»OSCAR PICKS
Best Leading Actor and Actress, Best Pictureby Philip Valys
This week, UP’s Entertainment Editor profiles the candidates most entitled to an Oscar win come Feb. 25’s Academy Award ceremony.
Leading Actor:Who Should Win: Ryan Gosling, Half NelsonWho Will Win: Forest Whittaker, The Last King of Scotland
Ever since his Oscar-caliber performance in Nick Cassavete’s The Notebook alongside co-star Rachael McAdams, Gosling has regrettably resigned himself to “small ripple in the pond” indie ilk. But his undeniable acting prowess in Half Nelson ranks him high among the Academy pecking order. Nelson shirks the “role-model-teacher-reforms-inner-city-schoolchildren” recipe (a la Dangerous Minds) for a truly captivating character study of a young educator, Dan Dunne, confined to both molding the brains of impressionable youth and nursing a nightly drug addiction. Dan does the former to satisfy some idealistic college fantasy of “changing the world”, but he does the latter when that idealism is shattered by the very social constraints of the urbanized suburb where he teaches.
Whitaker, however, steals the show as the more flamboyant Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. Whitaker’s been nominated before, and although he’s given equal screen time as his co-star James McAvoy, he’s a popular decision for the Academy.
Leading Actress:Who Should Win: Helen Mirren, The QueenWho Will Win: Pení©lope Cruz, Volver
Forget Viva Pedro Almodí_var– Viva Stephen Frears’ newest directorial effort. The Queen stars the wonderfully cast Helen Mirren, whose facial features bizarrely resemble ‘ol Queen Elizabeth II herself. Clad in royal garb, Mirren’s performance as the British monarch is strangely subdued and disciplined; which as evidence points, was the same demeanor of the Queen as she faced perhaps the toughest crisis in modern English history: the death of hugely popular idol Princess Diana. As a result, London seriously considers life without a sovereign Queen, especially one that seems so callous for failing to publicly address a distraught city in light of Di’s passing. Mirren’s passive dialogue here is so deadpan, but the real muscle is the attention she commands from viewers. Her gait is dignified, her speech and tone carry just the right smidge of arrogance that in the end one forgets an actress helms this role.
Volver’s Penelope Cruz is another fantastic candidate to net the Academy Award, owing to her character Raimunda’s infectious personality. She spiritedly tackles the role with humor, agility, and feminine empowerment. But then again, so does her supporting cast, consisting of Carmen Maura and Lola Dueí±as. All are equally deserving, but as the most “American-mainstreamed” of the three, Cruz gets the nod. Holy injustice, Batman.
Best Picture:Who Should Win: The Departed, Martin ScorseseWho Will Win: The Departed, Martin Scorsese
Chances are remarkably high that, if Martin Scorsese captures his elusive Best Director Oscar (mentioned in last week’s Best Bets) The Departed will likely follow suit. Also conquering four other Oscar categories (Best Editing, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay), Scorsese’s tour de force seems poised to sweep many a golden statue this year.
Want your own Oscar Ballot? Click here to download a Printable PDF.
SPECIAL FEATURE: THE MOST CLEVER OSCAR MENU
»MOVIE PICK
Norbit Yet Another Eddie Murphy “Fat Suit” Movie
by Tey Astudillo
Eddie Murphy is universally known for playing numerous roles and exaggerated characters in his films. In Norbit, Murphy cashes in his Nutty Professor formula for yet another recycled “fat suit” comedy.
Kate (Thandie Newton) and Norbit (Eddie Murphy) were orphanage best buddies until Kate gets adopted and taken to live with her new family. Alone, shy and sensitive, Norbit befriends another girl his age, Rasputia, whose domineering and intimidating personality comforts him.
On the playground, she’s the first to defend Norbit against bullies, and growing up alongside such a nurturing girl he decides to marry Rasputia since she is the only “family” he has ever known.
Years later, Kate returns to the orphanage’s hometown to take over the establishment and picks up her friendship with Norbit, much to the jealousy of his extremely aggressive and obese wife.
Such scenes were designed to be enjoyable and funny, instead they come out unrealistic and unentertaining. For example, when Rasputia barges into the restaurant where Kate and Norbit ate dinner earlier that night (the same restaurant she was previously banned from for “ravishing” the open buffet) she throws a predictable fit. The scene lends no importance to the story but to flaunt Rasputia’s outrageous and unreasonable behavior. By this point in the film, her outlandishness has been firmly established, so the scene reads as redundant and played out.
A cast consisting of cinematic trendsetters like Eddie Murphy, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Marlon Wayans, Norbit devotes a considerable amount of comedic talent toward bolstering the original storyline, but the outcome resembles a crossbreed between a transvestite Nutty Professor and a pathetic Dr. Dolittle.
It’s no surprise Norbit dropped from first to third last weekend at the box office. Murphy has the ability to play various roles simultaneously, and while hopping from fat suit to fat suit is commendable, such multitasking is probably the reason the movie sucked.
»THIS WEEK IN FASHION
by Ashley Gabriel
This week’s beauty trend at FAU is thankfully not a shaved head (sorry Britney Spears) but rather a dramatic hair color change. Winter is drawing to a close, so celebrities are adjusting with lighter and darker tones for Spring. These socialites of Hollywood bring fresh change for the upcoming season: Jessica Simpson dabbles in auburn, Nicole Richie returns to blonde and Selma Blair attempts a platinum-white.
If opting for dark hair color, ask for thin highlights a shade lighter or darker than your base. Highlights downplay the radical color change by blending with your base. If choosing lighter hair, ask the hairdresser to match tones with your eyebrows to achieve a more natural look. Different color hair appears healthy and shiny from the fresh dye at first; however, check and trim any dead-ends that will be accentuated by the color change.
Changing hair color opens up new opportunities for make-up as well. If adopting a darker hue, try more gold and natural tones such as a smokey eye with dark brown or black. A light tone on the lips is clean without seeming excessive. Also, use a bronzer (such as Mac Cosmetics in “Bronze”) to blend darker tones with pale skin. Blondes look great with red lips and glowing skin. Finally, use a tinted moisturizer such as Clarins’ Paris “Beauty Flash Balm” and “Hydra-Care Tinted Mositurizer” (available at Nordstrom), so your skin will appear tan and flawless.
»CD PICK
AnberlinThe rock band evolves from boyhood to manhood by Jamie Kahler
It’s been said that some things improve with age. This is undeniable for the rock band Anberlin, who recently released their third album, Cities. The quintet from Orlando has kept to their roots, while also making a few minor adjustments – adjustments that were bound to happen.
The new album goes above and beyond with enhanced vocals, delivered to us by Stephen Christian, whose voice pitch has strengthened and intensified since the previous albums. The track “Dismantle Repair” showcases Christian’s heightened range of vocals in numerous sections, pouring an array of razor-sharp emotions into every note of the song.
The lyrics have expanded to embrace more adult-oriented themes, largely ignored from previous albums predominated by teen angst. The complexity and increased responsibility of adulthood are none more apparent than by the track, “Inevitable,” which transports the listener on a journey from whimsical childhood innocence in a cardboard box to mature scenes of marriage, making references to growing older and dealing with life-changing experiences.
“Godspeed,” the first single off the album, starts with the words, “Burning down Neverland (scatter the ashes),” signifying the end of the fairy tale youth and the eye-opening lunge into adulthood. As Christian and company, age and face new challenges, one can only hope Anberlin’s passionate meditations evolve as well, reflecting a growth and maturity that comes from years of seasoning and practice.
