Armchair Commentary

2012 Emmys - Just a couple opinions

There is some really great television out there right now. The drama category is rich with content and there are some original and quirky comedies that are allowing truly funny people to strut there stuff. But....I'm not sure the Emmys are really hilighting those things. Even still, great TV and you should probably check out all the nominees and winners here.

Where's the Parks?

Yes, Modern Family is funny. I get it. But watching it towards the end of last season it felt as if it was already becoming stale. Go ahead, boo now if you wish but there's just better work being done. The omission of Parks and Recreation is just wrong. Again, no problem with Eric Stonestreet or Julie Bowen being recognized, they are both great. However, the total ensemble on Parks is unmatched on TV today.

 

Homecoming

OK, I guess the point is to celebrate the excellence and apparently we are to understand that Homeland is the best show on tv. Up for debate of course but congratulations to Damien Lewis. Whether you would have voted for the show or not you can't deny the difficulty of his performance. And Claire Danes, how do you not like Claire Danes? The answer is, you don't not like Claire Danes. I do have to say once again though..where the hell is Sons of Anarchy? I guess I'm in the minority but I think FX tends to get a bit overlooked.

Meth Wins!

With all the false modesty and self congratulations that comes with award shows it's nice to see some real surprise. I think the photo of Aaron Paul kind of sums it up. This was one of the best moments of the night with a guy who you can tell is truly shocked. He's just out of his mind that he's a part of this and it's great to see. I mean look at that face and the embrace with Giancarlo Esposito was just genuine, very cool. Although it does break my heart a bit to not see Peter Dinklage receive another award for his work on Game of Thrones, I can't disagree with the fervor that Breaking Bad has garnered. 

 

Return of the 90's

NIneties superstars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Kevin Costner back...in...da...house! Nice. Makes me want to listen to some Gin Blossoms or Faith No More. Did you ever think that of the cast of Seinfeld that Elaine would have the most succesful career post show? You did? Liar.And so good to see Costner doing something that receives critical acclaim in this century. OK, I'll give you The Company Men, great movie but not really a Costner vehicle. I'm more concerned with the list of flops prior to that, Swing Vote anyone? Didn't think so.Well done from one of the elder statesmen of Hollywood.

Show idea. Cage Match. Nicolas Cage enters a ring with another actor. They do readings of famous scripts to a celebrity panel of acting judges. The judges vote on who delivers the best audition. Nicolas Cage wins every week. We celebrate his greatness. The end.

 

--Adam

 

 

 

 

A Recap of The Hunger Games World Premiere

As a longtime fan of the books who may (cough, cough) have watched the trailer obsessively, I’ve been waiting for March 23^rd like a little kid waits for Christmas. 

So when I learned I’d be going to the Hunger Games movie’s worldwide premiere a few weeks ago I just about stopped breathing--momentarily. Then I started talking about the books even more than I already was, much to the annoyance of my family, friends, and co-workers.

As I’m sure you know now from all the media coverage, last night was the night, although the excitement actually started a day earlier when hundreds camped out for one of 400 tickets inside the Nokia Theater in L.A. By the time I arrived at 3 p.m. yesterday, a new pack of Hunger Games fans were already lined up across the street. The crowd was electric as they waved around copies of the book or their homemade signs designed to capture the eyes of the arriving celebs.

After a few very brief glimpses of Josh Hutcherson (great smile!), Jennifer Lawrence (absolutely stunning!), and Liam Hemsworth (so tall!) I headed inside to relieve my eardrums, which stung from the shrieks of the crowd. Greeted with Hunger Games-branded popcorn boxes and commemorative cups I finally arrived at my seat in time to hear Gary Ross, the director, talk about how it took a long time to get to this night. Admitting the movie was at times difficult to make due to rain, bears and even snakes, Ross went on to thank The Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins for “trusting me with your book.” Amid cheers of “We love you, Gale!” and “Peeta!” Ross went on to introduce the main stars—last but not least of which was Jennifer Lawrence, who gracefully handled a few tripping mishaps in her shimmering gold dress, which made us all think she really is the girl on fire. “I don’t know where she [Lawrence] came from,” Ross said, “But I thank God for her every day.” On stage together Hutcherson, Hemsworth, and Lawrence waved at the seated guests and finally The Hunger Games began.

So what to say about the movie so many of us have been anticipating? Well, first off, it’s awesome. Really awesome, actually. Ross captures the stark, gritty atmosphere of the starving districts and, in contrast, makes the thriving Capitol with its wealthy, entertainment hungry residents sparkle. Speaking of sparkling, the acting is superb all around and Lawrence, especially, brings Collins’ strong and determined Katniss Everdeen to life. Like the books, the Hunger Games movie will captivate your imagination and keep you glued to your seat. Oh and word to the wise, bring a tissue.

