6687. CalGal - 3/27/00 6:52:42 AM
What--no dishing? What the hell's wrong with you people?
6688. CalGal - 3/27/00 6:56:43 AM
Oh, and the results of the Oscar contest are in. There will be a
winner, a second place finish, and I haven't yet decided about
third or fourth place. Announcements coming soon.
6689. glendajean - 3/27/00 6:59:21
AM
Billy Crystal's opening was funny. Not bust a gut, but clever.
My personal opinion is that they should cut about half of the
awards out of the telecast.
Angelica Huston wore an unflattering dress.
Did Cameron Diaz lose all her facial hair in an awry high school
chemistry experiment?
6690. glendajean - 3/27/00 7:01:33
AM
Ray Charles was not in the best of form.
Blame Canada was fun. Isaac Hayes in a fog was odd.
Michael Caine was gracious. There ought to be a ban on thanking
more than 3 people by name and there should be no more than 3
general categories invoked (my cast, the producers, the crew).
AND ABSOLUTELY nobody ought to thank publicists, lawyers, and
attendant folk.
6691. Adrianne - 3/27/00 7:01:43
AM
After Crystal's opening film montage, my husband asked if the
"theme" for this year's awards was "fear of anal
sex".
We retired soon after, but not before noticing Cameron Diaz, who
was apparently imitating a fetus.
6692. CalGal - 3/27/00 7:04:04 AM
I missed the opening sequence--what'd he do?
6693. glendajean - 3/27/00 7:04:39
AM
One last question. Would assault of Joan Rivers on the red carpet
by a star or starlet (either sex) be considered a crime in
Beverly Hills?
6694. Adrianne - 3/27/00 7:05:58
AM
It was a montage of scenes from "classic" movies, with
Crystal inserted (ahem) digitally. A shower scene with Spacey,
the "squeal like a pig" scene from Deliverance, and a
really unpleasant "Mrs. Robinson" spoof from The
Graduate figured prominently.
Eeew.
6695. TabouliJones - 3/27/00 7:32:55
AM
Best Speech: Michael Caine
Best Line: I see white people (Billy Crystal reading the thoughts
of the big black guy from the Green Mile)
Most Flattering Dress: Angelina Jolie's slinky black Morticia
number.
And I'd like to sample whatever drugs Tyra Banks was on as she
accosted stars on the red carpet.
6698. CalGal - 3/27/00 7:57:13 AM
They promised a quick show. Must have been a definitional problem.
Four hours. I will say this for them, though--there was no one
bit of it that seemed to drag. They got everyone on and off
quickly, were ruthless with the speech cutoffs, and didn't waste
time on badly written foreplay for the award announcers.
So where did the four hours go? I can't figure it out.
Anyway. A very boring awards ceremony. No one looked particularly
awful, but then no one looked particularly good, either. No
highlights, no low points. Although the King Gimp writhing came
pretty close.
Michael Caine proves again what a lovely man he is. Spacey wins a
lot of points for mentioning Lemmon, who he worked with a great
deal early in his career. Hillary Swank looked gorgeous and had a
well-organized speech, even if she did forget hubbie. Jolie
looked pretty bad, but her speech was worse--incest on primetime,
folks. Creeped me out something fierce. Serves Hollywood right
for rewarding royalty over performance--enough inbreeding, and
look what you get!
Beatty did well, I thought, although Andrej Wajda did better,
given that they were both planned speeches--I liked the use of
subtitles, rather than listening to fractured English. Pedro had
a funny speech, but he should have quit while he was ahead.
6699. CalGal - 3/27/00 7:59:24 AM
I was delighted with Collins' win, so sue me. Although I wouldn't
have objected if Blame Canada won, I would have been annoyed if
that faux tearjerker Newman piece had pulled it off. Williams did
a great job--but then, I thought all the songs were shown to
advantage with the original artists (when possible). It was a
good group of nominations. Yes, even Newman's.
