Monthly Archives: February 2007

February 28, 2007 · 11:37 pm

Lost – “Tricia Tanaka is Dead”

Hurley’s back stories have always been related to his curse, his involvement with the numbers, and the effect on his personal life. The problem, however, is that every episode feels somewhat the same because of this, and unless they bring a lot to the table in terms of the numbers they don’t seem important enough in the big scheme of things.

This week’s episode was structured much like the others, as his past experience gives Hurley some much-needed motivation on the island. This is quite similar to Hurley’s spreading of the food within the hatch at a point in the 2^nd season, and it just felt a bit too samey on the whole. I guess that there’s only so many inanimate objects they can randomly find on the island before I feel that things are a bit too contrived.

That being said, it was certainly entertaining, and it did a good job of balancing Hurley’s story with that of Sawyer and Kate. A lot was done in terms of character with Jin/Sun, Charlie/Desmond, and the two main plotlines. The ending of the episode even provided us with some good plot advancement, as well as a chance for Locke and Sayid to finally say something important for the first time since Eko was killed.

Speaking of the end of the episode, I’ve been saying this for weeks: Alex is absolutely Rousseau’s daughter, but I really don’t know how Ben fits into the whole situation. Was it just an adoption of convenience, or is there more to the story than we’re aware of? Rousseau was the one to find and capture Ben in the jungle, so he can’t be Alex’s real father…but yet something still tells me there’s more to see here. This would certainly throw Ben’s situation into the forefront, and it makes me want to see Ben’s back story that much more…which I guess is a victory for the show’s storytelling.

It’s not a bad episode, actually quite good in terms of character moments and writing. There was some funny moments with Sawyer and Jin, and it worked well. I guess that, after so many episodes with The Others, it was weird to get a “normal” episode of Lost. Part of me missed Ben and Juliet, and felt that we’d seen all of this before. This may put me into the minority, but don’t get me wrong: it was a good hour of television.

Check after the jump for a recap of the whole episode, in case you missed anything. Continue reading →

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February 28, 2007 · 1:33 pm

Smarter Kids TV for Smarter Kids: Disney’s ‘The Weekenders’

Now, while a majority of my blog posts tend to be grounded fairly in the present, I want the opportunity to today go out on a bit of a retrospective. You see, while I’m now “grown up,” I have a certain affinity for children’s television. During those after school hours of four to six every weekday, it was easy to find a TV show that wasn’t too deep, too dramatic, or too boring. Instead, it was about shows that were fun, light-hearted and helped expunge the feeling of learning right out of you.

In watching these shows, however, I realized that they weren’t just fun, but that they were also smart. This distinction, one that took me quite long to accomplish, opened my eyes to one of the harsh realities to anyone’s childhood. You see, in retrospect, I realized that a large majority of the cartoons that I enjoyed as a kid…I don’t remember them being this smart. I remember much more mindless television, television that I entertained me without stimulating my mind in any fashion.

This is not to say there isn’t a place for that kind of television, I would argue that it still exists today in some forms. Perhaps the most apt example would be the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who will be seen in just a month on the big screen with TMNT. The show was so simple, so based on action and humour, that it never really did anything on multiple levels. Power Rangers was much the same (Although far inferior to the beloved Turtles) in that nothing it did feels like smart television in retrospect. When I look back and realize that these are the shows that are most remembered from my childhood, I’m not entirely sure I’m happy with that.

As a result, it is my belief that I have spent a great deal of my late teenage and adult years searching for shows that perhaps provide what I now believe I should have desired while watching Jason turn into the Green Ranger with his crazy Godzilla flute. And, in doing so, the funny thing is I’m remembering shows that I did kind of like that were, in fact, working on higher levels. Maybe it’s a defect of my memory, but while my younger years were no doubt lacking in such stimuli some of my later childhood memories actually involve shows that better fit into my formula.

And so begins “Smarter Kids’ TV Shows for Smarter Kids,” a series devoted to bringing to light some of these shows for a new generation of kids (as well as, since I’m doubting that my readership is made up of a lot of parents or small children, a trip down nostalgia lane for the rest of us). With the advent of DVD making these shows available, and even the introduction of YouTube providing a platform for some of these programs, now is the time to perhaps make up for some of the deficiencies in today’s Kids’ TV landscape (High School Musical, I’m looking in your sugary direction) and make sure that the defining TV shows (Because, like it or not, it will happen) in kids’ lives are smart, witty and still a whole lot of fun.