From the roar of applause when the credits rolled I’d venture to guess many of last night’s attendees agree, catapulting The Hunger Games from the page and big screen to a full-fledged cultural event. Fingers crossed Catching Fire comes out in the not-too-distant future. I have a feeling a lot of us will be waiting for it.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go read the entire trilogy all over again. --Jessica Schein

Our Valentine's Crushes

It's Valentine's Day (in case you haven't noticed), so I decided to have a little fun at the office. Asking our Movies & TV editors who their dream Valentine's Day date would be, I got some typical responses (Ryan Reynolds, Mila Kunis) and then some unexpected ones (Samuel L Jackson?!). See below and let us know...who is your dream Valentine? --Amanda

Michael Fassbender: This was called the “Year of Gosling,” but I think 2011 should be better known as the “Year of Fassbender.”  Whether he’s hunting down Nazis (for the 2^nd time!) and bringing some massive heat to Magneto, hiding a crazy arsonist wife in the walls of his castle as the hottest Rochester is history, treating hysteria and developing psychoanalysis as Carl Jung, or battling sex addiction (in plenty of shockingly un-sexy nude scenes), Fassbender is the new thinking-girl’s heartthrob.

 

 

 

 

Reese Witherspoon: "Legally Blonde", "Sweet Home Alabama", "Walk the Line"- even "Four Christmases"...seriously, what is she not cute in?

 

 

 

 

 

John Krasinski: The man I want in  my office not just on Valentine's Day, but every day of the year!

 

 

 

 

Samuel L Jackson: Stole my heart at a young age in "Pulp Fiction" and "Jackie Brown", solidified that love by owning the force in "Star Wars". If I had to be stuck on a plane with a bunch of snakes, I would definitely want him by my side.

 

 

Mila Kunis: I would be more than "Friends with Benefits" with Mila Kunis. I just love her dry, witty humor and fun personality. Oh yeah, and she is gorgeous.

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Hemsworth & Chris Evans: I would go to an amusement park with these super-hunks.  Thor would win me a giant stuffed bear by beating the strong man game, and Captain America can plow through the flocks of annoying park-goers with his super-shield—no lines!

 

 

 

 

James Franco in "The Broken Tower": In his directorial debut, James Franco plays tortured artist Hart Crane in The Broken Tower.  The hunky director-star can read me poetry for Valentine’s Day—or any day.

 

 

 

 

 

Zooey Deschanel: The New Girl can act, sing, and make me laugh! She is the ultimate catch.

 

Ryan Reynolds: After watching him in "The Proposal", I knew I wanted to be more than "Just Friends".

 

 

 

 

 

Rider Strong: If I could go back in time, my 11 yr-old self would LOVE a Valentine’s day date with Rider Strong.

 

 

 

 

 

Andrew Garfield: More than just “liked” him in "The Social Network"- I wouldn’t mind being more than just Facebook Friends!

 

 

 

 

 

Ryan Gosling: He is the sexiest politician and actually has a heart in "The Ides of March", I would happily get his coffee any day!

 

 

 

 

 

Emma Stone: Emma Stone would be the perfect Valentine because not only can she kick zombie butt, she could write about it and look hot the whole time.

 

 

 

 

 

Alexander Skarsgard/Eric Northam: I would be willing to spend all of eternity with Eric Northam even if it meant bartending at Fangtasia every night. If that can't happen, then I suppose one romantic date with Alexander Skarsgard will have to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rachel McAdams: Blonde, brunette, or pink- Rachel would be the ultimate Valentine. I would happily let her be a Mean Girl, read her the story of our life, or happily help her recover from a car accident induced coma.

And the Nominees Are....

The nominees for the 84th Annual Academy Awards have been out for a few days now so we've all had time to stew and gain some perspective. I can describe the nominations and this whole year in film in terms that my once favorite English teacher told me never to do, as "interesting". As a group it just doesn't seem like a stellar year. This year we've got nine nominees. Apparently Oscar got an editor because it's really getting clipped back from the last two year's ten choices. Go back to five, I beg you Oscar. Where's the tradition? That's what you're all about right?

Some of us have always attached too much significance to both the nominees and the winners as if it validates our personal taste in the art of cinema. I can remember jumping up and cheering for a Braveheart win back in 1995, or screaming profanities at my TV when Driving Miss Daisy beat Dead Poet's Society in 1989. This year there doesn't seem to be much of a favorite with The Golden Globes and SAG Awards differing on their best movies. There is definitely not a lurking dominant force like Titanic. We shall see who picks up momentum as we get closer to the red carpet.

Best Picture

From Woody to a silent film to a horse. Does anyone else think maybe War Horse wouldn't be here if it didn't have Spielberg's name on it? It's quite a mix of films this year. Will it be the feel good favorite with The Help or Alexander Payne's The Descendants? It's a wide open field so far but the front runner may be the return of the silent film. The Artist just seems to be the kind of movie the Academy likes and picking up steam with its Golden Globe success.

The Ides of March may have been the most talked about "snub" but I'd like to mention another film that should have been considered. Warrior is an excellent film. The acting buy Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte, who was nominated in a supporting role, is brilliant. It's a more raw, indie feeling version of The Fighter and that may be the reason it didn't get more love. Do yourself a favor and watch it.

