The MovieGoer

« January 2009 | Main | March 2009 »

Thursday, February 26, 2009 - 10:10:50

'Waltz with Bashir'

The Oscar nominated film "Waltz with Bashir" arrives in Little Rock tomorrow at Market Street Cinema. The film, from Israel, was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at this year's Academy Awards. It's a slow movie-going weekend here in Arkansas . . .

Posted by BSR at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Monday, February 23, 2009 - 00:27:54

On the Air

I’ll be on KARN Newsradio 920 AM (102.9 FM) Monday morning at 7:40 a.m. talking Oscars with Bob Steel. You can view my predictions and winners below as well as my Oscar commentary on Twitter.

Posted by BSR at 12:27 AM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Sunday, February 22, 2009 - 23:22:11

And the Winners Are . . .

Against my predictions. 

Best Picture: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Director: Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Actor: Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler” Sean Penn, "Milk"
Best Actress: Kate Winslet, “The Reader”
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Best Adapted Screenplay: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Original Screenplay: “Milk”
Best Art Direction: “The Dark Knight” "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Best Cinematography: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Costume Design: “The Duchess”
Best Film Editing: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Makeup: “The Dark Knight” "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Best Music (Original Score): “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Music (Original Song): “WALL-E” "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire"
Best Sound Editing: “Slumdog Millionaire” "The Dark Knight"
Best Sound Mixing: “WALL-E” "Slumdog Millionaire"
Best Visual Effects: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Best Animated Feature Film: “WALL-E”
Best Foreign Language Film: “The Class” "Departures" (Japan)
Best Short Film (Animated): “Presto” La Maison en Petits Cubes
Best Short Film (Live Action): “Toyland”
Best Documentary Feature: “Man on Wire”
Best Documentary Short: “The Conscience of Nhem En” "Smile Pinki"

Overall: 15/24. What a ceremony. The best I've ever seen.

Posted by BSR at 11:22 PM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Saturday, February 21, 2009 - 10:26:12

The Moviegoer's Oscar Predictions

Here are my predictions for the Oscars. I'm not going to live blog this year. Instead, I will be on Twitter. You can track all of my thoughts and comments there.

Best Picture: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Director: Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Actor: Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”
Best Actress: Kate Winslet, “The Reader”
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Best Adapted Screenplay: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Original Screenplay: “Milk”
Best Art Direction: “The Dark Knight”
Best Cinematography: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Costume Design: “The Duchess”
Best Film Editing: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Makeup: “The Dark Knight”
Best Music (Original Score): “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Music (Original Song): “WALL-E”
Best Sound Editing: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Best Sound Mixing: “WALL-E”
Best Visual Effects: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Best Animated Feature Film: “WALL-E”
Best Foreign Language Film: “The Class”
Best Short Film (Animated): “Presto”
Best Short Film (Live Action): “Toyland”
Best Documentary Feature: “Man on Wire”
Best Documentary Short: “The Conscience of Nhem En”

Posted by BSR at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Friday, February 20, 2009 - 07:41:18

And the Oscar goes to . . .

A sampling of my predictions appear in today's Arkansas Democrat Gazette.  For a complete listing of all of my picks, visit InContention.com. 

Over the weekend, I will have some added thoughts about the awards, including my alternative Oscars.  I'm debating (and I emphasize debating) seeing all five best picture nominees again.  I don't know that I can suffer through another viewing of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" or "The Reader," but I may try.

On Oscar night, rather than the customary live blog, I'm going to update in real time on Twitter.  You can sign up and follow me at http://www.twitter.com/blakerutherford.

Posted by BSR at 07:41 AM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Thursday, February 19, 2009 - 10:44:01

It's Oscar Time

The Academy Awards take place on Sunday in Los Angeles.  I've already submitted my picks to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette and to InContention.com.  I'll post them tomorrow, but needless to say I'm not expecting a lot of upsets.

Also, I'll be on KARN Newsradio 920 AM on Monday morning talking about the winners and losers.

Posted by BSR at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 19:20:16

The Best Picture Nominees

I finally got around to seeing "The Reader" today.  The film, directed by Stephen Daldry ("The Hours") is an adaptation of a German novel of the same title by Bernhard Schlink.  It stars Kate Winselt, who was nominated for an Oscar for the role, and Ralph Fiennes.

Despite Ms. Winslet's nomination (she's better and more deserving of the Oscar for her performance in "Revolutionary Road," although she is quite likely to win), "The Reader" does not belong among the Best Picture finalists.

"Synedoche, New York," "The Visitor," "Rachel Getting Married," "Revolutionary Road" and "WALL-E" are far superior films to "The Reader." But the most glaring omission of this year, and one that will haunt the Academy for decades, is better than them all.  I'm talking, of course, of "The Dark Knight," the best film of 2008.

Posted by BSR at 07:20 PM | Permalink | Comments [0]