Can Rourke, Weinstein upset Oscar?
It's hard not to like Mickey Rourke these days, even though many of us can see his story as the comeback kid for what it is -- a carefully orchestrated and masterfully rejiggered positioning statement. It's a brand overhaul!
He was fantastic in "The Wrestler," a "broken down piece of meat" role that mirrors some of his own life experiences, and he's well deserving of the Oscar nod.
But will he upset the presumptive front runner (and Gold Rush pick) Sean Penn, whose turn as slain gay activist Harvey Milk was moving, captivating, awe-inspiring and prescient of the times we're living in?
There's chatter to that effect in the blogosphere, particularly after Rourke's win this weekend at the BAFTA awards. Check out his acceptance speech in the video and see how it works for you.
And speaking of upsets, Oscar tsunami Harvey Weinstein is doing his awards-season thing (circa the '90s) to try to push "The Reader" over the top in the best picture race. Will it work? We certainly hope not.
Mmmmm, chocolate Oscar. Not every star will walk away from the 81st annual Academy Awards with a trophy, but if they hit the high-profile Governor's Ball they can have pastry chef Sherry Yard's gold-dusted candy version. Also on the menu from celeb chef Wolfgang Puck is tuna tartare in sesame miso cones, chopped Chino Farms vegetable salad with ginger soy vinaigrette, Maine lobster and caviar. Serve it up! (Getty Images)
Is Mickey Rourke the face that they want to be attached to as an Academy Award winner. It would be different if he was SO amazing in the Wrestler, but truthfully he was not that great and for a comeback -- don't they have to actually like you to begin with? It's not like he was doing oscar caliber work before. His lace ridden expletives, his thanking of dogs -- i'm sorry just a little too weird and disrespectful. He should not win, his nomination was his reward.
Posted by: Jesse | February 09, 2009 at 09:40 PM
Jesse, YES he should win the Academy Award. He was SO amazing in the Wrestler. It sounds like you never even saw the movie. It is obvious you never saw any of his old movies before either. He was an actor that once once hailed as the next Marlo Brando because of his unbelievable acting talent, but he self-destructed. You are being prejudice against Mickey Rourke because he isn't your typical Hollywood phony type and doesn't look proper in your eyes. He says it like it is. The reason Mickey Rourke will win the Oscar is because nobody in Hollywood has forgotten how incredibly talented he was and is. His role in the Wrestler cemented the fact that he never lost the prodigious talent he always had.
Posted by: Mary | February 13, 2009 at 03:47 PM
Mickey was robbed of that Oscar!!!!
Posted by: colleen | February 22, 2009 at 09:52 PM