Archives For Oscar

Win a pair of tickets to the Oscar Party at the Kress

February 15, 2012 — 35 Comments
Oscar party at the Kress outside pic

All photos by Matthew Gale of @NominationStation.

If you’ve been around HeidiTown for more than a couple years, you’ll remember that I used to write movie reviews here, and I’m a bit of a film buff. I absolutely LOVE the Oscars. I am one of “those people,” and I start watching as soon as the red carpet is rolled out and the limos start arriving.

Last year, I ran a similar contest here, and the winners documented their fantastic night at the Kress Oscar Party through the photographs I’m using for this post. This year, I expect to have a fabulous time at this event and here’s your chance to join me.

The Kress Cinema & Lounge in Greeley is holding their annual Oscar Party on Sunday, February 26, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. The evening includes a red carpet entry, appetizer buffet, Oscar ballot (cash prize) and the 84th Academy Awards live on the big screen and in the Kress’ lounges.

appetizer buffet at Kress Oscar PartyGuests are encouraged to wear their best Oscar attire. I’m thinking of wearing something by Victoria Beckham, I hear her couture is going to be big this year.  I’m kidding, of course. This Mayor gig doesn’t pay that well!

Tickets to this event are $20/each, but this is your chance to be a VIP (with ME) at this glamour affair.  You don’t have to attend alongside me or anything like that, but I will be there so I’m hoping that we can at least shake hands for the cameras.

Watching the Main Event at the Kress Oscar Party

Just tell me your pick for Best Picture 2012, and you’ll be entered to win a pair of tickets to this event courtesy of Kress Cinema & Lounge.

The nominees for Best Picture are Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life, War Horse, The Artist, The Descendants, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and The Help.

If you haven’t seen any of these films yet – shame on you – just tell me your favorite film of this past year.

A winner will be chosen at random this Saturday, February 18 at approximately 2 p.m.

Good luck!  I hope to see you on the red carpet!

~ CONTEST NOW CLOSED ~

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Win 2 tickets to the Oscar Party at The Kress

February 21, 2011 — 15 Comments

The Kress is rolling out the red carpet for YOU!

The Kress Cinema & Lounge is located in downtown Greeley, Colorado and it’s a HeidiTown favorite! This is a classy lounge with a well-appointed theater. They have live music in the bar area on the weekends and old and new movies nearly every night of the week. They also have a full lunch and dinner menu. It’s worth the trip to Greeley to check this place out! You can read my previous review of The Kress HERE.

The Kress is throwing their annual Oscar Party on Sunday, February 27 at 5:30 p.m. The event includes a red carpet, appetizer buffet, Oscar ballot and cash prizes and the 83th Academy Awards on the big screen and the smaller televisions in the lounge. Tickets are $20 each.

You can win 2 tickets to the Oscar Party at The Kress by leaving me a comment here. Tell me which of the ten best picture nominees you think should win. If you haven’t seen any of the best picture nominees (and shame on you!) tell me your favorite movie of the past year.

A winner will be picked randomly on Thursday at 9 a.m. Good luck!

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Party like a celebrity – The Oscars 2011

February 16, 2011 — 11 Comments

If you’ve been a longtime resident of HeidiTown, you know that the Mayor likes movies. I don’t post movie reviews here anymore, but I still see a lot of movies, and I love the Oscars despite the fact that there are now ten best picture nominees (it’s hard enough finding 5 movies good enough to be best picture nominees).

The 83rd Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, February 27, 2011, and I will be glued to my television the moment the stars start to walk the red carpet. I may be a low-maintenance gal, but I’ve always love glamorous fashion and all the glitz surrounding this award ceremony.

If you’d like to throw an Oscar Party, here are a few tips.  If you’d like to attend an organized Oscar party, scroll to the bottom of this post for a couple recommendations.

Red carpet – If you can obtain a large red carpet the length of your driveway to your front door – so awesome and I want to see pictures. However a small one will suffice. Buy a red entry way or bathroom rug at Kohl’s or Target. This will be an amusing addition to your party decorations. You can have your guests get their “party photo” taken while standing on the rug. Here’s when a Polaroid come in handy!

