Wednesday, March 07, 2018

Finally in print: My bitchy snarky Oscar review

As promised, here's the text of my Oscar review. You can hear it on my podcast. It's better when you hear it.
The Academy Awards celebrated its 90th edition by being 90 minutes too long. Jimmy Kimmel did a nice job, there were a few laughs, more preaching than a Baptist service, little in the way of surprises and suspense, and for the most part, well… so dull I thought I was watching THE PHANTOM THREAD.

Cary Grant never won an Oscar. But Kobe Bryant now has. In this year of #MeToo and #TimesUP movements, I guess the Academy forgot about his rape charges in Colorado. But hey, he was the youngest player in the NBA to score 31,000 points.

Meanwhile, last year’s winner Casey Affleck was nowhere to be seen and Kevin Spacey didn’t appear in the Best Actor montage. It’ll be interesting to see if they ultimately make it into the “In Memoriam” section when their time comes, or maybe there will be a special section for #ThemToo/#TimesUp.

I’m guessing the ratings will be abysmal since fewer people saw all of the Best Picture nominees combined than the “Watch what whipped cream does in a vacuum cleaner” YouTube video. And the Oscarcast was longer than the actual Dunkirk rescue.

More on the ceremony later, but first a look at the Red Carpet shows.

It was unclear how many stars bypassed Red Carpet host Ryan Seacrest because of his sexual abuse allegations. This is like letting Mel Gibson host the Red Carpet show for the B’nai Brith Awards. But stars that did snub him included Jennifer Garner, Mira Sorvino, Viola Davis, Ashley Judd, Margot Robbie, Sandra Bullock, and all of the women nominated for Best Actress. His only interview for the first 45 minutes was with Sophie Carson, host of All-Access. Then he got music people like Diane Warren, Mary J. Blige, and Miguel. Oh, and Kelly Ripa. Yeah, motion picture superstar Kelly Ripa came over.

E! instituted a 30 second time delay on their Red Carpet coverage. This from a network where it’s okay to say “shit!” And 30 seconds is more than enough time for any actress to change her position twice. ABC and E! are standing behind Ryan… for the moment. But applications are being accepted for all eighteen of his jobs. And did you notice during the Oscarcast, in all the AMERICAN IDOL promos, he wasn’t pictured or mentioned once. Will he ultimately take the fall? We’ll know next year if Brian Dunkleman returns to host AMERICAN IDOL. (By then it might be on its third network – Buzzr.)

But the good news for Ryan is this finally puts to rest that pesky rumor that he’s gay.

Meanwhile, over at KTLA Channel 5, not a lot of star power there either. Hosted as always by footstool to the stars, Sam Rubin and 12 pound co-host, Jessica Holmes they were in mid Oscar-season form. Sam introduced Raphael Saadiq and Tara Stinson as “Raphael Saadiq and your friend here.” Worse was when he said, “Here’s Bradley Whitford and two of his co-stars.” He meant Lil Rel Howery and Betty Gabriel. But even KTLA had no idea who they were. They posted the graphic “Cast of Get Out.”

They interviewed Eva Marie Saint who at 93 still weighs more than Jessica Holmes. Sam said she was 92. Then he said to Ms. Saint (my neighbor, by the way), “Many people are teary today having read Steve Lopez’s story in the LA Times all about you” to which she said, “No, it was about my husband.” Oh well, at least he knew who Eva Marie Saint was. I think he did. He didn’t call her Jane Fonda.

This year’s show was heavy on issues. Dreamers, diversity, immigration, gun control, women’s rights. There are two ways to achieve these lofty goals – educate and change the mindset of millions of Americans or remove one man from office.

Remember at the Golden Globes all the women wore black in support of #MeToo. Supposedly the Academy asked that they didn’t do that for the Oscars so of course they caved and all came in bright colors. In Hollywood, “conviction” means making Aquaman even though there are a billion superhero movies already. Usually, part of the snarky fun of my reviews is taking shots at the horribly dressed women, but this year I’ll be called sexist and racist and a body-shamer so I’ll refrain. Unlike you who probably took vicious shots in your living room of Andra Day who wore shower curtains, and Kelly Ripa whose train made it look like she was dragging a clown. You can say those things. I no longer can. It would be wrong for me to suggest that Jennifer Lawrence looked like she worked the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and LaBrea.

Randy Thomas did an excellent job as the Oscar announcer. More diversity is great unless you have to pronounce all those names. Miraculously, she did and did them perfectly… although who the hell would know?

Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue had some good jokes. Giving away a jet ski to the winner with the shortest acceptance speech was fun. But if they really wanted to shorten the program by a half hour – don’t put the creative arts people in the back rows. Or at least provide Bird scooters for the visual arts and make up winners to get to the stage while Faye Dunaway is still awake.

Kimmel mentioned that only two Academy members have ever been expelled. Harvey Weinstein and actor Carmine Caridi (for sharing screeners). As a result of Caridi, housekeepers and gardeners no longer decide the Oscar winners.

I was happy with most of the results, although I was rooting for Woody Harrelson. Of former CHEERS cast members, Woody has the best shot of winning an Academy Award. Unfortunately, in the pool, I have “Man Who Said Sinatra.”

Best Director, Guillermo del Toro seems like a genuinely nice man. Sally Hawkins had to really trust a director to have sex with a fish. (I bet there’s a whole section for that on Pornhub.)

Best single line of the night: Winner Allison Janney: “I did it all by myself.”

Looking spectacular this year was Gal Gadot, Jennifer Garner (Ben Affleck is an idiot), Margot Robbie, and Eiza Gonzalez.

Do you think Kobe Bryant would have won if he were a Celtic?

God bless Eva Marie Saint and Rita Moreno. Ms. Saint was elegant and added a real touch of class to the affair. She got a standing ovation even though two-thirds of the audience had no idea who she was. Ms. Moreno wore the same dress she wore in 1962 when she won. Anyone who can fit into the clothes they wore in 1962 deserves a second award.

In a pathetic attempt to attract younger viewers. The latest STAR WARS cast was carted out as presenters. It’s like when Ed Sullivan brought out Topo Gigio “for all you youngsters.” By the time the STAR WARS cast was announced it was too late. Their target audience was watching BOB’S BURGERS.

Many of the speeches were heartfelt. Even though I didn’t know them or anyone they were thanking. But you realize you’re watching the greatest moment of their lives, which is wonderful… until it becomes the greatest five moments.

Frances McDormand had the speech of the night. It was insane. But fun in that “Dennis Hopper as King Koopa in SUPER MARIO BROTHERS” way. She left the stage (eventually) with two words: Inclusion Rider. My two words: What’s that?

Was the bit where Jimmy and a bunch of stars went next door to unsuspecting people in a movie theatre really funny on its own or just because it was a break from the endless tedium at the Dolby Theatre? It gave more camera time to Gal Gadot so that was a plus, but these bits and lengthy movie montages felt like padding a show that was already hopelessly long. Other than Paul Thomas Anderson, who thinks that’s a good thing?

Sandra Bullock looks terrific in any light. Am I allowed to say that?

Viola Davis came as Diana Ross. Am I allowed to say that?

Jesus, it’s the Academy Awards. For the Best Song performances get singers who can sing. Both “The Mystery of Love” and “Remember Me” singers sounded like a cat getting a bath. Kudos to Mary J. Blige, Andra Day, and Keala Settle for crushing it during their tunes. Of course they all lost.

Have you ever seen more standing ovations in your life? Christopher Walken got one for still having a career after PETER PAN LIVE. Mexico got one for not being the United States.

Harvey Weinstein survivors Ashley Judd, Annabella Sciorra, and Salma Hayek gave a passionate speech on the need to end sexual abuse (even though I’m not sure I know the meaning of “intersectionality”), and introduced a moving but heavy-handed short film on the movement. But here’s the thing: Don’t show it to us. Show it to studio heads. They’re the ones who can do something about it. We tweet and like the tweets.

I could not fast forward through the ROSEANNE trailer fast enough.

Credit to conductor Harold Wheeler and his expert musicians. They had to play hundreds of music clips with zero notice. There’s no time for sheet music.

Tiffany Haddish was funny. Maya Rudolph… stood next to Tiffany Haddish.

I say this every year: The “In Memoriam” segment should never cut away from full-frame shots of the people being remembered. And when you watch it, don’t you always wonder who’s going to be last? For my money it should have been John Mahoney… who they left out completely.

Another reason why ratings will likely crater – There was a time when Tom Hanks was a presenter. And Clint Eastwood. And Elizabeth Taylor. And Jack Nicolson. Now it’s Wes Studi and Danielle Vega.

Greta Gerwig now joins Lena Dunham as former “Flavors of the Month.” But I eagerly await Greta’s next project. She’s smart, talented, and not an attention whore. For example, I bet Greta won’t tell the world when she’s having a hysterectomy.

Best Actor winner Gary Oldman thanked everyone but his four former wives.

