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What 2007 Oscar-Winning Movie Do You Want to See Next?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 10:22:29 -0800

Now that the 2007 Oscars have come and gone, I am anxious to catch up on my movie viewing! Though I've seen most of the winners, there are a few Oscar movies I missed.

What 2007 Oscar winner have you not seen that you really want to see next?

Movie Night: A Martin Scorsese Sampler

BuzzSugar — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 16:03:03 -0800

In honor of his first Best Director win, this week's Movie Night is all about Scorsese. There are additional, equally worthy titles beyond the ones listed here (see also: Casino), and some you should avoid, such as Gangs of New York, but this will get you started. So check these out, and yes, I'm talkin' to you.

Goodfellas
"As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster," says Henry Hill, the young Irish-Italian Broolynite at the center of this crime drama, which is based on a true story. Henry (Ray Liotta) and his two friends Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) and Jimmy Conway (Robert DeNiro) climb their way up the mobster ladder, beginning with robbery and eventually working their way to violent crime. The film earned Scorsese kudos all around for his detailed character work, deft ability to create a specific mood, and sharp depiction of the criminal mind.

Two more, so read more

Taxi Driver
If all you know of Taxi Driver is Travis Bickle's famous line "You talkin' to me?" then a viewing of this classic - possibly Scorsese's best work - is long overdue. DeNiro plays Bickle, whose distaste for urban detritus is slowly eating away at his sanity in a city too large for anyone to notice. Between botched dates and his attempt to rescue a young prostitute (wises-beyond-her years Jodie Foster), DeNiro puts forth a performance that is both thoughtful and tensely thrilling. Oh, and that mirror scene? It was supposedly ad-libbed entirely by DeNiro.

The Last Waltz
Believe it or not, this chronicle of The Band's self-imposed retirement and final concert was directed by Scorsese, proving he's just as adept at rockumentaries as well as gangster flicks. To my mind, The Last Waltz is one of the greatest rock docs ever made and enjoyable even if you aren't a fan of The Band. The concert features performances from a pantheon of artists who inspired the group, from Bob Dylan and Van Morrison to Neil Diamond and Muddy Waters. There's also quite a bit of backstage banter, which is alternately admirable and embarrassing enough to have provided some fodder for the parodies in This is Spinal Tap.

Oscar Worthy? Jennifer Hudson's Scene-Stealing Song from Dreamgirls

BuzzSugar — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 13:19:00 -0800

The studio kept this clip under wraps leading up to this year's Oscars, but if you've yet to see Dreamgirls, you can now watch the video of Jennifer Hudson performing "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," her scene-stealing and impassioned ballad. You guys were pretty conflicted over whether Hudson deserved to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, so maybe this clip will help you decide. (Thanks to Best Week Ever for directing me to the video.)

I, for one, think it's a very impressive performance as far as musicals go, and there's no arguing that Hudson has an amazing voice. But I still don't think she deserved to win an Oscar; to find out why, read more

First, let me just say, it was great to see how happy Hudson was on Oscar night, and I got into the excitement of seeing a young actress win for her first movie. But then again, it was her first movie, so while we know now that she can kill at musical theater, we don't really know if she has any versatility whatsoever.

But that's beside the point, really. My main gripe with Hudson's win can be summed up in two words: Adriana Barraza. I just rewatched Babel last night, and seeing Barraza's brilliant performance again made me realize how much she was robbed. (Others argue that Rinko Kikuchi should have won, and she was probably robbed too.)

In her role as the nanny Amelia, Barraza cycled through a stunning cycle of emotions - from a subtly concerned caretaker in the beginning of the movie to an ordinary woman torn apart by utter despair during the desert scenes in the film's climax. Never has a film elicited such a feeling of dread from me, and I credit Barraza's acting for most of that.

Mostly, I found myself wondering if Hudson saw Babel and, if so, if she really thinks her job was harder than Barraza's. What do you guys think?

Photo courtesy of Paramount

Buzz News Roundup, 2/28

BuzzSugar — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 14:15:27 -0800

Little Miss Sunshine co-stars Alan Arkin and Steve Carell are reuniting in Get Smart, says the Hollywood Reporter.
And The Departed duo Scorsese and Monahan will work together on The Long Play, says Variety.
A whole lot of people watched "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" on Tuesday, Zap2it reports.
The Academy cracks down on Oscar clips on YouTube, Variety reports.
Meanwhile, Diddy is accused of battery the night of the Oscars, NME writes.
According to Billboard, Interscope has signed British indie darlings the Pipettes.
Reuters reports that McDreamy - I mean, Patrick Dempsey - has signed on to star in a romantic comedy called Made of Honor.
Daniel Radcliffe - a.k.a. Harry Potter - is getting rave reviews for his performance in the play "Equus," reports the AP.
Santa Monica has banned ads for "America's Next Top Model" from its city buses, according to the AP.
Vincent Pastore isn't tough enough for "Dancing with the Stars", Broadcasting & Cable reports.