Smarter Kids TV Show for Smarter Kids #1:

Disney’s ‘The Weekenders’

In Bahia Bay, there is a Pizza place. This is no ordinary pizza place, as every so often it changes itself entirely. One moment is it Sherlock Pizza where you must follow clues to find your pepperoni and cheese hidden in a briefcase. The next week you might find that it has changed into Deep Dish 9, or Slice Capades. This constant revolving door of pizza places is normal, expected in the world of Disney’s The Weekenders, and is just one of its quirks that make it perhaps one of the best designed Kids’ TV shows I’ve ever seen. Continue reading →

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February 27, 2007 · 11:14 pm

I’m Smarter than “Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader?”

The entire experience of watching “Are you smarter than a 5^th Grader?” was one of those moments where my anger bubbled over, and blogging became the only way of getting rid of the excess frustration over this particular television program. The show is operating on a principle that no, viewers aren’t actually smarter than 5^th graders, because if they’re expecting me to not wretch watching this program they’re underestimating my intelligence.

It’s not the questions that are the problem, although to be entirely honest with you I refuse to believe that some of these questions are actually taught in grade school. And, I kind of love that it’s only a half hour long, which is pretty much the best possible length for something like this. The premise of the show really isn’t a problem either, considering that it’s always fun to compare adults to children. However, you see, they’re not your everyday children.

I read a piece while experimenting with Digg earlier today where it was revealed that the casting process for the 5^th Graders was decided based, primarily, on whether or not they held a SAG card. Then, if they weren’t actually smart, they would help them through a quiz ahead of time in order to prep them for the show itself. I approached this with some skepticism, especially since I had not really read up on the show much, but they couldn’t possibly have done this…could they?

Well, while I have no official confirmation, if those kids weren’t actors I’m dumber than every fifth grader in North America. One by one they played to the crowd, laughed at each other’s answers as if they were schoolyard chums, and each in turn knew the answer to every single question. Luke, a pretentious little bugger who finished out the half hour, was the worst offender: terrible little laughs, smug looks and a sense that he was the fifth grader sent from heaven.

Now, I’m not too worried about the “real” kids who got lost along the way in the audition process, and let’s face it: the show isn’t exactly high-concept, so it doesn’t really affect its legitimacy. However, it just doesn’t make for good television; in fact, it was purely grating. While the general quiz show formula works, it doesn’t when the kids are so damn smug, so “perfect,” that there’s no real reason to watch. Are we watching to see people humiliated, or are we watching to see people succeed?

The line is so unclear, so grey, that I think it ruins any of its appeal. These kids are pure actors, and it’s almost like they’re in on the joke. If they were real kids, at least they wouldn’t be so energetic and high-fivey, which I think is perhaps the most frustrating part of the entire experience. I should really be able to let it go, it’s just another trashy game show, but the whole thing was just so absolutely asinine that I must rant about it. For the love of all things good, stay away from this when the 2nd part airs tomorrow night.

The Superpower Bauer Hour Showdown: Week Six

Only two more weeks of the SBHS remain before Heroes goes on an extended hiatus and the Jack Bauer Power Hour returns. I haven’t quite figured out how I’m handling that, or the fact that Global is now airing Heroes on Sunday nights, but for now let’s stick to our formula. Actually, speaking of formulas, pay close attention to Round Three of this week’s showdown.

Round One: Overall Quality

24 has officially found itself in the middle of its usual 2nd Quarter lull. Much similar to Tony’s return to the show in Season Four, the return to Logan is fine from a character standpoint but lacks a whole lot of drama for me. There was a great moment where he selected an American flag pin out of his box, and the character’s motivations were always compelling, but his turnaround from bumbling idiot to mastermind of last season’s plot wasn’t believable then and it isn’t believable now. I like the character, I like Gregory Itzin’s performance, and I liked the drama that was created through the character of Martha Logan as well.

However, his character shift midseason was just too unbelievable, and it’s hurting my ability to take his current situation seriously. It seems all too convenient, too insular; would a President in that position seriously get house arrest without any public knowledge of the actions at hand? How would that not leak out in this day and age except in some sort of heavily censored media? I know that Surnow’s a conservative, but I didn’t have him pegged for a Stalinist as well.

