Oscar Nominations

The 95th Academy Award Nominations are in. While there were no real surprises I am glad that despite the fact that the film was polarizing that Ana de Armas got a nod for her tour de force performance in Blonde. See how which of your favorites were nominated by hitting on the full list below straight outta Variety...have a golden day!

https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oscar-nominations-2023-list-1235495072/ 

And The Oscar Goes To...

WTF?!
Nicole Kidman

And the Oscar goes to...Nicole Kidman for the best reaction to Will Smith assaulting Chris Rock during the Academy Award telecast.

Happy Monday, enjoy your week! 

https://www.instagram.com/nicolekidman/?hl=en 

Oscar Nomination Monday

Indeed...

"Yes" today the Oscar Nominations were announced for those of you who care. I have a passing interest in them, I have only seen three of the films with nominations. Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood, Judy & Bombshell.

Honestly I think no one stands a chance against Renee Zellweger in the Best Actress category. I would say Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood would be a shoo in for Best Picture if it wasn't for 1917.  Time will tell who takes home the gold! In the meantime here is a list of all the nominees for you to while away the hours with..

Via The Hollywood Reporter: 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/oscar-nominations-2020-complete-list-nominees-updating-live-1267880  

Michael's Musings

In Your Face
Michael Shinafelt

This past weekend the Academy Awards happened and proved after a progressive 2018 show when Moonlight won Best Picture, that there must have been a momentary loss of sense and sensibility from the old van guard because they were back in full force by touting Green Book Best Picture this year. Which would have been a great film if it had been made the year I was born 1965.

Oh and Michael Cohen testified against a B!tch Baby, I mean Donald Trump yesterday. In other news...

"He lied a lot" - Postcards From A B!tch Baby 

This is me waving my middle finger at Facebook, yeah I am being censored and bullied right now or I'd show it to you.

Your Porn Star name is your first name + your last name, because it's you. You're a ho!

How the Hell did Krysten Ritter rate to be an Oscar presenter...WTF?!

"Come again?" - interpretation is everything

That's so very

Erika Jayne is looking like a Drag Queen this season on RHOBH - she would most likely take this as a compliment. I most likely don't mean it as one. 

I didn't know you were gay, my car needs more work

Adult Depends Whore

Miley Cyrus & Liam Hemsworth at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party - that is all 

This is the noise that keeps me awake - that's for me to know and you to find out.

Quiche Lorraine - dinner is served

Shout out to Selma Blair, you get down with your bad self!

Stop being shady, be obscene instead 

Me? I'm serving up eggplant realness right here, right now on the WWW -

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt   

Motion Plus Design

I've the design, you got the motion...

On Oscar Weekend,

The Montalbán Theatre in Hollywood Hosts

Motion Plus Design

The Acclaimed International Motion Design Festival 

For its North American Debut

Saturday, February 23, 2019 – All-Day

-

Speakers include Renowned Designers Beeple, Jr.canest, Kyle Cooper,

Karin Fong, Joyce N. Ho, Andrew Kramer, Marti Romances and Min Shi

The acclaimed festival Motion Plus Design touches down in North America for the first time at the historic Montalbán Theatre in Hollywood on Saturday February 23, 2019. After years of sold-out events in Paris and Tokyo, the Motion Plus Design team is thrilled to bring this unique festival to the U.S. On Oscar weekend, the international event will host a full day of presentations from 10:00am until 6:30pm with renowned designers Beeple, Jr.canest, Kyle Cooper, Karin Fong, Joyce N. Ho, Andrew Kramer, Marti Romances and Min Shi. Doors open at 9:00am. Tickets are available for $75 (general admission) and only $25 for students. For an additional $25, VIP packages will include access to the rooftop cocktail reception with the speakers. The Montalbán is located at 1615 Vine Street, Hollywood, CA 90028. For tickets and to learn more, please visit http://motion-plus-design.com/losangeles2019. 

O

“On the weekend of the Academy Awards, Motion Plus Design will celebrate eight of the world’s top motion designers,” enthuses Founder and Festival Director Kook Ewo. “Film title sequences are an essential part of feature films and yet their creators are unsung. While the Emmys recognize Outstanding Main Title Design for television, unfortunately, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has yet to introduce an Oscar for Best Film Titles.”

O

Motion Plus Design Los Angeles speakers will share the secrets behind their latest creations, such as the Emmy Award-winning title sequence Counterpart from Karin Fong or the UI graphics of Avengers: Infinity War from Marti Romances. Several speakers will debut never-before-seen design work. See full speaker bios below. 

