Straight No Chaser Blog

Been looking for a reason to blog for a while now. Being on break from the group (some recordings, some rehearsing, but mainly hanging out at home since January), I decided to take up movie-going and try to watch everything nominated for the Academy Awards. I'll admit as I go to what I haven't seen, but here are my picks for Oscar night on Sunday...

Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, "Precious"
Started here cause this one is one is no contest.  If you havent seen it yet, see this movie.  Mo'Nique is out of this world.

Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
This one was really tough to decide between. Carey Mulligan is going to win this several times, and she was awesome in "An Education". Sandra Bullock carried "Blind Side" and that movie might be my favorite movie of the year.  None of the other actresses had to carry their film like her, she made a fan of someone that couldn't stand her in any other role.

Best Director: Lee Daniels, "Precious"
Where's Clint Eastwood for "Invictus" btw?  And why with 10 movies couldn't "Invictus" get a nod for best picture?  Anyway, my idea of a good director is someone that creates reality through character's performances and beauty on screen. Avatar's only got one of the two in hand, and Precious does more with less (as in $200 million less).

Best Cinematography: "The Hurt Locker"
Want to know what war feels like, and not war in the Pacific 65 years ago, what war is like today in Iraq? Watch this movie and try to breath every once in a while.

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, "Inglorious Bastards"
First, I am a big Matt Damon fan, but his performance in Invictus did nothing to deserve a nomination. I did not see three of the movies here to make a true judgment, which is a fail. Waltz did steal it in this movie, along with the lady in the red dress.

Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
I'm not even sure this should be a contest.  "Crazy Heart" moves slow but The Dude owns the stage. I said to someone that you can almost taste the cigarettes and whiskey watching him. Lebowski is still my favorite Jeff Bridges, but he wins for this one.  Side note: I understand if Morgan Freeman wins as a Lifetime Accomplishment award here, a la Denzel in Training Day. Not his best work but I won't disapprove since Freeman's only ever won for Supporting Actor ("Million $ Baby)

Best Picture:  (Let's break this down first, since they're ten of them)
Top 4 - Precious, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Blind Side
Bottom 3 - District 9, A Serious Man, Avatar
My Pick for Best Picture:  "Precious"
I literally picked each of my top four and started writing about why it should win and then picked one of the other three.  I feel like Precious (and maybe Hurt Locker) was the movie that HAD to be made out of this bunch. It's a tough movie to watch, realize it's not an uncommon reality, and then it hits you how powerful it is.  Brillant.
Side note: I know Avatar's going to win, but I am not an Avatar fan in an Oscar sense.   I know it was so fun to watch, and I know I'm in the minority, so I'm done talking about it.

When you have time between tours and a wife who loves good acting, you become a very passionate fan of critically acclaimed movies, I guess. But please don't mistake me as a certified movie critic. Enjoyed the process, look forward to doing this again next awards season, but not quiting my day job. Thanks for reading.

-Walter