And the Oscar Goes to...

I'm not usually big on watching the award shows.

I half-watch the Emmy awards, as there are members of my family involved in television.  I'm not sure if they want all that fame and recognition they'd immediately get by a mention in blog, but let's just say that one of them has my last name and the other has my middle name.  Nuff said.
The Golden Globes seem like a big "How do you like me now?" fest.  But if Brad Pitt or George Clooney is on, I'll do them a favor and watch. 
Forget the Tony Awards... I haven't seen a recent Broadway show since Spamalot, which was fantastic, by the way. (Actually, I am probably THE person who never saw Cats or Les Miz, which I'll get to later in this post.)
Let's not even bring up the Country Music Awards... 
But, I must say, I did enjoy the Grammy Awards a lot this year.  So I'm thinking about tuning in to the Oscars.  I saw a few movies this year and I figured, as a sometime blogger, I'd throw out my picks now, and see how close I get.

Spoiler alert.  I did actually see one of the movies nominated this year.
The rest are just the movies I WATCHED this year, on tv, on Netflix, on the plane, on my laptop or iPad. 

So here goes.  My nominations for this year's Oscars.  Or maybe we should give them another name.  I present the 2013 YAFFA awards.  (My Hebrew name, and it means nice.) No, I don't like that. Too bland.

Ladies and Gentlemen the 2012 Movie Original Moment Awards: The MOMmies

For the Category of Most Surprisingly Good Movie: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) 
           Yes, 2011. I told you it was just the movies I saw this year, not the movies that came out in 2012. And why "surprisingly good?"  I rented it because it had a great British cast, but also because it was a cheaper rental from iTunes than most of the new releases so I could watch it on my iPad on a flight.  But it was so great and so nicely done that I rented it AGAIN when I came home from my trip so I could watch it with my husband.  There is nothing formulaic about the film and unlike with most movies, I didn't want it to end.  And now that I just looked it up to get a photo for the blog, I see that it was nominated for 2 Golden Globes, so sorry to be a tad dismissive in the first paragraph.

Runner up in the Surprisingly Good Category has to go to Pitch Perfect (2012).  
    First, please note that this is actually a movie from 2012.  Second, I took a chance on this one and it was actually GREAT.  I also watched this one on a plane, and realized I was laughing out loud.  And, no, it was not the altitude or the pre-flight Bloody Mary.  The movie is well-acted, has a plot that although is fairly predictable, works because of its excellent cast, the singing and dancing, and the fact that it doesn't seem to take itself too seriously.

And, in the category of Most Disappointing Movie: Morning Glory (2010)
      I figured with Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford, it had to be good, but I guess there was a reason why I had never heard of it, and why it went right to DVD.  It wasn't terrible, but it didn't click.  

Runner up in this category: Baby Mama (2008)
      Dang it.  I should have stayed away. I knew it.  But after reading Tina Fey's book (Bossypants) and learning about the real friendship she has with Amy Poehler, I thought I'd give it a try.  


Best Sequel with Excellent Special Effects Starring a Guy who Nearly Ruined his Life Due to an Affinity for Recreational Drugs:  Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) 

Best Movie that Was Hilarious the First Time and Totally Not the Second Time: Dinner For Schmucks (2010)

Only Movie this Year I Could Not Finish Watching: The Gray (2011) 
  Scary and terrible.  You might like it.


Most Underrated Movie that is Always Funny: Galaxy Quest (1999)
   Not only did I watch it this year, I probably watched it twice.  

Best Documentary (okay, only documentary): Gun Fight (2011)
    In a wild coincidence, I watched this film on HBO right before the shootings in Connecticut.  I have been trying to find it again, and I'm surprised that HBO has not aired it since then. It's very compelling.

And, for best films of 2012... it's very close... since I've only seen Pitch Perfect, mentioned above, Magic Mike, and Les Miserables.  

Hands down, for the category of any remotely Pleasing Eye Candy in a Film (that I have seen)  the MOMMIE goes to Magic Mike.  If you are a straight woman or a gay man, I'd recommend this movie if you haven't seen it already.  There may have been a plot as well. 

So that leaves us with Les Miserables.  What awards can we bestow on this majestic sweeping tale of the obscure interim French Revolution that seemed to have taken place?  (Oh? It wasn't obscure?)  

Best Non-Wolverine Role for Hugh Jackman since Kate and Leopold

Most Hyped Movie to Come Along Since Titanic

More Jews Saw Les Miserables on Christmas Day than Went to Chinese Restaurants*

My goodness, what a flattering picture!

I had never seen the other movie versions of this story, nor had I ever seen a stage version of it.  I don't know how it happened that I made it this long in life, but basically my children had to explain the history of Europe to me, and some basics of the story line as well.  After gaining that understanding I found the film moving and wonderful.  I was really fine with Russell Crowe's singing, because I was actually moved by his acting. I thought Ann Hathaway was fantastic, and in case you haven't noticed, I don't usually go so far as to heap the praise like that.  I'm following Amanda Seyfried on Instagram now, so if anything big happens with her after this movie, I'll probably be the first to know. 

 And I loved Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter... they were the comic relief the movie begged for and lit up the screen.  They win the 
Most Needed, Best Harmonizing Comic Relief in Any Operatic Film Award.


So maybe I will watch the Oscars when they are on this year, after all I did see three movies which will no doubt be nominated.   I'll wait til Magic Mike wins its awards and then go to bed! 



*That last one is not an award, actually, just a little thing I noticed that night on Facebook.


This just in... here are the actual listings of the awards... hot off the interweb press: Click Here