Red Carpet Raves (On a Linoleum Budget)

You know what, I'm done with best and worst dressed lists (at least, for today). No one agrees, everyone's catty, and I'm tired of going, "You liked that? Are you high?!" By now, you've hopefully read my play-by-play, including which gowns I particularly did or did not like. So, to heck with them all! Instead of rehashing, let's look at some of the trends:

First of all, color was key. Reds, Oranges, and Purples dominated the carpet, in surprisingly simple, classic designs. Obviously, it's too early for knock-off dresses to be in stores, but I found some affordable, on-trend beauties at David's Bridal, should you find yourself in need of a fancy frock.

Photo Credit (for all gowns): David's Bridal

This dress is a stunner. It's an aubergine (think Natalie Portman) glitter chiffon gown from the Jessica Simpson collection. Apparently, she designs everything these days. I adore the one-shouldered styling, and the tiered layers lend movement to the gown and provide camouflage for problem areas. $229.00.

This short and sassy silhouette is a bit more wearable, but still a knockout. Also, if you're not into the red trend, there are nineteen other colors to choose from. $129.00.

Another hot gown trend this year was the embellished gown. I loved Anne Hathaway's bedazzled ivory gown, and found a not-too-shabby take on the trend in this next gown:

The blush and champagne tones, along with the cinched waist and billowy skirt, make for a flattering and feminine look. The intricate beading and Black Swan-ready, ballet-esque tulle put it directly on trend. $259.00

Understated elegance showed in more places than stars' gowns. There was a distinct lack of jewelry on Sunday's red carpet. Of course, the jewels that made it were amazing. If you're going with one piece, it's going to have to be extraordinary.

Photo Credit: Frederick's of Hollywood

This statement ring has enough bling to alleviate the need for any other jewelry, except maybe a pair of rhinestone or diamond stud earrings. Best of all, it's on sale for $9.99! This would be a great piece to pair with the red dress from earlier.

Photo Credit: atlantaantiquegallery.com

Now, for something a little more high-end, here's a beautiful vintage piece from Atlanta Antique Gallery. It's the only one of its kind, and priced to move at $95.00. Of course, I found this through a Google search, and there are loads more beautiful, unique pieces out there to fit your own personal taste. Diamond chokers were everywhere on the carpet, and add the perfect touch of refined sparkle.

Alrighty, that's it for this year's Red Carpet report. I hope I was able to help you guys achieve movie star glamour on a movie patron's budget. If not, well, can't say I didn't try. Happy shopping!

A Night At the Oscars

This was written in real time. It's a terrible format, but I wanted to capture as much of the *yawn* excitement as I could. Actually, this year's ceremony was really enjoyable. One of the best in recent years, I'd say. Anyway, please bear with me as I track the awards as they happen.

******************************************************************************

I'm writing this during the Oscar telecast, and as of 7:49, I am 0 for 2. Awesome. That bodes well...

First off, how freaking adorable are Anne Hathaway and James Franco?! I want to eat them up, they are so cute. Loved the opening. Also, the set is gorgeous! Check out the jewels on the stairs!

Okay, Best Gowns So Far:

• Hailee Steinfeld (how sweet, fresh, and age-appropriate, with just the right amount of makeup)
• Anne Hathaway (the first, white gown--wow!)
• Mila Kunis (va-va-voom!)

Fave Moments So Far:

• Kirk Douglas still sharp as a tack, and Melissa Leo asking Douglas out.
• Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem dancing together in matching tuxedos. Also, how much does Javier Bardem look like Jeffrey Dean Morgan? They could play brothers.
• Aaron Sorkin demanding respect from his daughter's guinea pig.
• A Pixar movie winning in front of a Dreamworks background, but I'm evil.

Worst Moments So Far: Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake stumbling through their presentation. Geez...two funny people who could've done better.

Picks I Nailed So Far:

• Best Supporting Actress Melissa Leo (if you like her eyeshadow, try Urban Decay's Stardust in Space Cowboy. If it's not the same, it's darn close. I should know. I'm wearing it right now. Freaky.)
• Best Animated Feature Toy Story 3
• Best Adapted Screenplay The Social Network

Okay, let's take a break at 8:28, catch our breaths, and eat some delicious slice and bake cookies (with milk!). By the way, Holy High Notes, Batman, Hathaway can SING!!!!!! Dear Lord, that was awesome! Also, Hugh Jackman and James Franco are amazing sports.

