Oscar Nominations

Every year I know fewer and fewer of the movies nominated for Academy Awards. This year, I thought I might actually have a good chance of having seen at least one of the best picture nominees. Turns out, I’ve seen Two. Although, of the over 40 different films nominated for various awards, I have seen Six. That’s right six.

Click through to see who those lucky six are....

Happy-Go-Lucky
Nominated for: Best Original Screenplay
This is a nice little movie that doesn’t feel like a coherent film until the very end, when you finally understand that it’s about how much work goes into being a happy person, and how special and beautiful happy people are. Sally Hawkins, the actress who plays the happy-go-lucky main character Polly is delightful to watch. (Her portrayal reminds me for some reason of the character Donna Noble in Doctor Who, which is why I’m probably heavily disposed to like this movie). Also, the movie has a memorable catch phrase: “En-Ra-Ha!” (Watch the movie, and you’ll understand.) It’s nominated in the proper category, and I hope it wins.

Slumdog Millionaire
Nominated for: Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, Editing, Original Score, Origianl Songs (“Jai Ho” and “O Saya”), Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Adapted Screenplay.
Wow, a “little” critical darling and I’ve actually seen it. I’ve seen it because it’s good and it’s joyful. Really, whether it wins or not, go see this movie. It has humor, romance, culture, tragedy, adorable child actors and a Bollywood-esque dance scene during the end credits. A very great movie. I don’t know if it’s “best picture” material, but I’d be happy to see it win. It should win for Best Original Score. The music, while often fun, also carries the film from highs to lows and between flash backs. Both nominated best songs “Jai Ho” and “O Saya” are good. I’m considering downloading them. (Also, I'm actually look forward to watching the Oscars if it means the cast recreates the dance to “Jai Ho” at the broadcast Ceremony).

Frost/Nixon
Nominated for: Best Picture, Actor (Frank Langella), Director, Film Editing, and Adapted Screenplay
This is a nice movie to watch. The only problem with it is its lack of historical accuracy. Frank Langella, nominated for his portrayal of Richard Nixon, does an excellent, riveting job. He makes Nixon quirky, compelling, awkward, arrogant, tall, handsome and sympathetic, qualities, all of which, do not accurately apply to Nixon. Check your facts before or after you go into the film. Aside from historical accuracy, the film is very pleasant. I think it’s too pleasant for an Oscar as best picture though. It’s fluff masquerading as meaningful historical fiction. Actually, for the sake of history, it shouldn’t win anything.

Iron Man
Nominated for: Best Visual Effects and Sound Editing
Seeing as how The Dark Knight got shut out of any fun awards, Iron Man is lucky it got nominated at all. Fun movie. I’ll leave the judgment as to visual effects and sound editing to professionals.

The Dark Knight
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger), Art Direction, Cinematography, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects.
If The Dark Knight had been nominated for best screenplay, best direction or best picture, then I wouldn’t say this, but since it got otherwise ignored in the marquis categories: Heath Ledger only got nominated because he’s dead. That’s not to say Heath Ledger doesn’t deserve it. His Joker was fantastic, but so was the rest of the movie. Even though (or maybe because) it has the same theme as last year’s best picture winner, No Country For Old Men, it somehow didn’t rate a best picture or best director nomination. Very sad, that one of the best superhero movies ever can’t get nominated. (The Watchmen has no chance next year).

Tropic Thunder
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actor by Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. was the funniest part of this movie...but doesn’t the nomination sort of play into what the movie was trying to mock? The character in Tropic Thunder went to extreme lengths to change his appearance (a white actor playing "black face") in order to gain critical renown. He even lectures the Ben Stiller character on the strategy of choosing roles as Oscar bait.

Kirk Lazarus: Everybody knows you never go full retard.
Tugg Speedman: What do you mean?
Kirk Lazarus: Check it out. Dustin Hoffman, 'Rain Man,' look retarded, act retarded, not retarded. Counted toothpicks, cheated cards. Autistic, sho'. Not retarded. You know Tom Hanks, 'Forrest Gump.' Slow, yes. Retarded, maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain't retarded. Peter Sellers, "Being There." Infantile, yes. Retarded, no. You went full retard, man. Never go full retard. You don't buy that? Ask Sean Penn, 2001, "I Am Sam." Remember? Went full retard, went home empty handed...

It's nice of the Academy to recognize a comedic performance, but I are they recognizing a performance or playing into a joke at their own expense?

