- Why Eclipse Is The Only Twilight Movie That Doesn't Fail In Every Way Possible
- At The Movies Is Over And So Is My Life (Only Not Really, It Just Sounds Great In The Title)
- Why Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Is The Best Cast Movie I've Seen In A Few Weeks, At Least
- Project Runway: It's Hard To Make It Work When The Program Runs 30 Minutes Longer Than It Should (Possible addendum to this entry: "One Of The Contestants Might Actually Be The Host Of Man Versus Food")
- How I Already Know Angel Is A Better Show Than Buffy The Vampire Slayer After Watching Half The Former And All Of The Latter
- Something That Has Nothing To Do With Pop Culture, Just To Mix Things Up
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Things I've Meant To Write About Here, But Totally Haven't
Thursday, July 8, 2010
PC0Something: Immediate Emmy Reactions
Things That Bother Me
Community gets snubbed completely, the only comedy in NBC's Thursday night lineup that gets absolutely nothing, and Jon Cryer takes a spot Donald Glover or Danny Pudi should have had
Glee gets nominated for about 15 more awards than it should (I'll excuse a couple acting nods)
Thing That Downright Confuses Me
Warehouse 13 inexplicably appears somewhere on the list
Things I'll Admit Make Me Happy
Lost gets just as much recognition as it deserves, including acting nominations for more than one of my favorite performers on the show (Elizabeth Mitchell included)
Modern Family gets a number of acting nods
NPH appears on the list more than once
I don't know if you noticed, but I couldn't be more miffed/flummoxed/bummed about the Community snub. (Let's not even get to the glaring lack of HIMYM.) In my mind, it's quickly become the highlight of NBC Thursdays. Missing the Paintball episode ... really, guys? It makes me want to watch tonight's marathon just to prove my allegiance and air my grievance all at once. (That rhymed!) AND I THINK I WILL.
Oh, addendum: sometime this month, I'm planning a renewed commentary on the Twilight saga (that's correct), a revisit to the theme of strong girls on film, and at least one other PC entry. They will probably not be entirely politically correct, despite their unofficial title.
In sum, I love Community, I like some actors and stuff, and Warehouse 13 got nominated for an Emmy.
Also, Jamie Bamber is going to be at DragonCon. This, and Scott's return from the land of conferences and monuments, is my consolation today.
Community gets snubbed completely, the only comedy in NBC's Thursday night lineup that gets absolutely nothing, and Jon Cryer takes a spot Donald Glover or Danny Pudi should have had
Glee gets nominated for about 15 more awards than it should (I'll excuse a couple acting nods)
Thing That Downright Confuses Me
Warehouse 13 inexplicably appears somewhere on the list
Things I'll Admit Make Me Happy
Lost gets just as much recognition as it deserves, including acting nominations for more than one of my favorite performers on the show (Elizabeth Mitchell included)
Modern Family gets a number of acting nods
NPH appears on the list more than once
I don't know if you noticed, but I couldn't be more miffed/flummoxed/bummed about the Community snub. (Let's not even get to the glaring lack of HIMYM.) In my mind, it's quickly become the highlight of NBC Thursdays. Missing the Paintball episode ... really, guys? It makes me want to watch tonight's marathon just to prove my allegiance and air my grievance all at once. (That rhymed!) AND I THINK I WILL.
Oh, addendum: sometime this month, I'm planning a renewed commentary on the Twilight saga (that's correct), a revisit to the theme of strong girls on film, and at least one other PC entry. They will probably not be entirely politically correct, despite their unofficial title.
In sum, I love Community, I like some actors and stuff, and Warehouse 13 got nominated for an Emmy.
Also, Jamie Bamber is going to be at DragonCon. This, and Scott's return from the land of conferences and monuments, is my consolation today.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Flashbackin': An Interview with Christopher Buckley
Three and a half years ago, when I was a mere second year student at Calvin College and working as arts & entertainment editor of the school newspaper, I had the opportunity to interview Christopher Buckley. Buckley, an American author, can accurately be described as "prolific." He's a nationally recognized journalist who edits Forbes, writes for The New Yorker and countless other magazines, and authors novels and memoirs when he has the time. If you're wondering why I got to interview him, well, it still feels like it was an act of God. Believe me when I say it was the best interview I've ever experienced and I wouldn't be shocked if that remained the case for a long, long time.
Intro: Political satirist Christopher Buckley visited Calvin last month as the penultimate January Series speaker. Chimes A&E Editor Christy Gordon sat down with Buckley to discuss his varied career and the importance of a good title (or headline, as the case may be).
CG: So how do you feel about the title of your lecture, “An Afternoon with Christopher Buckley?”
CB: I think it exactly describes a 12:30 to 1:30 period. I argued for “An Early Afternoon with Christopher Buckley,” but I believe the decision went all the way to the top. I also suggested “A Morning With” or “An Evening With,” but I’m reasonably satisfied.
CG: Yeah, I found it interesting that on the posters, everybody else has a convoluted title and yours is so simple.
CB: Well, I could have used “What’s Up With Eurasia?” but that title was already taken.
CG: Well, “An Afternoon With” works. Can you pinpoint how satire became your medium of choice? Clearly, it’s not the only medium you write in.
CB: It came about sort of accidentally. I started as a fairly straightforward journalist, but I found myself reaching for what I’d call the “funny” key on the typewriter, and it just sort of happened when my first book came out. One of the reviewers referred to my “comic gift.” I saw that, and I was kind of arrested by that phrase. And I thought, “Hm, well, maybe I ought to do more with this.” Plus, it’s fun to make people laugh. And when they don’t laugh, it’s not fun. It takes a while to figure out what you’re good at. The real trick is, can you make a living on it?
CG: What’s your method for writing?
CB: Writing a book is like running a marathon. They take a while. It’s not like writing an 800 word piece, a shout and murmur for the New Yorker — that’s like a 100 yard dash. A book’s like a marathon. When you’re starting one, the thing to ask yourself is, “Do I really like this idea?” It might seem like a jolly good idea, and a funny one … is it still going to be funny or compelling eight months from now? That’s the key.
CG: In a PBS interview, you called yourself a poor man’s Jonathan Swift when the host suggested you’re the next Jonathan Swift.
CB: Yeah, I felt a little awkward.
CG: Understandably so.
CB: Well, how does that sound? “Oh, yeah, I’m the new Jonathan Swift.” You invite two million people to say, “Oh, yeah?” But it’s nice that [the interviewer] said that.
CG: It’s a clever description at the very least.
CB: Well, one thing Jonathan Swift and I do have in common … he wrote “A Modest Proposal” satirically, but he was writing very seriously, saying that this was something we needed to talk about. Now, my next book proposes that the government incentifies suicide for retiring baby boomers as a means of making Social Security solve it. I’ve already got a lot of questions, and I’m going to say, “Well, it’s my modest proposal.”
CG: I love the title of the next one: “Boomsday.”
CB: Yeah? I’m encouraged. A lot of people hear it and say, “Doomsday?” And I say, “No, it’s Boomsday.”
CG: It’s clever, yeah. I’m good at writing leads and horrible at writing titles.
CB: Oh, it’s all about writing a good book title.
CG: How do you fit humor and cleverness into writing?
CB: I think your instincts will lead you there … don’t force it. Just let it sort of percolate up. You’ll find yourself doing it unconsciously.
CG: You’ve found this over time, then, in your writing?
CB: That’s what I have. At the beginning, what you should concentrate on is writing in clear, good English. I mean, I wasn’t born a good writer. I’ve worked at it. Probably the best class I ever took was my freshman English composition course, where they’d basically say, “Just write clearly.” A lot of people don’t.
CG: So, “Thank You For Smoking” — let’s talk about the film. Oscar nominations are happening soon. How do you feel about that?
CB: It was unfortunately a very good year for movies … “Borat,” “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” marvelous movie.
CG: I loved that.
CB: Yeah, that’s probably the toughest competition. If we have to lose, I hope it’s to them.
CG: You’re okay with losing to “Borat?”
CB: You know, “Borat” left me with a slightly icky taste.
CG: Me too.
CB: You know, I laughed. I have to say I laughed. But there were parts I did not laugh at that I thought were cruel and condescending. It left me with a frankly metallic taste in my mouth. [Cohen] is a comic genius. But the crudity … see, the crudity of American humor, it’s gotten so crude. Now, crudity has its place, but the F-word should be used like paprika. You shouldn’t overload the dish with it. These stand up guys, you see them in person, and it’s “Hello,” “how are you,” and “goodbye.” They can’t go five seconds without saying “f---.” I don’t know where we go with it. But Borat … Borat certainly pushed that envelope.
CG: I wrote a ‘Christian critique’ for a Media Criticism class in the fall of Borat. How do you analyze that …
CB: From a Christian perspective?
CG: Right!
CB: I guess “turning the other cheek” is a theme you could work with. I must say this for “Borat:” it is a movie that makes you think. Whether or not it left us with an icky taste, it certainly gave us something to bite down on.
CG: When you wrote “Thank You For Smoking,” did you see this as something that could become a film?
CB: I write books to be books. I don’t think as I’m writing, “Oh, this would be a great vehicle for Robert Altman.” I think you get into trouble that way. I have to say, I think you can do much more with a book than with a movie. It’s great when someone comes along and makes a book into a good movie. In terms of what you can accomplish with a book, with characters and their backgrounds and their motivations, movies are terribly limited with that — which isn’t to say some movies don’t do that brilliantly. But I stand by the statement that a good novel is artistically superior to a good movie.
CG: I just saw “Children of Men.” Terrific film, terrible book.
CB: You know, there’s a Hollywood adage: “Good books make bad movies, and bad books make good movies.” I think you’d have to look at it on a case by case basis, but I kind of get it. I now appreciate the skill required to turn a book into a movie [after “Thank You For Smoking”].
CG: Were you satisfied with the film’s casting?
CB: Yes, I was very happy with the cast. I had nothing to do with it, but I thought Aaron Eckhart was very good. I was tickled with Robert Duvall, one of my favorite actors, and another one of my favorite actors, Sam Elliott, played the dying Marlboro Man … a lot of very good actors were in it for three minutes, and they brought glory to it.
CG: And William H. Macy.
CB: Oh, I just love him. When you see the movie, his funny line — I won’t give it away — he came up with it.
CG: Yeah, I … I love him. I can’t be eloquent about it. I love him.
CB: You are eloquent about it! You said, “I love him.” I doubt if William H. Macy were here he would find any objection to the way you put it.
CG: Good, good. So your novel “Little Green Men” is becoming a film next?
CB: Yeah, that’s the idea. I’ve become a little cautious with predictions. It took 12 years for “Thank You For Smoking” to become a movie. They have an actor, they have a script. But that said, I will revert to my standard way of answering questions: I’ll send you a postcard at the start of principle photography. Something’s always going to happen, though, and if you sit there by the phone, waiting for it to ring, you will become an old man as I have. But there are certain consolations to old age.
CG: You’re only two years older than my parents.
CB: You know, you start out younger than everyone, and now, I’m older than everyone.
CG: So this interview will be printed in February.
CB: Oh, so I’ll be a very distant memory if I’m even a memory.
CG: I’ll bring you back very strongly, 12 page color photo spread.
CB: You can call it, “What the heck was that about?”
CG: It has to have a great title, you know, fitting with the theme.
CB: “Buckley interview: insert title here.”
CG: I think that will suffice.
Intro: Political satirist Christopher Buckley visited Calvin last month as the penultimate January Series speaker. Chimes A&E Editor Christy Gordon sat down with Buckley to discuss his varied career and the importance of a good title (or headline, as the case may be).
CG: So how do you feel about the title of your lecture, “An Afternoon with Christopher Buckley?”
CB: I think it exactly describes a 12:30 to 1:30 period. I argued for “An Early Afternoon with Christopher Buckley,” but I believe the decision went all the way to the top. I also suggested “A Morning With” or “An Evening With,” but I’m reasonably satisfied.
