You Ask for It, You Get It

Here’s the Rushmore piece:

And I also got this terrific Koo Koo the Bird Girl, from Freaks:

Oh Oscar, You Self-Congratulatory Paean To Narcissism

“I love your coat. You’re such a brave woman.” – Tiffany

Last night, as we all know, was the 80th broadcast of the Oscars. Oh Oscar! Oh Boredom! Has this show ever been good, really? As though the awards aren’t self-congratulatory enough every year, this year’s was even more solipsistic than usual. Boy oh boy, an Oscar tribute to the Oscars. Jon Stewart was a let down, and it seemed as though the writers never returned.

I was “lucky” enough to go to a black tie viewing party hosted by APLA at The Abbey. Talk about LA. Pretty men in pretty suits being served by even prettier boys. Ah, to be an A-Gay in LA; even life is pretty, especially when you wear Dior sunglasses at night. You couldn’t hear the TV’s over the dinner – though watching back on Tivo I didn’t miss much.

The highlights of the evening, show-wise, for me, were Kristin Chenoweth’s performance and Daniel Day Lewis‘ win (I did wonder if he’s working on a project playing Oscar Wilde). The highlight of the evening party-wise, Tiffany sitting at my table.

I look a bit like a deer in headlights, Tiffany’s used to being photographed. I wish you could see the color of her dress – it was 80’s horror blue, so was her eyeshadow, but she was super sweet.

More Rubnitz

Mmm, Strawberry Shortcut.  Delish.  Tacky.  Sweet.

Tarnished Gold

It’s official, no Golden Globes this year, just an announcement to the press of the winners. I think it’s great that SAG is supporting the WGA, but everybody is so busy looking at the writers’ wallets, that they’re not seeing who this latest move affects in a fiduciary manner: the red carpet “journalists,” the fashion houses, and the paparazzi. I ask now for a moment of consideration for all those who make a living off of the self-congratulatory awards-show juggernaut.

And now you are free to resume your life, knowing that are at least three hours this year that you won’t waste wondering who dressed Nicole.

I Don’t Know That They Won This War

Charlie Wilson’s War is mostly an entertaining, funny movie, and it’s a pleasure to see Tom Hanks‘ return to lighter fare. Following the true story of one congressman’s fight to help the Afghanis fight the Soviets in the early 80’s, the movie starts out as a light, entertaining, “swinging” romp, and then loses its way in the last quarter.

Hanks is good time guy Charlie Wilson: lush, womanizer, and congressman. He’s a yes man who’s breezing his way through congress doing just what he must to remain in office. Then he learns about the slaughter of the Afghani people by the Soviets and, at the same time that he’s fighting allegations of drug use in a Las Vegas hotel room (side note here, Rudy Giuliani was the prosecutor of the case), he decides undertake to solve the problem in Afghanistan.

Once Hanks has met up with Julia Roberts and the superb Phillip Seymour Hoffman (dare I say the best actor of his generation?), he convinces congress to continue increasing the defense spending in Afghanistan, until they can afford anti-aircraft guns. Okay, at this point in the film we’ve seen the refugee camps and we have sympathy for the Afghanis, but now we see stats about Soviet planes shot down with weapons we gave the Afgahnis, and we’re supposed to feel triumphant. What I felt was conflicted. On the one hand I was into the movie and the Soviets were bad, on the other, this is what created the situation we’re in with the Taliban. It was a very strange thing.

Performance-wise, as previously stated, it was terrific fun to see Hanks in a lighthearted role; it seems like years since he’s done a comedy. Unfortunately, some comic actors stop doing comedies when they become stars, I don’t know why. It’s easy to forget, with the success of films like Philadelphia and Cast Away, and their ilk, that Hanks started out in comedy: Bosom Buddies, Bachelor Party, and Big to alliteratively name a few.

Julia Roberts does her best with a one dimensional role. The woman behind the man, I wanted to learn more about Joanne Herring; unfortunately, the film did nothing to fill in the blanks. Amy Adams was charming, as always, in a supporting role. The real reason to see this though is Hanks and Hoffman together. What great chemistry they have; a few more scenes together and this might be considered a buddy pic.

This is not necessarily a big screen film; you may as well wait for DVD if you haven’t already shelled out the bucks at the box office.

I Was Enchanted

I can’t believe I haven’t gotten around to mentioning it, but I saw Enchanted last week and it was fantastic! Okay, well, it’s super cute and sweet, and yes it’s got flaws, but I grinned, I laughed, I wanted the soundtrack… and Amy Adams? I’m going to say it, it’s sappy but, she’s a revelation! What an actress. Emotionally available, sweet, cute; I thought the lighting could have been more flattering, but I think they were going for “real.”

