Say Hello To Oscar

We picked out some evening wear and broke out the bubbly; the Academy Awards aired on Feb. 22/09. This year's event marked the 81st time that Hollywood's elite had gathered to dole out those iconic gold statues, the Oscars, at Tinsel Town's yearly red carpet affair. In preparation for the big event, we stepped back and looked specifically into the hero, mascot and the point of the whole five star affair, Oscar himself. An award that has become so synonymous with the event that most people now just refer to it by his name.

I hope that I can share with you some of the magic, glamor and nostalgia of the big night.

The statue itself is a depiction of a knight, fashioned in Art Deco style and hewn from gold-plated britannia, an alloy similar to pewter. Oscar stands at just over a foot tall and has a bit of heft, weighing in at 8.5 lbs.

Surprisingly Oscar is really Emilio Fernandez- the name of the Mexican actor that the statue was modeled after in 1927. But as to where the name Oscar came from is anyone's guess. Like a lot of Hollywood's past, there are a number of rumors and tales about the origins of "Oscar", but no widely accepted story.

Bette Davis claimed she named the statue after her husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson, but another story suggests it was the Academy's Executive Secretary, Margaret Herrick, who said that the award reminded her of an uncle. In any case the name stuck.

pop-culture quote for the ages

If you were not able to watch the 81st Annual Academy Awards live on February 22, I hope that you had a chance to record it and watch it at your convenience with a DVD or CD player. It was truly a beautiful event this year!

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences held their first Awards of Merit in 1929, originally at a private dinner with a small audience in attendance. The event was broadcast on radio, but switched to TV in the 50's. In the early days, newspapers were given the winners' names a bit early, but when the L.A. Times famously leaked the winners' names the modern version of the sealed envelope was adopted, giving us that pop-culture quote for the ages, "and the envelope please."

Here's a list of movies made available by our cable company. I haven't seen some of them and quite honestly, some of them don't appeal to me. I'm listing all of them as I know everyone has a different idea as to what makes a "fine" movie.

1. Step Brothers

2. Eagle Eye

3. Burn After Reading

4. Mamma Mia!

5. The Women

6. The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor

7. Max Payne (Unrated)

8. Righteous Kill

9. Wanted

10. Ghost Town

These movies were all potential nominees for the 2009 Oscar Award. Some were nominated and others were not.

Watch some of these movies that were strong contenders and favorites from the many award shows this season.

A complete listing of every nominee and every winner in every category since the award ceremony's inception in 1927. There are plenty of photographs of the nominees and images of scenes from the nominated films for each year, so it is not dry in the way many reference books are.

It's been said before, and I'll say it again, nice men (in this case handsome men) usually come in last. I go along with the theory that many of the academy voters are geezer guys who love the younger fillies but resent the handsome bucks. Their message to these Hollywood heartthrobs: "You already have it all -- fame, fortune and females aplenty. So, sorry pal, no Oscar for you."

I'm interested to know what you think.

Why don't the handsome win oscars?

What's really curious about "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is that most Oscar pundits give the lead star of the film with the most nominations virtually no hope of winning best actor. Among the five contenders in that category, Brad Pitt is usually ranked fourth or fifth by prognosticators. Why?

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While a few handsome male stars have managed to win now and then in the past, most have been denied. There's a clear pattern of it.

Consider the case of Tom Cruise, who lost the 1989 best actor Oscar to Daniel Day-Lewis. Both men played wheelchair-bound real-life heroes in "Born on the Fourth of July" and "My Left Foot," respectively. Cruise had won the Golden Globe while Day-Lewis had taken most of the critics prizes. When the British born Day-Lewis prevailed over the all-American Cruise many Oscarologists attributed this to another instance of the Slap the Stud Syndrome.