8:30. Folding laundry. Here we go:

Picks I Nailed:

• Best Supporting Actor Christian Bale (Batman got an Oscar!)
• Best Original Score The Social Network
• Sound Mixing Inception.

Worst Gowns:

• Scarlet Johanssen
• Anne Hathaway's second gown (ew).

WTHeck Moments: Did John Williams write every movie score on the planet, save West Side Story?

8:53. I have clean sheets now. Yay.

Best Gowns:

• Marisa Tomei (just a great overall look)
• Cate Blanchett (actually, I hate the gown, but she looks breathtaking in it)
• Mandy Moore (I think it's lovely. Thomas thinks she looks like a feather duster. Taste is subjective.)

Worst Gowns:

• Amy Adams (Me: "I don't like her dress." Thomas: "I don't like her." Really, it's not the dress. It just doesn't go with the jewelry, and that annoyed me greatly.)
• Audrey Marrs

Picks I Nailed:

• Best Makeup The Wolfman (YAY!! Seriously, it'd have been a crime if it hadn't)
• Best Costume Design Alice In Wonderland

Fave Moments: Harry Potter the Musical. Wow. That whole montage was awesome.

The first two musical numbers aired, and while they were lovely, neither held a candle to the montage of fan favorite movie songs. What happened to the iconic movie scores and songs? I miss them.

9:26. I have eight correct, and Billy Crystal just took the stage!!! Woohoo!!!

Fave Moments:

• Bob Hope hosting the Oscars. Time filler, yes, but really kind of cool.
• Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law being effortlessly cool.

Picks I Nailed:

• Visual Effects Inception
• Film Editing The Social Network

Best Gown: Anne Hathaway (Dress #3)

Worst Gowns:

• Jennifer Hudson (Gorgeous dress, and she looks amazing, but the top of the dress is horribly unflattering. Something about the fit is off. I'm picky, sorry)
• Gwyneth Paltrow (her best song dress. Unflattering. The one she wore on the red carpet was fabulous, though.)

Fave Moment: Randy Newman winning. He's so sweet and funny, I want to hug him.

9:52. Celine Dion is singing. Thomas is grumbling. In Memoriam.

Let me just take a moment to thank the directors for showing the entire In Memoriam in full screen, and the audience for holding its applause until the end. That was the most respectful I've seen yet. Truly lovely.

Best Gowns: Hillary Swank (WANTS IT MY PRECIOUS!!)

Worst Gowns: Kathryn Bigelow (baggy, weird cutouts, unflattering color...I could go on...)

WTHeck Moment: Tom Hooper looks like a young James Cameron, and Cameron's ex gave him the award. Hee.

10:11. Love the Chinese Theatre set.

Best Gowns:

• Jennifer Lawrence (bombshell!)
• Natalie Portman (picture perfect, and I'm betting tassel earrings are the next big trend)
• Nicole Kidman (again, hate the dress, but the whole look is everything a movie star should be)
• Sandra Bullock (class act, and goes great with the set!)

Picks I Nailed:

• Best Actress Natalie Portman
• Best Actor Colin Firth (About bloody time!)

Fave Moment: Colin Firth threatening to dance. If only he had.

10:32. Steven Spielberg (Thomas: "Daddy?!")

Picks I Nailed: Best Picture The King's Speech.

Fave Moment: Cute children singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". I think I just melted into a little puddle. Adorable.

So, out of 24 awards, I got 13 right, including Best Picture and all four acting awards. Not too shabby. Best dress of the night? Going with Anne Hathaway's first number. Worst goes to Kathryn Bigelow.

With that, I bid you all goodnight. Exit Stage Right.

Let Me Get Out the Old Magic 8 Ball

Photo Credit: Oscars.org

The annual Academy Awards telecast is this Sunday. I know, it's a bunch of rich, beautiful people patting themselves on the back and giving long, sometimes politically-charged speeches...but the dresses are pretty, so I will be watching. Plus, I really have nothing better to do. I'll probably fold laundry while I gawk at the pretty sparklies.

