Oscar Night

The first ever Normal Blog appeared almost exactly two years ago (March 12, 2008) and was entitled "Movie Musings" reflecting TNB's life-long movie passion. It's no coincidence that a long ago Chicago movie theatre, the Normal, is prominently displayed. So on the eve of this year's Oscars some updated Movie Musings (and predictions) appear to be in order.

Will the hugely successful "Avatar" beat out the modest but gripping "Hurt Locker" for Best Picture? Since these 2 are directed, respectively, by ex-spouses James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow, will Academy voters split their votes so one award goes to each? There is precedent with an occasional Best Director (e.g., the notorious Roman Polanski for "The Pianist") coming from a picture that did not win the top prize. A purist would argue that Best Picture automatically means Best Director, but as we all know, emotion plays a large part in the voting, so TNB predicts that Bigelow will get a very nice consolation prize, but "Avatar" will win the big one.

Speaking of emotion, long-time Hollywood insiders Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock are heavily favored to each win their first Oscars for "Crazy Heart" and "The Blind Side", two very average movies. Honestly, isn't it time that we stop taking Meryl Streep and her 16 nominations for granted and finally give her a 3rd Oscar for her scintillating turn as Julia Child in "Julie and Julia"? If she doesn't deserve Best Actress, TNB will eat 3 helpings of Child's very rich beef bourgignon.

Likewise, whatever happened to the Best Actor chances of George Clooney whose perfect depiction of a modern day corporate assassin in "Up in the Air" caused, among other things, a spike in the sale of wheeled, carry on suitcases? Also, in that movie, Anna Kendrick's wonderful performance as a smarmy technogeek has been overwhelmed by Mo'Nique, who has Best Supporting Actress sewed up for "Precious".

Finally, there's nothing like playing a Nazi to give an edge for any acting award--see Christof Waltz for Best Supporting Actor in "Inglourious Basterds", Quentin Tarantino's outrageous reimagining of an alternative (and satisfying) end to World War II.

By next week, this will all be a distant memory, but at least for TNB, Oscar Night is great fun. As an aside, venerable Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert (who is basically unable to eat, drink or speak) supposedly will be attending, which is a greater achievement than any of the foregoing examples of make believe.