Mini-Review: "Man on Wire"

So we may not get out much, and we haven't seen any of the Best Picture nominees this year (a first) but Netflix does allow us to catch up a little before the big night. Last night we saw "Man on Wire" and for two people who have a pretty unhealthy fear or heights, this was "Silence of the Lambs" mixed with all 128 "Saw" movies. Seriously. Imagine a man not just walking but lying down on a wire strung across the tops of the Twin Towers. It's enough to give this girl who is afraid of going on a chair lift enough anxiety to down a lifetime's worth of Paxil. What I love about documentaries like this, and the astonishing "Touching the Void", is that the man in question is telling you the story and you still hold your breath, waiting for him to fall. This may be in part because this dude is one of the best storytellers I have ever been witness to. He's just bursting with life in every shot - still as excited about his feat 30-plus years after the fact as he was when it first happened.
"Man on Wire" is a thoroughly enjoyable film about one man's dream to "dance on the clouds." It has all the tension of a great caper movie in showing you how exactly they were able to pull this thing off, and at the same time, it's pretty amazing and life-afirming. Definitely check it out so when it wins "Best Documentary" you can act all smug and self-important and tell the people you're watching the Oscars with, "Yes, I knew it would win!" I only hope the man in question shows up to give the acceptance speech!

Why The Dark Night is not the best Picture

OK, I only saw three movies in the theater this year (I am poor & have a baby so: Go, go Netflix!). Here are the three I saw: Iron Man, Wall-E & The Dark Knight. All of these movies are great and I now own all of them on DVD.

But I'm feeling nagged by all of these people who talk about The Dark Knight as being the best picture this side of Gone With the Wind.

Yes, The Dark Knight is a great movie. It is one of the best comic book movies ever made.

It's performances (outside of Bale's gravely-Batman-voice) are outstanding. Not only do we have the now-legendary Joker role (suck it, Nicholson!) but let's not forget Aaron Eckhart in an amazing portrayal of Two-Face. Hell, Michael Caine even brings Alfred alive. Even Gary Oldman is surprisingly not-so-over-the-top.

The General Grimness of the new Batman movies also sets it apart from others in the comic book genre. It's not the bright colorful Spider-Man or Iron Man movies. This is a different sort of super hero movie right off the bat. Which is weird, seeing that one of it's great quotes is: Why so serious?

But as great a movie as this is, it's not the Best Picture. Now, I'm not saying that a comic book movie can never win Best picture. Best Pictures have run the gamut. There have been romantic comedies (Shakespeare in Love), thrillers (Silence of the lambs) and crap (See Clint Eastwood canon). The Best Picture does not have to be a sweeping, epic tale of something or other. It doesn't have to be a message-picture. The best picture can just be plain old great movie (or crappy... right, Clint?).

What I'm saying is that everyone keeps overlooking the flaws of The Dark Knight.

For one thing, it's too long. I have no problem with a long movie. After all Lawrence of Arabia is 3 hours & 45 minutes. But this movie is so long because of the Two-Face story line. If they had simply used this movie to set up Two-Face as the villain for the next movie, I would have been blown away. My eagerness to see the next Batman movie would only have been matched by Aaron Eckhart's eagerness to cash in that big-ass paycheck.

For another thing, it is exhausting. The Joker's scheme just keep going and going and going. it is almost John Woo-esque in it's exhaustion. The reason I have a problem with this is that in order to pull this off, The Joker must have planned everything out months in advance. This gives me pause. Ya see, The joker even says "Do I look like a man with a plan?" While the Joker is a foe to be reckoned with, is he really as brilliant as all that? This plan is so intricate that I find it hard to beleive that some beat cop doesn't thwart the smallest step by giving a parking ticket ala Son of Sam. Even the creators of Lost can't fathom this plan.

And lastly, Christian Bale's Batman voice. Hmmm... how can I take my great Bruce Wayne performance and make it funny? I know, I'll talk real low and gravely when I'm Batman. I know it's a minor detail, but it's an annoying one.

So, yes, it's a great movie. But it's no Wall-E.... scroll down to a previous post for that one.

2008 Recap

The Snacks:

Doubt - Sacramental Wine

Combine 1 bottle dry red wine with your favorite Sangria mix. Mix, drink, and say penance the next morning.

The Reader - Michael Burgers

1 lb ground bison

1 lb ground angus beef

6 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp liquid smoke

2 tbsp montreal steak seasoning

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

Line a baking sheet with saran wrap and dust with an onion/garlic spice mix (such as McCormick). Mix all ingredients thoroughly with your hands until the meat is well incorporated. Pinch off portion of the meat (roughly larger than a golf ball, but smaller than a Racquetballl). Roll into a ball and flatten. Place each patty on the saran wrap. When done season with more onion/garlic spice. Patties can then be frozen and saved for use. When ready to cook patties, remove from freezer and cook as preferred (on a grill, frying pan, under broiler). Serve on small rolls with cheese spread and mayo.

