New Boots and New Job!

Yesterday was full of excitement. Scott put in a full day beginning with a trip to the auto-mechanic for a check up on the Neon. A fuse had gone out and so his dashboard lights and rear running lights had not been working. Thankfully all was easily fixed. Although the fix was easy the trip to the mechanics was a bit timelier. Because I worked in the morning Scott drove by himself to the shop and decided not to wait and so he walked home. I don't know the distance in miles, but it took him a good hour and half. It was long enough to make me feel really bad for not getting up early and taking him before work. Then on the way home from work last night the fuse went out again - not cool Neon!

After picking up the Neon I found a new fun pair of Rocket Dog boots and a huge plus - they were on clearance!! Woo-hoo. But to the more exciting news . . . Scott got a full time position at Costco! He has been working a part time shift in marketing/membership for the past year or so and yesterday he was offered a full time position. Besides the benefit of full time status he will have a very regular schedule, 5am to 1pm, which he seems to be very excited about.

In addition to fixing cars, working and doing homework I had an internship interview for a local NGO, ECTA International. The position is a communications internship where I would be advocating their programs focusing on the use of social media, such as twitter, facebook, and blogging. I am crossing my fingers that I get the position. I think it would be a great addition to my spring term line up of things to do. Plus the organization is great. It is a small NGO working with rural communities in India. You can read some of their stories on their website, http://www.ecta-international.org/.

Okay - it is Friday and the start of a busy weekend filled to the brim with paper writing. I have three papers to complete by the end of the quarter. Just in case you are curious, the first is a comparison of the development of the Central African Republic and Iraq. The second will be a review essay of articles discussing the creation of the most recent Afghan constitution. The third paper I have not quite finalized, but I am thinking I am going to look at the challenge of educating internally displaced people due to conflict or natural disaster.

Now, back to writing about the CAR.

The Blind Side

THE BLIND SIDE (Nominations: 2)

I was pleasantly pleased with this film. I have not been so impressed with a sports-centered film since Remember the Titans. The film is emotional, well acted, and well paced. Hands down, Sandra Bullock is the best thing about the movie and deserving of all her recognition. She is just fun to watch in this role. Beyond her performance though is a real life tale of struggle, a tale of the “Haves” lending a hand to a “Have Not.” Michael Oher had a devastating childhood that most would have guessed would lead him to a life of drugs and crime. Instead, he stayed strong, kept pushing forward until someone with means noticed him and gave him a chance. It is impressive the charity that the Tuohy family provided, but Michael’s strength of character to not be lost before they had a chance to find him is more so. It is a beautiful film but one that I was surprised to see included in this list prior to my viewing.

Following it, I think it deserves the recognition, even if much of it comes from the spectacular work by Bullock. Most years, the list of Best Picture nominees includes a film that stands out due to a single performance, e.g., Milk for Sean Penn’s, There Will Be Blood for Daniel Day Lewis’, The Queen for Helen Mirren’s, Capote for Philip Seymour Hoffman’s, and Ray for Jamie Fox’s.

As for The Blind Side’s chances at gold, Bullock is the frontrunner for Best Actress and should come away with the win. It is worth noting the oddity that this year if perennial favorite Meryl Streep were to win the Best Actress award, it would actually be an upset. Streep poses the biggest threat to Bullock’s chance of glory, but I think we will be seeing another acceptance speech by the recently unretired Sandra Bullock. As for the film’s chances for Best Picture, they fall along the same line as the rest that are not titled Avatar or The Hurt Locker. It is just happy to be nominated, an acknowledgment it certainly deserves.

PREDICTED WINS: 1

Up

UP (Nominations: 5)

Up becomes the first animated film since Beauty and the Beast to be nominated for the top prize on Oscar night, which makes it only the second in Oscar history, though the extra five slots this year certainly helped its chances. It is a sure thing for the Animated Feature statue, but its chances for Best Picture are slim. It is a wonderful film, well written, with the emotion and sensitivity we have all come to expect from Pixar.