The rest of the episode centered on Morris’ alcoholism (Snore) and the plot to kill President Palmer. My biggest problem with this storyline is how isolated it all is. We’ve got a boiler room and a small conference room within the presidential bunker, having lost all of the scale of the show entirely. Jack and Logan were isolated in the ranch (Still a great set, but it’s limiting), and CTU seemed smaller than usual. It just felt like this was a complete budget saving episode outside of the explosion at the end, and even that had no emotional resonance. This week’s episode of Battlestar Galactica was similarly small scale in many ways, but it had real ramifications. This was all too pedestrian, and when the bomb went off at the end and Assad was killed and Palmer not…it was just blah.

Heroes, on the other hand, was most certainly the best hour of television that Tim Kring and company have produced thus far. Written by Bryan Fuller (‘Wonderfalls’), the episode was everything an hour of television should be. It was tense, suspenseful, explosive, detailed, nuanced, emotional, expository (In a good way) and even connected some unexpected dots such as the core roles of both George Takei and Christopher Eccelston to the main storyline. On top of all of this, it was most important the indepth characterization of the man we once knew as Horn-Rimmed Glasses.

We got more details regarding Mr. Bennet this week than in the rest of the series combined, and we still don’t even know his first name. We gained a better understanding of how he had entered into his job at “Primatech,” and his relationship to Claire and its development over the years. His motives suddenly make sense; he was going after Chandra Suresh because he represented a threat to his daughter’s secret. The idea that he’s just an employee makes perfect sense, and fits in with his character motivations, and his relationship with the Haitian makes a whole lot of sense.

However, even forgetting the amazingly constructed back story of Mr. Bennet, the show also did great things for the character of Matt Parkman. The character has been floundering, but it has now found itself both a source of income and a purpose. Parkman is the perfect candidate for the buddy program, and I think that his dynamic with Bennet could bring his storyline some purpose and give us a chance to enter new and better territory on a regular basis. Because, if they can emulate the success of this episode, they’re on the right path.

I’ll say it right now: this episode will be the one that gives them a chance at being nominated for an Emmy. NBC is going to have a tough choice, as they have Heroes as the buzzworthy drama and Friday Night Lights as the critically acclaimed one. Between last weekend FNL and this week’s Heroes, NBC is in a fine awards position. This episode should also, if there is justice in Emmy nominations, find itself a writing one as well; Bryan Fuller must be commended for his amazing work.

Round Two: Ratings

First off, for those interested, the Black Donnellys premiere drew worse than the Studio 60 premiere did back in the fall, so…ouch. However, on the Heroes/24 side of things…

NBC’s “Heroes,” 8.4/13, took second for the hour, ahead of “24,” 7.9/12,

It’s the usual victory for Heroes, likely in 18-49 as well although more detailed numbers are not available and I’m tired of waiting. We’ll see how this survives after Heroes’ hiatus.

Round Three: Deviations of Formula

It’s something that 24 has struggled with, although with perhaps better success than we all predicted after the show’s first season. Once you pick a formula (See: Jack Bauer saving the world, one terrorist at a time) and run with it, it becomes more and more difficult to deviate from that construct. 24 has choreographed itself so consistently over the years that it’s sometimes a bit of a drag to watch week by week.

This week was an example of this. Jack spent the hour changing clothes at Logan’s estate for the next stage of his journey, his next setpiece if you will. President Palmer faced a threat to his presidency, which always has to occur at a stage like this. The formula dictates that there’s a shakeup at this point, and that there’s a shift signaled by the arrival of Logan. A similar shift occurred in season four when Tony returned, and the story moved in his direction as opposed to the storyline abandoned at that nameless facility Jack had infiltrated.

While last season was perhaps the show’s greatest move away from this formula yet, with the very personal and character based story of the Logans as its centre, this season is right back into the transition episodes and the same rotating pivotal character structure. This isn’t a bad thing, don’t get me wrong, but it makes things really predictable. I could have downright written this episode myself, to be honest with you; there was nothing that stood out, nothing that really resonated, no moment that made me look past the formula.