Given how long the show went, I think it was foolish to have that
extra performance section--but given the lousy production pieces
of the past, it was great to see some decent singing. Was that
Queen Latifah? I did not know she could sing. And was I the only
one who teared up just a bit at seeing the young Caine in Alfie
clips? Maybe it was the further reinforcement of Caine's point--he
is a survivor.
Stop the clip montages! My lord, how many slices can you
take of the movie pie? I wouldn't even object, if the montages
didn't zoom by at .00005 seconds per scene. If time is to be
wasted in such a manner, then use the entire scene. But no, they
make it a speed challenge.
Outfits--Swank had what I thought was the most spectacular outfit.
Paltrow looked and sounded much better this year than last. I
thought Blanchett looked marvellous--simple and elegant dress.
But for the most part, I found myself wishing that Cher hadn't
dressed like a grownup. We needed something to spice it up. None
of the men struck me as particularly edible, which I found a bit
depressing.
And hey! Jane's back and available for work! Not looking bad for
61.
6700. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 8:00:53
AM
I think I hosted my last Oscar Party, unless some film I really
adore looks to be a front runner. Except for the "Blame
Canada" number, and Matrix's sweep of the technicals, I
thought the show was joyless.
Quick comments:
Evidently the dry ice machine malfunctioned backstage before
Charlize Theron walked on to do her presentation. Perky.
Peter Coyote should fire his agent.
I miss Ashley Judd's dress from two years ago.
Mixed results for the Wall Street Journal. They correctly picked
one upset of the evening, Swank over Bening, but predicted
another upset which didn't happen, Washington over Spacey. The
rest of their predictions were routine.
American Beauty still sucks.
Sam Mendes *does* look like a young Orson Welles.
Winona Ryder was hot.
6701. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 8:03:55
AM
What is this "incest" mumbling over Jolie? Everything I
have read says that she and her brother are quite close, but how
do people jump from that to incest?
But God Yes, can the clip-fests. And if they had axed the song
retrospective, I would gladly have missed Isaac Hayes in exchange
for not having to watch Garth Brooks.
6702. CalGal - 3/27/00 8:05:21 AM
The problem is, Rask, that we've got the prediction of winners
down to a science--so the only suspense involves wondering if the
predictions are right.
As for it being joyless--why is it that they cut out the good
stuff in the interests of time? The presenters used to be part of
the fun. But then, some people were great and others were
terrible--so they decided to regimentalize it. This throws out
the baby with the bathwater.
I did like the Matrix upsets--very much a stick in the eye to The
Phantom Menace.
6703. CalGal - 3/27/00 8:08:00 AM
Hell, you did miss Isaac in all that fog.
You didn't think the Jolie thing was disgusting? Bleeeecccchchh.
I tell you what, Rask, when someone wins an award and goes on for
30 seconds about her brother--and this after the smooch--I've got
no problems making the leap.
6704. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 8:13:56
AM
"The problem is, Rask, that we've got the prediction of
winners down to a science--so the only suspense involves
wondering if the predictions are right."
At least there were some close races this year - Best Actress,
Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor all had some suspense in
them. And after my fiasco with last year's predictions (I went 4-4
in the big eight, missing adapted screenplay, picture, and both
supporting categories), I was a little more prepared for the
possibility of an upset. Still, I picked all of the big eight
correctly this year, so I'll probably arrogate myself into more
hubris next year.
6705. TabouliJones - 3/27/00 8:33:36
AM
Crystal got off some good ad libs. His jokes about Isaac Hayes
were hilarious. I also laughed out loud when he said that
Almodovar made Benigni look like an English teacher.
Speaking of ad libbing, I think Williams may have ad libbed one
of the lines in Blame Canada. He sang of Margaret Trudeau's
welcoming thighs (or something like that), which is a reference
that probably predates the Gen-X sensibilities of Parker and
Stone.
The creepiest looking person of the evening was Harmony Korine
hands down. I actually liked Gummo and think he did a marvelous
job with the screenplay for Kids, but man does he look like a
whacko.
