E: Well. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so happy to be wrong.
Honestly, I’m generally pretty happy to be wrong because it means that there was a surprise. Though it looked like last night’s awards had settled into complete predictability, there were a few surprises and a couple of truly shocking moment (good and bad) alongside all of the expected wins. Let’s take a quick look. Continue reading
E: Or at least, it’s starting to look like it might be a boring year after the complete insanity of this year’s precursor awards. For all that it’s been unsettled – who would be nominated, in which category, for which film — the uncertainty may have just settled into a typically predictable rut. This year’s race shows up pretty much everything that has always been dissatisfying about Oscar (the groupthink, the lack of racial and gender diversity, the penchant for awarding certain people because they’re due), while also managing to highlight some fantastic films.
Now, okay. A three-way race is inherently unstable, so it’s certainly possible that there could be a surprise in Best Picture, and maybe even in Best Director. The latter is particularly unlikely, but not impossible. So let’s all hope for the unexpected as we prepare for the opposite.
E: It’s target overload on The Good Wife, with quarry military, political, and sexual in our sights. Generally, however, this isn’t one of the stronger or more cohesive episodes; instead it’s a bunch of less-than-fully-realized plotlines thrown together to see what sticks. Hey, we’ve only got a few episodes left! Better re-use all the great guest stars! Better toss in all the new ones we can fit! Ever wanted to see Alicia on a secret military panel? Let’s try that too! More absurd interoffice dynamics? Check! Hot office sex? Gotta have that.
Basically, there were three main plots in Targets, two of which were fascinating but unfortunately truncated by the frustrating and dumb third plot. And I’m sure you can guess what I’m talking about.
E: Monday, back to the daily grind. Monday, back to the same old. Monday, when we start each week new.
This Monday Alicia goes home again; it’s not easy for anyone. Lucca smarts under the heavy, stupid hand of corporate authority. Diane and Cary lose their intelligence and their collective minds. Millions of classic guest stars show their faces as the show moves toward its conclusion.
M: If you’ve read our movie previews over the months/years, or if you’ve paid any attention to the box office, you know that February is usually a graveyard. It’s that wonderful combination of crap movies that studios are hoping will be a modest success because of the lack of competition, and bigger projects that have become albatrosses that the studios are trying to unload at a time that won’t be too painful, or mess up the rest of their carefully planned schedule. We’re hopeful that a few of these (Hail Caesar!, Race, Risen and Deadpool, for example) are the former rather than the latter, but, well, let’s just say we’re not holding our breathe.
E: Also, apologies, with a dissertation and wedding coming up fast, C will again not be joining us this month.
M: More so, E’s on her way to Mexico, so much of it will be left to me, which is significantly less fun for you, the readers, so we apologize. We are offering full refunds for anyone who is dissatisfied.
E: Maybe I’m dissatisfied with you hogging all the credit!
M: I’m trying to hog all the blame, and you’re welcome! Anyway, on to the movies!
Relatively Entertaining 