The flaws:
As my pally Robin Jones pointed out on his blog, Sarandon’s not who I think of for evil queen (she’s Janet, Dammit!). She was okay, but Streep or Close would have killed it.
Idina Menzel has a supporting role and no song. Let’s think about this, Idina Menzel, in a musical, with no song. She’s an okay actress, but it’s the voice you pay for. I can’t help wonder if there wasn’t a number cut; a duet with Amy Adams perhaps.
Plot-wise (and this’ll be a spoiler if you haven’t seen the movie yet) by the time the evil queen comes through to do her own bidding, it’s moot. Giselle has already fallen in love with Patrick Dempsey and doesn’t seem to want to return, meaning it’s unnecessary for the queen to poison her.
(A quick aside about Patrick Dempsey: sure he’s cute, but am I the only one who thinks he’s dull as dishwater?)

But those things are easily put aside. Amy Adams charmed the pants off me, as did the roaches, rats, and pigeons of New York City.

Another feather in the Evil Empire’s hat.

It’s Eerie

I just had one of those weird, separated-at-birth moments. USA is showing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this weekend, and I looked up at the screen and saw Johnny Depp, as Willy Wonka, but thought it was Mystery, that weird, Dr. Suess muppet from The Pickup Artist and The Game. How great, I just learned his real name is Erik Von Markovik, like a crazy Eastern European Baron.

Think I’m Not Going to Alaska

Saw Juno last night; it’s a bit of a glorified after-school special.  The performances were stellar – that Michael Cera is some actor, subtle and charming – but teenagers don’t speak like that and there was nothing unexpected in the action.  C’est la vie.  Still better than Hollywood clap trap and the soundtrack was great… I wonder if it’s available yet.

 

Here, watch this; it’s Hanukkah in Santa Monica by Tom Lehrer.

The Sure Thing

Great celeb sighting tonight at Kate Mantilini (had a Cobb salad), John Cusack. So weird to see him in person; in my head he’s still Lloyd Dobler, or even one of Farmer Ted’s geeky sidekicks, while the reality is he’s in his early 40’s (according to IMDB, but I think he’s older than that).

And I was just talking about Hot Pursuit yesterday.

I was home for xmas holidays a couple of years ago, and my kid brother, who was 12 at the time, was very excited to tell me he’d seen a great old movie. My mind spun through the possibilities quickly, All About Eve, Citzen Kane, Giant, before he burst my bubble: Better Off Dead. Ouch.

She May Be A Tranny, But She’s No Hooker

So much to do; so much to review! Let’s see…

I saw No Country For Old Men on Thursday, it was beautiful, and dark and suspenseful and funny; one hundred percent Coen Brothers. I felt the last fifteen minutes were a bit week and anticlimactic, but I hate spoilers, so I won’t say more. Josh Brolin’s performance is all it’s cracked up to be, and Javier Bardem was scare-ree. Tommy Lee Jones was great, as always. There was no soundtrack to the film, no ambient music, just the sounds of boots on gravel, shotguns cocking, and the tension filled silence; a great choice. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s within sight.

But What Can I Do?

Halfway through the second week of the writers’ strike, and who knows which way the wind is blowing. Variety reports there’s no movement, one manager I know claims this will all be settled after Thanksgiving, a lawyer says after the New Year, and the writers I’ve run into (they’re all out having lunch at Kings Road Cafe and such, with their wives) seem prepared to walk the lines for months to come.

So far only one real casualty in my viewing, Saturday Night Live, which was really hitting its stride this season. That last episode with Brian Williams was a doozy. Who knew Brian Williams was funny? It’s re-airing this Saturday, because the writers are on strike.

If you haven’t seen Voices of Uncertainty, it spells it all out for you. Made by an anonymous member of United Hollywood, it’s been viewed over a hundred thousand times over at YouTube (so you’ve probably seen it, but if you haven’t…).

Now that you’re up in arms, wondering what you can do to help? Go to fans4writers.com to get involved. They’ve got great faq pages that explain what’s going on and why, links to the main petition and the wga strike location listings, and ways to get involved. They’ve even organized a weekly pizza drop for the picketing writers for the duration of the strike. So what are you waiting for (Lefty)? STRIKE!

It’s Begining To Look A Lot Like Commercialism

It’s only mid-November, but they’re plugging the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and I’m already seeing “Holiday” based advertising. Doesn’t it seem like it comes earlier and earlier each year? And only the Jewish calendar is lunar, so it really shouldn’t change.

Here’s some suggestions to help get you through the horror.

Run out and pick up a copy of S’no Balls by Rudy Casoni. It’s the dirty Xmas album Frank Sinatra never made, but should have.

Make and eat popcorn balls!

Rent Ebbie – the trashy mid-90’s TV movie starring Susan Lucci as a female Scrooge.  How did she not get an award for this??

Make a boa out of doubled over Holiday garland and wrap yourself in it – sure it’s a bit like wearing fiber glass, but everyone likes a little Xmas Ho Ho Ho.

And finally remember the best thing about the Holidays is… there’s trim everywhere (and then after the Holidays trim is 50% off).