IET's Official Oscar Preview

The 81st Academy Awards air this Sunday on ABC. Here are some of the things that I am interested to see:

How will Hugh Jackman do as host?
Hugh Jackman has hosted the Tony Awards three-times in the past, but this will be the first time he will host the Oscars. In fact, his performance as the host of the Tony Awards earned him an Emmy Award in 2005 for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program. Hugh Jackman is most remembered for his role as Wolverine in the X-Men films. He is also an acclaimed singer, dancer, and actor in stage musicals. I am interested to see how good a job he can do as host of the Oscars. If you think about the different hosts of the Oscars over the last twenty years ( Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, David Letterman, Steve Martin, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, and Ellen DeGeneres), Jackman will be the first host that is not a comedian. That doesn’t mean he won’t do a good job, but will he able to keep the audience in the theater and those watching on television entertained? I guess we will be able to find out right away when he starts the night off with his monologue.

Will Heath Ledger win Best Supporting Actor?












Heath Ledger was memorable as the Joker in The Dark Knight and has to be considered the favorite after a win at last month’s Golden Globes. It will be a major shock if he doesn’t get the award on Sunday. I'll be watching to see who will be accepting the award if he wins. Will it be Dark Knight director Chris Nolan, who accepted the award in Ledger’s behalf during the Golden Globe? I’m guessing it won’t be Ledger's co-star, Christian Bale, whose famous rant has been been a punchline on various comedy shows, most recently on last week’s episode of Family Guy.

Will Mickey Rourke win for Best Actor?
Mickey Rourke was brilliant in his role as Randy, a lonely, hard-luck wrestler, in the movie, The Wrestler. Not only did he give a great performance in the movie, the movie itself was also great. I thought the movie should have gotten a few more Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Also, I thought for sure Bruce Springsteen would get nominated for Best Music (song) after winning it for the Golden Globes. I will be really surprised if Rourke doesn't take home the Oscar for Best Actor.

The Oscars air this Sunday (2/22) at 5PM PT/8PM ET on ABC.

Movie Review - The Wrestler : Rourke's comeback

If you’ve ever seen professional wrestling, you probably know that it is purely fictional entertainment. However, to deny the punishment wrestlers endure by calling it fake is doing them a great disservice. I watched wrestling religiously as a child and heard many stories of these performers touring in vans, driving from town to town, putting on magnificent shows.

The film exposes the lore of wrestling, and the film itself is driven by Mickey Rourke’s heartfelt performance. He captures the ruggedness of a pro wrestler and gives the average person a glimpse into the heart of a man clinging to fame as age and tough living robs him of his vitality. The story may appeal to the average viewer because it is simple, yet its simplicity makes it a powerful film. With the recent deaths of high profile wrestlers I always enjoyed watching wrestle, this film has given me plenty to think about when it comes to the world of wrestling.

The Wrestler is a film that reveals the human side of a hero, the character itself has many flaws and thus one can relate. If anyone is interested in viewing a film that accurately depicts the life of a wrestler, or better yet, if anyone wants to watch a magnificent film, then this is the film for you.