Oscar Picks 2007

Actor: Forrest Whitaker. It's about time, he's deserved this since Smoke.

Actress: Helen Mirren will get it tho I'm rooting for Penelope Cruz in Volver just cuz I'm an Almodovar fan from waaay back.

Supporting Actor: It's between Eddie Murphy and Mark Wahlberg. Both gave the performances of their lives, but you felt for Eddie's character where you really didn't for Mark's. So the Oscar goes to Eddie, unless of course members of the Academy have seen Norbit.

Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson, hands down. Who's the American Idol now, bitches?

Animated Feature: Happy Feet.

Director: Clint Eastwood, again, it's about time.

Foreign Film: Pan's Labyrinth.

Song: "Listen" from Dreamgirls. Not much choice here this year, but this is the best o' the bunch.

Visual Effects: Superman Returns. The dude of steel saving that plane and shuttle are the only reason to see the flick.

Best Picture: The Departed, only because it's the only one I've seen this year.

Check back later for my thoughts on the winners and the awards show itself.

Departed

The Departed - Martin Scorcese is one of the giants, quite possibly our greatest living director. Despite that, and the Oscar noms for this flick, this isn't one of his best. That said, a lousy film by Scorsese is still better than 90% of everything else out there. While not a good flick, it still contains amazing performances. Mark Wahlberg gives the performance of his life. Jack Nicholson is at the top of the game except when he falls into Joker or Jack Torrance mode for a few frightening seconds. Other than that, he's flawless. Leo and Matt are adequate but seem to have spent more time on their Boston accents than their acting chops here. Vera Farmiga is the breakout here, watch for her. All in all, a good flick, just not a great one from Scorsese. Loved the rat theme though.

New Avengers: Illuminati #2 Review

"Bad Idea Theatre," my comic book review of New Avengers: Illuminati #2 is now online at Avengers Forever. You can check it out here. Enjoy!

Also check out my review of New Avengers #27 "Ronin Returns… In More Ways Than One".

If you'd like to discuss these reviews the Avengers Forever website hosts a chat every Thursday evening at 10:00 PM EST in its own chatroom. Or to discuss everything Avengers 24/7, please check out the AF Forum.

Quickies 2-22-2007

Duplex - I'm not a fan of Ben Stiller, or maybe I am. I just don't tend to like the same Ben Stiller stuff everyone else raves over. I loved his long ago Fox TV show for example. I related to his character, a writer, in this dark comedy from 2003, and I've always loved Drew Barrymore. This one has its moments but by no means one of his best and definitely not his most popular. Worth a peek.

Jane White Is Sick and Twisted - This tour de force by actress Kim Little had so much promise as a satire about television. You ever see a movie preview that looks so good you can't wait to see it, and then you do see it and it's like shit on a stick? That's this flick. Despite interesting appearances by David (Squiggy) Lander, Wil Wheaton, Colin Mochrie and Maureen McCormick, this movie is nothing but disappointment.

Mandingo in a Box - At first I thought this was a play on the "Saturday Night Live" skit "Dick in a Box" but it's much better. This twelve-minute flick written and directed by Daheli Hall is a smart and funny commentary on how desperate single black women are for a 'perfect' male counterpart. Genius.

Closing out this obscure set of flicks this time is The Hookers - a retro-erotica selection available from Comcast's Something Weird On Demand channel. We were popping through channels with company over a few weeks back and came across this 1967 mini epic that tells the tale of three girls gone bad. Filmed in black and white by an apparently drunken camera crew, it's so unintentionally funny and inexplicable (many shots of a glass vase full of wheat - what the hell does that mean?) we're still laughing over it. See it at your own risk, and prepare to giggle uncontrollably.

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes II #6 Review

My comic book review of Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes #6 is now online at Avengers Forever. You can check it out here. Enjoy, if you're into this sort of thing.