My Favorite Movies

I don't know how these rank amongst each other, I can only say that out of the movies I've seen, these movies really stand out to me as amazing works. Let me be clear in saying that this list isn't full of movies I think are "the greatest movies" of all time. just my personal favorites. I don't really have "one favorite movie" but I can usually pick out my favorite amongst genres.

Also, as a side note, I think some movies resonate greater with me if I'm in a certain mood when I watch them. Obviously you can't watch Schindler's List if you feel like having a laugh riot (unless you're anti-Semitic), and you can't watch certain movies if you're in a certain mood. However, I will strongly say that some movies get better if you watch it with the right mindset.

To kick off this list, which I will update from time to time as I feel like it is:


Almost Famous


"A high-school boy is given the chance to write a story for Rolling Stone Magazine about an up-and-coming rock band as he accompanies it on their concert tour."

This movie is a masterpiece...if you want it to be when you're watching it.

I think Daniel Day-Lewis is my new favorite actor

Mainly because of how intense he is on set, as seen in this excerpt from wikipedia:

"Day-Lewis put his personal version of "method acting" into full use in 1989 with his performance as Christy Brown in Jim Sheridan's My Left Foot which won him numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actor. During filming, his eccentricities came to the fore, due to his refusal to break character.[2] Playing a severely paralyzed character on screen, off screen Day-Lewis had to be wheeled around the set in his wheelchair, and crew members would curse at having to lift him over camera and lighting wires, all so that he might gain insight into all aspects of Brown's life, including the embarrassments. He broke two ribs during filming from assuming a hunched-over position in his wheelchair for so many weeks."

I hope he sets the Best Lead Actor record with another win.

Montages

I have to say one thing that's been on my mind post-Oscars, and that is regarding the new presentation of the best acting categories. Yes, it may seem a bit silly and very pompous and egotistical to have actors commending each other, but come on, those presentations were awesome.

Maybe I'm just a sucker for montages, but the montage of previous Best Supporting Actor/Actress, and Best Actor/Actress was very cool and nostalgic to watch, and I think is incredibly motivating for any nominated or aspiring actor/actress. To think that if you won, you would join the legacy of the acting greats seen in the fantastic montages, thanking the Academy for the highest honor in your field, and joining the elite, its a fantastic thought.

And if you lost, how could you be that disappointed when you have acting legends like Anthony Hopkins, Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken, Eva Marie Saint, etc... take a moment and intimately tell you how wonderful your performance was. I can only imagine the feeling of pride that one could feel joining that list of screen legends, sealing a moment in time, THEIR moment, for everyone to remember. To all aspiring actors, that should be the goal, to see a clip of yourself winning best actor/actress immortalized as these people have (That means you Andrew).

For anyone who missed it, this is what I was talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWiRfTIT0xo

Finally, while we're on the subject, I'm going to go ahead and predict future Oscar winners:

Johnny Depp
Amy Adams
Christian Bale (if he gets out of his action movie groove and back into serious pieces)
Brad Pitt
George Clooney (again)
Anne Hathaway
Josh Brolin
Phillip Seymour Hoffman (again)
David Fincher
Christopher Nolan
Leonardo DiCaprio
Scarlett Johansson
Matt Damon
Jim Carrey
Kiera Knightley
Daniel Day-Lewis - who is the only actor who was able to make me think he would win Best Actor, hands down, after one viewing of a movie (There Will Be Blood)
Sean Penn (for director)


and of course, the Meryl Streep of our generation: Kate Winslet. That woman's going to win a few more Oscars before she retires, or at least take the nominations record away from Streep.

This is my first Live Blog, give me a break

11:52 pm - The best movie won best picture. It's that simple. I will say without any hesitation that Slumdog Millionaire is the best film of the past 10 years. It was brilliantly produced, edited, directed, acted, scored, I mean it hit the nail on the head on everything that makes a good movie great. In short, the film was a masterpiece. Cheers.

I end the night 14/24. I suck, I suck.

10:36 pm - How could Slumdog Millionaire not win editing? That movie could be shown in FILM 101 to teach people how editing MAKES a film. To see a poor (and I mean poor in the sense of costing the film best picture poor) example of editing, see "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", which took an incredibly moving picture and cut inappropriate shots of a sick Cate Blanchett coughing up a lung in an Ebola-like fashion to completely turn me off the film. If the editing for that film was better, I would be pleased to see it beat Slumdog for Best Picture.

So far I am 9/17. Fuck.

10:33 pm - The Dark Knight won Sound Editing? Whaaaaaaaaaaat? And where is Christian Bale throughout all of these awards. This is shocking, and disappointing. Shocking. Also, I'm really a big advocate of Slumdog Millionaire, but I think winning Sound Mixing is completely the wrong call. Also, can you freak out for winning the academy award for SOUND EDITING?

Also, kudos to getting an Indian guy to edit the sound for Slumdog Millionaire. REAL ORIGINAL. That's just a shoo-in, similar to a jewish director winning for Schindler's List...how could you not win?

10:16 pm - I just had a silly/awful thought while Bill Maher was being an asshole. What if one of two things happened when Heath won?

