Oscar 2010

The biggest night in movies is finally here! Oscar night, honoring the very best of 2010, will begin in less than five hours and I can't tell you enough how excited I am. Here are the nominees in tonight's major categories, along with my favorites to win.

Best Picture
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
True Grit
Winter's Bone

This one's an easy choice for me, I have to say. I am not one to copy critics and hop on their sometimes ridiculous band wagon so I'll go ahead and say that although The Social Network is projected to win, I really do think it doesn't even deserve its nomination. The film is good but was it outstanding? Not for me. My choice is Black Swan. It's a well acted, incredibly directed, and truly gritty movie that moved me to pieces. It's a perfect film through and through. It probably won't win, as it's a mostly female driven film but in a perfect world, the Oscars will call Black Swan 2010s best picture. Honorable Mentions: The Kids Are All Right or The King's Speech.

Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem - Biutiful
Jeff Bridges - True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network
Colin Firth - The King's Speech
James Franco - 127 Hours

This is Colin Firth's award. Honorable Mentions: James Franco or Javier Bardem.

Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine

Natalie Portman. She is the one to beat. Her performance impressed me and really moved me. I was never a fan of hers and didn't really consider her a good actress until this movie. The only competition here is Annette Bening and that's only because she's an industry veteran who has been overlooked many times before. Still, I don't think that's a reason to give her the award. If she wins, it won't be because her performance is better than Natalie's. It'll be Hollywood's way of rewarding a stellar career and not a stellar performance. Of course, this isn't to say that Annette isn't amazing in The Kids Are All Right. She is. She just isn't as amazing as Natalie.

Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale - The Fighter
John Hawkes - Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner - The Town
Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech

Oh, Christian Bale - you really did nail it here. That last scene in The Fighter is reason enough to name you an Oscar victor. Period. I believed every word and emotion coming from him. It'll be a grave travesty if he isn't called tonight. There's speculation that The King's Speech will sweep and win all of the major awards so I think Geoffrey Rush is Christian's only competition.

Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams - The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech
Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom

Wouldn't it be absolutely amazing if Jacki Weaver were tonight's surprise upset win? Her dark role as the matriarch of a family of criminals in Animal Kingdom is insanely creepy. It isn't the best of all of these on the list but I do think she poses a real threat. Melissa Leo has won practically every award leading up to the Oscars but with the recent controversy surrounding her campaigning for the award and the fact that she's nominated with another actress from the same movie (something that may lead the ladies to cancel each other out), I'm going to guess that the award will go to Helena Bonham Carter or Hailee Steinfeld. Hailee's garnered a lot of attention for her role in True Grit. Lots of people have said she should have been nominated as a lead actress. That definitely gives her points here. But I have a problem with a young actress (14!) coming from nowhere and taking home the most prestigious award in show business. You've got to really earn that Oscar and I wonder if she's really paid her dues. Of course, if her performance in True Grit is stellar, she ought to be awarded accordingly. (I haven't seen True Grit just yet so I can't really judge.) In the end, if it isn't Hailee Steinfeld or Melissa Leo, Helena Bonham Carter should win. She is absolutely fabulous and she's a really great actress. She should have gotten an Oscar ages ago (Sweeney Todd and Harry Potter, anyone!?)

I'm Still Here

Yes, I've been absent from this
I don't know what to say anymore
this happens
because words - they come and go
start and stop
involuntarily

Writing is a force I cannot control
It doesn't matter how hard I try to come up with something
if I've got nothing to say
or if I can't articulate what's going on in my head,
then, I'm sorry but I can't force myself
and come up with something
Not even if I pray
I've tried
but I'm still stuck

I will come back though
I always do
I just hope it's soon

So, dear readers - or reader...
be patient
because I'm still here