Book Review: Little Children by Tom Perrotta

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:35:05 -0800

Little Children didn't win the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay; that honor went to The Departed, which was merely adapted from another film script. But translating Tom Perrotta's novel to the screen is almost as much of a no-brainer: This book was just made to be made into a movie.

Now a critically acclaimed film starring Kate Winslet (who earned an Oscar nod for the role), Little Children pays homage to the adult suburban dystopias imagined by authors like John Cheever and The Ice Storm author Rick Moody. But here, the story is told entirely with an eye toward children, from toddler play dates threatened by a child molester to grown-ups behaving like children.

Fittingly, the storytelling style leans more toward parable than novel, which is precisely why it's better suited to film, so

Essentially the story of two adults indulging in a youthful summer romance, Little Children centers on Sarah (played by Winslet in the film), a recovering radical poseur turned suburban mom who can't stomach the vapidness of her playground peers. That is, until she meets Todd, a hunky dad the moms call "the Prom King," and the two start a convenient love affair.

Meanwhile, a convicted child molester moves to town, and Todd and his football-team buddies rally to protect the local kids and end up looking rather foolish in the process. At a meeting of concerned parents, Todd is described as "plagued by the self-consciousness of the imposter, an adult playing dress-up."

And therein lies the book's central conflict, as both Todd and Sarah feel thrust into adult responsibility before their time. Both they and the other characters feel extraordinarily one-dimensional, and - parable-style aside - I found myself getting angry at their whininess. Meanwhile, the simple, conversational prose reads so much like a script treatment I found myself wondering why I didn't just put down the book and go see the movie, where capable actors might add some depth to the characters.

Now, I just need to see Little Children; if you've seen the movie (or, better yet, also read the book), tell me what you think.

What to Netflix: 2007 Oscar Winners

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 06:00:08 -0800

Now that we know who won at the 2007 Oscars, a lot of you are probably looking to catch up on your Oscar-movie viewing. Well, you're in luck, because most of the winning movies that aren't still in theaters are out on DVD and just waiting to be added to your Netflix queue. Here's a look at all of the Oscar-winning films now available for home viewing.

The Departed
Oscars: Best Adapted Screenplay, Achievement in Film Editing, Best Director for Martin Scorsese, and Best Picture

Trust me: Just watch The Departed once, and you'll understand what all the fuss is about. The fast-paced drama isn't terribly deep: A good cop (Leonardo DiCaprio) goes undercover with a mobster (Jack Nicholson), who has his own man (Matt Damon) inside the force. But the intricately woven plot and masterful performances, particularly by supporting cast members like Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin, prove that this movie deserves all of the Oscars it won.

Little Miss Sunshine
Oscars: Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Alan Arkin

Skillfully mixing pathos with absurd comedy, Little Miss Sunshine tells the story of one family's quest to get bespectacled Olive to the Little Miss Sunshine competition on time. In an astounding cast (Alan Arkin, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear), Steve Carrell is perhaps the most impressive as a suicidal Proust scholar forced to live with his sister's bizarre family. As a special bonus, the DVD features four alternate endings to the movie.

Four more, so read more

Babel
Oscars: Best Score

Though it didn't take home the Best Picture trophy, Babel has gotten a lot of buzz for its universal themes and good-looking cast. Set in three continents and featuring five languages, the film follows four different stories revolving around the aftermath of a shooting in the Moroccan desert. The strong performances, compelling story, and sharp cinematography make it a must-see. For a more in-depth look at Babel, check out my review.

An Inconvenient Truth
Oscar: Best Documentary and Best Song

He may have lost the presidential election, but Al Gore can now say he's the only candidate to have ever won an Oscar. Gore's pet project tackles the important issue of climate change with compelling facts and a great soundtrack. Like a great documentary should, An Inconvenient Truth will make you care about the film's concerns while also keeping you thoroughly entertained.

Marie Antoinette
Oscar: Best Costumes

The bright, beautiful period clothes featured in Sofia Coppola's stylized depiction of the young Marie Antoinette are impressive enough to warrant a viewing of the film. Kirsten Dunst stars as Marie, the naive Austrian princess who became the Queen of France at age 19. The film follows her betrothal to Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman) at age 15, through her reign as Queen and the eventual fall of Versailles.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Oscar: Achievement in Visual Effects

While I can't recommend this movie for its compelling plot, the second film in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has plenty of eye candy, including star Johnny Depp and astounding special effects. (It was also nominated for art direction.) In this well-conceptualized fantasy world, you get everything from regal, tall-masted ships to creepy sea monsters and nautical costumes, all of which help give the special-effects-heavy movie a unified look and feel.

