OSCAR 2011: The Winners and Why

Last night's Academy Awards was, to say the least, surprising, but not necessarily in a good way. In fact, I have to admit I would have been a lot happier if we had absolutely no surprises. Realistically, that didn't happen, and we got plenty of shocking moments that simply didn't need to happen. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" took home an Oscar for the absolute worst aspect of the film. "Hugo" took awards for technical aspects that simply didn't support it, all the while I was reminded of how soulless a feature Scorsese's latest was. But if there's a single win that defines the disappointment I feel this morning, it's Meryl Streep winning Best Actress.

From the very start of the evening, we saw Viola Davis absolutely working it on the red carpet, and I couldn't have felt happier for her. This was her night, and the Academy refused to recognize it. If she had taken the stage, last night would have been absolutely perfect in my memory. I don't blame Meryl Streep for winning. You have to blame the Academy for simply making the wrong decision and not voting on what's simply better and more deserving. Meryl Streep didn't need another award, but even more than that, her getting countless awards for performances like this is like giving Adam Sandler an Oscar for "Jack and Jill" because he was great in "Punch-Drunk Love" in the past. For the most part, however, I was pleased with what was predicted to win "The Artist"s wins were extremely heartfelt, and "A Separation" was just a great moment.

OSCAR 2011 PREDICTIONS: Original Song

Okay, let's talk. Can we talk, Academy? You might have noticed recently that the rest of the group has been acting kind of reserved and odd around you. Do you know why that is? Well, for one thing it doesn't help that you don't seem to like music. Not only is it a bit more than irritating, but it's just plain bizarre and stupid to a degree. You haven't had much of a problem with it in past years, but now we get along to this point, and it just feels like you don't even care anymore. It's like you don't even want to fulfill your own responsibilities. And I know, what debt do you really owe us? You make your decisions, and they are your decisions, but you have to realize that your actions affect people.

The Original Song category is as prime an example as any that I can imagine. You can't expect to give us such an immense longlist of potential nominees and then just nominate two. There's just no excuse, especially considering the fact that you nominated the wrong song from "Rio". Fact of the matter is that it's no wide or instructive array that you've assembled. You can't put up such a short and abrupt list and not put any effort into it. So, as a compromise, I only suggest that you pick your head up out of your own ass, and remedy this in full next year, or we'll only give you more shit.

Carpet-Bagging: 39 Original Songs on Oscar Longlist

And now the most immediately vague race in the Oscar catalog becomes a great deal clearer. There were obviously a great deal of songs that were bound to make it on the list, like the main three from "The Muppets". I imagine two of those are going to make it in, but "Man or Muppet" is sadly probably going to be the odd one out. Other than that, I have no bets to make on this. I enjoyed the song from "Take Shelter" a great deal in context with the film it followed, but only time will tell if it makes it. You can see the full list after the jump.

"The World I Knew" from "African Cats"

"Lay Your Head Down" from "Albert Nobbs"

"Star Spangled Man" from "Captain America: The First Avenger"

"Collision of Worlds" from "Cars 2"

Box Office Update: "Impossible" overshadows "Sherlock"'s game

The latest "Holmes" flick is a tricky contraption of sort, wavering between bigger & better and louder & crasser than the first flick. Keep in mind, that first one had a great many detractors for me, but it came almost out of nowhere and created a dark atmosphere very in tune with director Guy Richie's other films, but it finally works here. In "A Game of Shadows", not so much. Mind you, I'll get slightly more in depth with my thoughts on the film later on, but for now it's simply worth representing how the box office dip between the first and the second films is indicative of the time there is to be had on each. They spent 30% more, and ended up with 30% less.

Not to say that it was a total failure. $40 million is still $40 million, even if there's a strong degree of work left to go. That's why we have the Christmas break to burgeon these opportunities. And even outside "Holmes", we saw strong signs for the box office. "Alvin & the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked", in spite of horrid reviews, picked up its child audience skillfully without a hitch. Sure, it's not quite as much as they wanted, but they get what they payed for. They're rather good at that. But the big success story of the weekend was "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol", which picked up a hefty sum from its IMAX screens this weekend. That allied with the advanced buzz that is bound to boost its overall income means that it could very well be the massive hit of the holiday season, as well it should be. Check the charts after the jump.

Box Office Update: Validation of a Fact

If the box office charts are a scale of the population's state of mind, then this year has been as singularly depressing as I've repeatedly said it is. This weekend seemed to be in the bag for "New Year's Eve" and "The Sitter", but the fact of the matter is that at this time of the year, people are more interested in seeing something that's actually good. The obvious brand of pandering comedies have done poorly in this month for the past several years. At this point, people are genuinely interested in seeing the films that are going to be Academy players in a couple of weeks.