They kept panning to Denzel Washington, and I don't know if it
was just poor timing or what, but he looked sour most of the
evening.
6706. glendajean - 3/27/00 8:48:26
AM
Actually, I thought Russell Crowe looked the most bored.
6707. CalGal - 3/27/00 8:50:42 AM
"I see white people."
6708. Absensia - 3/27/00 8:52:30
AM
I want to know how Warren Beatty got so old? I look the same as I
did when Shampoo first came out!
6709. glendajean - 3/27/00 8:52:32
AM
I agree with you, Cal. She dragged him up on the stage at the
Golden Globes. He looked petrified last night. Very odd.
6710. Max Macks - 3/27/00 9:03:33
AM
Im with RAskolnikov and wondering about Am. Beauty getting so
many votes.
Did my favorite movie THE STRAIGHT STORY and r. Farnsworth win
nothing
I watched alittle of the show but cant imagine people actually
watching the whole boring thing.
Even Billy Cystal whom I like seemed a little bored this year.
t
6711. JudithAtHome - 3/27/00 9:17:33
AM
I thought the older ladies looked 10 times better than the
youthful crowd...I disagree about Paltrow; she looked as tho she
dressed in the limo. Cameron Diaz looked overly plucked and like
she forgot her eye makeup.
Looked good: Faye Dunaway, Jane Fonda, Dame Judi, and Anjelica
Huston whom Jack noticed approvingly. Also looked damned good:
Ashley Judd, Cate Blanchett, Hillary Swank.
The entire show was like being on novocaine.
6712. CalGal - 3/27/00 9:20:44 AM
Spawn pointed out that Dame Judi wore the same dress as last year.
I thought Paltrow looked happier and more relaxed--and her voice
was much more natural. Maybe she was just stressed last year.
But I still lament the near complete lack of eye candy for the
chicks.
6714. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 9:28:19
AM
Straight Story won nothing, but was only up for Best Actor. No
one seriously expected Farnsworth to win.
6715. CalGal - 3/27/00 9:38:02 AM
Four people went over 50%, and all four were just one away
from the next in line. I think anything over 50% is impressive
and since no one person was well away from the rest of the pack,
I decided to use that as the cutoff point.
So here they are:
In first place, with an impressive 15 out of 23 correct answers,
is DantheMan. Dan nailed 7 out of 8 on the major
categories, but more importantly anticipated most of the Matrix
upsets and the Topsy Turvy wins (Okay, costume might have been a
giveaway, but Makeup?). These picks were critical, given the guy
breathing down his neck.
In second place, with 14 picks, is Raskolnikov. As he's
just mentioned, Rask went 8 for 8 on the major categories, and
was one of the few to pick Best Documentary, realizing the all
important aspect of One Day in September. Rask would have cleaned
everyone's clock, except he missed the aforementioned Matrix
sweep--particularly ironic given his affection for the movie.
Third goes to Pincher Martin, with 13 picks. Pincher's
correct guesses were spattered all over the place. He only went 4
for 4 on the big 8--but he, too, nailed most of the Matrix sweep
(although none of the top four picked its win in Editing) and the
Topsy Turvy wins. He also picked Best Song, which both Rask and
Dan missed (really, how could you both not realize the Power of
Disney?).
Fourth goes to Niner, who got 12 right. Niner went 6 for 8
on the major categories, went for the Matrix sweep, and got the
Tarzan song, but missed the importance of a guilt-ridden Academy
making nice with Mike Leigh.
Congrats to all of you! I sent out your gift certificates this
morning; let me know if you don't get them soon.
6716. Dantheman - 3/27/00 9:45:39
AM
CalGal,
I received mine already. Thanks.
Since I saw neither The Matrix nor Topsy-Turvy, my votes are even
less explicable.
6717. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 9:48:02
AM
Congrats Dan!
Cal: For song, I picked "When she loved me", which was
also from a Disney film.