Champagne – I’m not a huge fan of bubbly unless it’s in orange juice, but every Oscar party needs at least a couple bottles. Plus, it looks so pretty in a fluted glass, even if it’s only one of those fake plastic champagne glasses you can buy for a dollar at Target.

SWAG – When the stars attend the Academy Awards they get a SWAG bag. These goodie bags are filled with promotional items like perfumes, slippers, and even jewelry. For your guests fill up SWAG bags with candy, stuff from the Dollar Store, or items from those bins in the pharmacy section of grocery store. Who doesn’t need a small tube of toothpaste?

Oscar Ballots – Moviefone.com has a printable ballot, get it here. Make sure you stock up on prizes for the winners. The prize for first place should be a fake Oscar (you can order them online) or just get a silly trophy from the thrift store. Other prize ideas?  Things from the dollar bins at Target.

Don’t want to throw you own party? Here are a couple of official Oscar parties in Colorado. If you know of any others, please leave a comment with event details.

The Kress Oscar Party, Greeley, Colorado

Website: www.kresscinema.com

Time: 5:30 p.m. until it’s over

Tickets: $20

Attire: Classy

This party includes a red carpet entrance, an appetizer buffet, Oscar ballot with cash prizes, and the 83rd Academy Awards on the big screen and in the lounge.

Oscar Night America, Denver, Colorado

Event Website Here

Where: Exdo Event Center @ 5 p.m.

Tickets start at $80

Attire: Swanky

This is the annual fundraiser for the Denver Film Society, a nonprofit organization working to promote film as an art form and civic forum. Guests will walk the red carpet and pose for the paparazzi. There will be a cocktail reception and seated dinner. A silent auction will be conducted throughout the night while the 83rd Academy Awards is shown via a live feed. Oscar ballots will be provided  and guest can win big prizes. things to do in Denver

Learn more about the 83rd Academy Awards at www.oscar.go.com.

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An American military movie wins big at the British Academy Awards

February 22, 2010 — Leave a comment
BAFTA 2010
The Orange British Academy Film Awards were held Sunday, February 21, 2010.

There are lots of reason to love the Brits, and here’s just one.  HeidiTown’s highest rated film of 2009, won big last night during the 2010 Orange British Academy Film Awards (aka BAFTA). 

Both “The Hurt Locker” and “Avatar” went into the awards with eight nominations each, with “The Hurt Locker” winning six, including Best Director and Best Film.  “Avatar” walked away with two.

Interestingly, while “Avatar” has made a staggering $2 billion at the box office, “The Hurt Locker” has made about $17 million.

Another HeidiTown favorite, Carey Mulligan, won best actress for her work in “An Education.”

Time will tell if “The Hurt Locker” will bode as well in the United States. The Academy Awards are scheduled for Sunday, March 7, and former husband and wife, Cameron and Bigalow will be up against each other again. Both “Avatar” and “The Hurt Locker” have received 9 nominations, including best picture and best director.

I saw “The Hurt Locker” long before the hype. You can read my review by clicking here.

Read my review of “An Education.”

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“Up in the Air” – a film grounded in reality

January 19, 2010 — 5 Comments
Up in the Air

George Clooney stars as Ryan Bingham in "Up in the Air" a film from Paramount Pictures.

Rated R

Directed by Jason Reitman

Starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Danny McBride

Heidi’s Illustrious Rating: 4/5

Word of Warning: Lots of product placement in this movie, sometimes distracting from what is otherwise a great film.

Before I expound on “Up in the Air” I want to make a statement. Apparently American Airlines paid a lot of money to be the featured airline in this film, however, you should beware the only airline that has ever official lost my luggage was AA. I’ve flown with them three times and all three times I experienced numerous delays. I was once stuck at the Salt Lake City airport for hours with no apology or explanation.  American Airlines sucks!

With that out of the way, I will give you my review. This movie reminded me of “Lost in Translation” with a little more levity. Clooney usually plays a too-cool-for-school fast-talking guy, but his character in “Up in the Air” is a little more believable than some of those previous characters. In fact, Ryan Bingham is realistically average and even a little dull.

