Monday Musings...

Rain, Rain, go away... don't you see it's picnic day - or rather... race day! Well, yesterday it didn't happen and the Daytona 500 was moved to today, Monday - February 27, 2012. The biggest race in the world (next to the Indy 500, of course) can't even out-run the weather. For all of you race fans, out there - hope your driver wins. (My picks are Tony Stewart or Trevor Bayne)



---------------------------------
Update: (Tuesday February 28, 2012) The ultimate winner of the Daytona 500, after rain delays and a fiery crash delay (everyone was okay), was Matt Kenseth.
---------------------------------

As for the Oscars... is it over, yet? Oh yes, it is. Oh my goodness - it's not exactly that it is late or long, but it's just so boring, at times. Our family decided to tape it... so we fast forwarded through a lot of acceptance speeches. We just didn't want to give that much time to it. Did you like the show? I know many will probably think it was grand and wonderful. I just wasn't taken in. The tributes to old Hollywood were not so great, in my opinion. The one segment that showed Judy Garland and The Wizard of Oz was extremely stupid and quite pointless. It didn't showcase her at all - it just made critics of that era seem foolish. I don't know. I guess... I just am not easily impressed by spoiled elitist Hollywood actors who enjoy patting themselves on the back.

The worst moment - was when Robert Downey, Jr. mocked Tim Tebow's Christianity by pretending to bow down and pray before he came out on the stage. To me, that was extremely low. I was angry about it, at first - but now I am just sad for him and the other so-called celebrities that are so lost. I know Christ died on the cross for them, too.

Even the red carpet event was disappointing to me. I know it is frivolous and outlandish what these clothes cost when they could clothe so many people. Typically, I still see something that I find to be spectacular or lovely, but this year, I just didn't personally love any of their gowns. I found most to look like draping curtains or a step away from being "beamed up to Scotty"!

Anyway, I wish I could think of something positive or cheerful to say about it. I guess the best thing I can say is - it's over!!!

By the way, I also happened to catch one of the We Love Lucy episodes on the Hallmark Channel yesterday during their marathon event. It was wonderful and funny... as Lucy always is! That was the Hollywood days at their finest.

A report recently came out - I read it somewhere on-line, that family shows and movies actually do better at the box office, typically, than other movies do. Hopefully, their pocketbooks will listen, but I wouldn't count on it!

The Oscars, Nascar, & Lucy... oh my!

It's an interesting day for TV, Sunday ~ February 26, 2012. First, FOX has the Daytona Nascar Race taking place in the afternoon, in Florida. The Hallmark Channel has the All-Day Marathon of We Love Lucy Episodes, and then for the evening, on ABC... there's the Oscars.

I must admit I have not seen any of the Best Picture Nominees for the Academy Awards this time around. I typically am most interested in the Oscars ~ because I enjoy seeing the fashions on the Red Carpet... Or, if there is an actor or actress from the "Old Hollywood Era", (such as Mickey Rooney, etc...) I always enjoy seeing them.

I have heard a lot of buzz this year, however, about the movie, The Artist (Rated PG-13). You may have seen it or heard about it - it's a new film, but it is a Silent film - pictured in Black and White. As a "TCM watcher", a "Classic Movie Lover", I found this to be extremely fascinating. After seeing the trailer, which I've included below - it appeals to me very much as I see traces of old Hollywood films I love. One scene in particular reminds me of a scene right out of The Thin Man and in another I was reminded of Citizen Kane... with the dark shadows and camera angles.





As long as it has a "Nick and Nora successful 'we got the bad guy' ending" or the classic "small town girl makes it to Broadway" Happy Ending... then I'll be sold. Yes, I love sappy happy endings... I guess that's why Hallmark Channel movies appeal to me so much.

Have you seen any of the Movies chosen for Best Picture? Which one would be your favorite?

Best Picture Nominees:










*Please know that I am NOT personally recommending any of these films - I am simply sharing with you what has been nominated for Best Picture.

Most of the films listed above are rated PG:13, except The Descendants, which is Rated: R and Hugo, which is Rated: PG. If you would like to read movie reviews on these films - just click on their pictures above.

If you watch the Oscars 'Live', I do hope you enjoy the show... and can stay awake!

I haven't decided, yet, how much I'll watch or tape... we'll see!

To everyone who visits "It's a Wonderful Movie"...
I hope you have ... a "Wonderful Weekend"!

Congrats to Toy Story 3 - Sheriff Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, Barbie, etc... Plus, News on the Next Toy Story Production!

It's amazing to me that a family movie, Toy Story 3, which is rated "G", was actually nominated for several Oscars, and in the Best Picture category, too! Wow! Unfortunately, Toy Story 3 didn't win in that category - it wasn't expected to. Instead, The King's Speech won - and while I like the actor, Colin Firth, forever Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice, 1995), I do not approve of Rated R movies, and in this case, it includes extreme profanity. I wanted to be sure you were all aware of this. I would love to see, in the future, a non-animated family film be nominated, though I 'm sure it will not be likely. If filmgoers chose these awards, instead of filmmakers, then I'm certain the nominess and results would be altogether very different!


