The Pre-Blog Promotion Because It Is So Good
I want people to see this girl sing, so before you get into reading my blog, please go watch my girlfriend's daughter, 11 year old Bailey, sing. She performs 'Right as Rain' by Adele while playing cups. Please watch the video and share it because I'm so proud of her for doing it and it's so amazing for someone her age to sing this well. She made this video not even realizing anyone would see it so it is very genuine.
The Actual Blog
The Academy Awards were this past Sunday. I make it a point to watch it every year although they seem to be a train wreck of a live broadcast. Jokes fail, opening numbers get worse each year, and hosts, no matter how funny they are, seem to look like the are in awkward pain on stage. This year was no different with Neil Patrick Harris hosting.
The show was almost unwatchable and dragged out. The show went 40 minutes over and most awards, let's face it, no one cares about. To the Oscar people: PLEASE GOD SHORTEN THE BROADCAST. Most of the awards people care about are at the end and we all have to work the next day. Why is BEST PICTURE airing at midnight? The only reason I stayed and watched was because I love movies. Congratulations to Birdman on taking home the biggest award of the night. So who is the real Birdman? Is it that big tatted up dork from the NBA (Chris Andersen)? Is it Baby/Number 1 Stunner from the Big Tymers and Ca$h Money Millionaires? Maybe its Michael Keaton who is also Batman and you can't be both. I have no idea what I'm blabbing about.
None of the above has anything to do what I originally wanted to blog about except that the Academy Awards happened. I have decided to give you my 10 favorite movies nominated for Best Picture, at the Academy Awards, that didn't win. I decided to not go past 1990 in my list because doing my research I discovered there are so many that I want to add, if I kept going back the list would get longer and longer. I was amazed to find out Tombstone was not nominated as it is my favorite western film. Training Day is also a movie I really enjoy that was not nominated for Best Picture even though Denzel won best actor for it.
I was inspired to make this list by someone I may call my friend. I haven't decided yet. He is my cubical neighbor and my coworker, Jason Brigger. This was actually a topic on his podcast, linked here: http://historyofbadideas.libsyn.com/episode-60-babe-3-pig-in-a-blanket -- I told him I'd give him credit so I buried it way down in my blog. Most people probably don't even read this far...but anyway, here's my list: (Don't forget: a movie must be nominated for best picture and not win to get on this list)
10 Favorite Movies Nominated For Best Picture Never To Win An Oscar (from 1990 to current)
Almost made honorable mentioned but didn't so summaries in 5 words or less:
-Dallas Buyers Club (2013)- 2 Academy Award Winning Actors
-Finding Neverland (2004)- Best Johnny Depp movie (other than What's Eating Gilbert Grape)
-Ray (2004)- Jamie Foxx looks dead on Ray Charles (irony is Ray Charles could never see the resemblance)
Random question: Who would win a fight between Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles? (I may have asked this before). Stevie would have the sway to dodge punches and Ray has the legendary violent past, so I'd say Ray but it's a toss up.
Honorable mentions, or since it is bracket season. First Four (well 5) Out Didn't made the cut so no gifs:
-Up (2009) This movie tugs at your emotions as it entertains adults and children at the same time.
- There Will Be Blood (2007) I have always been a fan of Daniel Day Lewis and he definitely doesn't disappoint in this film. He deservedly took home the best actor Oscar.
-Little Miss Sunshine (2006) This was an incredibly enjoyable film which kind of was a surprise to me. I strongly thought to put it in the #10 spot, but it narrowly lost out. But who can resist the underdog in the child pageant scene with a dose of gay, suicidal Steve Carrell? No one--it's the same formula for Honey Boo Boo or whatever.
-The Pianist (2002) I really liked this movie but it was mainly one actor through the whole movie and that's why it didn't make the cut. That and Roman Polanski directed it and with him being a pedophile I'm sure the Academy didn't want him winning.
-Precious (2009) Almost as depressing as The Pianist but not as quite. I saw this movie in a theater by myself and as depressing as it is I wish I had a shoulder to lean on because I teared up pretty hardcore.
10. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)- Bradley Cooper didn't have to shy away from his usual role in films, where he plays pretty much a dick. Jennifer Lawrence grew up in this movie as she was his sex-crazed girlfriend (she won best actress for her role). It is one of the best love movies of all time and David O. Russell's directing was fantastic. This movie lost to Argo, and I actually think Silver Linings Playbook may be a better movie.-Little Miss Sunshine (2006) This was an incredibly enjoyable film which kind of was a surprise to me. I strongly thought to put it in the #10 spot, but it narrowly lost out. But who can resist the underdog in the child pageant scene with a dose of gay, suicidal Steve Carrell? No one--it's the same formula for Honey Boo Boo or whatever.
-The Pianist (2002) I really liked this movie but it was mainly one actor through the whole movie and that's why it didn't make the cut. That and Roman Polanski directed it and with him being a pedophile I'm sure the Academy didn't want him winning.
-Precious (2009) Almost as depressing as The Pianist but not as quite. I saw this movie in a theater by myself and as depressing as it is I wish I had a shoulder to lean on because I teared up pretty hardcore.