Bingham, a forty-something suit, spends most of his time in the air. When he is on the ground, he is a corporate downsizing expert, meaning he fires people for a living. He travels over 300 days a year. His one goal in life is to reach 10 million frequent flier miles, something only six other people on AA have accomplished.

Unfortunately for Bingham, a bright young Cornell graduate has recently infiltrated his company, bringing with her new ideas on how they can streamline their firing practices. Natalie Keener, played by Anna Kendrick of “Twilight” fame, has devised a plan for video conferencing firing – ground the experts and put them behind a computer screen with a video camera. No fuss, no mess.

Bingham is not happy about this plan and his boss (Jason Bateman) decides to let Bingham take Keener on his next round of firings so she can see what it is really all about. This trip turns into more than Bingham bargained for, forcing him take stock in his own mundane existence.

This movie is sad, funny and insightful. Anna Kendrick holds her own in the shadow of George Clooney. In fact, being a “Twilight” alum, I wasn’t expecting much from Kendrick, but she surprised me with her exceptional acting ability.

“Up in the Air” has a well-constructed, solid storyline, is well acted and brings to life the lifeless world of airline travel and cookie-cutter chain hotel lodging. I highly recommend this movie and hope to see it do well at the Oscars. It is one of the best of 2009.

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Golden Globes hangover

January 18, 2010 — 3 Comments
Director James Cameron poses with the award for best motion picture drama for "Avatar" backstage at the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Director James Cameron poses with the award for best motion picture drama for "Avatar" backstage at the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

A while ago, a fellow writer friend mentioned she enjoys watching the Golden Globes because everyone gets drunk.  Last night definitely lived up to the billing.  Even the greats including Meryl Streep and Harrison Ford seemed as though they’d indulged in more than a few cocktails during the event, and there was lots of giggling during post-show interviews.

“Avatar” was the big winner, snagging both Best Director and Best Motion Picture Drama.  Although this style of movie seldom gets the big awards, I was not surprised at the win.  Avatar fits perfectly with Hollywood’s political views of the day; it represents the future of movie making and it’s making quite a lot of money.  The Golden Globe judges (Hollywood Foreign Press Association) aren’t usually concerned with the amount of money a film makes, but this year it seems they kept it top of mind.

Sandra Bullock walked away with her first Globe for her role in the mega-hit “Blind Side.” Blockbuster movies did well all night. Other mainstream winners included:

Meryl Streep – Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical for “Julie and Julia”

Robert Downey Jr. – Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical for “Sherlock Holmes”

“The Hangover” – Best Motion Picture Comedy Musical

Does this mark the end of the independent film?  The independent film has been dying a slow death for years.  As bigger and bigger names got involved in so-called independent projects, the genre has taken on a much less indie-feel.

Jeff Bridges did pick up a Best Actor in a Drama Golden Globe for his role in “Crazy Heart,” the story of a broken down country music singer.  ”Crazy Horse” isn’t really an independent film, but it has had a much more limited release than the other winners, playing mostly at theaters such as the Esquire in Denver.

As far as Golden Globe fashion, I was rather under-whelmed.  It seemed the eighties are back, including shoulder pads, which should only be worn by football players.  Hopefully the Academy Awards, airing on March 7, will prove to be a better night for fashion and perhaps a better night for the great films of 2009, including “An Education” and “Up in the Air.”

Follow me on Twitter @HeidiTown. 

 

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Rachel Getting Married (wish I’d RSVP’d “no”)

September 30, 2009 — 3 Comments

RachelGettingMarriedI just had one of those “wow I’m glad I didn’t go to the theater to see that movie” moments. “Rachel Getting Married” is the indie flick from that snagged Anne Hathaway an Oscar best-actress nomination in 2008.

She did fine, but after seeing this movie, I’m glad she didn’t win, because I was not blown away by her performance.

This is a movie about a girl name Kym (Anne Hathaway), who has been in and out of rehab for ten years. Her sister, Rachel, is getting married at their family’s Connecticut home (think, “Father of the Bride,” only not funny).

Kym has left her sober living house in order to attend the wedding, but her sister isn’t especially glad to see her. In fact, her sister given the honor of maid-of-honor to a friend, a position usually reserved for a sibling.