So, to make my night a little more interesting (what you guys do is entirely up to you), I'm making my Oscar predictions now, and we'll see how well I did come Sunday evening.

***Please remember, while I am an actor and filmmaker, I'm a really, really, really indie, low-budget one. I have no insider information. Heck, I haven't even seen all the nominated movies. My picks are based solely on my own opinions of what I have seen, what I've read on the Interwebs, and which name jumped out at me when I looked at the list. Which, if you think about it, is probably how a lot of the voting is done.***

First, the biggies:

Best Film
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are Alright
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

My Pick: The King's Speech. It's really a toss-up between this and The Social Network, and I love this juxtaposition; One, a period piece about friendship and triumph, set in a royal court--a dramedy of manners, really. The other is so thoroughly modern, that it's considered the representative movie for this generation, and is completely overrun with avarice, greed, and animosity (way to go, this generation?). Both are heavy hitters, filled with all the goodies voters love, and I think Social will rack up the awards, but my big money's on royalty.

Best Actor
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King's Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours

My Pick: Colin Firth. This is a great race. Jeff Bridges is a demi-god, James Franco's an uber-talented nut, Jesse Eisenberg is breaking out as a new Tom Hanks, and Javier Bardem is...well, freaking gorgeous and always believable. Still, I think Colin Firth deserved gold for A Single Man, and I think this is the year the Academy makes it up to him.

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Fighter
John Hawkes, Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are Alright
Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech

My Pick: Christian Bale. Personally, I think Mark Ruffalo is one of the most underrated actors working today, so I'd love to see him get it. I'm also a huge fan of Geoffrey Rush from way back at Shakespeare In Love, but Bale's been sweeping the awards, and I don't see the streak ending without an Oscar in his mitts.

Best Actress
Annette Bening, The Kids Are Alright
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

My Pick: Natalie Portman. She's got it sewn up. First off, her performance was phenomenal--easily the best of her career, thus far (keep it up!). Secondly, people remember her as an extraordinarily talented child actor, so there's the "I watched her grow up!" factor. Thirdly, she's pregnant and gorgeous, and from what I can tell, exceedingly likable. She's handled the campaign with grace and humor, and I can't imagine this story ending with any other actress accepting the award. With that, Williams is consistently remarkable, and it would be nice to see Annette Bening win after so many nominations.

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Jackie Weaver, Animal Kingdom

My Pick: Melissa Leo. This is a qualified pick. The only way Leo loses is if the Oscar voters were turned off by her campaign. See, in most of her movies, Leo plays characters that are dowdy, frumpy, and well-worn. For her "For Your Consideration" ads, she dressed a little more glamorously, wore pretty makeup, and fixed her hair. I saw the ads. She looked nice. She looked happy. For some reason, this caused a bit of a ruckus, and it was rumored that she lost a fair number of votes for it. It seems you're not supposed to be so open about wanting to win. Oh, well. If she doesn't win, I think this is a fairly open category. Some votes might transfer to Fighter co-star Amy Adams. A few could go to Helena Bonham Carter, as voters generally like Queens. I would put my non-Leo money on Steinfeld. The kid really proved herself with her debut role. She had dialogue and physical work that would make veterans run in terror, and she nailed all of it. I'd love to see the child win.

Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
David O. Russell, The Fighter
Tom Hooper, The King's Speech
David Fincher, The Social Network
Joel and Ethan Coen, True Grit

My Pick: David Fincher. Any of these gentlemen could walk away with it. I'm picking Fincher because he made a bunch of geeks sitting around a computer not only interesting, but downright riveting.

Animated Feature Film
How To Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Toy Story 3

My Pick: Toy Story 3. Hands down. I loved How To Train Your Dragon, and any other year, it might have had a shot. Unfortunately for Dragon, TS3 was not only the best animated feature of 2010, but also one of the best movies, period, for the year. I sobbed all the way through the opening and ending. In fact, I'm tearing up now just thinking about Andy growing up, and his sweet little ragamuffin gang of toybox friends, and...oh, darn you, Pixar! Where's that tissue...?

