Hard In The City vs. The Oscars: Live Blog & Winners 2012

Since my live blog of the Golden Globes this year was surprisingly popular (really, I didn’t think anyone would care what I have to say), I am again live-blogging and tweeting up a storm for the Academy Awards this evening.

Should you need them, here are my predicted winners.

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Gold Rush: Oscar Predictions 2012

Though so many of us take the Oscars very seriously (guilty as charged), really, it’s just a game. It’s no different than the Super Bowl, except there are about five teams playing in every “quarter” and it’s actually quite embarrassing to be wearing the same outfit as anyone else. No jerseys on the red carpet.

Naturally, I was on Team Shame until it was not-too-shockingly nominated for nothing. That happens a lot in sports — your team doesn’t make it to the playoffs. Whatever. You pick another horse and bet on that one instead. (I’m almost done mixing sports metaphors, I swear.)

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Silence Is Golden: Why It’s Okay If ‘The Artist’ Wins Best Picture

(Yes, yes. The “if” in that title should almost certainly be “when.”)

From the moment the Oscar nominations were announced last month, it was already a foregone conclusion: The Artist is the year’s Best Picture winner. It has been since mid-December, before it was even released in most major American cities.

Some seasons, the Academy Awards have a bit of suspense leading up to the Best Picture winner. These days, though, there’s so much up-to-the-minute coverage that it’s hard to pack much of a surprise when it comes down to it. It can lead us to a feeling that the telecast itself is underwhelming — as it sometimes is. Last year’s biggest Oscar “surprise” was just how wretched Anne Hathaway and James Franco were as hosts.

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Gold Rush: Academy Award Nominees 2012

At this point, what else is there left to say, but:

Oscars…

Extremely Lame & Incredibly Disappointing.

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Gold Rush: Oscar Nomination Predictions 2012

Predicting the Oscars is useless. Sure, it can be fun guessing the winners when the big night is nigh, but what’s the use of predicting nominees? I’m telling you, there is none.

And yet, people do it. I use the term “people” to refer to that small handful of folks like myself for whom the Oscars are like Christmas; meaning the Golden Globes are like Thanksgiving — basically the same thing, but ultimately meaningless and less rewarding. So predicting the Oscars is like warming up for the holiday season — getting a jump on shopping, putting the lights and tree up, and already exhausting the holiday playlist on iTunes before most people have started caring yet.

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Hard In The City vs. The Golden Globes: Live Blog & Winners 2012

It’s the Golden Globes! And because I currently have nothing better to do, I am watching and blogging about them. (Nominees here, FYI.)

I’ll be doing some sort of live-blogging/recap as we go on, so… enjoy!

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When Peppy Met George: The Year Of Loving Nostalgically

(Movies discussed in this post: Beginners, Certified Copy, Forget Me Not, One Day, Midnight In Paris, The Artist, The Future.)

I have two questions for you:

1) Have you ever been in love?

And, if so —

2) Was it quirky?

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Gold Rush: The Golden Globe Nominees 2012

Ah, The Golden Globes. What can I say about The Golden Globes that hasn’t been said before?

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Gold Rush: Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominees 2011

The Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations were announced this morning — in which the actors applaud their peers for the finest performances of the year.

Last year’s winners were Colin Firth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, and The King’s Speech. Sound familiar? The winner of the Best Ensemble award is virtually guaranteed a Best Picture nominations at the Academy Awards.

Yes, all eyes will be on the SAG Awards this year.

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Gold Rush: BFCA Critics’ Choice Awards Nominees & Winners

Another day, another smattering of kudos from an organization most filmgoers don’t even know exists. This list keeps Hugo and The Artist on top of things, as will as giving The Help a little more awards-wind beneath its wings.

See the full list below.

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