bookhouse blog

So, it's Oscar night. The big one.

The big Oscars that people actually care about are:

Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay.

I suppose the supporting actor and actress Oscars are always worth a watch too and, in fact, screenplay is now split into Original and Adapted Screenplay. Personally, I always like the Best Foreign Language film too.

Anyway, here at bookhouse review, we think we know a thing or two about films so here are our predictions for these awards. Let's see how we get on. . . . . . .

Best Film - Avatar

Best Director - Kathryn Bigelow

Best Actor - Jeff Bridges (Colin Firth could snatch it though.)

Best Actress - Sandra Bullock

Best Supporting Actor - Christophe Waltz (I wouldn't be surprised if they gave it to Matt Damon though. Been a while since an American won.)

Best Supporting Actress - Mo'Nique

Best Foreign Language Film - Une Prophete

Best Original Screenplay - Mark Boal (Hurt Locker)

Best Adapted Screenplay - Jason Reitman (Up in the Air) - would like Tarantino to win though.

Best Film - Hurt Locker

Best Director - Kathryn Bigelow

Best Actor - Jeff Bridges

Best Actress - Meryl Streep

Best Supporting Actor - Christophe Waltz

Best Supporting Actress - Maggie Gyllenhaal

Best Foreign Language Film - Une Prophete

Best Original Screenplay - Mark Boal (Hurt Locker)

Best Adapted Screenplay - Jason Reitman (Up in the Air) - would like In the Loop to win though.

Best Film - Avatar

Best Director - Lee Daniels

Best Actor - Jeff Bridges

Best Actress - Penelope Cruz

Best Supporting Actor - Stanley Tucci

Best Supporting Actress - Gabourey Sidibe

Best Foreign Language Film - El Secreto de Sus Ojos

Best Original Screenplay - Mark Boal (Hurt Locker)

Best Adapted Screenplay - Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious)

Best Film - Avatar

Best Director - Kathryn Bigelow

Best Actor - Morgan Freeman

Best Actress - Meryl Streep

Best Supporting Actor - Stanley Tucci

Best Supporting Actress - Maggie Gyllenhaal

Best Foreign Language Film - La Teta Asustada

Best Original Screenplay -Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds)

Best Adapted Screenplay - Jason Reitman (Up in the Air)

So these are our votes. Certainly some different ideas about who will win. bookhouse_parks thinks Precious might swoop in and take a handful. bookhouse_dave and bookhouse_dude have similar ideas but disagree strongly on the actress nominations and bookhouse_baker has gone for the big guns in the acting stakes.

It will be interesting.

The results will be published as they are announced and we can see just how wrong we all are. . . . .

Results:

Best Film - The Hurt Locker

Best Director - Kathryn Bigelow

Best Actor - Jeff Bridges

Best Actress - Sandra Bullock

Best Supporting Actor - Christophe Waltz

Best Supporting Actress - Mo'Nique

Best Foreign Language Film - El Secreto de Sus Ojos

Best Original Screenplay - Mark Boal (Hurt Locker)

Best Adapted Screenplay - Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious)

He's dangling my keys, he even fakes a toss...

I have approached this month's Bookhouse Review album choice with a degree of trepidation. . .

I feel like my musical odyssey is a little behind schedule. There's so much of it that happened before I was born that it could take a while to catch up - I'm still working my way through the music which came out of the LA Canyons between '67 - '76.

But, every so often, something modern can grip you. I remember the first time I heard Humming by Duncan Sheik or Either/Or by Elliot Smith or O by Damien Rice, these albums all changed the way I listen to music and I can listen to any of these records all the way through at any time and still love them.

These were life-changing albums.

Since O nothing has really come along to challenge its reign - and that's fine, I wasn't looking for one.

Then I saw this video:

I know. Insane.

It was happening again. I won't say I wept but I was certainly moved in a way I hadn't been since first hearing Volcano or Angeles or Varying Degrees of Con-Artistry.

Bon Iver's album For Emma, Forever Ago, joined my list of life-altering records soon after. Lump Sum, Skinny Love, Blindsided, RE:Stacks. . . it's tough to find a weak song.

