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***

CCD Jacks The Oscars - Year 2: Jeff Bond'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!

I'm saddened, once again to see a shit-ton of my favorite films totally snubbed in one way or another. Films like 'Get Low' which featured some of the greatest film work of Bill Murray and Robert Duvall to date...or 'The Town' which was yet another showcase of Ben Affleck's directing talents! Not too mention the absolute genius that was 'Enter the Void' or 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'! But, I digress...the Academy wants what the Academy wants. So in choosing this years possible winners I've stuck to the nominees even when making my own personal picks for favorites to win. Without further ado I give you my Academy Awards picks for the year AND as an added bonus, since I am the author of 'Lego Iconic' articles monthly here at CCD, I've included film art made up entirely of Lego  ....and dreams.

'...and the Lego Oscar goes to....."

click 'READ MORE' below for Jeff Bond's Oscar picks!

Now These Are Some Alternate Film Posters I Can Get Into

Check out these awesome movie posters from artist Laz Marquez. These are just stunning. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Here are my favorites:

Proof That There Is A God: Amy Adams Edition

No Words... Just Thanks!!!

A Small Request From A Big Fan

I am going to start this post by saying that I have been a big fan of Mark Wahlberg as an actor for a very long time. I always liked the grittiness that he brought to his roles, and the tough guy attitude that always poured through his performances even if that wasn't the kind of role he was playing. Think about it: Basketball Diaries, Fear, Boogie Nights, The Perfect Storm, Shooter, Invincible, The Departed, The Italian Job... the list if his hits goes on and on. But lately, something has kind of turned for Wahlberg... and honestly, its a turn for the worse. Think about it.

Your welcome...

I think the decline started in 2008 with We Own The Night. A total shitfest of a movie (my opinion) that featured such a unbelievable dream cast (Joaquin Phoenix, Robert Duvall, and Wahlberg... and the wonderful tits of Eva Mendes) that it probably sucked because they couldn't live up to the potential they all bring to a film.

Then came the truly dark days: The Happening and Max Payne. I kind of give Max Payne a pass because its a video game movie (9.8 out of 10 of them suck ass) so there was probably no shot of the one being good. But in my opinion, The Happening is the worst movie ever made. EVER MADE. Not just in 2008, or worst horror movie ever, or worst M Night movie ever... it is by far the worst film I have ever seen. Personally, I feel that the reason I have such contempt for it falls squarely on Wahlberg's overall dreadful performance. He plays an quiff of a character (this dick wears a mood ring... really) that is so totally opposite of everything we know Mark to be. How the fuck could he ever agree to play such a fairy type role? Couple his unbelievably effeminate performance with such ridiculous ideas that the wind is a villain and a script filled with disastrous dialogue and you got a movie that takes a great premise (why is everybody committing unexplained suicide?) and completely fucks it up. Not to mention, how the fuck can you ruin a movie that stars the absolutely gorgeous Zooey Deschanel? Fuck you, The Happening... you are the worst movie ever.

Wahlberg followed The Happening with a cool cameo in the Tina Fey/Steve Carrell comedy Date Night and a decent role in The Lovely Bones (an underrated movie... great!). So things were looking up for Marky Mark... until The Other Guys came out. I know the film was financially successful, and is praised as being funny. But I propose that all of these things are true IN SPITE of Wahlberg's performance, not because of it. He has become an over actor now, and he is trying way to hard to be a tough guy (Maybe cause of his gay bird role in The Happening... overcompensation anyone?) He is supposed to be the straight man to Will Ferrell's idiot... I get it. But does he have to be a dick of epic proportions? Not to mention the promotion he did on the MTV Awards and SNL where he kept the tough guy shtick up, cursing and threatening to beat everybody up... what a dickbag. Which brings me to the point of this whole rant:

Mark, please leave The Crow remake alone. Please. For the love of Christ. /Film has reported that Wahlberg has been offered the lead role in this reboot/remake. While I hope this is a mistake, usually the guys over at /Film don't fuck around. It has also been reported by Cinemablend.  Fuck. Don't do it Mark, please. Here are my 3 reasons why:

1. Brandon Lee is The Crow. That's that. I don't acknowledge any of the other 2,200 sequels, prequels an shitfests that have come out in the Crow franchise (that hurt to even type... franchise? More like Shitchise). The fucking guy took a bullet on the set of the movie and DIED, perpetuating the curse on the Lee family that started with his Dad. You guys have fucked his legacy up enough... don't let Wahlberg and his recent track record of terrible performances make this any worse than it already is.
2. Why would you want to play this role? It can only go bad for you... whats the upside, honestly? This film is probably going to suck worse then Reindeer Games, so get yourself out of the way now. For the sake of your career....
3. You got The Fighter coming up, which co-stars Christian Bale and tells the story of boxer Irish Mickey Ward. This film is made for you, and hopefully will be great. Maybe through this you will gain some respect from everybody again and become a top notch actor. Get this one out before you even sign on to do anything else.

I hope Mark listens, but he probably won't. I truly love this guy as an actor. I also think its remarkable that he rose to such a highly regarded status because I never thought he had it in him. But now that he has crashed and burned on camera, can he turn it around? Lets hope so... I'm rooting for you Mark! Am I crazy? Do you disagree? Tell me how you feel about all of this Mark Wahlberg related hoopla in the comment section below. I can't wait to hear all your thoughts.