Oscars, Tolkienese, Downton Abbey, DW invites
Oscar nominations are out. My source, as usual, is ONTD.
I like the annual awards roundtable interviews, in which publications like Newsweek and The Hollywood Reporter gather frontrunner actors and directors for chats about their craft. Although I get overdosed quickly -- these people have really big, pretentious heads, you know?
Speaking of which, George Clooney. One of the interviewers in the Newsweek Oscar roundtable asked Viola Davis, nominated today for her leading performance in The Help, how that could possibly have been her first leading movie role given that she is a 46 year old actress with many previous award wins and nominations in film and on stage. She began to answer the question by talking about how roles for black actresses are rare, because film studios believe they aren't marketable to a white male audience. And then GEORGE FUCKING CLOONEY interrupts and runs his mouth for almost four minutes straight about general issues of audience and marketing and roles for women -- not even black women, but women full-stop, like, thank you George, for supplying your smugly helpful perspective as a woman on this -- before finally shutting the fuck up and letting Viola Davis go back to answering the question that was HER question to answer in the first place.
Also, George? You've made a good name for yourself as a director, writer and producer as well as an actor. So why don't you try using some of that influence (especially given how all of Hollywood seems to be riding your dick right now) to cast more diversely in your next movie? Steve McQueen, director of Shame, might appreciate that. I will watch every single one of McQueen's movies because he had the balls to put an entire panel of white male directors on the spot for their casting choices, in a Hollywood Reporter roundtable in which McQueen was the only person of color. You could have cut the awkwardness with a knife.
And speaking of the movie Shame, Clooney's nominated as a leading actor but Michael Fassbender isn't. I have no love for Fassbender as a person, given the domestic violence allegations against him, but I can't deny that as an actor, he knocks Clooney out of the park. We saw Shame over the weekend and the fact that Fassbender wasn't recognized by the Academy is, well, a shame. It was also just an excellently made movie. Definitely recommend it.
*
In other news, I finished the Silmarillion-related sections of The Silmarillion.
I was not expecting Túrin Turambar. I mean, damn. I also have a nice hardcover illustrated copy of The Children of Húrin collecting dust on the shelf, but I'm kind of afraid to open it because of the sheer amount of blood, angst and tragedy probably contained therein. The condensed version in The Silmarillion was QUITE ENOUGH.
Getting more and more excited about my Hobbit re-read and the movies, though. I expect the Sherlock boys will do very well. And I need to watch something Richard Armitage has been in, because I am v. intrigued.
*
We've also finished Downton Abbey Series 1 and about two-thirds of Series 2.
I think
littlerhymes said it best: this is souffle, fluffy and rich and sumptuous.
I heard rumblings of criticism about S2, but didn't look for specifics for fear of being spoiled, but I'm sure I agree with all of them. I still can't believe that it's been seven years since the story began and everyone's still stuck in the same love relationships and marital statuses. (Well, except Daisy, I guess.) I mean, I know there was this small matter of a world war, but geez, people! Move it along!
Vague rankings of and thoughts on characters below.
Top Tier:
- Anna. Basically the best, through and through.
- Violet. Shaky start in terms of likable qualities, but has been fabulous in S2.
- Sybil. Although this will depend on how things get wrapped up with Branson.
- Mary. Really disliked her to begin with, but I gained a lot of respect for her this series. I wish she would get over Matthew, not because I dislike Matthew, but because OMG it's been seven years! And I wish everyone else in her family would encourage her to get over it instead of indulging and enabling.
- Matthew. I almost put him in the middle tier, but I like that he had enough dignity to dump Mary, and that he's been maintaining a friendly distance from her and evidently truly loves Lavinia. I really hope the show doesn't backtrack on this. Also, I liked his war story and am curious how the injury plot will resolve.
Middle Tier:
- O'Brien. I think I secretly loved her in S1, but she's really grown on me in S2.
