OSCAR NIGHT FEVER!

Hi Friends,

How are you doing? Trust that the New Year kick-started on a bright note for all and I pray that this spirit continues to sparkle all through the year! And for those whom the New Year began on a not-so-bright note...you still have 11 months to go...so cheer up and let's thanks God for the gift of Today, so that we may be able to make the best of Tomorrow!

Crime,Controversies,Corruption and Political instability continue to make news these days and like always not a day passes when everything has gone off smoothly around the world.So early in the year, I wouldn't like to do a recap of events which are not of your making and your liking either...though I did promise a reader of mine that I'd definitely write an article in one of my upcoming blog postings on the News-maker of the Decade,Julian Assange who has taken the world by storm. Incidentally,I made up my mind to write on him when my reader wrote to me asking me to write on anything besides Cinema! So...you'll have to wait on for that one...and by the way if you have anything interesting to share on any subject of your choice and yes, even on Julian Assange, feel free to write. You may email me your articles at -sonyaa.random.musings@gmail.com



Avatar won hearts but The Hurt Locker took home the awards!

It's reining Awards both India and abroad and as always jurists are having a field time choosing the best from the BEST...confused?Yup.. so am I!!Meanwhile,in Bollywood while Dabangg, My Name is Khan and Udaan continue to sweep the plethora of award functions in our country; our Western counterparts are soon gearing up for their prestigious annual Academy Awards ceremony which is just a week or two away. Talking about the Oscar fever which is fast catching on...I can't believe that it's already a year since the last Academy Awards season where Avatar and The Hurt Locker were vying for the top honors. And what made it an even more interesting affair was ex-husband and wife James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow were pitted opposite each other in all the major categories in almost every award function where Kathryn ruled the roost and the final trump was when she took home not one but two Oscars! (Psst..though everyone believed that Avatar was any day a better film. But let's look at it the other way and give the lady her fair share of accolades as she wrote history that evening when she became the first woman to take home the Best Director and Best Motion Picture of the Year statuettes) It all looks like it was just the other day! Anyway...♪As time goes by..♫



Face Off:  It's Jeff Bridges Versus Colin Firth again!

This year too is pretty interesting when I come to discussing the Oscar nominations I have randomly observed and thought I'd share them with you too! So are you ready? In the 2011 Academy awards, Colin Firth who is apparently tipped to get the Oscar has received a second nomination in a row in the Best Actor category for the film The King's Speech ...now we hope he takes hope the prize this time! Arrrreey!!! But you know what? Jeff Bridges as also been nominated for the second consecutive time and in the same category for his performance in True Grit. It seems there's some karmic connection between the two!! Remember,last year Jeff Bridges took home the prize...will Colin Firth be second time lucky? We sure hope he does!  O...by the way...did you know that the very charming English heart-throb, Hugh Grant was first offered to play the title role of the stuttering King George VI in The King's Speech which fell into the laps of Colin Firth! Surely..Hugh must be sore on that decision of his as he watches Colin readying to give his acceptance speech at the Oscars!



Karmic Connection? 3 years later, Bale contends for Best Supporting Actor

One of my favorite actors...now at least after this pivotal Oscar nomination for him, critics and directors will definitely sit up and take notice of this actor's potential and offer him some more great performance-oriented roles of his career...O, by the way I'm talking about Christian Bale who has been nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category for his sterling performance in The Fighter. Talking about karmic connection...here's another... Three years ago,The Dark Knight actor may have silently watched his co-star late Heath Ledger win laurels for his portrayal of the lunatic Joker in The Dark Knight as well as the coveted trophy for the same category Bale is now contending for! And three years later, The Dark Knight Rises as he is among the favourites tipped to take home the prize!



Stealing the thunder?

We were just talking of Heath Ledger... interestingly just as Heath's co-star Christian Bale has earned a nomination, so has the late actor's ex-girlfriend Michelle Williams been nominated in the Best Actress Category for the film Blue Valentine which is about a couple meeting and falling in love and coming to terms with life as their marriage crumbles apart. Al right, here's an interesting trivia about the film I accidentally stumbled across and felt would be interesting for you all to know. Blue Valentine was originally set to be shot in the spring of 2008, but was delayed due to Heath Ledger's sudden demise. The producers and director delayed the film out of respect for Michelle Williams,Ledger's ex-girlfriend and mother of his daughter Matilda, rather than going ahead and shooting the film with another actress in Michelle's role. What a kind gesture indeed! Interestingly, the 30 year old actress got her first nomination in 2006 for Brokeback Mountain where she and Ledger received their first nominations for the same film in the Best Supporting Actress and Best Actor category. Hey, Heath...just in case if you're listening...you and Michelle are even now!! Two Oscar nominations and both for the same categories...what a coincidence!! Surely, Michelle has come a long way from being a supporting artiste to a full-fledged actress in mainstream cinema.I hope she gets the prize though she has tough contenders with seasoned actress Annette Bening,Nicole Kidman and this year's favourite,Natalie Portman for company!! 



New Kid on the Block: Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone

By the way...have you noticed that over the years the jury has become liberal when nominating  young actors and pitting them against veterans in different categories and I must say, that it's indeed refreshing! Decades ago, it may have all started with Tatum O'Neal who was just 10 years when she won the Oscar and it's heartening to see that over the years newer talents are over and over again coming up with stellar performances and giving goose pimples to established actors and actress reminding them that they are waiting to take their place. Over the years, new talents that have taken the limelight are late Heath Ledger,Ellen Page, Carey Mulligan,Michelle Williams, Jesse Eisenberg, Jennifer Lawrence who have been nominated and some persevering ones even taking home the Oscars!

Overlooked: Mark Wahlberg

On the flipside,this year's some of the biggest disappointments on the Oscar nominations front was - Ryan Gosling who failed to earn a nomination for the Best Actor in Blue Valentine even though co-star Michelle Williams is!Mark Wahlberg too missed out in the Best Actor category for The Fighter even though the ensemble of the cast comprising of Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams got lucky! Same was the case with Julianne Moore who lost a spot in the Best Supporting Actress category for The Kids Are All Right even as Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo are in the race! And finally, Andrew Garfield too was left out of the Oscars race for the Best Supporting Actor in The Social Network even though co-actor Jesse Eisenberg is on board!

And Now...it's time for me to go...do not miss the action as the 83rd Academy Awards are telecast LIVE on ABC at 8PM ET on February 27th and simultaneously on Star Movies at 6:30 am IST on Feb 28th,2011.

Take care and ciao until next month!

Love,
Sonyaa