‘The King’s Speech’ Reigns Victorious

Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Melissa Leo and Colin Firth, winners of the acting awards at the Feb. 27 Oscars (Courtesy DVIDSHUB)

It was the beginning of September when I first heard of “The King’s Speech.” I was in a chocolate shop in Telluride, Colo., looking at truffles, when a man struck up a conversation with my parents and me. He was in town for the annual film festival.

“So what’s the best film you’ve seen?” we asked him.

“The King’s Speech,” he said without hesitation. He was moved by it, and of all the films at the festival, he put his confidence in the success of the Colin Firth/Geoffrey Rush/Helena Bonham Carter-driven British import. I needed to see it.

Four months later it hit the big screen in my area. I paid $4 to see an early show at a theater where the rooms have ceiling fans, the sixth row back feels like the first and the film pops from continuous play. A few other ladies had decided “The King’s Speech” was worth a viewing. I was the youngest person in the audience.

I left the theater with blurry eyes. I cried for the last 10 minutes where King George VI - played by Firth in a now Oscar-winning role – gives a radio broadcasted speech at the start of WWII. Like the man in the Colorado chocolate store, I was moved by the inspirational story of conquering a very personal issue (the king stammers) in a very public role (he is the King of the United Kingdom, after all).

At Sunday’s ultimate celebration of 2010′s greatest cinematic achievements, hosted by James Franco and Anne Hathaway, “The King’s Speech” reigned victorious. With big wins for leading actor, directing, original screenplay and best picture, September and the first mention of this film seem a long time ago.

While the ripples from the earthquake near Conway minutes after the show’s end was likely the most shocking event of the evening, Tom Hooper did manage an upset in the directing category for “The King’s Speech.” David Fincher was expected to take home the statue for his work on “The Social Network.” Then again most of us were also calling “Network” the best movie of the year until ”Speech” swept the top prizes at the guild awards.

The most entertaining award presentation of the night, and perhaps the most awkward, was that for supporting actress. Kirk Douglas brought the wholesome comedic relief a show like the Oscars needs.

A 94-year-old man calling Hathaway gorgeous and telling category winner Melissa Leo, “You’re much more beautiful than you were in ‘The Fighter,’” is both sweet and strange. And dragging out the announcement of the golden statue recipient was a genius move in the night’s most anticipated and hard-to-call category. It’s too bad it came so early in the evening.

Leo had been the front-runner until she distributed what many thought to be tasteless ads asking the Academy to consider her for the award. That’s when the adorable Hailee Steinfeld gained momentum. And while the 14-year-old’s first feature film performance in “True Grit” was excellent, I’m glad the voters looked at Leo’s more polished work and not her misstep with the media.

Hosts Franco and Hathaway took a hit from the media following their so-so turn as Oscar emcees. Both of them have twice hosted “Saturday Night Live.” They were enjoyable, funny episodes. But there’s a difference between a 90-minute sketch show where the host plays an array of characters and a 3-hour awards presentation where the host plays his or herself.

It would be terrifying to be in front of your most accomplished peers and the ever-critical world, hoping to entertain and gain acceptance by all. Franco and Hathaway have yet to hit the level of respect the acting and viewing community has for entertainers and past hosts like Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin and Whoopi Goldberg, just to name a few.

In a year where the Academy’s producers insisted on tailoring the show to a more youthful audience, it’s ironic to see the younger generation’s “The Social Network” fall to the older audience’s “The King’s Speech.” It just goes to show the Academy’s voters choose the best – not the most popular – candidate, as they should.

Filed under: Academy Awards, Colorado, Entertainment, Hollywood, Movies, Oscars, Academy Award, Alec Baldwin, Anne Hathaway, British, Christian Bale, Colin Firth, Colorado, Conway, David Fincher, earthquake, Geoffrey Rush, Hailee Steinfeld, Helena Bonham Carter, James Franco, Kirk Douglas, Melissa Leo, Natalie Portman, Oscar, Saturday Night Live, Steve Martin, Telluride, The King's Speech, The Social Network, Tom Hooper, True Grit, Whoopi Goldberg

Classic film series and OBU blogabout

On this day in history, Ouachita Baptist College (now University) became a reality. And how glad I am!

I could write about the colorful campus, the friendly folks, the A+ academics. I could write about how Ouachita changed and grew me. But I’m not going to. I’m just going to give these bits of advice to prospective students of this University:

• If you step on campus for the first time and God nudges you, I can bet He’s telling you OBU is right for you.
• If you leave campus and God nudges you, call up your admissions counselor. Maybe you just need to talk some more to someone who knows and loves Ouachita.
• If your sibling goes to OBU, it might be the right place for you. Pray on it, explore your options and when God nudges you toward OBU, listen to Him.
• If you are a high school student looking to attend a small Christian college, check out OBU!

Both of my sisters attend Ouachita, but going there was not an easy decision for either of them. Their experiences have been completely different than mine. That’s what makes this school so wonderful.

Leading into my design below, I shall use a cliché and say, “Jump on the band wagon!” Join the Ouachita family. And if you students get a call from my sister Madison who is working as a telecounselor, don’t hang up on her!

Happy Founders Day. On this lovely Labor Day, I recommend checking out “The Band Wagon,” a 1953 musical starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. The storyline is uncontrived and solid for a musical, and the dancing between Astaire and Charisse is impeccable. There are laughs aplenty and songs galore, including the famous “That’s Entertainment.”

For this classic film series piece, I captured a moment from “Dancing in the Dark,” a gorgeous Astaire/Charisse dance sequence in Central Park.