6718. CalGal - 3/27/00 9:49:50 AM
Dan--like I said, seeing the movies is never important.
Rask--But it wasn't a Disney animated classic, which always
wins.
Although this year the competition was tough.
6719. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 9:50:17
AM
I already got my coupon as well. I assume these are coming out of
your own pocket, so I personally thank you very much. Thanks for
organizing this as well. Since I do my own pool, I know it was a
lot of work.
6720. CalGal - 3/27/00 9:52:00 AM
Oh, it was my pleasure. I had fun.
And it was a lot cheaper than an Oscar party, with no mess to
pick up afterwards.
6721. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 9:55:40
AM
Here is the key to picking Best Documentary. Take the top
grossing nominated film, and eliminate it. Take the most
critically praised film, and eliminate it as well (this year,
this was the same film as the top-grossing documentary). If there
is a film about the Holocaust, it will win. I decided to
experiment with a Holocaust corollary, and played a hunch that a
film about the murder of Israeli atheletes during the 1972
Olympics would win. The hunch paid off.
6722. theDiva - 3/27/00 9:57:08
AM
Uma Thurman looked pretty good. Nice gown. And I'm with Cal, the
Jolie thing is too weird. On the pre-game show, he stood behind
her with his arms wrapped around her waist. Now, I love my bros
and all but damn.
6723. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 9:57:40
AM
And if none of those criteria apply, pick the most politically
strident film.
6724. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 9:58:18
AM
Ok, that is getting pretty kinky...
6725. theDiva - 3/27/00 9:58:56
AM
And with his lips inches from her ear. (shudder)
6726. Dantheman - 3/27/00 10:01:10
AM
My favorite pre-show scene was Chloe Sevigny's date, who was
clearly bored with this attention, and ended up rubbing his face
on national television.
CalGal, another advantage of the virutal Oscar party -- no guests
fall asleep midway through, like the Squirrel did. We hauled off
to bed around 10:30 EST, with at least 2 hours to go.
6727. theDiva - 3/27/00 10:05:28
AM
Paulette Washington's gown was elegant. Warren Beatty's
acceptance speech was barely comprehensible....I thought, why is
he mumbling and slurring like that? Is he high? His wife looked
great, as did Nicole Kidman and Queen Latifah....who can sing,
dammit, and if she doesn't make a jazz album soon, I don't know
what. Ray Charles and Isaac Hayes were great. Denzel was
toothsome, as was my adorable Antonio. And I loved Almodovar!
Especially when he thanked Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Jude (Patron
Saint of Lost Causes).
But the show was tooooooo long as usual, and Billy Crystal has
been more amusing.
6728. Absensia - 3/27/00 10:05:32
AM
Cal,
It was a lot of fun...thank you for your hard work. And, I'm
loving
this string. I haven't seen many movies for eons, but I'm
enthused now!
6729. glendajean - 3/27/00 10:07:55
AM
Diva, it's sort of Donny & Marie, isn't it?
6730. JudithAtHome - 3/27/00 10:08:47
AM
I forgot to mention how nice Charlize Thereon looked...and in
orange, no less.
Is that brother who is so fond of Angelina her step brother or
are they both John Voights offspring? I think they need
counseling...
6731. theDiva - 3/27/00 10:10:08
AM
Glenda
It's sort of sick. Yuck.
I love Randy other sappy, crappy musical numbers...., but Phil
Collins? N'Sync and Gloria Estefan? Eeew.
6732. theDiva - 3/27/00 10:10:33
AM
Judith
They are full blood brother and sister.
6733. CalGal - 3/27/00 10:10:55
AM
Some comments on the rest of the Oscar ballots:
A lot of people had 10 or 11 picks right, which is damn good.
Many of you called the Matrix sweep--all four of the major
awards, including Editing (which none of the contest winners did).
Also, I was impressed at how many people picked Corigliano for
Original Score, given the competition and the relative obscurity
of the movie--is he famous for something else?
