Oscar Nominees '06

Yay! It's Oscar time again. That means I'm going to have to try and see as many of the nominated films as possible. So what do we have for best picture contenders?

Brokeback Mountain
Capote
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Munich

Oh. Hello, Academy? Why do you hate me? Do you work for the Zoloft company? Because a large percentage of your choices make me want to slit my wrists. Why no happy films? And don't even give me the whole "Finding Neverland" example, because I don't enjoy the vague pedophilic undertones.

Still it looks like they took some pity on me with the best actor/actress films, which I'm tossing in to further my progress on my one 2006 resolution. I actually want to see some of those. OK. Here goes:

Nominated Flick: Brokeback Mountain
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor - Heath Ledger, Best Supporting Actor - Jake Gyllenhaal, Best Supporting Actress - Michelle Williams
Pre-movie opinion: Yay! A gay cowboy movie!! It's about time.
Movie Companions: LP, Loverboy, friend of Loverboy
Snacks: Sprite on ice.
Post movie opinion: I could not stop crying audibly at the end of this movie. For like a day and a half. It was good. But I can't write anymore about it without tearing up. I will say it was kind of hot to see cute guys making out. Was that just me? I want to see some happier gay cowboy movies! And gay cop movies!

Nominated Flick: Crash
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor - Matt Dillon
Pre-movie opinion: I am confusing it with the Cronenberg movie of the same name that Intrepid made me see. Holly Hunter with a vagina-like scar on her leg? Is an image I cannot sear from my brain. Will this movie be similar? Let's find out.
Movie Companions: LP, pugs
Snacks: Fudgesicles
Post movie opinion: Wait, are they trying to tell me that people are racist? Because I don't think they hit me over the head enough with that idea. Stop being so subtle, Crash! I think LP summed it up best when he said, "I think they were trying to teach us something, but the only thing I got out of it is that LA is a cesspool of human depravity." Well we certainly won't spend our honeymoon there!

Nominated Flick: Hustle and Flow
Nominated for: Best Actor - Terence Howard
Pre-movie opinion: It's about a pimp? Hoo boy.
Movie Companion: LP, pugs
Snacks: Pizza and Coca Cola with ice.
Post movie opinion: This was really good! Why was it only in the theater for like 2 days? Good story, lots of funny scenes. Terence Howard was really good and his character was multi-dimensional, which was refreshing. In fact, all the characters were interesting and compelling. The trailer trash girl from the Britney movie was in it, too, and she was great. She really has that trailer girl thing down pat. I liked the music, too. In fact I can't get that "It's hard out there for a pimp..." melody out of my head.

Nominated Flick: Walk the Line
Nominated for: Best Actor - Joaquin Phoenix, Best Actress - Reese Witherspoon
Pre-movie opinion: I like Johnny's music, but this better not be as boring as Ray.
Movie Companions: LP, Lil E, V.Metal, Zorra, others
Snacks: Spinach Salad, Newcastle Ale
Post movie opinion: It was great! It's an interesting story and it doesn't make him out to be perfect. In fact, he's kind of an asshole through most of it. But he's got some damn good music. Joaquin really became Johnny Cash. And Reese was really good, but I don't know enought about June Carter to know if she was as convincing as Joaquin. I really can't believe Joaquin and Reese were actually singing in this movie. That was cool.

Nominated Flick: Pride and Prejudice
Nominated for: Best Actress - Keira Knightly
Pre-movie opinion: I love the book and the Colin Firth miniseries. I hope this movie is half as good.
Movie Companions: The Librarian Posse
Snacks: None...I was too broke from Christmas shopping.
Post movie opinion: Oh my. I loooooved it. It made me swoon. See my review.

Nominated Flick: Cinderella Man
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actor - Paul Giamatti
Pre-movie opinion: Woo! I love boxing movies. Bring it!
Movie Companions: LP, pugs
Snacks: Tortellini and red wine
Post movie opinion: It was a perfect boxing film. Good hard luck story. Lovable hero. Excellent pummeling. Even though Russell Crowe seems like a complete asshole, he was really good in this. He's always good, I can't deny. Renee Zellweger is good, too, but her New York accent put me off a little. It sounded ok, I just always knew it was Renee Zellweger faking a New York accent.

Nominated Flick: Junebug
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress - Amy Adams
Pre-movie opinion: I can't wait to see the OC guy in a real movie!
Movie Companions: LP, pugs.
Snacks: Mint Milanos...the best cookie ever!
Post movie opinion: First of all, why did the OC guy have a molestache? Ew. Uh, the movie was very "real" in that it seemed a lot like visiting family in a boring rural place. Which is not very fun. I think they were trying to convey a lot of underlying plot and emotion without much dialog, but it's a movie, people! Paying attention to silence and muttering gets really dull really fast. Amy Adams was good...and I think she had 75% of the dialog in the movie, so if anyone deserves any acclaim for Junebug, it's her. But still...don't bother. Just go visit your relatives in Georgia or something.

Not Yet Seen:

Nominated Flick: Capote
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, Best Supporting Actress Catherine Keener
Pre-movie opinion: I suspect that Truman was annoying. But I've actually read Breakfast at Tiffany's and some short stories of his. So I'm ahead of most American movie goers.
Movie Companion:
Snacks:
Post movie opinion:

Nominated Flick: Good Night, and Good Luck.
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor - David Strathairn
Pre-movie opinion: Good Night and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........
Movie Companion:
Snacks:
Post movie opinion:

Nominated Flick: Munich
Nominated for: Best Picture
Pre-movie opinion: This is going to hurt. At least I can look at that hottie from the Hulk and Troy to ease my pain.
Movie Companion:
Snacks:
Post movie opinion:

Nominated Flick: Mrs. Henderson Presents
Nominated for: Best Actress - Judi Dench
Pre-movie opinion: Is this anything like Harry and the Hendersons? A sequel, perhaps?
Movie Companion:
Snacks:
Post movie opinion:

Nominated Flick: Transamerica
Nominated for: Best Actress - Felicity Huffman
Pre-movie opinion: Heard an interview about this with Felicity Huffman. She's playing a man who is becoming a woman. Now that's some acting!
Movie Companion:
Snacks:
Post movie opinion:

Nominated Flick: North Country
Nominated for: Best Actress - Charlize Theron, Best Supporting Actress - Frances McDormand
Pre-movie opinion: Another movie where Charlize Theron makes herself look like a regular girl! But I do love Frances McDormand. Still, wasn't Cher in a movie like this in the 80s?
Movie Companion:
Snacks:
Post movie opinion:

Nominated Flick: Syriana
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actor - George Clooney
Pre-movie opinion: I am too dumb to understand this movie. Maybe I'll get drunk to see it. At least I'm still loony for Clooney!
Movie Companion:
Snacks:
Post movie opinion:

Nominated Flick: A History of Violence
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actor - William Hurt
Pre-movie opinion: Violence? Awesome. I hope it's gratuitous.
Movie Companion:
Snacks:
Post movie opinion:

Nominated Flick: The Constant Gardener
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress - Rachel Weisz
Pre-movie opinion: I love a good spy movie. This looks promising.
Movie Companion:
Snacks:
Post movie opinion: