Saturday, May 19, 2012
Back in Business (Sort of)
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Coming Soon...
A brand new, up to date Oscar Hut blog is on the way! I know, try to contain your excitement, there only hasn't really been a post since the summer so I know my millions of readers are dying for me to come back..hahaha it's not really a funny joke at all. I know ive been slacking as of late but as Captain Gene said in The Other Guys,: "I dont want no scrubs". Ive been a scrub as of late and I apologize for the lack of activity and over-abundunce of inactivity. Its definitely not chill, and on top of that I miss the game! I saw over 60 movies in theatres last year, more than half of which I have not written a word about, and it kills me a little bit inside that I've put my passion for prognosticating on the back burner. College life is sometimes a bit too much fun to go on the pc and be obsessing about Oscars and movies, but my love for the art of it overwhelms my desire to frat hard in the paint, and get smashed all the time.
Anywho, once again i apologize for the long hibernation this blog has been going through, and hope a few of you old readers out there choose to come back and read my rants and raves. Even a couple votes in any polls would suffice lol.
Groundhog Day, I hope to see a few some of you awsome human beings hitting up the site again, and most importantly, networking this shit for me if you like whjat you see.
Peace, love and good vibes,
Tyler Pratt
"The Oscar Hut"
Sunday, July 18, 2010
2010 First Half of the Year Awards
So, here now, after a long absence on my part is my first half of the year awards, enjoy.
(*) denotates my choice for Best of each category
Best Picture
- The Ghost Writer
- Inception
- Shutter Island
- Solitary Man
- Toy Story 3 *
Best Director
- Andrea Arnold for Fish Tank
- Julian Jarrold for Red Riding: 1974
- Christopher Nolan for Inception *
- Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer
- Martin Scorsese for Shutter Island
Best Actor
- Casey Affleck for The Killer Inside Me
- Leonardo DiCaprio for Inception
- Leonardo DiCaprio for Shutter Island *
- Michael Douglas for Solitary Man
- Andrew Garfield for Red Riding: 1974
Best Actress
- Greta Gerwig for Greenberg
- Rebecca Hall for Red Riding: 1974
- Katie Jarvis for Fish Tank *
- Julianna Margolis for City Island
- Julianne Moore for Chloe
Best supporting Actor
- Pierce Brosnan for The Ghost Writer
- Michael Fassbender for Fish Tank *
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt for Inception
- Cillian Murphy for Inception
- Mark Ruffalo for Shutter Island
Best Supporting Actress
- Marion Cottilard for Inception *
- Amanda Seyfried for Chloe
- Kierston Wareing for Fish Tank
- Olivia Williams for The Ghost Writer
- Michelle Williams for Shutter Island
Best Adapted Screenplay
- The Ghost Writer
- The Killer Inside Me
- Red Riding: 1974
- Shutter Island
- Toy Story 3 *
Best Original Screenplay
- Chloe
- Fish Tank
- Greenberg
- Inception *
- Solitary Man
Best Film Editing
- The Ghost Writer
- Inception *
- Red Riding: 1974
- Shutter Island
- Solitary Man
Best Cinematography
- The Ghost Writer
- Inception *
- The Killer Inside Me
- Red Riding: 1974
- Shutter Island
Best Art Direction
- Alice In Wonderland
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Inception *
- Red Riding: 1974
- Shutter Island
Best Costume Design
- Alice In Wonderland
- Avatar: The Last Airbender *
- Inception
- The Killer Inside Me
- Shutter Island
Best Make-Up
- Alice In Wonderland *
- Inception
- Shutter Island
Best Visual F/X
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Inception *
- Iron Man 2
Best Original Score
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- The Ghost Writer
- Inception *
- Red Riding: 1974
- Toy Story 3
Best Sound Editing
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Inception *
- Iron Man 2
- Shutter Island
- Toy Story 3
Best Sound Mixing
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Inception *
- Iron Man 2
- Shutter Island
- Toy Story 3
So, basically as you can see movies like Inception, Toy Stor3, Shutter Island and The Ghost Writer have for me, been the best of the year so far. Will they go the distance come the end of the year, or fade away, forgotten amongst the pre Oscar season releases? For my money, I'd venture to say that Inception and Toy Story 3 are sure bets for a bevy of nominations, including Best Picture, but Shutter Island and The Ghost Writer could pop up spmewhere, though it will be a much harder road to the podium.
