The Fate of the 2009-2010 TV season

With 24's recent cancellation, Ugly Betty's not so recent cancellation, the triumphant renewal of my beloved show on the fringe, Fringe (See what I did there? Ha.) and the return of two of my favorite shows (United States of Tara and Breaking Bad!), I decided it was due time for a TV post. It also happens to be make it or break it time for network shows as they are either getting the axe or being renewed for another season.

It's that time of year, folks! May sweeps are nearing, and it's TV renewal/cancellation scorecard time.

Behold the fate of the 2009-2010 TV season. Credit to Michael Ausiello for compiling this daunting list of network shows.

Sidebar:
What's missing? NBC's new crop of 10pm slot inserts following the collapse of The Jay Leno Show. I'm talking about The Marriage Ref, Parenthood, and Who Do You Think You Are?.

I've seen three or four eps of each, and they're all a little too lukewarm and very vanilla tasting to me. They are geared towards an older demographic, which is a strategic move on NBC's behalf, considering the 10pm timeslot is a lead-in for the local news. The Marriage Ref has its entertaining moments, but that's all dependent on who makes up their celebrity panel each week, and so far it's been a hit or miss. They're only on their fifth episode and they've already had a repeat panel of celebrities with Alec Baldwin, Kelly Ripa, and Jerry Seinfeld for the second time around. That can't be good. Parenthood is sweet at times, but it's unfunny when it's trying to be funny, and very awkward when it's trying to be dramatic. I actually really enjoyed the first ep of Who Do You Think You Are? with the very charming Sarah Jessica Parker, but see, therein lies the problem: not everyone can be as charming as Sarah Jessica Parker.

Maybe they'll grow on me. For now, I'm not too worried as I look forward to full seasons of United States of Tara and Breaking Bad, and I'm still doing a triumphant fist pump for Fringe's renewal. I was worried for a minute there considering its tricky and competitive Thursday 9pm time slot, but we prevailed.

Oh, how I love thee, my TV.

ABC
Officially Renewed:

• Cougar Town
• The Middle
• Modern Family

Officially Canceled/Ending:

• Hank
• Lost
• Ugly Betty
  

Likely to be renewed:

• The Bachelor
• Brothers & Sisters
• Castle
• Dancing with the Stars
• Desperate Housewives
• Grey’s Anatomy
• Private Practice

Chopping Block:

• Better Off Ted
• The Deep End
• FlashForward
• The Forgotten
• Scrubs
• V

CBS
Officially Renewed:

• The Amazing Race
• The Big Bang Theory
• The Good Wife
• How I Met Your Mother
• NCIS: Los Angeles
• Survivor
• Two and a Half Men

Officially Canceled:

• Three Rivers

Likely to be renewed:

• Criminal Minds
• CSI
• CSI: Miami
• CSI: NY
• Gary Unmarried
• Ghost Whisperer
• The Mentalist
• NCIS
• New Adventures of Old Christine

Chopping Block:

• Accidentally on Purpose
• Cold Case
• Medium
• Numb3rs
• Rules of Engagement

FOX
Officially renewed:

• American Dad
• Bones
• The Cleveland Show
• Family Guy
• Fringe
• Glee
• The Simpsons

Officially canceled:

• 24
• Dollhouse
• Brothers
• Past Life
• ‘Til Death

Likely to be renewed:

• American Idol
• House
• Lie to Me

Chopping block:

• Human Target

NBC
Officially renewed:

• 30 Rock
• Community
• Friday Night Lights
• Law & Order
• The Office
• Parks and Recreation

Likely to be renewed:

• The Biggest Loser
• Celebrity Apprentice
• Law & Order: SVU

Chopping block:

• Chuck
• Heroes
• Mercy
• Trauma

The CW
Officially renewed:

• 90210
• America’s Next Top Model
• Gossip Girl
• Smallville
• Supernatural
• The Vampire Diaries

Chopping block:

• Life Unexpected
  
• One Tree Hill
• Melrose Place

Could we see Conan O'Brien at this year's FOX upfronts?

Word is that Conan is closer to inking a deal with Fox. He could very well be at this year's Fox upfronts on May 17. Note that he has not scheduled a show for that date on his upcoming 30 city comedy tour. His contract with NBC expires in September and there's serious buzz around town that he could be joining Fox immediately after its expiration. This could be major for both Conan and Fox alike as they both have the chance to start from scratch on what could be a legendary late night talk show franchise, a feat that has not yet been conquered by Fox.