Liptauer (cheese spread)

1 med onion, diced

3 tbsp unsalted butter

6 oz cream cheese, cubed

8 1/2 oz camembert, cubed-do not remove white rind

1 tbsp yogurt

1 tbsp sour cream

1 1/2 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to incorporate. Scraping down the sides when needed and processing until smooth. Place in a plastic container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.

German Mayo Spread

1 C Mayo

2-3 tbsp chopped caper berries

1-2 tbsp chopped dill pickles

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp ground caraway

1/3 tsp onion, garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together until well incorporated. Refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving.

Slumdog Millionaire - Slum Kabobs

1 lb ground pork
1 1lb ground turkey
Gyros Spice Mix
1/2 tsp cinamon, cardom
3-4 tbsp mango chutney

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with hands until incorporated. Soak wooden skewer for half hour. Remove from water, dry off. Take 2-3tbsp amount of meat mixture, form into ovalsl. Thread three ovals on wooden skewer and repeat until done. Cook over grill or broil in oven until done. Serve with raita sauces

Cucumber Raita

1 c greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp onion powder
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in bowl and chill for at least and hour before serving

Mango Raita

1 c greek yogurt
2-3 tbsp Mango chutney

Combine in a bowl and chill at least an hour before serving.

Milk - Super-scooper Nachos

In a small, square Pyrex dish, layer the following from the bottom up:

Cream cheese
chili
salsa or taco sauce
cheddar cheese
Monterey Jack Cheese
Jalapenos
Black olives

Microwave for 2-3 minutes until warm. Serve with Tortilla chips

(Remember to clean up after yourself!)

The Dark Knight - Heath's Posthu-mousse award

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup egg whites (from about 4 eggs)
2 tablespoons sugar
Heath Bar crumbles (optional)

Two days before you plan to serve the dessert, in a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat just until it boils. Immediately turn off the heat. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Strain into another bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the mixture from the refrigerator and, using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a hand mixer, whip it into fluffy, soft peaks. Return to the refrigerator.

In a clean dry bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then add the sugar and continue whipping until glossy and stiff, about 30 seconds more. Fold into the white chocolate mixture, and then spoon the mixture (or pipe through a pastry bag) into glasses. Top with heath bar crumbles if desired.

Frost/Nixon - Tricky Dicks

Combine (1) dark ale beer and (1) bottle Jack Daniels Barbecue sauce. Pour into crock pot with (2) pkgs. of Lil' Smokies sausages. Warm and serve.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Benjamin Buttons

*Winner, best snack!

7 oz frozen puff pastry, thawed.
Boursin cheese at room temp
1/2 lb beef tenderloin or thick cut organic beef top round, cut into 1/2 inch rounded cubes
salt and pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment, roll out the puff pastry to a 7 1/2 by 15 inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Cut pastry into 1 1/2 inch squares.
Spoon a scant teaspoon of the boursin in the center of each square. Season the beef with salt and pepper and set the beef on each pastry square. Fold the pastry over the beef, neatly tucking in the corners and make as much of a rounded shape. Arrange the pastries, seam side down on a large baking sheet lined with parchment. (At this point you may freeze the wellingtons up to one week before use-thaw before baking)
Lightly brush each pastry with the beaten egg. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a platter and serve.

Wall-E - Green Leaf Pizzas

Dough:

1 Cup Warm Water1 Tbs Yeast

3 Cups Whole Wheat White Flour

1 Tbs Olive Oil

1 tsp Salt

1 Tbs Onion Powder

1Tbs Corn Meal

1/2 Cup Chopped Baby Spinach

Toppings:

Marinara Sauce of your choosing

Mix of Shredded Mozarella & White Sharp Cheddar

Chopped Baby Spinach

2 Cooked, Shredded Chicken breasts

Carmelized Onions

Mix yeast and water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Combine all dough ingredients, including water & yeast, and mix until a ball forms. Let rise for 1 hour. Roll out your dough and cut into small circles with biscuit cutter or small glass. Top with Sauce, Cheese, Spinach , Chicken & Onions. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes until done. Enjoy!

Notables:

With his Best Director nomination for The Reader, Stephen Daldry has become the first director ever to receive nods for his first three films. (The other two were Billy Elliot and The Hours.)

This year, three of the four winning lead-acting performances at the Golden Globes (Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road, Sally Hawkins in Happy-Go-Lucky, and Colin Farrell for In Bruges) weren't nominated for the Oscar. That marks the first time that's happened since 1954, when Spencer Tracy (The Actress), David Niven (The Moon is Blue), and Ethel Merman (Call Me Madam) failed to score Oscar nods after winning the Globe.

