Oscar Prep - 2011

Every year I go to an Oscar party (okay, maybe we skipped one year because AM was in Mexico - but we have been pretty consistent). My friend AM started it a few years ago (I am thinking over 10 because I know the first one was before Oliver was born). Anyhow, we have twizzlers, and 2 bite brownies and we watch the Oscars. Early on we made an effort to see as many of the nominated films and performances that we could. That got harder with kids in the picture. In recent years there have been years where I have only seen one of the nominated films. Sigh. It got even harder with the expansion to 10 films in Best Picture, but I made a real effort this year. So far I have seen 7/10 of them and I hope to see my 8th tomorrow (True Grit). I will not get to Winter's Bone or 127 Hours - I can't make it. No matter. I do not think either of them will win Best Picture (not that they aren't good - I am following the odds makers...).

So I am right now trying to figure out who to vote for. The ones I thought were best, or the ones the Odds makers are calling. The reviewers are all pretty much saying The Social Network. I watched it last night. It was very, very good, but didn't blow me away as a film. I watched The Fighter and The King's Speech this week. The Fighter is punching it's way into my number one spot (see what I did there?). I thought it was going to be a predictable sports movie, but it wasn't. Defnitely want Christian Bale for Best Supporting Actor and Melissa Leo for Best Supporting Actress. Hmmmm. The King's Speech was so, so, so good. I really liked it. I would say without a doubt that Colin Firth should win Best Actor, but was the movie the best? I don't know... And then there is Inception. I think that was the coolest film - and the one I think will resonate the longest. I saw it a month ago and it's still there in my brain and I might just watch it again... So hard. I am pretty much down with Natalie Portman in Black Swan for Best Actress. It's the Best Picture I cannot call. Sigh. At least I think they all deserve to be nominated... That's good, right?

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