What made it perhaps worse is that I had watched last night’s episode of Heroes before 24, and therefore was fully behind moving away from formula. For those who enjoyed last night’s episode of Heroes, let’s remain aware of the fact that it will likely never be this good again. We still have to deal with the character of Niki on a regular basis, and the nature of the ensemble cast means that things will always be spread too thin. One of the reason Lost’s back stories work is that they allow for characterization (Note: My Z key is finicky, so why do I keep using words with the letter in them?) that is normally impossible in an ensemble drama. Too many of these characters are two-dimensional, lacking the kind of history that Claire and her father have within this universe.

Which is why I hope that Heroes has learned its lesson. While large ensemble episodes like next week’s have their role, let’s remember that any good drama is dependent on strong characters to relate to audiences. They need to be willing to deviate from their formula with episodes like this on a regular basis. The formula of 24 is often so rigid, so predictable, that it can drag down even some of the best acting on TV from Kiefer Sutherland. Heroes can’t get itself into that pattern. I often worry that they “To Be Continued” banner could lead to an attempt to build a cliffhanger into every episode, but this week ignored that entirely and had a fairly resolute ending anyways. Heroes needs to be careful not to fall into the same trap as 24, and to be willing to extend itself like this more often.

Now, all of that being said, let’s end the suspense and get to this week’s winner… Continue reading →

Let’s Talk About NBC’s The Black Donnellys

I’ll admit to being a fan of Studio 60, and during the summer it was by far my favourite pilot out of those I had the pleasure to watch during my spare time. However, it’s now officially lost favour, and last week aired what could be its last episode ever. It is, at the very least, its last episode in this timeslot for the next few months as The Black Donnellys takes its place.

Originally planned to be taking over ER’s timeslot, NBC got too excited about ER’s strong hold in the timeslot and put The Black Donnellys on the back burner. The show was originally conceived a decade ago, when Paul Haggis was just another Canadian TV writer. Now, oscar-winning Paul Haggis has a bit more clout, and thus we get the show entering into the post-Heroes slot at 10pm EST.

Now, I watched the pilot back over the summer, and to be entirely honest with you I enjoyed it. I thought the premise was good, the action palpable, and I thought it did an amazing job of “setting the stage” with a stunning final sequence punctuated by the use of The Arcade Fire’s “Rebellion (Lies).” It was a powerful scene that likely clouded my judgment of the rest of the Pilot, but it’s still a solid piece of work. This being said, keep a few things in mind when watching this evening (What are you going to watch instead? What About Brain? Please.) Continue reading →

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February 26, 2007 · 2:01 am

Talkin’ Oscar: Retrospective and Review

Four hours, twenty minutes, 16 out of 24 predictions (66.6% accuracy rate, not bad) and 7,398 liveblog words later, Oscar night is over. Marty finally won his Oscar, and Peter O’Toole was left out in the cold as the Academy preferred heroin-addled grandfather to creepy old pervert. The Actresses long anointed to victory took to the stage with grace, and the Oscars went Green with victories for both Al Gore and climate-conscious penguins. And, despite a few surprises, the moral of the story was “Go Green, Go Safe.” This was the story of the 79^th Academy Awards.

Ellen Degeneres is a fantastic talk show host, but she isn’t an awards show host. Her monologue was tepid, her gags clichéd. And yet, due to her general nature, the end result was an engaging host who was capable of breaking the tension and the monotony. With the Supporting acting awards pushed later into the evening, it was necessary for Ellen to break up the technical awards, along with some elaborate staging for Costume Design. Through it all, Ellen elevated her constructs with her good nature and adlibbing abilities. Throwing her into the crowd is something that could kill a host dead, but she handled her screenplay gag with Marty and her picture with Clint with ease, especially when giving Spielberg Framing tips. As the show started to wear down on us with video packages, she knew that her job was to break up that monotony with vacuuming, of all things. Perfect? No. As biting as Jon Stewart? No. But, unlike Chris Rock who was pedestrian against expectation, Ellen IS pedestrian and that’s what makes her good for the job.

The show on the whole was dragged down by video packages, despite the fact that they were all really quite well done. While there were attempts to jazz things up with elaborate musical performances, Celine Dion cameos and some silhouette performances (The best of which was clearly the amazing Snakes on a Plane one), none of it kept it from feeling like just another Academy Awards ceremony. This isn’t really that surprising, but at the same time it hurts to see them clearly try to break out of that barrier with no success. It’s a futile fight, there’s no question about it.

