Last night I waited in line with several hundred people to attend a sneak preview of Thank You For Smoking, and because I am genetically programmed to be early to everything, I was able to secure a seat.

I’ll sum it up quickly – the movie is very entertaining, brought to life by a great cast and script. Rookie director Jason Reitman does an admirable job adapting Christopher Buckley’s book for the big screen. Lead actor Aaron Eckhart really shines as a smug tobacco lobbyist; it is as if the role were written specifically for him. Although he has appeared in many quality movies, Eckhart is probably recognized most from his role as Julia Roberts’ boyfriend in Erin Brockovitch. But fans of Neil LaBute’s darker films (Nurse Betty, Your Friends & Neighbors, etc.) have been well aware of Eckhart’s talent for several years. The supporting cast of Thank You for Smoking is also strong: the reliably wacky and brilliant William H. Macy (Fargo), the very underrated Mario Bello (The Cooler), a surprisingly funny Rob Lowe, a pre-Cruise Katie Holmes playing it dirty, the fantastically expressive JK Simmons (Oz), and ‘it’ boy Adam Brody from The OC. 

I recommend this film to anyone looking for a good laugh and a scathing, sarcastic glimpse into the world of big tobacco.

Now I know why no one saw The Weather Man in theatres. It was just awful. Michael Caine and Nicolas Cage looked absolutely miserable onscreen, and the movie was disjointed and pointless. 

What on earth was Hope Davis (About Schmidt) doing in this film? When great indie actresses appear in big budget pictures, they always seem out of place and uncomfortable (i.e. Catherine Keener in The 40 Year Old Virgin and Parker Posey in You’ve Got Mail). And conversely, when less talented but more popular stars show up in independent films (like Jennifer Aniston in The Good Girl), the performances usually fall flat and seem to scream out ‘look at me, I’ve got range!”  Very few actresses achieve success and acclaim in both small and large scale movies, with the exception of women like Julianne Moore and Laura Linney. It will be interesting to see Maggie Glyllenhaal (Secretary) and Maria Bello in Oliver Stone’s controversial World Trade Center, which is scheduled to come out in August of this year.

Tomorrow night I am attending a sneak preview of Thank You For Smoking, which I am looking forward to because of the serious buzz it has already generated. I aim to post a review of it by Wednesday evening.

In case you missed it, Natalie Portman’s rap spoof on SNL was hilarious, an instant classic: http://www.nbc.com/Video/videos/snl_1439_natalieraps.shtml

Just as I’d suspected, In Her Shoes is good film…in spite of the fact that Cameron Diaz is one of the stars.  She wasn’t the best casting choice, especially to hold her own opposite the exceptional Toni Collette. Collette first won me over in 1994 as the ABBA-loving bride in Muriel’s Wedding.  In The Sixth Sense, she delivered a subtle yet powerful performance as Haley Joel Osment’s mom, resulting in her first and only Oscar nomination to date (for Best Supporting Actress). And in 2002, Collette had a small but pivotal and memorable role opposite Julianne Moore in The Hours.

My only thought throughout Just Like Heaven? What on earth were Reese and Ruffalo thinking when they signed on to this!? Yikes. It was difficult to watch Reese sleepwalk her way through a painfully predictable and formulaic film after just seeing her win the Best Actress Oscar. Hopefully her next choice will be worth the record-breaking $29 million dollar paycheck she’s now earning per film. Of course, Julia Roberts made $24 million for Mona Lisa Smile, and that was an expensive snoozer…

Matthew McConaughey was voted the sexiest man alive in 2005. Really? He is appealing, but is he a good actor? Are people too distracted by his pearly whites to notice or care?  Personally, I am distracted by his hairline (check it out in The Wedding Planner – it’s strange). And although I am drawn to some of his movies, I find myself ambivalent about his actual talent. The first time I saw him on screen was as Drew Barrymore’s boyfriend in Boys on the Side. Shortly after that he was touted as the next big thing when starred in the adaptation of John Grisham’s A Time to Kill. Yes, he has shown us his dramatic chops in quality films like Lone Star, Amistad, and U-571, but I prefer his comedic charm in EdTV.  He just signed on to star in Dear Deliah, playing a female advice columnist with a secret. Oh boy. Sounds a bit like Mrs. Doubtfire meets Little Black Book plus Someone Like You. Run, Forrest!
 