So, when I saw that this month's Bookhouse Review album choice - Scratch my Back by Peter Gabriel - had a cover of Flume on the track listing I was nervous. If he murdered, what had become, one of my favourite ever songs, it could be difficult to retain my objectivity when reviewing the album as a whole. (The full review of Scratch My Back will be posted at the end of this month.)

I should mention that the version on For Emma, Forever Ago does not sound exactly like this. It's still great but this stripped down version of man and guitar remains my favourite interpretation of the song to date.

I've put it off for long enough now, I should listen to the cover.

Deep breath. . . . .

The Kermode Challenge

At Bookhouse Review we do read a lot of books, we listen to a wide range of music and, between us, we try to cover every kind of film outthere. I, for one, have already watched a few films today. The Oxford Murders, which I had to stop watching last night because it was too late, Mrs Pettigrew Lives for A Day and I'm currently coming towards the end of Road House - again. (I'll have to be careful because Tropic Thunder is on straight after and that is probably the worst film I have ever seen - and I've seen Dreamgirls.)

Anyway, the only reviewer I have ever stuck by and listened to - because he is usually right - is the mighty Mark Kermode. His trademark rants and elongated diatribes have earned him something of a following on these fair shores although his Radio 5 film review show stretches his appeal across the globe to places like Nova Scotia and Michigan, sometime even France.

But he's not always right.

He didn't realise that Neil Young was a legitimate legend until Jonathan Demme told him that was the case in his 2006 film Heart of Gold and we are all familiar with the Blue Velvet punching incident. . . . .

As an homage to the great man, I think it only fair that we take his 10 favourite films of all time and watch them. Perhaps we will feel the need to write something in agreement or even protest at oneof his choices in our own lengthy philippic.

So here is the list - in no particular order:

1. Citizen Kane (1941)

2. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

3. Det Sjunde Insiglet - The Seventh Seal (1957)

4. Les Yeux Sans Visage - Eyes Without a Face (1960)

5. Mary Poppins (1964)

6. The Devils (1971)

7. Don't Look now (1973)

8. Love and Death (1975)

9. The Exorcist (1973)

10. Brazil (1985)

This is an extra challenge for the team at bookhouse review to go along with our monthly choices. We owe it to ourselves to watch these ten films and comment.

Keep an eye out for the reviews on bookhouse studios and bookhouse blog.

(Hash tag your very welcome comments on Twitter to appear on the Homepage! #bookhousereview)

Oscar Buzz

It’s that time of year again. The Golden Globes and BAFTAs are insignificant precursors to the main awards ceremony of the season. Actors will say that the Screen Actors Guild awards (SAGs) are the ones they cherish most dearly because it is voted for by their acting peers, but it’s clear that all they really care about are The Oscars.

And there have been some changes to the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.

For a start, there are two hosts this year.

Steve Martin, who has hosted the ceremony several times before but seems more comfortable with a paintbrush or banjo in his hand these days rather than delivering anything remotely comedic, will be joined by an in-form Alec Baldwin, fresh from another award-winning performance as Jack Donaghy in the brilliant 30 Rock. It will be interesting to see how the reborn Baldwin deals with carrying the weight of Steve Martin, who takes himself far too seriously nowadays, for the four hours it takes to hand out the statuettes and how they will entertain the audience between the awards for Best Documentary Short and Best Sound Mixing.

In an attempt to boost dwindling audience figures, the organisers have decided to have 10 nominees for the Best Picture award, to tap into lost demographics. The last time this happened was in 1943. Looking at the list though, you can find the films that are fleshing out the category. Usually, a film nominated for best picture will have its director nominated too. This new format sees five directors missing out on this opportunity. . .

Here are the nominations. (For the awards that people actually care about and the ones that, perhaps, only I like to watch.)

BEST PICTURE

1. Avatar

2. The Blind Side

3. District 9

4. An Education

5. The Hurt Locker

6. Inglourious Basterds

7. A Serious Man

8. Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire. (Catchy title.)

9. Up

10. Up in the Air

I think it's fair to say that District 9 doesn't belong there, Up is there because it will win best animation, Up in the Air makes an appearance because Clooney is nominated for his acting, and A Serious Man is merely support for the Coen Brothers who have dropped standards again since No Country for Old Men.

It looks to be a battle between Avatar and The Hurt Locker this year. James Cameron against his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow.

