LES OSCARS

I feel like I'm losing time trying to sum up the last few months of my movie-watching experience. In guilt from not writing about past films viewed, I've failed to write about Dine LA Restaurant Week (amaaaaaazing!), a weekend trip to The Fertile Lowlands (super, thanks for asking!) and everything in between...and a few things before...and even a little bit after.

So fuck it.

I'm done trying to make up for "last time." Let's start today and move forward.

Yes, in December, I met James McAvoy and Joe Wright after seeing ATONEMENT (wonderful!), and yes, I ate at some great restaurants during DineLA (among them eat.on sunset, Luna Park off Mid-Wilshire and Cobras & Matadors). Yes, I also KILLED my weekend in TFL by getting on the VIP list at Body English, a hot, hot little number I like to call Hot Hot Central. (ASIDE: did you know Las Vegas--which I usually refer to as "The Fertile Lowlands"--actually means "The Meadows" in Spanish? Where are those Meadows? Shouldn't it mean "The Deserts" or "The Wastelands"? Doesn't that just make more sense? Or maybe "Syphilis Strip?" Or is that a bit much?) But I can't write about all that. Because I have to move ON. To today. Oscars weekend.

Strangely, this is the first of any year I can immediately recall that I'd actually seen all the movies nominated for Best Picture. And it was no surprise to me that NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN just won. I voted for it, even though I was originally feeling more joy for ATONEMENT (Mr. McAvoy promised me love touches if I swayed the Academy's vote in favor of his movie--can you blame me?). But for the record, here are my thoughts on the five nominated films:

ATONEMENT
plot: "I'll never let go, Robbie."
thought: "Brutally beautiful in its complexity." (deep, huh?)
in five: 4.5/5 (Yeah, it's long. But it's WORTH it. WHY wasn't Joe Wright nominated for best director, I'll never know--oh, except I do. The Academy is xenophobic. Except that Marion Cotillard just won meilleure actrice--and in her speech she thanked love and life, might I add. Guess I just ate my own words.)

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
plot: "Killing you softly, without reason."
thought: "Cohens, you're the new amazing."
in five: 4/5

MICHAEL CLAYTON
plot: "Business politics are still politics."
long thought: "It's better if you just sleep through the middle."
in five: 3/5

JUNO
plot: "Funny girl has a baby."
thought: "Pretentious writing, over-hyped actress, but otherwise okay."
in five: 2/5 the first time I saw it; 3.5/5 after viewing numero dos. It didn't fully win me over...but it kind of did. Definitely shouldn't have been nominated for best picture--imo--but I guess they were thinking of it as a LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE potential winner. But it's not that movie. So stop it, Academy. Just stop it.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD
plot: "I abandoned my booooooooy!!!!"
thought: "Why won't this movie end?"
in five: 2/5 (I hated it. Sorry. I know it just won for cinematography, but I don't agree. Atonement got the diss. What gives?)

So there's my thoughts on tonight's favorites. Who I thought would win won. Who I wanted to win won. In fact, at my Oscars Party tonight, we had a ballot, and I got the highest score with 15. Count it! Basically, I'm as intelligent as every Academy member. So induct me, already.* I love the Oscars.

*15 isn't THAT good. I even missed best actress, sad. Everyone else was just worse, that's all.