Case in point? There's more interest to be found in the independent releases of this week. "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" took in $300,000 this weekend out of four theaters. "Young Adult" brought in $320,000 from eight theaters, which isn't as strong a per theater average as its competitor, but the buzz has been decidedly laid back on this one. This isn't another Oscar play from Jason Reitman, and he's opted out of the circus altogether. And in the meantime, "A Dangerous Method", "The Artist", "My Week with Marilyn", and especially "Shame" have been surging strong in the wings. This weekend proved to be the lowest box office weekend for the entire year, but we're headed towards a more fruitful slate for the endgame of this year.

Box Office Update: "Dawn" & "Muppets" rules dull weekend

The box office saw its first down weekend in a while, which is honestly surprising given the strength of the films in play. I'm not about to call "Twilight" anything special, but it keeps the box office on a steady level. "Breaking Dawn" is irrevocably failing to keep interest even in its own market. "The Muppets" too is having some down times. That debut may have been a bit too frontloaded, with a nearly 60% dip not painting a fortunate future. All the same, the film has the opportunity for a wide berth of repeat viewings in the coming weeks towards the holiday season. And in its defense, this weekend is a busy time for most people, hence why no films came in wide release. It's a bad frame for it. The rest aren't quite worth mentioning.

1. "Breaking Dawn" (Third Weekend; $16.9 million)

2. "The Muppets" (Second Weekend; $11.2 million)

3. "Hugo" (Second Weekend; $7.6 million)

4. "Arthur Christmas" (Second Weekend; $7.4 million)

5. "Happy Feet Two" (Third Weekend; $6 million)

6. "Jack and Jill" (Fourth Weekend; $5.5 million)

7. "The Descendants" (Third Weekend; $5.2 million)

8. "Immortals" (Fourth Weekend; $4.4 million)

9. "Tower Heist" (Fifth Weekend; $4.1 million)

10. "Puss in Boots" (Sixth Weekend; $3 million)

In case you're still there...

Things have been extremely silent on the site for the entirety of the weekend, partly because I didn't expect anybody to be too clamoring for news over the weekend, but more because I didn't have much to talk about. I was busy with family, getting some financial issues worked out, and just organizing how things are going to be for the next couple weeks. I am going to be keeping up with the news of the moment, even though I'm constantly steering clear of trailers, as you can figure out here. I'm sticking to that as best I can. In any case, I just wanted to let you know that there's going to be a lot more activity in coming weeks as the awards season picks up and we move on to the end of the year.

Film Review: "The Muppets" (***1/2)

"Don't you remember? We built this city. We built this city on rock and roll!"

I'm probably the last person you'd have predicted a response such as this from, especially given my track record over the past year. With "X-Men: First Class", "Super 8", and "Deathly Hallows: Part 2" coming and going with only gaining dissatisfaction in return, it's definitely been a cynical year for cinema, at least from where I'm sitting. There's the inappropriate expectation that what the audience wants is simple spectacle, rather than excitement. It's hard to remember the last time a mainstream feat managed to raise the hairs on my spine with general thrills, and that absence has not escaped me. It would take a great deal of digging to hit the oil that the Muppets are digging for, to use a hint of intended irony.

The first moments of the film don't really get off to a brilliant start, and it really put me back in the mood I've been in for the past several months. The old-style home video reels phasing into the present day was an early sign that this wasn't gonna be the reunion I wanted, and in a few ways it wasn't. What I wanted was a fantasy, and the further the film progressed, the more those old, authentic Muppet memories came back. The opening was just a rough settling back into this world, and though it's not a sign of the joy and wound you'd feel after the film's first act, we almost needed our hopes to be let down before they could be built back up again, brick by brick.

Thanksgiving Weekend Report: Life's a Happy Song

This weekend brings us quite a few endearing films in both the mainstream and independent circuits. It's much more bountiful harvest than we're accustomed to on any given weekend. The most blinding flaw is that there's so much that's gearing towards families that they're bound to cancel each other at the box office. Still, I'm certain the undeniable draw is "The Muppets", as it has been for the past several weeks. I'm tempted to say that families will go out in droves for the film, but I imagine so many people who see it will be people who grew up with the Muppets. It's the nostalgia of passing on the beloved characters to newer generations that should make this thrive over the weeks to come.

The other two are less decidedly successful, and one of which I can't even place much confidence in. "Arthur Christmas" looks simple, which isn't exactly a mark against it. Apparently critics are quite taken with Aardman's new CG feature, but I can easily say that it offers something just a little bit more than "Happy Feet Two" does. Films like this are often more than is let on in the trailers. And then there's "Hugo", which I'm even more tempted to see, despite some belittling factors in it. I don't think this is Martin Scorsese at his greatest, nor do I expect to change that feeling when I see it. But I've still heard some wonderful things about it, so it's worth a shot, right?

