I'm back!

So after a near fourth month hiatus I'm back, and with a new name to boot! I stopped writing for so long due to the fact that schedule was simply not allowing me to do so, thus, with some inspiration from Stephen Sondheim, I will aim to blog at the very least every Sunday.

Anyhow, seen a few good movies recently: of most note Public Enemies which was absolutely phenomenal. Color me astounded! It was only two posts ago that I was attempting to have a "That's So Raven" moment and see in to the critical future of Michael Mann's film. My thoughts? Just stunning. I loved nearly everything about it--Depp, Mann's direction, the cinematography, the costumes, Cotillard, Bale. The "nearly," however, comes in the form of the at times heinously intrusive score. Sorry Elliot Goldenthal, but this was just a straight failure. Like, there would be this heartbreaking scene that could've used say, a little decorative piano, and we instead get the theme from Gone with the Wind. Dreadful. But other than that, I highly recommend it.

Also saw My Sister's Keeper. It, shocker here, made me bawl my eyes out until I needed a new shirt mine was so covered in tears. I mean, it wasn't the greatest thing since sliced bread or anything like that, but it certainly did what it set out to do, which is make its audience dissolve into a mass puddle of emotions. Bravo, Nick Cassavetes! Oh and by the way color me shocked that MVP Sofia Vassilieva would go from playing Eloise with Julie Andrews in a few DTV movies for Disney to giving an award-worty performance in this that left not a dry visage in the house. See it if you want to have a part of your soul die for two some hours.

See you next Sunday!

New Pic of Jake in 'Prince of Persia'

LMAO so I now I know what my girls and I will be doing on May 28, 2010.

Official 'Public Enemies' poster

Love the "Academy Award Winner" before Marion Cotillard's name. I'm not quite sure if this is going to be the next 'Departed', 'American Gangster' or one of those films that seemed like it could but never did. Who knows? At least Johnny is looking hot as usual.

Oscars recap

What I Loved:

Sean Penn wins!
--I knew it all along. When so many people were jumping on the Mickey train, I stayed with Sean. I was a mess when he took it home: I screamed and through the pillow I was covering my face with across the room and started crying. My fellow party goers were making fun of me, but I didn't care. A hot mess, mind you, but a mess none the less.

Dustin Lance Black's speech
--Best of the night, absolutely. He was so genuine and adorable and wonderful, and of course he made me cry.

Kate Winslet and her dad
--I loved Kate already and it was great to see her win, but her dad was absolutely adorable with that little whistle he gave and his little hat he was wearing. Love him.

The acting presentations
--Such a great concept that really panned out well. I mean that's not to say that I didn't miss the clips, but the speeches that the past winners gave to the nominees were really great. Kudos to Whoopi for being especially hilarious.

Judd Apatow's comedy montage
--Hysterical. The best montage of the night, by far, if only for the 'Doubt' comments.

Queen Latifah!
--Her version of "I'll Be Seeing You" brought yet another tear to my eye. An absolutely beautiful way to accompany the In Memorium segment.

Hugh
--He was underused, but definitely gets an A for effort. And he looked especially gorgeous, so that's always a plus.

The stage
--Great set-up this year. I really loved the intimacy of the stars being literally right in front of the stage.


What I Hated:

The inevitable 'Slumdog' sweep
--I don't think I've ever rooted for a 'Crash'-redux so fervently, ever. Any year since then. But hey, good for them, they (Danny Boyle) certainly were enthusiastic. Even though they didn't deserve really any of those awards other than for Best Original Song. Whatever. I'm over it.

Overall I thought it was a really great show, certainly one of the best I've seen this decade. It flew by like nothing! Great job, Bill Condon. You actually pulled it off.

The 81st Annual Academy Award Winners

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director: Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor: Sean Penn - Milk
Best Actress: Kate Winslet - The Reader
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Best Supporting Actress: Penélope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best Original Screenplay: Milk
Best Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire


Best Animated Feature: WALL-E
Best Animated Short: La Maison en Petites Cubes
Best Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Costume Design: The Duchess
Best Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Animated Short: Spielzeugland (Toyland)
Best Documentary Feature: Man on Wire
Best Documentary Short: Smile Pinki
Best Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Sound Editing: The Dark Knight
Best Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Original Song: "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire

Last Minutes Oscar Predictions

Well here we are. It's just about 3 PM here, five or some hours away from the 81st Annual Academy Awards. I'm praying that there was a sudden 'Slumdog' backlash. And that Sean takes it home. So since I have to go get ready for my Oscar party, I'm gonna leave you with these, my last minute predictions. Have fun tonight, kiddies!

Best Picture: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: Milk)

Best Director: DANNY BOYLE - SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: Gus Van Sant - Milk)

Best Actor: SEAN PENN - MILK (alt: Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler)

Best Actress: KATE WINSLET - THE READER (alt: Meryl Streep - Doubt)

Best Supporting Actor: HEATH LEDGER - THE DARK KNIGHT (alt: Josh Brolin - Milk)

Best Supporting Actress: PENELOPE CRUZ - VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA (alt: Viola Davis - Doubt)

Best Original Screenplay: MILK (alt: WALL-E)

Best Adapted Screenplay: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: The Reader)

Best Foreign Language Film: THE CLASS (alt: Waltz with Bashir)

Best Animated Feature Film: WALL-E (alt: Kung Fu Panda)

Best Documentary Feature: MAN ON WIRE (alt: Encounters at the End of the World)

Best Original Score: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Best Original Song: "DOWN TO EARTH" - WALL-E (alt: "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Art Direction: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Costume Design: THE DUCHESS (alt: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Best Make Up: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Cinematography: THE DARK KNIGHT (alt: Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Film Editing: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Sound Mixing: THE DARK KNIGHT (alt: Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Sound Editing: WALL-E (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Visual Effects: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Documentary Short: THE WITNESS - FROM THE BALCONY OF ROOM 306 (alt: Smile Pinki)

Best Short Film (Animated): LA MAISON EN PETITES CUBES (alt: Presto)

Best Short Film (Live Action): SPIELZEUGLAND (alt: The Pig)

A few words on ... 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'

So on my first night out in a little bit less than a week, I saw 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'. It has been panned by most critics, and could be considered "mindless fizz". Well if this is mindless fizz then it's of the best possible caliber. The Dom Pérignon of mindless fizz, 'Shopaholic', was just what I was looking for after my seemingly never-ending bought of illness. Isla Fisher was charmingly hysterical, Hugh Dancy was adorable, and the jokes and clothes flew by like nothing. It was some of the most fun I've had at the movies recently, regardless of the fact that the plotline was a little bit of the improbable side.

Okay, a lot on the improbable side. Whatever. Go see it: it's a blast.