It's not that I don't enjoy his daily, wackjob tweet, but I'm going to need him back on my TV every night of the week again ASAP. I've been going through major withdrawals, and it almost hurts to turn on my TV at 11:35pm and not see him there.

Atelier Versace Spring 2010 Lookbook

Versace RTW has been amazing this year, and good lord, the spring 2010 lookbook for Atelier Versace is phenomenal. They've really stepped it up recently, and it's really all about youth this year, which is great because looking at these are like a breath of fresh air.

I love these angled, elliptical, and architectural looks. The textures are totally awe-inspiring. Just looking at these make my heart pitter patter with simple, unadulterated joy.

View the whole lookbook here.

The Oscar Curse?

Could the best actress Oscar be cursed with couple splits? Let's examine the evidence.

First Julia Roberts and Benjamin Bratt. Then Halle Barry and sexaholic Eric Benet. Then Hilary Swank and hubby Chad Lowe. Then the split of America's sweethearts: Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillipe. And now the recently reported separation of Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes.

If that's not already enough damning evidence for you, let's put the curse to the test. Who recently nabbed a golden victory in the best actress category? None other than Ms. Sandra Bullock. Who's been reportedly sleeping around? Mr. Sandra Bullock, aka Jesse James. That is some fast acting voodoo--hardly two weeks and Sandy's already backed out of the UK premiere of The Blind Side and reportedly left the house.

Yikes. Now I'm not one to assume completely on conjecture, but holy crap, this has to mean something. Could it be just coincidence, sheer happenstance, kismet, or whatever hoo-ha hullabaloo? Maybe, maybe. But maybe there's actually something to all of this here. Someone call a psychic, someone call a healer, someone call that crazy voodoo lady from season 2 of True Blood.

Seriously though, in regards to Sandra, I hope this is all tabloid fodder because I couldn't imagine anybody in their right mind who would cheat on Sandra B. Have you seen the woman? She's in her forties and I'm still watching her in rom coms wishing I was her.

In regards to the curse, I'm seriously a little freaked out and kinda, sorta, (actually really) convinced. You?

New Robyn!

It's no secret I love Robyn. It's been five years from her eponymous release, Robyn, and she's finally ready to release a new album, tentatively titled Body Talk. Yipee! I am ridiculously, ridiculously excited. I've been waiting very patiently and the word is she will be releasing three mini albums this year.

Check out her new song, 'Fembot' and the relaunch of her new website: http://robyn.com, where you can also stream Fembot.

Karl Lagerfeld's Diane Kruger Vogue Shoot

I've been MIA for a little while and it's time to jump back on the horse. More posts on television related business to come in the very near future, especially since I got caught up in the Oscar frenzy and I've been ignoring the good ole' TV.

For now, enjoy this shoot I'm currently obsessed with: Diane Kruger in the latest Vogue Germany shot by none other than the great Karl Lagerfeld. Nothing could be more perfect than Karl and Diane together. The first time I saw this editorial I literally yelped with joy.

Love Diane with this androgynous look. How fantastically beautiful is that?

Alexander McQueen's phenomenal last collection

What an incredibly tragic loss for the creative world, because Alexander McQueen was a true visionary. His fall 2010 collection, his last collection, is phenomenal. I'm speechless. The gold foil feathers, incredible prints, eerie religious imagery, Byzantine inspiration, and incredibly feminine full skirts? Perfection.



View the rest of his collection here.

Jimmy Kimmel's Handsome Men's Club and Christoph Waltz's "Der Humpink"

All from last night's Jimmy Kimmel Oscar Special:

Seriously, amazing. Just amazing.

Handsome Men's Club:


Christoph Waltz's "Der Humpink"


The original "trololo":

82nd Academy Award Winners & My 2010 Oscar Scoresheet

Hey, 17/20 isn't half bad. I lost out on best foreign film, best adapted screenplay, and best cinematography, but I'm not complaining.

A surprise win for Geoffrey Fletcher and his adaptation of Sapphire's novel, "Push" for Precious, but I'm honestly happy for him. I loved Jason Reitman's adaptation of Up in the Air, and many thought he was favored to win, but hey, it's great to see such appreciation for Precious. Also, what a phenomenal accomplishment for Fletcher, as he becomes the first African American to win an Oscar for screenwriting.