Okay, now the rest:

Art Direction: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1. Could go to Alice In Wonderland because you'd think it would. I just didn't care for the movie, and found the entire design too drab and boring. Inception deserves to win because of all the detail that went into making the dreams believable, but...well, dreamlike, at the same time. Still, I think Potter will take it, for its beautiful and seemingly effortless blending of the Wizarding world and the Muggle world.

Cinematography: True Grit. All of the nominated films were beautifully shot, but I'm giving it to True Grit, for capturing the beauty and danger of the wilderness surrounding the Wild West. Talk about breathtaking.

Costume Design: Alice In Wonderland. The movie was lousy, but the costumes were stunning. Plus, designer Colleen Atwood is a perennial favorite.

Best Documentary: Exit Through the Gift Shop. Could go to Restrepo. I loved Exit, though I question its authenticity. I think it'll win, as long as voters are lenient in their definition of "documentary". This was hysterical, thought provoking, a little shocking, and just a ton of fun. Truly, a work of art.

Best Documentary Short Subject: The Warriors of Quigang. Shot in the dark. I haven't seen any of the nominated films, and for that, I apologize.

Film Editing: The Social Network. Sorkin is known for pages and pages of dialogue; long, sweeping monologues, heated arguments, and rapid-fire exchanges. Edit them well, and you have some seriously exciting drama, my friends. Edit them poorly and...well, you have a lot of talking. A lot of talking. Whoo, boy, can these people go on...where's that wrap up music when you need it?

Best Foreign Language Film: Biutiful. It's done well at previous awards, and Javier Bardem is up for best actor. I'm calling this a safe bet.

Makeup: The Wolfman. Because it would be a shame if it didn't. Sure, the movie may have flopped, but Rick Baker's creature makeup was astounding. (By the way, the director's cut of the movie is worlds better than the theatrical release, and I recommend giving it a look.)

Original Score: The Social Network. Again, it's done well at other awards, and it's one of the more interesting scores I've heard in a while.

Original Song: "Coming Home" from Country Strong. I apologize again, but I've not heard any of the nominees, with the exception of the one from Toy Story 3, and I don't remember it. I'm going with this one simply because I would hope that a song from a movie about singers and performing would be worth having a singer actually perform. Hope springs eternal.

Best Animated Short: Night and Day. I loved this short. Absolutely adored it. The Gruffalo could prove the upset, but I'm going with this sweet visual treat.

Best Short Film (Live Action): Na Wewe. Have I seen any of these? Nope. Does this one have a fun name? Yep. There you go.

Sound Editing: Tron: Legacy. Why? Because my friend Shaun, a sound editor, was blown away by it. So, there.

Sound Mixing: Inception. Like the many layers of the dream, there were many layers to this sound, and they blended seamlessly. My hat's off to these guys.

Visual Effects: Inception. No, no one was waving wands or boasting ginormous heads, but you never knew what was real and what was imagined in Inception. Every effect was grounded in truth, and the results were thrillingly realistic.

Writing (Adapted Screenplay): The Social Network. It should go to True Grit, for it's rustic language, and the interplay between our spunky heroine and pickled old Rooster Cogburn, but it won't. Sorkin's computer wizzes will take home the prize.

Writing (Original Screenplay): The Kids Are Alright. It wins for being one of the most accurate portrayals of familial love in a long, long time.

Well, that's that. Tune in Monday to see how I fared, and have a fabulous weekend!

A Host With Class, Literally

James Franco is an odd duck. Don't get me wrong; I'm a fan. I enjoyed him in Spiderman and Pineapple Express, he broke my heart in Eat, Pray, Love, and his cameos in Date Night and The Green Hornet were the highlights of those films. That said, he's still a bit of a nut (his stint on General Hospital, the videos with his grandma), but one that continues to fascinate me. 

 

However, I'm not sure that's fascination enough to persuade me to take a college course on James Franco, by James Franco. Yes, it really does exist. Columbia College Hollywood (AV Club adds, "School Motto: No, not that one." Hee.) is in the process of launching a course entitled, “Master Class: Editing James Franco…with James Franco." Students will work to compile 30-minute documentaries on Franco, using footage from Franco, while discussing said footage with Franco, via Skype. A close friend of Franco's, Tyler Danna, will monitor the class. In addition, all classes will be videotaped for possible future inclusion in another Franco project. Franco.

