Movie Madness

In anticipation of tomorrow night's Golden Globe Awards I watched 3 movies today -- 2 on DVD and 1 at the new AMC Theater at the Century City Mall (photo above).

First I watched "Kung Fu Hustle" -- another Chinese movie nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. It's a "Looney Tunes" version of a kung fu movie. I don't have much to write about it other than it's another check on my list of nominees.

Then I watched "Hustle & Flow" for which Terrence Howard is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Drama. It's about a Memphis pimp going through a mid-life crisis and drawn to rap music as a way to exorcise his demons. Interesting movie with really great acting all around -- all of the performances are really convincing.

Then tonight I went out to see "Munich," which received two Golden Globe nominations and lots of hype. Many people have asked how Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner could team up to make a move that can be perceived as anti-Israel? But that's not the right question. The correct question is, "How could Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner team up to make a movie that is so BORING?"

At first it seemed like they were going to spend thirty minutes on each of the 11 assassinations of the PLO masterminds behind the Munich Olympic Games murders of Israeli athletes. The movie's pace made it seem like it would last five and a half hours. Shoot me and get it over with!

At least I finally made it to the new AMC Theater in the Century City Mall. Very impressive! I guess with the recent improvement of movie theaters on the westside AMC felt the competitive need to improve their offering. Too bad no one goes to movie theaters anymore.

On the way to Century City I drove by the Beverly Hilton, which was teeming with activity for tomorrow night's Golden Globe Awards.

So with no further ado, here are my choices (V) and predictions for this year's Golden Globes:

BEST MOTION PICTURE -- DRAMA
Brokeback Mountain (V & P)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE -- DRAMA
Felicity Huffman/Transamerica (V&P)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE -- DRAMA
Philip Seymour Hoffman (V&P)

BEST MOTION PICTURE -- MUSICAL OR COMEDY
The Squid and the Whale (V)
Walk the Line (P)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE -- MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Laura Linney/The Squid and the Whale (V)
Reese Witherspoon/Walk the Line (P)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE -- MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Pierce Brosnan/The Matador (V)
Joaquin Phoenix/Walk the Line (P)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
(No vote because I didn't see "Merry Christmas")
Tsotsi (P)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Frances McDormand/North Country (V)
Rachel Weisz/The Constant Gardener (P)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Matt Dillon/Crash (V)
George Clooney/Syriana (P)

BEST DIRECTOR -- MOTION PICTURE
Ang Lee/Brokeback Mountain (V&P)

BEST SCREENPLAY -- MOTION PICTURE
Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana/Brokeback Mountain (V)
Woody Allen/Match Point (P)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE -- MOTION PICTURE
Gustavo Santaolalla/Brokeback Mountain (V&P)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG -- MOTION PICTURE
(No vote because I didn't see "Christmas in Love.")
Dolly Parton/"Travelin' Thru"/Transamerica (P)

Now you can score along and see how I did!