My issue is that I find Woody Allen in Annie Hall unbearable. The character he portrays in film is loathsome and drains any enjoyment from anything. I have the same issue with Ricky Gervais, and I've yet to see anything with him in it that I've liked, largely because of how frustrating he is to watch in it.

 

His character was the worst part of the film, yes, but I liked it despite that.

 

But...his character is the film.....

Also I'm pretty sure you're not really supposed to "like" him in the conventional sense. He's a neurotic cynic who self-sabotages his relationships. But that's the point of the story.

 

I don't think, say, the famous Christopher Walken sequence depends much upon Allen's character.

 

Well yeah, but its like what, ten minutes of the film? It also really works because of the incredible jumpcut to Alvy terrified in the passenger seat. His reaction retroactively makes an weirdly amusing scene into an amazing one.

 

My issue with Woody Allen is similar to Lowie's. He just bugs me. It's his voice, his mannerisms, his presence just bothers me.

 

If Clooney wins best actor I'll break something.

 

He has no moral authority on the ridiculous, considering the relationships he's had in life. You, of course, can have that authority. As for myself, sure The Oscars are ridiculous spectacle for the most part, but that's why I like to watch.


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I don't share the dislike for Woody Allen or Alvy Singer. I love Annie Hall and I like his character in it. That said, I understand how you can just find someone grating and not like anything they're in, because that's exactly how I feel about Julie Andrews. Don't know why, but she just bugs me.

I'm trying to see as many nominees as possible before the Oscars, which is especially tough since the only one I'd already seen was Harry Potter. In the past few days I've seen Hugo, A Better Life, and Margin Call. I really adored Hugo, and I enjoyed the other two as well. I'm going to try to go to see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close at the theater today too, I think.

 

Who said he has any moral authority on what's ridiculous? The only person really claiming any moral authority in this conversation is you, for judging his relationships (of course I'm sure you're only referring to the one relationship with Soo Yin, which is odd, but not exactly reprehensible or anything). But ok, let's take the argument at face value. What you're saying is, because of choices he's made in his life, he is required to partake in an arbitrary ceremony he has no interest in being associated with? Its not as if the Oscars are some required part of the film industry, or even as if they mean anything beyond a little bit of a "bump" in the career of certain of the winners.

I'm also not sure I've ever simply disliked a performer's personality to the point that I've been totally unable to appreciate their work. My qualms with movies usually have to do with other things, but that's subjective so I can't really say anything about it, other than that you're missing out on some seriously great filmmaking if you're dismissing his work out of hand.

 

That Soo Yin relationship is the one I was referencing, and yes in the grand scheme of life, it's an odd pairing, but nothing spectacularly. As for the The Oscars, everything you said about them in that post above is true. I just don't personally buy his excuse for not going at least once or twice (he didn't have to show up every single time). As for not wanting to see a movie based off a filmmaker's personality, that wouldn't be the case for me with Allen. I simply just haven't seen/nor have been inclined to see his movies. My beef with Midnight in Paris is it's playing on the quirkiness angle that Paris is the "most romantic city on the planet". That's the vibe I get, anyway, and wouldn't want to spend time watching a movie like that (nor many films that take a quirky view on love. I am not a romantic person by nature. L.A. Story & You've Got Mail are the only 2 films that come to mind (there maybe more, but I doubt it) that I've seen that are of that romantic nature).


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I tried to see all the movies nominated... I don't recommend it. It's just... depressing. So many pretentious films beating quality films.

 

In your humble opinion, what are the pretentious films this time around?


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After recently watching "Anonymous" and "Warrior", I'm sad that they didn't get best picture nominations.

 

So I haven't ended up seeing Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close yet, but I will tomorrow, and I think maybe The Artist later today.

So far I've seen:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
A Better Life
Margin Call
Hugo
Midnight in Paris

In that order. I also just got a screener of Rango from my dad that I'll watch in the next day or so.

 

Looks like John Hurt is to receive this year's BAFTA Fellowship Award. The BAFTAs are this Sunday, should be a refelction of how well movies will perform at the Oscars.

 

I stand corrected, Scorsese got the Fellowship Award, John Hurt got Outstanding British Contriution to Cinema.

The Artist won 7 awards, which I think is a likely reflection of how well it will do at the Oscars. Rango won Best Animation, and Titin was actually nominated against it.

Drive was also up for Best Film, with Michael Fassbender up for Best Actor. Perhaps the Oscars should take a leaf out of BAFTA's book next time it makes a nominations list.

 

Watching Tree of Life. This is the only Best Picture nom I've watched so far that I don't like at all. It's pretty, but... that's it. Almost literally. The actors don't matter, the story (such as it is) doesn't matter. It's making a mockery of film as a storytelling medium. It's pretentious nonsense. Blech.

Two stars for this, Netflix!

 

Usually the telecast begins at 5pm PST or 5:30 every year, which is perfect, since I get off at work on Sunday's at 4pm..............however, checking the Academy's just now, and it appears the telecast begins at 4pm this year. Not happy about that.


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An hour less to watch as many films as possible, and I'm already behind schedule because being sick has preoccupied me. Still, I have seen three more films:

The Help
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Rango

I don't see what all the fuss was about with TTSS. It was okay, but it's definitely the least memorable of the ones I've seen so far. Loved Rango though, and The Help was pretty good.

 

It's Oscar Sunday!

My favorite Oscar moments over the years:

[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9cERvUX6sE]Billy Crystal as Hannibal Lecter[/link]

[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYR2YJhRwTU]Billy Crystal opening monologue at The 70th Academy Awards[/link]

[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBZj7qIOAE8]Alec Baldwin/Steve Martin's opening monologue from The 82nd Academy Awards[/link]


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I'm amazed that Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close has got nominations. It's been completely panned in reviews and certainly where I work we've had almost no turnout for it. I thought the Oscars were about nominating popular and critically acclaimed movies, why is this film up for anything?

 

It's happened before, and it'll happen again. DRIVE was easly a better movie that could have taken ELAIC spot.

 

Ok, Tree of Life was horrible as a film. It's like a montage and a motif had a child and someone called it a movie. Towards the end, when it lingered on a shot, there was an audible sigh from the audience when it cut to a new scene rather than credits. The second time it did that, the entire audience laughed. I think it got the most applause simply because everyone was so glad it was over.

 

So, since The Artist is inevitably going to win (*Grumble grumble moan moan* etc.) I've been pacifying myself with the frustration of others. [link=http://badassdigest.com/2012/02/26/the-devins-advocate-at-least-this-the-artist-nonsense-is-almost-over/]Like this article.[/link]

Gotta be honest, though, this is the first time in a long time that I'm not looking forward to seeing what wins.