My daughter Annie points out that if the Best Editing winner gives a long speech they should take away his award.

How many times did they cut to someone in the crowd and you said, “Who’s that?” Next year that’s my Oscar drinking game and I figure to be smashed by Best Sound Mixing.

Meryl Streep has become the new Jack Nicholson. She sits front row center in a bright red dress and everyone pays homage to her from the stage. A survey showed that over the last 12 years more actresses have thanked Meryl Streep than God. And the ones that didn’t are now on the Disney Channel.

I hate when presenters single people out while announcing the nominees. “Four directors and Greta Gerwig!” “Four nominees and one trailblazing woman!” Greta and the trailblazer receive big applause but it’s disrespectful to the other nominees, who are just as deserving or more deserving. And this year two of those non-trailblazers won.

Great to see Faye Dunaway & Warren Beatty again – Hollywood’s version of Sarah Palin & Dan Quayle. They got a standing ovation for being lucid. At least this year they announced the right winner. Anything but THE PHANTOM THREAD.

At the end of the day I envied those people who were in the theatre across the street. They got to see a movie, Gal Gadot, and free Red Vines.

UPDATE:  The ratings set record lows.  Down 19% from last year's low ratings.   

UPDATE 2:  I'm traveling today so it might be a while until I post your comments.  But I will get to them.  Thanks. 

59 comments :

  1. My highlight of this entry is "Wow, you know Eva Marie Saint!!"

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  2. Another blooper to add to what I previously mentioned on Monday. When Roger Deakins' name was announced (by Sandra Bullock) the camera pans on another nominee. Not much of a blooper but just perhaps even the Oscarcast Cameraman thought Mr. Deakins wont win :)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxGgaJVoJ_U

    Going over the media reports, was very happy to see that his win was extensively covered and appreciated by the media.

    .....

    Absolutely agree with you about the disrespectful mention of 'trailblazer' by Sandra Bullock. Media and many readers have spoken about what Emma Stone said for the last couple of days, but looked over what Sandra said.

    Suppose if these 2 were nominated with Meryl for the best actress category and the presenter said "These 4 nominated actresses and Meryl Streep". How would these 2 feel then?

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  3. Ken, can you please post a blog on "Inclusion Rider".

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  4. Don't worry Ken, J Law is on the job of educating and changing the mindset of millions of Americans.

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  5. Apparently McDormand herself didn't know what an inclusion rider was until recently (this is how I found out what it meant). I think her intention in mentioning it was to send people a-googling. In any case, I think it's a decent idea. The extent to which white men (like myself) dominate the process of making media in the developed world is an entirely artificial phenomenon, and since it's evidently not fixing itself on its own, I'd say human hands have some work to do in bending the moral arc of the universe.

    And as this year's Best Picture winner showed, you're not the only person having someone in the pool.

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  6. So...white folks swept all the acting categories again...and one of them (not gonna say which one) is an anti-Semite and suspected wife beater. Yep. Just another, fine evening at the Academy Awards.

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  7. The theater bit was very condescending and patronizing. Bringing tourists to see the stars. Taking stars and disrupting a movie to display the stars.

    One thing many don't get is movie goers are not star stuck. Yes, here many readers or die hard fans will swoon at a chance to see the stars.

    But many movie goers are least bothered. They really don't care to see the Oscar telecast and have gone to watch a movie. Leave them alone!!!

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  8. Missing from the snarkfest:

    1. Sorkin lost.
    2. Daniel Day Lewis lost and surprisingly no media or review is talking about his last ever movie and nomination. Perhaps the last ever sighting of that human 😂
    3. Your take on the Yentl-Mental jokes of Barbara Streisand.
    4. The real miss is, you have not said anything about this year's screenplay winners! You always talk about that category.

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  9. The cratering ratings are warranted and the Oscars are in trouble if there isn't quick and drastic course correction.

    They can't expect audiences to care about awards season if the industry continues to kwwp

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  10. ...continues to keep them out of it (damn touchscreen). Even I had no vested interest this year and I live in Tinseltown.

    If Hollywood wants people to give a shit, then the Academy and the studios and the distributors need to be sure that nominated films get seen - and not just by Academy voters.

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  11. ScarletNumber3/07/2018 7:55 AM

    John Mahoney will get his proper recognition in September at the Emmy Awards. I don't think he qualifies as a movie star per se. Yes, I know he was in Say Anything and The American President.