O

Motion Plus Design Event Schedule:

• 9:00am - Doors open, coffee available in Mezzanine

• 10:00am: 3 Talks

• 12:35pm: Lunch Break 

• 2:00pm: 3 Talks 

• 4:10pm: Break 

• 4:55pm: 2 Talks

• 6:30pm: Rooftop Cocktail Reception for VIP ticket holdersO

A new generation of designers, celebrated by Motion Plus Design, are building on the work of the late, great pioneers of film title and motion design such as Saul Bass (North by Northwest, Psycho, Anatomy of a Murder, Casino), Maurice Binder (14 James Bond films starting with Dr. No, as well as The Grass Is Greener, Charade) and Pablo Ferro (Dr. Strangelove, The Thomas Crown Affair, Bullitt). Ferro recently passed away, at age 83, in November 2018. 

O

“Design conferences and events often price out students and young professionals,” said Festival Curator and Producer Ronan Guitton. “When we created the first and only festival dedicated entirely to motion design, we wanted to make it accessible to the very people who could benefit from this shared knowledge the most.”

LINKS:

• Motion Plus Design | Los Angeles - http://motion-plus-design.com/losangeles2019

• Motion Plus Design Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/motionplusdesign

• Motion Plus Design Twitter - https://twitter.com/Mo_Plus_Design

• Motion Plus Design Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/motionplusdesign

• Event Trailer on Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/311944629

• The Montalbán Event Page - https://www.themontalban.com/motion-plus-design

• The Montalbán’s Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheMontalban

• The Montalbán’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/themontalban

• The Montalbán’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the_montalba

Michael's Musings

And The Oscar Goes To...
Michael Shinafelt

"I never really saw anything grow before. How tiny those seeds were and yet they know they were supposed to be lettuces." - Marilyn Monroe, The Misfits

While Marilyn Monroe never won a Best Actress Oscar she did in my mind for The Misfits. Written by her former husband Arthur Miller and Directed by the great John Houston. Marilyn Monroe etched a portrait in my soul as Roslyn Taber. 

Even though she won a Golden Globe for Some Like It Hot (she was brilliant) Oscar gold always eluded her. 

Didn't we all fancy a dream in passing when we were young of winning one? But of course we did! Moving on as we got older and realized being an Academy Award Winning star might not necessarily be out path?

With the arrival of the big event Sunday this weeks column is a tribute, trivia and salute to the dreamer in us all!

Oscar Winner for Funny Girl Barbara Streisand had her dog cloned. Hey Barbara, did you not see Pet Semetary?! 

Kate Winslet keeps her Oscar in the bathroom

I've held the Oscar that Dan Jinks won as Producer for Best Picture, American Beauty

 "As a little kid I lived in the projects, and you're the people I watched. You're the people wanted—made me want to be an actor. I'm so proud to be here. I'm proud to be an actor and I'm gonna keep on acting. And thank you so much" Whoopi Goldberg,Best Supporting Actress for Ghost

The first Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

Meryl Streep is the most nominated in the Best Actress category for an Oscar, clocking in at 17 nominations 

Jack Nicholson is the most nominated actor with 12 under his belt

My dream was always to win an Oscar for portraying someone truly evil

"When I was little my mother said, "I want you to be something." And I guess this represents twenty-three or twenty-four years of my work, and I've never won anything before from my peers. I'm really, really happy" Cher, Best Actress for Moonstruck 

Margot Robbie

My personal pic for Best Actress this year? Margot Robbie for I, Tonya 

Who could ever forget Sally Field's battle cry:  "I can't deny the fact that you like me. Right now, you like me!"

Remember that time when 72 year old Jack Palance won his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for City Slickers and did one armed push-ups on stage? I do.

Weirdest Oscar winning song? It's Hard Out There For a Pimp by 3 6 Mafia from Hustle & Flow

Strange Best Supporting Actor Nominee: Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder. He's great! But think about it, not too much.

And the Oscar goes to...find out this Sunday!

In the meantime follow me at:
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt   

Michael's Musings

Come To Daddy
Michael Shinafelt

Another week has passed and the Academy Awards made history twice in one show can you believe it?! One time for something progressive and liberal and another for the biggest error on an Oscar telecast ever. So big that even if you didn't tune in, you heard about it all over the news.

Never fear I am here this week to address both of those moments and more. It's time for me to crack that whip!

