Tag Archive: golden globes


Why I Should Host the 2012 Oscars

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November 10, 2011

 

B-man,

What up?  So kudos to you first for taking on the job on such short notice.  You’ve got the pedigree the Academy likes, and at this point, I don’t think anyone has any expectations for next year’s show.

So having said that, I think this year is the perfect opportunity to do something drastic. And by being drastic, I mean give the hosting duties to me.  I’ve thought this through and I will give you my reasons why I’m the perfect host this year…

1. I like damn good in a tux.

I mean seriously, look at me!

2. I’ve been doing Oscar preview/live blogs for the past five years.

Going back to our film school days (maybe earlier), my partner in crime and I have used the interwebs to offer predictions and last year running commentary on the show, so it’s not like I won’t be watching anyway.

https://malikaziz.com/2011/02/27/2011-artfradieu-oscar-live-commentary/

3. I’m cool with ‘this’ Establishment.

My generation of young actors, writers, directors, producers, etc. are coming up so you’d get to keep that ‘we’re still hip’ vibe that Eddie and Brett were giving you.

4. I keep my private affairs to myself.

So no talk from me about my gigantic balls or what 70s group my genitalia are named after.  But having said that…

5. I’m down for a little bad publicity.

But only on a short term basis, and only if we’re clear the endgame is to drive more eyeballs to the show. I’m single, Kim Kardashian is single; I’m just saying…

6. I’m a genuine film geek.

I have the respect for ‘Old Hollywood’ that I think is mandatory for the job.  And in my particular case I know the history of those who came before me, from Sammy to Whoopi to Chris, and the historical part of that turns me on. And it’s going to be a little weird if Viola Davis is the only black person in the Kodak Theatre.

7. I’ve been vocal about my support for gay marriage.

So you’d be getting someone who’s gone in the complete opposite direction from the little fiasco that got the last guy fired.

8. I’m an award winning producer/director/actor who has hosting experience.

And my writing team works cheap to boot!  Here’s a joke I was just handed:  “So this Herman Cain fella? This week one of his accusers says that he grabbed the back of her neck and said ‘You want the job right?’ during her sexual assault.  When asked for comment, former President Clinton said, ‘I like a blow job as much as the next man, but if that’s your modus operandi, you are NOT qualified to be the President of the United States!”

(Hm, you’re right. That’s more of a Golden Globes joke, than an Oscars joke isn’t it?  I’ll fire that writer.  Let’s table that one for now…)

9. It’d be a Full Circle/Small Town Moment

One of the first gigs I ever had in this town was working for Imagine Entertainment as a researcher for your Hugh Hefner project.  You paid me to go to the Playboy Mansion everyday, so really, as a man, I’m already in your debt.  There’s a lot of jokes there, but I’m saving them for the monologue.  And finally…

10. I’d Genuinely Be Happy to Have the Gig

And that should mean something right?

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I Love L.A. – #13 Early Start Times

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June 6, 2010

 

Today was a typically long Sunday, some outside time, some personal things I had to get done – like all hardcore sports fans though, this particular Sunday meant planning everything around the NBA Finals.  So what time did the game start for me?  5 PM, perfect to get to a friend’s house for an early dinner.  At the end of a great game was it time for bed?  Hell no, it just turned 8 PM!  Enough time to get a few things done (including writing this post)!

Regular season NFL games starting at 10 in the morning, the ability to catch the ending of any great prime time game without the benefit of Sportscenter, the early start times are a hidden benefit you don’t catch until you’re here.  They’re also the real truth for the infamous ‘late arriving’ LA sports crowds; on top of the unlimited entertainment options this town provides, the ‘prime time games’ during the week mean you’re fighting rush hour traffic on top of stadium/arena traffic. 

This is the movie geek in me talking, but the growth of the internet (and Twitter) has forced pretty much all the big award shows taped on the West Coast to televise live out here.  So we’re still getting used to seeing the Golden Globes and Oscars on television at 5 in the evening, but I’m sure we’ll get used to that too. 

I’ll admit it, I’m spoiled now.

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Oscar Nominations – First Impressions

Filed under: the Batman — Leave a comment
January 24, 2009

 

hugh-jackman-picture-1

In no particular order…

I overlooked Viola Davis (Doubt) during the Golden Globes, so let me start by saying I’m glad that sister got nominated.  But I’m really, really happy for Taraji P. Henson.  She’s moving up quickly and she more than deserves the attention.

I usually don’t cover documentaries in my predictions, but I checked out this flick called Man On Wire last week and really enjoyed it.  I see it’s up for Best Documentary and suggest it if you haven’t seen it.  It’s the story of this French kid who dreamed of tightrope walking between the Twin Towers, and ended up doing it in the 70s.  It reminded of one of my favorite movie lines (from Vanilla Sky), “What is life if not the pursuit of a dream?”