Best Actor

What?! No Hugh Jackman in Real Steel, no Shia LaBeauf for Transformers: Dark of the Moon? Oh, wait that's the best actor alongside a robot category. It's easy to confuse. Again, no clear favorite in this category but if I had to pick one it would be Jean Dujardin of The Artist. But don't underestimate the power of the Clooney. Big snub here was Michael Fassbender for the film Shame but that's not too surprisng for those of us who seen Oscar snub a "controversial" film before.

Best Actress

What's that you say? Meryl Streep is nominated? Get out! Well, it's nice to see that up and comer get some recognition. Just fresh into the game and already people are noticing. Really though, Streep is the best but she could have three minutes of screen time in The Zookeeper Part 2 and she'd get nominated. It's just ridiculous. Very strong year for women's roles including the amazing success of Bridesmaids but mark this on your ballot. Viola Davis is going to win for her role in The Help. It's gotta happen. Its feel good, its tears and its everything we've come to expect from this category.

 

I could keep going through all the categories all the way down to sound editing (C'mon Transformers!) but I'll spare us all the debate of whether the winner of best film should match the winner of best director. But here's the biggest shocker that will happen at this year's Oscars.....Christopher Plummer will win Best Supporting Actor for Beginners. OK, not a shocker but ink it into your ballot.

I would also like to remind the Academy that one Nic Cage was in five eligible films this year. Hello? Academy.....five movies and you couldn't recognize old Nic for his brilliance. Have you seen Seeking Justice? No? Me either.

 

 

 --Adam

 

 

 

 

The 69th Golden Globes - What Went Down

The 69th Golden Globes have happened; click here for the full list of winners, including which ones you can order on DVD, Blu-ray, or Amazon Instant Video; the others you can sign up to be notified whenever they become available to pre-order. Meanwhile, check out some opnions on last night's ceremony.

Everyone will talk about the heart warming success of the The Help, or on a bigger scale the strength of important and sometimes hilarious roles for women, Bridesmaids. Of course one has to mention the definition of acting class and brilliance with the incomparable Morgan Freeman. These are the deserved themes of the evening but here are a few other, smaller moments that supplied an overall flat night with some memories.

Classy Christopher

    

Christopher Plummer. Kudos to this gentleman being recoginzed for his role in The Beginners. Although there is a whole new generation of leading men from George Clooney to Leo and Pitt, there is just something about that classic generation of Hollywood that will never be matched again. There is definitely some old school Tinseltown glamour in thanking your bartender in an acceptance speech.

 

 

 

Good for Joey

Maybe it was just me but it just felt good to see Matt LeBlanc up there receiving an award for Episodes. Not because I was rooting one way or the other but because I thought it was the most geniune and humble moment of the night. LeBlanc was authentic, truly nervous and suprised and it was heart warming.

Pure Harmony

    

It was just the moment that put a big smile on your face. Husband and wife William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman harmonizing a little ditty while presenting. How can you not like these two?

 

 

 

These "Talkies" Are Going to Kill the Movie Biz

I guess we were all wrong about this whole "sound" thing. It appears that the real darlingn of last year and this year's awards circuit might be The Artist. It's time to face reality if you're a big movie and award show fan. You are going to have to watch a silent (mostly) film. It's already won best movie at the Critic's Choice and now Best Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes. It could shock at the Oscars.

Just Shut Up!

Madonna, you are just....obnoxious. We get it, you directed a movie. Good for you. You were sure to remind us of that in you boring and awkward speech as you uttered "My Movie" countless times. Guess what, nobody saw it and your movie career is still the source of punchlines not praise.

Best David Bowie Impersonation

      And the winner is........Tilda Swinton. Brilliant actress and I'm sure when the movie is made about the life and times of David Bowie  she will play the role and probably receive a Golden Globe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table We Most Want to Sit At

Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman? Yes, please. While Tina Fey's photobomb was one of the most gif worthy moments of the night, we can only imagine the champagne buzz chatter emmenating from that table. As Liz Lemon would say, "I want to go to there."

--Adam & Megan

Amazon Goes to Pixar

A few weeks ago, two lucky Amazonians got the chance to travel down to Pixar Animation Studios for a campus tour and a chat with the creators of Cars 2. Watch our blog and site for the resulting interviews with John Lasseter, Denise Ream and the lead animators and artists of Cars 2. In the meantime we wanted to share a little bit of our behind the scenes experience at Pixar.  - Megan Newman

 

 Entrance

Pixar is located in Emmeryville, CA, adjecent to Berkeley.  Specifically it’s located on Park Avenue. The street name has inspired a New York themein building names across the campus. The main building, and home to the poshest offices, contains the Upper East Side and Upper West Side. We also saw a sign pointing to offices a little further out that were named, appropriately, Brooklyn.

