Oscarbation: Lee Grant and Donna Reed

Oscarbation: Bullock Campaigns, Streep Takes the Fifth*

'The Blind Side' nominee has hit the talk-show circuit while the veteran has been oddly silent.
By Steven Zeitchik
March 3, 2010

With the ballots cast, Sandra Bullock's tour de force performance as Southern spitfire Leigh Anne Tuohy in "The Blind Side" continues to carry weight with voters; an informal poll of Oscar strategists has her winning the lead actress award on Sunday.

It's hard to disagree. Bullock's Southern mother character is a great role, and she executes it perfectly. It doesn't hurt that she's in nearly every scene -- as opposed to her primary competitor, Meryl Streep, who has only half of the scenes in "Julie & Julia" -- and that she's made an effort to be out among the voters and tastemakers -- also unlike Streep.

While Bullock has made award-season stops practically everywhere -- late-night talk shows, morning TV and radio, and a host of intimate events for "The Blind Side" at such places as Il Cielo in Los Angeles and the trendy Monkey Bar in New York -- Streep has barely made appearances on the award circuit and infrequently addressed the media when she did.

Bullock has benefited from Streep's absence, specifically from the faux rivalry she created with the queen of serene, like the time she claimed to Tavis Smiley she would throw her shoe at Streep if Streep won the comedy actress Golden Globe. Or the dead flowers Bullock says Streep sent her after Bullock won a Globe for drama actress. And let's not get into that kiss at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards.

It's been a savvy tack for Bullock and publicist Cheryl Maisel, simultaneously keeping the actress in the public eye while also subtly painting her as the underdog. Bullock's decision to play ball with award voters has resonated with them, even if it's spelled a kind of Sandra-Bullock-is-stalking-me ubiquity that's reminiscent of Mickey Rourke's omnipresence last year on the award circuit.

Which may be why Bullock's taking her foot off the pedal now -- at the Oscar nominees luncheon, she suddenly proclaimed any continuation of the Bullock-Streep follies would be "just plain annoying." She's no longer the underdog, and reminding voters too often of her performance at this point could come off as confidence, not humility. Besides, the mostly silent response from Streep has given the whole enterprise a lopsided feeling.

Streep has done herself no favors with her silence. Her approach feels like the campaign two years ago for "Away From Her" star Julie Christie, who stayed quiet and out of town for long stretches of the season while fellow nominee Marion Cotillard worked the circuit -- and won the trophy.

Her absence also hasn't gotten the message out that Streep, for all the Oscar nomination love she's received, has been a bridesmaid for decades. She hasn't won since 1982, when she took home the statuette for "Sophie's Choice." She's been nominated 11 times since but has not won again.

That could have been a prime play for the Streep camp and those running her campaign at 42West (who did not reply to an inquiry for this story): Make it seem as if this is finally her year, as was done brilliantly for Martin Scorsese with "The Departed" in 2006.

Instead, they didn't really get the word out -- or any word out. And without that -- and with the Bullock campaign going so well -- we'll likely see the former Miss Congeniality take the stage on Sunday, giving her one more playful-heartfelt moment. Just don't ask her about Meryl Streep.


*courtesy of 'the envelope'

Oscarbation: Four Best Actress Winners

Oscarbation: I Just Don't Get 'The Hurt Locker' Push and Praise

i've been holding back but...

the first 10 minutes are riveting and the rest of the minutes are the first 10 redux.

i could not recommend this film to anyone!!!

but those 10 minutes could secure the director win.

Oscarbation: Judi Dench and Peter Finch

judi dench - 'shakespeare in love'
peter finch - 'network'

Oscarbation: 10 Years Ago

best picture: 'american beauty"

best actress: hilary swank - "boys don't cry"
best actor: kevin spacey - "american beauty"

best supporting actress: angelina jolie -"girl, interrupted"
best supporting actor: michael caine - 'cider house rules"

best director:sam mendes - "american beauty"

Passed in Feburary 2010: R.I.P.

frances reid - actress
john murtha - senator
kathryn grayson - actress
lionel jeffries - actor
past life - tv series
caroline mcwilliams - actress

Yes I Have an Agenda...Best Actress Anyone?

Sandra at the NAACP Image Awards Friday 2/26

Oscarbation: Shirley Jones and Susan Hayward

Oscarbation and Happy Birthday Elizabeth

Happy Birthday Josh

Oscarbation: Maggie Smith and Olivia de Haviland

"Real Time'" Tonight on HBO

he's back and even better!

Oscarbation: I Agree

Oscarbation: 82 Years of Oscar

which will be the 83rd best picture?

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Oscarbation: 25 Years Ago

best picture - "out of africa"

best actress: geraldine page -" the trip to bountiful"
best actor: william hurt - "kiss of the spider woman"

best supporting actress: anjelica huston - "prizzi's honor"
best supporting actor: don ameche - ''cocoon"

best director: sydney pollack - "out of africa"

Oscarbation: Promos

Oscarbation: Seven Supporting Actress Winners

cate blanchett, eva marie saint, lee grant, cloris leechman, meryl streep, olympia dukakis and ruth gordon

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Colin's Acceptance Speech

Colin Firth Wins Best Actor Bafta for 'Simple Man'

and he should win the oscar too but that seems otherwise decided. but he did beat jeff bridges this go-round




and presented by kate winslet doubles his win

Nominees Do Lunch

Happy Birthday Drew

Hurt Locker' Triumphs at BAFTA's

Best Picture – The Hurt Locker!!
Best Actress – Carey Mulligan, An Education
Best Actor – Colin Firth, A Single Man!
Best Director -Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker
Film not in the English Language – Un Prophete
Animated Film – Up
Adapted Screenplay – Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner for Up In The Air
Orange Rising Star Award – Kristen Stewart
Production Design: Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg & Kim Sinclair for Avatar
Original Screenplay: Mark Boal for The Hurt Locker
Outstanding British Film: Fish Tank
Supporting Actress: Mo’nique, Precious (Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire)
Makeup and Hair: Jenny Shircore for The Young Victoria
Costume Design: Sandy Powell for The Young Victoria
Supporting Actor – Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Visual Effects – Avatar
Cinematography – Barry Ackroyd for The Hurt Locker !!
Editing – The Hurt Locker
Sound – The Hurt Locker (!)
Music – Michael Giacchino for Up
Outstanding British Debut: Duncan Jones for Moon

Oscarbation: 50 Years Ago

best picture:'"ben hur"

best actress simone signoret - "room at the top"
best actor: charlton heston - "ben hur"

best supporting actress: shelley winters -"the diary of anne frank"
best supporting actor: hugh griffith - 'ben hur"

best director: william wyler - "ben hur"

Oscarbation: Actors Pick Their Favorite Performances of the Decade

(Courtesy: New York Times Magazine)