Last weekend was the Alamo Drafthouse Off-Centered Film Festival, a celebration of film, hip-hop, and beer. So, pretty much all the best stuff in the world. What’s that? Cheese? Oh, yeah there was some cheese, too. At the VIP party at 400 Rabbits.

Antonelli’s Cheese provided the perfect cheese and chocolate pairings for the decadent Dogfish Head beers being passed around.

We sipped 75 Minute IPA, Burton Baton, and Theobroma while living it up with Dogfish Head founder and CEO, Sam Calagione. Now, Sam is American beer royalty and Mr. Betty and his sister were somewhat starstruck. (Watch Beer Wars to see Sam in all his brewing glory.)

He bought us each a Dogfish Head Indian Brown before heading into the theater to introduce the films. We opted to stay and party to the ill spins of Miss Manners. I am a huge Miss Manners fan and her Hip Hop Hooray show on KOOP. She provides thirst-quenching beats in the Austin hip hop desert and I love her. Haven’t listened yet? Get on it, yo.

While some of us rolled in all casual in our sweet kicks and massive hoop earrings, some attendees really got into the hip hop spirit.

Word.

The title of the movie is Wrong. And it’s just weird. The closest comparison I can make to another movie is Napoleon Dynamite. Only weirder and more somber.

The basic premise is that main character, Dolph, wakes up one morning to find his dog missing. Right from the get-go, Dolph is strange, his neighbor is strange, his gardener is strange, and every other character and situation are strange. From beginning to end.

Some weirdness takes place for comedic or emotional effect. The rest is sheerly for the sake of it, like the constant, pounding rain in Dolph’s indoor office. Like everything else, it is never explained or addressed. We are just supposed to accept the indoor rain.

There are some familiar faces, if that adds to the legitimacy of the film for you.

There’s a bit of mystery, magic, delusion, and I hate to overuse the word “weird,” but it’s simply the best description.

I don’t want to get into any details, because discovering the surreal quirks as each scene unfolds is likely the only enjoyment you’ll get from this movie. It’s part of the collection of films the Alamo Drafthouse owns, so there are plenty of opportunities to see it in Austin if you go in the next couple weeks.

I’ll leave you with this clip and you can decide for yourself whether you want to see it. Maybe surrealism is your thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGe6MTlF6Xk

It’s South by Southwest and I pity the poor souls who aren’t in Austin right now. The next week and a half or so will be devoted to consuming as much pop culture and tech as we can squeeze in. And the parties, MY GOD, the parties! My event schedule is too big to properly manage, so I will be whisked away in the herds from one place to the next, hoping that I don’t forget too many. Taking a note from the scenesters, I’ve RSVP’d to everything and am on every list.

While SXSW officially starts today, most of us have been living it up for a week already. You know the pre-parties are necessary training for the actual week. And like conditioned athletes, we train hard. I’m already having too much fun. New career goal: socialite who attends parties for a living. Will someone pay me to do that? Pretty please?

Every company worth their salt hosts fabulous parties so you just have to show up, find parking, and enjoy the free drinks and eats. The parking is actually kind of a nightmare and while I’m usually lucky in that area, I might try to figure out how to (takes deep breath) take the bus. Unless someone is volunteering to chauffer me around for about ten days. Pretty please?

How to you prepare for a week of this?

Photo via The Statesman

Photo via Extreme Air Shots

• A fridge full of bottled water
• 15 pounds of grapefruit
• Starbucks double espresso shots
• Ear plugs
• Tons of eye makeup remover
• Comfortable sneakers. Or heels, if you are stupid.
• Phone, iPad, and laptop chargers
• Book bag
• Extra business cards
• Mints and lip balm

Everyone might have a different Southby prep list, but that’s what mine looks like. In addition to all the parties I’ll be hitting the music circuit and some of the interactive stuff.

I’ll try to recap what I can after the haze clears. But I anticipate relaxing my blogging schedule for a week or so. See you on the other side, everyone!

I was so looking forward to last night’s Academy Awards show and it did not disappoint. Of course, I have lowered expectations of the Oscars as they are the most boring awards show. But I was rooting for so many of the movies and also for Seth MacFarlane. While many were unhappy with the choice of host, I was excited. MacFarlane is funny, looks good in a monkey suit, and is a hell of a singer. Primarily a voice actor, I thought he was a bit nervous in the beginning but grew more comfortable as the night went on.

Predictably, Daniel Day Lewis and Christoph Waltz won in the actor categories and Jennifer Lawrence and Anne Hathaway took home the actress prizes. While I thought Silver Linings Playbook was a pretty good movie, I didn’t think it was Oscar caliber. And J. Law wasn’t the standout in the the film, but as the girl is on fire, I guess it was her year to win. When she fell climbing the stairs to receive her award, it only endeared her to the world even more. The dress was worth the fall, in my opinion.

