My Top 10 Oscar Memories of 2014... and Three Things I Hated: A CCD Rant by Mike D

So... it's finally over. Now that the Academy Awards have taken place, people can shift their bitching and moaning from who was nominated & who was snubbed to who won and who got the shaft. The Oscars always are divisive and cause arguments among film fans, but that is why they are so epic. I remember getting the pull outs of the nominees the day of the awards out of the Sunday paper as a kid and filling out my bracket, and often remember my parents and grandparents helping me to see all the films that were nominated. It holds a special place in my heart, so watching the show now if more of a "must do" behavior as opposed to "want to" behavior. I have to watch the show. That about sums it up. But there were some moments that were just perfect... basically the things you have come to know and love from the show. There were also a few things I hated. Not many, but a few. So here it goes... my 2014 Oscar recap rant, in all its snark and splendor. Hope you enjoy it...

On The 6th Day of Christmas, CCD Gave To Me....

... Jenn-y From The Block. No, not Jennifer Lopez... that is the only Jenny from the Block. I'm talking about the new Jenny from the block, Jennifer Lawrence. God Damn is she fine... and she is only a kid!!! At like 22 years old she hasn't even fully hit her potential... and when she does, look out world! She is about to hit the screen in the newest David O Russell movie American Hustle with some real heavy weights in the acting game (Amy Adams, Christian Bale, and Bradley Cooper) and boy is she looking special... very special indeed. Check out these Christmas pics of the sweet Jenny Law after the jump, and check back over the next 6 days to see the rest of the 2013 12 Days of Christmas-y Sexy Women...

'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' Finally Gets A Trailer....

Last year brought us the film adaption to The Hunger Games, and I like most was torn about the final results. I thought the movie turned out OK  but as a fan of the book series I thought there were a lot of unnecessary changes made for no real reason. Also, given the fact that I read all three books I know that the first one consists mostly to set up the next two books story lines. It is essentially the bridge to two much better stories, and necessary by default. So now we are getting into the vicinity second films release, and I am starting to get excited. The film picks up right after Katniss & Peeta won the 74th annual Hunger Games, and things in the 12 colonies are as crazy and unstable as ever. The gang at The Capitol are not happy with the people of the colonies looking at Katniss like a hero, so they begin to hatch a plan to discredit her and ruin her life post Hunger Games. The second book, Catching Fire, is absolutely amazing and the best part of this trailer is that they don't even reveal the biggest part of the story... even though there is a little nod & a wink to what is really gonna happen at the end of the trailer. I for one can't wait until November when the film is finally released. Check out the trailer after the jump...

Catching Fire Cast Portraits From the Capitol

As an avid fan of the Hunger Games books and someone who liked the first movie well enough, I am super excited to see the sequel Catching Fire when it gets the big screen treatment this November. I love Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, and I think the second book has the most action and adventure of the three. i also think that the first book consists of a lot of set up, so the second one is non stop action in the arena. As the publicity for the second film starts to build, here are 5 shots of key cast members in their best clothing (or at least the best clothing a resident of Panem would wear) if they were visiting the Capitol. Great job highlighting all the interesting characters that are helping Katniss in their own way.  You can see the gallery of posters after the jump. Catching Fire hits theaters this November...

Jennifer Lawrence Gets Fancy For W Magazine....

I make no apologizes for the fact that I like sexy celebrities and refuse to buy magazines that they appear in yet I have no interest in reading. So whenever I can I re-print the photo sets that these celebs participate in so that you don't have to buy these magazines as well. Here is one of the hottest actresses in the game, Jennifer Lawrence, getting her fancy pants on for W Magazine. Not the usual low cut clothees and smut we perfer here on CCD, but even I can class it up over here from time to time. Check out the pics after the jump...

'The Hunger Games' Gets An Official Trailer... I Soil My Pants

I have been yelling the praises of Suzanne Collin' 'Hunger Games' book series since the minute I turned the last page of the trilogy. While it is easy to assume it is a Young Adult crapfest in the vein of Twilight, people who read them will find themselves pleasantly surprised by the dense Sci-Fi/Adventure series the books actually are. After the success of all three books, plans for filming the trilogy started. Given the solid source material and possible potential for a franchise, Lionsgate decided to go all out. They put together a huge cast (Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrellson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Lenny Kravitz, Toby Jones, Thor's little brother, etc) for Gary Ross to direct... and now we finally have a trailer. Check it out in all it's wondrous glory after the jump.

Ok, Now I'll Talk About The Hunger Games

There have been tons of cast speculations, rumored stars attached, and typical internet nonsense associated with what is sure to be a tentpole movie franchise, The Hunger Games. Based on a trilogy of novels (The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay) by Suzanne Collins and making its way to the big screen next year, everyone has been buzzing about this one. So why haven't I covered it here on CCD very much (if at all)? 