Pixar seems to be the “Oprah” of animation. Every story it touches turns to gold. Let’s look at the recent history: Wall-E (6 nominations), Ratatouille (5 nominations), Cars (2 nominations), The Incredibles (4 nominations. All but Cars won the Best Animated Feature category. It seems inevitable that whatever Pixar puts out each year will make the final cut, and likely be the front runner. However, Pixar’s elite status in the animation world should not detract from each films actual quality. Up deserves all the attention it has received, and out of a list of 10 Best Picture candidates, its presence absolutely warranted.

Up does what most of Pixar’s films have done, it transcends the gap between what children will like and what adults can also enjoy, but it does so in a way far more tasteful than Shrek or the fighting Panda have. I was far more impressed with Up than I was last year with Wall-E. From the opening montage of a full married life to the ending credits, the movie satisfies. You laugh with the characters’ joy, cry (if you are my wife) with their sorrow, and generally feel uplifted when it is all said and done. In the end, Up will take home the Animated Feature statue but not the Best Film. It would be a shock to see it win Best Sound Editing over Avatar or The Hurt Locker. However, it does have a long shot at Best Original Screenplay over The Hurt Locker or Inglorious Basterds and Best Original Score against both titans, Avatar and The Hurt Locker. Up has one statue locked up, and I think it may steal a second.

PREDICTED WINS: 2

District 9

DISTRICT 9 (Nominations: 4)

This was the shocker pick of the list. I cannot claim to have foreseen District 9 making the cut, but it was on my long list of potentials. So, it is not a complete surprise, having already had nominations for its screenplay at various ceremonies. However, had I not known of its other nominations, I would have been very surprised at its inclusion in the Best Picture category.

That being said, District 9 is a very good movie, unique, and powerful at times. It paints the human fear of the different and the unknown with an often graphic brush. The characters are dynamic and easy to get behind, but the plot is relatively austere. From the opening scenes, most viewers can guess where the film will take them, but the ride to the end is enjoyable. It is a good movie, but perhaps not one of my ten favorites of the year. I would have preferred Star Trek making an unexpected appearance to District 9, but alas, I do not get a vote.

District 9 has a small chance at taking home a trophy. Unfortunately, it is up against Avatar in the Visual Effects, Film Editing, and Best Picture categories (The Hurt Locker also in the latter two). Its only real shot at a win is with its Adapted Screenplay, however, Up in the Air, Precious, and An Education are all present in that category, along with the relatively unknown In the Loop. My guess is this award goes to Precious or Up in the Air, and District 9 fans will have to be content with their film just being part of the festivities.

PREDICTED WINS: 0

The Hurt Locker

THE HURT LOCKER (Nominations: 9)

Kathryn Bigelow’s film is this year’s little engine that could. The film released in the US in limited locations back in February of 2009. It was first viewed, however, in Italy, in October of 2008 at the Venice Film Festival. So its marathon run at awards has been long and arduous. It continued to gain speed and critical acclaim. Though most Oscar nominees do not appear until November and December, The Hurt Locker was strong enough to remain in the voters’ minds when it came time to make the nominations.

The Hurt Locker deserves its accolades. The film is powerful, wrought with emotion, and very relevant. It is a war film about Iraq, and yet it does not play out as a politically charged film. It neither advocates nor admonishes the US involvement in Iraq, but rather tells a story about one group of men, headlined by Jeremy Renner as the soldier who “gets” to disarm explosives. Renner is subtle with his performance, playing the character as someone always hiding his true self, but ultimately showing that what he does is who he is. He deserves his nomination, but should be happy to clap after Jeff Bridges’ acceptance speech. Along with Renner’s nomination, the film garnered 8 more, including the coveted Best Director and Best Picture nominations.

In the technical categories, The Hurt Locker should walk away with one or maybe two statues if it is really lucky. It has nominations for Cinematography, Film Editing, Original Score, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing. Though these nominations are very much deserved, Avatar will likely take 4 of the 5, or maybe all of them. I would say the two Sound awards are the most likely for The Hurt Locker if it gets any. The real chances for awards are in the big categories: Original Screenplay, Director, and Picture. The Hurt Locker should get the statue for Original Screenplay, though Tarantino might come away with the upset there. Director and Picture are a toss up with Avatar. My money is on a split. Kathryn Bigelow will get the top director award over her ex Husband, James Cameron, but Avatar will be the film of the year.