 

 

 

Luxo Lamp and Ball

Located right outside the main office the Luxo Lamp and ball greet employees and visitors.  The Luxo lamp and ball play an important part in Pixar’s early history and have been incorporated into their logo. It’s also one of the most popular spots for visitor photos on campus.

 

 

 

 

 

Howdy Partner

Several of Pixar’s main characters guard the entrance to the main building and are scattered throughout. Lego Buzz and Woody are particularly impressive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Main Building

The Pixar campus opened in 2000. It was built on the location of an old canning factory and the factory vibe inspired the architecture. Steve Jobs, one of the Pixar founders was heavily involved in the design. He wanted Pixar's main building to serve as a central gathering place where employees would come several times a day to interact and share ideas. In service of this goal a cafeteria, coffee shop and the employee mail room were clustered within steps of each other within the atrium of the main building. Pixar lore is that Jobs was so obsessed with the idea of all employees venturing to this area at least once a day that he advocated for only having one bathroom on the campus. He was overruled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bathrooms

Speaking of bathrooms, Boo Peep for the ladies and Woody for the men.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upstairs Galleries

Lining the main building’s upper floor are two mini-Pixar centric art galleries. The right side (the Upper East Side) features art from, or inspired by, the current release. Cars 2 inspired art ranged from photos from the crew’s reserach trips to the clay figures used to help model the characters. This side changes every year to focus on the current film release. The left side (i.e. The Upper West Side) features art created by Pixar employees. The art featured in the gallery is a myriad of different subject types and provides an outlet for Pixar artists that is separate from their work. Unfortunately no cameras were allowed upstairs.

 

 

Awards

One of the coolest displays is the awards, a case full of Academy Awards, Baftas and more prominently displayed by the entrance. One Oscar we spotted was inscribed “Awarded to Brad Bird” for “Ratatouille”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Café Luxo

When Pixarites need a caffeine fix they visit Café Luxo. Drip coffee is provided gratis to employees. They can enjoy their caffeine boost while they peruse the cereal bar, also free, featuring dozens of different cereals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Screening Room

The main building holds at least one screening room (we suspect there are more.) Velvet couches fill the mini movie theatre which is used by employees to view, edit and discuss movies in production.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Café & The Evil Dead 2

It’s not all kid’s stuff at Pixar. Screenings of a wide variety of films are held regularly for employees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amphitheatre & Campus

Pixar's campus has plenty of green space. Adding to the collegiate vibe is the amphitheater located directly outside the main building.

In addition to company meetings, smaller groups of employees gather here. Upon our arrival we saw a small group sword fighting, a one-off clinic to ensure accuracy for their upcoming film Brave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodbye!

Until next time. Thanks for letting us visit, Pixar!

Emmys Best & Worst Moments

This year's Emmys likely threw all oddsmakers off their game, because a lot of the "should win but won't" contenders actually took home a trophy this year (more on that in a minute). Though Modern Family dominated the Comedy category such that host Jane Lynch at one point said "Welcome to the Modern Family Awards," there was still plenty of trophy love to go around. Speaking of Lynch, the Glee star proved a very game Emmys host, throwing herself into the song-and-dance opening number that has become requisite for these events. While she didn't have as many sight gags and good one-liners as previous hosts Jimmy Fallon and Neil Patrick Harris (her take on Jersey Shore was totally unnecessary), her effusiveness still carried the ball well. On the downside, there was some spice missing from the presenters (no Steve Carell, no Stephen Colbert to perk up a telecast), which ranged from bland to awkward at times.

You can see the complete list of winners & nominees here as well as buy past winners at Emmy Central. Here's a rundown of highlights and lowlights for this year's awards.

BEST

• Amy Poehler, who years ago rallied her fellow nominees into wearing funny eyewear when their names were called, was likely the culprit behind this beauty-pageant reinvention of the Lead Actress in a Comedy category. Poehler and the other contenders actually ran up to the stage during the reading of the nominees, then stood holding hands and shedding pre-emptive tears (Tina Fey). Then, when Melissa McCarthy's name was called, everything from the camera zoom to the rose bouquet and crown that appeared made this a true "winner" moment, which was not only hysterical but heartwarming in that whole female empowerment vein. No wonder there was a standing ovation *before* the winner was announced.

• Host Jane Lynch's opener featured her appearance in a number of TV series. While this is nothing new, her interaction with the Mad Men cast was fantastic, particularly when a) Lynch hit on Peggy, b) Roger Sterling tried to imagine "watching the Emmys on your phone" by putting the handset up to his eyes like binoculars, and c) Don Draper ordering Lynch out the door when she suggested in the future people would fast-forward commercials.

• What a swan song for Friday Night Lights, which finally picked up some Emmy love, including Kyle Chandler for Lead Actor in a Drama. The only downside here is that he beat Jon Hamm, who was finally about to pick up his first win for his finest work to date on Mad Men.
• Critical favorite Margo Martindale (Supporting Actress in a Drama for Justified) was also a surprise winner but a deserving one, totally screwing over anyone's predictions. The tearful reactions from her castmates Walton Goggins and Timothy Olyphant says it all.

