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The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

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Film Literature teacher Kevin Sharp offers Oscar opinions

Film Literature teacher Kevin Sharp sat down with The Paly Voice to talk about his opinions on the upcoming Academy Awards. This is a transcript of the interview.

The Paly Voice: Is there anything you haven’t seen?

Kevin Sharp: I have not seen Les Mis and I have not seen “Amour”. Of the ones that are on here [the nomination summary page The Paly Voice provided] my two favorites are “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Silver Linings Playbook”.

V: What movies or which actors did you really enjoy this year that weren’t nominated?

KS: Liam Neeson in “The Grey”. He was brilliant. Brilliant. I mean I hate to use the word ‘robbed’, but that, to me, stands out as the one I would have liked to have seen [nominated].

V: What do you think deserves to win, and what do you think will actually win in terms of Best Picture?

KS: “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Silver Linings” [should win]. What I think will win? “Lincoln” or “Argo”.

V: You don’t think “Django”?

KS: I will bet you a thousand dollars right now that “Django” will not win.

V: Did you like “Django”?

KS: I enjoyed “Django”.

V: There’s a lot of hype right now; a lot of people think “Django” should win.

KS: Well, everyone who thinks “Django” should be winning best picture are not everyone who will be voting.

V: Who do you think is prettier, Jessica Chastain or Jennifer Lawrence?

KS: Jennifer Lawrence.

V: Great answer. Who would you rather be your wingman, Bradley Cooper or Denzel Washington?

KS: Denzel seems like he’d be a better wingman. Bradley Cooper seems like it would be all about him.

V: I know you didn’t see “Les Mis” but are you a fan of Anne Hathaway’s short hair?

KS: No. But I understand that it’s important to the movie.

V: It was. So you saw “The Beasts of the Southern Wild”.

KS: Yes, I saw it.

V: And what do you think of Quvenzhané Wallis? She’s the youngest actress to ever be nominated.

KS: Yes — she’s quite good in it. You know, she was six years old when they filmed it, and if you see the movie, it’s a really good six-year-old playing a six-year-old. Now, I don’t know how much of that is her, versus how much the director got out of her. You know, these categories here are voted on by actors only so she gets nominated because actors chose to nominate her.

V: Do you think she has a shot at winning?

KS: [Long pause] Yes.

V: Who would your pick be for best actress?

KS: I would pick the two that you asked me about — who’s the better looking one [Jessica Chastain or Jennifer Lawrence]. Yes, now, I didn’t see “Amour” and I didn’t see “The Impossible,” so I can’t comment on those.

V: Who would you rather hang out with, Quvenzhané Wallis or Hugh Jackman?

KS: Hugh Jackman. Come on. Wolverine.

V: A six-year-old would be cool.

KS: But you can go to an elementary school and hang out with a six-year-old.

V: Not an Academy Award Nominated six-year-old.

KS: Okay here’s my list of best picture nominees, if I’m nominating: “The Grey,” “Cabin in the Woods,” “The Avengers,” “Wreck it Ralph,” a documentary called “Searching for Sugar Man,” “Silver Linings Playbook” and “Zero Dark Thirty”.

V: That’s a great list. Who do you think is going to win out of the best animated pictures?

KS: Well Pixar’s kind of the default choice, but God, I don’t know. My favorite is “Wreck it Ralph”. I have not seen “Pirates”.

V: Did you see “Frankenweenie”?

KS: Yeah.

V: Was it good?

KS: Yeah it’s fun. It’s a Frankenstein dog, so if that sounds like the type of movie you’d enjoy, you’d enjoy “Frankenweenie”. But yeah I don’t know, I can’t pick because there isn’t one where you look at it and go “yes, clearly that’s the best [animated picture] and the others are just filling out the list.”

V: Do you think “Life of Pi” has a chance to win Best Picture?

KS: No. But it should win Best Cinematography.

V: Should it?

KS: Oh, have you seen it? It’s gorgeous. It’s really a big screen movie. You don’t have to [watch it on the big screen] but … It’s still at Palo Alto Square. I saw it in 2D so I wouldn’t even say you have to see it in 3D. Do yourself a favor if you’re interested in cinematography, anything like that, see it on a big screen.

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