‘Family Guy’ to Host the Oscars

It is time for Seth MacFarlane to say adios to cartoons and hello to a statue named Oscar. The Family Guy creator himself will be hosting this year’s 85^th Academy Awards in February. Although I am the first to admit I am not a huge fan of his shows, I was extremely impressed by the cuddly thunder buddy Ted. And then, just when I thought I was totes over Seth MacFarlane, he hosted SNL on September fifteenth. His impersonations and voices were AMAZING! Sidenote: his cartoons do not do him justice: he is quite the looker! So, I think it is safe to say I am a little too excited to see what he will bring to the stage in an environment such as the Academy Awards.

Unlike comedic greats such as Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, and Johnny Carson, who have hosted the Academy Awards too many times to count, MacFarlane has never hosted the Oscars before. However, do not be fooled: he is an experienced television host. As previously mentioned, he brought on the giggles as host of the premiere of this seasons Saturday Night Live and he famously roasted Charlie Sheen on Comedy Central, both of which got rave reviews from critics and fans. After the initial announcement, MacFarlane released a YouTube video (http://youtu.be/qgqRnlOEhoE) of himself breaking his big news to his father who was not very impressed for the funny guy; he seemed to care less about his son’s accomplishments and more about giving him hand-me-down “practically new” swim suits. The poor guy! Do not Worry Seth- we are happy for you!

– Tess Kornfeld

New Movie for Meryl Streep Will Probably be Amazing

If there’s one thing to know about me, it’s that I worship at the altar of Meryl Streep. Streep is a goddess and an icon in the world of acting, and to boot, she is probably the most genuine and all around awesome person in Hollywood (don’t challenge me – she is the Queen). And there’s nothing better than a (more like the) powerhouse actress like Streep teaming up with another fellow Best Actress winner and even better, in a period piece! Thanks to Tommy Lee Jones, that’s looking likely to happen in the future, as Streep is in talks to star alongside Hilary Swank in his next directorial (and acting) feature, The Homesman, which takes place in pioneer-era middle America. Details on Streep’s character are slim, but it’s looking like she’s going to play a mentally unstable woman. Calling it now, Streep’s next nomination (fingers crossed for her next win, but we had to wait 30 years for another, so I’m not holding my breath!)

– Diana Pearl

Movie on My Mind: The Master

Summer blockbusters have faded away, leaving a bit of a lull in the world of cinema, and the end of September is a weird time for Oscar lovers. It’s not yet early November, so many of the Oscar hopeful films have yet to trickle into theaters – whether via limited, or wide release.

What’s an Oscar lover to do? Well, Jerk feels your pain and has a few suggestions on how to spice this up.

Head to the movie theaters – it may not be prime Oscar time, but the theaters aren’t completely bare. First on my to see list? The Master, about a man (Joaquin Phoenix) struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder following World War II who develops a close bond with an offbeat religious teacher (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), opened in theaters last weekend. Phoenix may have taken a few years off since his Walk the Line days, but this one’s sure to be a (somewhat creepy) contender this awards season.

Relive your favorite Academy Award moments via the Oscars YouTube account. They have acceptance speeches and opening acts going back as far as the late 50’s and 60’s, as well as ones from recent years to give yourself a 2011 refresher.

Hit up your Netflix account and do a rewatch of all your favorite Oscar winning flicks (and losers too, if you love them enough!) Too often films that were favorites in their winning years can sit on the shelves years later, forgotten about in the flurry of new buzz and nominees. Kick back with Slumdog Millionaire, or A Beautiful Mind, and remember why you fell in love with them in the first place!

– Diana Pearl

Daniel Day-Lewis Finally Picks a Role

To me, Daniel Day-Lewis is the male equivalent of Meryl Streep. With two Best Actor Oscars under his belt, and an uncanny ability to act as a chameleon in whatever role he takes on, whether it be a ruthless oil tycoon (There Will Be Blood) or a 19^th century literary character come to life (The Age of Innocence), losing all sense of himself and completely adapting to his new skin, in a very Streep like way.

The difference between the two Hollywood legends? Streep has a new film nearly every year, if not more than that. Day-Lewis, however – we’re lucky to get a new film every three years. The actor is notoriously picky about the roles he takes on – we have to give him some credit – when he does appear on screen, it’s memorable (and usually garners him an Oscar nomination). So it only makes sense that in Day Lewis’s first role since 2009 (in Nine, which was something of a flop both at the box offices and with the Academy), he chose Spielberg’s Abraham Lincoln biopic, playing none other than the 16^th president himself.

The film, with a mid-November release date, (not to be confused with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer, the other Lincoln film that was released this past summer, with a little less award potential and a little more vampire slashing), is bound to collect some Oscar gold: a respected, if not the most respected, U.S. president, Day Lewis in the title role, Spielberg as director. The film’s trailer was released today, and I have to say, it looks incredible – Day Lewis is in his element, and with Sally Field (again) as the strong matriarch in Mary Todd Lincoln, the film’s sure to be a hit. What do you think?

– Diana Pearl

Don Mischer to Direct the Oscars

Once again, Don Mischer will direct the Academy Awards telecast in the upcoming year. Mischer has been directing all elements of the Oscars for three years now, including the Governors Awards and the Oscar red carpet preshow. For the past two years, he has served as the show’s producer as well as director. To boot, he’s garnered Emmy nods for his directing of the show for the past two years, giving last year’s show a total of 6 nominations – the most for any TV special. If you’ve been a fan of the past three years of Oscar, chances are you will enjoy this year’s show. With the predicted nominees, it’s sure to be an Oscar to remember.