LonesomePolecat

Although Oscar noms are never fully satisfying (to me or probably to anyone on earth), I can say these are the best I've seen in a while. I'm so glad THE ARTIST (easily, for me, the best film of 2011) got so many nominations. Between the noms and Billy Crystal, my favorite host, this is the first year in ages that I'm actually excited to see the Oscars.

So glad to have so many premieres to play with. Wondered, too, for we early birds, if you might tell us if there are restrictions on which week we can pick (i.e. nothing earlier than next June or whatever). Pretty excited to see what your challenge will be.

Apples and oranges-- they both have so much to offer and are both so different. Gene's great for athleticism and pure masculinity, but Fred is great for that suave and smooth dancing. Although both can really hoof. Yeah, I couldn't make that decision.

I would have to agree that The Court Jester is Danny's best. I would never have guessed he was 43! Where did he get all that energy? I love him being snapped in and out of being suave, especially when he's sword fighting. Love the songs, too. "I'm not loo loo loo-ing, sire, I'm willow willow wailing."

Jonas, don't let the Weinstein's advertising and lobbying for awards and such deter you from actually seeing this movie. It's a movie well worth seeing and I think you'll really like it. For my money it's the best movie of the year, and not because it's a silent movie-- because it's good cinema.

In more recent years Judi Dench won Best Supporting for SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, a film she barely appeared in (and I think she even said something about "her 6 minutes on screen"). Seems obvious that was really given to her because she didn't win Best Actress the year before for MRS BROWN. Hollywood likes to give Best Actor/Actress to people who've never won as sort of lifetime achievement awards as well, like Henry Fonda winning for ON GOLDEN POND. Was that really his best work, or even the best work of that year? I don't think so. We all know he basically won that for THE GRAPES OF WRATH and his other previous great performances.

(PS I love TCM Imports and Silent Sunday Nights, too! More silent and foreign films would be fine with me!)

(The) Thin Man

I too was glad to see The Artist winning Best Picture and hope this is an Oscar prediction. Best film I saw all year. Glad that it won best actor, too, because that's just the kind of acting that's hard to do but often goes unrecognized.

As every action hero on earth is legally required to say, "I'm in."

So enjoyed Downton Abbey Season 2 Episode 1 on sunday, with the minor complaint that Maggie Smith didn't have enough lines. I know you can rent season 2 on amazon.com, if you haven't yet.

I think Frances Hodgson Burnett (sorry if I spelled that wrong) has been adapted pretty well with a couple good versions of both Secret Garden and A Little Princess. The best to me is the adaptation of the latter from the 90s directed by Alfonso Cuaron-- beautiful film.

Well, sprocketman, although I certainly see your very valid point, the movie can't really change history, can it? If the Ark really did destroy every Nazi and save all the Jews in the camps, it would confuse uneducated people everywhere and ruin educated people's suspension of disbelief. Although, it raises a valid point: can a movie just change history like that for the sake of really good storytelling?

Easy to Wed NEXT: TEH PTAPHSIE IRLAMEIOLNI

Okay, if Charlie Brown counts as a movie, then I can talk about mine: The Who's giant Christmas tree in *HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS*. The one the Grinch folds up like an umbrella. SO AWESOME!

My dad always said that the best Jewish movie of all time was Raiders of the Lost Ark because God himself destroys the Jews' greatest 20th Century Villains, the Nazis, in a horrible way with the Jews' own artifact, The Ark of the Covenant. But then there's The Producers where the Jews destroy Hitler by laughing at him. It's a toss up.

Sorry there's another thread about this. I posted one because I couldn't find one. I wish the search worked a little better. This is so funny how everyone is so violent about which one they liked the best. Speaking of unusual versions, I have to put in a good word for another version I adore: *BLACKADDER'S CHRISTMAS CAROL*. So histerically funny. "May the yuletide log slip from your fire and burn your house down."

I'm taking a random poll. My family's favorite is SCROOGE (1970), the musical with Albert Finney. I know a lot of people my age love the Muppet version (that's the only one that makes me cry-- every single time), and my parents' generation loves Mr Magoo. Lots of classics fans love the 1951. But what about YOU?

I think Dargo wins. That picture made my day.

KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS

Robert Walker in STRANGERS ON A TRAIN -- amazing

I must say that my favorite version of this classic tale is the 1970 musical SCROOGE. But that being said I still haven't seen that famous Alistair Sim version. I'll definitely tell my DVR to record it.

What a cracking great film. Best film I've seen all year. Wonderful to see a brand new silent movie on the big screen! Anyone else see it? I know it's in limited release, but if you can, go see it. Incredible film.

If we're talking male: 1. Alec Guinness 2. Jack Lemmon 3. James Stewart 4. James Cagney 5. Ward Bond

COLONEL POTTER!! .... I remember him most from MASH (as Colonel Potter and that visiting crazy General from season 3), but since this is a movie board I have to mention my favorite screen performance of his: in Support Your Local Sheriff/Gunfighter. (But then I still haven't seen the Ox-Bow Incident--now I think I will.) I love you Harry!