- Cora. Mostly coasting on residual S1 love this series.
- Robert. But I do not like what seems to be going on with the new maid.
- Mrs. Hughes. Just a good and likable person.
Bottom Tier:
- Thomas. Unlike O'Brien, he hasn't grown on me.
- Carson. I'm not into the whole "butler blindly devoted to family and tradition" thing. The Remains of the Day was about as far as I can appreciate such stories.
- Bates. I liked the quiet dignity at first, but all of this dragging business with his wife = he does not deserve Anna.
- Branson. I have personal issues with idealistic Communists, for one thing, but I also don't like his manipulative courtship of Sybil.
- Isobel. OMG it's not your house!!! Shut up shut up!!!
- Edith. Ugh.
- Daisy. UGH.
*
Finally,
laurashapiro kindly gifted me with some paid Dreamwidth time a little while ago. A nice gesture like that should be passed on. I've been meaning to post some invite codes, and as the free account promotion period has passed (I think), there's no time like the present. See below for 15 invite codes, which anyone may feel free to use.
1. AXPGNF6ZSE2PCAAAAYM3
2. 24TFE3B2JG4P5AAAAYM4
3. JYSDMCTC8746MAAAAYM5
4. QVV3PXFXSYWNSAAAAYM6
5. MEC65T8CHK529AAAAYM7
6. 4NA3GMJNX27ZQAAAD4KV
7. 6DW4CZV5YDC2AAAAKA2P
8. 4MEAVYAMNHWFDAAAKA2Q
9. HW4NMYRSKX993AAAKA2R
10. WBAZC7JM3J7YEAAAKA2S
11. M87ZWV7T366GFAAAKA2T
12. 69HFSQTRRMBZ5AAAKA2U
13. XDB3FG59TDBWQAAAKA2V
14. M4NEMJCDX2HA2AAAMG8Q
15. KNXEG3ZDG4HSXAAAM8N7
This post has
comments at its original location at http://hesychasm.dreamwidth.org/249160.html. Please comment there or here.
I like the annual awards roundtable interviews, in which publications like Newsweek and The Hollywood Reporter gather frontrunner actors and directors for chats about their craft. Although I get overdosed quickly -- these people have really big, pretentious heads, you know?
Speaking of which, George Clooney. One of the interviewers in the Newsweek Oscar roundtable asked Viola Davis, nominated today for her leading performance in The Help, how that could possibly have been her first leading movie role given that she is a 46 year old actress with many previous award wins and nominations in film and on stage. She began to answer the question by talking about how roles for black actresses are rare, because film studios believe they aren't marketable to a white male audience. And then GEORGE FUCKING CLOONEY interrupts and runs his mouth for almost four minutes straight about general issues of audience and marketing and roles for women -- not even black women, but women full-stop, like, thank you George, for supplying your smugly helpful perspective as a woman on this -- before finally shutting the fuck up and letting Viola Davis go back to answering the question that was HER question to answer in the first place.
Also, George? You've made a good name for yourself as a director, writer and producer as well as an actor. So why don't you try using some of that influence (especially given how all of Hollywood seems to be riding your dick right now) to cast more diversely in your next movie? Steve McQueen, director of Shame, might appreciate that. I will watch every single one of McQueen's movies because he had the balls to put an entire panel of white male directors on the spot for their casting choices, in a Hollywood Reporter roundtable in which McQueen was the only person of color. You could have cut the awkwardness with a knife.
Click to viewAnd speaking of the movie Shame, Clooney's nominated as a leading actor but Michael Fassbender isn't. I have no love for Fassbender as a person, given the domestic violence allegations against him, but I can't deny that as an actor, he knocks Clooney out of the park. We saw Shame over the weekend and the fact that Fassbender wasn't recognized by the Academy is, well, a shame. It was also just an excellently made movie. Definitely recommend it.
*
In other news, I finished the Silmarillion-related sections of The Silmarillion.