As the story unfolds we become painfully aware of the major skeletons in this family’s closet, and all the problems are directly related to Kym’s issues with addiction. It’s a glimpse into the lives of rich people with problems, a topic that is sometimes fascinating, but in this case just didn’t capture my interest. 

The wedding in the movie is just plain weird. There’s an odd mixture of music and dancing and basically I just wanted to go home, except that I was at home because we’d rented this one. 

If you’ve been curious about “Rachel Getting Married,” and it’s sitting on your Netflix queue, let me save . Delete it – this isn’t a wedding you want to attend.

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HeidiTown Oscar Predictions

February 22, 2009 — Leave a comment

oscar1

From gowns to speeches, I am crazy about the Academy Awards.  I sit rapt through the red carpet show, the award ceremony and the follow-up best and worst dressed shows that will follow all week. Obviously, I look forward to the Academy Awards, and they are finally here.

Here are my illustrious predictions:

Documentary Feature - The Betrayal (Nerakhoon), Encounters at the End of the World, Garden, Man on Wire, Trouble the Waters

Who I like:  Man on Wire

Who will win:  Man on Wire

Actress in a Supporting Role – Amy Adams (Doubt), Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Viola Davis (Doubt), Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Maris Tomei (The Wrestler)

Who I like:  Marissa Tomei

Who will win: Taraji P. Henson

Actor in a Supporting Role - Josh Brolin (Milk), Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder), Philip Seymore Hoffman (Doubt), Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight), Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)

Who I like:  Robert Downey Jr.

Who will win:  Heath Ledger

Actress in a Leading Role – Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Melissa Leo (Frozen River), Meryl Streep (Doubt), Kate Winslet (The Reader)

Who I like:  Meryl Streep – Streep carries this film. 

Who will win:  Kate Winslet – It is Winslet’s year and I believe she will walk away with the little golden statue.

Actor in a Leading Role- Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Sean Penn (Milk), Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button),  Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Who I like:  Mickey Rourke – Rourke somehow makes this character lovable despite his many flaws.

Who will win:  Sean Penn – I think this film was well-timed and I do not believe the Academy is ready to give the ultimate award to Rourke.

Adapted Screenplay- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Doubt, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire

Who I like:  Slumdog Millionaire

Who will win:  Slumdog Millionaire

Original Screenplay- Frozen River, Happy-Go-Lucky, In Bruges, Milk, WALL-E

Who I like:  In Bruges

Who will win:  Milk

Director -David Fincher (Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon), Gus Van Sant (Milk), Stephen Daldry (The Reader), Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

Who I like:  Danny Boyle

Who will win:  Ron Howard – This may be a stretch, but I have a hunch about this one.

Best Picture- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire

Who I like:  Slumdog Millionaire

Who will win: Slumdog Millionaire

Note:  I think Milk could be the upset, but I’m still going with Slumdog to win it all.

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"Brideshead Revisited" – A Story of Obsession in Changing Times

August 20, 2008 — Leave a comment

Will Emma Thompson received another Academy Award?

“Brideshead Revisited”

Read my review HERE.

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No Country for Old Men Wins Big

February 25, 2008 — Leave a comment

The Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men, won big tonight, taking home the Oscar for Best Picture, Director, Actor in a Supporting Role and Writing (adapted screenplay). 

Thankfully, I did manage to see the movie this afternoon before the big show.  I was rooting for Michael Clayton, but thought No Country for Old Men was quite good and I will work to get my review up within 48 hours. 

Happily, Atonement, a film I reviewed as over-rated, only walk away with one Oscar, despite the enormous hype. It won the the musical score category. Also happily, There will be Blood, wasn’t even nominated in the category; if you’ve read my review you will already know I was irritated by that movie’s musical score. 

I agree with both Actress and Actor in a leading role winners, Marion Cotillard, for her portrayal as Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose, and Daniel Day-Lewis in There will be Blood.  Both roles were incredibly well-acted and portrayed true depth of acting ability on the part of both actors. 

Juno took home the award I predicted and the one it deserved, Best Original Screenplay.

To read the entire list of winners go to www.oscar.com.

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