Best Supporting Actress nominee Penélope Cruz has become the fourth actor to receive nominations for performing in two different languages. Ingrid Bergman’s seven noms include a Swedish-language role in Autumn Sonata, Robert De Niro spoke Sicilian in The Godfather Part II, and Benicio Del Toro spoke Spanish in Traffic (and English in 21 Grams).

Waltz With Bashir is the first animated film ever to be nominated for Best Foreign Language Film.

This year marks only the fifth time in Oscar history that the Best Picture and Best Director races matched 5 for 5. It last happened just three years ago, when Brokeback Mountain, Capote, Crash, Good Night and Good Luck, and Munich were recognized in both categories.

With Frank Langella's nod for Frost/Nixon, Richard Nixon is the first president more than one man has been Oscar-nominated for playing. (Anthony Hopkins scored a nod for Nixon in 1996.)

With Heath Ledger's win forBest Supporting Actor for The Dark Knight, he's only the second posthumous acting winner ever, after Network's Peter Finch in 1977. Like Ledger, Finch had earned one prior nomination, and like Ledger, it was for playing a gay man, in 1971's Sunday Bloody Sunday.

Best Acceptance Speech: Don't know his name, but we all got a kick out of the Japanese winner who said, "Domo Aragato, Mr. Robot."

Worst Acceptance Speech: Sean Penn. Not only did he thank Mickey Rourke and not his wife, but he didn't even mention Harvey Milk, the slain politician he had portrayed.

Best Moment: Hands down: the opening musical number. Ed even said it was the best Oscar moment he had seen in his life. A close second might be Ben Stiller's killer Joaquin Phoenix impression.

Worst Moment(s): The second musical number, the maudlin "wedding toast" introductions to the acting awards, a bad "death montage" - actually all the montages were bad. Do we really need to relive the magic that was "Space Chimps?"

Running Gag: Gaffes. From the curtain that wouldn't open towards the beginning, to hearing someone shouting, "It's opening!," to Alan Arkin calling Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Seymour Phillip Hoffman, to Marion Cotillard speaking about Kate Winslet's many "Forgettable" performances. It was a night many will long to forget.

The Pool:

And the Oscar Cup goes to...

Gianna with 18 out of 24 (I am duly impressed!)

And the rest of us looked like this:

Tracy - 15

John, Susan, Mary, Molly - 14

Stephanie & Stacey - 13

Dianne, Tom, Sean, Jami M. - 12

Jay & Jason - 11

Anne - 9

Forest - 8

Rob, Jami J. - 7

Carol, Erika, Lizzie - 5

Naya - 4

The Sag Awards

The Sag Awards have come and gone and not too many surprises to talk about. The Supporting Award for Heath Ledger is all but a lock now. It's not that I feel he doesn't deserve it, necessarily, but I do wonder if he'd have as much steam as he does is he weren't dead. I admire the man's skill, and I think it's a shame he died before he could really shape his career into a legendary body of work. However, the way the critics go on and on about him, you'd think he was Paul Newman! I mean, this guy was in "A Knight's Tale," yes? If I were voting, I would have to go with Robert Downey Jr. this year. He took a real risk in "Tropic Thunder" and pulled off a simply amazing performance.

The only real surprise from the Sag Awards (other than how utterly emaciated Olivia Wilde looks... are those her ribs sticking out of that dress? Someone get her a sandwich, stat!) was the win for Meryl Streep. She has been the only actress of the 5 nominees who has been nominated for every major award this year. Could she sneak away with the Oscar? It's a difficult call - especially as Kate Winslet won the Sag award for best supporting actress, but is nominated alongside Streep for Best Actress in the Oscars. As with most of the categories this year, it's a horse race.

Except, of course, for best supporting actor.

Why Not Wall-E?

What is it with the Oscars, exactly? Why do they insist on nominating films like "The Reader" and "Frost/Nixon" which got tepid reviews at best when they have stronger, better-reviewed films like "Wall-E" or even "The Dark Knight" to nominate? When you think back to the truly ridiculous films to have been nominated for (or even to win) Oscars in the past it's really nausiating that a film is deemed unworthy simply because it is seen as a "cartoon." Dirty Dancing? Fatal Attraction? The Greatest Show in Earth? Working Girl? Were these really Oscar worthy films? So often lesser films get nominated when non-pedigreed films get shut out whether it's because they are animated, documentaries, foreign, or a combination (tough luck, "Persepolis"). Which film do you think will still be watched and well-regarded in 20 or even 50 years: "Finding Nemo" or "Master & Commander: the Far Side of the World?"

And they wonder why no one wants to tune into the ceremony anymore...