"The Last Station"

With my current lack of permanent employment (read: waah, I'm poor), I saw all of two movies sitting in a theater last year, both with Liz D. in the Hamptons: "Inglorious Basterds" and "Julie & Julia." So obviously watching the Oscars Sunday evening will not be as passionate an event for me as the Grammy Awards (though I do intend to live-blog, so stand by, cool cats!).

Today, I had a freelance assignment that allowed me to see "The Last Station," starring Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, James McAvoy and (Brooklyn Heights neighbor) Paul Giamatti... in a theater. Whee-haw!

Wondrously over-the-top script, beautiful acting, appreciable character development and stunning scenery from WWI-era Russia in the story of the latter years of iconic Leo Tolstoy. Helen Mirren was utterly knee-slapping with a melodramatic performance that was just good clean fun to observe.

So how naive was I leaving the flick, wondering how this movie was ignored by this year's Oscars... Doink! I had no clue that Mirren garnered a Best Actress nod and Plummer a Best Supporting Actor nom.

Well, now at least I have someone to rally for, instead of just drinking the night away.