As for the awards themselves, the lesson I have learned is, as I said, “Go Green, Go Safe.” While Ellen and the producers wanted us to note the international flavour of the awards, that never really took hold within the winners themselves. I went mostly green, as I predicted the environmentally conscious Happy Feet to take Best Animated Film over the fossil-fuelled Cars and for An Inconvenient Truth to take home Best Documentary Feature. However, it even extended to Best Original Song, where Dreamgirls continued to be shunned as Melissa Etheridge took home the award for her mediocre song from Al Gore’s pet project.

In terms of going safe, outside of Alan Arkin’s win in Best Supporting Actor every major award went to the choices that were the safest for Academy Award members to make…actually, even Alan Arkin was safer than favourite Eddie Murphy considering Murphy’s history of crappy movies dating back as recently as Norbit. From Mirren to Hudson, from Whitaker to Marty’s time to shine, and The Departed won Best Picture because it had everything the Academy expected, rather than desired.

I didn’t quite get this ahead of time, although I was fairly safe on the whole; I should have realized that it was about what was least offensive to voters, those with the least problems or caveats. As a result, while my predictions did alright outside of the usual headscratchers that are withstanding from my general theme of the evening (Such as Pan’s Labyrinth losing Best Foreign Film to The Lives of Others, or winning cinematography over Children of Men), they could have been better. Still, though, I’m happy with my overall performance, and if I had updated my pool ballot I would have totally won. Curse you, hindsight!

Thanks to everyone who’s been following Talkin’ Oscar. Here’s some links to the various posts involved, and after the jump you can check out the Oscar winners and my predictions for each category against one another. Continue reading →

Talkin’ Oscar: Live Blogging Extravaganza

9:00pm – We open on the pre-show with the lovable penguins from Happy Feet, including a President Bush penguin. The answer to all of their problems? Apparently dancing. And now it’s people wearing Borat bathing suits. And then Lightning McQueen. And then Abigail Breslin and the little yellow VW that could. It’s all kind of cute. Just kind of.

9:02pm – And now’s it’s Chris, our host…ABC’s red carpet people are really quite boring, let’s face it. We open with Leo! Chris looks fat. Continue reading →

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Filed under Academy Awards, Award Shows, Cinema, Oscars

February 25, 2007 · 2:20 am

Saturday Night Live (February 24th): Rainn Wilson and The Arcade Fire

I’ve stolen this image from The Elder because I want to make a few brief comments on the most recent episode of Saturday Night Live. While it was certainly a pairing which served well for my elder brother, and myself, in terms of our tastes, let’s consider this for a second.

The episode itself remained mired in the general shithole that has been created in recent years. The Nooni/Nuny sketch has never, ever been funny, and the addition of new actors will never change that fact (It’s SNL’s Peripheral Vision Man, if we wish to get all meta about it). The cold open about Anna Nicole Smith was a one-note Weekend Update joke stretched into a painfully long segment with no personality or purpose. Weekend Update, as per usual, had its occasional solid joke before getting lost in boring “guests” and jokes that were never funny even in their wildest dreams.

The only sketches that really got off the ground were the ones which seemed most suited to Rainn Wilson. The Peeping Tom sketch was great purely because of Wilson’s ability to make creepy facial expressions. While perhaps not expanding far enough past its initial concept, at least White Possum Croak was somewhat relevant. And, while no Dick in a Box, the Digital Short was a lesson in absurdism that was a welcome break from the drudgery of live comedy.

But, really, why do people watch Saturday Night Live? Part of me remembers a day when people hosting Saturday Night Live would be there to support their upcoming movie, and this would be a launching pad of sorts for them. There is no question this is true: Arcade Fire will likely see a slight uptake in album sales come March 5th (Neon Bible Woo!), and Wilson’s small indie film might make a few extra bucks. Earlier this year The Shins launched with unprecedented success in the States after performing on SNL; clearly, it has some clout.

But, maybe it was just me, but it really felt that Rainn Wilson and The Arcade Fire were helping SNL more than it was helping them. There were likely more Office fans tuning into SNL tonight than there will be SNL fans switching off Ugly Betty to give this here Office show a chance. The monologue was designed purely as an in-joke to these fans, and one that I found quite humorous indeed. The treatment of the Arcade Fire as indie gods doesn’t really do the band any good, but it helps build SNL’s cred with the blogs that much more.

