And the Oscar Goes To . . .

Posted by Mary Murray on February 23rd 2011 | 0 Comments

Tags: Institute

Oh, the glamour, the artistry, the over-long production numbers! The Academy Awards will be presented this weekend!

Nicole Kidman is nominated for Best Actress for her performance in Rabbit Hole, which is being screened at the Institute’s film series this VERY WEEK! See it!

Are you rooting for a particular film to win? Did a particular performance send you over the moon this year? Maybe some of the pictures were screened right here in the Film Series. Tell us what you think!

I for one loved Toy Story 3. And years ago I saw and enjoyed the rock documentary, The Kids Are Alright, about the British band, The Who. So, you might imagine my confusion–why would a movie that was made in 1979 be getting so much buzz for this year’s awards? I eventually figured out that it’s a different movie with nearly the same title! (If you lived in Mary-land, as I do, you’d understand).

The esteemed personnel here at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute are much more on the ball than I and share their opinions about the movies, the awards show, and stuff:

Nancy Coté Baber, Administration Assistant: I loved Toy Story 3! It had me teary-eyed at times, and I could cheerfully have ripped the stuffin’ right out of Lotso for being so cruel. Barbie moved just as you would have imagined … the animation was extraordinary. I thought it was an exceptional tale which could be enjoyed by children and adults alike. As for the Academy Awards, I enjoy voting and tuning in to see how I did, but I absolutely love to see who wears what. I usually watch the pre-awards show, much to [husband] Bob’s chagrin. He would rather stick needles in his eyes. But the gowns and jewels really make it for me. I could definitely do without Joan Rivers … it would be a much more enjoyable Oscar season without her. I don’t think she’s funny, and when she asks a question she interrupts when the star tries to answer – what kind of interviewer is that?

One day at lunch Francy Caprino, Director of Enrollment Management PrattMWP, whipped through the ballot and made these bold predictions (I’m not convinced she actually SAW all of these movies):

Best Picture: The Social Network
Best Director: David Fincher – The Social Network
Best Actor: Colin Firth – The King’s Speech
Best Actress: Annette Benning – The Kids Are All Right
Supporting actor: Christian Bale – The Fighter
Supporting actress: Helen Bonham Carter – The King’s Speech
Screenplay: The King’s Speech
Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network
Foreign Language: Biutiful
Animated feature: Toy Story 3
Original score: The Social Network
Song: “I See the Light” – Tangled
Art Direction: Alice in Wonderland
Cinematography: True Grit
Costume design: Alice in Wonderland
Sound editing: Toy Story 3
Visual Effects: Inception
Film editing: 127 Hours
Short film animated: The Gruffalo
Short film live: The Confession
Documentary short: The Warriors of Qiugang

Paul Schweizer, Museum of Art Director and Chief Curator, was a bit more modest with his predictions, voting only for best picture: 1st: The King’s Speech; 2nd: True Grit. He also added this commentary: “Did not see Black Swan but daughter Alexis loved it.” Thanks, Alexis, for that vote, too!

Anna D’Ambrosio, Museum of Art Assistant Director and Curator of Decorative Arts: As the parent of an 8-year old, my theater-going is somewhat limited to animated and PG films. We really enjoyed Toy Story 3 and Megamind, but Tangled was my daughter’s vote for Best Picture. As a curator working on a fashion-art show for MWPAI this June, I’ll be checking out the designer dresses on the red carpet.

 

Chris Irick, PrattMWP Professor: I was disappointed the Sweetgrass was not nominated for best documentary.  It was one of the most memorable movies I saw during the year.  Although I’m not really interested in sheepherding, I was absolutely riveted by the process and the amazing scenery of Montana as the sheep were moved from the farm to their summer grazing pasture.  And I felt the lack of dialog, just allowing the audience to watch while listening the sounds of the sheep, added to the movie. The only part of the awards show I usually watch is the red carpet, the show itself is too boring, particularly the way they try to work in some sort of interpretive dance for each of the songs in the best music category.  I love Joan River’s catty comments on who wore what the next day.

Barb Kane, Educator for Public Programs, writes in: The only nominated films I’ve seen are those screened at MWPAI — Animal Kingdom and Winter’s Bone. Each has its merits, and I think both women nominated should win, Jackie Weaver as the not-so-warm-and-fuzzy matriarch of an Australian crime family ; and Jennifer Lawrence in the heartbreaking role of a young mountain girl fighting to keep her literally dirt-poor family together. Oh yeah, I also saw The Kids Are All Right, which I thought was an interesting story, but really didn’t impress me as Oscar-worthy. Can’t wait to see if MWPAI screens more of these nominated films!

And from Director of Museum Education, April Oswald: I’m a huge fan of awards shows, especially the Oscars, red carpets and all. When I was a student at SUNY Purchase, watching them became much more of an interactive event. So these days I have no patience for the actors who, when they win an award, get all flustered or weepy and just too choked up to say anything until it’s too late, and then they start to rattle something off as the music swells – “off the stage” I yell, “you’re done.” The people I admire are those (sometimes even behind-the-scenes winners unused to being in the spotlight), who are able to maintain utter professionalism and graciously accept their award, deliver their thanks or tributes and depart in style.

Michael Schuyler, former assistant librarian and film aficiando: STRICTLY FOR FUN not based on who should or who shouldn’t have won, etc.) I don’t even take the Oscars seriously. I don’t watch it. Anyway…. Best Actor: Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) — Best Actress: Natalie Portman (Black Swan) — Best Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech)– Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo (The Fighter) — Best Director: David Fincher (The Social Network) — Best Picture: The King’s Speech ….

So there you have it. Brilliant and insightful commentary from our good friends here at MWPAI. I conclude with a few glamour shots of movie stars. The Fighter is nominated for best picture, as is Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, and Amy Adams for their roles in it. Not nominated was star Mark Wahlberg, seen here in an earlier phase of his career. Just because.

 

Darren Aronofsky is nominated for Best Director of the film Black Swan. Lose the cheesy, ‘70s-porn-star mustache, dude.

 

Here’s a picture of Daniel Craig, sometime James Bond. I don’t think he’s nominated for anything but my friend has a little crush on him. Don’t tell her husband, John.