CG: Yeah, I found it interesting that on the posters, everybody else has a convoluted title and yours is so simple.
CB: Well, I could have used “What’s Up With Eurasia?” but that title was already taken.
CG: Well, “An Afternoon With” works. Can you pinpoint how satire became your medium of choice? Clearly, it’s not the only medium you write in.
CB: It came about sort of accidentally. I started as a fairly straightforward journalist, but I found myself reaching for what I’d call the “funny” key on the typewriter, and it just sort of happened when my first book came out. One of the reviewers referred to my “comic gift.” I saw that, and I was kind of arrested by that phrase. And I thought, “Hm, well, maybe I ought to do more with this.” Plus, it’s fun to make people laugh. And when they don’t laugh, it’s not fun. It takes a while to figure out what you’re good at. The real trick is, can you make a living on it?
CG: What’s your method for writing?
CB: Writing a book is like running a marathon. They take a while. It’s not like writing an 800 word piece, a shout and murmur for the New Yorker — that’s like a 100 yard dash. A book’s like a marathon. When you’re starting one, the thing to ask yourself is, “Do I really like this idea?” It might seem like a jolly good idea, and a funny one … is it still going to be funny or compelling eight months from now? That’s the key.
CG: In a PBS interview, you called yourself a poor man’s Jonathan Swift when the host suggested you’re the next Jonathan Swift.
CB: Yeah, I felt a little awkward.
CG: Understandably so.
CB: Well, how does that sound? “Oh, yeah, I’m the new Jonathan Swift.” You invite two million people to say, “Oh, yeah?” But it’s nice that [the interviewer] said that.
CG: It’s a clever description at the very least.
CB: Well, one thing Jonathan Swift and I do have in common … he wrote “A Modest Proposal” satirically, but he was writing very seriously, saying that this was something we needed to talk about. Now, my next book proposes that the government incentifies suicide for retiring baby boomers as a means of making Social Security solve it. I’ve already got a lot of questions, and I’m going to say, “Well, it’s my modest proposal.”
CG: I love the title of the next one: “Boomsday.”
CB: Yeah? I’m encouraged. A lot of people hear it and say, “Doomsday?” And I say, “No, it’s Boomsday.”
CG: It’s clever, yeah. I’m good at writing leads and horrible at writing titles.
CB: Oh, it’s all about writing a good book title.
CG: How do you fit humor and cleverness into writing?
CB: I think your instincts will lead you there … don’t force it. Just let it sort of percolate up. You’ll find yourself doing it unconsciously.
CG: You’ve found this over time, then, in your writing?
CB: That’s what I have. At the beginning, what you should concentrate on is writing in clear, good English. I mean, I wasn’t born a good writer. I’ve worked at it. Probably the best class I ever took was my freshman English composition course, where they’d basically say, “Just write clearly.” A lot of people don’t.
CG: So, “Thank You For Smoking” — let’s talk about the film. Oscar nominations are happening soon. How do you feel about that?
CB: It was unfortunately a very good year for movies … “Borat,” “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” marvelous movie.
CG: I loved that.
CB: Yeah, that’s probably the toughest competition. If we have to lose, I hope it’s to them.
CG: You’re okay with losing to “Borat?”
CB: You know, “Borat” left me with a slightly icky taste.
CG: Me too.
CB: You know, I laughed. I have to say I laughed. But there were parts I did not laugh at that I thought were cruel and condescending. It left me with a frankly metallic taste in my mouth. [Cohen] is a comic genius. But the crudity … see, the crudity of American humor, it’s gotten so crude. Now, crudity has its place, but the F-word should be used like paprika. You shouldn’t overload the dish with it. These stand up guys, you see them in person, and it’s “Hello,” “how are you,” and “goodbye.” They can’t go five seconds without saying “f---.” I don’t know where we go with it. But Borat … Borat certainly pushed that envelope.
CG: I wrote a ‘Christian critique’ for a Media Criticism class in the fall of Borat. How do you analyze that …
CB: From a Christian perspective?
CG: Right!
CB: I guess “turning the other cheek” is a theme you could work with. I must say this for “Borat:” it is a movie that makes you think. Whether or not it left us with an icky taste, it certainly gave us something to bite down on.
CG: When you wrote “Thank You For Smoking,” did you see this as something that could become a film?
CB: I write books to be books. I don’t think as I’m writing, “Oh, this would be a great vehicle for Robert Altman.” I think you get into trouble that way. I have to say, I think you can do much more with a book than with a movie. It’s great when someone comes along and makes a book into a good movie. In terms of what you can accomplish with a book, with characters and their backgrounds and their motivations, movies are terribly limited with that — which isn’t to say some movies don’t do that brilliantly. But I stand by the statement that a good novel is artistically superior to a good movie.
CG: I just saw “Children of Men.” Terrific film, terrible book.
CB: You know, there’s a Hollywood adage: “Good books make bad movies, and bad books make good movies.” I think you’d have to look at it on a case by case basis, but I kind of get it. I now appreciate the skill required to turn a book into a movie [after “Thank You For Smoking”].
CG: Were you satisfied with the film’s casting?
CB: Yes, I was very happy with the cast. I had nothing to do with it, but I thought Aaron Eckhart was very good. I was tickled with Robert Duvall, one of my favorite actors, and another one of my favorite actors, Sam Elliott, played the dying Marlboro Man … a lot of very good actors were in it for three minutes, and they brought glory to it.
CG: And William H. Macy.
CB: Oh, I just love him. When you see the movie, his funny line — I won’t give it away — he came up with it.
CG: Yeah, I … I love him. I can’t be eloquent about it. I love him.
CB: You are eloquent about it! You said, “I love him.” I doubt if William H. Macy were here he would find any objection to the way you put it.
CG: Good, good. So your novel “Little Green Men” is becoming a film next?
CB: Yeah, that’s the idea. I’ve become a little cautious with predictions. It took 12 years for “Thank You For Smoking” to become a movie. They have an actor, they have a script. But that said, I will revert to my standard way of answering questions: I’ll send you a postcard at the start of principle photography. Something’s always going to happen, though, and if you sit there by the phone, waiting for it to ring, you will become an old man as I have. But there are certain consolations to old age.
CG: You’re only two years older than my parents.
CB: You know, you start out younger than everyone, and now, I’m older than everyone.
CG: So this interview will be printed in February.
CB: Oh, so I’ll be a very distant memory if I’m even a memory.
CG: I’ll bring you back very strongly, 12 page color photo spread.
CB: You can call it, “What the heck was that about?”
CG: It has to have a great title, you know, fitting with the theme.
CB: “Buckley interview: insert title here.”
CG: I think that will suffice.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Interlude: Sign O' The Times
I first put this mix together last fall. For the last couple days, I've been listening to classical music and soundtracks rather than, well, anything else, but I broke the "Concentration and Stuff!" reverie to listen to Sign O' The Times/Charming Populism and document the playlist here.
1. Simon & Garfunkel, "The Times They Are A-Changin'"
2. Bright Eyes, "You Will. You? Will. You? Will. You? Will."
3. Arcade Fire, "Haiti"
4. Billy Joel, "Vienna"
5. Vienna Teng, "Augustine"
6. Belle & Sebastian, "Dress Up In You"
7. Death Cab For Cutie, "Why You'd Want To Live Here"
8. Jenny Lewis With The Watson Twins, "It Wasn't Me"
9. The Mudbloods, "A Pensieve Full Of Unrequited Love"
10. Marvelous 3, "Cigarette Lighter Love Song"
11. Barenaked Ladies, "The Flag"
12. The Get Up Kids, "Valentine"
13. Straylight Run, "Existentialism On Prom Night"
14. Fuel, "Shimmer"
15. Aqualung, "Brighter Than Sunshine"
16. Our Lady Peace, "Made To Heal"
17. Ben Folds, "Gone"
18. The Darkness, "English Country Garden"
19. The Beatles, "Don't Let Me Down"
You probably hate at least one of these songs. Neither the cat nor I care. She can sleep to it, I can work to it, and right now, that's all either of us are looking for.
1. Simon & Garfunkel, "The Times They Are A-Changin'"
2. Bright Eyes, "You Will. You? Will. You? Will. You? Will."
3. Arcade Fire, "Haiti"
4. Billy Joel, "Vienna"
5. Vienna Teng, "Augustine"
6. Belle & Sebastian, "Dress Up In You"
7. Death Cab For Cutie, "Why You'd Want To Live Here"
8. Jenny Lewis With The Watson Twins, "It Wasn't Me"
9. The Mudbloods, "A Pensieve Full Of Unrequited Love"
10. Marvelous 3, "Cigarette Lighter Love Song"
11. Barenaked Ladies, "The Flag"
12. The Get Up Kids, "Valentine"
13. Straylight Run, "Existentialism On Prom Night"
14. Fuel, "Shimmer"
15. Aqualung, "Brighter Than Sunshine"
16. Our Lady Peace, "Made To Heal"
17. Ben Folds, "Gone"
18. The Darkness, "English Country Garden"
19. The Beatles, "Don't Let Me Down"
You probably hate at least one of these songs. Neither the cat nor I care. She can sleep to it, I can work to it, and right now, that's all either of us are looking for.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
PC04: Self-Referential Musicians
Today, in the car, for no reason I can recall, I began listing all the solo artists and bands I could think of that named themselves in at least one of their songs. Scott is fairly tolerant and appeared amused, but for his sake, I eventually stopped and decided I should blog about it because HEY, why not?
Here are a handful of self-referential musicians, musicians that would conceivably reference himself/herself/themselves, musicians that would likely never reference himself/herself/themselves, and some hypothetical possibilities. All these lists could be much, much longer, but I don't want to bore you. I write this assuming you aren't bored already.
Also, you may notice I'm leaving rap artists off this list, due to how frequently this kind of thing occurs in rap music. Sorry, Kris Kross.
SELF-REFERENTIAL
Mika. In "Lollipop," Mika gives himself a shoutout ("Yo, Mika!"). Why? NO ONE KNOWS.
*NSYNC. "Here We Go" includes the lyrics "*NSYNC is here to make you people scream" and "Yes, yes, yes, here we go! *NSYNC has got the flow!" To this day, I'm not quite sure what that means.
Backstreet Boys. "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)," perhaps the strongest song on BSB's self-titled debut, seems to be about how Brian, Nick, Howie, Kevin and AJ returned from obscurity, which doesn't really make sense, considering it's the group's debut album. Millions of 12-year-old girls let it slide.
Cursive. "Art is Hard," a truly great song, includes the (presumably) sarcastic line, "Oh, Cursive is so cool!" This is probably the most ironic instance of self-reference listed here. What does that say about Cursive? I don't know. Let me know when you figure it out.
Aaron Carter. Half of Aaron Carter's songs I can remember (all four of them) mentioned him in their titles. That's right, their titles: "Aaron's Party (Come Get It)" and "Oh Aaron." "Aaron's Party (Come Get It)" is a trenchant commentary on the dilemmas pre-pubescent males face when left alone. Or something.
Jason Mraz. "Curbside Prophet," my favorite song on Mraz's debut album, asked the question, "What's up with M-R-A-Z?" The question remains unanswered.
CONCEIVABLY SELF-REFERENTIAL
Post-Pinkerton era Weezer. I used to love Weezer. Today, I love the idea of Weezer, but not the execution. And after hearing "Pork and Beans," I am convinced that Rivers Cuomo would have no qualms releasing a song that spelled "Weezer" at some point. And this is the only entry on this particular list, simply because it seems depressing to go on.
NO POSSIBILITY OF SELF-REFERENCE
Anything involving Ben Gibbard. Let's think about this: in "Styrofoam Plates," Gibbard sings, "There's a saltwater film on the jar of your ashes, Death Cab for Cutie put it there!" Yeah, I just can't see it happening. Same goes for "I kissed you in a style Jimmy Tamborelli would've admired, both us members of the Postal Service thought it classic" in "Clark Gable."