 

Now, unusual as this undertaking may be, unusual seems to be the norm for Franco. As both Academy Awards co-host and nominee (Best Actor, 127 Hours), he'll be only the seventh person to pull double duty on Oscar night. If he wins, he'll be the fourth in that group to bring home gold.

 

I'm not a football person. My mom loves to remind me of the time we were at a game, and I asked what inning we were in. It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been a cheerleader for one of the teams playing (in my defense, I was only in the fourth grade). Anyhoo, sports don't do it for me, so the Oscars are kind of like my version of the Super Bowl. I curl up on the couch, critique dresses, mock speeches, and generally just have a good ol' time. I remember one year where I watched the show over the phone with a friend, and we spent the entire three hours trying to perfect our British accents, to properly poke fun at The English Patient.

 

Okay, so maybe our boy James isn't the only odd duck.

 

In any case, if you're like me and enjoy watching the really big shoe, I have a couple of scenarios for your Oscar night:

 

1. Alone (Or With Your Significant Other)

 

Photo Credit: Victoria's Secret

If you're by yourself, you're going to want to be comfy. If you have your spouse/partner/whatever over, you'll want to be cute. Leave it to Victoria's Secret to fit the bill for both. I'm in absolute love with their Tee-Jamas, and cannot recommend them enough. You get a super-soft fitted tee (much like you'd wear with jeans), and cotton/sateen pajama pants with velour trim. Sexy enough to be interesting, but still the most comfortable jammies I've ever worn. $35 (sale price), Victoria's Secret.

 

Of course, you'll want something to munch on while you watch the show, and what's better than some homemade (right out of the box!) linguine alfredo? Romantic for the two of you, and decadent enough for a solo evening in. Even better, the Macaroni Grill at Home website gives suggestions for wine pairings and additional courses. Twenty minutes, a pound of chicken, and absolutely zero culinary talent required. Prices vary by store, but kits tend to fall in the $3-$4 range. If you don't like their wine selection, I'm a fan of Relax riesling. Again, prices vary, but around $12.

 

Now, for the mood. I say, if you're by yourself or with your sweetie, go for relaxing and light some candles and find a cozy blanket. Keep the lights low for the feeling you're right there in the audience (but with way better company, snacks, a nearby bathroom, and much less confining clothing).

 

Scenario #2. Oscar Party!

 

Photo Credit: Frederick's of Hollywood

What to wear? Anything sparkly! I'm a big fan of this dress by, of all things, Frederick's of Hollywood (really). This stunner of a dress is hot enough for Oscar, but sophisticated enough to wear again to an office cocktail party. What I love is that the bandaging sucks in curves that shouldn't be there, and shows off the ones that should. Plus, the bodice is lined and lightly padded for a little extra oomph. Leave it to the lingerie store to finally understand how "outside" clothes should fit! $59, Frederick's of Hollywood.

 

For snack food, I'm a fan of this black bean dip. It takes no time to make, costs almost nothing, and feeds a crowd. Plus, it tastes amazing!

 

1 large can black beans (I'm an idiot and tossed my cans before I looked at the sizes. I'm sorry)

1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes

1 small can corn (drained)

8 oz. light sour cream (may substitute light cream cheese for thicker consistency)

1 cup cheddar cheese

 

Combine all ingredients, and bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes. Dip will thicken as it stands, reaching thickest consistency and full flavor after spending the night in the fridge. Reheat in the oven just prior to serving. Serve with tortilla chips. Believe it or not, this is actually pretty darn low-cal (between 1300-1500 for the entire batch) and full of fiber, so it's okay for dieters. Also, you can drain all the canned items, but I prefer a thinner consistency, so I only drained the corn. There's no wrong or right way to make it, though.

 

Now, to set the stage for the party, I suggest this party pack from Oriental Trading. For $16.99, you get invitations, plates, napkins, cups, and cutlery for 8 guests, plus a tablecloth, balloons, streamers, and confetti, all movie night themed. 

 

Now, who are your Oscar picks? Let me know in the comments.