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.)
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
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.
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