Overall, there were few fashion missteps. Most notable was Anne Hathaway’s Prada nipple dress. Oh, Anne. Why, WHY?!

Melissa McCarthy wore a steely gray abomination that did nothing for her full figure. Her big hair was bad, too.

But let us focus on the looks we liked. Amy Adams wore a gossamer dream from Oscar de la Renta. Adele wore a sparkling beaded gown that sparkled like stars when she performed Skyfall. Halle Berry’s custom creation was inspired by James Bond and fit her to a tee. Salma Hayek took a break from her normal cleavage-baring style to wear a velvet Alexander McQueen.

One of my favorite moments of the evening was Quentin Tarantino’s acceptance speech for Best Original Screenplay. I hope he’s correct, that it really will be The Year of the Writer. I was also very happy that Ang Lee won Best Director for Life of Pi. The film also took home awards for cinematography, visual effects, and original score, making it the big winner of the night. Absolutely deserved!

Argo won the night’s highest honor, Best Picture. Truly, I think Ben Affleck deserved a director and actor nomination, but he seemed pleased enough. His acceptance speech was the most frazzled and charming we’ve ever seen him. It was such an incredible movie, I don’t even feel too bad for Lincoln.

2012 gave us a bumper crop of great films, so I hope 2013 isn’t a letdown. Uh oh, I hear the theme music from Jaws playing. Time for me to wrap it up.

What were your favorite Oscar moments?

When the previews for Argo came out I was instantly hooked. And then I totally missed it. God bless the Alamo Drafthouse for bringing it back into theaters before the Oscars so I could see it. Especially since it’s slated to swoop in and win a bunch of awards.

I’ve never been crazy about Ben Affleck. I liked him enough, but didn’t give him much thought. Well, Ben, you are fully smack dab in the middle of my radar now. Yes, Mad Betty is on board. I won’t even bring up J. Lo. Except for this one time. Do you miss her, Ben?

Anyway, you might think a movie about the Iran hostage crisis is really heavy. And scary. Well, you’d be right. For most of the movie I was on the edge of my seat, heart pounding in my throat as I choked down my Asian Chicken Salad and Circle Blur. (Replace those with popcorn and soda, if you aren’t by an Alamo Drafthouse. You poor bastards.) It’s the kind of teeth-grinding tension that leaves you exhausted and sweaty, like you had been through the traumatic experiences yourself.

Here’s the trailer.

Everyone is talking about Ben Affleck’s excellent directing. His acting is an afterthought, although in truth, he carries the movie. And I’ve never seen someone rock 70s hair so well. I mean, it’s better than his normal hair.

He plays my favorite kind of hero. Smart, quiet, understated. The rest of the cast is just as exciting. Alan Arkin is always brilliant and has a real shot at the supporting actor trophy, although Christoph Waltz has my vote. John Goodman, the versatile Bryan Cranston, Kyle Chandler, Tate Donovan, and the newly gay (yay!) Victor Garber make up just part of the cast.

While there are many small characters and many angry mob scenes, employing anyone with a SAG card, the story is quite simple. I’ve come to increasingly appreciate restraint and Argo is the perfect model. The story could have easily been bogged down with details or fluff for the Hollywood scenes, but they really kept it sharp and clean. I would say there wasn’t one extraneous moment. That alone deserves an award.

I didn’t expect to have such strong feelings for Argo, but I love, love, loved it. Go see it.

It took me a while to write about Lincoln, because I can’t really do it justice. This movie is too big, too important to just casually call a great movie. And it is great. SO GREAT. But it’s so much more. It’s a documentation of history through art and extreme reverence to accuracy and detail.

Taking on the story of everyone’s favorite republican was no small feat, but Steven Spielberg was undoubtedly the man to do it. He reported a childhood fascination with the president that he never outgrew. And as children, weren’t we all fascinated by Lincoln and George Washington? The penny, the wooden teeth, the cherry tree. Children today still love Lincoln and tomorrow’s children will surely watch Spielberg’s movie in school, loving him in a more sophisticated way than I ever did.

I don’t even know how to talk about Daniel Day Lewis’ performance. He simply IS Abraham Lincoln. From his long, slight frame and slightly bent posture, to his gray pallor, he really looked the part.

The framing of Lincoln not just as a leader, an intellectual, and a visionary, but also as a playful father and a patient, kind husband was masterfully done. This is slight hero worship, not a picture of a flawed human being, which is fine with me. Sometimes we just need a hero.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt played son Robert, in a small but powerful role.

Sally Field reminded us all what a brilliant actress she is. History doesn’t always look favorably on Mary Todd Lincoln, but Spielberg chose to. The portrayal was respectful and at times lightly humorous.