Filed under: 1950s, Classic Film Series, Design, Entertainment, News, Baptist, classic movie, Cyd Charisse, Fred Astaire, graphic design, illustration, musical, Ouachita, prospective, students, University

Classic film series update

Apparently Turner Classic Movies hired Michael Schwab to design their Summer Under the Stars campaign during the month of August. What a strange coincidence that I too am designing classic film pieces. Perhaps Schwab and I should team up? Maybe several years from now.

I’ll make sure I don’t create illustrations from any of the films TCM is promoting this month. Next in my Netflix list is “For Me and My Gal.” I believe it will be quite inspiring, but is it too soon to design Judy Garland again? Never!

Filed under: Classic Film Series, Design, Netflix, News, Judy Garland, Michael Schwab, Netflix, TCM, Turner Classic Movies

Beard On A Bike

When I lived in Colorado, a man rode around eastern Boulder County on his bicycle. His beard grew full and black, and his nose sunburned during the winter. He picked up trash around Louisville and Lafayette, collecting it in plastic grocery bags on the bike’s handlebars. With a colossal smile, he waved to cars passing him as he peddled along in the bike lane. Most people guessed he was homeless, but he lived with his brother.

My family named him Beard on a Bike. Others called him Jesus. I first heard his real name on a bus stuffed with high school marching band kids, brass horns and drums. On our way to a Friday night under the lights, we passed Beard on a Bike.

“Look, there’s Jesus,” someone said.

“His name is John,” said a defensive voice from the back row. I think most of us sitting near the guy, a tenor drum player with a punk rock exterior, were surprised he knew Jesus’ name. Even after the enlightenment, we still used our own nicknames.

One July third, Jesus wandered into the Target-owned Starbucks where I worked. I laughed when I saw him wearing the same hat as me, a black cap stamped with the Starbucks logo.

“Why’re you wearing my hat?” he asked me.

“Why are you wearing mine?” We bantered a bit and he handed me the local paper. He pointed out a front page article about a free Fourth of July pancake breakfast.

“You gotta go,” he said. “Free pancakes from the firefighters. After the bike parade.” I thanked him, purposefully failing to mention my shift scheduled during the shindig. In high school, I marched in the pointless parade, as most parades are. And like most teenagers, I hated cheesy local events, especially ones where little kids decorate their bikes with flags and crepe paper for a quick ride down Rock Creek Parkway. Everyone adheres to the unwritten summer dress code of jean shorts and white T-shirts.

The next morning, as I pushed the start button on the blender for the fiftieth time and turned around to see the line of guests measuring 10 deep, a parade sounded almost enjoyable. Firefighters, pancakes and training wheels trumped crazy co-workers who dyed the whipped cream Independence Day blue.

I learned Beard on a Bike’s last name when a car hit him as he rode his bike along US-287. Because of the Jan. 30, 2009 accident, John Breaux rests in the Louisville Cemetery.

A few years ago, the local paper named him citizen of the week and the city gifted him with a helmet. He used to ride around without one, a strange sight in bike heavy Colorado traffic. His death at 57 started an outpouring of love for the man, from community cleanups to impromptu gatherings at stores where Jesus received free cups of coffee.

Residents financially contributed toward the creation of a life-sized bronze statue of him. Businesses placed collection jars on counters and a local bank created a fund. In two months, offerings totaled $35,000. Hundreds of people gathered for the statue unveiling, exactly one year after Beard’s passing, a short turnaround considering it takes the city five years to fill asphalt canyons in neighborhood roads. Louisville’s Jesus — wearing his helmet, straddling his bike and waving — now watches over the city, gazing past the library up Spruce Street.

Everyone remembers the same man, but our personal encounters tell the story of his public, silent hero life. I remember him as Beard on a Bike, cycling along McCaslin Boulevard, smiling, the Flatirons as his backdrop.

Filed under: Colorado, News, Beard on a Bike, Boulder, Colorado, Jesus, John Breaux, Lafayette, Louisville, Starbucks, Target

Wind Still Whirling

One week of classes left. Believe it. One week and three projects separate me from the halfway-to-my-masters point. And when I make it there, I’m going home for a month. And I’m going to work at Target/Starbucks for at least two weeks so I don’t get fired. Ah, corporate rules.

What I’m working on:

• An audio slide show for advanced reporting. We are all putting together 2 minute personality profiles on someone from our semester beat. I chose to cover Justin Mertz, the marching band director and co-conductor of the symphony band. I have gathered all my content except for a few last minute photos of the band in concert (that’s Tuesday evening’s task). Justin’s a great subject, so I’m having a difficult time cutting things down to 2 minutes. It’ll probably run a bit longer.
• A website re-design for Danny Brown Films. Danny was cool enough to suggest I do his re-design when I approached him about my final project in web design class (design for a client). It’s coming together really well. Look for it in the near future.
• Research project. I’ve been managing the team in my research class that is looking at how to improve the content management system for The NewsHouse. Everyone has been doing some amazing research and I’ve had the pleasure of listening to everyone’s ideas and helping where needed. In the end, I’ll layout everyone’s reports so hopefully the presentation will be as strong as the research. It’s been a great experience … but next weekend will be crazy as I try to get everything together for our professor!

Before I head home on the 22nd (‘less a snow storm decides to come and delay the three flights it’s going to take for me to get home), I’ll have a week to work on Danny’s website, and I hope to go see several movies since so many good ones are out.

Filed under: Movies, Newhouse