As for Avatar's win for best cinematography, I have to agree with Roger Ebert-- Avatar's win for best cinematography was out of whack, especially since most of the film is CGI. I can't complain too much though, I loved the outcome of this year's Oscars-- for the most part.

My faith in the Academy is happily in tact. I was worried for a moment there. Avatar only took home technical awards--rightfully so and well deserved. The big winner this year was The Hurt Locker, which took home 6/9 major awards with best sound mixing/editing, original screenplay, film editing, picture, and director. I am so incredibly happy for the movie, and especially Kathryn Bigelow! A lot of people thought Avatar would sweep, but I just knew that this was The Hurt Locker's year. Kathryn Bigelow's huge win makes her the first female director to win an Academy Award for best director. What an amazing accomplishment and a huge night for women in Hollywood.

Just as predicted, Sandra came out on top in the Sandra/Meryl showdown. Bittersweet, but you can't win 'em all. Just like Steve Martin said, Meryl may be the most nominated actress in Academy Award history, but she's also the biggest loser in history as well. There's always next year, my Meryl. All kidding aside, I would have loved to see a huge surprise win for Gabby Sidibe--how amazing would that have been? Too bad it was a slim to none chance. Sigh.

Some show highlights: Loved Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin as hosts. Loved the John Hughes tribute. Loved Tina Fey and RDJ's little comedy bit about writers and actors in Hollywood. Loved it when Ben Stiller went all out in na'vi makeup and hair tail--we do realize that we've all made Avatar a joke now, right? Loved that Tom Hanks came out at the end to present best picture and didn't even bother with any teleprompter bullshit, just got down to business and read the winner aloud without any mention of the nominees. Loved the .5 seconds of total shock from The Hurt Locker producers and reading the looks on their faces as they were unsure what to make of that total lack of buildup best picture winner announcement.

With all that said, I do have two major qualms with this year's awards. 1) Up in the Air's total lack of wins. What a fantastic movie, and what underappreciation for it. 2) Farah Fawcett's absence from the tribute. What in the fuck was up with that?

I love the Academy Awards--the fashion, the huge, swell of appreciation for films, and the magic of it all. I'm a movie geek and a fashion freak, so you can't imagine how much I just relish in all of this. What a great end to an awards season. Well deserved winners, and to top it all off, amazing, amazing fashion, which is a huge relief for me after enduring some especially atrocious dresses on the carpet at previous awards shows this season.

Check out the full list of winners below, along with my Oscar scoresheet.

1. Best Picture
Winner: The Hurt Locker
My prediction: The Hurt Locker

2. Best Animated Feature
Winner: Up
My prediction: Up

3. Best Foreign Language Film
Winner: El Secreto de Sus Ojos, Argentina
My prediction: The White Ribbon, Germany -1

4. Best Adapted Screenplay
Winner: Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, Geoffrey Fletcher
My prediction: Up in the Air, Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner -1

5. Best Original Screenplay
Winner: The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal
My prediction: The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal

6. Best Director
Winner: The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow
My prediction: The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow

7. Best Actor in a Leading Role
Winner: Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart
My prediction: Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart

8. Best Actress in a Leading Role
Winner: Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side
My prediction: Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side

9. Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner: Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds
My prediction: Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds

10. Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner: Mo'Nique in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
My prediction: Mo'Nique in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire

11. Best Cinematography
Winner: Avatar
My prediction: The Hurt Locker -1

12. Best Film Editing
Winner: The Hurt Locker
My prediction: The Hurt Locker

13. Best Sound Mixing
Winner: The Hurt Locker
My prediction: The Hurt Locker

14. Best Sound Editing
Winner: The Hurt Locker
My prediction: The Hurt Locker

15. Best Visual Effects
Winner: Avatar
My prediction: Avatar

16. Best Original Score
Winner: Up
My prediction: Up

17. Best Original Song
Winner: "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart
My prediction: "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart

18. Best Art Direction
Winner: Avatar: Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
My prediction: Avatar: Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair

19. Best Documentary Feature
Winner: The Cove
My prediction: The Cove

20. Best Makeup
Winner: Star Trek: Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
My prediction: Star Trek: Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow

Score: 17/20

2010 Oscar Best Dressed List

The Oscars red carpet this year is a fashion loving girl's dream. Holy Jesus. So glad these ladies stepped it up for the red carpet of the biggest event of the year. Talk about saving the best for last.