I don’t even think I’ve even verbalized this to my partner in crime, but one of my ‘super duper’ Hollywood dreams would be to host the Oscars one day.  It’s a thankless job, the biggest stage in town on the biggest night (a perfect marriage with my ambitious side).  And it’s a short list of ‘us’ who’s ever had the chance: Sammy, Richard Pryor (as co-hosts), Chris Rock, and of course Whoopi.  You have to be comfortable in a tux, you have to be acceptable to the mainstream, and you have to keep the show moving.  Who knows, maybe our new president made that dream a little more realistic for me someday.

The Dark Knight got eight nominations, including one for Heath for Best Supporting Actor.  But no Best Picture nomination, no nomination for Christopher Nolan for Best Director.  Eh, moving on…

I’ve got a few more movies to see, but I won’t be reviewing them here on the blog.  For now all I can say is stay tuned…

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My Golden Globe Pics

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January 9, 2009

 

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Alright gang, the Globes is this weekend, and as you can probably guess, I’ve seen almost every nominated film and performance.  Here are my picks for the film categories:

Best Performance by an Actress in a Comedy or Musical

I could make a case for Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia (the biggest hit) or Emma Thompson in Last Chance Harvey  (solid as always), but I’m going with Frances McDormand in Burn After Reading.  With Clooney, Pitt, and Malkovich all hamming it up, McDormand brought the comedy more through mannerisms and behavior than over the top theatrics.  Well played.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Comedy or Musical

Not even his best work this year in my opinion, but I’m going with James Franco in Pineapple Express.  I’ve said this before, but at a pretty young age he’s shown a) range, b) he takes his craft seriously, and c) no real love affair with being a ‘celebrity.’  My kind of actor.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

If this were the People’s Choice Awards I’d easily choose Mamma Mia, but instead I’m taking Burn After Reading.  A tightly written genre piece by the Coen brothers, that’s pedigree enough without the all star cast. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

At this point, we know Penelope Cruz can be more than a pretty face.  Doubt is a good movie, but I keep hearing it’s better on the stage where it originated.  Call me biased, but I say Kate Winslet for the Reader.  With all due respect to the other four actresses in this category (and I admire and respect all of them, they were great), I feel with some rewriting Kate Winslet could play the characters that they’re nominated for.  But watch the Reader, no one else on this list could play that role but Winslet.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

joker-heath-ledger

I think you and I are destined to do this forever.  (sigh…)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Jolie, Streep, Winslet…there are some heavyweights in this category.  I’d cast my vote for Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married.  She’s been around so I don’t want to use the word ‘breakthrough’, but she definitely wasn’t playing the glamour girl in this role.  The Globes are more of the ‘feel good’ awards, and the timing would be perfect.  Speaking of feel good…

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Frank Langella is my dark horse here for Frost/Nixon, and in my opinion, Sean Penn as Harvey Milk was the best performance of the year.  But this is a ‘who I think will win’ column, and all signs point to Mickey Rourke for the Wrestler.  I didn’t bring as much of his past into the theatre with me as most people, but I still thought it was a great performance.  Now I’m hearing he’ll co-star in Iron Man 2.  Got to love Hollywood…

Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Motion Picture – Drama

If you want to see a fun, politics free, well crafted movie, Slumdog Millionaire is the way to go.  Written by Simon Beaufoy and directed by Danny Boyle, Slumdog is way, WAY lighter than its competition (Frost/Nixon, Benjamin Button, Reader, Revolutionary Road).  And the way things are in the real world right now, that lightness is the perfect tonic.

 

 

 

 

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Golden Globes – First Thoughts

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December 12, 2008

golden-globe_0114051

As you can probably guess, the first thing I do when the nominations come out is look for ‘mine.’  Beyonce got a nom for Best Song (I feel like she’s done this before, Dreamgirls?)  Raisin in the Sun got nominated for Best Made for TV film (fair enough, but that’s been a classic for decades before Diddy remade it).  That leaves Blair Underwood for his supporting role on In Treatment.

Here’s the funny thing though: I don’t feel like complaining.  For one, who comes off the ballot?  30 Rock?  Entourage?  Mad Men?  All good television.  On the film side, there’s Slumdog and Milk, two films I definitely feel belong in the top ten for the year.  Ledger got his nomination for The Dark Knight; I won’t get bent out of shape over that being the only nom for the movie.  Not until the Oscar noms come out anyway…

I was joking about this with an industry friend recently, but we live in a time right now where there’s barely a handful of ‘black’ projects made every year.  And with the economy the way it is, that number could realistically shrink.  Yeah.  This reminds me quite a bit of the early 80s, before I considered the Industry a realistic goal for me.  There’s more of us as ‘celebrities’ now (however you define that), but if your goal is to tell black stories, who would you be looking up to?  Is it Spike?  Is it Tyler now?

Anyway, if you’ve followed my words over the past couple years, you know I try to see as many of the nominated films and performances as I can (especially since the majority of these do become Oscar nominees.)  Now that I have this new ‘playground’, I’ll be sticking my reviews here, so check back over the next few weeks (and months) if you want my opinion on a particular nomination.

 

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