• The wife of Steven Levitan (creator, Modern Family), who gave the camera some priceless eye-rolling while her husband discussed their sex life in front of millions.

• The medley by Lonely Island, which livened up a buttoned-up awards show like the Emmys (sample tunes: "Three-way," "I Just Had Sex"). It's not every day you see Michael Bolton in guyliner (watch the original SNL digital short here). Bonus for having John Stamos, Ed Helms, and Maya Rudolph sub for Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga. Best part: when they "freaked Bill Macy."

• The Office-set sketch involving a revolving door of characters from other shows, interviewed mockumentary-style: Law & Order SVU's Mariska Hargitay, Castle's Nathan Fillion were among those interviewed in character. And Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul sold crystal meth to Creed. Ha!

WORST

• Lynch employed a Celebrity Doo-wop group called the Emmytones (including Zachary Levi, Joel McHale and Taraji P. Henson) who sang introductions to the genres during the telecast (comedy, drama, reality series). This sounded good in theory, but the singers were neither funny nor impressive. However, it did get me to look up what else Wilder Valderrama has ever sung on YouTube.

• The horrible voice-overs accompanying the winner's walk to the podium, which were intended to be dry and witty but were awkward and corny at best. Sample: "Julian (Fellowes) is British. And he lives England." "Ty Burrell was a linebacker at Hidden Valley high. His mascot was not shaped like a bottle of salad dressing."

• Yet another gag involving Sofia Vergara where her accent gets made fun of. It's happened every awards show; it's getting old now.

• The rehabbed Charlie Sheen appeared to wish the cast and crew of Two and a Half Men all the best; however, he half looked like he was holding back the urge to add something scathing. And it didn't help that Jon Cryer and new star Ashton Kutcher poked fun at him in a later appearance.

• Drew Barrymore, producer of the new Charlie's Angels show, appearing with the show's stars to say that "Hollywood loves a legacy" and she's "passing the torch." Does anyone even remember that movie? Is Charlie's Angels considered a legacy?

MEMORABLE QUOTES
"I don't know what I'm going to talk about in therapy now." --Julie Bowen, winner of Supporting Actress in a Comedy

"I'd like to thank my dog sitter, Kitty, for taking care of my dog, Kevin." --Peter Dinklage, winner of Supporting Actor in a Drama

“There are so many movie stars doing TV now that TV stars have been forced into providing voices for video games. And those very same video games are then turned into movies starring the very same people who put the TV stars out of work in the first place. Hakuna Matata, my friends, circle of life?” --Jane Lynch

"I got to have sex with Kate Winslet many, many times... thank you for allowing me to insert myself into your world of Mildred. And to my wife Kate, for having to listen to me talk about that every day... Thank you my darling, and I'm sorry." -- Guy Pearce, winner of Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie

"A lot of people are very curious why I'm a lesbian. Ladies and gentleman, the cast of Entourage." --Jane Lynch

"We are showing the world that there's absolutely nothing wrong with a loving, committed relationship between an old man and a hot young woman. Looking around this room, I see many of you agree." — Steven Levitan, accepting for Modern Family

What did you think of this year's Emmys? --Ellen

Why Oscar Loves Royalty

After the collective "feh" that most people sighed in reaction to this year's tepid Oscar show, there remain a couple of moments that linger as highlights between James Franco's smug slouch and Anne Hathaway's fretful zeal. The King's Speech preordained wins were not among them, but the thoughtful, moving speeches given by star Colin Firth, director Tom Hooper, and screenwriter David Seidler that stood in contrast to the graceless, boring, "bad TV" moments of so many other honorees certainly were. There's been a lot of grousing about how The King's inevitable coronation insidiously seeped into many aspects of the show, especially the final Best Picture montage. But one royal reference that was also among the shows standout moments was when Helen Mirren and Russell Brand appeared to award the Best Foreign Language Film. Deadpan, elegant, and in perfectly accented French, Dame Helen announced the award category, and then paused for translation from her unlikely pal and upcoming co-star in the Arthur remake: "What Helen said was, ‘Yo, my Oscar winning performance as a Queen was much more realistic than Colin Firth's as a King.'"

Whether or not that's so, it's true that Oscar loves royalty. Add that to the fact that an actor's skill in portraying and overcoming a disability gives the Academy an even deeper glow, any doubt that The King's Speech would walk away with quad top honors of Picture, Actor, Director, and Screenplay should have surprised no one. And hey, it didn't!

As anecdotal evidence of Oscar's penchant for the Crown, here's a list of some other notable wins and nominations that have tickled Academy voting fingers over the years:

The Queen (2006): Helen Mirren was a pretty obvious choice by any standard when she won Best Actress for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, a modern monarch with chilly warmth and a palpable struggle that kept her loyalties divided between family and country. She was in good company with co-nominees Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz, and Judi Dench (more about her later). It was also not Dame Helen's first nomination for playing the Queen of England. She was in the Best Supporting Actress category in 1995 for The Madness of King George (more about that later too). Hers was the only win for The Queen, though it was also nominated for Best Picture, Director (Stephen Frears), Original Screenplay (Peter Morgan), Score (Alexandre Desplat), and Costume Design.