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  12. Once upon a time I never missed watching the Oscars. Of course, once upon a time there were a lot more movies worth watching, and I recognized most of the stars. Yes, even the ones who were before my time. This is because they were really great actors, and deserving of the descriptive "legendary." And so were their movies. Humphrey Bogart died in 1957 ... nobody says "who was he?" even today. Most of today's so-called stars won't be remembered next year.

    Tom Hanks used to be one of them, now he's the guy who plays some guy you've heard of. Okay, I suppose he has bills to pay like everyone else.

    Don't pick on Meryl Streep - she's one of the few who actually deserve to be front row center. Whatshisname and Whosthat SHOULD pay homage. Allison Janey rocks and may well be the next Meryl Streep.

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  13. Suppose Warren Beatty instead of handing off to Faye Dunaway to get it wrong had said,"
    You know Faye, I didn't like this movie, let me go see if I can get them to pick someone else." and had come back with a new unopened envelope, would people be declaring conspiracy?

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  14. Glen Campbell was not mentioned.

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  15. I agree with you on so much of this (except hatred of "Phantom Thread", where I am happy to agree to disagree).

    Ben Affleck really is an idiot. (And "Argo" should never have won Best Picture)

    I was p'd off that John Mahoney wasn't in the "In Memoriam" montage. Then again, I'm still p'd off that he never won an Emmy for "Frasier." Also that he's dead.

    Jennifer Lawrence (who I love), did look "like she worked the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and LaBrea."

    Listening to Sufjan Stevens (who wrote the nominated song from "Call Me By My Name" and I think performed it on the soundtrack) and Gael Garcia Bernal (who did the voiceover for the character who sang that song in "Coco") was painful.

    Woody Harrelson really is the "Most Likely Former Star of Cheers to Eventually Win An Oscar" and I hope some day he does.

    Eva Marie Saint is not only still beautiful, elegant and a class act, she's sharp as a tack, and she's past ninety. I can only wish I'm that with-it when I reach her age.

    Ditto Rita Moreno, who is showing us all how it's done on the Netflix reboot of "One Day at a Time". And still in the same dress size.

    For me the biggest surprise was Jordan Peele's win for Original Screenplay. I was thrilled for him, though. The second biggest surprise was that they really did give the Costume Designer from "Phantom Thread" the Jet Ski. (And kudos to Helen Mirren for her game participation in that running joke).



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  16. So Chuck Berry is honored but not Oscar Winner Dorothy Malone? WTF?

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  17. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  18. Question:

    Does Hollywood care that "the masses" are choosing by the millions not to watch the Academy Awards? To what extent are the performers and creative people nominated for these awards even aware of all those people at home watching? (Or not watching, probably more accurately.) To what extent (or not) are these awards staged for all those folks out there in television land? Or do they not even care whether or not anybody not in "the biz" watches or not? Are the Academy Awards strictly an insider thing that would be done regardless of whether or not anybody watched them on television at all?

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  19. Tudor Queen: not necessarily "still". It could be "again".

    I'm not sure front row center is such a great thing. You can never be out of your seat lest the camera notice.

    wg

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  20. If they REALLY want to shorten the show they could eliminate Kimmel's lame comedy bit with his younger self that fell flat, as well as the theater trip, or even the songs. There goes a half-hour! BTW, no more Price-Waterhouse number crunchers on stage this year, wonder why?

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  21. Nanette Fabray wasn't included either.

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  22. Ken:
    I agree with Phil. Please, please write about the inclusion rider.

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  23. Thanks for the review Ken!

    Who would your choice be for host? Jimmy has done it twice but the ratings have nose dived. Not entirely his fault, but still he is mediocre. Your Sunday post was about those who failed. Having seen the show and the ratings, do you have anyone else in mind? Do you think the Academy will arrest this slide or just keep going on as they are?

    Please consider this as a Friday Question.

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  24. Cheers to Gal Gadot. She doesn't need a golden lasso, she served in the Israel Defense Forces. She carried an Uzi.

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  25. Hi Ken,

    I love reading your review and also anything related to Oscars.

    I had asked you last year too regarding the swag bags that these stars get in Oscar season. I now got an article regarding that. Here it is :

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/hayleycuccinello/2018/03/02/inside-the-100000-oscars-gift-bag-of-2018/#51e6d5b01de7

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  26. The Academy can honor arty movies like SHAPE OF WATER and get Tony-Awards-size ratings, or huge popular hits like TITANIC. Curious to see how BLACK PANTHER does next year. (I don't think the audience advertisers crave went to see two WWII movies told from the British point of view.)