The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. Actually, if you play "Black Dog" backwards, all you hear is Robert Plant repeating the same thing he says to his mirror every morning: "Led Zeppelin is the greatest, best rock band that God has ever created on the face of this earth." (That's not true.) Jim Morrison was self-absorbed, but not to the extent of mentioning Ray Manzurek and himself during that WAY TOO LONG instrumental portion of "Light My Fire," and Pink Floyd is Pink Floyd. No need to elaborate there.
Billy Joel. I'd almost argue that "The Entertainer" is close enough to self-referential for Mr. Joel to jump up a couple lists. At the same time, I feel like he dislikes himself too much to use his actual name in a song. So that's that.
Hanson. I mention Hanson here because I find them to be genuinely talented musicians, and above self-reference. Great job, pseudo-boyband I still listen to!
HYPOTHETICALS
Bright Eyes covering "Total Eclipse of the Heart." That said, I really hope Conor Oberst sees this while drunk and decides it's an excellent idea.
Snoop Dogg covering Reel Big Fish's "Snoop Doggy Dogg." Meta!
Fin.
Here are a handful of self-referential musicians, musicians that would conceivably reference himself/herself/themselves, musicians that would likely never reference himself/herself/themselves, and some hypothetical possibilities. All these lists could be much, much longer, but I don't want to bore you. I write this assuming you aren't bored already.
Also, you may notice I'm leaving rap artists off this list, due to how frequently this kind of thing occurs in rap music. Sorry, Kris Kross.
SELF-REFERENTIAL
Mika. In "Lollipop," Mika gives himself a shoutout ("Yo, Mika!"). Why? NO ONE KNOWS.
*NSYNC. "Here We Go" includes the lyrics "*NSYNC is here to make you people scream" and "Yes, yes, yes, here we go! *NSYNC has got the flow!" To this day, I'm not quite sure what that means.
Backstreet Boys. "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)," perhaps the strongest song on BSB's self-titled debut, seems to be about how Brian, Nick, Howie, Kevin and AJ returned from obscurity, which doesn't really make sense, considering it's the group's debut album. Millions of 12-year-old girls let it slide.
Cursive. "Art is Hard," a truly great song, includes the (presumably) sarcastic line, "Oh, Cursive is so cool!" This is probably the most ironic instance of self-reference listed here. What does that say about Cursive? I don't know. Let me know when you figure it out.
Aaron Carter. Half of Aaron Carter's songs I can remember (all four of them) mentioned him in their titles. That's right, their titles: "Aaron's Party (Come Get It)" and "Oh Aaron." "Aaron's Party (Come Get It)" is a trenchant commentary on the dilemmas pre-pubescent males face when left alone. Or something.
Jason Mraz. "Curbside Prophet," my favorite song on Mraz's debut album, asked the question, "What's up with M-R-A-Z?" The question remains unanswered.
CONCEIVABLY SELF-REFERENTIAL
Post-Pinkerton era Weezer. I used to love Weezer. Today, I love the idea of Weezer, but not the execution. And after hearing "Pork and Beans," I am convinced that Rivers Cuomo would have no qualms releasing a song that spelled "Weezer" at some point. And this is the only entry on this particular list, simply because it seems depressing to go on.
NO POSSIBILITY OF SELF-REFERENCE
Anything involving Ben Gibbard. Let's think about this: in "Styrofoam Plates," Gibbard sings, "There's a saltwater film on the jar of your ashes, Death Cab for Cutie put it there!" Yeah, I just can't see it happening. Same goes for "I kissed you in a style Jimmy Tamborelli would've admired, both us members of the Postal Service thought it classic" in "Clark Gable."
The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. Actually, if you play "Black Dog" backwards, all you hear is Robert Plant repeating the same thing he says to his mirror every morning: "Led Zeppelin is the greatest, best rock band that God has ever created on the face of this earth." (That's not true.) Jim Morrison was self-absorbed, but not to the extent of mentioning Ray Manzurek and himself during that WAY TOO LONG instrumental portion of "Light My Fire," and Pink Floyd is Pink Floyd. No need to elaborate there.
Billy Joel. I'd almost argue that "The Entertainer" is close enough to self-referential for Mr. Joel to jump up a couple lists. At the same time, I feel like he dislikes himself too much to use his actual name in a song. So that's that.
Hanson. I mention Hanson here because I find them to be genuinely talented musicians, and above self-reference. Great job, pseudo-boyband I still listen to!
HYPOTHETICALS
Bright Eyes covering "Total Eclipse of the Heart." That said, I really hope Conor Oberst sees this while drunk and decides it's an excellent idea.
Snoop Dogg covering Reel Big Fish's "Snoop Doggy Dogg." Meta!
Fin.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
People Who Have Influenced Me Who Will Probably Never Know
First, a "Feel bad for me/proud of me!" note: I determined after last weekend that it's time for a change, both dietarily (which I've just decided is a word) and exercise-wise. So as of Sunday, I'm cutting back majorly on soda and making a point of exercising at least 25 minutes a day. The first two soda-less days were alright, but it turns out day three is a doozy, with a perpetual headache. But if that's what it takes, then, well, I'll take it.
Lately, and by that I mean the last two days, I've been thinking about what circumstances have shaped me into who I am now, and who helped along the way. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I may never actually interact with some of the people who have helped me the most, and I thought I'd make a list here. My internet presence is so minor that it's highly likely they'll never see this. But I'm OK with that; it's for my sake and yours.
Here goes it.
1. Chalene Johnson. This one may come as something of a surprise, unless you've been in our apartment and seen what's scrambled among the DVDs and Blu-Ray discs directly in front of our television. One of the DVDs that most frequently takes a spin is a collection of five workout sessions titled Turbo Jam. Turbo Jam is the invention of Chalene Johnson, a fitness professional who put together a program combining cardio, weight training, and ridiculous dance mixes (that she mixed herself!) in order to inspire people to exercise while having fun. If ever you see me and I'm in a decent shape, it means I'm on a Turbo Jam kick. I'm hoping this current one will be semi-permanent. Without these routines, I'd be much less motivated to exercise, and that's why I'm glad Chalene is around.
2. Chuck Klosterman. As is obvious by now, I'm an amateur pop culture writer, and my writing style wouldn't be nearly as developed without Chuck Klosterman and the books he wrote, particularly Killing Yourself to Live. He seamlessly blends personal narrative with critique and commentary on the quirkier aspects of our current pop culture climate, and in my mind, he does it better than anyone else out there. He makes me want to write beautifully, although he isn't the only one.
3. Noel Murray and, to a certain extent, the rest of the A.V. Club. Outside of iGoogle, I don't think there's a site I frequent more than the A.V. Club, the Onion's sister pop culture publication. There's no satire here. Instead, AVC is a compendium of reviews and perspectives on pop culture new and old. Here I've learned that it's possible to write beautifully about all mediums, television in particular. Noel Murray writes about both Lost and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and his Lost summaries are nothing short of fantastic, inspiring amateur analysis and sparkling discussion on a weekly basis. It's another key reason, beyond the obvious "Bye bye, second best show ever" reason, that I'll miss Lost when it's gone.
4. Jerry Spinelli. I could wax philosophical all day on why Stargirl is one of my favorite books, why it made me think about conformity in a radically different way, and how I don't think anyone could capture and analyze high school life so brilliantly ever again. But that's all I really have to say. This is a beautiful book, and it's not just a great read--it has a lasting impact I'm not sure you'll find anywhere else. I'd love to shake this man's hand.
Honorable mentions: Fiona Apple makes me want to express my emotions loudly and proudly, Nick Hornby taught me how to read ... again, and Rob Sheffield helped me to recognize that beauty can come from personal disaster.
That's all. I hope you feel the same about some others and give them some accolades for what they've done for you.
Also, this:
Love her.
Lately, and by that I mean the last two days, I've been thinking about what circumstances have shaped me into who I am now, and who helped along the way. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I may never actually interact with some of the people who have helped me the most, and I thought I'd make a list here. My internet presence is so minor that it's highly likely they'll never see this. But I'm OK with that; it's for my sake and yours.
Here goes it.
1. Chalene Johnson. This one may come as something of a surprise, unless you've been in our apartment and seen what's scrambled among the DVDs and Blu-Ray discs directly in front of our television. One of the DVDs that most frequently takes a spin is a collection of five workout sessions titled Turbo Jam. Turbo Jam is the invention of Chalene Johnson, a fitness professional who put together a program combining cardio, weight training, and ridiculous dance mixes (that she mixed herself!) in order to inspire people to exercise while having fun. If ever you see me and I'm in a decent shape, it means I'm on a Turbo Jam kick. I'm hoping this current one will be semi-permanent. Without these routines, I'd be much less motivated to exercise, and that's why I'm glad Chalene is around.
2. Chuck Klosterman. As is obvious by now, I'm an amateur pop culture writer, and my writing style wouldn't be nearly as developed without Chuck Klosterman and the books he wrote, particularly Killing Yourself to Live. He seamlessly blends personal narrative with critique and commentary on the quirkier aspects of our current pop culture climate, and in my mind, he does it better than anyone else out there. He makes me want to write beautifully, although he isn't the only one.
3. Noel Murray and, to a certain extent, the rest of the A.V. Club. Outside of iGoogle, I don't think there's a site I frequent more than the A.V. Club, the Onion's sister pop culture publication. There's no satire here. Instead, AVC is a compendium of reviews and perspectives on pop culture new and old. Here I've learned that it's possible to write beautifully about all mediums, television in particular. Noel Murray writes about both Lost and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and his Lost summaries are nothing short of fantastic, inspiring amateur analysis and sparkling discussion on a weekly basis. It's another key reason, beyond the obvious "Bye bye, second best show ever" reason, that I'll miss Lost when it's gone.
4. Jerry Spinelli. I could wax philosophical all day on why Stargirl is one of my favorite books, why it made me think about conformity in a radically different way, and how I don't think anyone could capture and analyze high school life so brilliantly ever again. But that's all I really have to say. This is a beautiful book, and it's not just a great read--it has a lasting impact I'm not sure you'll find anywhere else. I'd love to shake this man's hand.
Honorable mentions: Fiona Apple makes me want to express my emotions loudly and proudly, Nick Hornby taught me how to read ... again, and Rob Sheffield helped me to recognize that beauty can come from personal disaster.
That's all. I hope you feel the same about some others and give them some accolades for what they've done for you.
Also, this:
Love her.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Sunburn & Ass
I did a Panera run today, meaning I sat outside Panera and read Nick Hornby's Shakespeare Wrote for Money while eating lunch and sipping lemonade for about 30 minutes, maybe more, maybe less. I'm fairly certain my right arm got sunburned, but I'm not disappointed about this. It's my own fault, I accept the consequences, and honestly, my body seems to deserve a bit of sun after all this pesky winter.
I'm going to see Kick-Ass tomorrow with a couple friends of mine. I've been looking forward to it all week. The film looks to live up to its title and then some. It will feel about as strange asking for a ticket to Kick-Ass as it did The 40-Year-Old Virgin about four years ago. But I don't think it should.
As a Christian who has a fairly thorough understanding of profanity, I would like to express the opinion that I, in no way, find the word "ass" offensive. I think it should drop off the swear list immediately. Let's think about this: it's commonly used as a synonym for "butt." It's not crude like "f**k" or insulting like "b***h." It's simply a different noun, completely innocuous. Even when added to a word like "big," "bad," or in this case, "kick" it's no more offensive. I won't be embarrassed to announce that I'd like my over-priced ticket to Kick-Ass tomorrow evening, and you shouldn't be, either.
