Alfonso Cuarón will schlep home a trunkful of statuettes. Question is, how many? Can “Roma” win Best Picture plus Best Foreign Language Film? Five foreign entries are up. Never has any in Spanish won Best Picture and very few in black-and-white have won.
Cuarón had more hands in his movie than a centipede. He shot, directed, edited, was involved in the cinematography, and also orchestrated a brilliant campaign. He probably even sold the theater popcorn.
Modest, articulate, kind, a respectful gentleman. Everything’s going for him. Hollywood, a town where moviemakers even knock the angel Gabriel, loves him.
The world applauded “A Star Is Born” and Bradley Cooper’s astounding direction. For some reason — maybe because it opened too early — it seems eclipsed. The song will get sung. The song will get the award.
“BlacKkKlansman” should or could make history for Spike Lee as first black man to win an Oscar for directing. There was a push for this in the season Lee Daniels made “Precious.” But it didn’t happen.
This year it’s a League of Nations. Four bear the new mantra “diversity.”
Three stories of African-Americans: “Klansman,” “Black Panther,” “Green Book.” Mexican is “Roma.”
Many nominees are worthy, but the money is on four Best Picture contenders: “Roma,” “BlacKkKlansman,” “Black Panther” and “Green Book.”
Supporters worry “Green Book’s” niceness mightn’t cover its detrimental slurs and mudslinging baggage. A furious family and executor of Dr. Shirley’s estate remain unpacified since none were in the will. I was told that all of his money went to a white protégé lover. Those who really knew the man — including orchestra leader Peter Duchin, who lived at Carnegie Hall at the same time he did — each say, “As a friend he was difficult. A handful.”
NYC has dog show, no ponies
The American Kennel Club’s just- opened Museum of the Dog, near Grand Central, is two floors of Peter and Mary Kalikow’s 101 Park Ave. office building. Photos, art, porcelains, bronzes, information, explanation, different breeds and traits, do’s and don’ts of man’s best friend. The AKC’s Dennis Sprung even displayed a section of Yorkshire terriers who were trained to work with our wartime troops. So, everyone, let’s hear it for our New Yorkies.
Industry can’t scrub Harvey
Oddly, disgraced Harvey Weinstein’s aura lives on. Current disciples admittedly learned how to push a product. His yelling and telling have influenced the industry so that today, survivors taking his tutelage, have forged ahead similarly.
We’ve had two films about Weinstein, a film about Michael Jackson, a film about Roy Cohn. Someone must have declared it the Year of Three Despicables.
Betting on NY gaming
Cuomo’s rolling the dice. Legalized sports gaming’s going into four upstate non-Indian casinos. Downstate’s better. Suffolk County Jake’s 58 slot parlor in Islandia pockets more than any four upstaters. Just on 1,000 VLTs (like slot machines) the profit’s hit $4,177,119 for one week. Daily, each machine makes nearly $600. And the place’s rewards program — whatever that is — has 175,000 members.
So take your Scrabble board and shove it.
Just asking
Is it really in journalism’s best interest for anchor ladies, opining on weighty topics of poverty, homelessness, sabotage, etc., to wear skirts as wide as Band-Aids and cross their legs so that viewers can see all the way up to what they’re thinking?
On Park and 57th, Jeffrey’s question: “If you’re lucky enough to go to heaven, what’s the first thing you’d say to St. Peter?”
Max’s answer: “I’d ask, ‘You guys have a Starbucks up here?’ ”
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.