For Your Anticipation: Fillet of Fish

I've been very silent across the last two days, mostly because I've had so much going on. Spending Thanksgiving with family always manages to divert your attention from other things. One thing it hasn't distracted me from is "The Muppets", which is the first film for me to be truly excited for in quite some time. I'll elaborate on my thoughts later on, but suffice it to say that the film turned my cynicism into absolute joy, against all odds. It's funny, delightful, and it made me cry more than any other film I've seen this year. Take my word and see it with somebody you love!

Carpet-Bagging: Murphy Out! Muppets In?

"First and foremost I want to say that I completely understand and support each party's decision with regard to a change of producers for this year's Academy Awards ceremony. I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I'm sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job."

So said Eddie Murphy as he followed Brett Ratner out the door of the 84th Annual Academy Awards telecast. I could tell yesterday that this was probably going to end up happening, and it would've been a mistake if it had not. Yes, this has been a P.R. nightmare for the Academy, and a blow to the show beyond what most of us really expected. But can we really say that a Brett Ratner produced show would've been the best way to go? I was against it from the start, but I had a sense of optimism about the positive rumblings of "Tower Heist". People liked it, and say it was funny, so that was a glimmer of hope for this telecast. And then it came crashing down soon after.

And I've admittedly come around somewhat to Eddie Murphy. The man is truly funny, and I imagine he would've brought the right sort of hosting energy to the show. But this news means not only is he unlikely to ever host the show, but he's liable to pretty much fade from relevance entirely, which is sad. The man isn't horrible, but he's had horrible luck all the same. So this changes a lot of things, for example, who the hell is gonna produce and who will host? I'm immediately hearing great names across the board, from Tina Fey, to Kevin Spacey, to Albert Brooks. And then I came around to this beloved little tidbit.

THE MUPPETS! Of course! That is the most perfect suggestion and decision that could possibly be made to really turn all of this around. The show hasn't gotten this much buzz, negative though it may be, going in a long time. Bringing on Jim Henson's beloved comedy gang is the best way to turn it all bright and fuzzy. You can't tell me a smile doesn't come to year face thinking about it. The only possible snag? The new co-producer has been announced as Brian Grazer, so who's he likely to choose? I don't know, but I maintain that the fuzzy pack is the best way to go. I have some sad doubts, but can something beautiful happen for once in our lifetime? PLEASE!!!!

Films to See in 2011: November

I'm really down to the wire on this one, but I've been behind on a lot of things. I've been struggling to fit all of the things I want to do, or else need to do, into a schedule that's tight enough for me not to be staring at the ceiling in cynicism. I must admit that this month is hardly as exciting as I would have hoped for it to be. In the first week, all we get is the Brett Ratner comedic venture "Tower Heist" and "A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas", neither of which I feel any temptation to see. I can't say that the following week is much of an improvement either, only providing "Jack and Jill" (Yes, it's an actual film, and not just an abysmal trailer.), and "Immortals", which I am so dismally surprised to see that people are actually looking forward to it.

Not to say there isn't some good with the bad. "Melancholia" comes into limited release on the 11th, so I'd recommend you check that out if you can. There's also "J. Edgar", which opens wide that weekend, and it will likely get favorable Academy attention. I still maintain myself as unmoved, but I'll see it nonetheless. And also worthy of note is "Into the Abyss", Werner Herzog's upcoming documentary which was a sizable hit at Telluride this year. It almost made my list of most anticipated, but just missed out.The following week brings two films I'm not likely to support in any way, but one which I'm likely to see anyway, sadly.

I don't have the same enthusiasm for "Happy Feet Two" that I did for its predecessor, which was overrated at best. This one is simply to make bank, and looks as typical as you could've possibly hoped for. Then there's "Breaking Dawn: Part 1", which I'll only see out of desperation for something to make fun of. "The Descendants" is also going limited that weekend, but I still don't have much interest in that one. Then the following weekend brings Martin Scorsese's "Hugo", animated film "Arthur Christmas", typical British drama "My Week with Marilyn", and the odd bastard of my Telluride by the Sea viewings, "A Dangerous Method". There are three other films coming that weekend, but you'll have to follow after the jump to find them out.

Stop 'Dragon' Our Feet

I'll admit, there are better "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" trailer parodies, but this put a smile on my face, if only because they put in the effort to make one.

"The Muppets" Trailer Parody #3 - "Green Lantern"

Having effused about my reluctance to see Green Lantern this weekend, this comes as the most welcome surprise of the day. Completely aware of how repetitive their trailers have become, this is simply a delightful teaser, and it gives us our first look at antagonist Chris Cooper.

"The Muppets" Teaser

Disney is not having a good year, and I think we can expect that to continue on for most of the year. However, one of their most optimistic offerings has to be The Muppets. It has been in the works for a long time, and it is now finally on its way, and this trailer gives us a brief look at what to expect. Take a look below!