Elizabeth (1998) and Elizabeth: The Golden Age: (2007): Cate Blanchett was twice nominated for her decade-apart portrayals of the icy, beautiful, Queen Elizabeth I, but was trumped the first time by non-Queen Gwyneth Paltrow for Shakespeare in Love (more later again), then by Marion Cotillard for La Vie En Rose. In addition to several art and technical nominations, Elizabeth was one of the Best Picture entries at 1999's Oscar show (it earned four other nominations, winning only for Best Makeup), but Elizabeth: The Golden Age was shut out of all other categories in 2008 except Costume Design, although it did win that category. Cate Blanchett does have an Oscar statuette on her mantel, having won Best Supporting Actress in 2005 for The Aviator. She also received Supporting Actress noms in 2007 for Notes on a Scandal, and in 2008 for I'm Not There (in competition with herself for the Elizabeth Best Actress performance!).

Shakespeare in Love (1998): In addition to darling Gwynnie's win, Dame Judi Dench took home a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for playing a similarly wintry Elizabeth II (was she better than Cate Blanchett? Hmmm…). The movie that the Academy adorned with 13 nominations took home five others, including Best Picture. It beat heavy favorite Saving Private Ryan in that top category, but at least Steven Spielberg took home the Best Director statuette so he could bonk Shakespeare director John Madden over the head with it.

Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown (1997): Speaking of Judi Dench, her role as a curmudgeonly Queen Victoria gained her a Best Actress nomination, but she was aced at 1998's Oscar show by Helen Hunt for As Good As It Gets. Dame Judi has since been honored with Supporting Actress nominations for Chocolat (2000), and Leading Actress nominations for Iris (2001), Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005), and Notes on a Scandal (2006).

The Madness of King George (1994): The great Nigel Hawthorne reprised his original stage performance in Alan Bennett's adaptation of his play The Madness of George III, and rightly earned himself a Best Actor Nomination for portraying the monarch who lost the American colonies, then went completely loony. Speculation is that the madness was caused by the disease porphyria, while Hawthorne's Oscar loss was most definitely blamed on a shameless win by Tom Hanks for Forrest Gump. The Madness of King George did take home an Oscar for Art Direction-Set Decoration, and Alan Bennett was nominated for his Adapted Screenplay. As mentioned above, Helen Mirren earned a Supporting Actress nomination as George's devoted Queen Charlotte.

The Lion in Winter (1968): Katharine Hepburn won Best Actress honors (in a rare tie, with Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl) for her portrayal of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who married Henry II and became Queen of the English in a rather roundabout way. It was a consecutive win for Hepburn after having taken home the Oscar the previous year for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? It represented another milestone in that Katharine Hepburn still holds the record for multiple lead acting Oscar wins -- she also received Best Actress honors for one of her first roles in Morning Glory (1931), and for one of her last in On Golden Pond (1981). As for the Lion himself, Peter O'Toole was nominated, but lost that year to Cliff Robertson for Charly.

A Man For All Seasons (1966): The Academy really loved this rousing adaptation of Robert Bolt's play, and it took home six Oscars in 1967, including Best Picture, Best Director (Fred Zinnemann), Best Adapted screenplay (Bolt), Cinematography, and Costume Design. Paul Scofield won as Best Actor for playing Sir Thomas More, the Chancellor of England who denied King Henry VIII a divorce from Catherine of Aragon and lost his head for it. A youngish Robert Shaw, nominated in the Supporting category for playing the King kept his head, but lost the Oscar to Walter Mathau for The Fortune Cookie.

A few more films with Royal themes that Oscar loved a little bit include Mary Queen of Scots (1971), which earned Vanessa Redgrave one of her five nominations (she won as Supporting Actress in 1978 for Julia), and Anne of the Thousand Days (1969), which got nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Richard Burton), Best Actress (Geneviève Bujold), and Best Supporting Actor (Anthony Quayle), among its 10, but won only for Costume Design. The Young Victoria (2009) also won for Costume Design, but was not recognized for a fine performance by Emily Blunt as the Queen who would much later achieve lasting fame for loosing a sexy secret in the retail sales arena. The beautiful Emily Blunt may yet have a chance, for playing British royalty clearly plays to Oscar's weakness, especially if there's a pretty face and/or a stumbling speech involved.--Ted Fry

Daniel's Dozen: Best, Worst Dressed Oscar Gowns 2011

Another year, another award. Oscar stood tall and proud in his shiny gold armor, but what about those actresses who so covet his cache? I feel like it was another better-safe-than-sorry year for this most glamorous of Hollywood nights on the red carpet, but I could be wrong. Your opinion?  Please share.

(Please click images to enlarge.)