Regarding the movies I haven't seen...
I guess I should see that darn Benjamin Button movie. And I know, I know, I know, I need to see WALL-E. The Wrestler intrigues me. I suffered through reading the novel "The Reader," so I'm not all that thrilled about seeing the movie. The subject of Milk just doesn't interest me, but I might like it. I wouldn't mind seeing Rachel Getting Married. I'd be interested in seeing Doubt and the nominated documentary Man On A Wire.

Any Oscar opinions you care to share?

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Beware of French Dog

I think the headline in the Daily Mail says it all:

Former French President Chirac Hospitalized After Mauling By His Clinically Depressed Poodle

Follow the link above for the shocking details about this ferocious political assassin.

Incidentally, a french poodle in French is called a caniche.  These poofy, ferocious canines must have something of a reputation, because a quick google search revealed a French indie rock band called Cannibal Caniche.

Well, all I can say is: Vive la France! Mort pour la Caniche!

Note: I don't speak French. My messing with the language is, admittedly, completely irresponsible...but funny, no?

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Oh Mr. Darcy!

In 1995, I and many other women across the globe swooned over Colin Firth's portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the miniseries Pride and Prejudice. It seems some of us are still swooning. A portrait of Mr. Darcy, used in the miniseries, sold for 12,000 British Pounds at auction today. In case you were wondering, 12,000.00 British Pounds equals $16,765.06, according to this website. And yes, it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a good smack to the head to spend that much money on a prop.

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The Canals Are Frozen!!!!

Big thanks to the roommate, who alerted me this morning to this article in the NY Times. The Canals have frozen! The Dutch are skating! I lived for an extremely brief period of time in South Holland. At first it was cold, wet, windy and wonderful. Then it was cloudy, wet, windy, temperate and tulipy. But never cold enough until this year. Not since 1997 have flocks of Dutch been able to skate from Gouda (town with cheese and yummy syrup waffles) to Utrecht (town with lowered canals and a tall (for the Netherlands) church tower). But this year Europe is freezing, and the canals in South Holland are finally freezing as well. I wish I were there, freezing and skating with them. I'll just salivate over the pictures.
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Hezbollah and Hamas. Now which is which cat?

Over at The New Republic, the blog posters are drooling over Jeffrey Goldberg's op-ed piece in the New York times...and rightly so.  It's entertaining, informative, relevant and incisive.  I highly recommend it, especially if you are like me and are not so clear on the difference between Hezbollah and Hamas.

Hezbollah and Hamas are Islamic political and paramilitary organizations.  They don't like Israel, hate Jews, commit terrorism and armed strikes against both the Israeli army and civilian population, get money and weapons from Iran, and seek to remove Jews from "occupied Palestine."  

They also both start with "H," which is why I have problems distinguishing them in my head.  Jeffry Goldberg's op-ed does a good job of clarifying the differences between the two (and an excellent job of explaining the mindset behind each group.  Seriously.  It's good.  Read it.).  

I analogize my confusion to the T.S. Eliot poem "Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer" which tells the tale of two thieving and destructive cats who act alone and sometimes in concert and you never know for sure which cat did what.

They would go through the house like a hurricane, and no sober person could take his oath
Was it Mungojerrie -- or Rumpleteazer? or could you have sworn that it mightn't be both?

And when you heard a dining-room smash
Or up from the pantry there came a loud crash
Or down from the library came a loud ping
From a vase which was commonly said to be Ming --

Then the family would say: ‘Now which was which cat?
It was Mungojerrie! and Rumpelteazer!’ -- And there's nothing at all to be done about that!

Not that Hezbollah and Hamas are anything like those two horrible (yet somehow lovable cats), they are worse, terrifyingly worse.  It's just that Hezbollah and Hamas inspire a similar confusion in my head as to which is which destructive quasi political terrorist organization.

So here is an over-simplified Hezbollah/Hamas cheat sheet for my head: 

• Hezbollah is Lebanese and shoots at Israel from its bases in Lebanon.
• Hamas is Palestinian and shoots at Israel from within Israel.
• Hezbollah is fanatically Shia.  (Shia = version of Islam, Shia do not get along with Sunnis).
• Hamas is fanatically Sunni.  (Sunni = version of Islam, Sunnis do not get along with Shia).
  
• They are both bad.

And sadly it seems, "there's nothing at all to be done about that!"