Gone are the days when SNL is a launching pad for artists, or actors, or TV shows. Instead, at this point it appears that SNL is instead looking for opportunities to boost its own profile and save its own cultural relevance. While YouTube has allowed for the Digital Shorts to gain widespread viewership, how many of these people are tuning into NBC on Saturday nights instead of just waiting until it’s on YouTube the next day? YouTube is beneficial to SNL’s mindshare, perhaps, but I don’t think it goes beyond “OMG Justin and some guy” for most people, and I doubt people take an hour and a half out of their Saturday nights to take in the new week’s episode.

All of that aside, Wilson did a fine job and I was very happy with the song selection from the Arcade Fire. While songs were a little Win heavy so is the album, and Intervention and Keep the Car Running are pretty much my favourite songs I’ve heard from the album. Both songs had a sense of energy, a sense of build, and while I somewhat wish they had gone a bit more nuts with the performance I can’t help but be pleased with how it all went.

It’s funny…when you cut out 90% of the sketches and 75% of Weekend Update, you’re left with a pretty darn good 1/2 hour show. Maybe that’s an idea for the future?

Anyways, The Elder has more detailed thoughts on the Arcade Fire performances, as well as some YouTube links that he’s constantly rotating. Here’s their performance on Keep the Car Running; head over to McNutt Against the Music for Intervention.

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Filed under Music, Saturday Night Live, Television, The Office

February 24, 2007 · 5:22 pm

Talkin’ Oscar: 79th Annual Academy Awards Predictions

79th Annual

Academy Award Predictions

After besting the Elder earlier this year in our Nominations Predictions, I think I might be in more trouble here. While I’m great at reading buzz about nominees in major categories, I am decidedly less good when things open up into the technical categories. It’s all a bit of a gamble even in the major categories this year (some of them anyways) so I’m really sticking my neck out there.

And, perhaps I should look back to my predictions for nominees where I took some risks that paid off, because after completing this predictions I notice that I’m not taking too many risks. My “Dark Horse” candidates are even quite predictable, and I don’t appear to be sticking my neck out much further than I have to. Still, I don’t think I’m towing the line too much, so here’s hoping for some disagreement and some surprises come Sunday night.

Best animated short film

THE DANISH POET
LIFTED
THE LITTLE MATCHGIRL
MAESTRO
NO TIME FOR NUTS

For the Animated Shorts, which most of us might not see in any capacity, Animation World Network has been kind of enough to develop an Oscar Showcase with clips and information on each of the shorts. Click on each nominee to view their page, and load up the clip to see them for yourself.

Now, let’s face it: A majority of people have not seen these shorts outside of No Time for Nuts, which was featured on the Ice Age 2: The Meltdown DVD this fall, and The Little Matchgirl which was featured on the Little Mermaid DVD but likely watched by less kiddies. While this could in fact put ICe Age in a position to win, I also think that it’s a little bit too simple in its execution, almost too child-focused. Lifted has much the same problem (as most Pixar shorts do. While I believe that all of them have a chance, I’m going to go with Disney’s The Little Matchgirl. It signals Disney’s return to the original short arena (If we view Destino as not entirely original but rather adapter) and deals with some interesting subject matter.

Prediction: The Little Matchgirl

Dark Horse: The Danish Poet

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Adriana Barraza – BABEL
Cate Blanchett – NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Abigail Breslin – LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jennifer Hudson – DREAMGIRLS
Rinko Kikuchi – BABEL

While technically Breslin or Blanchett could sneak in here, Jennifer Hudson has done far too good a job transitioning into her new role as an actress. TV performances, appearances, red carpets: through them all she has appeared poised, mature and humble. With a much-talked about performance and a recognizable story for people to follow, she’s almost the perfect storm Oscar nominee. Everything came together, none of the possible problems popped up, and she’ll be taken seriously before and after her Academy Award win.

Prediction: Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls)

Dark Horse: Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Alan Arkin – LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jackie Earle Haley – LITTLE CHILDREN
Djimon Hounsou – BLOOD DIAMOND
Eddie Murphy – DREAMGIRLS
Mark Wahlberg – THE DEPARTED

This is an incredibly tough category to call, perhaps the most difficult out of the acting categories, purely because of the “old guy” factor. With apologies to Alan Arkin, who I enjoyed during his brief screen time in Little Miss Sunshine, I don’t really think that the role is Oscar worthy. Eddie Murphy’s career resurgence signaled by his role in Dreamgirls is a much better story, much more deserving, and yet the Academy could revolt against a performer who has never been considered a “real” actor.