And while there are the usual exceptions to the rule - both Clark Gable ("It Happened One Night," 1934) and Marlon Brando ("On the Waterfront," 1954) won Oscars at the height of their careers - many more leading men have been slapped through the years, never winning Oscars for acting:

By the time Oscar voters finally rewarded Paul Newman, he didn't care anymore. Even though he was widely favored to win best actor for the 1986 film, "The Color of Money," the 62-year-old actor skipped the ceremony. At that point he'd lost seven times and was tied with Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole as Oscar's biggest loser. Disgusted by the whole game, Newman told the Associated Press that his pursuit of the statuette had been "like chasing a beautiful woman for 80 years. Finally, she relents and you say, 'I am terribly sorry. I'm tired.' ">p

Look at many of the top male stars who haven't won Oscars despite working in Hollywood for years. Most likely it's punishment for their good looks. Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Richard Gere. They're all heartthrobs - just like previous matinee stars who got snubbed in years past: James Dean, Steve McQueen, Tyrone Power and Robert Taylor.

The 2009 Oscar-nominated actresses ran the gamut in age, experience and past nominations. On one end there was 15-time nominee (two-time winner) Meryl Streep and six-time nominee Kate Winslet, and on the other there was veteran actress Melissa Leo right there with fellow first-time nominees Anne Hathaway, Viola Davis and Taraji P. Henson.

Only two women over the age of 50 have nabbed an Oscar over the past 15 years: Judi Dench ("Shakespeare in Love," 1998) and Helen Mirren ("The Queen," 2006).

A Pace University study of the years 1975 to 1999 revealed best actor winners were, on average, five years older than their female equivalents. And seven years separated male and female nominees. Though this age bias is less blatant in the category for supporting actresses, older women still triumph there only now and then. Before Dench won her supporting Oscar in 1998, it had been 11 years since 56-year-old Olympia Dukakis prevailed for "Moonstruck." And the last woman over 50 to win lead actress before Mirren had been Jessica Tandy ("Driving Miss Daisy") in 1989.

Poor Kate Winslet, 33, needed to play it smart this year. After five previous defeats, she could end up tied with Deborah Kerr and Thelma Ritter as Oscar's biggest-losing actresses if she is snubbed one more time. Happily for her, she won!

Who really cares anymore? The Oscars are on life support. After the snub of "The Dark Knight" and Wall-E for "The Reader"! (the worst Holocaust movie since woefully wrong-headed "Life is Beautiful") The Oscars just showed what a rusty institution they are, clanking there way to irrelevancy.

OR

An honor.

What do you say?

This is the first Academy Award nomination for Christian Colson.

FILM SYNOPSIS

An eighteen-year-old from the slums of Mumbai finds himself competing on the game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," where the questions he must answer offer a look back at his earlier life. The show's host, however, insists that he must be cheating and takes steps to force young Jamal to admit that a boy from such an impoverished background could not possibly possess the knowledge necessary to win the show's top prize.

Hollywood glamour comes alive at the 2009 Academy Awards red carpet! TV Guide Network's Lisa Rinna and Joey Fatone interview the kids from the film SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.

From Danny Boyle, director of Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, comes the story of Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.

NOMINATED ROLE

Sean Penn plays Harvey Milk, the camera store owner whose decision to campaign for a place on San Francisco's Board of Supervisors becomes a landmark event within the gay rights movement.

ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY

This is the fifth Academy Award nomination for Sean Penn. He was previously nominated for:

......MYSTIC RIVER (2003) Winner, Actor in a Leading Role

......I AM SAM (2001) Nominee, Actor in a Leading Role

......SWEET AND LOWDOWN (1999) Nominee, Actor in a Leading Role

......DEAD MAN WALKING (1995) Nominee, Actor in a Leading Role

Sean Penn Wins for "Milk" Acceptance Speech

Very controversial...have a look at some of the thousands of comments on this video.

Academy Award nominee Gus Van Sant directs Academy Award winner Sean Penn as gay-rights icon Harvey Milk. Mr. Milk (1930-1978) was an activist and politician, and the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in America; in 1977, he was voted to the city supervisors' board of San Francisco. The following year, both he and the city's mayor George Moscone were shot to death by another city supervisor, Dan White. Mr. Milk was previously the subject of the Academy Award-winning documentary feature "The Times of Harvey Milk," but "Milk" is the first non-documentary feature to explore the man's life and career.