Recapping the 2007 Oscars in One Handy Post

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:01:13 -0800

Just in case you missed the 2007 Oscars or the endless coverage on BuzzSugar, I've designed a point-by-point recap that will let you relive this year's Oscar excitement in one handy post. Here's everything you need to know about everything that went down.

First, I made some predictions about who would win, which turned out to be about 67 percent accurate. Not too shabby, but not nearly as good as LegallyBlonder, who won our ballot contest. Congrats!
Oh yeah, and here's a full list of Oscar winners.
If you think winning an Oscar is hard, you should try the BuzzSugar Oscar trivia quiz.
I made lots of snap judgments during the ceremony, most of which I don't feel too foolish about now.
The same goes for my post-show rants and raves.
Your favorite Oscars moment? The Jack Black/Will Ferrell musical duet.
Got some more strong opinions? You can still vote in BuzzSugar's Oscar polls galore.
Or, catch up on your Oscar viewing by putting these winners in your Netflix queue.
Helen Mirren and Martin Scorsese gave some damn fine acceptance speeches, and Mirren might even get to have tea with the Queen.
I'm guessing Sharon Stone, who dominated the Razzie awards, isn't invited to the tea.

That pretty much sums up this year's Oscars. My only regret is that I watched the ceremony from my sofa. To see where I wish I could have been instead, read more

That's right. Right there, sandwiched between Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig. Sigh. Maybe next year.

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The Winners Unite at The Governor's Ball While Our Winners Enjoy Prada Bags Galore

PopSugar — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 16:46:53 -0800

For those lucky enough to win, The Oscar party continued at the Kodak Theater Governor's Ball after the show. They compared the sizes of their little gold men and basked in the general glow of each other. We don't blame them, so many of last night's winners waited for decades to get the recognition they deserve. Not just Martin Scorsese but Alan Arkin and Forest Whitaker as well. In case you missed it, here's a complete list of winners. As for the Sugar Network contest, we would like to congratulate the top winners of our ballot contest. The Grand Prize Prada Bag Winner is.... LegallyBlonder with 20 out of 24 correct!!!! Other runners up are Alliebelle and Witchy Ways with 19 and slashyelizabeth with 18 correct. They will enjoy some sweet cash to our favorite stores, Neiman Marcus, Apple and Sephora. Congrats to all and thanks for playing.

For lots more pics including Helen Mirren, Melissa Etheridge, Al Gore and Elisabeth Shue just read more

View 12 Photos ›

Images include Leonardo DiCaprio, Helen Mirren, Forest Whitaker, Alan Arkin, Melissa Etheridge, Graham King, Rick Yorn, Roy Lee, Martin Scorsese, Davis Guggenheim, Al Gore, Lawrence Bender, Sherry Lansing, Elisabeth Shue, Keisha Whitaker

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Helen Mirren Having Tea With the Queen?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 14:27:05 -0800

In her wonderfully gracious acceptance speech at last night's Oscars, Best Actress winner Helen Mirren gave a sincere and playful shout-out to Queen Elizabeth II, who she portrays in The Queen, saying "For 50 years and more, Elizabeth WIndsor has maintained her dignity, her sense of duty, and her hairstyle."

It seems Her Majesty may have been paying attention: Variety is now reporting that Helen Mirren may actually be having tea with Queen Elizabeth II. According to a palace spokesman:

"The Oscar winner - along with director Stephen Frears and screenwriter Peter Morgan - are in discussions to have a sitdown with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in the near future."

To watch Mirren's very lovely acceptance speech, read more

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Buzz Oscar News Roundup, 2/26

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:38:33 -0800

Ryan Gosling bet his friends he wouldn't win an Oscar, Starpulse reports, so at least he won something.
Variety is reporting that the early ratings for ABC's Oscar broadcast are slightly higher than last year's but lower than 2005.
The Washington Post thinks the Oscars were long and boring, while USA Today calls Ellen's hosting a bright spot.
A Reuters story about a historian's objection to The Lives of Others includes this quote from Oscar-winning director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck: "I'm delighted to have this wonderful golden phallus in my possession at last."
Hollywood Reporter has lots of quotes from Oscar winners, including Alan Arkin's comment that he won because he's 72: "Everyone thinks I'm going to keel over in a few years."
According to the LA Times, The Departed proves that not trying to win an Oscar might actually help win one.
And Variety points out that The Departed's DVD sales are going to go through the roof.
As Jennifer Hudson rules the Oscars, Fantasia Barrino heads to Broadway, reports Variety.
Somehow, Ghost Rider tops the box office during a weekend of honoring really good movies, reports USA Today.

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