My Oscars

For the first time, probably ever, I have seen every acting performance nominated for an Oscar. I actually feel that I can make educated opinions on who I believe should take the award. So here is my list of the nominated actors, listed in my order of worst to best!!! I'm sure none of my picks will actually take the award home, except maybe Mo'nique. But I am listing them anyway!!!!

Best Supporting Actor:
5. Stanley Tucci The Lovely Bones
4. Matt Damon Invictus
3. Woody Harrelson The Messenger
2. Christoph Waltz Inglorius Basterds
1. Christopher Plummer The Last Station

Best Actor:
5. Morgan Freeman Invictus
4. George Clooney Up In The Air
3. Colin Firth A Single Man
2. Jeff Bridges Crazy Heart
1. Jeremy Renner The Hurt Locker

Best Supporting Actress:
5. Anna Kendrick Up In The Air
4. Penelope Cruz Nine
3. Vera Farmiga Up In The Air
2. Maggie Gyllenhaal Crazy Heart
1. Mo'Nique Precious

Best Actress:
5. Sandra Bullock The Blind Side
4. Meryl Streep Julie and Julia
3. Carey Mulligan An Education
2. Helen Mirren The Last Station
1. Gabourey Sidibe Precious



OK, so I really think that 18/20 of the nominees are totally deserving, even Sandra Bullock (altho she SHOULDN'T win). Morgan Freeman and Anna Kendrick really were terrible in their roles, and shouldn't even be nominated. They should be replaced by Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man) and Diane Kreuger (Inglorius Basterds) respectively.

Musings on Impersonation Acting

I just want to say a word or two or sixty about performances based on actual people. This year in the Oscar race there are a few people who are playing real people. Some, like Sandra Bullock are playing people who no one really knew before the movie. And some, like Meryl Streep and Morgan Freeman are playing people who we have a clear picture of in our heads. You can't get away with a shoddy performance as someone we all know.
There are two requirements, in my opinion, of playing a famous person on screen.

1. That you give a realistic and believeable portrayl of whomever the person may be. Adopting their mannerisms, speech patterns and looks in order to make us believe that you are that person.
2. (This is where many actors fail) To give us a believable picture of the parts of this person's life that we have not been able to see. To marry the impersonation with the human factor.

It is number two where I have seen the most actors fail. There have been numerous performers who have played famous people, many to Oscar-winning success. And many have failed. What they need is that human factor. We, the audience, need to belive that not only are you the person we have seen on TV or in the movies, but that you are the person we did not get to see. That is the point of the biopic, after all. To show us the person behind the persona.

Five Best Performances as Famous People

5. Cate Blanchett in I'm Not There

4. Michael Sheen in The Queen

3. Sean Penn in Milk

2. Drew Barrymore in Grey Gardens

1. Sissy Spacek in Coal Miner's Daughter

What's your favorite/least favorite biopic performance?????

The Gayssentials

Here is a list of some of my Gayssentials, by genre:

Comedy:

3-The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert**

2-Sordid Lives

1-The Ritz

Drama:

3-Bent

2-Torch Song Trilogy

1-Maurice

Romance:

3-Kissing Jessica Stein

2-My Beautiful Laundrette

1-Beautiful Thing**

TV:

3-Serving In Silence

2-An Early Frost**

1-Tales of the City

Coming Out Stories:

3-Making Love

2-Dorian Blues

1-Get Real

Classics:

3-Advise and Consent

2-The Children's Hour

1-Victim


Seen any of these? Have any thoughts on them?? A personal Gayssential???

Top 10 Movies of 2009

I have done my list of the performances, and now here is my list of the movies. This is just my list. There are many movies I did not see, but these are the ones that I think are the BEST!!


Top 10 Movies of 2009
10-An Education
9-(500) Days of Summer
8-The Young Victoria
7-Sunshine Cleaning
6-The Stoning Of Soraya M.
5-The Messenger
4-Precious
3-District 9
2-A Single Man
1-The Hurt Locker

Top 10 Female Performances of 2009

Here's the list for the ladies!!!

Top 10 Female Performances of 2009

10-Emily Blunt in Sunshine Cleaning
9-Saoirse Ronan in The Lovely Bones
8-Meryl Streep in Julie and Julia
7-Carey Mulligan in An Education
6-Emily Blunt in The Young Victoria
5-Gabourey Sidibe in Precious
4-Shoreh Agdashloo in The Stoning of Soraya M.
3-Marion Cotillard in Nine
2-Mo'Nique in Precious
1-Samantha Morton in The Messenger

OK...Mo'Nique and Samantha Morton really are pretty much a tie, but they are like comparing apples and oranges. Samantha Morton barely spoke above a whisper in The Messenger, and I just love that...so thats why she is number one.

Also, I have Emily Blunt on here twice, and I truly think she should have played Anna Kendrick's role in Up In The Air, she would have knocked it out of the park, unlike Kendrick, who I hated!!

Top 10 Male Performances of 2009

OK, so, I love movies, and I also love making lists. So here is the first of many lists that will appear on this blog. As it is awards season (aka, The Gay World Series) I am making my lists of the best of 2009. Here is the first!

Top 10 Male Performances of 2009

10-Anthony Mackie in The Hurt Locker
9-Rupert Friend in The Young Victoria
8-Ben Wishaw in Bright Star
7-Woody Harrelson in The Messenger
6-Alfred Molina in An Education
5-Stanley Tucci in The Lovely Bones
4-George Clooney in Up In The Air
3-Colin Firth in A Single Man
2-Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker
1-Sharlto Copley in District 9

These are simply my opinions, I did not see every movie that came out, but of what I saw these are most certainly the best!!!!
COMING SOON: Top 10 Female Performances of 2009