Kayla's Visit

It was wonderful to have Kayla visit. She stayed Wednesday through Sunday. The day she flew in we ended up with a snow day and I was able to get the rest of the days off from work. It was a great second week of vacation. We did a bit of outlet shopping, a quick trip to Boulder, strolled downtown, and hiked around the Red Rocks. It was a fun few days and I look forward to her next visit.

Here are a few pics:

What to drink with dinner?

Wine and food were meant for each other. But, do you know which wine goes best with a meal? It is not always an easy answer. Today, in searching for a great wine to take to dinner I found myself searching for ideas online. One particular reason was that I wanted to impress. Scott and I are going to have dinner with Terry Lannon, Del Rio's national sales manager. The only clue I have is that Lasagna is on the menu. In my searching I found a really fun guide that I would like to share. Here is the link, http://www.winewebcentral.com/winepairing/.

So in not knowing what type of Lasagna I think I am going to search for a nice Merlot. Wish me luck on shopping. Del Rio on the menu? Well, I am happy to say that yes I can find Del Rio wines in Denver. Our closest liquor store has some Del Rio Pinot Noir! But, tonight I think we are going to venture out of our comfort zone and try something new.

In perspective

While writing my final papers for this winter quarter I am constantly reminded of how lucky we are to be able to live the life we have. I just wanted to pass on a few statistics that may help put our lifestyles in perspective.

The Central African Republic

• 4.5 million people
• $700/per capita GDP (Haiti - $1,300 & U.S. -$46,400)
• Student teacher ratio 90: 1
• Life expectancy - 44.47 years
• Literacy - 48.6%
• 200,000 - Internally displaced people
• 6 out of 10 people live on less than $1.25/day
• Severe acute malnutrition is one of the top three nutrition-related causes of death in children under five.
  (CIA World Factbook)

Here are a few links on the CAR:

• http://hdptcar.net
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8555531.stm
• http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/media_50744.html

What can you do?

• Talk about it!
• Donate - purchase an inspired gift. Click here for details.
• Volunteer - Maybe you can't go to a country like the CAR, but there are many opportunities to work within our own communities. Here is one great example - SMART!
  

Oscar AFTERMATH

Well, I do not have much to say. Many of the awards went as predicted. I will not hide my disappointment. I was really hoping for an upset for Best Picture, even if it was not Avatar taking the glory. I would not have been upset to see Inglourious Basterds or Up in the Air sneak in. Still, I expected The Hurt Locker to win, and it did. That is that.

However, I cannot let this year’s award season end without expressing my surprise and utter disapproval of the screenplay winners. The Hurt Locker is a great film, but the script for Inglourious Basterds is superb. In addition, The Hurt Locker writer, Mark Boal,is being sued over the script because a soldier he spent time with over in Iraq claims the lead character is based on him. He did not even have the rights to write the story and it is by no means a work of his imagination. Tarantino’s Basterds are!

Then there is Precious taking the Adapted Screenplay award. It is not that I am such a fan of Up in the Air, though it is very entertaining, but it is that I am so against the screenplay for Precious. It was a good movie, but it was half voice over with Gabby Sidibe reading from the novel. That is not an “Oscar” screenplay!

Aside from that, I was not too upset. The Oscars are what they are. I will still be watching next year.

Oscars 2010: Final Thoughts and Bedlam

I love movies. When it comes to film, I love the seasons. I love the summer blockbusters and the one or two November delayed ones (like the Potter films). I love Oscar potential season and the award season that follows. Even the calm before the summer storm starts again, I enjoy, more so because it is fun to pick out the diamonds in that rough batch of unknown potential (Shutter Island!). Unfortunately though, my love of film also leads me to constantly second guess myself when it comes to the Oscars. What I have written so far is from the heart, but with my head translating. So, I am going to list below the two lines of thought for me on the actual awards. My mini reviews aside, if I were a betting man, my money would be on the first list. I am not a betting man, so the second list is where my heart lies, and with it the winners I want to see based on my judgment of the films this year. I also wanted to include more categories because the reviews did not cover everything. Thanks for reading the reviews,and enjoy the show.


What I Think Will Win:

Best Costume Design: The Young Victoria
Best Makeup: The Young Victoria
Best Song: The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart)
Best Original Score: Up
Best Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Best Art Direction: Avatar
Best Foreign Film: The White Ribbon
Best Animated Film: Up
Best Sound Editing: Avatar
Best Sound Mixing: The Hurt Locker
Best Visual Effects: Avatar
Best Cinematography: Avatar
Best Adapted Screenplay: Up in the Air
Best Original Screenplay: Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique (Precious)
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock (Blind Side)
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
Best Picture: The Hurt Locker

What I Would Vote For:

Best Costume Design: The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
Best Makeup: Star Trek
Best Song: The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart)
Best Original Score: Up
Best Film Editing: Inglourious Basterds
Best Art Direction: Avatar
Best Foreign Film: The White Ribbon
Best Animated Film: Up
Best Sound Editing: Avatar
Best Sound Mixing: Avatar
Best Visual Effects: Avatar
Best Cinematography: Avatar
Best Adapted Screenplay: Up in the Air
Best Original Screenplay: Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress: Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air)
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)
Best Actress: Carey Mulligan (An Education)
Best Actor: George Clooney (Up in the Air)
Best Director: Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds)
Best Picture: Avatar

I guess I am never actually done talking about moves, so I would like finally to note the few omissions in my reviews. The most prominent would be my lack of comment on The Hurt Locker’s nomination for Best Original Score which I found odd since much of the film is lacking in background music. Also, after writing down what films I would actually vote for, I feel I need to admit how much I liked Inglourious Basterds. My review did not quite convey how impressed I was. I also realize that my final picks above do not exactly follow the reviews, but that is because I wrote the reviews as I viewed the films and my opinions changed the more films I watched.