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Conference vs. Rival

Once upon a time, I worked with some people in Ohio. They were Ohio State Buckeye fans. On New Years Day 2005, my team, the wonderful Texas Longhorns, played the Michigan Wolverines, hated enemy and arch rival of the Ohio State Buckeyes, in the Rose Bowl. Texas won in spectacular, come-from-behind, heralding fashion. I came to work on Monday prepared to revel in the glory of beating Michigan with my Buckeye coworkers. They spoke not a word of the game. Sports radio and ESPN could not shut up about Vince Young, and all these fools at work would talk about was how the Cleveland Browns might not lose as badly next year. So.....

I brought up the subject: "How about that Rose Bowl game?"
Collective consensus answer: "Yeah, it was pretty good. Too bad Michigan lost."
Incredulous thought explosion in my head: Too bad Michigan lost? We’re talking about Michigan. Losing. In a high profile, emotionally crushing defeat. The team you spent a full week in November trashing and insulting. The rivalry you spent an impassioned half hour describing as bigger, harsher, deeper and better than the Texas/Texas A&M rivalry. And you are sad they lost?!

My position is this: if your conference is more important to you than your rivalry.....then your "rivalry" is pretty weak.


But I accept that this is not how everyone feels or should feel. This Thursday night, the Oklahoma Sooners will lose to play the Florida Gators for the College Football National Championship. Oklahoma is Texas’s rival (first in hatred, second in stature(*)). I will root for the Gators to crush and destroy the Sooners, because they are my team’s rival, and to see the Sooners denied their dream will cheer my heart. (Also, Oklahoma is evil). Some fans have a different opinion and want Oklahoma to win because it will reflect well on our conference, i.e., prove that we played against and BEAT a good team. That is a rational, thoughtful sentiment. But it does not cheer my heart.

Conference vs. rival is a surprisingly divisive issue. The Defensive coordinators for Texas and Oklahoma have expressed to news media that they would rather root against their respective rival than root for them to win and demonstrate conference strength. Comments posted below these news items reflect that fans from both teams agree and disagree.

As passionate as I feel about my opinion, I must conclude that the conference vs. rivalry question is a matter of personal choice. I suppose it has to do with several factors, i.e., how much a person enjoys Schadenfreude, how wronged a person feels by the rival team, how committed a person is to seeing their team judged the best at the end of a season. And, I think, as well, it depends on where the person grew up. I did not grow up in Texas. I was there for the express purpose of going to school at UT. I feel no loyalty to teams in the Texas or South West region or to supporting graduates of Texas high schools. My coworkers in Ohio grew up in Ohio. I bet they feel that Ohio and the Midwest grow superior football players and that plays a factor in their devotion to the Big Ten conference.

Conference vs. Rivalry, something to consider as the Bowl Season winds down. Also, consider this: GO GATORS!!!! CHOMP THE LAND THIEVES TO BITS.


(*) I distinguish the Texas/Texas A&M rivalry and Texas/Oklahoma rivalry the following way. I see A&M as the traditional rival whom I root against because, otherwise, Texas would strip me of my degree. Also, some good friends and a few family members are graduates of A&M, so the rivalry, for me, has an undertone of sportsmanship and respect. Oklahoma is the hated rival whom I root against because Oklahoma is evil. It helps that I know no one from Oklahoma, I have never been to Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma coach is from North East Ohio (where my former coworkers live).

(**) My bitterness over my coworkers’ inability to root for my team when I supported them in cheering the Ohio State Buckeyes to a National Championship in 2002/2003 manifests itself in my inability to ever root for (and sometimes driving need to root against) the Ohio State Buckeyes, as well as any coach(***) or player(****) from North East Ohio. And yes, the win Tuesday night was a little sweeter due to my Ohio State antipathy. (Also sweet because I ate a buckeye in celebration).

(***) This naturally includes Bob Stoops, the coach of Oklahoma. I am slightly torn about Urban Meyer, the coach of Florida, who also hails from North East Ohio. But there is precedent for me allowing Urban Meyer's state citizenship to be trumped by other rooting interests.

(****) Yes, Penn State fans, your quarterback impedes my ability to fully commit myself to rooting for your team.



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New Year, New Name

This blog needs a name change.  I picked the current obscure and ridiculous title on a whim.  I wanted to be literary and cynical and went with an allusion to a Fyodor Dostoevsky short story about a raving, suicidal lunatic.  My blog's not really about that....I'd like to think.

I was thinking of using a title related to my "sister T." moniker, or something different.  Ideally a new title will be simple and catchy.  Suggesstions are literally more than welcome.  I'm pretty much demanding that you readers, all four of you(*), post suggestions in the comments section.

Thanks.  And Happy New Year!

(*)I'm optimistic enough in this New Year to assume that my readership has increased to at least four semi regular readers.

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