Congrats to Candide and Snowowl, who got 9 and 8 picks
respectively. Damn good for New Zealanders.
A few rules for your next Oscar contest:
6734. CalGal - 3/27/00 10:11:56
AM
Ack. I got tied up in a conversation and didn't refresh.
Rask had already mentioned the Holocaust/Doc tiein.
6735. CalGal - 3/27/00 10:12:56
AM
Toys.
6736. theDiva - 3/27/00 10:14:26
AM
WTF happened to the rest of my #6731!
I meant, I love Randy Newman's song, but those sappy, etc.....
6737. TheWizardofWhimsy - 3/27/00
10:14:58 AM
We just rented "The Bone Collector" and everytime a
close-up of Jolie came on, my wife would go cross-eyed while
puckering her lips up -- I couldn't take Angelina (or that movie)
seriously from then on. I'm glad I missed the "public incest!"
The Sopranos was indeed odd -- too many writers with varying
points of focus. It felt like Rashamon through the multiple eyes
of a New Jersey fly on a wall.
6738. janjon - 3/27/00 10:15:32
AM
Corigliano is a well respected composer in a variety of classical
music modes. I take it he won an oscar. What movie?
6739. CalGal - 3/27/00 10:18:43
AM
The Red Violin. He won over Williams (who, thankfully, everyone
seems to be getting sick of) and Newman (for Beauty, which could
have been expected as part of a sweep).
And oh, I know what I forgot to mention--why no Kubrick on the
Let's Be Sad for Those Who Died list?
6740. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 10:19:57
AM
One correction: The Documentaries are voted on by a subcommittee,
not the entire academy. In order to vote for the documentaries,
you have to attend a special screening where the films are shown.
I *think* this is true for the short films as well.
Other tips: follow the guild awards. If you had picked with
respective winners of the SAG, the DGA, and WGA awards, you would
have gone 6 for 8.
The best picture winner *usually* wins Editing and
Cinematography, and its screenplay category.
Entertainment Weekly has a pretty accurate Oscar Odds edition
which comes out a week before the ceremony.
Check out the Hollywood Stock Exchange (www.hsx.com). They have
special Oscar options. I used to play the game quite a bit.
Traders there picked the "big eight" with 100% accuracy
this year.
6741. janjon - 3/27/00 10:20:31
AM
Well, glad to get the name. Never heard of it. Hope he got paid a
bundle. Those commissions he gets from time to time take years to
complete and the pay ain't that good.
6742. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 10:21:19
AM
Kubrick was mentioned last year.
6743. CalGal - 3/27/00 10:22:03
AM
Rask,
Oh, that's right. I keep forgetting that not everyone votes. But
I swear, the rule holds true every time.
6744. CalGal - 3/27/00 10:23:21
AM
Oh, I do remember that now. But didn't he die in 99? Did his
death squeak in before the ceremony?
6745. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 10:29:13
AM
He died a week before the ceremony. Not early enough to get into
the montage, so they mentioned him instead.
6746. CalGal - 3/27/00 10:30:14
AM
Well, I still think he should have been mentioned again.
6747. glendajean - 3/27/00 10:32:38
AM
Despite above, I think Jolie is a great actress.
John Corigliano is a contemporary serious music composer, and his
performed works include Syphony No. 1 (Rage and Remembrance,
concerning AIDS crisis) and an opera commisisoned by the Met in
NYC.
6748. glendajean - 3/27/00 10:33:48
AM
Sorry, Janjon, I hadn't re-freshed the Mote.
6749. CalGal - 3/27/00 10:34:44
AM
Well, that must explain it--we have a high-toned crew here. I was
surprised at how many people got it right.
I also did like Almodovar's quips--"six years in the morning"
was pretty funny.
6750. theDiva - 3/27/00 10:36:00
AM
oh, and didn't Samuel L. Jackson look clean? What a suit
he had on!
6751. JudithAtHome - 3/27/00 10:43:46
AM
I though he looked like a couch.