TOY STORY 3 WON:


Best Animation

and...

Best Song

~ Randy Newman’s We Belong Together

News on the Next...
Toy Story Production:

The next production will be an "Animation Short" with many of the original Toy Story characters we know and love! 
The short is set to air before the Disney/Pixar movie “Cars 2″ in theaters, when it arrives on June 24, 2011.

The image below was shared by “Toy Story 3″ director, Lee Unkrich, who posted this scene image on his Twitter account, to share with fans, an image preview from the upcoming “Toy Story” short “Hawaiian Vacation.”

To Infinity and Beyond !!!

Past Academy Awards Best Picture Winners + 2010 Pick!

Which Movies are the your favorite past Oscar winners?

What Movie do you think should have won an award and didn't?

Or, which ones should not have won?


THIS IS A LIST OF PAST
OSCAR BEST PICTURE WINNERS:

2009 - “The Hurt Locker”
2008 - “Slumdog Millionaire”
2007 - “No Country for Old Men”
2006 - “The Departed”
2005 - “Crash”
2004 - “Million Dollar Baby”
2003 - “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”
2002 - “Chicago”
2001 - “A Beautiful Mind”
2000 - “Gladiator”
1999 - “American Beauty”
1998 - “Shakespeare in Love”
1997 - “Titanic”
1996 - “The English Patient”
1995 - “Braveheart”
1994 - “Forrest Gump”
1993 - “Schindler’s List”
1992 - “Unforgiven”
1991 - “The Silence of the Lambs”
1990 - “Dances with Wolves”
1989 - “Driving Miss Daisy”
1988 - “Rain Man”
1987 - “The Last Emperor”
1986 - “Platoon”
1985 - “Out of Africa”
1984 - “Amadeus”
1983 - “Terms of Endearment”
1982 - “Gandhi”
1981 - “Chariots of Fire”
1980 - “Ordinary People”
1979 - “Kramer vs. Kramer”
1978 - “The Deer Hunter”
1977 - “Annie Hall”
1976 - “Rocky”
1975 - “One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest”
1974 - “The Godfather Part II”
1973 - “The Sting”
1972 - “The Godfather”
1971 - “The French Connection”
1970 - “Patton”
1969 - “Midnight Cowboy”
1968 - “Oliver!”
1967 - “In the Heat of the Night”
1966 - “A Man for All Seasons”
1965 - “The Sound of Music”
1964 - “My Fair Lady”
1963 - “Tom Jones”
1962 - “Lawrence of Arabia”
1961 - “West Side Story”
1960 - “The Apartment”
1959 - “Ben-Hur”
1958 - “Gigi”
1957 - “The Bridge on the River Kwai”
1956 - “Around the World in 80 Days”
1955 - “Marty”
1954 - “On the Waterfront”
1953 - “From Here to Eternity”
1952 - “The Greatest Show on Earth”
1951 - “An American in Paris”
1950 - “All about Eve”
1949 - “All the Kings Men”
1948 - “Hamlet”
1947 - “Gentleman's Agreement”
1946 - “The Best Years of Our Lives”
1945 - “The Lost Weekend”
1944 - “Going My Way”
1943 - “Casablanca”
1942 - “Mrs. Miniver”
1941 - “How Green Was My Valley”
1940 - “Rebecca”
1939 - “Gone with the Wind”
1938 - “You Can't Take It with You”
1937 - “The Life of Emile Zola”
1936 - “The Great Ziegfeld”
1935 - “Mutiny on the Bounty”
1934 - “It Happened One Night”
1932/1933 - “Cavalcade”
1931/1932 - “Grand Hotel”
1930/1931 - “Cimarron”
1929/1930 - “All Quiet on the Western Front”
1928/1929 - “The Broadway Melody”
1927/1928 - “Wings”


Please Note: I would never recommend all of these movies for viewing - for family movie night or for adults, either. Unfortunately, many of the movies I love and hold dear never made this list of Oscar Winners.... such as: It's a Wonderful Life, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Wizard of Oz, Music Man, etc...

As for the 2010 Movie Nominees:

'Black Swan', 'The Fighter', 'Inception', 'The Kids Are All Right', 'The King’s Speech', '127 Hours', 'The Social Network', 'Toy Story 3', 'True Grit', and 'Winter's Bone'

My pick would be: TOY STORY 3!

I chose it because of it's family-friendliness... though, I'm pretty certain it's a long shot here.

I've have heard that The King's Speech is an inspiring film - about overcoming stuttering. Please Note: This Movie is Rated "R", though, due to excessive Language - so please be ware of this! I have not personally seen this film. I am, however, a big fan of Colin Firth, who I first liked as Darcy, in the 1995 Production of Pride & Prejudice.