PREDICTED WINS: 3

AVATAR

AVATAR (Nominations: 9)

I have taken a couple days to get these next two reviews written because they are the most important. Everyone would agree that the Oscar races for Best Picture and Director only have two contenders: Avatar and The Hurt Locker. Avatar is by far the most impressive film of the year, perhaps the decade. James Cameron has time and again taken filmmaking to the limit. A couple examples would be The Abyss, Terminator 2, and of course his last outing, Titanic. Every time he decides to make a film, he decides to do something no one has ever done before.

Avatar is the epitome of this filmmaking strategy. Cameron spent over a decade creating the world where Avatar is set, waiting for the technology to catch up to his vision. The result is the most beautiful film I have ever seen. The fact is you could watch this film on mute and it would still be fantastic because it is visually that stunning. I think most fans who are rooting for Avatar at the big show might be a little blinded by that spectacle. In the technical categories, Avatar should take home most of the awards for which it is nominated: Art Direction, Cinematography, Film Editing, Original Score, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects. I would not be surprised to see one or two upsets in there (probably from The Hurt Locker) but Avatar is the front runner.

As for the two biggest awards though, based on the guild voting so far, Avatar is not necessarily the lead dog. My guess is that there will be a split between Avatar and The Hurt Locker with Avatar taking Best Picture and The Hurt Locker taking Best Director, however, it could easily go the other way, or one could take both.

PREDICTED WINS: 7

Family Visit #2

Jess & Jeremiah's Visit!!!

Well, my sister, Jessica, and her oldest son, my nephew, Jeremiah, became the first members of my family to visit us here in Denver. We have been here a year and a half now. Lindsey's sister has visited twice and is returning once more next month, but I digress. I love my family.

The visit was too quick but fun nonetheless. Jeremiah was so excited just to be traveling. It was his first time on an airplane. They arrived on Saturday, and after we dropped their stuff off at the apartment, we headed downtown to the 16th Street Mall. We walked around Coors Field and did some shopping. Lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe was nice, after which, Jeremiah burned off his newly acquired calories by riding the bull (picture below).

The rest of the day was pretty relaxed. We returned home to watch some of the NBA All*Star festivities. I must admit, the Dunk Contest was a little disappointing. We also spent some time playing 4 player Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Day two brought a few inches of snow and saw us downtown once more, this time touring the Denver Aquarium. I was impressed with the array of aquatic life, including tigers. I had not expected to see tigers at the aquarium, but they were a welcome part of the tour. Jeremiah is pictured below in a diver suit.

Following the Aquarium visit, we had a quick lunch at The Spicy Pickle then took a stroll through the University of Denver campus. Jeremiah very much enjoyed the snow, although, I think he ate a bit more of it than Jess would have preferred.

Finally, we ended up back at the apartment making our own personal pizzas, even the dough. Jeremiah had never made his own pizza before, but he commented later that his tasted almost like a real pizza. That is pretty impressive.

The night ended late, and the next day began early with a trip back to the airport. Jeremiah was excited for his second ever flight on an airplane, but Lindsey and I were sad to see Jess and him leave. Thanks, both of you, for your visit. You are both welcome any time. As for the rest of my family, you are still welcome to visit too, but you better make it soon as graduation is fast approaching along with potential relocation efforts. Take care.

Movies Are Important

Well, my wife has shared her view on a few of the nominees for Best Picture this year, so I feel obligated to add my own opinions to the discussion. As she said, the fans of the awards ceremonies have double the nominees for which to route this year. Though the number may have increased, the real competition is very much the same as always. Two films are fighting for the coveted prize while the other eight are just happy to be in the same company. I admit, I have yet to see all of the nominees, so to say that only two are really in competition is not based solely on my own opinion of the movies, but also my knowledge of the given awards so far. I will follow with my thoughts on each of the 10 nominees for Best Picture in order of when I saw them. Hopefully, I will have seen them all by the big night.