My ultimate pick for best dressed of the night: Jennifer Lopez in Armani Privé. Stunning, just stunning. A structural beauty. Armani Privé is just killing the red carpet. My favorite last year also came from the house of Armani. Anne Hathaway in that paillette-covered Armani Privé was sheer genius; that's a dress I'll never forget.

More fantastically dressed women tonight:

These women were right up there on the best dressed list. Seriously, so beautiful. Diane Kruger and Sarah Jessica Parker (aware of the mixed thoughts on her dress, but I thought she looked perfect, and no one looks better in Chanel Haute Couture than SJP) both in Chanel:

Rachel McAdams in Elie Saab Couture, Kristen Stewart in Monique Lhullier:

Carey Mulligan in Prada, Gabby Sidibe in Marchesa:

Elizabeth Banks in Versace, Maggie Gyllenhaal in Dries van Noten (finally some print on the carpet):

Meryl Streep in Chris March (a la Project Runway fame!), Miley Cyrus in Jenny Packham (finally an age appropriate look):

My Oscar Ballot

With the Oscars just hours away, I thought I'd fill out my very own Oscar ballot and make my predictions. Below is a list of movies/actors who I think will win and who I want to win; sadly the two don't always coincide. It'll be interesting to see how closely my picks of who I think will win will match up to the actual winners, and even more interesting to see if my personal picks garner a surprise win (a la Alan Arkin nabbing best supporting actor for Little Miss Sunshine in 2006). Crossing my fingers.

Now go make your own predictions and watch the Oscars tonight on ABC at 5pm pacific/8pm eastern to see how you did!

Best Picture
A Serious Man
Avatar
An Education
District 9
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
The Blind Side
The Hurt Locker (my pick to win)
Up
Up in the Air (my personal pick)

Best Animated Feature
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox (my personal pick)
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
Up (my pick to win)

Best Foreign Language Film
Ajami, Israel
The Milk of Sorrow, Peru
A Prophet, France
El Secreto de Sus Ojos, Argentina
The White Ribbon, Germany (my pick to win)

Best Adapted Screenplay
An Education, Nick Hornby
District 9, Neil Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell
In the Loop, Jesse Armstrong & Simon Blackwell & Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, Geoffrey Fletcher
Up in the Air, Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner (my pick to win)

Best Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal (my pick to win)
Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger, Alessandro Camon & Owen Moverman
A Serious Man, Ethan Coen & Joel Coen (my personal pick)
Up, Pete Docter & Thomas McCarthy & Bob Peterson

Best Director
Avatar, James Cameron
The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow (my pick to win)
Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, Lee Daniels
Up in the Air, Jason Reitman

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart (my pick to win)
George Clooney in Up in the Air
Colin Firth in A Single Man
Morgan Freeman in Invictus
Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side (my pick to win: as much as it hurts me to say, I think she'll be trumping my Meryl. I haven't yet had my peace with this, but we'll see what the ultimate outcome is.)
Helen Mirren in The Last Station
Carey Mulligan in An Education
Gabourey Sidibe in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (my personal pick)
Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Matt Damon in Invictus
Woody Harrelson in The Messenger
Christopher Plummer in The Last Station
Stanley Tucci in The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds (my pick to win)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Penelope Cruz in Nine
Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal in Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick in Up in the Air
Mo'Nique in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (my pick to win)

Best Cinematography
Avatar
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hurt Locker (my pick to win)
Inglourious Basterds
The White Ribbon

Best Film Editing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker (my pick to win)
Inglourious Basterds (my personal pick)
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire

Best Sound Mixing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker (my pick to win)
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Best Sound Editing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker (my pick to win)
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Up

Best Visual Effects
Avatar (my pick to win)
District 9
Star Trek

Best Original Score
Avatar
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Hurt Locker
Sherlock Holmes
Up (my pick to win)

Best Original Song
"The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart (my pick to win)
"Take It All" from Nine
"Loin de Paname" from Paris 36
"Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog
"Down in New Orleans" from The Princess and the Frog

Best Art Direction
Avatar: Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair (my pick to win)
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus: Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
Nine: Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
Sherlock Holmes: Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
The Young Victoria: Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

Best Documentary Feature
Burma VJ
The Cove (my pick to win)
Food, Inc.
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Which Way Home

Best Makeup
Il Divo: Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
Star Trek: Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow (my pick to win)
The Young Victoria: Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

Jimmy Fallon Reunites California Dreams: Awesome, yet also mildly depressing

I loved this show as a kid. I used to sing the theme song at the top of my lungs with no shame at all.