Sean Penn files for legal separation from his wife

Sean Penn and Robin Wright apparently tried to make it work but now, it seems their marriage might be over for good. Penn and his actress wife are separating after 13 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.

They attended the Academy Awards together in February. Penn, 48, won an Oscar for his role in the drama "Milk," and neglected to thank his wife in his acceptance speech. (This is probably not the reason for the pending divorce .. but it may indicate marrital discord.)

Penn met Wright on the set of the 1990 Irish mob movie "State of Grace." The famously brooding actor, who previously married and divorced first wife Madonna, seemed to find the yin to his yang in the luminous actress, whose serene demeanor tempered his macho swagger. Wright, who was married once before to former soap star Dane Witherspoon, has said Penn helped her gain confidence and stand up for herself.

Penn launched his acclaimed acting career as the stoned surfer dude Jeff Spicoli in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." His other, much heavier, roles include "Dead Man Walking," "21 Grams," "I Am Sam," "All the King's Men" and "Mystic River," for which he won a best actor Oscar in 2004.

Penn's second trophy came after he showed surprising warmth and humor as slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk. Despite his reputation as a serious actor, he recently agreed to play Larry in the Farrelly brothers' big-screen update of "The Three Stooges."

He has also directed several films, including 2007's "Into the Wild" and 1995's "The Crossing Guard," which co-starred Wright and Jack Nicholson.

Wright, 43, is best known for her role in "The Princess Bride" in 1987 and "Forrest Gump" in 1994 opposite Tom Hanks. Her other credits include "Beowulf," "Breaking and Entering" and the new Russell Crowe drama "State of Play."

NOMINATED ROLE

Heath Ledger portrays the Joker, a psychopathic criminal mastermind who will stop at nothing in his scheme to outwit and humiliate Batman.

ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY

This is the second Academy Award nomination for Heath Ledger. He was previously nominated for:

......BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005) Nominee, Actor in a Leading Role

Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger's win was a double victory. His posthumous Oscar punctuated his thespian legacy. It was also a historic win for the sci-fantasy community. Ledger nabbed a nomination for a performance in a summer blockbuster based on a comic book. Usually, the most a film like The Dark Knight (2008) could hope for would be a nomination for visual or sound mixing. But there was Ledger added to the list of Supporting Actor contenders for playing a deranged psychopath with really bad make-up.

The novel based trilogy had so many outstanding performances that the Best Picture award seemed the best way to honor the huge cast of elves, dwarves and hobbits.

My cynical side wonders if the Academy would've still nominated Ledger had he not unexpectedly passed away? It's not a secret that the Oscar judges love honoring the dead or soon-to-be-buried. I guess sentimentality is a potent ratings booster. I would love to believe that Ledger won for playing a great villain but there will always be a part of me that suspects Ledger's untimely death was milked for publicity.

Jack Nicholson was brilliant as the Joker in Batman (1989) and he wasn't nominated. Ian McKellan acted his hiney off as the Master of Magnetism in X-Men (2000) and not even a wink from Oscar. 'sigh' Well, whatever the alterior motives, Ledger won and he won for his role in a sci-fantasy film. I hope and pray that future fantasy films whether based on manga or comic books or video games will take things beyond the bar that The Dark Knight has raised.

If they are going to do another sequel...the result will be:

Harley quinn (Kristin Bell)

Lady Shiva (Bai ling)

The Riddler (Johnny Depp)

Penguin (Seymour hoffman)

Catwoman (Angelina Jolie)

Deadshot (Ray Park)

Poison Ivy (Keira Knightley)

This will trigger the no-mans-land saga for a good final trilogy ... and then in the post credits ... the child who appears at the end of batman, begins as a young lost soul, Robin ... whom Batman adopts!!!