UP IN THE AIR (Nominations: 6)

I found this film to be quite amusing. I know, watching a movie that revolves around people being fired should not be funny, but it is, and intentionally so at times. As good as this film is, I do not see it winning the Best Picture category. However, it is a showcase of acting talent, specifically for George Clooney, smug as he may be. Anna Kendrick is perhaps more impressive though as a young business woman trying to make firing people more efficient through digital means. The film is relevant today, which does put its long-term appeal in jeopardy. Then again, the awards are now, so now is what matters. I would love to see Kendrick take home a Supporting Actress statue, but she is far from the front runner. Clooney has a chance at a win, but will likely fall victim to Jeff Bridges. And while the film does deserve the Best Picture nomination and perhaps the Director nomination, I do not expect a victory save for the Screenplay.

PREDICTED WINS: 1

Surprises!

Last weekend I was able to practice a bit espionage in planning Kim's surprise birthday party. It was a great success. Kim was thoroughly surprised, as she jumped back two feet when opening her apartment door. Waiting inside for her to return home from dinner were a hand full of friends. We all attempted to dress like her, by dawning plaid shirts, ponytails, and dark eye makeup. The evening was fun with balloon volleyball, homemade cupcakes, and lots of laughs.

Here are a few pictures of the fun filled evening:

Kim's surprise!

Lindsey, Kim, & Amy

Scott, Lindsey, Tessa, Kim, Sigrun, Amy, Patrick,Hanna, & Rachel

Award Season & Movie Reviews

With the Academy Awards just around the corner it is time Scott and I get out and about and see some movies. Crazy thing is this year my parents have seen more of the nominees than I have! This year the number we have to see has doubled! There are now 10 best picture nominees.

Here are my thoughts on the nominees we have seen so far . . .

Up in the Air
This was the first nominated movie that we watched. I really enjoyed it and would give it two thumbs up. Mr. George Clooney gave a great performance and is well deserving of the best actor nomination. The movie is definitely a drama, however, I found myself laughing quite often. It is a modern tale of the modern traveling businessman. All of the characters are great and very human. The film ends in a bit of a predictable way, a bit sad, but good at the same time. Overall a great movie.

Avatar

We went to see this movie on a random Monday in the middle of the afternoon and it was sold out! This film has made a ton of money, the most money ever, beating out Cameron's' last movie Titanic. Oooh that makes me think of an interesting question, if those movies were going head to head, which would win best picture? That is a difficult question. Both films are quite epic. Avatar is embarking on a new horizon of film and it is quite beautiful cinema. Scott's vote is Avatar, but I am not too sure. I love the story of Titanic.

Avatar is deserving of a best picture win. It has meaning and depth. The characters are dynamic and I even forgot that they were big and blue. The only complaint I guess I have is that it was a bit long. It is never a good sign if you look at your watch during a film. I was surprised that the majority of the film was not action packed. Overall the film was good and I would not be surprised if it took home the statue.

District 9
I wasn't intending to watch District 9, but Matt gave it to Scott for Christmas. We also had no idea that it would be nominated, although I am sure Scott would say that he knew it was a possibility.This movie was hard to pull away from. At times I didn't want to watch but just could not stop. It was a bit bizarre and quite a bit different in how it was filmed. It is made to look like a documentary. The main character I despised at first and then as he grew empathy toward the aliens I grew to like him. There are a number of messages that can be taken away from the story: human rights violations, the experience of refugees, and racism. Although it was a bit bloody in a strange way, I would recommend it.

The Blind Side
The movie was great and a wonderful surprise. I knew in the back of my mind that it must be good with Sandra Bullock winning so many awards. She was really at the heart of the film. The movie was warm, uplifting and overall very enjoyable.

UP
I really liked this movie, but I must admit that I had a pile of tissues next to me when it was over.

*It is going to be a difficult pick for best picture of the year. They are all so different and good in their own ways. I am excited to see the next batch of nominees, however, I am afraid it will make my vote even more difficult to cast.

Happy Birthday Scott!

Today Scott is turning 26! He is over the halfway mark to 30. I am thrilled to celebrate his first birthday as my husband and I am so thankful to have his love in my life.

Here are a few pictures of Scott . . .


Happy Birthday Scott - I love you!