    Day-Lewis probably should not have announced his retirement, while people like Christopher Plummer and Judi Dench clearly plan to work as long as they can stand up. It was like saying, "So long and thanks for all the Oscars, now sod off." I wouldn't have voted for him either.

    My gripe with In Memoriam was the preponderance of studio executives, agents, technical people and others the public doesn't know, in addition to ignoring Mahoney, Paxton et al. It was as if they only had so much time and they made poor choices with it.

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  27. John Mahoney actually was in a lot of movies. For a long time, he was one of those "oh, it's that guy" character actors that seemed to be in almost everything. While "Say Anything" was probably his most prominent role, he also was in such major films as "The Hudsucker Proxy", "In the Line of Fire", "Reality Bites", "Barton Fink", "The Russia House", "Moonstruck", "Tin Men", "Suspect", among others.

    I was a little surprised he wasn't included, although most of his largest and most prominent roles were on TV.

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  28. Wasn't this the year Harry Dean Stanton was supposed to get a posthumous Oscar for "Lucky?"

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  29. How lame were the Oscars?

    Well look at the comments sections for the past 2 days, that speaks volumes.....


    Last year post Oscar review
    55+33+11+31+25+28+23 comments for some 7 posts on Oscars in the last week of Feb and first week of March.

    This year over 4 posts with varied comments around 25.

    Last year there was the envelope mess and Viola Davis's speech.
    This year nothing, no excitement at all. Maybe one speech and some nasty introduction and nothing else to talk about the Oscars.....

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  30. "It would be wrong for me to suggest that Jennifer Lawrence looked like she worked the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and LaBrea."

    Yes. Yes it would, Ken. Wrong. So wrong. Very wrong. Very wrong indeed.

    Have you never heard of Method Acting? Dustin Hoffman comes to mind, although he would probably have been at the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and LaBrea for ... other ... methodological inspiration. In any case, Jenny would have ben far better off "learning her art" at the Westin Bonaventure. Don't ask me how I know this, but as a matter of fact, that reason, strangely enough, involves John Mahoney.

    This is rampant gender-insensitivity on your part. Would you rather see Jennifer Lawrence assume a role that involves semi-nudity, or Dustin Hoffman assume a role that involves all his teeth being drilled or pulled out?

    Now I come to think about it, that's a surprisingly difficult question.

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  31. A bitchy snarky review you say, but you missed the biggest mismatch among the presenters Ken. Jodie Foster and Jennifer Lawrence. Was Jen wearing a pair of stools or is Jodie a midget?

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  32. "remove one man from office. "


    Finally! someone actually used the right terminology... finally.

    Still Angry.


    Angry Gamer

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  33. Frances McDormand's speech was so cringing, that I switched off the TV. I knew after watching GG that she will perform the same circus here in front of a bigger audience. It was pathetic and disgusting.

    How about asking your husband to hire more Black actors/technicians for his movies, than preaching the World? All their movies are whitewashed with a measly role here and there for a Mexican or a native American.

    Hypocrites, all these people are.

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  34. Thank you. This was great. But would have liked more snarky.
    Thank you.

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  35. This is regarding the post where you said Steve Martin was among the hosts who flamed out.

    Please have a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N95KLHeJ_Yc
    The best ever monologue. Each joke had the audience in splits.

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  36. Hmmm. Talking of Christopher Walken, as you were Ken, I don't recall you giving him such a hard time as you give RJW, since they were both on the boat that night and neither, as far as I am aware, have given much of an explanation of the evenings activities.

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  37. How many times did they cut to someone in the crowd and you said, “Who’s that?” Next year that’s my Oscar drinking game and I figure to be smashed by Best Sound Mixing.

    You know you can play that game while watching the red carpet pre-show and be smashed before the actual Academy Awards show starts.

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  38. I looked at the Best Film nominees and out of all of them only "Dunkirk" & "The Post" played in theaters near me. "Call Me By Your Name" showed at an art-house theater for like a couple of days but good luck getting a seat, they only have 30 of them! If I had wanted to see the others I would have had to travel about 40 miles to a 349 screen theater complex in the big city! Again, it all comes down to the movie companies & the film booking agent poo-pooing the "flyover" states by saying the "The Neanderthals won't go to see our those films; they wouldn't understand them and it would upset them because it would require them to think."

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  39. Watchoo Talking 'Bout ?3/07/2018 12:42 PM

    Not complaining about snark when I come to read a snark-flavored review in the Snark Times, but "Am I allowed to say that?" (repeated) is a cliched bit that we all know you are better than.