NOMINATED ROLE

Kate Winslet plays Hanna Schmitz, a German woman in her thirties whose teenage lover is unaware of the dark secret in her past.

ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY

This is the sixth Academy Award nomination for Kate Winslet. She was previously nominated for:

......LITTLE CHILDREN (2006) -- Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role

......ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004) -- Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role

......IRIS (2001) -- Nominee, Actress in a Supporting Role

......TITANIC (1997) -- Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role

......SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995) -- Nominee, Actress in a Supporting Role

Very nice, very genuine speech, really enjoyed it, made me believe that she actually deserved it, which I feel she did. Loved the comment to her dad :D

Post-WWII Germany: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman came to a mysterious end, law student Michael Burk re-encounters his former lover as she defends herself in a war-crime trial.

In The Reader, young Michael reads to Hanna (hence the title of the film) the many great pieces of literature because Hannah is illiterate and has a strong thirst for stories. Imagine that feeling of entrapment where there is something you love so much but can't fully be a part of.

At The Movies Reviews "The Reader"

Ben and Ben from "At The Movies" reviews one of the Oscar winners, "The Reader."

NOMINATED ROLE

Penelope Cruz portrays the fiery Maria Elena, a divorced woman still locked in a complex relationship with her ex-husband.

ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY

This is the second Academy Award nomination for Penelope Cruz. She was previously nominated for:

......VOLVER (2006) -- Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role

What a beautiful acceptance speech.

Penelope made history! She is the first Spanish actress EVER to win an Oscar. She dedicated the Oscar to her people in Spain and all spanish actors.

The film was shot in Aviles, Barcelona and Oviedo. The plot centers around two American women, Vicky and Cristina, who are vacationing in Barcelona. Once there, the two women meet an artist, and the three quickly develop a relationship. The artist, however, is still enamored of his mentally unstable ex-wife.

All of these movies are Oscar winners. Please see them described above. You are also treated to the movie trailer. Enjoy!

What Stars Wore While Traveling Home

After the acceptance speeches have concluded, the parties and after-parties have ended, and the custom-made designer dresses (and inevitable Spanx) have come off, the stars who attended the Oscars have to head to the airport and get on with their lives. And, the clothes Oscar winners, presenters, and hosts wear to the airport are just as hit or miss as what they wear on the red carpet.

Academy Award winner Kate Winslet wrapped up her Oscar and carried it around the airport. Don't you love that she's wearing Converse sneakers?!

Hugh Jackman knows how to look dapper for any occasion, which is making us question his sexuality even more than his Oscar night dance moves did.

Robert Pattinson never stops smirking. Also, when will stars learn that wearing a hood and sunglasses inside only makes you more recognizable to your rabid fans?

Jennifer Aniston chose a beach-chic braided hairstyle for the Academy Awards. At the airport, her style was totally '90s with a belly-baring shirt, boyfriend jeans, and Uggs. Not our favorite looks (especially the crop-top).

Tilda Swinton never abandons her personal style.

Tina Fey glams up quite nicely, which makes us a little jealous. But after seeing her in a plaid shirt (with ruffles) and a long cardigan, we feel closer to the "30 Rock" star than ever-we wear this combo all the time, too!

It looks like Rachel Weisz just brushed out her updo, threw on some basics, and caught her flight. A scarf and sunglasses add a certain je ne sais quoi to jeans and a T-shirt, don't they?

Vicky Cristina Barcelona tries to tell us that when anyone starts to create, caios occurs and life gets too complicated. So you have to choose to take the complications or take the simplicity and live a common life.

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You may be on your way to accepting a screenwriter 'Nicholl Fellows Award' some day.

*Please take a moment to rate this lens at the top of the page..

To The Top

Let's face it, all the nominees were winners. I want to know what you think...did you like OSCAR night on TV. I thought there were too many commercials but other than that, I loved the dresses and I thought that the show was well organized, entertaining and very beautiful.