January 1st through July 17th in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
eligibility period
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
2010: A New Year, A New Decade of Cinematic Experiences
After these past 5 years of Oscar Watching, it feels refreshing to think that the cinematic slate has been wiped clean and is beginning afresh. This is mostly in due to the unusual circumstances of the last year. With the 2009-2010 Oscar season came, for myself, a vibe of exciting banality. There was a wealth if excellent films recognized, from Avatar and The Hurt Locker to Inglourious Basterds and A Serious Man and even District 9. While I have no doubt that 2010 featured the best Best Picture nominee class of the past decade, due to the expansion of the category. the past year gave little room for any suprises. Well, at least not any pleasant ones (ahem, The Blind Side). This year was all about Avatar vs. The Hurt Locker, a shame since I felt neither were even in my top 5 of the films that were nominated for Best Picture this year. It was a disapointment to see Up in The Air, District 9 and A Serious Man go home empty handed, and a letdown that Inglourious Basterds took home only one(albeit deserved) Oscar for Christoph Waltz..
However, that is ancient history as we are now at the forefront of a new decade, one filled with oppurtunity and excitement for film lovers. This year alone theatregoers will be able to see potential classics in the making such as Inception, Toy Story 3, Shutter Island and True Grit. And with progress being made in the developments of Martin Scorsese's upcoming Silence and Paul Thomas Anderson's next, The Master, along with efforts from Terrence Malik, The Coen Brothers, David Fincher and Alexander Payne, this decade could be one of the best in terms of film since the 70's.
With a new year comes, of course, year in advanced predictions along with new reviews, features and thoughts from myself on the state of cinema. I am open to any and all criticisms, encouragement and ideas from readers of The Oscar Hut, and you can reach me at tjpratt@bellsouth.net or in the comments section of each and every post. As my creative partner and collaborater Aaron Morales has decided to end his prognostication hobbies following his accident and it's subsequent injuries , I am once again hoping that a fellow film/oscar lover(s) will step up and become a part of The Oscar Hut! Once again, to contact me about joing TOH you can reach me at tjpratt@bellsouth.net.
The official start of this new year for The Oscar Hut will begin sometime in the next week, kicking off with year in adavance predictions, So, heres to a new year and decade of Cinema! May it continue to make our lives extraordinary in every way!
Tyler j. Pratt,
The Oscar Hut
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Final Oscar Predictions
Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side
Best Sup. Actor: Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds
Best Sup. Actress: Mo'Nique for Precious: Based on the novel by Sapphire
Best Adapted Screenplay: Up in The Air by Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner
Best Original Screenplay: The Hurt Locker by Mark Boal
At this point I am guaranteed to be at least 8/24
Best Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Best Cinematography: The Hurt Locker
Best Art Direction: Avatar
Best Costume Design: The Young Victoria
Best Make-Up: Star Trek
Best Visual F/X: Avatar
Best Sound Editing: Avatar
Best Sound Mixing: Avatar
At this point I'm 14/24 with the possibility of missing at least one of these
Best Original Score: Up by Michael Giacchino
Best Original Song: The Weary Kind from Crazy Heart by T-Bone Burnett & Ryan Bingham
16/24
Best Animated Film: Up
Best Foreign Laguage Film: A Prophet
Best Documentary: The Cove
Best Animated Short: A Matter of Loaf and Death
Best Live Action Short: The Door
Best Documentary Short: The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
At this point I say I'll end up 21/24, I'll miss at least one tech award and Foreign Language is up in the air for me. Many insist that the Argentina selection will prevail but a Prophet was too amazing to be passed over. But, hey, what do I know?
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Oscar (Hut) 10: Worst Snubs
10. Inglourious Basterds' Art Direction & Costumes Snubbed.
Despite the excellent work here put in here by David Wasco and IB's costume designer, the two were painfully snubbed despite the excellent work on both ends. What replaced them? In the Art Direction category, Basterds most likely lost it's spot to The Young Victoria, which I have yet to see. On the costume side of things Basterds probably was bested by Coco Avant Chanel or The Imaginarium of Docter Parnassus.