I am fascinated and mildly amused by the amount of grief and backlash directed my way, simply because I am not, nor have I ever been, on the Crash bandwagon. I’m being called bitter, when in fact it is disappointment.  I am entitled to be frustrated and affected by an Oscar win or loss – I invest and devote a good deal of emotion and time to the movies each year. Peruse the numerous post-Oscar articles and analysis by well-respected film critics online; in spite of the many shaking heads of disbelief at my opinion about Crash, I’m certainly not the only person who feels this strongly about the newly crowned Best Picture.

However liberal I might be, my dislike of Crash has nothing to do with the fact that I love Brokeback Mountain. I also really like Capote and Good Night, and Good Luck. In my personal opinion, these other three nominated films are superior to Crash. It disturbs me that some folks are attributing hidden Hollywood homophobia as the reason that Brokeback didn’t win Best Picture. Give me a break.

Nothing kills a good champagne buzz like a shocking win for Best Picture. I’m too stunned and appalled to analyze how and why Crash won over Brokeback Mountain, so I’ll avoid it for the time being.


Host Jon Stewart was pretty funny, and a definite improvement from the last several years. I need to watch the show again on TiVo because I was at an Oscar party and did not hear some of his gems.


I’ll break down my initial impressions of the winners by category.


ACTOR – LEADING

Won: Philip Seymour Hoffman

Should have won: Heath Ledger


Hoffman altered his voice and dropped a few pounds to play Truman Capote. He is a veteran of independent film, and has played far more challenging roles. I really enjoyed Capote but did not feel that Hoffman was transformative. On the other hand, Ledger was compelling and heartbreaking in laceName w:st=”on”>BrokebacklaceName> laceType w:st=”on”>MountainlaceType>. He clearly reached deeper than he’d ever been before as an actor, traveled far outside of his comfort zone and delivered a career-altering performance.


ACTOR – SUPPORTING
Won: George Clooney


I did not see Syriana, but I will. I’m happy for Clooney. It seems this year the Academy is awarding the men for altering their physical appearance; both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor underwent obvious weight fluctuation for their roles. And yet Felicity Huffman was snubbed for the most daring renovation of all – playing
a man who becomes a woman…

ACTRESS – LEADING

Won: Reese Witherspoon

Should have won: Felicity Huffman


Witherspoon saved Walk the Line. It is a good movie but her spirit and incandescent persona are what make the film. I am a big Reese fan, but this was a safe role, one that didn’t require much reach. She’s a Southern gal playing one of her Southern idols. Yes, she learned how to sing, and sing well, but Witherspoon’s best work was in Election.  Felicity Huffman may be more recognized for her television career, but her role in Transamerica is on par with Charlize Theron’s in Monster and Hilary Swank’s in Boys Don’t Cry.

ACTRESS – SUPPORTING

Won: Rachel Weisz

Should have won: Michelle Williams


To me, the women in this category anchored the films they were nominated for. Without them, the movies would have suffered greatly. I’m glad that Weisz has finally broken away from The Mummy, but I hope winning this category won’t affect her future work (see: Mercedes Ruehl, Marisa Tomei, Mira Sorvino, and Kim Basinger). The good news is that she is next starring in The Fountain, an Ayn Rand adaptation directed by her fiancé Darren Aronofsky. And although Michelle Williams didn’t win, she has officially arrived; Dawson’s Creek is now a distant memory, and Brokeback should open new doors for her.

BEST PICTURE

Won: Crash

Should have won: Brokeback Mountain


The only shocker of the night. I was in denial about the strong word of mouth support and momentum behind the film, as well as the power of a Best Picture released on DVD before Oscar ballots are due.  I need to sleep on it and get back to you, but I’m very surprised and disappointed.

ORIGINAL SONG
Won: Hard Out Here for a Pimp (Hustle & Flow)


Admittedly, it was a poor year for original songs in film. And to be fair, this song is catchy. The music in Hustle & Flow was the only highlight of the entire movie, if you ask me. But the Academy’s requirements for original music in a film are so asinine that Emmylou Harris was denied a nomination for her original song in Brokeback Mountain solely because it didn’t play long enough in a scene to qualify.
 

I don’t have the heart or energy to comment right now about the rest of the categories. Stay tuned for more analysis after I sleep and recover from the Crash upset.