6752. theDiva - 3/27/00 10:45:31
AM
Are you kidding? That suit was fly.
6753. CalGal - 3/27/00 10:45:39
AM
I have never seen Jackson look sexy at the Oscars.
But I did like the kiddie pictures in those commercials. Lemmon's
in particular was cute.
6754. theDiva - 3/27/00 10:46:42
AM
Clean = well dressed; elegant; full of style; fly.
Must be a black thang.
6755. JudithAtHome - 3/27/00 10:48:59
AM
The tux which looked more as you describe was that dark midnight
blue job on the Green Mile guy.
6756. CalGal - 3/27/00 10:50:03
AM
No, I knew what "clean" meant. (and I think it is a
black thang)
I just never like his taste in clothes. Which could be a white
thang.
BTW, I am utterly fed up with them cutting to minorities whenever
a comment is made about a minority.
Look, folks, it's okay to laugh--see, Denzel is laughing.....no,
he's not, he's looking like a cranky cat. But he would be if he
knew we'd cut to him and by god he should have known we'd
cut to him, cause Billy just made a black joke!
6757. JudithAtHome - 3/27/00 10:50:10
AM
And the Nehru jacket with slim pants and blond frosted hair and
little goatee on the Matrix geek...
6758. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 10:53:16
AM
I can only imagine what I would be doing of I was trapped in that
auditorium for 4 hours. I am sure my mind would be wandering all
over the place. I would find myself replaying a public policy
argument in my head, and be mystified when someone said I looked
"cranky".
6759. CalGal - 3/27/00 11:10:18
AM
You know something I just realized? They had almost none of the A-Team
there. Hanks was missing. Eastwood was on at the end, but was
given no time at all. Willis wasn't there. Julia Roberts wasn't
there (although I don't know when she's last been around). I'm
sure there are others; that's just off the top of my head.
What the hell were they doing with leavings like Uma and Ethan?
Why trot out all the nominees and make them do double duty?
6760. janjon - 3/27/00 11:22:13
AM
Julia Roberts is in New York City. (Well, she was at least three
days ago. Saw her when I went in for a meeting. She's striking in
a non-flashy way. Remarkable when you consider that that mouth is
just not very attractive.)
6761. JudithAtHome - 3/27/00 12:00:08
PM
Niether is what comes out of it...she is one pretentious babe in
interviews. "My craft"....yeah, right.
6762. AceofSpades - 3/27/00 12:02:33
PM
Judith:
You may (or may not be) misinterpreting Roberts' use of "my
craft." I've read screenwriters who refer to writing as a
"craft," not an "art" -- and the reason is to
be unpretentious.
6763. ChristinO - 3/27/00 12:02:57
PM
Sorry but I really like Angelina Jolie and even understand the
sibling closeness. We're pretty touchy-feely in my family so it
didn't strike me as odd---maybe a touch effusive because she had
no idea what to say ---but mostly really sweet.
They did, however, look like Gomez and Morticia Addams.
6764. AceofSpades - 3/27/00 12:03:36
PM
Drew Barrymore is insufferable on this point, btw.
Ask her about her acting, and she'll tell you she can't act-- she
simply has ten or twelve personalities living inside of her whom
she channels for her performances.
6765. ChristinO - 3/27/00 12:06:03
PM
yeesh.
6766. AceofSpades - 3/27/00 12:07:17
PM
And Judith:
Note the (or may not be) in my last post. She might have been
being completely pretentious-- hard for me to say, since I didn't
hear her.
I'm just saying that I've heard "craft" used very
unpretentiously by other people.
6767. JudithAtHome - 3/27/00 12:11:46
PM
Ace:
While I may be wrong on what she meant by the use of the phrase,
she grates on me no end. I can see someone who does Shakespeare
or really difficult roles and carries them off well using a
phrase like that...Olivier used to refer to his "craft"
and it was there for all to see. But for some lightweight who
plays basically the same role in every film (Pretty Woman serves
pizza, Pretty Woman wears a pushup bra, Pretty Woman leaves men
at the altar yada yada yada)to expound on her "craft"
seems pretentious in the extreme.