The big night is now almost upon us. I am excited, as always, more so this year because I think Alec Baldwin is hilarious and am also a Steve Martin fan. The show should at least be entertaining. I am hoping for a few upsets, just so it is interesting. I also am hoping that The Hurt Locker does not simply sweep up most of its awards (though it will likely take 5 or more) because as good as it is, I really do not think it is far and away better than its competition. I will end with a bid of good luck to all the nominees and also with my prediction that Jeff Bridges will appear blazed out of his mind as he delivers his acceptance speech. So once again, enjoy the show.

An Education

AN EDUCATION (Nominations: 3)

Well, it has been a long road to get here, the final nominee. I admit, I felt a little tired and relieved as I sat down to watch An Education. I was not expecting too much because I already knew the story: teenage girl falls for a charming older guy . . . the end. Well, that is sort of true.

Seeing as I had already cast An Education aside with the rest of the rabble that was not directed by a current or former Cameron, it was going to be tough for the movie to impress me. Let me tell you all, it was up to the challenge. The film starts off at a strong pace and really grabbed my interest. I would like to say that it held my interest for the duration, but alas, I cannot. Still, the film is very good.

I am not sure who would argue this point, but Carey Mulligan is by far the best thing about this film. Her portrayal of a young girl who is naïve and innocent and yet curious and desirous is phenomenal. Even as you do not agree with her decisions, you can see why she is making them. She holds her own with some big names too: Alfred Molina (recall Doctor Octopus from Spidey 2) and Peter Sarsgaard (the young boy-toy in Kinsey). Molina has a presence whenever he is on screen, and if Mulligan is the best thing about the movie, he is certainly the second. She goes toe to toe with him (playing her father) and often comes out on top, impressive for a young actress.

As for Mr. Sarsgaard, I am biased because I am a real fan, perhaps not so much as Jake Gyllenhall, his brother-in-law, but still, I thought his performance was very good. He does not stand out so much though because his character is so flat. We learn a little bit about him at a time, but he does well enough that we are never quite comfortable with him, even if only because he is far too old to be chasing after young Jenny. With all the reservations felt about him, you want to tell Jenny to hold on, to stay away from him, but he is far too likeable. He has an explanation for everything and a silver tongue to boot. You want Jenny to say no to him, but you understand why she says yes.

In all, I think the nominations for this film were well deserved. It lost my attention about 30 minutes from the end. The pacing was fine. The length was fine. But after a while, the strong performances were not enough to keep the relatively obvious plot from holding my fascination. As for awards, like most of the films, it really does not have a shot at Best Picture. As for its adapted screenplay, the nomination is deserved if only for the discourse given to Sarsgaard to spew at Jenny’s parents. I do not see a victory here though against Up in the Air, but it could be an upset. The best shot at a statue will be for Carey Mulligan in her leading role. She is in elder company with frontrunner Sandra Bullock and the always nominated Meryl Streep. She probably will not win, but if she did, she would deserve it. She is just so loveable in this film, even when you want to slap some sense into her.

PREDICTED WINS: 0

A Serious Man

A SERIOUS MAN (Nominations: 2)

I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a movie when I could not name a single actor on screen throughout the duration of the film. In fact, I cannot remember the last time I even saw a movie where that occurred. Nevertheless, I was amused by this film, although, as much as I like the Coen brothers and have ever been impressed with their work, I am not sure this film deserved a Best Picture nomination. It is good, but certainly not the best we have seen from the Coen brothers.

The main character, Larry Gopnik, is basically going through a mid life crisis aided by his ready-to-divorce-him wife, pot smoking son, and nose-job-desiring daughter. To deal with his personal issues, Gopnik visits three rabbis, seeking guidance. The story is dark but funny, a common trait in scripts from the Coen brothers. Perhaps some of the humor was lost on me without much foreknowledge of Jewish culture as that plays a major role in the film. Still though, I think I was able to follow the story just fine, and really, I was amused just not necessarily impressed.

The Coen brothers also received a nomination for their original screenplay. Like Tarantino, the Coens are often on the short list of potential nominees prior to their films even being released. They just have a reputation for quality scripts, and rightly so. Perhaps the screenplay nomination is deserved. The script is witty and real, but I do not think the brothers have much of a shot at actually winning. Unusual as it may be, the Coen brothers are not even the second choice with this year’s nominees. Tarantino will likely take the award for Inglorious Basterds, but then again, The Hurt Locker might just sweep everything and take this one too. Either way, the Coens and their cast are just happy to have their own table at the ceremony. I would like to make it clear though that I eagerly await the Coen brothers’ next endeavor, the True Grit remake, and also that eventually, A Serious Man will join its brethren in my collection of their films. I liked it. I just did not love it. La’chaim!