They perform their theme song at the end, complete with all their respective instruments. Awesome. So awesome. Also kinda depressing, scratch that--really depressing. Jimmy goes down the line and asks each of them what they've been up to.

People need to give these California Dreamers some work! Don't they realize they were part of Saturday morning teen show history? Geez, tough break.

Oscar Big 10 Challenge: At the finish line with "Inglourious Basterds"

I've officially seen and attempted to review all ten best picture nominees. Last movie on the best picture list today, and just in time for the Oscars tomorrow! Holy shit. Can't believe it.

Saving the best for last? Maybe. Today: Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.

I am a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino, less so for his strange Asian fetish (especially considering I'm a wee little Asian girl), more so because he has an incredibly unique vision when it comes to making movies. Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2, anyone? I have a soft spot for Tarantino movies, and rightfully so because those movies are fucking awesome.

With all that said, I was expecting nothing less from Inglourious Basterds. Inglourious Basterds is set in Nazi occupied France and tells the story of the Jewish-American "Basterds" who set out to brutally kill and scalp Nazis. So what was the final verdict after 2.5 hours of scalp collecting, brutal baseball bat beatings (say that three times fast), hilariously phony accents, an incredibly loud, table banging Adolf Hitler, and crazy explosions? Um, awesome. Just like any other Tarantino film, it's set in chapters, it's incredibly visceral and violent, and it's darkly funny.

There are great images in this movie that stick with you long after, and there are characters that are so fully developed that they almost seem real. A few of the amazing characters Tarantino built: Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) as the "Jew Hunter", Donny Donnowitz (Eli Roth), the baseball wielding "Bear Jew", Lt. Aldo Raine, the ridiculous leader of the group with a sharp Southern twang, Shoshanna Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent), a scorned Jewish woman awaiting her revenge against the Nazis, and Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger), the German on the opposite side looking to take down the Third Reich. That's just a small handful of characters Tarantino crafted specifically for this movie. Now can you see why this movie was nearly a decade in the making? It has a crazy slew of characters, intertwining plots, and a script filled with a good mix of different languages--in fact, the English in this film only makes up about 30% of the dialogue.

I know from just this description Inglorious Basterds already sounds crazy, and that's because it is -- it's that and so much more. This was precisely why I was worried about its critical reception and its presence during awards season. This movie rightfully deserves to be among the ten movies nominated this year in the best picture category, but it's definitely not the type of film we usually see graced by the Academy's nod of approval. It's intensely violent, horrifically hilarious, and totally absurd. I'm glad that the Academy was able to celebrate Tarantino's vision in a similar way by granting him a best director and best picture nomination, as well as a best supporting actor nod for Christoph Waltz. Most definitely deserved all around.

Now I have to take a little time to fangirl all over Christoph Waltz's performance in this film. It was so clear after one viewing of this film that he'd be sweeping best supporting actor awards this season. His performance was incredibly wicked, incredibly hilarious, and seemed totally effortless. Can't wait to see him accept his best supporting actor Oscar tomorrow night.

Alright folks, that's the end of my Oscar Big 10 Challenge. Now I am so ready for the Oscars!

My previous best picture reviews:
A Serious Man
Avatar
An Education
District 9
Precious
The Blind Side
The Hurt Locker
Up
Up in the Air

Oscar Big 10 Challenge: Blind Sided by "The Blind Side"

With the Oscars just days away, I'm winding down my challenge with just one more movie to go! Eep!

Today: the big surprise nominee, The Blind Side. The Blind Side had barely blipped on the awards radar, outside from Sandra Bullock's performance in this film, so it came as a big shock when the movie's Academy Award best picture nomination was announced.

The Blind Side is based on the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless, traumatized, African American boy who becomes adopted by the wealthy Tuohy family. With the help of his new mother, Leigh Ann (Sandra Bullock), he rebuilds his life and realizes his full potential as a successful football player.

This is a touching, true story that has a great heart, and reminds you that there are some truly great people out there who do good deeds. This is the movie to see if you want to feel inspired, because it does a good job of depicting an uplifting true story in an honest way. It's a wholesome, family type of film. The relationship between Leigh Anne and Michael is very sweet, and I'm glad this movie was able to get made because there aren't that many movies out there today with a happy, inspiring message that isn't cloyingly sweet and watered down. With all that said, it's a great movie to rent on a Friday night or to watch when you're feeling down, but that's about it. It doesn't stand out as anything spectacular or memorable, and it certainly isn't best picture material. The best picture category reflects the year's breakthrough, stand out films that not only are the year's best, but are a group of films that will also stand the test of time as future filmmakers look to match their caliber of success. There's something so indescribably special about a best picture nominee, and The Blind Side just doesn't have that spark.

