Oscars' Eve

finally emerging from my flu-induced seclusion, i breathed in nyc air again today as if it was the first time, and declared it: "Fresh!" yes, i MUST have been sick. but man does it feel good to live like a normal person and not like the zombie shuffling through my apartment the past five days. and what great timing as the Oscars are on tomorrow! yay! admittedly, i really enjoy all the razzle dazzle, glitzy glamour and overly inflated glory attributed to that oh-so-not-so-world-changing event that will be the 78th Annual Academy Awards. it's all fluff, and yet, for three hours, it's taken very very seriously. but really, the bonus this year is that the show will be hosted by one of my major crushes-- Mr. Jon Stewart. can we get a triple sigh? sigh sigh sigh...

there's a running "joke" with my annual group of oscar-watching buddies that they should just hand me over their $$$ for the oscar pool because i always win. well, always is an over-statement. but i do think i have an 80% win rate. and i'm hoping it'll tilt again in my favor this year...as i am a poor grad student. so. instead of revealing my picks on who will win, i'm just gonna share some personal favorites on who i hope will be honored come tomorrow nite:

Best Director, Ang Lee
oh how i want him to win. i've seen six of his nine films-- from the sumptuous feast that is Eat Drink Man Woman to the tragic delicacy of The Ice Storm-- and believe there is no filmmaker out there with such versatility. unfortunately, the Academy has been generous to his films, but not to his achievement as a director. In 1996, Sense & Sensibility was nominated for Best Picture but Lee did not get a nod for director; Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon's 2001 sweep through the awards season ended when on Oscar night, Lee became the fifth director EVER to win the Director's Guild and not the Academy Award. Let's hope with Brokeback Mountain, Ang Lee gets his due...and btw, he would be the very first Asian director to ever do so if it happens. fingers crossed...

Best Original Screenplay, Crash
by far, the most provacative film that came out in a year of provocative films. it challenged my perceptions and moved me to both tears and shame. this was a film rooted strongly in its words and i have no doubt it will be rewarded for it...

Best Actor, Heath Ledger
People can say what they want, but I really prefer Heath's portrayal in this category...and that's saying a lot because I saw the films of each of the actors nominated and thought they were all phenomenal. but Heath's was the one that filled me with complete sadness. the seeming emptiness of his life at the end of the film...it was almost too much to bear...and you can feel that burden in his character. i left the theater remembering that burden, that complete acceptance of his loneliness, for days afterwards. that's powerful acting, no?

Best Original Song, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp"
i recently watched Hustle & Flow and am still singing the hook to this hip hop track in my head. LOVE IT! it would kick ass to have a song about pimpin' and ho's as an Oscar-winning song. i wonder who's going to sing it (or really, RAP it) during the ceremony tomorrow...hm...