I haven't covered it because I hate the speculation game that the internet has become lately. They announce a movie and right away start attaching people to roles, bashing confirmed casting decisions, and criticizing something long before it even shoots in front of cameras. The tipping point for me was when they cast Andrew Garfield as the new Spiderman. People got mad at the casting and said dumb shit like he was to 'skinny' for the role. Wait... what? He is to skinny? He is playing a teenager, and the role was played by the elfish Tobey McGuire. Forget that Garfield is a proven actor who has had great performances... people wanted to bash the casting just to bash it. Since then I have made a concerted effort to steer clear of casting rumors and wait for concrete facts. In the case of The Hunger Games, we got that today.

Whats wrong with this? Nothing, that's what!

Jennifer Lawrence will be portraying the star of the book, Katniss Everdeen, in the movie version. When she was cast, people immediately got pissy. They whined that she was to blonde, and to old, and this and that.... yet they failed to acknowledge one thing: Jennifer Lawrence is a hell of an actress that was NOMINATED FOR AN ACADEMY AWARD LAST YEAR (and she probably should have one)!!!! Honestly, how can this be a bad thing? I want a good actress for the role.... this is fine for me. Here she is on the cover of Entertainment Weekly in the role. Judge for yourself.

EW of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss.... nice!

Now, here are my critiques. First of all, I HAVE read the books and I loved them. Katniss is one of the strongest female characters I have ever read in any book, ever. Collins wrote her in such a way that you go from loving her to hating her to loving her again faster then you can turn a page. I enjoyed the books immensely, and when they cast Jenny Lawrence I was really excited. She is really hot, but she can fucking act. Watch Winter's Bone. That movie will change your life. Lawrence was nothing short of spectacular in that film, and it was a similar character to Katniss. So I am all in on this one. I can't wait to see this film. If you are a real fan of these books, you would love this picture and love Jennifer as Katniss. Stop being trolls and think before you type.

Ms. Collins, you killed it!

As for the rest of you guys and gals out there, you have at least a year before the film hits. I suggest getting the three books as soon as possible. They are fun and will be great summer reading, and Suzanne Collins shows authors like Stephanie Meyer how its done. They are only around 450 pages a piece, so make sure you get to these... you will not be disappointed. 

Jennifer Lawrence Does GQ... Good Lawd!!!

Here is Jennifer Lawrence, star of last years Academy Award nominated Winters Bone and the upcoming X-Men: First Class & the soon to be huge Hunger Games franchise. This girl is a hottie... no need to buy the GQ mag, here is the four photos of Ms. Lawrence.

Proof That There Is A God: 2011 Oscar Edition

***Please click Read more below to see the rest of the lovely ladies of the Oscars***

CCD Jacks The Oscars - Year 2: Mike D's Oscar Picks

Another year in film has come and gone and, my, what a year it's been. The Academy Awards air live this Sunday February 27th and a lot of us will be front and center for all the action!

While my addiction to movies (via Netflix Instant or in the theater) is well documented on this blog, it should come as no surprise that I take the Oscars quite seriously. Why you ask? Because I know that they are a 50/50 representation of everything I love about film. They represent 50% of whats right with making films, and 50% of what sucks about the film making industry. Excellent films like 'Winter's Bone' (this year) and 'Frozen River' (2 years ago) would never be known to the public at all if not for the Oscar nods they got. Would 'The King's Speech really have made over $100 million if it wasn't Oscars darling this season? I think not. But it's not all roses. The Oscars also represent the conformity that is required in Hollywood to get the nominations, let alone win an Oscar. Honestly, how can you snub Chris Nolan for 'Best Director', or never nominate a horror film for any awards despite how wildly popular they are (check the numbers... horror makes bank, son). I have seen all 10 of this years 'Best Film' nominees, and frankly the only one I can see myself constantly revisiting would be 'Inception' and 'True Grit'. That's not to say I didn't like the others... I just didn't LOVE them. I saw plenty of other films this year that I did love (um... Scott Pilgrim anyone?), yet they are missing. So it goes.

 Anyways, here are my pics for the 2011 Oscars. CCD jacks the show once again. Hope you enjoy the picks, and the awesome fan art that I took from over at Reelizer. It completes the deal. Enjoy!!!

***Please click 'Read more' below to see Mike D's 2011 Oscar Picks***

The Vanity Fair 'Hollywood Issue' Cover... Yes Please!!!

Left to Right: Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, James Franco, Jennifer Lawrence, Anthony Mackie, Olivia Wilde (Holy.Shit.WOWWWW), Jesse Eisenberg, Mila Kunis, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Andrew Garfield, Rashida Jones, Garrett Heldlund, Noomi Rapace, and Robert Duvall as the Bartender(in the background).

I can see they are going with a young Hollywood theme here (except for Duvall), which is fine, but I only have one question: Where is Natalie Portman, any of the Harry Potter and /or Twilight stars, and Emma Stone? How can you leave those guys out, with all they accomplished this year and all they got lined up next year... Who do you guys think VF forgot for this years cover? Tell us in the comment section below.

