Oscar Picks 2013

Award season is somewhat akin to high school “Most Likely To…” awards, which is to say they are pretty much popularity contests. Hollywood’s annual circle jerk is in full flex tonight with the Oscar Awards and far be it from me to miss an opportunity to chime in on the annual orgy of self flagellation.

In a perfect world, Zero Dark Thirty would sweep the Oscars because, simply put, it was the best movie of 2012. As if we needed reminding, Hollywood will once again show us we don’t live in a perfect world.

Nonetheless, here are some of my predictions for tonight’s bukkake:

BEST ACTOR
Will Win – Daniel Day Lewis
Should Win – Daniel Day Lewis
Yep. He’s that good. The movie itself is boring (gasp, how dare I?) but if you appreciate amazing acting, there was no better movie in 2012.

BEST ACTRESS
Will Win – Jessica Chastain
Should Win – Jennifer Lawrence
Both performances are worthy and Jennifer Lawrence was great. Could go either way. I actually just changed this to Jessica Chastain.

BEST DIRECTOR
Will Win – Steven Spielberg
Should Win – Anyone other than Steven Spielberg.
Which is not to say he doesn’t deserve it, he does. But he has raised the bar so high that continuing to reward him is to neglect what the award would mean to someone else. It’s like giving acting awards to Meryl Streep. We get it, they’re amazing.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Will Win – Alan Arkin
Should Win – Alan Arkin.
Alan Arkin should always win. Period.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Will Win – Helen Hunt
Should Win – Any of them.
Sally Field could upset, but if awards are truly based on performance (which I admit they are not) then this should be Helen Hunt’s.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Will Win – Quentin Taratino – Django Unchained
Should Win – Mark Boal – Zero Dark Thirty
Tarantino has proven time and time again to be a real voice for American cinema and Boal is just as deserving here. Could go either way, but I suspect we’re still too emotionally close to waterboarding for Boal to win.

BEST ADOPTED SCREENPLAY
Will Win – Chris Terrio – Argo
Should Win – David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
Sure, Russell has a bit of a reputation as being an asshole, but he has always tackled deeper issues in his films (Spanking the Monkey, anyone?) and somehow makes them work, very very well. His reputation could haunt him in the Directors category, but for writing it shouldn’t. Sadly, I don’t think the Academy can pass by the opportunity to slap itself on the back. The fake movie within a movie concept to save lives is about as clever as Hollywood can get. Added points for historical relevance and emotional impact.

BEST PICTURE
Will Win – Argo
Should Win – Zero Dark Thirty
I’m not sure the Academy can pass an opportunity to stress Hollywood’s importance or pseudo relevance to history or saving lives…or the fact that they ignored Ben Affleck for Best Director.

Make your own picks HERE.

Introducing My New Clothing Line – CLUB47 – “Hi My Name Is…”

“Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.”
– Niccolo Machiavelli

It’s about time I threw my hat into the proverbial fashion ring. My thinking is that if Pharrell, Jay-Z, Sean “Puff Daddy, Puffy, P Diddy, Diddy” Combs, Martha Stewart, Jacklyn Smith, Sarah Jessica Parker, Nelly, Gwen Stafani, 50 Cent and Tate Donovan can all do it, why can’t I? My lack of fashion sense and fashion knowledge notwithstanding, I am grabbing the American entrepreneurial bull by the horns and am proud to introduce a clothing line, adeptly called CLUB47.

The inaugural line is geared to the everyday suit wearing business man. Day in and day out these men are in meetings, on sales calls, at board meetings and always dressed to the nines. But so often we are left wondering, “What was the name of that dapper looking man who just took my money?” Well, I have solved that problem.

Inspired by my love of suits and the “Seinfeld” episode where Kramer suggests everyone in NYC wear name tags, and with an obvious nod to Eminem’s breakthrough “My Name Is…”, I am introducing CLUB47’s first line of men’s suits called “Hi My Name Is…”!

What makes this line so unique is my signature red “Hello, My Name Is” patch. The name area on the patch was created by the CLUB47 scientists in Denmark and has our patented and trademarked erasable vinyl, just like the white boards at work! So while you may be Nigel to the wife or on your birth certificate, you can now be Clive on your next sales call or even Todd at your next meeting.
Also unique to Club47’s “Hi, My Name Is…” suit selection is the interchangeability of the name tag. We can sew it on either the left breast (shown above) or the right breast (shown below):

These suits were designed to take the anonymity out of the office. You no longer have an excuse to forget that debonair man who you just met with.  Perhaps more importantly, I designed these suits to be not just business practical but also evening practical. CLUB47’s suits are perfect for that meeting dinner, fund raiser or even the red carpet.

CLUB47
MENS SUIT COLLECTION, “HI MY NAME IS…”
Everywhere Summer 2013

Complete line of women’s suits and clip on Windsor Knot ties, Fall 2013.