Moonlight, which happened to be my favorite film of the year, won the Best Picture Oscar. Thus making Academy Award history as the first film with an all black cast to do so.

Whatever actually went down backstage and on stage Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty made Oscar history by announcing the incorrect Best Picture winner as La La Land only to have some dude from Price Waterhouse come and make the situation right.

Am I the only one who sees a commercial for Kong: Skull Island and thinks Kong: Skull Fuck Island?

Once upon a time there was a transvestite hooker fresh from a trick...

Remember: No matter what you think, I am always way ahead of you

Eat a hot dog and go home, or not

For the record I love Million Reasons by Lady Gaga, but the song really makes no sense. She has a million reasons to let someone go, but if they give her one good one they can stay? Do the math...

Can someone please tell me why? Yeah, I thought not.

A shout out to my friend Naama Kates, her indie film which she wrote, directed not to mention starred in Sorceress is out now! I highly recommend it. You can find it here: http://a.co/fzLrOq8

Just say no to blowing aliens for space Range Rovers

I was pleased Emma Stone won Best Actress for La La Land. The film, while entertaining was incredibly overrated. She really elevated the material and brought a lot of depth and heart to her role.

Until we cyber again, don't do anything I wouldn't do, but if you do, name it after me!

Follow me at:
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt  

"The Help" Reunion

Can We Help?
l-r Octavia Spence, Emma Stone & Viola Davis

Since this Sunday is Oscar Sunday and all three of these ladies are up for an Academy Award, I thought this was a fitting image for the Friday leading into the hallowed event.

Here we have Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone and Viola Davis at the 2017 nominees luncheon. Yes, the cast members from The Help are reunited and it felt so good.

Spencer posted the photo op on her Instagram with this caption:

"Today was so fun it felt like graduation. Especially seeing my #HelpAlums. Congrats to all nominees especially these two!!" 

Pretty cool that three women who shared an experience all all up for the Big "O" this year.

While I'm at it let me state Viola Davis is a shoo in for supporting actress for her work in Fences and Emma Stone is my personal favorite (and is predicted to win by many) for best actress in La La Land.

Congratulations you three and have fun Sunday! 

Octavia on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/therealoctaviaspencer/?hl=en 

Michael's Musings

Don't Bother Me I'm In Leather
Michael Shinafelt

As I sit at my computer finishing off a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, my mind starts to wander and wonder - WTF is happening to the world?!

Sometimes I retreat to my Purple Room for solace. This week has sort of been the week I tuned a lot of the static out. One must do that these days on occasion to keep ones sanity.

Right now the only vision dancing in my head is that of hitting spin class tomorrow morning. That means this weeks thoughts may be a little tainted with a view from my bubble. That's the way it goes!

The La La Land awards, I mean Academy Awards are this Sunday. Note to self: Stock up on the wine.

Speaking of wine, just had a lovely evening drinking it and having nosh with Scott Jacobs, thus the glass I am finishing up.

Is Caitlyn Jenner the ambassador on behalf of the LGBT community to the Agent Orange administration? I thought they already filled the position of narcissist reality show star in the White House.

I still have to watch the premiere of the final season of Bates Motel, just sayin'...

Fuck the rain, I'm over it! 

Trump officially rescinds Obama's protection of transgender students. Where are the backwoods Hillbilly's from Deliverance when you need them?

Hey America, clean up on aisle 45, there's a pile of shit.

Feud
Joan Crawford & Bette Davis
Eden Sassoon & Lisa Rinna

Weirdest reality show feud ever? Lisa Rinna & Eden Sassoon on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. It's pretty Freudian. 

If you could teleport yourself by blinking your eyes ... where would you go right now?

"When you see something beautiful in someone, tell them. It may take seconds to say, but for them, it could last a lifetime"

What's your safe word? Mine is flan.

And with that revelation I am off this electronic device and onto another one.

Bare witness to me at:

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt   

And The Oscar Goes To...

Does anyone out there really care who wins the Oscars anymore? I know I don't, but it is fun to watch the spectacle that accompanies it. 

Below are 7 Things my friends at E! think you should know about the Oscars. I will re-iterate for those who may not be in the loop, that I really have no passion for covering award shows, thus I re-post whatever catches my fancy.

Of those 7 Things the two I am personally excited for are Chris Rock Hosting and of course the musical performances!

Here are E!'s top 7 Things, enjoy the show!