My favorite moments took place in the moments of heated debate. The politicking. The name-calling. This is a dialogue movie done so perfectly, I feel like crying. I did not expect such comedy. 

I was never a devotee of Tommy Lee Jones…until now. His character, Representative Thaddeus Stevens is the true protagonist of the movie, despite the title. You’ll see many other familiar faces and I won’t spoil the surprises, as they are delightful and come in waves. Okay, one spoiler: James Spader plays possibly my favorite (small) character in the film.

Leading the Oscars with twelve nominations, we’re sure to hear Lincoln called repeatedly on February 24th. I am so invested in the Academy Awards this year that I have a countdown. (Nine days!) There were many amazing films this year and I’m conflicted on who to root for. Not to mention Seth MacFarlane is hosting. I can’t wait to see what he does to the normally stuffy show.

What films do you think deserve top honors? Did you see Lincoln? Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Are you making your way through the best picture nominees? I’ve missed the boat on a few. Argo left the theaters before I had a chance to go. But if there’s one movie that you really, really want to see on the big screen it’s Life of Pi. It’s a thrilling visual spectacle that should be seen on as magnificent a screen as possible, preferably in 3D.

First let me ask you: Have you read the book? Doesn’t matter. Go see the movie. But also, read the book. The book sold over $9M copies and the film has made over $500M already. Clearly, this is a story that resonates with people.

Without giving away too much of the plot, this is a story of survival. Unlike Cast Away, which showcased the star power of Tom Hanks, Pi is carried by an unknown. The title character, Pi Patel, is played by four different actors of various ages. For most of the movie, we see Suraj Sharma as Pi. It’s shocking that this was his first acting gig, and he’s since gone back to college to study philosophy. Just a normal guy…with a phenomenal talent. The physical and emotional demands would have been challenging for even the most seasoned actor. It’s unbelievable that Sharma pulled it off.

I am also a huge fan of the grown up Pi, Irrfan Khan. You might recognize him from Slumdog Millionaire, The Amazing Spider-Man, In Treatment, or my favorite, The Namesake. He’s one of those actors that always breaks my heart, and this was no exception.

Again, I must stress that the beauty of this movie is reason enough to see it. The incredible and often sad story make it almost unbearable at times, but the wondrous scenes glorifying bioluminescence or water so calm that it can only be described as spiritual, it’s almost euphoric to watch. Ang Lee was the fourth director to take on this film, and his choice to make the ocean a central character is proof that he was the right director to complete the project.

Again, I don’t want to spoil the story for those who aren’t familiar, but I’m sure you’ve seen the tiger in ads. Yes, a main character in the story is a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Four real tigers were used for filming although most of it was CGI. I’m a lover of all big cats so I was drawn to Richard Parker and bow down to the brilliant teams that made this character so real, so alive, and at times, terrifying.

I couldn’t help but think of my own little terrifying tigers at home.

 Though 2012 was packed with incredible movies, this is one of the best. Did you see Life of Pi? I’d love to read your opinions in the comments section!

I had to make a decision on what to post today, a Golden Globe recap or a Downton Abbey recap. What would be better? Well, nothing’s better than the classiness of Downton. WRONG! Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are better than everything in the world! So Golden Globes it is. But Downton tomorrow…

So yes, Tina and Amy. Sigh. I wanted the opening to last forever. They looked so glamorous and have just a natural repartee. Great separate and better together, they are the comedy team of the millenium. Look at Amy’s red carpet look! So chic.

The Golden Globes are fun because they balance the serious stuffiness of the Oscars with the humor of the Emmys. The awards are split between television and movies, and I like that, as I love both so much. I halfheartedly watched the red carpet interviews before the show. Lots of great dresses.

Jennifer Lawrence had one of my favorite looks, feminine yet edgy, and took home the trophy for Best Actress in a Comedy. I still need to see Silver Linings Playbook.

J. Lo’s dress was gorgeous, too. She has a knack for pushing the envelope and wearing daring designs and always. Pulls. It. Off.

Lucy Liu was simply stunning in this floral Carolina Herrara. And the messy braid is perfection. But I chose this photo for the crazy-looking ladies on either side of her.

Salma Hayek also wore one of my favorite gowns of the evening. I’ve seen her struggle with fit in the past, but not this time. The entire thing is beaded and it must weigh 25 pounds.

There were a few surprises during the show. Argo won for Best Drama and Best Director. Way to go, Ben Affleck. I need to see that one, too. And Bill Clinton presented Lincoln. 

Jodie Foster was the big honoree of the night. Her speech was…confusing. She started her speech by imitating Molly Shannon in the “I’m 50 Years Old” sketch, and that wasn’t great. She sort of came out of the closet, but of course, she’s been sort of out for many years. She vacillated between sentimental professions of love for her family and Mel Gibson, to lecturing about privacy, and what it means to be an actor. Then she sort of quit acting, but changed her mind during the backstage interviews. So, I’m not sure what the deal was. Was she drunk? Or is she just another Hollywood weirdo? Either way, she looked great.