9. District 9 for Best Makeup.
It is almost too ridiculous to even imagine that the excellent makeup work on District 9 ended up snubbed, and snubbed in favor of The Young Victoria or Il Divo no less. The last time I checked, powdering faces doesnt qualify as a great achievement in makeup. But then again why honor a film that shocked audiences with the most realistic human to alien metamorphosis I've seen on the screen in my lifetime. Oh well, at least District 9 got a Best Picture.
8. The Informant!'s score by Marvin Hamlisch
Because I to be honest, I have no recollection of The Hurt Locker having a musical score, because to be honest The Informant!'s score was one of the most fun and playful series of compositions I have ever heard.
7. Up in The Air for Best Film Editing
I might be alone on this one but I thought Up in The Air's editing was fantastic. The film's pacing was seriously awsome, and the editing contributed to the overall feeling of the film. Precious had great editing, but I feel like Up in The Air's was way better, just my opinion but whatever.
6. Star Trek for Best Picture
There was a point where I thought Star Trek was really going to make it in. When The Blind Side was called followed by Invictus' not, I thought there was something interesting afoot, but I was wrong. Star Trek may have been an entertaining popcorn flick, it also happened to be one of the best and most exciting films of the year. Directed with intensity and just the right dose of mythology, J.J. Abrams' best film to date was the film that re-invigorated the sci-fi genre, it's succsess at the box office leading to simmilar results for District 9 and Avatar.
5. (500) Days of Summer for Best Original Screenplay
Though it was replaced by a deserving nominee, Oren Moverman's The Messenger, (500) Days of Summer's screenplay was one of a few of the year's seemingly locked nominees along with Waltz, Mo'Nique and The Hurt Locker. It was original, fun, whimsically romantic and inventive, but it wasnt good enough to make the cut for some reason.
4. Melanie Laurent & Diane Kruger for Best Supporting Actress
They were both fantastic and both had a decent to good chance of making the cut due to weak competition other than Mo'nique, farmiga or Kendrick. Cruz shouldnt have gotten the nod for mumbling through the best song of the musical and Gyllenhaal's nomination, while a pleasent suprise, should have went to Laurent.
3. Where The Wild Things Are for Best Cinematography
Lance accord's lensing was inventive, dynamic and wild, too bad the movie didnt catch on at all with anyone, it featured awsome direction, costumes, art direction and a great supporting turn from James Gandolfini. Spike Jonze is 3 for 3, in case you havent been counting.
2. Adam Sandler for Best Actor
I named Sandler's lead performance in Judd Apatow's Funny People as the best of the year and his career in the site's awards, and I did it for a reason. You have never seen Sandler like this before. Putting a spin on his image, Sandler revives his career with one of the year's rawest, most intimate portrayals of an artist. I know this hasn't been a possibility since the summer, but if Tommy Lee Jones could pull one out for a movie nobody saw two years ago, then I felt like Sandler's chances were about the same. Oh well...
1. Anthony Mackie for Best Supporting Actor
Anthony Mackie's performance in The Hurt Locker was one that didn't truly resonate with me. I saw the film when it was released nearly 8 months ago at my local theatre and I enjoyed it thouroughly, but Mackie wasnt the source of that enjoyment. Over time I began to realize what an acomplishment the performance was. Renner may have been the star of the movie, but Mackie's cautious war ravaged worrier was the driving power behind the film's ensemble. Watching it again last week confirmed this and I nervously hoped that he would be remembered but he wasnt, and in favor of Matt Damon and or Christopher Plummer.
2009-2010 Oscar Nominations!
Here are the nominees:
Best Picture
“Avatar”
“The Blind Side”
“District 9”
“An Education”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Precious”
“A Serious Man”
“Up”
“Up in the Air”
I went 9 out of 10 for this one, predicting Star Trek to reap a well deserved nomination, but alas the box office power and populace favor for The Blind Side prevailed over a film that was better received and more of a cinematic achievement.
Best Director
James Cameron, “Avatar”
Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”
“Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”
“Lee Daniels, “Precious”
Jason Reitman, “Up in the Air”
Foolishly, I predicted perennial nominee Lee Daniels to sit this one out in favor of District 9's helmer Neill Blomkamp, despite Daniels' DGA nod and the film's PGA, WGA, Globes and BAFTA's mentions. 4 out of 5 aint bad, but it's frustrating that I could have gotten perfect results on this one had I went with my gut rather than my heart.
Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney, “Up in the Air”
Colin Firth, “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman, “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner, “The Hurt Locker”
I scored a perfect 5/5 on this.
Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren, “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan, “An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe, “Precious”
Meryl Streep, “Julie & Julia”
And this.
Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, “Invictus”
Woody Harrelon, “The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer, “The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci, “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”
While I'm disapointed I only scored 3/5 in this category, it is nice to see Matt Damon with a long time coming second nod, despite the fact that it comes for a minor performance in an underwhelming film. Anthony Mackie's snub stings, especially when the rather boring work from Christopher Plummer recieved a nod.
Best Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz, “Nine”
Vera Farmiga, “Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air”
Mo’Nique, “Precious”
This was the real shocker for me. I never thought that Penelope Cruz could ride her goodwill to another nomination for her work in Nine, and I'm shocked that Maggie Gyllenhaal was able to break into the race displacing Julianne Moore, Samantha Morton and Diane Kruger. Good for her though as she scores her first nod for Crazy Heart. 3/5
Best Adapted Screenplay
“District 9”
“An Education”
“In the Loop”
“Precious”
“Up in the Air”
4/5
Best Original Screenplay
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“The Messenger”
“A Serious Man”
“Up”
4/5 Shocked that (500) Days of Summer was snubbed after making the rounds quite frequently throughout the season. The only reason that this isnt causing more of a fuss around the web is due to The Messenger being the screenplay to displace it, as Oren Moverman's work here truly shines.
Best Animated Feature Film
“Coraline”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“The Princess and the Frog”
“The Secret of Kells”
“Up”
4/5 I never saw the secret of Kells coming, especially when it displaces Ponyo and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.
Best Foreign Language Film
“Ajami” (Israel)
“The Milk of Sorrow” (Peru)
“A Prophet” (France)
“The Secret in Their Eyes” (Argentina)
“The White Ribbon” (Germany)
3/5
Best Art Direction
“Avatar”
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”
“Nine”
“Sherlock Holmes”
“The Young Victoria”
2/5 Ouch, but good for the Imaginarium for keeping itself in the game.
Best Cinematography
“Avatar”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”
“The Hurt Locker”
“The White Ribbon”
4/5 Sooo happy Half Blood Prince got a big nod like this, Delbono's work deserves it.
Best Costume Design
“Bright Star”
“Coco Before Chanel”
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”
“Nine”
“The Young Victoria”
3/5
Best Film Editing
“Avatar”
“District 9”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Precious”
4/5
Best Makeup
“Il Divo”
“Star Trek”
“The Young Victoria”
1/3
Best Music (Original Score)
“Avatar”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Sherlock Holmes”
“Up”
4/5 Im suprised by The Hurt Locker's nod here, the last thing I can remember about watching The Hurt Locker was its music, I dont know how anyone could have noticed that yet not nominate Marvin hamlisch's score from The Informant!
Best Music (Original Song)
“Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog”
“Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog”
“Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36″
“Take it All” from “Nine”
“The Weary Kind” from “Crazy Heart”
2/5 The Academy's Music Branch is a rather strange group. I hate them, seriously that Bruce Springsteen snub has forever destroyed any respect I had for them.
Best Sound Editing
“Avatar”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Star Trek”
“Up”
4/5 I love that Basterds did so well with the techs despite missing a costumes and art direction notice. Strange.
Best Sound Mixing
“Avatar”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Star Trek”
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”
4/5
Best Visual Effects
“Avatar”
“District 9”
“Star Trek”
3/3
Best Documentary Feature
“Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country”
“The Cove”
“Food, Inc.”
“The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers”
“Which Way Home”
3/5
Best Documentary Short
“China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province”
“The Last Campaign of Booth Gardener”
“The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant”
“Music by Prudence”
“Rabbit a la Berlin”
Best Short Film (Animated)
“French Roast”
“Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty”
“The Lady and the Reaper”
“Logorama”
“A Matter of Loaf and Death”
Best Short Film (Live Action)
“The Door”
“Instead of Abracadabra”
“Kavi”
“Miracle Fish”
“The New Tenants”
Monday, February 1, 2010
The Oscar Hut's Final Oscar Predictions 2/1/10
Saturday, January 30, 2010
The 2nd Annual Oscar Hut Awards 2009-2010
Top 10 Films of 2009-2010
Best Costume Design
Best Original Score