1. Rock the Boat: For weeks, fans have been speculating as to what Chris Rock will say and do when he host's tonight show. The guessing games only continued when he posted a tweet Friday with the words, "See you Sunday…#BlackOut #Oscars." Will the #OscarsSoWhite controversy be addressed? Watch what happens!

2. Thanks Academy: This year's producers are trying to make acceptance speeches a little more engaging. So what's their plan? Nominees were asked to submit a list of the people they'd like to thank. Those names will then run across the bottom of the screen while the winners fill this 45-second maximum time requirement.

3. Leo's Time: From the SAG Awards to the BAFTAs, Leonardo has been able to pick up the Best Actor trophy all season long thanks to his role as frontiersman Hugh Glass in The Revenant. After six Oscar nominations over his career, this has to be his year, right? Before you place your bets, though, don't forget that he's up against Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon, Michael Fassbender and Eddie Redmayne.

4. Boycott: Because of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy, some stars have made it clear that they will not be attending the show. Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith and Spike Lee are opting to pass on the event. 

Meanwhile, Selma director Ava DuVernay and Creed director Ryan Coogler are opting to attend a special event in Michigan titled #JusticeForFlint.

5. Red Carpet Magic: Ryan Seacrest is back on the carpet with a front-row seat to all the gowns, tuxedos and fashion for tonight's show. During Live From the Red Carpet, the pro will be chatting with all the big stars. Giuliana Rancic, Kris Jenner,Zanna Roberts Rassi and Ashley Graham will also be close by to dissect all the hot looks.

6. The Weeknd's Big Weekend: Three of the five nominees for Best Original Song have been given the opportunity to perform their songs live at the Dolby Theatre. Audiences can look forward to Sam Smith's "Writings on the Wall," The Weeknd's "Earned It" and Lady Gaga's "Till it Happens to You." In an added twist, The Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl will also be on-hand for a "special performance."

7. A-list Alert: If you're favorite Hollywood star isn't nominated, that doesn't mean you won't see them at the Oscars. The Academy has announced that familiar faces including Reese Witherspoon, Kerry Washington, Sofia Vergara, John Legend and Jennifer Garner are just some of the stars expected to present awards tonight.

There's a New Sheriff in Town: Margaret Cho

Sheriff, Margaret Cho
Photo: Mary Taylor 

MARGARET CHO JOINS "FASHION POLICE" AS SPECIAL CO-HOST FOR 2016 SEASON BEGINNING JANUARY 11, 2016

"I love joining the crew of Fashion Police. To me it feels like family. although I am not quite a fashionista, I would love to look at it like I am changing it up - Fashion Police:Special Victims Unit. It makes me happiest to spend time with Melissa, and when I see her laugh at my joke,  I feel like Joan is smiling, somewhere."  Margaret Cho

Margaret Cho was the deputy, but, she never shot the sheriff. She could have though... 

LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET AND FASHION POLICE RETURN THIS JANUARY TO COVER THE BIGGEST AWARD SHOWS OF 2016

FASHION POLICE TO DELIVER BIG LAUGHS AND UNFORGETTABLE FASHION WITH CO-HOSTS MELISSA RIVERS, GIULIANA RANCIC, BRAD GORESKI, AND NEW SPECIAL CO-HOST MARGARET CHO

This January E!’s signature series "Live From The Red Carpet" and comedy favorite "Fashion Police," will return to cover the biggest award shows of 2016.  The popular E! franchises will make their new year debut with coverage of the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards, and keep the festivities going throughout the entire award season.  

Only E! brings the real magic of the red carpet to life, and beginning this January, "Live From The Red Carpet" will return to deliver that spark to millions of pop culture fans around the world.  Hosts Ryan Seacrest, Giuliana Rancic, and the rest of the E! “Live From The Red Carpet” team will immerse fans in every part of the red carpet action to capture each unpredictable moment, all the gorgeous fashion, and the most memorable and buzzworthy conversations with the biggest celebrities.  Through E!’s unprecedented camera coverage, second screen experiences and personal relationships with the Hollywood elite, “Live From the Red Carpet” will truly take fans behind the velvet ropes for all of the exciting, spontaneous, and headline-making moments as they happen, and bring viewers the unique and authentic interviews that pop culture fans crave.  Plus, join E! in celebrating Ryan Seacrest’s ten year anniversary hosting “Live From The Red Carpet” throughout the 2016 red carpet season.  From Jennifer Lawrence and Taylor Swift’s love fest to Jimmy Kimmel turning the mic on Ryan live on the air to Sacha Baron Cohen’s infamous ashy spill, E!’s viewers know to expect the unexpected.