That said, Midna sat, transfixed, in front of the TV this past Tuesday during Lost. She didn't stick around for long, but you could tell she was totally into the Hurley subplot.
I'm going to see Kick-Ass tomorrow with a couple friends of mine. I've been looking forward to it all week. The film looks to live up to its title and then some. It will feel about as strange asking for a ticket to Kick-Ass as it did The 40-Year-Old Virgin about four years ago. But I don't think it should.
As a Christian who has a fairly thorough understanding of profanity, I would like to express the opinion that I, in no way, find the word "ass" offensive. I think it should drop off the swear list immediately. Let's think about this: it's commonly used as a synonym for "butt." It's not crude like "f**k" or insulting like "b***h." It's simply a different noun, completely innocuous. Even when added to a word like "big," "bad," or in this case, "kick" it's no more offensive. I won't be embarrassed to announce that I'd like my over-priced ticket to Kick-Ass tomorrow evening, and you shouldn't be, either.
That said, Midna sat, transfixed, in front of the TV this past Tuesday during Lost. She didn't stick around for long, but you could tell she was totally into the Hurley subplot.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Spring & Things
Now, yesterday, Scott and I were at the park, where we saw some extremely active ducks. Some sort of brawl was happening among two males and a female; it seemed that one or both of the males wanted to mate with the female, but she was having none of it. It was a bit car crash-like, in that it was at least a little painful to watch (I mean, she was getting brutalized!), but we couldn't look away. We also saw a muskrat and a nesting duck, and I renewed my title as Pooh sticks champion. Pooh sticks is a game in which you stand on a bridge over flowing water, drop a stick, and look to the other side of the bridge to see whose floats to the other side first. And I know how to pick 'em, stick wise.
The last couple weeks have been good, sometimes quite, even. I saw a good friend of mien for the first time since I don't know when, last summer, probably. Emily and I were on the same interim trip to the United Kingdom, and before that, we'd had a class together. Naturally, we only got to know each other on the trip. She, another traveler named Michelle, and I spent a great deal of time there together, but life has largely prevented us from seeing each other again. Today, Emily and I walked about her side of campus in the gorgeous beyond gorgeous March weather, talking about futures and childhood and quirks among the Calvin staff. The visit made my good mood better. I can't think of a time visiting an old friend didn't do that.
I've almost earned all the money I wanted to set aside for DragonCon, and even without full time work. I'm quite pleased about it, especially since it was just announced that one of my favorite Battlestar Galactica cast members (Aaron "Chief Tyrol" Douglas, for those keeping score at home) will be there. Oh, to be an unapologetic geek.
Ending blog entries is always perplexing for me. From now on, I'm going to end with a mini-anecote about Midna.
There's a certain kind of cat toy, a plastic ring with a ball inside it and slats in the ring so the cat can bat it around. Mid has one, and if we hide it for a couple weeks, then give it back, she goes crazy. One day, though, she had a different plan. The ring was in the middle of the room, on the floor. With purpose, Midna strutted over to the ring, struck the ball as hard as possible, and walked away.
All in a day's work, really.
The last couple weeks have been good, sometimes quite, even. I saw a good friend of mien for the first time since I don't know when, last summer, probably. Emily and I were on the same interim trip to the United Kingdom, and before that, we'd had a class together. Naturally, we only got to know each other on the trip. She, another traveler named Michelle, and I spent a great deal of time there together, but life has largely prevented us from seeing each other again. Today, Emily and I walked about her side of campus in the gorgeous beyond gorgeous March weather, talking about futures and childhood and quirks among the Calvin staff. The visit made my good mood better. I can't think of a time visiting an old friend didn't do that.
I've almost earned all the money I wanted to set aside for DragonCon, and even without full time work. I'm quite pleased about it, especially since it was just announced that one of my favorite Battlestar Galactica cast members (Aaron "Chief Tyrol" Douglas, for those keeping score at home) will be there. Oh, to be an unapologetic geek.
Ending blog entries is always perplexing for me. From now on, I'm going to end with a mini-anecote about Midna.
There's a certain kind of cat toy, a plastic ring with a ball inside it and slats in the ring so the cat can bat it around. Mid has one, and if we hide it for a couple weeks, then give it back, she goes crazy. One day, though, she had a different plan. The ring was in the middle of the room, on the floor. With purpose, Midna strutted over to the ring, struck the ball as hard as possible, and walked away.
All in a day's work, really.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Dead Duck Day
During today's bike ride, I saw the following:
A dead duck
And I decided he deserved an entry of his own.
The duck was on the edge of a parking lot next to my building. I figured at first that he'd been hit by a car. But then, given his position, that didn't seem so logical. His body was free of any contortion, his bill pointed slightly downward. His purely green head still shone in the sun, his wings were held tightly to his sides, and his feet were turned out the way only a duck's can be.
If he weren't quite so still, you might think he was only sleeping.
My guess is he choked on something, maybe a bit of a bagel that someone tossed out of the parking lot after finishing their meal, or maybe one of those apple cores I saw in the middle of the street, where someone didn't bother to leave it in their cupholder or somewhere else till they reached their destination. It doesn't really matter. The duck isn't alive anymore. Somewhere, some little guys may be missing him, or a female is wondering when he'll come home from work for the day.
I realize this is probably all too sentimental for something that simple. I'm no birder or anything like that, but the thing is, I really do like birds. Obviously, the most remarkable birds I've ever seen were in Hawaii. But just as likable for me are the ducks around the suburban area where I live. They seem content with racing across ponds both man-made and natural and eating the bread we're not supposed to give them.
In short, be kind to your fine feathered friends. You never know when someone will write a maudlin blog entry about the small tragedy of one mallard's demise.
A dead duck
And I decided he deserved an entry of his own.
The duck was on the edge of a parking lot next to my building. I figured at first that he'd been hit by a car. But then, given his position, that didn't seem so logical. His body was free of any contortion, his bill pointed slightly downward. His purely green head still shone in the sun, his wings were held tightly to his sides, and his feet were turned out the way only a duck's can be.
If he weren't quite so still, you might think he was only sleeping.
My guess is he choked on something, maybe a bit of a bagel that someone tossed out of the parking lot after finishing their meal, or maybe one of those apple cores I saw in the middle of the street, where someone didn't bother to leave it in their cupholder or somewhere else till they reached their destination. It doesn't really matter. The duck isn't alive anymore. Somewhere, some little guys may be missing him, or a female is wondering when he'll come home from work for the day.
I realize this is probably all too sentimental for something that simple. I'm no birder or anything like that, but the thing is, I really do like birds. Obviously, the most remarkable birds I've ever seen were in Hawaii. But just as likable for me are the ducks around the suburban area where I live. They seem content with racing across ponds both man-made and natural and eating the bread we're not supposed to give them.
In short, be kind to your fine feathered friends. You never know when someone will write a maudlin blog entry about the small tragedy of one mallard's demise.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
It's 70 Degrees Outside Today.
And for this reason, I simply had to go for a bike ride.
Bike rides are great for many reasons: it's exercise, it's actually enjoyable, you feel like you're flying when you hit a decline, et cetera, et cetera. One of the very best things is completely unrelated to movement, though, and that is the objects you see while you're riding.
Today, I spotted the following.
A child's glove (knit)
A rubber glove
Another rubber glove, about ten feet past the first
An empty KY Jelly box
A beat-up volleyball
I may have to provide updates on this list as they come.
So, I think we really can call it spring now. (Knock on wood.) I was ready, you were ready, everyone was ready, and it had to happen eventually. The start of a new season triggers in me a desire to change something, though I haven't determined exactly what. Maybe it'll be something as insignificant as my hair color, or something as weighty as my career aspirations. I never really know about these things. Just makes life more exciting that way, right?
I'm thinking I'll make cookies (from a mix, of course) this afternoon, maybe write some kind of pop culture-related piece, and get some Buffy going. I'm still working on season seven, but all it'll take at this point is some marathoning.
Gruß Gott. (That was correct, right, Laurie? I can still understand German when I hear it, but I can't write it at all. I'm thinking of independently studying it again for fun.)
Bike rides are great for many reasons: it's exercise, it's actually enjoyable, you feel like you're flying when you hit a decline, et cetera, et cetera. One of the very best things is completely unrelated to movement, though, and that is the objects you see while you're riding.
Today, I spotted the following.
A child's glove (knit)
A rubber glove
Another rubber glove, about ten feet past the first
An empty KY Jelly box
A beat-up volleyball
I may have to provide updates on this list as they come.
So, I think we really can call it spring now. (Knock on wood.) I was ready, you were ready, everyone was ready, and it had to happen eventually. The start of a new season triggers in me a desire to change something, though I haven't determined exactly what. Maybe it'll be something as insignificant as my hair color, or something as weighty as my career aspirations. I never really know about these things. Just makes life more exciting that way, right?
I'm thinking I'll make cookies (from a mix, of course) this afternoon, maybe write some kind of pop culture-related piece, and get some Buffy going. I'm still working on season seven, but all it'll take at this point is some marathoning.
Gruß Gott. (That was correct, right, Laurie? I can still understand German when I hear it, but I can't write it at all. I'm thinking of independently studying it again for fun.)
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Interlude: The Eclipse Trailer
Upon watching the trailer for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse today, I determined that this might have been what Jacob (Taylor Lautner) would've said to Bella (Kristen Stewart), had he not forgotten his script that day:
"I'm going to fight for you till your heart stops beating. But after that, I'm going to lose interest, because frankly, death is unbecoming, even for someone who already appears dead the majority of the time. I mean, seriously, Bella, what's with the gaping fish mouth? Do you know how to look any other way? Sure, you bite your lip once in a while, but it wouldn't really take that much work to smile. Or frown. Or SOMETHING. Anyway, yeah. I love you and stuff. And I have actual abdominal muscles, no CGI here. Plus, werewolf, warmth, and your cold heart has the chance of warming up with me rather than stopping. Which is all you get from him. Your choice. Did I mention the muscles?"
They should pay me for this.
"I'm going to fight for you till your heart stops beating. But after that, I'm going to lose interest, because frankly, death is unbecoming, even for someone who already appears dead the majority of the time. I mean, seriously, Bella, what's with the gaping fish mouth? Do you know how to look any other way? Sure, you bite your lip once in a while, but it wouldn't really take that much work to smile. Or frown. Or SOMETHING. Anyway, yeah. I love you and stuff. And I have actual abdominal muscles, no CGI here. Plus, werewolf, warmth, and your cold heart has the chance of warming up with me rather than stopping. Which is all you get from him. Your choice. Did I mention the muscles?"
They should pay me for this.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
PC04: Celebrity Crushes
If there's any aspect of pop culture I enjoy, it's getting completely unrealistic crushes on celebrities of all stripes. In my case, these are hardly ever sensible crushes. Sure, there's the errant JC Chasez or Jonathan Taylor Thomas, but mostly, my taste was (and is) questionable at best. So here, I thought I'd give you a rundown.
CHRISTY (GORDON) ADMIRAAL'S UNLIKELY STRING OF CELEBRITY CRUSHES, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
1. Mark Summers. Between the ages of 1 and 4, my crushes were at their disturbing apex. My first celebrity love was the host of Double Dare and What Would You Do, Mark Summers. Now, Summers is perhaps best known for his obsessive compulsive disorder and as a Food Network personality, hosting Unwrapped (which I watch too often for it to be a coincidence). I'm told I was glued to the TV whenever Nickelodeon game shows hit the screen, particularly those with giant pies.
2. Reginald VelJohnson. This I can actually remember. I'm the rare person whose memories start around 4 and keep going from there. VelJohnson plays the father on Family Matters, a show I was especially interested in during the golden age of the TGIF Lineup on ABC. Of any of these, this one intrigues me the most, but I'm sure it would take years of therapy to uncover my 4-year-old reasoning.
3. Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Here we encounter something substantially less interesting. Every girl between the ages of 7 and 15 had a thing for JTT when Home Improvement was at its peak. Looking at my past record, this one is shockingly normal, but that's what happens when your parents send you to school. (How dare they?)
4. Zack de la Rocha. Oh, don't worry, it gets weird again. Why was I even listening to Rage Against the Machine at age 11? Further, why would I ever find dreadlocks acceptable on a man, even encouraged? Granted, he's still cute in my eyes. But that changes nothing of this strangeness.
5. JC Chasez. It would be a crime to leave JC, my favorite member of *NSYNC, off this list. To date, this is my most serious crush on a completely unobtainable person. I still understand my middle school psyche on this one. He's clearly not a homosexual, his eyes and facial structure are remarkable, and his voice was my favorite of any guy in any boy band. (Aside: I will now admit that Justin Timberlake's is better.) So there you have it. I went through a thoroughly typical period before returning to quirkiness. Maybe I'm normal after all.
6. Alan Rickman. Then again, maybe I'm not. Somewhere in there, my crush on Tom Felton, AKA Draco Malfoy, was a bigger deal than my love for the man who would be Severus Snape, Alan Rickman. However, the thing with Rickman lasted much longer, in that it's ongoing. I really don't think there's a better looking man over 50 in Hollywood today, and I imagine I won't be changing mind anytime soon. (Sorry, Liam Neeson.)
7. Tahmoh Penikett. If Tahmoh Penikett was on a crime serial or something, then everyone would have a crush on him. Such as it is, he's just (in my mind) the most attractive male in all of Battlestar Galactica, and that's a pretty hard title to grab. He's a pretty one note actor, but he nails that one note every time. Also, he has the best muscle tone of anyone on this list, and that has to count for something.
8. James Marsters. Hello, Present Day Number One. Realistically, Marsters is the only person on this list I'll ever actually meet, assuming I go to Dragon*Con this year as I'd like to. And he's also the person I'd most like to meet. Far and away my favorite actor on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he's as good looking at 47 as he was ten years ago (unbelievably, he was already in his 30s on Buffy). He's also down to earth, with a good sense of humor, and he's in a band. I can find no better justification than that, except maybe his fake British accent.
So, there you have it. Is your list as strange or varied as mine? I'd guess not. But there's no shame in that, or any choice you might make. I think I've proven that.
CHRISTY (GORDON) ADMIRAAL'S UNLIKELY STRING OF CELEBRITY CRUSHES, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
1. Mark Summers. Between the ages of 1 and 4, my crushes were at their disturbing apex. My first celebrity love was the host of Double Dare and What Would You Do, Mark Summers. Now, Summers is perhaps best known for his obsessive compulsive disorder and as a Food Network personality, hosting Unwrapped (which I watch too often for it to be a coincidence). I'm told I was glued to the TV whenever Nickelodeon game shows hit the screen, particularly those with giant pies.
2. Reginald VelJohnson. This I can actually remember. I'm the rare person whose memories start around 4 and keep going from there. VelJohnson plays the father on Family Matters, a show I was especially interested in during the golden age of the TGIF Lineup on ABC. Of any of these, this one intrigues me the most, but I'm sure it would take years of therapy to uncover my 4-year-old reasoning.
3. Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Here we encounter something substantially less interesting. Every girl between the ages of 7 and 15 had a thing for JTT when Home Improvement was at its peak. Looking at my past record, this one is shockingly normal, but that's what happens when your parents send you to school. (How dare they?)
4. Zack de la Rocha. Oh, don't worry, it gets weird again. Why was I even listening to Rage Against the Machine at age 11? Further, why would I ever find dreadlocks acceptable on a man, even encouraged? Granted, he's still cute in my eyes. But that changes nothing of this strangeness.
5. JC Chasez. It would be a crime to leave JC, my favorite member of *NSYNC, off this list. To date, this is my most serious crush on a completely unobtainable person. I still understand my middle school psyche on this one. He's clearly not a homosexual, his eyes and facial structure are remarkable, and his voice was my favorite of any guy in any boy band. (Aside: I will now admit that Justin Timberlake's is better.) So there you have it. I went through a thoroughly typical period before returning to quirkiness. Maybe I'm normal after all.
6. Alan Rickman. Then again, maybe I'm not. Somewhere in there, my crush on Tom Felton, AKA Draco Malfoy, was a bigger deal than my love for the man who would be Severus Snape, Alan Rickman. However, the thing with Rickman lasted much longer, in that it's ongoing. I really don't think there's a better looking man over 50 in Hollywood today, and I imagine I won't be changing mind anytime soon. (Sorry, Liam Neeson.)
7. Tahmoh Penikett. If Tahmoh Penikett was on a crime serial or something, then everyone would have a crush on him. Such as it is, he's just (in my mind) the most attractive male in all of Battlestar Galactica, and that's a pretty hard title to grab. He's a pretty one note actor, but he nails that one note every time. Also, he has the best muscle tone of anyone on this list, and that has to count for something.
8. James Marsters. Hello, Present Day Number One. Realistically, Marsters is the only person on this list I'll ever actually meet, assuming I go to Dragon*Con this year as I'd like to. And he's also the person I'd most like to meet. Far and away my favorite actor on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he's as good looking at 47 as he was ten years ago (unbelievably, he was already in his 30s on Buffy). He's also down to earth, with a good sense of humor, and he's in a band. I can find no better justification than that, except maybe his fake British accent.
So, there you have it. Is your list as strange or varied as mine? I'd guess not. But there's no shame in that, or any choice you might make. I think I've proven that.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
PC03: Television Credit Sequences
Today, I was thinking about how I'm the only person I know who wants to see the A-Team movie this summer. In my mind, I ran through the reasons everyone should want to:
1. Liam Neeson.
2. Sharlto Copley.
3. Bradley Cooper.
And, perhaps most importantly...
4. The A-Team's theme song.
From there, my mind moved on to the importance of a quality credit sequence for any given television program. Quickly, I assembled mental lists of what I consider to be the best and worst opening sequences in television, and here, I have transcribed them for you.
First, let's go with the best.
1. Parks and Recreation. I think Parks and Rec is the low point of the NBC Thursday night line-up. This is hardly its own fault, as Community is flawless for being so new and both The Office and 30 Rock are future classics. Fortunately for Parks and Rec, this season is improving, and if nothing else, it has the catchiest theme on television. It's the one song that gets stuck in my head that doesn't bother me at all.
2. How I Met Your Mother. Brevity is important (although perhaps not as important as the creators of the Lost "credit sequence" believe). So is catchiness. And so are attractive people. That said, HIMYM's opener is something I sing along with every time I watch the show, and I can't make that claim about anything else. Ba, ba ba ba ba, ba ba ba...
3. Invader Zim. We used to watch this, one of my all time favorite shows, on Scott TV a lot, and it's the only show that I insisted we watch the credit sequence every time. The music is appropriately dark and sweeping, and the images give it the sense of humor for which Zim is so well-loved.
4. Arrested Development. I'd call this the most successful use of voice over narration in a credit sequence. Come to think of it, Arrested also boasts the most successful use of voice over narration in general, matched only by The Wonder Years (which was edged out of this list but only barely). I like the aesthetic, the song, and the tone set by Ron Howard. I like everything about Arrested, so this is just one more thing to add to that list.
5. Animaniacs. Another theme sequence I have to watch every time, it's just so goofy, with great lyrics and a nice overview of what's coming.
6. Fear Itself. Fear Itself was a fairly unremarkable, though amusing Masters of Horror series a couple years back with so-so one-off episodes and a simply terrific theme by Serj Tankian of System of a Down. It's still what I remember most clearly.
7. Mystery Science Theater 3000. MST3K was smart enough to change the lyrics of its simple, cheery theme each time the characters changed. And it had perhaps the best lyric of any TV theme: "If you're wondering how he eats and breathes and other science facts, just say to yourself, 'It's just a show, I should really just relax.'" Still rings true today.
And, naturally, the worst:
1. Full House. Granted, this is probably the theme song you can sing along with most accurately. Still, "Everywhere You Look" is a simply terrible song, made even worse by Danny Tanner & Co. mugging for the camera.
2. Family Matters. It's like the Full House theme with worse lyrics. Enough said.
3. America's Next Top Model. I guess I'd call this the most awesomely bad theme. Terrible song, awful Word Art-style text, and unflattering pictures of the models who are about to bitch for an hour? Bring it on. I can think of nothing more appropriate.
4. Two and a Half Men. I have never watched this show, but I've seen the beginning and the end, and I can safely say there is no theme song worse to have stuck in your head. Multi-camera sitcoms, with the exception of HIMYM, lose at theme sequences.
5. American Idol. By all accounts, American Idol is one of the most successful programs on television with one of the worst themes. I think it runs uncontested as the worst theme on television right now. Blue people? "Ah-ah?" Yeah, shut up.
And some theme sequences that aren't quite notable enough to make the list, but are almost there: Battlestar Galactica (best), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (best), Dollhouse (worst), Step By Step (worst), and X-Men: The Animated Series (best).
I like spending my time this way once in a while.
1. Liam Neeson.
2. Sharlto Copley.
3. Bradley Cooper.
And, perhaps most importantly...
4. The A-Team's theme song.
From there, my mind moved on to the importance of a quality credit sequence for any given television program. Quickly, I assembled mental lists of what I consider to be the best and worst opening sequences in television, and here, I have transcribed them for you.
First, let's go with the best.
1. Parks and Recreation. I think Parks and Rec is the low point of the NBC Thursday night line-up. This is hardly its own fault, as Community is flawless for being so new and both The Office and 30 Rock are future classics. Fortunately for Parks and Rec, this season is improving, and if nothing else, it has the catchiest theme on television. It's the one song that gets stuck in my head that doesn't bother me at all.
2. How I Met Your Mother. Brevity is important (although perhaps not as important as the creators of the Lost "credit sequence" believe). So is catchiness. And so are attractive people. That said, HIMYM's opener is something I sing along with every time I watch the show, and I can't make that claim about anything else. Ba, ba ba ba ba, ba ba ba...
3. Invader Zim. We used to watch this, one of my all time favorite shows, on Scott TV a lot, and it's the only show that I insisted we watch the credit sequence every time. The music is appropriately dark and sweeping, and the images give it the sense of humor for which Zim is so well-loved.
4. Arrested Development. I'd call this the most successful use of voice over narration in a credit sequence. Come to think of it, Arrested also boasts the most successful use of voice over narration in general, matched only by The Wonder Years (which was edged out of this list but only barely). I like the aesthetic, the song, and the tone set by Ron Howard. I like everything about Arrested, so this is just one more thing to add to that list.
5. Animaniacs. Another theme sequence I have to watch every time, it's just so goofy, with great lyrics and a nice overview of what's coming.
6. Fear Itself. Fear Itself was a fairly unremarkable, though amusing Masters of Horror series a couple years back with so-so one-off episodes and a simply terrific theme by Serj Tankian of System of a Down. It's still what I remember most clearly.
7. Mystery Science Theater 3000. MST3K was smart enough to change the lyrics of its simple, cheery theme each time the characters changed. And it had perhaps the best lyric of any TV theme: "If you're wondering how he eats and breathes and other science facts, just say to yourself, 'It's just a show, I should really just relax.'" Still rings true today.
And, naturally, the worst:
1. Full House. Granted, this is probably the theme song you can sing along with most accurately. Still, "Everywhere You Look" is a simply terrible song, made even worse by Danny Tanner & Co. mugging for the camera.
2. Family Matters. It's like the Full House theme with worse lyrics. Enough said.
3. America's Next Top Model. I guess I'd call this the most awesomely bad theme. Terrible song, awful Word Art-style text, and unflattering pictures of the models who are about to bitch for an hour? Bring it on. I can think of nothing more appropriate.
