Who Are You Wearing?

...is the question that will be asked most often tonight on the Red Carpet.

The Oscars is tonight, and I am ready to watch!

Before I tell you my picks for the night, I have to review a few movies that have received nominations:

I really wanted to like Revolutionary Road with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as two people whose marriage is in trouble. The movie is set in the 1950s in suburban Connecticut. April and Frank Wheeler are caught up in the mundane lifestyle of the era, but are trying to break free of the conformity. I thought that, while Kate Winslet performed well, Leonardo Di Caprio did not. Michael Shannon, whose character had just been released from the "rest home," is nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Kathy Bates did really well as his mother. I thought the movie was alright - just not up to the hype.

I was prepared not to like The Wrestler with Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei. I had heard some comments from some friends, but more importantly, I am not into wrestling – as in the world wide variety, and this movie is about an aging WWE athlete who is past his prime. Rourke has been nominated for Best Actor, and he won that prize at the Golden Globes, but...Merry Karma is not impressed. I mean, come on, a not-so-aging, washed-up actor playing an aging-wrestler who is past his prime? Really? Is that a stretch? Besides that, most of his role is special effects and stunt work. The movie was better than I thought it would be, but again - why does Marissa Tomei insist on allowing herself to be objectified on the screen? She is so above that. My only theory may be that she is trying to document her body's splendor before gravity has its way with it. She does have a great bod - but she could just have some pictures made of herself naked and put them in a scrapbook to look back on when she is old and gray. Just sayin'...

Oh.my.gosh - Frozen River is a really good movie, and it deserved more than just a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Thankfully, Melissa Leo, who plays a down-and-out mother who is trying to raise her two boys on a minimum wage salary, got a nod for Best Actress. She was outstanding. Her character gets mixed up in a people smuggling operation, when she agrees to smuggle illegal immigrants across the border-defining frozen river between Canada and upstate New York. Ray (Leo) rationalizes that she will only make a few trips to earn the money to buy her family a new double-wide with good insulation. The girl who played Lila Littlewolf, her American Indian partner-in-crime, did a great job too. I think this movie deserved a wider release, because the story and the acting, as well as the cinematography, were very good.

The moment for which you have been waiting......

Merry Karma's Oscar Picks:
Best Supporting Actor - All the nominees did a great job, but I still say that Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight deserves the Oscar.
Best Supporting Actress - There are no real standouts this year in this category. All the actresses were equally good, but I am giving the edge to Penelope Cruz in Vicky Christina Barcelona. I know, I know, Amy Adams was nominated for Doubt, and while I thought she did a really, really good job and she is one of my favorite actresses, Penelope's role is just so out there, and she nailed it...so, she gets my pick.
Best Actor - I am not picking Mickey. Out of the four actors left, they all did great jobs and it is a really tough choice for me. I think Sean Penn in Milk is my probably my favorite, with Richard Jenkins in The Visitor and Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button as close second and third.
Best Actress - I have to say it, but Melissa Leo in Frozen River did such an outstanding job, that she is beating out Meryl Streep in Doubt as my choice. Case closed.

Finally - Best Picture - easy, schmeasy - Slumdog Millionaire. What is not to like about this movie?

Hope you enjoy the show...

MK out.