The Gang Bang's All Here
Fashion Police

 The day after each big award show “Fashion Police” will report for duty to cover all the night's hottest fashion moments and trends.  Beginning with the 2016 Golden Globes, co-host and executive producer Melissa Rivers, along with co-hosts Giuliana Rancic and Brad Goreski will break down the can't miss celebrity fashions from the awards show and after parties, and offer up juicy pop culture commentary on all of the breaking entertainment scoop!  This season, the show welcomes funny woman Margaret Cho, who joins the team as the special co-host throughout all of 2016.  The fab foursome will also be joined by a rotating celebrity guest chair each episode –  Fashion Police fans can rest assure that this awards season will bring big laughs, omg moments and lots of jaw dropping fashion!

Schedule:

Golden Globes

-   Countdown to the Red Carpet: The 2016 Golden Globe Awards – Sunday, January 10^th at 4p ET/1p PT

-   Live From The Red Carpet: The 2016 Golden Globe Awards – Sunday, January 10^th at 6p ET/3p PT

-   E! After Party: The 2016 Golden Globe Awards – Sunday, January 10^th at 11p ET/8p PT

-   Fashion Police: The 2016 Golden Globe Awards – Monday, January 11^th  at 8p ET/PT

Screen Actors Guild Awards

-   Live From The Red Carpet: The 2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards – Saturday, January 30^th at 6p ET/3p PT

-   Fashion Police: The 2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards – Monday, February 1^st at 8p ET/PT

Grammy Awards

-   Countdown to the Red Carpet: The 2016 Grammy Awards – Monday, February 15^th at 4p ET/PT

-   Live From The Red Carpet: The 2016 Grammy Awards – Monday, February 15^th at 6p ET/PT

-   E! After Party: The 2016 Grammy Awards – Monday, February 15^th at 11p ET/PT

-   Fashion Police: The 2016 Grammy Awards – Tuesday, February 16^th  at 8p ET/PT

Academy Awards

-   Countdown to the Red Carpet: The 2016 Academy Awards – Sunday, February 28^th at 1:30p ET/10:30a PT

-   Live From The Red Carpet: The 2016 Academy Awards – Sunday, February 28^th at 5:30p ET/2:30p PT

-   E! After Party: The 2016 Academy Awards – Sunday, February 28^th at 11:30p ET/8:30p PT

-   Fashion Police: The 2016 Academy Awards – Monday, February 29^th at 8p ET/PT

The Oscar For Best Naked Actor Goes To...

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Shop Till You Drop! "Dallas Buyers Club"

Last night I saw one of the best films ever "Dallas Buyers Club!"  In case you are not familiar with this amazing movie that stars Matthew McConaughey , Jared Leto & Jennifer Garner here's what it's about:

Matthew McConaughey stars in DALLAS BUYERS CLUB as real-life Texas cowboy Ron Woodroof, whose free-wheeling life was overturned in 1985 when he was diagnosed as HIV-positive and given 30 days to live. These were the early days of the AIDS epidemic, and the U.S. was divided over how to combat the virus. Ron, now shunned and ostracized by many of his old friends, and bereft of government-approved effective medicines, decided to take matters in his own hands, tracking down alternative treatments from all over the world by means both legal and illegal. Bypassing the establishment, the entrepreneurial Woodroof joined forces with an unlikely band of renegades and outcasts - who he once would have shunned - and established a hugely successful "buyers' club." Their shared struggle for dignity and acceptance is a uniquely American story of the transformative power of resilience. 

Garner, McConaughey & Leto Sitting In A Tree

The transformative power of resilience, dignity and acceptance are very powerful things and because they are, so is this film.

For me this is one the best I have seen this year. It was such a testament to what we all can do as human beings in adverse circumstances and the power of loving your fellow man.

The direction, cinematography and performances were all top notch.

My prediction is Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto who recently won Golden Globes for their roles, will be making speeches at the Academy Awards.

Matthew McConaughey is great, however my in my opinion Jared Leto's performance was brilliant and riveting and I can't wait for him to grab the ultimate gold.

Kudos to Ms. Jennifer Garner as well.

Sprint don't run to catch this one!

"Dallas Buyers Club" : https://www.facebook.com/DallasBuyersClub