4. Two and a Half Men. I have never watched this show, but I've seen the beginning and the end, and I can safely say there is no theme song worse to have stuck in your head. Multi-camera sitcoms, with the exception of HIMYM, lose at theme sequences.
5. American Idol. By all accounts, American Idol is one of the most successful programs on television with one of the worst themes. I think it runs uncontested as the worst theme on television right now. Blue people? "Ah-ah?" Yeah, shut up.
And some theme sequences that aren't quite notable enough to make the list, but are almost there: Battlestar Galactica (best), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (best), Dollhouse (worst), Step By Step (worst), and X-Men: The Animated Series (best).
I like spending my time this way once in a while.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Flashbackin': Proud to Be An American on Super Bowl Sunday
Published the 8th of February, 2008, in Chimes:
This past Sunday, before a Bud Light ad about breathing fire, Jordin Sparks’s rendition of the national anthem and a football game that did not become wholly engaging until the final 15 minutes, there aired a different kind of kickoff for Super Bowl XLII.
At the very beginning of the four-hour pre-game show, a reading of the Declaration of Independence was broadcast. The Declaration was read by men dressed as Jefferson, Franklin and other signers of the document, then NFL football players past and present. It also featured a proclamation by players that they are Americans, calling to mind the “I am Calvin College” video aired during freshman orientation. (It was not the first time such a reading has occurred pre-Super Bowl; actually, it was the third. The last recitation was shown before the game three years ago.)
Newspapers across the nation published editorial responses to these pre-show elements the day after the game, placing emphasis on the reading. This consisted mostly of sardonic commentary. The Baltimore Sun asked, “Do we really need a reading of the Declaration of Independence?”
But rather than asking about the necessity of this pre-show portion, we should be wondering what the producer’s intent was in airing it. It is worth noting that other news sources and blogs were pleased with the reading. In sum, they counted it as a simple, yet powerful tribute to what our country is, a proclamation of patriotism.
And therein lies the rub: is this sincere patriotism, and is today’s patriotism in tune with the spirit that encompassed the Declaration upon its first draft? Further, is reading the Declaration before a football game equivalent to internalizing its principles?
Patriotism had, and has, many facets. Granted, in 1776, it looked different from its current state. But some values remain, no matter how loosely enforced those values may be: the importance of political knowledge and taking the opportunity to vote and voice one’s opinion in public forums and elections.
Equally important to patriotism is honesty. Patriots hold fast to what they believe and are free to disagree with the government — that is, they devote themselves to their cause, have the ability to support their opinion and are prepared to defend it, whether it is in accordance with the government’s rule or not.
Even with those core values in place, the meaning of patriotism has shifted and the word is garnering new definitions. By current dictionary definition, a patriot is one who is devoted to his or her own country, a person (claiming to be) ready to support or defend his or her country’s freedom or rights. In turn, being patriotic is synonymous with devotion to the well-being or interests of one country (Oxford English Dictionary). But it can be difficult to find these elements in their current contexts.
Patriotism is proclaimed on protest signs of anti-war advocates reading “Peace is patriotic.”
Patriotism shows itself as a fad when affixed to back bumpers and front windows of minivans with magnetic ribbons and window clings of American flags.
Patriotism is retooled by campaigning politicians, not necessarily in word so much as in concept; American heroism, freedom and even a word as simple as “change” are given new meaning, definitions that the public has trouble understanding.
Taking these deviations into account, it is hard to say how many actual patriots are left, let alone whether or not that crowd of actors and football players can honestly say they are patriotic and proud. In a modern sense, they appear to be patriotic. They recite the Declaration with strong conviction, emphasizing the same words a presidential hopeful might. But how comforting is it to hear those words again from another person’s mouth, a person who is, by all accounts, entirely disconnected from the political scene? Doesn’t it sound more hollow than heartening? It would be unfair to judge the athletes on this, what can only be called an advertisement for patriotism, alone. But if patriotism is going to be marketed, shouldn’t it come with an encouraging push toward true patriotism and all it involves — political participation, education and voiced opinions?
My sincere hope is that, with or without a clear definition, it means more to all of us than watching football players and poor actors reciting our nation’s Declaration in glorious HD.
This past Sunday, before a Bud Light ad about breathing fire, Jordin Sparks’s rendition of the national anthem and a football game that did not become wholly engaging until the final 15 minutes, there aired a different kind of kickoff for Super Bowl XLII.
At the very beginning of the four-hour pre-game show, a reading of the Declaration of Independence was broadcast. The Declaration was read by men dressed as Jefferson, Franklin and other signers of the document, then NFL football players past and present. It also featured a proclamation by players that they are Americans, calling to mind the “I am Calvin College” video aired during freshman orientation. (It was not the first time such a reading has occurred pre-Super Bowl; actually, it was the third. The last recitation was shown before the game three years ago.)
Newspapers across the nation published editorial responses to these pre-show elements the day after the game, placing emphasis on the reading. This consisted mostly of sardonic commentary. The Baltimore Sun asked, “Do we really need a reading of the Declaration of Independence?”
But rather than asking about the necessity of this pre-show portion, we should be wondering what the producer’s intent was in airing it. It is worth noting that other news sources and blogs were pleased with the reading. In sum, they counted it as a simple, yet powerful tribute to what our country is, a proclamation of patriotism.
And therein lies the rub: is this sincere patriotism, and is today’s patriotism in tune with the spirit that encompassed the Declaration upon its first draft? Further, is reading the Declaration before a football game equivalent to internalizing its principles?
Patriotism had, and has, many facets. Granted, in 1776, it looked different from its current state. But some values remain, no matter how loosely enforced those values may be: the importance of political knowledge and taking the opportunity to vote and voice one’s opinion in public forums and elections.
Equally important to patriotism is honesty. Patriots hold fast to what they believe and are free to disagree with the government — that is, they devote themselves to their cause, have the ability to support their opinion and are prepared to defend it, whether it is in accordance with the government’s rule or not.
Even with those core values in place, the meaning of patriotism has shifted and the word is garnering new definitions. By current dictionary definition, a patriot is one who is devoted to his or her own country, a person (claiming to be) ready to support or defend his or her country’s freedom or rights. In turn, being patriotic is synonymous with devotion to the well-being or interests of one country (Oxford English Dictionary). But it can be difficult to find these elements in their current contexts.
Patriotism is proclaimed on protest signs of anti-war advocates reading “Peace is patriotic.”
Patriotism shows itself as a fad when affixed to back bumpers and front windows of minivans with magnetic ribbons and window clings of American flags.
Patriotism is retooled by campaigning politicians, not necessarily in word so much as in concept; American heroism, freedom and even a word as simple as “change” are given new meaning, definitions that the public has trouble understanding.
Taking these deviations into account, it is hard to say how many actual patriots are left, let alone whether or not that crowd of actors and football players can honestly say they are patriotic and proud. In a modern sense, they appear to be patriotic. They recite the Declaration with strong conviction, emphasizing the same words a presidential hopeful might. But how comforting is it to hear those words again from another person’s mouth, a person who is, by all accounts, entirely disconnected from the political scene? Doesn’t it sound more hollow than heartening? It would be unfair to judge the athletes on this, what can only be called an advertisement for patriotism, alone. But if patriotism is going to be marketed, shouldn’t it come with an encouraging push toward true patriotism and all it involves — political participation, education and voiced opinions?
My sincere hope is that, with or without a clear definition, it means more to all of us than watching football players and poor actors reciting our nation’s Declaration in glorious HD.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
PC02.5: Oscar Nominations and Predictions
Best Picture
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up In The Air
My reaction to this list was laughter, and disappointment that this was the year they expanded to 10 nominees. Even with that, there's the glaring absence of Star Trek and its replacement with (pick one of the following) District 9, Inglourious Basterds, and The Blind Side. I've seen the former two and greatly enjoyed both, but in terms of, well, just about everything, I found Star Trek to be a worthwhile and fulfilling experience. The Blind Side, put simply, sucks, and while I really do despise when someone makes a judgment like that before seeing a movie, it looks like standard "domesticity saves lives" schmaltz. Every other nom in this category is completely legitimate and logical, although I would say that Avatar, sight unseen, is there because it's innovative and not because of its script (see screenplay nominees below).
Also, I want to see An Education quite badly. Please take me to see it, you.
Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up In The Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
I loved Clooney's performance in Up in the Air, but Jeff Bridges at his best is better, and a grizzled old country/western singer seems like a perfect fit for him. I'm disappointed to say that among these, I've only seen Up in the Air.
Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Meryl Streep gets too much recognition to take this, and Bullock's been sweeping so far, so I can't see someone else getting it.
Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, Invictus
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
There is no possible way anyone but Waltz will be getting this award, which is the same for...
Best Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up In The Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick, Up In The Air
Mo'Nique, Precious
I was thrilled to see Kendrick on this list, and Farmiga as well, though that's less surprising. But Mo'Nique, again, has a high success rate so far, and I can't see that changing.
Best Director
James Cameron, Avatar
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Lee Daniels, Precious
Jason Reitman, Up In The Air
Maybe this is wishful thinking.
Best Adapted Screenplay
District 9, Neil Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell
An Education, Nick Hornby
In The Loop, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche
Precious, Geoffrey Fletcher
Up In The Air, Sheldon Turner & Jason Reitman
Up in the Air does deserve accolades for its originality, believability, and cleverness. It might be nice to see An Education win this one, though, or In The Loop, which seems overlooked in general.
Best Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger, Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
A Serious Man, Joel & Ethan Coen
Up, Bob Peterson, Pete Docter & Thomas McCarthy
The Brothers Coen have a history with this sort of thing, and I've heard this is one of their finest. However, The Hurt Locker and The Messenger both have an outside chance of swinging this one. I would love to see Up win this, though I doubt it will.
Best Foreign Language Film
Ajami (Israel, Dir. Scandar Copti & Yaron Shani)
The Secret In Their Eyes (Argentina, Dir. Juan José Campanella)
The Milk Of Sorrow (Peru, Dir. Claudia Llosa)
A Prophet (France, Dir. Jacques Audiard)
The White Ribbon (Germany, Dir. Michael Haneke)
I don't think any of these (save for maybe The White Ribbon) came through Grand Rapids, so I can't feel too bad about not seeing them. The White Ribbon has received a lot of accolades thus far and I don't think that's going to change.
Best Animated Feature
Coraline (Dir. Henry Selick)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Dir. Wes Anderson)
The Princess & The Frog (Dir. Ron Clements & John Musker)
The Secret Of Kells (Dir. Tomm Moore & Nora Twomey)
Up (Dir. Bob Peterson & Pete Docter)
I feel like this'll be a pseudo-apology to Peterson, Doctor, and John Lasseter. Having seen three of the five, I can confirm that it certainly deserves it among those.
Best Animated Short
French Roast (Dir. Fabrice O. Joubert)
Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty (Dir. Nicky Phelan & Darragh O'Connell)
The Lady & The Reaper (Dir. Javier Recio Garcia)
Logorama (Dir. Nicolas Schmerkin)
A Matter Of Loaf And Death (Dir. Nick Park)
Wallace & Gromit? Yes, please.
Best Documentary Feature
Burma VJ (Dir. Anders Østergaard & Lise Lense-Møller)
The Cove (Dir. Louie Psihoyos)
Food, Inc. (Dir. Robert Kenner & Elise Pearlstein)
The Most Dangerous Man In America: Daniel Ellsberg And The Pentagon Papers (Dir. Judith Ehrlich & Rick Goldsmith)
Which Way Home (Dir. Rebecca Cammisa)
The Cove, as far as documentaries go, is right up there with The King of Kong and Young@Heart for me.
Best Documentary Short
China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears Of Sichuan Province (Dir. Jon Alpert & Matthew O'Neill)
The Last Campaign Of Governor Booth Gardner (Dir. Daniel Junge & Henry Ansbacher)
The Last Truck: Closing Of A GM Plant (Dir. Steven Bognar & Julia Reichert)
Music By Prudence (Dir. Roger Ross Williams & Elinor Burkett)
Rabbit A La Berlin (Dir. Bartek Konopka & Anna Wydra)
I assume this has something to do with Michigan. And I like Michigan.