Still, as much as I think Arkin could take this thing, I think that Eddie Murphy has done enough work to be rewarded for his performance. With both SAG and Globes going his way, I don’t see the Academy turning around and giving Arkin this award, especially since I think they’ll be giving one to O’Toole later in the evening.

Prediction: Eddie Murphy

Dark Horse: Alan Arkin

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Penélope Cruz – VOLVER
Judi Dench – NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Helen Mirren – THE QUEEN
Meryl Streep – THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Kate Winslet – LITTLE CHILDREN

There is no competition here. While The Queen will likely go home empty-handed otherwise, Helen Mirren’s portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II has been an unquestioned sure thing for months. None of the precursors changed this, and anyone in their right mind will select her in their oscar pools.

Prediction: Helen Mirren (The Queen)

Dark Horse: Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada)

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Leonardo DiCaprio – BLOOD DIAMOND
Ryan Gosling – HALF NELSON
Peter O’Toole – VENUS
Will Smith – THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Forest Whitaker – THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

This is one of those awards that, much like Supporting Actor, there are a lot of factors at play. On one hand, Whitaker has taken most of the precursors (Including both the SAG and Globes) and is generally well-liked, humble, all of that jazz. However, he’s up against two candidates with more pedigree, more prestige if you will. O’Toole is old, beloved, and has never won despite his lengthy career (Including a snub for Lawrence of Arabia). Leo is young, had huge roles in both Blood Diamond and the Departed, and has been taken very seriously as an actor in recent years.

I think Old and Winless is going to take it this time around, in the end; O’Toole is actually attending the ceremony, he was on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and I think the Academy feels it’s time to give him his due. Whitaker is still in solid position, though I think I’ll have Leo as my Dark Horse, perhaps shooting myself in the foot.

Prediction: Peter O’Toole (Venus)

Dark Horse: Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond)

Achievement in directing

BABEL
THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
THE QUEEN
UNITED 93

This is Marty’s year. The award is being presented by three of his most famous contemporaries (Spielberg, Lucas, Ford Coppola), and he won the DGA earlier this year. The fact of the matter is that, while there are some strong contenders in the category, The Departed was received well by audiences and critics alike, and there is no candidate to stand against him. Still, the Academy could be real jerks and give it to Eastwood again, but I can only hope they don’t do such a thing.

Prediction: Martin Scorcese (The Departed)

Dark Horse: Paul Greengrass (United 93)

For my prediction for the big one, Best Picture, as well as the rest of the awards: Continue reading →

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February 24, 2007 · 11:57 am

Talkin’ Oscar: 2007 Academy Awards Extravaganza Preview

That’s right, folks. We’re less than 24 hours away from the event, the extravaganza if you will, and Cultural Learnings is all about informing everyone about who to watch, what will win, and which spoilers to look out for. It’s all about Hollywood’s best (aka Hollywood’s most well represented and advertised) on Sunday night, so I’ll be coming to you with two separate events here on the blog which will be linked below.

First, I’ve posted my entire Oscar predictions on Saturday evening. Then, on Sunday, I’ll be live-blogging from 3^rd Floor lounge to bring you all the latest from the awards (So if you want to watch The Amazing Race at 9, you can catch up here at Cultural Learnings). It’s an epic dual-post extravaganza that starts tonight, so stay tuned!

Part One: Official Predictions

Part Two: Live Blogging Extravaganza (Coming Sunday Evening!)

The 79th Annual Academy Awards: A Preview

When: 8:30pm EST on ABC (CTV in Canada)

Host: Ellen Degeneres

It’s Ellen’s first time hosting the Oscars, and she’s on a bit of a personal roll at this point. She was sitting front and centre at the Grammys, despite little to no connection to the music world. Her talk show remains buzzworthy, continuing to provide the kind of entertainment that appeals to housewives and younger viewers alike. Unlike Jon Stewart, who drew some political lines in the proverbial Hollywood sands, Ellen is the kind of host eho everyone can get behind with little difficulty. I’m pretty sure most people have even forgotten that she’s gay. Continue reading →

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