Even though “Black Panther” is killing it at the Box Office, other genre movies are doing just fine thanks to the older set of movie lovers with there ‘grown up stand of mind.’ AARP well knows this and that’s why they hold their “Annual Movies for Grownups”Awards. The 17th one will air on PBS tonight– February 23rd at 9pm.
Held recently at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the fun and fast paced event was hosted by Alan Cummings. Cummings is a Broadway Tony winner for “Cabaret” and he proved to be an adept host. Singing cleverly composed ditties before each award, a running joke quickly became a staple for the night. The VIP crowd, which included Mark Hamill, Greta Gerwig, Saoirse Ronan, Willem Dafoe, Aaron Sorkin, Guillermo Del Toro, Annette Bening, Laurie Metcalf, Sherry Lansing, Diane Warren, Frances Fisher, Jane Seymour and more cracked up each time Cumming screwed up a line which led him to use a colorful curse word. This proved quite entertaining for the attendees which alas the sophisticated PBS audience won’t unfortunately see since another tame take was done.
With all that, the show was terrifically charming, fun and fast paced, and really entertaining. One highlight was Gary Oldman who won for Best Actor (the trophy will be going home with him) declared his unrequited love for Career Achievement award winner Helen Mirren. Gary said earnestly and poetically, “Dame Helen Mirren, it is such a joy to just be in the room with you. I saw you as Nina in “The Seagull” in 1975 or 1976. I fell in love with you,” he said with a whimsical grin, “and your acting. I was a shy 14-year-old. I’ve been in love with you and your wonderful work ever since.”
A game Helen blurted out, “Why didn’t you tell me?” Gary, taken aback with a huge smile on his face and visibly blushed, stammered, “I was so young, I’m sorry, and I should have.” Mirren then characteristically, grandly made her way to the stage and told a quirky anecdote about a palm reading in London her late 20’s when she was despairing that her later famed career would not happen. The reader told her to write all his words down which she did. She then went to a trashcan on the street and dumped those same papers in it. “I threw the knowledge of my future away. Life keeps surprising us, that’s what makes it so rich with possibility. But nothing is written, everything is up for grabs.”
The complete list of the 17th Annual Movies for Grownups® Awards Winners:
- Career Achievement: Helen Mirren
- Best Picture/Best Movie for Grownups: Star Wars: The Last Jedi
- Best Actress: Annette Bening (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool)
- Best Actor: Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)
- Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)
- Best Supporting Actor: Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water)
- Best Director: Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water)
- Best Screenwriter: Aaron Sorkin (Molly’s Game)
- Best Ensemble: Get Out
- Best Grownup Love Story: The Greatest Showman
- Best Intergenerational Film: The Florida Project
- Best Time Capsule: Dunkirk
- Best Documentary: I Am Not Your Negro