Big winners of the night: Les Misérables, Girls, and Homeland. Oddest faces on camera were Mel Gibson, Taylor Swift, and a walrus Bill Murray.

What were your favorite moments from the awards?

I’m going to have a hard time writing about Django Unchained because I don’t want to spoil for you. And I won’t. I promise. But I really want to, because this movie was SO GREAT! So I’ll just discuss the superb acting and I won’t blow the story.

Here’s the trailer:

First, let me say that Jamie Foxx is phenomenal. No surprise, seeing as he won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Ray Charles. Hard to believe this is the same guy:

Now he’s 45, sleek and polished, and in the best shape of his life. While Django is a fun movie, the title character is mostly serious. Foxx pays proper reverence to the plight of the slaves, and Tarantino ensures that we do not take the subject lightly. We cringe and absorb the sheer horror of abuse. This particular brand of violence is extremely hard to watch. But those moments are fleeting and balanced with action, humor, and ultimately, a love story.

While there are a couple scene-stealers, the real star is Christoph Waltz, who plays a charismatic dentist/bounty hunter. He and Foxx make a great pair and most scenes feature the two of them together.

Acting heavyweight Leonardo DiCaprio is predictably brilliant as plantation owner Calvin Candie. He plays the best, most charming kind of smarmy there is. Isn’t it the greatest when an actor takes a character that does unspeakable, horrible things and makes you like them? I can’t think of a role Leo has played that I’ve enjoyed more.

I should also note that Samuel L. Jackson is marvelous. I didn’t even recognize him immediately. Critics who say he always just plays versions of the same character will be silenced by his role as head house slave Stephen. This persnickety old fool is simply put, fucking delightful. I couldn’t get enough of him. Tarantino brings out the best in Jackson. Like, the opposite of what Tim Burton does for Johnny Depp.

Of course, the righteous soundtrack and cool factor are totally badass, just like all of Tarantino’s films. He goes slightly over the top with blood spatters and imagery, taking the Spaghetti Western to a new level. From the opening credits to the extra scene at the end of the closing credits, you can see how much fun he had with this one. His growth as a filmmaker is evident, although that growth does not include restraint, thankfully. I believe this to be his finest work, which is not to say it is completely flawless. His own acting is pretty bad and his scene could have been eliminated altogether. It’s the imperfect stitch in his Persian rug.

I loved this so much, I’ll be seeing it in the theater again. I unabashedly recommend this above all other 2012 movies.

Yessss! My precioussss is back. I’ve been waiting years for The Hobbit to hit theaters. Did you see it yet? Do you need a reminder of what it’s all about? Here’s the trailer:

I haven’t read The Hobbit since I was about twelve, so I barely remember the story. And since it’s being split into three movies, I have even less of a grasp. I purposely stayed away from all news, reviews, and spoilers of any kind. It was almost like a brand new story for me. Almost.

Being a fan of The Office (UK), I loved that Martin Freeman plays the young Bilbo Baggins. He’s so likable and is kind of hobbity looking anyway. Perfect. It was so good to be back in The Shire. Just as green and lovely as I’d remembered.

Now, if you are into dwarves (and who isn’t?) this is the movie for you. Remember how gruff and brave Gimli was in Lord of the Rings?

Ha ha. Funny. Well we get thirteen dwarves and they. are. AWESOME. They are like little Ron Swansons, all macho facial hair and bravado. I’ll have to watch a few more times to learn them all by name, but I can tell you that I love them all. Dwarf-lover, right here, yo.

I’m not going to spoil the movie for you, as my policy is to only spoil TV shows. Just go see it. On the big screen. Even if you claim not to be into the whole Tolkien thing…do it. We are very lucky to be living RIGHT NOW while these movies are happening. Don’t squander this good fortune.

My takeaway is that The Hobbit is less sophisticated in storyline and execution than Lord of the Rings. Still dark and scary, but less so. It’s a little silly and maybe more kid-friendly. There are more “creature scenes” with lots of time devoted to trolls, orcs, goblins, and of course, Gollum.

It’s interesting that Peter Jackson ended up doing all the movies. I wonder if he would have done The Hobbit first, had he known. Personally, I’m glad to have them in this order, the more complicated story coming first. It’s clear that LOTR was Jackson’s true passion project.

If I have to give a criticism, and this is the common complaint, it’s that it was just too long. In order to stretch the book into three movies, the scenes feel extended beyond what is natural. I’m not complaining, because I’m happy to get as many movies as I can out of this franchise, but this could have been done in two movies.