1.) Heath Ledger's body was exhumed and lowered on stage as a marionette to accept the award. Perhaps similar to "Weekend at Bernies". (Please don't hate me because of my horrible sense of humor)

2.) Heath Ledger appeared and alerted everyone that he was actually faking his death so that he could win. And now that he did win, the academy couldn't take the Oscar back. He'll be back for the sequel.

Seriously though, it SUCKS that Heath Ledger died. Unbelievable loss of talent. But people die, may it be Heath or a kid on the street slingin rocks. Unfortunately some get recognized for their death and most are forgotten. Such is life.



10:13 pm - I like Bill Maher, but come on, don't be a self-plugging shameless asshole. What a dick.

10:08 pm - I'll say it. Thank you Heath Ledger for dying and sealing your Oscar win. Thank you for also allowing "The Dark Knight" to be the first Batman movie/comic book movie to win an major academy award. Thank you. I am disappointed they didn't cut to Christian Bale yelling at Ledger's family for not being centered on the stage. I also enjoyed the cuts of actors, not actresses crying. Don't worry Brad/Adrien/RDJ (who was crying for the wrong reason), real men also cry...real men...also cry.

9:55 pm - NO! NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOO OH GOD ITS HAPPENING. WHY ARE ZAC EFRON AND VANESSA "SUGAR TITS" HUDGENS ON THE STAGE?

9:52 pm - Oh god, its happening...just as I predicted. Hugh is here to make me feel better. I'll be back when I feel like it.

9:50 pm - I'm already sick of this live blogging shit. I'm also sick of pushing Heath Ledger's Oscar back over and over and over again. Why build drama over Best Supporting Actor when its already become obvious that Heath's going to win it because of all the accommodations made for it? This is just stupid. Although I will say I think it'll be hilarious if Heath doesn't win and they built all this drama and bullshit over it. I can only hope Wolverine starts singing again to make me feel less enraged.

9:39 pm - I mean I'm sure the computer generator guy is amazing and all, but I don't think it was necessary to go from commercial to a blurb about him, then to another commercial. That's just idiotic. They should have at least filled some time with Jessica Biel stripping or Ben Stiller wandering back onto the stage as a stupid Joaquin Phoenix. Lame...

9:31 pm - Oh Lord, this can't be good for Joaquin Phoenix...

9:24 pm - Is it just me or is the kid from Twilight always look like he's got something shoved up his ass. God I think the only worse presenters could be Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens.

9:19 pm - Has anyone seen the website Sarah Jessica Parker Looks Like a Horse?

http://www.sarahjessicaparkerlookslikeahorse.com/

9:17 pm - Nope I was right. I'm sweet. Dark Knight suckssssss. 3/6

9:15 pm - Fuck. I bet The Duchess is going to win now. They always let that kind of shit win.

9:09 pm - A Japanese man making a French-titled animated short film? That doesn't make any sense. 2/5

9:07 pm - Jack Black presenting the Oscar to Wall-E? Awkwaaaaaard....

9:06 pm - Well this is going to be obvious...

9:03 pm - Obligatory cut to Angelina Jolie during Jennifer Aniston speech. Standard.

9:02 pm - I bet Jennifer Aniston can't stop thinking about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Look at that intimate touching of Jack.

9:00 pm - SLUMDOG! - Best Adapted Screenplay. 1/3!

9:00 pm - Slumdog Slumdog Slumdog Slumdog...

8:58 pm - Did I say Tom Hanks? I meant Tom Cruise. My bad.

8:57 pm - I didn't realize he was gay. Hopefully he'll thank Tom Hanks for inspiring his gay performance and unintentionally outing him in front of America.

8:56 pm - This is going to be a long, gay night. Dustin Lance Black won for Milk. I am currently 0/2. Here's to completely snubbing Happy-Go-Lucky academy.

8:54 pm - Tina Fey, WHAT A SLAM ON SCIENTOLOGY! I applaud her for the courage to say that in front of a gallery of Scientologists.

Kevin Doby sucks/Best Supporting Actress

8:40 pm

But, I'm obligated to mention his live blog because he's still my friend.

I promise the good jokes will be here though. Mainly because I'm MVP and Doby sucks (as the title mentioned).

8:43 pm - pretty cool intro to best supporting actress, although I was unsure of who won after they initially first congratulating Viola Davis. Let's see who gets this, I could definitely see Penelope Cruz win, even Amy Adams, but I still think Viola Davis will win.

8:45 pm - Look at how fast Amy Adams is breathing. Bless her sweet heart. As much as I love her she's not going to win BSA. That'd be like giving Tracy Morgan an Emmy for playing Tracy Jordan.

8:46 pm - I think Cate Blanchett is like that old haggy woman with the large nose/beautiful girl with the hat picture. Sometimes she looks gorgeous, sometimes she looks scary.

8:47 pm - Wow Penelope Cruz won. The rumors were true. So far I am 0/1 tonight. Great start. I would like to mention that that I believe Penelope Cruz is the first Spanish actress to win an Oscar.

8:48 pm - I just checked wikipedia. Good lord who the hell spends their time updating that so fast? Ironic, I know.

Yup

8:32 p.m.

Good. Hugh Jackman doing exactly what Hugh Jackman does when hes not killing people with hand-knives.

Let's Roll!

I hope Hugh Jackman has some great song and dance. He's awesome at that stuff.