moment after the jump.

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