PREDICTED WINS: 0

Inglourious Basterds

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Nominations: 8)

Considering all of the hype this year has been over The Hurt Locker and Avatar, I think it is pretty impressive that Quentin Tarantino’s version of WWII events garnered eight nominations, second to the nine that the aforementioned films each received. Tarantino’s films tend to be Oscar bait, especially for writing and acting. Inglorious Basterds is no exception.

Like his other films, Inglourious Basterds includes witty dialogue, suspense, some blood and gore that actually informs the story and in some ways is required by it rather than just for the sake of it, and of course, Samuel L. Jackson. The acting is superb, led by Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz. Pitt has been left out of most of the conversations and lacks a nomination this year, but Waltz on the other hand is the clear frontrunner for Best Supporting Actor and should get the chance to deliver an acceptance speech. That makes one win for the Basterds. Waltz portrays his Nazi officer so uniquely it is uncanny. We have seen the Nazi’s portrayed so many times over the years, yet Tarantino induced such distinctive characters it feels like a brand new story.

Of course, it is a brand new story. Tarantino actually rewrote WWII, leaving in a few truths here and there. The result though is a new take on an overdone story, and despite the criticism, portrays the other side (the non-Nazis) as just as cruel as Hitler’s men, something I do not recall ever seeing. For this, and for Tarantino’s incredible ability to write scenes you cannot help but laugh at while feeling terrible for doing so, his Original Screenplay should come away with the trophy. That makes two wins for the Basterds.

Alas, two wins will be the final tally as the Basterds must battle The Hurt Locker and Avatar in the other categories, enemies not so easily defeated as the Schutzstaffel(SS). Tarantino’s war epic received nominations for cinematography, film editing, sound editing, sound mixing and directing for the man himself. All the nominations were deserved and though I would love to see Quentin deliver an acceptance speech twice on the night, the one for his screenplay will be the only one we can expect to see from him, unless Christoph Waltz invites him to the stage as a thank-you.

PREDICTED WINS: 2

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

PRECIOUS(Nominations: 6)

Precious surprised me, and in my opinion does not deserve all the nominations it received. To be clear though, this is a very good movie. Let me start with the good. When I say that Precious surprised me, I mean that in a good way. I was not looking forward to the film, mainly because of the content. If not for the nomination for Best Picture, I would likely never have seen this film. That being said, it is a great film. If you know the story, you know how powerful it must be. Even a poorly made film about a sixteen year old pregnant girl living with an overly abusive mother would be compelling. This is not a poorly made film.

As has been stated with previous awards, Mo’Nique is fantastic as the abusive mother. I’ve never been a fan of her comedy, but this role is so far from her usual character, she is hardly recognizable. Her scenes are the ones that stick with the viewer long after the credits have rolled. Mo’Nique is the clear frontrunner for Best Supporting Actress. The biggest barrier to her winning would be that the character is cliché to a point. We have seen the abusive parent role so many times over the years. Her version is different though. As a viewer, you do not necessarily sympathize with her, but you do eventually understand her wrath even as you loathe her.

Now, as I said, I do not agree with all of the nominations for this film. Best Picture? Ok, I get that. It is one of the ten best films of the year even though it is the only one on the list that I am likely never to watch a second time. I simply do not need to see the abuse again to remember it. Best Supporting Actress for Mo’Nique? Absolutely, this one is deserved. Now the rest: Best Director, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Film Editing?

I’ll feel bad later about saying this, but I was just not that impressed with the way the film flowed, which reflects poorly on the director and the editor. Apparently, I am in the minority here considering the nominations, but I did not like the transitions. The film felt choppy. The screenplay is not bad, but it does utilize a ton of voiceover, something many novel adaptations do, but generally does not impress me. Finally, for Gabourey Sidibe as the title character, I am impressed that she has received the nominations because this was her first role. That being the case, her work is solid in the film, but did not necessarily standout as I watched. She plays the role subtly, very quietly for the most part with a few out bursts. She is overshadowed by Mo’Nique in all of their scenes together and actually by Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, and Paula Patton too. Sidibe is good, but much of the ensemble is better.

To be clear, this film is very good. My objections to the nominations are not to say that those particular parts of the film are bad, but just not in the top five best of the year. Precious deserves recognition, and so long as you do not have too weak of a stomach for abuse, is very worth seeing. As for its chances at the Oscars, the whole cast and crew will celebrate Mo’Nique’s trophy for Supporting Actress but nothing more.

PREDICTED WINS: 1

Internship - Yay!

I am happy to announce that they offered me the internship! I am super excited. The job will begin at the end of March coinciding with Spring term. Look forward to posts on ECTA international and their advocacy issues such as maternal health.

Woo-Hoo

~ Lindsey