In the Best Picture category you'd think Avatar would take it because it really is taking film-watching to another place.

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

1. Jeff Bridge - Crazy Heart

2. George Clooney - Up in the Air

3. Colin Firth - A SIngle Man

4. Morgan Freeman - Invictus

5. Jeremy Renner - the Hurt Locker

Will it be another year for an actor playing a real life person - think Forest Whitaker playing Idi Amin, Philip Seymour-Hoffman playing Truman Capote. . . . This category doesn't look that interesting this year. Nice to see Colin Firth flying the British flag.

QUESTION: Where is Sam Rockwell's nomination for Moon?

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

1. Matt Damon - Invictus

2. Woody Harrelson - The Messenger

3. Christopher Plummer - The Last Station

4. Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones

5. Christophe Waltz - Inglourious Basterds

Looks like a two-horse race here between Matt Damon playing a very convincing Francois Pienaar and Christophe Waltz who, in my opinion has had the most memorable role of the last year. Cold, subtle, chilling. I love Damon but it would be a travesty if Waltz lost this.

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

1. Sandra Bullock - the Blind Side

2. Helen Mirren - the Last Station

3. Carey Mulligan - An Education

4. Gabourey Sidibe - Precious

5. Meryl Streep - Julie and Julia

Bullock and Streep both won at the Golden globes. Gabourey Sidibe stands a chance but if she did win then it seems wrong that Jamal Woolard didn't win last year when he played The Notorious B.I.G. I can't see Mirren doing it again but it's good to see new British talent in Carey Mulligan.

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

1. Penelope Cruz - Nine. (This movie should have never been made. Just tragic.)

2. Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air

3. Maggie Gyllenhaal - Crazy Heart

4. Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air

5. Mo'Nique - Precious.

Does anyone care about this category this year?

DIRECTING

1. James Cameron - Avatar

2. Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker

3. Inglourious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino

4. Lee Daniels - Precious

5. Jason Reitman - Up in the Air

No woman has ever won this award. Jane Campion was nominated for the Piano but everyone realised it was totally boring just as they cast their vote. Sofia Coppola missed out for Lost in Translation but the studios do hate her dad. There was some other woman back in the day but it doesn't matter. The fact that The Hurt Locker is featuring so heavily may suggest that Bigelow could pick this up. Also, Hollywood like to send out a message with the Oscars and it might just be that 'It's OK to talk about the war now.'

Tragedy plus time.

Tarantino is in with a shout but, again, it's between Cameron and Bigelow. Usually it goes to whoever directed the winner in the best picture category so maybe Cameron will grab a handful again just as he did in '97 when Goodwill Hunting was robbed time after time after time.

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

1. District 9 - Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell

2. An Education - Screenplay by Nick Hornby

3. In the Loop - Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche

4. Precious - Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher

5. Up in the Air - by Jason Reitman and Sheldon turner

Might be Hornby but Precious has to get some recognition due to the subject matter. Hollywood won't let that go.

However, if Hornby wins, he might stick to screenwriting rather than setting fire to our fond memories of High Fidelity, About a Boy and Fever Pitch.

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

1. The Hurt Locker - Written by Mark Boal

2. Inglourious Basterds - Written by Quentin Tarantino

3. The Messenger - Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman

4. A Serious Man - Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen

5. Up - Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Doctor.

It has to be Tarantino. Right?

These are the major awards. The biggies.

But don't forget all the other little awards for editing and documentaries and animation and effects and sound and music.

The Oscars will be held on March 7th. Look out for the Bookhouse predictions on 6th. . .

(Hash tag your very welcome comments on Twitter to appear on the Homepage! #bookhousereview)

January 2010

Ok, so this is first month of The Bookhouse Review... exciting times.

The book this month, picked by Parks is "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown, have you heard of him?

The film, picked by The Dude, is Mesrine parts 1 and 2. Some of us will be lucky enough to watch this on Blu Ray, you know who you are... who I am... whom?

Da Moozik, picked by Daffyd is "Scratch My Back" by Peter Gabriel... I do not have much else to say on the matter.

Current plans are to meet at The Crown in playhatch, firstly cos it's nice, and secondly Marc who is organizing the get together gets 20% discount... I am not sure if he is expecting us to pay full price, and then take the 20% as commission. Time will tell.