6768. AceofSpades - 3/27/00 12:18:00
PM
Personally-- just my opinion -- I think you're being much too
hard on Roberts.
Lord knows I'm not a fan, but I think she's a decent enough
actress. As for playing the same role all the time-- well, most
"stars" play the same role all the time. Leading men
and women just don't do as much chameleon-acting as character
actors (exceptions, of course: Pacino and DeNiro and Streep and
maybe Penn; but Kevin Spacey, like him though I do, always plays
Kevin Spacey. The scenes I've watched from American Beauty are
taken directly from The Ref).
Leading men and women generally play themselves. They have a
natural likeability and charisma and audience-identification-factor,
and that's what people pay to see.
6769. AceofSpades - 3/27/00 12:19:21
PM
Look at Gabriel Byrne.
He's one of my favorite actors. And yet who does he always play?
Well, he plays Gabriel Byrne.
6770. JudithAtHome - 3/27/00 12:25:20
PM
Ace:
Yeah, I guess I just get tired of people acting as tho she is
such a great Actress when she is really just a (pretty) good
movie star.
By the way, Byrne was a fairly good Lord Byron.
6771. AceofSpades - 3/27/00 12:30:04
PM
Eh, I don't see much difference between "actor" and
"movie star."
Stars, by and large, simply have a different function than
character actors. It's a different type of acting; it's not quite
fair to judge a leading actor by the rules of character acting.
Now, there are stars who really can't act (Schwartzenegger), but
Roberts isn't among them.
Then again, I'm not the best critic of film acting. To me,
there's only two levels: Incompetent or competent. I usually
don't understand why people gush about a particular performance;
to me, the performance was good and convincing and et cetera, but
I usually don't differentiate between degrees of "good"
as far as acting.
The only performance I've raved about is Haley Joel Osment's, and
that might be largely because he was so damn young.
6772. JudithAtHome - 3/27/00 12:32:35
PM
Ace:
There is a difference in "movie stars" and
"actors". Didn't you see My Favorite Year ?
6773. AceofSpades - 3/27/00 12:34:53
PM
Sure I saw it. I just don't remember it.
BTW, Roberts annoys me, too. I'm annoyed by the fawning press
about her. I'm annoyed that everyone gushes about what I just
don't get. (What makes her so special? There are more beautiful
actresses, and better actresses, and actresses who are both
simultaneously.)
But I wouldn't say she's not a good actor. She is.
6774. janjon - 3/27/00 12:37:03
PM
Part of the Roberts appeal has to be the voice. Not as
distinctive, say, as Katharine Hepburn's (or Marilyn Monroe's for
that matter), not really what you would call sexy either. But a
combination of interesting and soothing.
6775. AceofSpades - 3/27/00 12:40:06
PM
Jan:
I think much of her appeal has to do with the fact that she's
attractive but in a non-threatening, non-headturning way.
Jean Claude Van Damme could never be a major action film star,
even if he could speak English or act. Because he's too pretty.
Harrison Ford is good looking enough, but not in a way that puts
men on the defensive. I mean, in a way, Ford is sort of plain
looking.
I think maybe that Roberts' appeal flows from her girl-next-door
good looks. Good looking enough that you identify with her, not
quite so good looking that you despise her.
6776. Cellar Door - 3/27/00 12:42:47
PM
Good looking enough that you identify with her, not quite so
good looking that you despise her.
Precisely. She's a pleasant presence -- and considering what most
movies are like these days, that's more than enough.
6777. JudithAtHome - 3/27/00 12:43:18
PM
Ace:
Petter O'Toole is flummoxed when asked to appear live before an
audience; they tell him he can do it because he's an actor; he
replies "I am NOT an actor; I am a MOVIE STAR!!!"
