Ueno Juri + Oscars

So here's my new discovery - Ueno Juri.

I don't think she's a new discovery for the Japanese but well I have most recently discovered her in the RongRong recommendation Nodame Cantabile and Keisuke (suitemate) recommendation Last Friends and this woman is an AMAZINGLY versatile actress!!

I mean it's how difficult to act as a xiao zha bor in one show and then a brooding motorcross rider lesbian in another?!? And she's totally unrecognizable if you don't look for her name, she's that good. I think give her another few years and she'll rival Meryl Streep.

Which brings me to...

This is actually the first time I've watched The Oscars live and in its entirety!! Actually I wanted to watch it because Hugh Jackman was the host this year (great job he did but I think Ellen did a better job a couple years back) and I sat at my computer and waited for what must have been for a couple hours for the traditional host's opening piece and then after having dinner I went to the bathroom and chatted for 5 minutes with my suitemate Sarah AND THEN THE DAMN SHOW STARTED and half his opening number was over by the time I got out. Luckily I still managed to see the part with Anne Hathaway.

Which reminds me...my favorite dresses of the night:

Anne Hathaway's was quite sweet I thought, and one of the best in the crowd this year though everyone was wearing quite normal stuff not like Bjork's swan suit a couple years ago.

But my favorite is still this:

Now I'm not normally a fan of dresses cos they are so troublesome and itchy but this is really beautiful. This dress is apparently (according to the interview prior to the ceremony) 60 years old and Penélope Cruz chose it 8 years ago at a store and she went back this year and found it still there waiting for her. Isn't that sweet? I think it's amazing and I'm glad she won Best Supporting for Vicky Cristina Barcelona even though I haven't watched it but I will.

And of course the stars of the show are:

Angie and Brad!!!! Woohoo!! Okay they were being quite stuck up and not talking to anyone on the red carpet but come on la they are Angie and Brad and even though they didn't win anything at the Oscars they're still huge. And Angie was smiling and laughing this time even though she didn't win! Unlike in the previous Critics Choices Awards when her face turned black when Anne Hathaway won the award (alongside Meryl Streep). But if you have watched Rachel Getting Married which is what Anne won the award for I think you'll know why la, it's not very spectacular and we all know Anne's more capable than that.

And more of Brad and Angie cos I like.

Oh Goddess!

Awards wise the pace of the ceremony was quick so it was quite fun to watch. Also pretty glad that Kate Winslet and Sean Penn got the best actress and best actor awards, even though I haven't watched either of their shows I fully intend to and I believe they were brilliant in them. And of course I guess no one would disagree that Heath Ledger fully deserved his best supporting actor award. It's really really too bad he's no longer here, sigh.

So now I have a list of absolutely must-watch movies by the end of this year:

1. Revolutionary Road (Because of Kate Winslet)
2. The Reader (Kate Winslet)
3. Milk (Sean Penn)
4. Doubt (Meryl Streep!!!)
5. Entre les Murs or The Class (Winner of the Palm D'Or and nominated for Best Foreign Film)
6. Changeling (ANGIE)
7. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVEN'T WATCHED THIS)
8. Slumdog Millionare (Just cos)
9. Departures (Japanese film, won Best Foreign Film)