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  40. For the record, Alicia is 5'3". Now, as to how to look taller?

    Wear vertical stripes. Make sure your couture is tailored -- no flappy stuff. And apparently strappy sandals work well, too. Or so I am told.

    Alternatively, you could just be so talented that a couple of inches here and there don't really make any difference.

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  41. Next Oscar will be hosted by noted "Chinese" actress Emma Stone.

    Yes, the same Emma who played a whitewashed character in "Aloha".

    The same champion of women who worked with Woody Allen.

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  42. Ken says, "the good news for Ryan is this finally puts to rest that pesky rumor that he’s gay." So better to be a rumored sexual predator rather than gay? Ouch.

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  43. Has anyone correlated the length of the Oscars to the length of baseball games? In the 1950s they were both done in two hours -- now it's three, four hours or longer.

    Let's call in Rob Manfred for some surefire ideas about how to make the Oscars shorter!

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  44. Eva Marie Saint was in a classic Frasier episode as Roz's mother. She was wonderful and her character also led to some golden reactions by John Mahoney.

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  45. Leaving out John Mahoney, Tobe Hooper and Powers Boothe from the In Memoriam was unforgivable.

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  46. I didn't watch. Ken, what do you mean by "man who said Sinatra"?

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  47. Aaron Sheckley3/07/2018 7:58 PM

    J Allison:

    Do you think maybe the intent of Ken's joke was to convey that the rumors of Secrist being gay could finally be put to rest because he was sexually harassing WOMEN? Because, you know, since gay men don't usually sexually harass women, then Secrist probably isn't gay. I keep looking at what Ken wrote to find the part where he even inferred that being a predator was preferable to being gay, and nope, it ain't there.

    Would some sort of rebus help explain this better?

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  48. I believe that that joke was a reference to this scene from Cheers.

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  49. Come on Ken, a knock on Wes Studi?

    I would personally love to see him and Daniel Day Lewis hanging out after that telecast. Don't mess with Magua!

    Cool to know Eva Marie Saint is your neighbor. I like when the older stars to get their appreciation but it can be a real struggle sometimes (like when Kirk Douglas was hauled out at the Golden Globes. She and Moreno were great and added a bit of pizazz and old school cool to things.

    During Fonda's part, I was waiting for her to bring up how she's been fighting against all these forces for decades.

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  50. Interesting comparison. The Mel's ratings have been declining, yet yet Fox just paid an obscene $600 million for the Thursday Night Football package nobody likes (fans and players alike). Dallas Cowboys owner shrugged off the ratings decline by saying, "All I know is that when ratings go down, rights fees go up." Will that happen when the current Oscars deal is up, showing the same economic improbability as the NFL deal shows?

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    Replies
    1. "Oscars ratings". How did that auto correct to "Mel's ratings"?

      Delete
  51. Don't go hatin' on Topo Gigio. I LIVED for his appearances on Ed Sullivan. :-)

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  52. I dunno, I thought the references to four men and Greta Gerwig, et al, didn't diminish the men, especially since a man got the award anyway.

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  53. Hey...I know a good voice teacher I can recommend!

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  54. The part of the telecast that hit me the most was when Eva Marie Saint mentioned that her husband had recently passed away. Thirty years ago, I was on the film faculty at Ms. Saint's alma mater in Ohio and the college had decided to name a campus theater after her. Prior to the dedication, the faculty had a private lunch with her and her husband. Since I was junior faculty, I did not get to sit at the main table with Ms. Saint. Instead, I found myself at a smaller table having lunch with her husband Jeffrey Hayden. He turned out to be a fun and engaging lunch partner. Mr. Hayden was a TV director in his own right. He was currently working in Hawaii on "Magnum P.I." and regaled me with stories about Tom Selleck and the cast. He was a genuine, down to earth guy and I was sad to hear he was gone.

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  55. Greg Thompson3/09/2018 12:04 AM

    A few years ago I sat near Eva Marie Saint at, of all places, the Souplantation in Brentwood and overheard her tell a catty story about Nancy Reagan.

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  56. We may have gotten a clue this year as to the REAL reason the Oscars broadcast is such a mess:
    One of the montages featured a clip from THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. Of course, the film is an undisputed classic, but it's also the exact kind of film the Oscars runs screaming in the opposite direction of... suggesting that there was an extraneous reason why it would be allowed on the show.
    And indeed, there was; it's director, Tobe Hooper, passed away last year.
    But somehow, Hooper didn't make the "In Memoriam" list.

    It would seem the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

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