I Have A Whole New Respect For Kristen Stewart

Wow... just wow. I never thought those words would come out of my mouth. I have made fun of the single-emotioned Kristen Stewart for a long time here on CCD. As someone who read the Twilight books (yeah, I read em... so what? They are good!!!) and seen the movies, I can not understand why this young actress that is making crazy paper and starring in a huge franchise is always looking so sad... it don't make any sense. While she may not have any other emotion other then emo, she does have impeccable common sense.

What am I babbling about, you ask? Well, it seems that Zack Snyder had wanted K Stew for Lois Lane in his new Superman reboot/relaunch to appear alongside opposite of the recently cast Henry Cavill. Really? Why? I don't see it... and neither does Kristen. Check out what the Daily News has to say:

 According to the New York Daily News, Stewart met with Snyder and his producer/wife Deborah to discuss the role. Snyder didn’t formally offer the role to her, but had “definite interest.” Stewart, however “ultimately passed” indicating she was “caught off guard” by the success of Twilight and wanted to concentrate on “smaller, independent films.” The best part is that the News reports Snyder felt “slighted” by the actress and that she “wasted his time.” When contacting Stewart’s publicist, all they would say was that she “did not read for the role” which could easily mean she took a meeting. Snyder’s people didn’t comment.

So Snyder wanted her for the role, and she went to hear the pitch, but immediately told him no thank you. And now he is pissy. Guess what? I think that was really brave of her. First of, Superman would have been a payday for her. Like it or not, she is an established box office draw. She would have got some big bucks either up front or on the back end. But she did not like the part. Good for her. As for not wanting to get involved in another franchise, I ask you this: Can you blame her? This whole Twilight experience must have been quite trying and exhausting. When it's all said and done, this has been her whole life for like 5 years. I'm glad she is trying to make different types of movies.. I for one loved her 'Adventureland'. Lastly, I think K Stew is a hottie... I truly love her emo ass!!! But by not casting her, it opens the door for a ton of young hot actresses to play the role of Lois Lane. Three of CCD's former OHC's (Obscure Hot Chicks) of the day, Emily Browning, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Jennifer Lawrence are all being considered... as well as ever other actress in Hollywood. This could be a career maker for someone...

All in all, I respect K Stew for saying "Thanks but no thanks". Now only if she could get Nic Cage to start doing the same... if she could do that, I would love her even more!!!

OHC of the Day: Jennifer Lawrence

Here at CCD we love ourselves some Obscure Hot Chicks, or OHC for short. Usually these gorgeous women are on their way up the ladder to stardom when we feature them. I have been doing these for quite awhile, and never have I ever come across someone that was so bound for stardom as Jennifer Lawrence. Who s Jennifer Lawrence you ask? Trust me, there is no way you will be able to not know the answer to that in a year. She got her big break on The Bill Engvall Show, where she starred as the Blue Collar Comedians teenage daughter. She auditioned for the roles of Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) & Rosalie Hale (Nikki Reed), but didn't get those. Who would have ever thought that missing out on those monster roles in the Twilight franchise might have been the best thing that ever happened to her. Her current breakout role is in Winter's Bone, which I can not wait to see. It screened at Sundance last year and is getting some serious Oscar buzz. She also has the role of Mystique in the upcoming X-Men: First Class, a leading role in the horror film At The End Of The Street, and will star opposite Mel Gibson in The Beaver. Those are some big flicks, and some sure fire hits. Between those films and a potential Oscar nod, Ms. Lawrence is about to be real familiar to all you guys... for know, just enjoy these 40 pics.

***Please click Read more below for more Jennifer Lawrence pics***

New York Times Magazine: The Hollywood Issue - A Slideshow Of Stars

This weekend's NY Times Magazine is the annual Hollywood issue, and this year the magazine has invited some of this years brightest and best film stars to participate in a cool photo/video shoot. Film writer A.O. Scott provides this introduction to the photo/video project:

In the past, we have invited the year’s great performers to be themselves for the camera and, on video, to talk about what they do. This year, we asked them to do it: to show us — in a few gestures and with a few props but without dialogue or story — what acting is. And here they are, striking some of the classic attitudes of cinema, turning their bodies and faces into instruments of pure, deep and enigmatic emotion. — A.O. Scott

There are some big names here: Legends like Robert Duvall and Michael Douglas, hot young stars in the making like Jennifer Lawrence & Jessie Eisenberg, top of their game stars like Natalie Portman & James Franco, and CCD's favorite vampire/12 year old female crime fighter Chloe Moretz. There are 18 pics in all... hope you enjoy them. You can see the photos by clicking here & the videos by clicking here. Pick up the Sunday NY Times so that you can get all of the other Hollywood related goodies. Who looks the best in these pics? Which ones do you guys love or hate? Let us know in the comment section below.