THE FINAL STRETCH TO THE OSCARS

I'm on the final stretch to the Oscars.  And, once again, I am lagging behind.  This time...it's my fault. I've had plenty of opportunities.  But two weeks ago...

..I stalled
..I slowed down...
...I came to a screeching halt!  My legs, restless.  My eyes, worn.  My hips, spreading.  I got sick of movies.

Nonetheless, after this past Tuesday, I have regained my enthusiasm and you can expect me to be catching up and passing up right up and through the finish line...

The Finish Line = Sunday, February 27th on ABC, 8:00/5:00 pm EST/PST.

I am PST.  And Book Club-P comes between me and The Oscars.  So, I don't have much time.

Because of my suspended enthusiasm for movies, I missed a couple:  127 hours.  Winter's Bone.  Although one theater is showing 127 hours, the timing doesn't work; though, I can't say I'm disappointed.  My movie budget is almost depleted.  And I think I have gained about 3 pounds.

In the month of February to this date, I did see:

Biutiful (gloomy)
Alice in Wonderland (boring)
I Am Love (lovely)
Another Year (dreadful)

Documentary Features:
Exit through the Gift Shop (hysterical)
Gasland (educational)

And then...I reached the wall.  My ambition waned.  My enthusiasm drained.  I couldn't sit through, watch through, cry through, and cry through more and not even laugh through one more movie.  There were things that became much more appealing to do.  Like work.  I needed a push to get me back up on my feet....or rather back up on my ass and into the chair.

The Push was inevitable.  I committed, some time ago, to The Photographer to attend an evening of Live Action and Animated shorts at the Samuel Goldwyn theater...she bought me a ticket....JT and CeCe too.  I was looking forward to the get-together; however, dreading the theater and, no less, sitting through a bunch of cartoons.

But, Tuesday, I bucked up and showered up!  And off to the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, an evening of Oscar nominated Animated Shorts and Live Actions Shorts, hosted by Kevin Kenneth Branaugh.  At least I will be forced to check a few films off my list.  At that time, by no want of my own.

JT and Me meet, from opposites ends of The Valley, at CeCe's house.  The Photographer is photographing in Los Angeles so she is to meet us there.  Save us seats.  CeCe drives....over the hill.  We get a little lost.  Parking full.  More parking full. Parking...two blocks over.  We have reached the destination.  We park.  We walk.  We run.  We run across the street, just beating the walk-across countdown by 1.  Not without a couple stumbles here and there. Then, along with bazillion jillion peoples, we walk into the theater.  Thankfully, The Photographer has found a seat for us 'cause it is pretty full.  I only hope she has Words with Friends on her phone...to kill a bit of time, 'cause she has been there a while. We told her 6:30.  We are late.

We take off our coats.  We sit.  Half of us take a trip to the toilet.  Half of us stay in our seats.
It is my half that takes our seats.  I pull out my phone and  take a picture.

Apparently, an illegal picture

and

this is the picture I take.

No sooner than I take that picture, a guy with a big fat swirly cord sticking out of his ear approaches Me, "No Pictures Allowed."  A slight slap of the hand.  But mission accomplished.

The other half takes a trip to the toilet.  The other half takes their seats.

After a short tinkle, my half returns to their seats just as the Academy Member President Guy of Shorts (not denim) takes the podium.  He talks.  And 15 minutes later, we awake from a short snooze as Kenneth Branaugh takes the stage.  He's an actor.  He's an entertainer.   Need I say more?  Charming!  No more snoozing.

The curtain opens to 5 animated shorts in a row.  And, I must say, they are cute and unique with great stories.  They are short!  My eyes awake.  My glutes tense up.  And I am awide-awake and interested for the rest of the show.  Surprise, surprise!  My enthusiasm has returned!

Animated Shorts:
Day and Night (happiness)
Gruffalo (sweet)
Let's Pollute (sarcastic)
The Lost Thing (good story)
Madagascar (unique)

QUESTION & ANSWER - with no questions, only answers

INTERMISSION
  
Despite us liking the first half, it is already 9:30 and the program following intermission is much longer.  How will we stay awake?  How will we drink wine?  We devise our abort plan.  We decide to see the first three,  skip out on the last two.  Tonight we can do without Rwandan genocide and terminal cancer.


We take our seats.


Live Action Shorts:

The Confession

The Crush

God of Love

First.  The Confession.  Funny!  Brilliant!  Compelling!  Sad!  Should be in the Best Picture category.

Following that showing, JT now wants to stay.  I say if the first is that good, no other will match.  The Photographer prefers to stay but would not mind leaving.  CeCe is hungry.  I say stick to the plan.

Second.  The Crush.  Cute!  Thrilling!  Twisty!  Not as good.  But good.

Third.  The Good of Love.  Interesting!  Appealing!  Nice message!  Not as good.  But good.

We stand.  Half discuss staying!  Half discuss leaving! But we all leave for some discussion...with wine.  One block over, Kate Matalini.  We take out booth. Three tortilla soups, please...with wine.  Cheers, girls!

It is worth it.  We have plenty to discuss.  The movies were well worth coming out for.  And as the discussion ensues, I can't help noticing that my see-all-you-can-before-the-Oscars ambition is back.  I will make that final push.  Whatever I can do!

Lucky me.  The documentary shorts are all showing at a theater on Saturday.  Her Highness has agreed to go with me.  Blue Valentine, Friday night.  NaK agreed to go with me.   Sunday I can feel good about seeing as many films as I have. Next, the most challenging. How to vote. I'll keep you posted!

Ciao for now!
k