How To Win Your Oscar Pool

With the big show slated for this Sunday, Oscar season is in full-on statuette speculation mode. Here’s a quick cheat sheet to help you win your Oscar pool (even if the endless predictions are enough to make LA Times film critic Kenneth Turan long for simpler times):

Because Everybody Says So:

Best Actor: Colin Firth, The Kings Speech

Best Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter

Director: David Fincher, The Social Network

Screenplay (Adapted): The Social Network, Aaron Sorkin

Animated Feature: Toy Story 3

Races That Could Go Either Way:

Original Screenplay: Seriously, it’s probably going to The King's Speech, unless people want a way to honor The Kids Are All Right – this would be the category to do that.

Cinematography: It’s either going to be True Grit or Inception. If the Coens take home nothing else, they may take this.

Costumes & Art Direction: One of these categories is going to go to The King's Speech, and the other to Alice in Wonderland. Let’s say Alice for Costumes and King’s Speech for Art.

Score: This may actually be the category where it’s anybody’s game. The only sure thing is that it won’t go to How To Train Your Dragon. Sorry kids. I want to give it to The Social Network for being so subtly eerie, but the smart bet is probably 127 Hours.

Documentary Feature: Sure, this will probably go to Inside Job. And sure, we don’t know if Banksy was pulling one over on us with Exit Through The Gift Shop. But even if he was, doesn’t he deserve something for executing such an elaborate prank?

Best Supporting Actress: Word is this is a contest between Melissa Leo (The Fighter) and Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit). Who knows? Let’s give it to Leo for her character’s incredibly ostentatious hair and outfits.

Original Song: Hmmm... does anyone know what these songs sound like? Let's just give this award to "My Heart Will Go On,” for old time’s sake. Or to Randy Newman.

Categories That Are Kind Of A Mystery:

Sound Editing: Inception

Sound Mixing: The King's Speech

Shorts:

Animated Short: Day and Night

Live Action Short: The Confession

Documentary Short: Strangers No More

Other Stuff That Contributes To The Show Being, Like, Four Hours Long:

Foreign Language: In A Better World

Editing: The Social Network

Makeup: The Wolfman

Visual Effects: Inception

So that leaves us with Best Picture, and if you’re into things like “winning,” then fine, put down The King’s Speech. But, on your Oscar ballot, but some hearts around Toy Story 3.

Robyn at ACL Live

One of the best parts of last Thursday’s Robyn show at ACL Live, apart from the insanely energetic pixie-diva herself, was experiencing the brand new venue. Attached to the newly-opened W Hotel/Condo Building, ACL Live at Moody Theater is exactly the type of state-of-the-art space that Austin’s been long overdue for. Excellent acoustics, a broad open dance floor, multiple bars, and stair-stepped stadium seating – it’s the type of venue that’s been clearly designed for both the artist and the audience. Nicely done.

Of course when the Swedish phenom took the stage nothing else much mattered. Clad in a patchwork of different fabrics and colors, mauve pants beneath denim pockets and a light colored t-shirt, Robyn performed most of the songs from her Body Talk album with an intense and unfailing energy. Flanked by two drummers and two keyboardists, all wearing lab coats, Robyn did the robot during the hypnotic “Fembot,” after opening the show with “Time Machine.”

When the crazy blue strobe lights set in motion during “Dancing On My Own,” it felt like the beginning of a rave – a feeling that only intensified during “We Dance to the Beat.” By the time Robyn worked up to “Indestructible,” there was a full-on dance party going on, the crowded dance floor going nuts. Some time during “Call Your Girlfriend” she peeled a banana, and then returned to eat it during the encore. When Robyn started in on the funky “Dancehall Queen” (after some intense clapping during “Stars Forever”), one couldn’t help but marvel at the depth of her energy.

Opener Diamond Rings earned a recent shout-out in New York Magazine’s “Approval Matrix,” and he decidedly deserved it if for no other reason than his willingness to perform the incredibly catchy “All Yr Songs” in gold spandex pants.

Diamond Rings: All Yr Songs by gaga-digi

Songs I Can't Get Out Of My Head: Vol. 16

Awolnation - "Sail"
There's something oddly mesmerizing about this track -- Aaron Bruno's scratchy voice lamenting his ability to focus amid hazy backing music; it's hard to listen to just once.


Sail by awolnation

Mumford & Sons - "The Cave"
Luring us in with a gentle banjo, the London quartet build this song slowly, gradually getting worked up to a fast but beautifully melodious pace.

Mumford And Sons - The Cave by IndieRock Universe

Bright Eyes - "Haile Selassie"
Before the Bright Eyes album The People's Key drops on Feb. 15, the band's been releasing (and now streaming) tracks online. (Listen and get this track here.)

And finally -- during the last NPR pledge drive, KQED played some selections from "Good Radiation," and inevitably parts of the song became lodged in my brain. There aren't a lot of songs that give multiple shout-outs to Terry Gross (though there should be), and props to Austin, so it's worth a listen just for that. (Or because you're really into amateur rap, whatever.) And, while you're at it, you know, it would be a good time to donate to Public Radio.