Remember 127 Hours?

It's 127 days until the Oscars. Remember Danny Boyle's 127 Hours in which James Franco sliced off his own arm years before his own career was cut off by allegations of sexual misconduct. Were you into that film at the time? Do you think it deserved its six nominations: Picture, Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Score, Song)?

I believed at the timethat it was in 10th place but its nomination haul was impressive. Now that we're back to a flat 10 for Best Picture (this year will be the first set of ten since that 2010 Oscar race) we can begin wondering which film might overperform on Oscar nomination morning that wouldn't have gotten nearly as fall without the benefit of the Academy having to choose a full top ten.

On This Day: Silly Walks, Full Frontal Oscar Nods, and Bell-Bottoms

Is today your birthday? If so you share it with multiple Oscar nominees and winners, the great John Cleese, the US President with the cutest name, Macy's Department Store and the NYC subway system.

That's quite good company which we'll explore after the jump (warning: one NSFW photo ahead) on this day in showbiz history...

Click to read more ...

Finding Linker-Land

The Film Doctor 10 questions regarding 127 Hours
Cinebeats Tura Satana (RIP)
Slant  new book on Spike Lee's classic Do the Right Thing.
Latino Review EEEeeeee. "Ursa" could be the villainess of the rebooted Superman. Good luck trying to top Sarah Douglas's bitchery in Superman II (1980). Although, I'm heartened that Rosamund Pike is in the running. She deserves a big high profile movie star breakthrough.

Ursa (Sarah Douglas) and Zod (Terence Stamp) in Superman II

Go Fug Yourself reveals their SAG best & worst dressed from their substantial readership polling. Was I supposed to know that Rooney Mara was Kate Mara's sister? The things that slip by you...
Pajiba "Top 5" Stars Unworthy of Their Status
Cinema Blend wonders if James Franco isn't spreading himself dangerously thin. He might be Oz: The Great and Powerful now in addition to nine other projects.
Pop Matters reviews the box set "The Films of Rita Hayworth". Ugh, why didn't I get a copy for review? Incidentally, if you ever happen to see Tonight and Every Night (1945) you'll feel a strange sense of deja vu. It's the same story as Oscar nominee Mrs Henderson Presents (2005) albeit told in a different tone and from a different angle.

Finally, be very afraid: Finding Neverland The Musical is heading your way soon. I'm only joking about being afraid. The songwriting team employed here did the enchanting music to Grey Gardens and Peter Pan is a long time stage tradition so why stop now? Plus, if you think about it certain gaggy, twee or pushily sentimental projects could (hypothetically) work much better with the distance from reality that song and dance can provide in much the same way that animation lowers our guard to things we'd think weren't soggy with sentiment in live action. I actually think that The King's Speech, which I think is a good film but no "best", would make a fine musical; the King doesn't stutter when he sings so right there embedded in your concept is the opportunities to show songs as transcendent rescue from daily troubles.  Sounds perfect for a movie musical... though you'd have to have had a different cast. I'm not sure anyone would have wanted to see/hear Colin Firth (Mamma Mia) or Helena Bonham-Carter (Sweeney Todd) singing again, now would they?

P.S. Unrelated: Pixar's 25th anniversary was just a few days back. Some words coming up this week.

20:10 In Utah No One Can Hear You Scream.

To celebrate the movies of 2010  - the film year ends on Oscar night -- we're freezing the movies at the 20th minute and 10th second to see what's happening. Here is 127 Hours.

Kristiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. Megannnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.

This moment is so good it's in the trailer. Aron Ralston (James Franco) has just realized how damn stuck he really is. It's that freaky zoom out (and up) to leave our outdoorsy hero good and stranded all by his lonesome in the canyons of Utah, screaming himself hoarse for the girls he recently met who have already hiked away.

I figured this was appropriate today since I was just relating how I felt. The 'off my game' has moved from sad to comical on account of the escalation: i just lost my phone. At some point you laugh and then things start getting better. Thank God it's Friday, huh? At least I remembered to hit the record button while interviewing because the way this week was going...

COMING SOON (as soon as we wiggle free): new podcast with the gang, more Film Bitch awards, favorite love scenes for Valentine's week, a Pixar diversion, Ben Affleck, and interviews from the teams behind True Grit, The Social Network and The King's Speech. Stay tuned.

10 Days 'til Nominations (127 Hours?)

The countdown is on...

Today's countdown topic: 127 Hours
It's been falling from punditry favor as fast as James Franco's 'Aron Ralston' dropped down that crevice. But he does that twice in the movie. Will he land in the pool of refreshing Oscar waters in 10 days (like the first drop) with nominations for Picture, Actor and a few techs. Or will this be like that second nastier drop where horrors await (Best Actor only)? I'm thinking it's going to hang on by its fingertips to the former on account of #1 votes; those who love it love it. But I've been wrong before.

How many nominations do you see coming?

FYI: I've added a prediction index for ease of use. See? I listen to y'all! That's why you need to keep commenting. Don't make me feel alone in this virtual world.