I was not expecting Túrin Turambar. I mean, damn. I also have a nice hardcover illustrated copy of The Children of Húrin collecting dust on the shelf, but I'm kind of afraid to open it because of the sheer amount of blood, angst and tragedy probably contained therein. The condensed version in The Silmarillion was QUITE ENOUGH.
Getting more and more excited about my Hobbit re-read and the movies, though. I expect the Sherlock boys will do very well. And I need to watch something Richard Armitage has been in, because I am v. intrigued.
*
We've also finished Downton Abbey Series 1 and about two-thirds of Series 2.
I think
littlerhymes said it best: this is souffle, fluffy and rich and sumptuous.
I heard rumblings of criticism about S2, but didn't look for specifics for fear of being spoiled, but I'm sure I agree with all of them. I still can't believe that it's been seven years since the story began and everyone's still stuck in the same love relationships and marital statuses. (Well, except Daisy, I guess.) I mean, I know there was this small matter of a world war, but geez, people! Move it along!
Vague rankings of and thoughts on characters below.
Top Tier:
- Anna. Basically the best, through and through.
- Violet. Shaky start in terms of likable qualities, but has been fabulous in S2.
- Sybil. Although this will depend on how things get wrapped up with Branson.
- Mary. Really disliked her to begin with, but I gained a lot of respect for her this series. I wish she would get over Matthew, not because I dislike Matthew, but because OMG it's been seven years! And I wish everyone else in her family would encourage her to get over it instead of indulging and enabling.
- Matthew. I almost put him in the middle tier, but I like that he had enough dignity to dump Mary, and that he's been maintaining a friendly distance from her and evidently truly loves Lavinia. I really hope the show doesn't backtrack on this. Also, I liked his war story and am curious how the injury plot will resolve.
Middle Tier:
- O'Brien. I think I secretly loved her in S1, but she's really grown on me in S2.
- Cora. Mostly coasting on residual S1 love this series.
- Robert. But I do not like what seems to be going on with the new maid.
- Mrs. Hughes. Just a good and likable person.
Bottom Tier:
- Thomas. Unlike O'Brien, he hasn't grown on me.
- Carson. I'm not into the whole "butler blindly devoted to family and tradition" thing. The Remains of the Day was about as far as I can appreciate such stories.
- Bates. I liked the quiet dignity at first, but all of this dragging business with his wife = he does not deserve Anna.
- Branson. I have personal issues with idealistic Communists, for one thing, but I also don't like his manipulative courtship of Sybil.
- Isobel. OMG it's not your house!!! Shut up shut up!!!
- Edith. Ugh.
- Daisy. UGH.
*
Finally,
laurashapiro kindly gifted me with some paid Dreamwidth time a little while ago. A nice gesture like that should be passed on. I've been meaning to post some invite codes, and as the free account promotion period has passed (I think), there's no time like the present. See below for 15 invite codes, which anyone may feel free to use.
1. AXPGNF6ZSE2PCAAAAYM3
2. 24TFE3B2JG4P5AAAAYM4
3. JYSDMCTC8746MAAAAYM5
4. QVV3PXFXSYWNSAAAAYM6
5. MEC65T8CHK529AAAAYM7
6. 4NA3GMJNX27ZQAAAD4KV
7. 6DW4CZV5YDC2AAAAKA2P
8. 4MEAVYAMNHWFDAAAKA2Q
9. HW4NMYRSKX993AAAKA2R
10. WBAZC7JM3J7YEAAAKA2S
11. M87ZWV7T366GFAAAKA2T
12. 69HFSQTRRMBZ5AAAKA2U
13. XDB3FG59TDBWQAAAKA2V
14. M4NEMJCDX2HA2AAAMG8Q
15. KNXEG3ZDG4HSXAAAM8N7
This post has
comments at its original location at http://hesychasm.dreamwidth.org/249160.html. Please comment there or here.