Best Live-Action Short
The Door (Dir. Juanita Wilson & James Flynn)
Instead Of Abracadabra (Dir. Patrik Eklund & Mathias Fjellström)
Kavi (Dir. Gregg Helvey)
Miracle Fish (Dir. Luke Doolan & Drew Bailey)
The New Tenants (Dir. Joachim Back & Tivi Magnusson)
Guess what? I haven't seen any of these. Haven't heard of them, either. But I like the name "Miracle Fish."
Best Cinematography
Avatar, Mauro Fiore
Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince, Bruno Delbonnel
The Hurt Locker, Barry Ackroyd
Inglourious Basterds, Robert Richardson
The White Ribbon, Christian Berger
I certainly know what won't win this, and that makes me a little sad inside. But I'm counting on Avatar to sweep a lot of the technicals.
Best Film Editing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
Best Art Direction
Avatar
The Imaginarium Of Dr. Parnassus
Nine
Sherlock Holmes
The Young Victoria
Best Costume Design
Bright Star
Coco Before Chanel
The Imaginarium Of Dr. Parnassus
Nine
The Young Victoria
It's a musical, although The Young Victoria is a period piece, so this is sort of a toss-up.
Best Makeup
Il Divo
Star Trek
The Young Victoria
Sigh.
Best Sound Editing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Up
I know it's not true, but I don't care.
Best Sound Mixing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Transformers is nominated for an Oscar? I know it's just Sound Mixing but ... this might be worse than Norbit.
Best Visual Effects
Avatar
District 9
Star Trek
I won't even lie to myself this time. Avatar was created to win this award.
Best Song
"Almost There" by Randy Newman, The Princess & The Frog
"Down In New Orleans" by Randy Newman, The Princess & The Frog
"Loin De Paname" by Reinhardt Wagner & Frank Thomas, Paris 36
"Take It All" by Maury Yeston, Nine
"Weary Kind" by Ryan Bingham & T. Bone Burnett, Crazy Heart
I'm pretty surprised that they went with "Almost There" rather than "When We're Human," which I thought was a better song and sequence. Doesn't matter anyway.
Best Original Score
Avatar, James Horner
Fantastic Mr. Fox, Alexandre Desplat
The Hurt Locker, Marco Beltrami & Beck Sanders
Sherlock Holmes, Hans Zimmer
Up, Michael Giacchino
Please, Academy, don't make me cry.
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up In The Air
My reaction to this list was laughter, and disappointment that this was the year they expanded to 10 nominees. Even with that, there's the glaring absence of Star Trek and its replacement with (pick one of the following) District 9, Inglourious Basterds, and The Blind Side. I've seen the former two and greatly enjoyed both, but in terms of, well, just about everything, I found Star Trek to be a worthwhile and fulfilling experience. The Blind Side, put simply, sucks, and while I really do despise when someone makes a judgment like that before seeing a movie, it looks like standard "domesticity saves lives" schmaltz. Every other nom in this category is completely legitimate and logical, although I would say that Avatar, sight unseen, is there because it's innovative and not because of its script (see screenplay nominees below).
Also, I want to see An Education quite badly. Please take me to see it, you.
Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up In The Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
I loved Clooney's performance in Up in the Air, but Jeff Bridges at his best is better, and a grizzled old country/western singer seems like a perfect fit for him. I'm disappointed to say that among these, I've only seen Up in the Air.
Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Meryl Streep gets too much recognition to take this, and Bullock's been sweeping so far, so I can't see someone else getting it.
Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, Invictus
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
There is no possible way anyone but Waltz will be getting this award, which is the same for...
Best Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up In The Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick, Up In The Air
Mo'Nique, Precious
I was thrilled to see Kendrick on this list, and Farmiga as well, though that's less surprising. But Mo'Nique, again, has a high success rate so far, and I can't see that changing.
Best Director
James Cameron, Avatar
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Lee Daniels, Precious
Jason Reitman, Up In The Air
Maybe this is wishful thinking.
Best Adapted Screenplay
District 9, Neil Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell
An Education, Nick Hornby
In The Loop, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche
Precious, Geoffrey Fletcher
Up In The Air, Sheldon Turner & Jason Reitman
Up in the Air does deserve accolades for its originality, believability, and cleverness. It might be nice to see An Education win this one, though, or In The Loop, which seems overlooked in general.
Best Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger, Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
A Serious Man, Joel & Ethan Coen
Up, Bob Peterson, Pete Docter & Thomas McCarthy
The Brothers Coen have a history with this sort of thing, and I've heard this is one of their finest. However, The Hurt Locker and The Messenger both have an outside chance of swinging this one. I would love to see Up win this, though I doubt it will.
Best Foreign Language Film
Ajami (Israel, Dir. Scandar Copti & Yaron Shani)
The Secret In Their Eyes (Argentina, Dir. Juan José Campanella)
The Milk Of Sorrow (Peru, Dir. Claudia Llosa)
A Prophet (France, Dir. Jacques Audiard)
The White Ribbon (Germany, Dir. Michael Haneke)
I don't think any of these (save for maybe The White Ribbon) came through Grand Rapids, so I can't feel too bad about not seeing them. The White Ribbon has received a lot of accolades thus far and I don't think that's going to change.
Best Animated Feature
Coraline (Dir. Henry Selick)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Dir. Wes Anderson)
The Princess & The Frog (Dir. Ron Clements & John Musker)
The Secret Of Kells (Dir. Tomm Moore & Nora Twomey)
Up (Dir. Bob Peterson & Pete Docter)
I feel like this'll be a pseudo-apology to Peterson, Doctor, and John Lasseter. Having seen three of the five, I can confirm that it certainly deserves it among those.
Best Animated Short
French Roast (Dir. Fabrice O. Joubert)
Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty (Dir. Nicky Phelan & Darragh O'Connell)
The Lady & The Reaper (Dir. Javier Recio Garcia)
Logorama (Dir. Nicolas Schmerkin)
A Matter Of Loaf And Death (Dir. Nick Park)
Wallace & Gromit? Yes, please.
Best Documentary Feature
Burma VJ (Dir. Anders Østergaard & Lise Lense-Møller)
The Cove (Dir. Louie Psihoyos)
Food, Inc. (Dir. Robert Kenner & Elise Pearlstein)
The Most Dangerous Man In America: Daniel Ellsberg And The Pentagon Papers (Dir. Judith Ehrlich & Rick Goldsmith)
Which Way Home (Dir. Rebecca Cammisa)
The Cove, as far as documentaries go, is right up there with The King of Kong and Young@Heart for me.
Best Documentary Short
China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears Of Sichuan Province (Dir. Jon Alpert & Matthew O'Neill)
The Last Campaign Of Governor Booth Gardner (Dir. Daniel Junge & Henry Ansbacher)
The Last Truck: Closing Of A GM Plant (Dir. Steven Bognar & Julia Reichert)
Music By Prudence (Dir. Roger Ross Williams & Elinor Burkett)
Rabbit A La Berlin (Dir. Bartek Konopka & Anna Wydra)
I assume this has something to do with Michigan. And I like Michigan.
Best Live-Action Short
The Door (Dir. Juanita Wilson & James Flynn)
Instead Of Abracadabra (Dir. Patrik Eklund & Mathias Fjellström)
Kavi (Dir. Gregg Helvey)
Miracle Fish (Dir. Luke Doolan & Drew Bailey)
The New Tenants (Dir. Joachim Back & Tivi Magnusson)
Guess what? I haven't seen any of these. Haven't heard of them, either. But I like the name "Miracle Fish."
Best Cinematography
Avatar, Mauro Fiore
Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince, Bruno Delbonnel
The Hurt Locker, Barry Ackroyd
Inglourious Basterds, Robert Richardson
The White Ribbon, Christian Berger
I certainly know what won't win this, and that makes me a little sad inside. But I'm counting on Avatar to sweep a lot of the technicals.
Best Film Editing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
Best Art Direction
Avatar
The Imaginarium Of Dr. Parnassus
Nine
Sherlock Holmes
The Young Victoria
Best Costume Design
Bright Star
Coco Before Chanel
The Imaginarium Of Dr. Parnassus
Nine
The Young Victoria
It's a musical, although The Young Victoria is a period piece, so this is sort of a toss-up.
Best Makeup
Il Divo
Star Trek
The Young Victoria
Sigh.
Best Sound Editing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Up
I know it's not true, but I don't care.
Best Sound Mixing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Transformers is nominated for an Oscar? I know it's just Sound Mixing but ... this might be worse than Norbit.
Best Visual Effects
Avatar
District 9
Star Trek
I won't even lie to myself this time. Avatar was created to win this award.
Best Song
"Almost There" by Randy Newman, The Princess & The Frog
"Down In New Orleans" by Randy Newman, The Princess & The Frog
"Loin De Paname" by Reinhardt Wagner & Frank Thomas, Paris 36
"Take It All" by Maury Yeston, Nine
"Weary Kind" by Ryan Bingham & T. Bone Burnett, Crazy Heart
I'm pretty surprised that they went with "Almost There" rather than "When We're Human," which I thought was a better song and sequence. Doesn't matter anyway.
Best Original Score
Avatar, James Horner
Fantastic Mr. Fox, Alexandre Desplat
The Hurt Locker, Marco Beltrami & Beck Sanders
Sherlock Holmes, Hans Zimmer
Up, Michael Giacchino
Please, Academy, don't make me cry.
Monday, February 1, 2010
New Ventures/PC03 Coming Soon
As you may or may not know, I am a semi-active contributor to eHow and Answerbag. When I write for these, this is the kind of list I'm looking at for an assignment:
Believe it or not, my expertise in most of these topics is quite limited.
A while back (a couple years, even), I heard that Suite 101 was a nice, albeit low-paying way to publish third-person web content of any sort. This weekend, I had the good sense to actually look into it, and I'm now a contributor to Suite 101. If you'd like to read my first article, click here. Don't do so if you care at all about the finale of Dollhouse and haven't seen it yet.
For first-person posts, I'll still be blogging here. Within a week, I'm planning on writing about Lost, not so much the show itself as its rabid fan base (of which I am a proud member). Whether you watch it or not, I'll try to make it interesting, though probably not spoiler-free.
Believe it or not, my expertise in most of these topics is quite limited.
A while back (a couple years, even), I heard that Suite 101 was a nice, albeit low-paying way to publish third-person web content of any sort. This weekend, I had the good sense to actually look into it, and I'm now a contributor to Suite 101. If you'd like to read my first article, click here. Don't do so if you care at all about the finale of Dollhouse and haven't seen it yet.
For first-person posts, I'll still be blogging here. Within a week, I'm planning on writing about Lost, not so much the show itself as its rabid fan base (of which I am a proud member). Whether you watch it or not, I'll try to make it interesting, though probably not spoiler-free.
Monday, January 25, 2010
PC02: Have You Heard About The Beatles?
It took me until my second year of college to love the Beatles. I had no problem with the Beatles before that. I just hadn't really pondered their existence. In sophomore year, though, my ever increasing closeness to one of my best friends, Mars, brought me ever nearer to the Beatles, her favorite band.
You may be wondering why it's notable that Mars' favorite band is the Beatles, as this is something she likely shares with thousands of people. But to dismiss this as typical would be a mistake. Mars' love for the Beatles is a childhood affair gone on as long as her life. It's what she grew up on. Those among us who like Sgt. Pepper's and LOVE deserve to be scoffed at by her. But she won't do that. At least, not to your face. She's earned her Beatles fan status in a way I never could.