Yes

Ah, youth! Nowhere is it more celebrated than in Hailee Steinfeld--from her beaded-pearl headband to her peep-toe pumps. Despite her brief 14 years, the teen shows true grit in her fashion choice of a lovely pink Marchesa ballet-skirt gown with lace overlay. Fred Leighton jewels and a Ferragamo clutch--what else does a teen need?

 

 

 

Ah, Anne. This strapless vintage Valentino clings nicely to the willowy star, with outsized rosettes anchoring generous gathers of red silk as they cascade to her feet. Anne Hathaway's best accessory of all, of course, is the designer himself. Viva Valentino! 

 

 

My, Mandy.  It's not hard to see the light in Mandy Moore's Monique Lhuillier gown. Silver spangles sparkle over nude tulle, accented only by the actress's red lipstick and Chopard button earrings.  What's so Tangled about that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mmm, Marisa. Her midnight-blue Charles James '50s frock was proclaimed "staggering" by style arbiter Tim Gunn, and I tend to agree. The bustier top paired with the flared tulle bottom was a perfect match for the singer-actress's lean figure and vintage Veronica Lake tresses.

 

 

 

 

 

Go, Gwynnie.  Although not usually a fan of the actress-cum-country-singer star, I begrudgingly give her credit for her stunning gold Calvin Klein column gown. Simple and elegant, it flatters her slim figure with its simple lines and plunging neck. She could do better than the paisley earrings, however.

 

 

 

Pro Portman. Though I got dinged for Natalie's red flower-nails-lips-shoes matchy-matchiness Viktor & Rolf ensemble at the Grammys, I stand firm in tonight's Rodarte violet chiffon emsemble. The Grecian pleats flatter this Swan's figure while complementing her olive complexion. The dangling purple earrings make this ensemble the "bee's knees," in the Best Actress's own words.

 

 

 

 

 

 

No

 As much as I tried to like Best Actress competitor Mila Kunis's Elie Saab gown, I found the lilac shade a bit old ladyish and staid. The lace peeplets poking out from her top reminded me of delicate hankies tucked into one's sleeve--"just in case"--something my mother would do. An odd choice for this up-and-coming starlet.

 

 

 

 

 

Did I call off the housekeepers this week?  No matter, Hilary Swank's couture Gucci gown could do a worthy swipe across my floors and furniture. The flighty confection is more feather duster than Oscar frock, so I'm not sure what the toothy star was thinking,

 

 

 

 

 

Amy Adams might be Fight-ing too hard in this L'wren Scott royal-blue sequined column dress. The high neck and cap sleeves are a bit conservative for evening wear, and the Cartier diamond-and-emerald necklace just seems to plop lifelessy over the neckline as an afterthought.

 

 

 Even more of a loser in the fashion Fight is Melissa Leo. Her white Marc Bouwer gown with its stand-up Mandarin collar looks like a craft-project faceoff between cut-out paper snowflakes and a crazed grandmother doily-maker. Who won? No one.

 

 

 

Oh, Cate. You were always so reliable, so elegant, so refined. Until now. This Givenchy gown with its harsh geometric sleeves and egg-yolk tentacle-like suckers represents a rare fashion misstep. What have we done to deserve this?

 

 

 

 

 

Scarlett Johansson languished like an overripe plum in this lace-overlay Dolce & Gabbana gown. The floral pattern and high neckline are more than a bit croney, and ScarJo's fried hair isn't helping matters any. Try again next year?



 

 

 

In my doled-out dozen I always allow room for a last-minute People's Choice Award (with the people being me, of course). I don't know how I missed her on the red-carpet coverage, but I would be remiss if I didn't call out Dame Helen Mirren. Enchanting in charcoal duchess silk-satin, the star charmed in this Vivienne Westwood design that featured princess-puff three-quarter sleeves and a square neckline, the perfect showcase for her Cartier jewels and lovely face. Monochromatic Mirren matched right down to her Ferragamo clutch and gray-lacquered fingernails. Once again, well done, Helen, well done!

Sigh, another rumpled bow tie, another smudged glass of flat Champagne. Comment? Please do.

--Daniel

Oscar Wrap-Up: Best & Worst Moments

I'm not sure what it says when one of the highlights of the evening was in Autotune (more on that later). I give the Academy credit for trying new things, but let's face it--not many of them worked. As hosts, James Franco was barely with a pulse, while a more-game Anne Hathaway pulled out her most winning tricks but came off more as a cheerleader at a pep rally. As for the winners themselves, the Academy went the predictable route and honored The King's Speech with Best Picture; the only surprise was that a predicted split that would have given David Fincher the Best Director win for The Social Network didn't happen (King's Speech helmer Tom Hooper won). The Social Network did wind up with the same number of statues early in the evening, signaling it could possibly pull it out for Best Picture at the end, but with Hooper's win it was clear where the evening was headed.

You can see the full list of Oscar winners here, and shop past winners at Oscar Central. Meanwhile, here's the rundown of best and worst moments.