6778. JudithAtHome - 3/27/00 12:44:02
PM
You know, Petter O'Toole....from Sweden.
6779. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 12:45:26
PM
One last note regarding the Oscars. I realized I detest Warren
Beatty. I think it was the realization that he actually has the
same naively conspiratorial political views that his films have.
6780. Raskolnikov - 3/27/00 12:47:16
PM
Cruise is pretty popular with men, despite the fact that women
generally lust after him. However, speaking for my gender, we
don't like Antonio Banderas, Richard Gere, and Rob Lowe.
6781. janjon - 3/27/00 12:48:48
PM
I actually think that Gwenyth Paltrow shares those same traits
with Julia. Very attractive but not what you would call
stunningly beautiful in any "traditional" sense. And,
her voice is quite an asset as well.
Ace - I think Tommy Lee Jones fits into the same category as a
Harrison Ford in terms of the (quite valid) point you are making.
On the other hand, there ARE exceptions to the rule - Mel Gibson
coming to mind. Every woman I've ever known has swooned over him.
Don't see it myself but hey who am I. And, he certainly is a
major star of the "action" type.
6782. AceofSpades - 3/27/00 12:51:46
PM
Cruise is popular with men? What men? I know of no men who care a
rat's ass about Tom Cruise. Personally, I've seen very few Tom
Cruise movies.
Mel Gibson is an exception. Too good looking (or at least he was)
but guys dig him.
6835. PincherMartin - 3/27/00 3:07:14
PM
CalGal --
Thanks for the gift certificate.
All --
As I watched the Oscars last night (I didn't see all of it), I
kept thinking that the young crowd of movie stars looks pretty
ragged. Is there no one under forty in Hollywood who looks sexy
or handsome anymore? I'm fast approaching thirty-five, but this
lack of beauty in the town that celebrates it was amazing. Judith
Dench looked better than most of the under forty crowd.
My favorite parts:
Of course, the Oscars aren't as good as they should be, but that
makes them like most other much-hyped events. Like the Super Bowl
(until this year, anyway), the event never matches the media
frenzy that precedes it. But like the Super Bowl, millions of
people will still tune in next year. The only event which usually
matches the hype is March Madness, because there is usually some
suspense in it which is lacking in the Oscars or the Super Bowl.
6836. PincherMartin - 3/27/00 3:08:41
PM
Now for the critique of the youngsters and oldsters. Is it just
the style among the young nowadays to look like you dragged
yourself out of bed minutes before an important event? Is oily
hair in fashion among young men? Is there some sort of protest
among the youth being made against comb and brush manufacturers
for their inhumane treatment of animals?
Among the young, only Swank, Thurman, and Pitt (of all people!!)
looked presentable, and Swank gets more points for the quality of
her speech (the delivery, not the content) and her demeanor than
her overdone look. Paltrow looked nice, and would have been added
except she had a grumpy demeanor whenever she appeared on camera.
Tom Cruise needs to lose that look; it's disgusting. Ethan Hawke
looks like he's trying to emulate Cruise -- all oiliness and the
just got out of bed look; all he's lacking is the length of his
hair. Even Jude Law, who probably has never looked bad in his
life, seemed positively plain last night. Kate Blanchett's eyes
looked like someone woke her up five minutes before her
presentation and said, "Kate, honey, you're on."
On the other hand, most of the old folks looked classy -- Wadja,
some old fart from Poland, looked strikingly dapper. Dench looked
all class. Mel Gibson is aging nicely. Caine looks a little
bloated but more than makes up for it with his demeanor and
delivery. Of the old folks, only the Terminator and Beatty looked
beat-up in the face. I must say that I look forward to my dotage
if this group is representative of what you can look like in it.
6837. CalGal - 3/27/00 3:09:45 PM
Yes, I believe The Matrix came in second place. Not only did it
beat out The Phantom Menace, but it won Film Editing, which means
it withstood an American Beauty sweep. Given that it was a sci-fi
film, that's a major accomplishment.