Oscar '09 -- The Watching

1) Slumdog Millionaire (omg, love it, fun, epic, sad, amazing and brilliant direction from Boyle -- the best he's done. ever.)
2) Choke (If it weren't for the million sex scenes, this stunner with Angelica Huston would be on everyone's Oscar List, as usual Crewman Guy is being ROBBED)
3) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (my annual xmas day film, yay! v. good, people will be ripping off the visuals in that for years to come, 20st century steampunk meets anne rice's new orleans with ribbons of tim burton whimsy+BP=hotness.)
4) Milk (interesting new way to tell "the assassinated biopic", topical but acute; the film leads the way home)
5) Revolutionary Road (A movie that's not exactly what you think is at the beginning. Pitch perfect directing, Kate and Leo deliver and it feels embarrassing being privy but good that it's happening to them and not you; there's a chance to learn from emotional warfare. Watch For It: the scene where the "loon" stays out of focus ranting with Kate Winslet in focus)
6) The Duchess (First time I've adored Keira Knightly in years, Ralph Fiennes playing evil and a bit of girl on girl in petticoats, sweet bb jeez)
7) Cadillac Records (even if just on the strength of jeffrey wright as muddy waters )
8) Frost/Nixon (impeccable but a seemingly irrelevant re-telling with little oomph, "How Austin Powers Got Tricky Dick")

In the Queue,
Blindness, Body of Lies, Defiance, The Rocker, The Wrestler, Seven Pounds, Yes Man, Che Part One, Wendy and Lucy, The Wackness, Vicky Christina Barcelona, Hamlet 2

Found it hard to finish so far,
Gran Torino (Spike Lee dustup gives new meaning to Eastwood racist portrayal? Prolly not since he's cool as shit but I still haven't finished)
Ghost Town (I really liked Ghost Dad and I keep wishing I was watching that instead)
Burn After Reading (BP playing near retarded and Frances McDormand playing a nip/tuck patient?)

Congrats Forest, CONGRATS

YES! A favorite actor AND director, Forest Whitaker won an Oscar last night!

HELL YES!

My grandma said: I've never seen so many people of color at the Oscars my ENTIRE LIFE!

She turns 74 tomorrow, and is happy to have a birthday in this better world of today!

One of my favorite moments: being 14 and pissed at the world, got dragged to LA's African Market with my Gram and ran into Forest there. Gram cajoled him into taking a picture, even though he hates them...then I lost the camera.


(Bi the way, the scottish dude James McAvoy in The Last King of Scotland is super hot and it's also got Gillian Anderson of X-Files looking quite tasty!)


Image from French one sheet for Ghost Dog, Way of the Samurai (Best Forest film ever!)