Finally the Actual List
9. Mystic River (2003)- Kevin Bacon, Sean Penn, Lawrence Fishburn, and Tim Robbins. Throw in a murder of Sean Penn's daughter and you have yourself a pretty excellent movie. This movie lost to The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, which I think was more of Peter Jackson getting rewarded for all three movies. Mystic River should have won in 2003 (the year I graduated from Bellevue High School by the way).
8. Traffic (2000)- I am a little biased with this movie because part of it takes place in Cincinnati. The movie is actually really good, however and it tells several intersecting stories about drugs and what they do to people. It shows it affects rich parts of town (Indian Hill) and the poor parts of town (OTR) but also throughout the USA and Mexico. It lost to Gladiator, which you could have argued either way as I enjoyed both movies for different reasons. Only one movie, however, had Luis Guzman.
7. Saving Private Ryan (1998)- This is directed by Speilberg and stars Tom Hanks. How does a movie with that star power lose to a movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow? Shakespeare in Love was the winner in 1998, which was actually a decent movie but shouldn't have beaten Saving Private Ryan. Interesting fact: While in college I took a class called Sexy Aesthetics in Film, and I wrote a 10 page report on the sexiness of Shakespeare in Love. And I'll tell you, I know way more than one should ever know about the sex life of William Shakespeare and the fake story of Shakespeare in the movie.
6. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)- On many people's list, including my expert colleague Jason Brigger, as one of the greatest films of all time. It just came out the wrong year. 1994 was a stacked year with Forrest Gump winning. Forrest Gump isn't aging as well as Shawshank for me. Forrest Gump won, because the Academy loves movies about people with disabilities, but Shawshank, to me, was an overall better movie. Quiz Show, Pulp Fiction, and Four Weddings and a funeral were all other great movies that were up that year (foreshadowing possibility).
5. Good Will Hunting (1997)- Ahh, what a coming out party for Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. They took home Best Original Screenplay this year, but Titanic took home the big award of the night. Good Will Hunting was up against a titanic movie, so there was no way it had a chance in hell to win, but I will tell you what, only one of these movies aged well and it was the one without big gay Leo. Robin Williams was stellar in this movie and final took home Oscar himself, for Best Supporting Actor.
4. Fargo (1996)- Now, I love the Coen brothers, almost as much as Scorsese and Tarantino (the rest of the movies left are from those two dudes, not to spoil anything). This was a movie about Fargo, ND. It better have some strong movie quality to be a movie about that town and make it into a conversation about an Oscar. Steve Buscemi is outstanding but Frances McDormand is spectacular with her accent and her skills, taking home the best actress Academy Award. The movie lost to the English Patient which I haven't seen, so I can't compare, but it is definitely better than Jerry McGuire which was also up that year.
3. Gangs of New York (2002)- Now this movie was pushed back as it was supposed to be released in 2001, but due to the Trade Center attacks it was pushed back. It lost to A Beautiful Mind which was an eh movie that won because it was about a disabled genius (two things the Academy loves). This movie is directed by Scorsese and he directs many other movies that would be on this list if I expanded past 1990 (Taxi Driver and Raging Bull to name a few). He does a fantastic job with capturing the time and Daniel Day Lewis and big gay Leo are amazing in the lead roles. Bill the Butcher is one of the greatest villains in movie history. Lewis won for My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood, and Lincoln, but in my opinion this is his strongest role and if it weren't for Adrien Brody and his huge ass nose starring in The Pianist, Daniel Day Lewis would add to his record with 4 best actors to his name.
2. Goodfellas (1990)- Another Scorsese directed movie, another loss. I used to like Casino more than this (with most of the same cast) but I changed my mind after watching it over and over. It gets better and better each time. It is now my second favorite movie ever and very close to taking over the first spot, as I love Pesci and DeNiro and even Ray Liotta. It lost to Dances with Wolves which isn't close to as good of a movie as this movie. Pesci won Best Supporting Actor and had like the shortest speech ever which is awesome. The movie is basically about being a gangster which to all guys is bad ass. It opens with such an iconic line too. Ray Liotta, narrating as Henry Hill, says, "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster." That of course, after the opening scene which shows a part of a scene later in the movie.
1. Pulp Fiction (1994)- Yeah it was in a tough year. It went up against the mighty Tom Hanks, but no one had ever told a story like this in film. It was all in the wrong order, yet made sense. Tarantino was revolutionary. So he did something like this before, kind of with Resovoir Dogs, but not like this. My boy Ving Rhames was in this with Uma Thurman, the resurgant John Travolta, Bruce Willis, and of course Jules himself, mother fu*king Samuel L. Jackson. It is an iconic piece of cinema and my favorite movie ever. It has drama, action, and comedy, and basically shows you gangsters have weird conversations like I do. Forrest Gump doesn't age as well and I'd love to see who won a race between the Wolf from Pulp Fiction and Gump because both are pretty damn fast.
If you want to see more of my favorite movies 247 of them (none from this year added yet), click here. I haven't updated in a year though and things definitely changed.
Below is the last Top 25 I did, but that was done August 15, so things have changed from that date. Some of these movies are in in though.