Given all that, they are now one of my favorite bands, though I don't talk about it very much for the sake of people like Mars. I don't want to give off the impression that I've always understood their brilliance or that I have some deeper appreciate of their music than the layman. That said, I'd like to tell you my five favorite Beatles songs, ever acknowledging that the Beatles are not MY band. They're just a band that belongs to so many others, and that I love.
(Honorable mentions, as a top five is limiting when it comes to the Beatles: "Blackbird," "Eleanor Rigby," "Happiness is a Warm Gun," "I Will," "I've Just Seen a Face," "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," and "Yesterday.")
"In My Life," Rubber Soul. I actually heard the Dave Matthews version of this song before the real thing. Even then, I was struck by its honesty and simple beauty, which are so much more sincere sounding when it's Lennon singing them. (Sorry, Dave.) Being a John girl, it makes sense that his love songs are some of my favorite contributions to the Beatles catalog, and that George Martin piano solo gets me every time.
"Paperback Writer," Paperback Writer/Rain. I love that period of Beatles music in which every song is less than three minutes long, and all of them were practically guaranteed radio success. It's remarkable that each two-minute wonder is still distinct (though that's easy to forget when you listen to them straight through). "Paperback Writer" is my favorite for its plucky idealism, driving guitar, and George and John's backing vocals.
"Getting Better," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Clubs Band. I had no idea this was a Beatles song until I listened to Sgt. Pepper's in full, but as soon as I heard it, I didn't know how there was ever any doubt. To me, "Getting Better" is the quintessential Beatles song. It sounds perfectly happy, though the lyrics hint that there's something else going on; it's poppier than any other respectable band can handle; John and Paul are doing that call and answer thing everyone loves; and, come on, Ringo Starr is playing the congas.
"Here Comes the Sun," Abbey Road. I don't usually love the George Harrison songs, but "Here Comes the Sun" is my favorite among them and, obviously, then some, as established by its appearance here. Sometimes, no matter how good a song is, you'll always value it highly because it triggers a happy memory. "Here Comes the Sun" is one of the songs that reminds me of my trip to Scotland last January so, obviously, I love it. And I think I would anyway. It's light, lilting, pretty, and optimistic, four traits Beatles songs aren't often simultaneously.
"Hey Jude," Hey Jude. I realize I'm mixing up the chronology here by putting "Hey Jude" last. That's intentional. "Hey Jude" is the least Beatles-like Beatles single (except for maybe "Do You Want to Know a Secret?", which makes me feel dirty), and it's still somehow of their very best songs. It relies heavily on vocals and piano, its lyrics are almost frustratingly simple, and, well, as a good friend of mine once put it, "Several Beatles died while still singing the 'Na na na na' part." But you know what? That's what makes it awesome. I don't know that Paul McCartney realized how great a present he gave Julius Lennon when he decided this was a good way to cheer the boy up.
You may be wondering why it's notable that Mars' favorite band is the Beatles, as this is something she likely shares with thousands of people. But to dismiss this as typical would be a mistake. Mars' love for the Beatles is a childhood affair gone on as long as her life. It's what she grew up on. Those among us who like Sgt. Pepper's and LOVE deserve to be scoffed at by her. But she won't do that. At least, not to your face. She's earned her Beatles fan status in a way I never could.
Given all that, they are now one of my favorite bands, though I don't talk about it very much for the sake of people like Mars. I don't want to give off the impression that I've always understood their brilliance or that I have some deeper appreciate of their music than the layman. That said, I'd like to tell you my five favorite Beatles songs, ever acknowledging that the Beatles are not MY band. They're just a band that belongs to so many others, and that I love.
(Honorable mentions, as a top five is limiting when it comes to the Beatles: "Blackbird," "Eleanor Rigby," "Happiness is a Warm Gun," "I Will," "I've Just Seen a Face," "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," and "Yesterday.")
"In My Life," Rubber Soul. I actually heard the Dave Matthews version of this song before the real thing. Even then, I was struck by its honesty and simple beauty, which are so much more sincere sounding when it's Lennon singing them. (Sorry, Dave.) Being a John girl, it makes sense that his love songs are some of my favorite contributions to the Beatles catalog, and that George Martin piano solo gets me every time.
"Paperback Writer," Paperback Writer/Rain. I love that period of Beatles music in which every song is less than three minutes long, and all of them were practically guaranteed radio success. It's remarkable that each two-minute wonder is still distinct (though that's easy to forget when you listen to them straight through). "Paperback Writer" is my favorite for its plucky idealism, driving guitar, and George and John's backing vocals.
"Getting Better," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Clubs Band. I had no idea this was a Beatles song until I listened to Sgt. Pepper's in full, but as soon as I heard it, I didn't know how there was ever any doubt. To me, "Getting Better" is the quintessential Beatles song. It sounds perfectly happy, though the lyrics hint that there's something else going on; it's poppier than any other respectable band can handle; John and Paul are doing that call and answer thing everyone loves; and, come on, Ringo Starr is playing the congas.
"Here Comes the Sun," Abbey Road. I don't usually love the George Harrison songs, but "Here Comes the Sun" is my favorite among them and, obviously, then some, as established by its appearance here. Sometimes, no matter how good a song is, you'll always value it highly because it triggers a happy memory. "Here Comes the Sun" is one of the songs that reminds me of my trip to Scotland last January so, obviously, I love it. And I think I would anyway. It's light, lilting, pretty, and optimistic, four traits Beatles songs aren't often simultaneously.
"Hey Jude," Hey Jude. I realize I'm mixing up the chronology here by putting "Hey Jude" last. That's intentional. "Hey Jude" is the least Beatles-like Beatles single (except for maybe "Do You Want to Know a Secret?", which makes me feel dirty), and it's still somehow of their very best songs. It relies heavily on vocals and piano, its lyrics are almost frustratingly simple, and, well, as a good friend of mine once put it, "Several Beatles died while still singing the 'Na na na na' part." But you know what? That's what makes it awesome. I don't know that Paul McCartney realized how great a present he gave Julius Lennon when he decided this was a good way to cheer the boy up.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
"Funemployment"
I remember first encountering the term "funemployed" in a piece by Amelie Gillette, who writes a brilliant little column for the Onion AV Club called The Hater. Essentially, Gillette picks a piece of pop culture that's particularly deplorable and dissects it in the most delightfully sarcastic way possible. Sometimes, she strays to news articles, and the trends reported within. This was the case with funemployment.
Funemployment is exactly as it sounds: the state in which a jobless person thoroughly enjoys their time off. They spend their nest egg on a trip overseas, pick up a new hobby, that kind of thing. Really, if you're going to be unemployed, you might as well attempt to enjoy that time. But to apply such a name on it makes it seem as though they're wholly satisfied with their jobless state. As such, I cannot claim that I am funemployed. I'm unemployed, but I don't revel in it.
I itch for something to do. I freelance write. I work on my grad school application. I apply for at least one job a week, jobs at which I know I'd excel, jobs that would provide a daily routine--jobs that would, at the very least, occupy my time. For me, unemployment is the pause button on a completely typical existence. Sure, I have social outlets, books to read, jigsaw puzzles to assemble, shows to watch, meals to eat, et cetera, et cetera.
Today, for the first time in a while, a building block toward a real schedule, combined with a massive change in my life, surfaced. I spoke with a representative at Simmons College about a graduate program in children's literature and library science and was, for the first time, truly excited about this new opportunity rather than (as the AV Club would put it) cautiously optimistic.
Even if I don't get in, this is something I can invest in, and that's pretty important right now.
So, there we have it. Midna's leaning against me, it's Thursday TV Night, I'm going to Chicago tomorrow, and my mood is ever rising. Funemployment? No. Simply happiness, that's all.
Funemployment is exactly as it sounds: the state in which a jobless person thoroughly enjoys their time off. They spend their nest egg on a trip overseas, pick up a new hobby, that kind of thing. Really, if you're going to be unemployed, you might as well attempt to enjoy that time. But to apply such a name on it makes it seem as though they're wholly satisfied with their jobless state. As such, I cannot claim that I am funemployed. I'm unemployed, but I don't revel in it.
I itch for something to do. I freelance write. I work on my grad school application. I apply for at least one job a week, jobs at which I know I'd excel, jobs that would provide a daily routine--jobs that would, at the very least, occupy my time. For me, unemployment is the pause button on a completely typical existence. Sure, I have social outlets, books to read, jigsaw puzzles to assemble, shows to watch, meals to eat, et cetera, et cetera.
Today, for the first time in a while, a building block toward a real schedule, combined with a massive change in my life, surfaced. I spoke with a representative at Simmons College about a graduate program in children's literature and library science and was, for the first time, truly excited about this new opportunity rather than (as the AV Club would put it) cautiously optimistic.
Even if I don't get in, this is something I can invest in, and that's pretty important right now.
So, there we have it. Midna's leaning against me, it's Thursday TV Night, I'm going to Chicago tomorrow, and my mood is ever rising. Funemployment? No. Simply happiness, that's all.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
My Back & Me, Jobs
Christy's Back: Good afternoon, Christy.
Christy: Is it, Back? Is it?
Christy's Back: What's wrong, Christy?
Christy: Well, Back, I have a bone to pick with you.
Christy's Back: And what's that?
Christy: Simply put, you're killing me. The lower right portion of you, specifically. It's hurting me. I can't even do back exercises without pain shooting through my side.
Christy's Back: Shouldn't you be grateful for an excuse to just sit there all day, doing precious little?
Christy: Actually, no, I shouldn't. Look, Back, you know I'm trying to lose weight. You also know that I can't do cardio when you're doing this to me.
Christy's Back: What if I told you I'm just trying to ease you back into exercising every day?
Christy: I wouldn't believe you.
Christy's Back: Touche.
Christy: Can we settle this tomorrow or Thursday? I'm pretty fat.
Christy's Back: Don't say that.
Christy: Fine. I'm not. But my BMI--
Christy's Back: You know that's a flawed system.
Christy: You always have a way of making me feel better, Back. Except the part where you're still killing me.
Christy's Back: I do what I can, Christy. I do what I can.
-
I applied for a job I'd quite like this week. I seriously doubt I'll get it, but it's good practice to keep applying for that kind of position. Unemployment doesn't suit me. I'm much more fulfilled when I feel like I'm doing something for some demographic, no matter how obscure. So, here's hoping and praying that something comes up again. For now, I'll write about file extensions, read books, and maybe even watch Buffy again. The possibilities are ... well, they're somewhat limited, but all of them are perfectly acceptable.
Christy: Is it, Back? Is it?
Christy's Back: What's wrong, Christy?
Christy: Well, Back, I have a bone to pick with you.
Christy's Back: And what's that?
Christy: Simply put, you're killing me. The lower right portion of you, specifically. It's hurting me. I can't even do back exercises without pain shooting through my side.
Christy's Back: Shouldn't you be grateful for an excuse to just sit there all day, doing precious little?
Christy: Actually, no, I shouldn't. Look, Back, you know I'm trying to lose weight. You also know that I can't do cardio when you're doing this to me.
Christy's Back: What if I told you I'm just trying to ease you back into exercising every day?
Christy: I wouldn't believe you.
Christy's Back: Touche.
Christy: Can we settle this tomorrow or Thursday? I'm pretty fat.
Christy's Back: Don't say that.
Christy: Fine. I'm not. But my BMI--
Christy's Back: You know that's a flawed system.
Christy: You always have a way of making me feel better, Back. Except the part where you're still killing me.
Christy's Back: I do what I can, Christy. I do what I can.
-
I applied for a job I'd quite like this week. I seriously doubt I'll get it, but it's good practice to keep applying for that kind of position. Unemployment doesn't suit me. I'm much more fulfilled when I feel like I'm doing something for some demographic, no matter how obscure. So, here's hoping and praying that something comes up again. For now, I'll write about file extensions, read books, and maybe even watch Buffy again. The possibilities are ... well, they're somewhat limited, but all of them are perfectly acceptable.
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