Now don't get me wrong, The Blind Side was an enjoyable, good movie, but it was good, not great. Sandra Bullock's performance in this movie was her career's best. However, again, I don't think it was Oscar worthy. I think she showed that she has an ability to be a convincing, effective dramatic actor, but this was not her Oscar worthy role. She did do a great job in this movie, but I don't know who anyone's kidding if they truly think it was the best female performance this year. I love Sandra Bullock, but I'll have a real problem of confidence in the Academy if she wins best actress this year.

Bottom line: Go rent this movie at your local redbox if you need a pick me up. You won't regret it. You also won't believe it's nominated for best picture among a class that includes The Godfather, Annie Hall, Taxi Driver, and Schindler's List. Yikes.

ONE more to go! My previous best picture reviews:
A Serious Man
Avatar
An Education
District 9
Precious
The Hurt Locker
Up
Up in the Air

Oscar Big 10 Challenge: "District 9"

Going along with the topic of under-represented films this awards season from my last review of A Serious Man, I thought it'd be appropriate to review District 9 next.

Yes, District 9 is a sci-fi film. Yes, sci-fi films are often the ugly ducklings/awkward stepchildren/black swans (alright now, you get the point) of the Oscars with their teeny tiny presence at the awards throughout the years, so imagine my surprise when the Academy Awards nominated District 9 for best picture this year. Although sharply deserved, it has a slim to zero chance of winning, and I'm sure the movie only received a nomination because the category was expanded this year from five to ten. Had it been the traditional five picture deal, I'm sure it wouldn't have made the cut. It sounds like a tough break, but there's really no room for outliers like District 9 to win when Avatar, The Hurt Locker, and Up in the Air are in contention.

With all that aside, District 9 was really a sci-fi movie worth watching. I'm by no means a sci-fi fan at all, in fact, it's probably my least favorite film genre, but this movie was truly different and very enjoyable. This is all attributed to Neill Blomkamp's great writing and directing, and Sharlto Copley's portrayal of main character Wikus Van De Merwe.

District 9 takes place in a world where aliens already have a presence on Earth, and they're confined into slums, known at District 9, where they are exploited and studied. A government agent, Wikus Van De Merwe, is the head of a mission to forcibly evict the tenants of District 9. It's there where he is exposed to extraterrestrial technology that causes him to morph into one of the 'prawns'.

What sets District 9 apart from other generic sci-fi films is that it has a heart, and it has emotion. Alot of sci-fi thrillers get caught up in exciting, strange, visceral images that stir the brain, but District 9 makes it a strong point to make you feel in this movie. You feel for Wikus after he becomes exposed, and his whole world has been torn apart, and you feel for the aliens as they are constantly being exploited. The way they're treated by the government is incredibly dehumanizing--but that begs the question, do they afford the same rights as humans? That's the debate in this movie, and it's what makes District 9 so great-- it's stirring, thought provoking, and visually stunning to boot.

This movie was inspired by writer and director, Neill Blomkamp's life in South Africa during apartheid. He originally created a short movie, which was then adapted into a full feature length film with the help from producer Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings trilogy). Sharlto Copley's performance in this film was incredibly heartfelt, and I was shocked to discover he had never even acted before and didn't even think to pursue acting. Another surprising tidbit: he ad-libbed all of his dialogue during the documentary scenes.

I'm sorry, but move over Avatar, this movie was the true game changer. I think this is what sci-fi movies, in fact all movies, should strive to be: a total balance (and when I say balance, I mean equal parts) of captivating storytelling, character development, and visual interest. Also, this was a low budget film at just $30 million, but didn't look low budget at all. To put that all in perspective, Avatar cost an excess of $300 million to make. Hey, I'm just stating facts here. No claws to retract when they're just facts..

Go see District 9 and discover why it's one of the very few sci-fi movies ever to be nominated for a best picture Oscar.

Almost at the finish line! My previous best picture reviews:
A Serious Man
Avatar
An Education
Precious
The Hurt Locker
Up
Up in the Air