BEST
Whoever decided to bring in Kirk Douglas made the right call. Watching him lasciviously flirt with Anne Hathaway and delay announcing the winner of the Best Supporting Actress award as long as possible? A strong start to the show.

Melissa Leo's accidental F-bomb, and her horrified look afterwards.

The Best Art Direction winner from Alice in Wonderland who had brought up a teeny red Mad Hatter wig specially fit for his Oscar.

Therapeutic jabs at past indescretions seemed to be the theme of the night, as Christian Bale addressed his famous viral rant and Robert Downey Jr. mentioned his drug-imbibed arrest in the '90s. (Charlie Sheen, unfortunately, wasn't around to poke fun at himself.)

The auto-tuned "movie musical" montage, particularly "He Doesn't Own a Shirt" by "Edward Cullen." A little too close to MTV Movie Awards territory, but a nice laugh to break up some of the monotony.

Anne Hathaway's fringe dress shimmy.
 
The montage of Best Picture nominees at the close of the evening, set to the King George address at the climax of The King's Speech. It seemed heavily weighted to that film winning Best Picture, but powerful nonetheless.

Chuck sings! The surprise of seeing Zachary Levi duet with Mandy Moore on their nominated song from Tangled. (Hey, he was pretty good too!)

Sandra Bullock and Robert Downey Jr. = My nominees for next year's hosts. (Though really, one should never use the wittiest presenters for hosts. It's like taking a clever Saturday Night Live sketch and turning into a feature-length movie; stretching out the funny that long never works.)

Luke Matheny, winner for Best Live-Action Short, who thanked his mother for providing craft services for the film and lamented that he "should've gotten a haircut."

Helen Mirren speaking French and Russell Brand "translating." This is the only time I have ever found Russell Brand to be funny.

The entirety of Colin Firth's speech. Firth has been the gold standard for acceptance speeches this awards season; they were all equally witty, humble, gracious, totally different, and without a piece of paper. He should totally win more often.

NEITHER HERE NOR THERE
The opener, in which our hosts inserted themselves in other Oscar nominated films (with the help of Alec Baldwin). It was clever until they showed up in Back to the Future and ended flat. (Someone in the writer's room overslept and ran out of time to complete this idea.)

The return of Billy Crystal was a welcome one, but that strange hologram of Bob Hope was both creepy and unnecessary.

What is the purpose of having a presenter present another presenter? (i.e. Hilary Swank introducing presenter Kathryn Bigelow?) Do they think Bigelow isn't a big enough name to just walk out there?


The idea to dress Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem up as matching maitre d's.

WORST
The very awkward look at past Best Picture winners when presenting the technical categories. It's as if to say, "It's important to win Best Makeup, because then you have a good shot at winning Best Picture!" Cut to... The Wolfman.

The random set pieces for past Oscar moments, which made you feel like you were at EPCOT center. Natalie Portman and Colin Firth accepted their Oscars in front of a set piece of the Mann Chinese Theater. I'm surprised they didn't just have a slab of wet concrete hanging around nearby, ready for their handprints.

Anne Hathaway whooping into the mic after introducing every presenter, gushing over anyone and everyone, and eagerly high-fiving everyone on stage after it was over. Girlfriend, this ain't Saturday Night Live.

I had to rewind to make sure, but this is the first "pitting out" instance I've ever seen on the Oscars telecast. Shame on Susanna Bier's publicist.

Christian Bale pushing dickeklund.com during his acceptance speech.

This moment.

QUOTES OF THE NIGHT

"If it weren't for [the visual effects team], your closest association with a superhero would have been in 2001, when you got busted in a cheap hotel with a woman dressed as Batgirl." --Jude Law to Robert Downey Jr.

"You are the reason children are being picked up late from school, because their mothers are watching you on General Hospital." --Sandra Bullock to James Franco

"Roxie Sorkin, your father just won an Academy Award. I'm going to have to insist on some respect from your guinea pig." -- Aaron Sorkin

"I'm Banksy." --Justin Timberlake, about the elusive subject of Best Documentary nominee Exit to the Gift Shop

"You are very appealing to a younger demographic as well." -- Anne Hathaway, to James Franco as co-host

"My father always told me I would be a late bloomer." -- David Seidler (The King's Speech), the oldest recipient of the Original Screenplay award

"I have a feeling my career just peaked." --Colin Firth, winner for Best Actor

"That's gross." -- Presenter Cate Blanchett, after a clip from Best Makeup winner The Wolfman

"Shorts are the hardest category to predict on your home Oscar ballot." -- Presenter Jake Gyllenhaal

"I'm not gonna drop the F-bomb like Melissa did; I've done that plenty before." -- Best Supporting Actor winner Christian Bale, referring to his famous on-set tirade posted (and remixed) on YouTube

"The moral of the story is: Listen to your mother." -- Best Director winner Tom Hooper, who credits his mother on finding the source material for The King's Speech

What did you think were the highs and lows of this year's Oscars? --Ellen