Academy Awards Dining, Predictions, and Gossip
Published by Karyn Zoldan February 25th, 2007 in Entertaining / Parties, Food on Film, People Watching.Let’s face it — if you’re reading this message — you will not be at the Wolfgang Puck after awards dinner hobnobbing with the stars. Nor will you be invited to the Swifty Lazar or Vanity Fair parties. Although I do know some crafty people who have been able to sneak in but I won’t mention their names. But if they sneak in and tell within the next week, I could possibly share that gossip.
If you’re one of these last minute types who see-sawed about whether or not to invite a few friends over to watch the Academy Awards, then this message is for you. Chances are you can still find some friends who were going to sit home and watch the awards with a bag of chips and some bad dip in hand.
Here’s an idea — ask each friend to bring food that relates to one of the five nominated movies for best picture. At this late hour, people will be both panicked and thrilled at the same time. Just be ready with some suggestions.
For a list of movies, go to Oscars.com.
Since Babel happens on three continents, a global buffet might be in order. Think Moroccan shish kebabs or game hens (hard to find at the last minute) or perhaps a big cous cous salad with dried fruits; for San Diego/Mexico - try a tray of enchiladas or simply lots of tortilla chips with different salsa and Mexico beer; and for Tokyo, pick up prepared sushi and Japanese beer.
I didn’t see The Departed because I have a hard time digesting violence so I’m only guessing what they ate. Since part of the movie takes place in Hong Kong, order Chinese food or serve all the food in little takeout containers. I would also guess meat-and-potatoes, manly spy food and scotch.
I didn’t see Letters from Iwo Jima either. Ask people to bring rations or small cans of food. There are some excellent canned fishes with delicious sauces in small tins.
If you haven’t seen Little Miss Sunshine, be sure to watch it on DVD. It will do your heart and funny bone good. Comedies like this don’t usually get nominated but this is indeed a winner — it just won’t win for best picture. Since it’s about a dysfunctional family, bring junk food, peanut butter sandwiches, Oreos, hot dogs and hamburgers, and soda pop mixed with vodka.
Long live The Queen. Helen Mirren will win for best actress but I don’t think this will win for best picture although it will get some writing award perhaps for best original screenplay. Fish and chips or bangers and mash will do as will English tea served in pretty cups and scones or delicate butter cookies. Â
Or ask people to bring a dish from the foreign film nominations.
Predictions: I didn’t see Babel either but I bet it will be this year’s global Crash and win for best picture. The tough question: Who will win for Best Director? Will it be the director of Babel or Martin Scorsese who is the sentimental favorite?
This year I saw the short film - live action nominations and they were all top notch. I believe Binta and the Great Idea (Africa) will win but West Bank Story was the funniest.
Dear audience — What will you be eating? Who are you predicting? Lastly, got gossip?
My husband and I watched Babel last night. I loved it. He liked it a lot. There is a difference.
Too much symbolism for him. He kept asking what the Japanese girl had to do with the whole thing.
My interpretation was that it compared polar opposite lifestyles where people had to deal with what life dealt them.
It compared a lifestyle where a girl had everything (OK, not everything — she was struggling with being a deaf/mute) and was struggling with circumstances that her life dealt her (mother’s suicide, not having a boytfriend, etc.) and two boys that had nothing who were struggling with circumstances that life dealt them.
Also, he missed a key part about Brad Pitt’s 3rd child dying from SIDS — granted, it was a little hard to hear in the movie and was only mentioned briefly once. It did help explain why the couple was “running away” and distant from each other.
I love complex movies — ones that you think about days later and suddenly find another piece that fits together that you first did not think about.
Any other interpretations?
Notes from a Hollywood Insider:
Security was everywhere in the theater and there were more people in the audience watching the rehearsal than I’ve ever seen before. (Gee, I wonder who has that privilege?)
It was impossible to be discreet so there was no covert picture taking.
And for the gentlemen in the audience, there’s just one thing to say, “Beyonce!” I’m telling you, however good she looks in photos or on camera, in person she is ten times more beautiful. Anyway, her number, along with her fellow performers from Dreamgirls, is worth seeing. Celine Dion and Melissa Etheridge are two other performers of note.
Be sure to watch the silhouette performers closely. Things may not appear as they seem.
Boring! Long!
That can be the only words that comes to mind when thinking of the awards show last night.
Unbelivably dull and so many weird and long vignettes that didn’t quite make sense and we’re funny.
Next year is the 80th anniversary and if they would just cut out the clutter, that would help considerably.