The Godfather 50th Anniversary Movie Poster Screen Print by Sean Phillips x The Academy Museum x Layered Butter

The Academy Museum has released a new collection of merchandise celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Academy Award-winning film, The Godfather, including exclusive clothing and accessories created together with Paramount Studio. The new collection includes a ton of really cool merch, but what has The Blot super excited is this killer The Godfather 50th Anniversary Movie Poster Screen Print by acclaimed comic book artist Sean Phillips!

The Godfather 50th Anniversary Movie Poster by Sean Phillips is a 24”x36” hand numbered 7 color screen print with gold metallic inks. Officially licensed by Paramount Pictures, this striking movie poster is limited to just 325 pieces and can be pre-ordered now at AcademyMuseumStore.org for $80.

Barneyism of the Week - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

I can’t believe Robin’s been so upset.

"I can’t believe you threw up
in your Stormtrooper helmet." - Marshall

Eh, I did something worse in it
after the Phantom Menace premiere.

- Barney Stinson

“Of Course”

How I Met Your Mother

While this week’s episode of HIMYM was kind of lacking in the Barney-ism department, the same can’t be said of the 82nd Annual Academy Awards! Neil Patrick Harris’ surprise appearance was the highlight of the 2010 Oscars, and definitely one of (if not the) most entertaining bits of the show. If you decided not to watch last night’s telecast, here’s a video clip of NPH’s song and dance number to kick off the film industry’s biggest night of the year:



After seeing NPH sing and dance on his third big awards show of the year, it kind of makes you wonder why the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences didn’t just pick Harris to host the awards ceremony over Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. I’ve got a feeling we’ll be seeing the Barnacle hosting the show sometime soon, and you can be sure a ton of Barney/Harold and Kumar jokes will be sure to follow.

The Blot Reviews The 81st Annual Academy Awards Nominations

Yesterday, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences unveiled the nominees for their 81st Annual Academy Awards show and The Blot is more than a little disappointed in who was left off the ballot. Neither The Dark Knight nor its director Christopher Nolan were shown any love from Oscar! This is just another example of why the Academy Awards have take such a huge ratings hit over the past few years. It’s like they are trying to push viewers away from their telecast.


Too often the Academy gets wrapped up in art films no one sees and refuses to acknowledge the artistic majesty of films embraced by the masses. Yes, The Dark Knight was a superhero movie, but once you look past its comic book origins the film truly is an artistic masterpiece. The truth is, very few films in recent memory have resonated with the American people like The Dark Knight did this past summer, and I really believe that grossing as much money as The Dark Knight did says something about the quality of the film.

Thankfully the real star of that movie, the amazing Heath Ledger who was taken from his friends and family too soon, received the Best Supporting Actor nomination he so richly deserved. I will be tuning in to the Oscar telecast next month if for no other reason than to see Mr. Ledger win this award. I have no idea who will be accepting the award on his behalf, but I expect a rousing tribute to an amazing talent.

I was also unbelievably shocked to find out that Bruce Springsteen was not nominated for his song “The Wrestler” from the movie of the same name considering he just won a Golden Globe for the very same song a few weeks ago. Not only that, but the Academy only nominated three songs this year for its Best Song category. Something about that just doesn’t sit well with The Blot!


Regardless, I was really happy to see a Best Actor nomination go to Mickey Rourke for his performance in The Wrestler and a surprising nomination in that very same category go to Richard Jenkins for his role in The Visitor. I also thought Robert Downey Jr.’s Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in Tropic Thunder was the perfect way to cap off his 2008 comeback. The other interesting storyline brewing is if Kate Winslet will finally win an Oscar this year after having lost 5 times before. All in all, it should be a very interested awards ceremony to say the least!

The 81st Annual Academy Awards will be hosted by Hugh Jackman and air on February 22nd at 8/7c on ABC.

The 2009 Oscar Nominations
Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Actor
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Actress
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader

Supporting Actor
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

Director
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Original Song
“Down to Earth” from WALL-E (Peter Gabriel and
Thomas Newman)
“Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire (A.R. Rahman and Gulzar)
“O Saya” from Slumdog Millionaire (A.R. Rahman and M.I.A.)

The Blot’s 80th Annual Academy Awards Predictions

This Sunday, February 24th is the 80th Annual Academy Awards on ABC at 8/7 central. The Oscars are being hosted once again by the host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Jon Stewart. This marks the second time Stewart has hosted the Academy Awards and hopefully will prove to be an entertaining event. Hosting the Oscars has proven to be a dicey role with many notable comedians cracking under the pressure. But, I’m sure Stewart will be just fine.


To commemorate The Blot’s favorite award show airing this weekend I’d like to submit my predications for this year’s winners. Feel free to submit your own predictions in the comments section!

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
George Clooney in Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tommy Lee Jones in In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen in Eastern Promises

There are a couple of different directions I’d like to go with this award but it seems to be a moot point since no one will be voting for anyone but Mr. Day-Lewis.

Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Casey Affleck in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook in Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton

I think there is a greater chance for an upset here than in the Actor in a Leading Role category because the Academy is known for giving acting awards for supporting roles to cherished older actors who have never won an Oscar before as a sort of life time achievement award. Because of that if it were any other year I’d say Hal Holbrook will be winning the award for Into the Wild. But, since I think this will be No Country for Old Men’s year, I’m going against my better judgment and picking Bardem for his amazing performance as Anton Chigurh

Winner: Javier Bardem

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie in Away From Her
Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose
Laura Linney in The Savages
Ellen Page in Juno

I’d love to see Ellen Page win here for her realistic and charming performance as Juno, but I think this is a two person race between Cate Blanchett and Julie Christie. I want to say Marion Cotillard will win but I just don’t see enough Academy members getting behind her role as Edith Piaf, but if you’re bored this weekend go rent La Vie en Rose…even Blockbuster carries it! I’m going safe here and choosing former Oscar winner Julie Christie for her performance as a woman stricken with the horrible Alzheimer’s disease.

Winner: Julie Christie

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Cate Blanchett in I'm Not There
Ruby Dee in American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan in Atonement
Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton in Michael Clayton

I think this is the award of the night that’s going to be giving people fits when it comes to predictions. Both Cate Blanchett and Amy Ryan have been racking up awards for their performances this year and at one point it was just assumed Ryan was going to win the award. But now I think Ruby Dee might be sneaking in there after a win at the SAG awards. Ms. Dee is beloved by her fellow actors and I think this might be one of those life time achievement awards. Sorry to Ms. Ryan because she truly deserves one more statue for her mantel place and to Ms. Blanchett who was nominated in both acting categories in the same year.

Winner: Ruby Dee

Achievement in Directing
Julian Schnabel for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Jason Reitman for Juno
Tony Gilroy for Michael Clayton
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for No Country for Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson for There Will Be Blood

Who’d have thought both PTA and the Coen Brothers would finally get nominated for Best Director and they’d have to go up against each other? Yes, I know Joel Coen’s been nominated for Best Director before but we’re talking Coen Brothers here. I think there’s an outside chance Julian Schnabel wins here, especially because the Academy, in all their stupidity, made the The Diving Bell and the Butterfly not eligible for the Foreign Language Oscar. Nevertheless I’m going with the brothers here.

Winner: The Coen Brothers

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

I said it earlier but just to reiterate it, this is No Country for Old Men’s year. I’d love to see Juno win it but I don’t see another Crash-size update here.

Winner: No Country for Old Men