The Awards Greenhouse

Maybe....

2009-05-01T10:00:00.001-04:00

Maybe I should start posting again?

ATTENTION!

2008-02-18T16:14:00.001-05:00

The Film Experience NEEDS YOUR HELP.

Nathaniel is in desperate need of donations to keep his phenomenal site alive. So please, if you can, visit and contribute...no matter how little, it helps.

Let's not lose one of our best!

10 Things I Find Overrated About You.

2008-02-18T07:20:00.005-05:00

If I were speaking directly to 2007, I would have quite an oral presentation. Less a diatribe, since most of this year ranks as spectacular. I mean, forget about this decade alone--few other years in my lifetime can compare to the extreme amounts of awesome this contains.

With that in mind, there are of course several items being ridiculously touted as the finest components to this year's contributions, while they are far from it. Whether it be a completely misinterpreted take on a classic Broadway fixture to a performance that aimed to be good, but failed due to a few false notes.

Now, there are several films that are amazing, if overrated. One is The Diving Bell and the Butterfly--which, in all honesty, simply requires another viewing to appreciate it. It's a terrific film that just falls a little short on impact. Another (and get your maces and slingshots ready) is No Country for Old Men. I LOVED the ending, it was brilliant. I just find it as a whole to be inferior to, at the very least, There Will Be Blood and Atonement (and yes, I am pulling for an upset). But it is also fantastic, receives a high grade, and would be unfair to be included in my main post. However, The Coens were close runner-ups...because they're stealing PTA's thunder *shakes fist*.

But without further ado, here is the list:

10. Aaron Sorkin, Charlie Wilson's War: He might've been higher, had he not been so righteously snubbed at all of the awards that matter (I love you, WGA and AMPAS). But this man crafted one of the year's biggest misfires and it deserves to be scolded. Never mind Julia Roberts, who simply ends up on this year's dishonorable mention lineup. Never mind Tom Hanks, who was...all right. Never mind Mike Nichols's nonexistent direction. It's Sorkin's complete inability to comprehend true situations that lands him a spot here. Dude...if you wanna write movies, you have to learn how to FORMAT MOVIES. Leave the sitcom behind, douche bag. I felt like I was watching some cross between The West Wing and According to Jim. What a nightmare. Most instances fell flat, with the exception of a brief few (much props to Emily Blunt). But the dialogue, the scenarios, the feeling of nothing happening within those excruciating two hours...thanks for the cinematic sedative.

9. Ronald Harwood, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: I felt the need to select something here...and it was really the plodding script that dragged this film on. There were many fine (hell, AMAZING) moments...but the lingering feeling that it was taking too long to reach a climax, which never really materialized. Still, that was one of the most difficult adaptations, so his nomination is warranted. Doesn't make my personal lineup, but it's less something to gripe about and more something to be included objectively. (Note: If I were to show you a lineup, Harwood would be at least 8 higher than Sorkin--who would be at the bottom.)

8. Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men: Despite the fact that it's one of the most acclaimed performances of the year, it still makes the list. As great as he was (and Bardem himself is worthy of owning an Oscar), it's a performance that really didn't strike me as anything incredible. I hate when people use this argument to substantiate their opinions, but it's a performance I felt several other capable actors could've pulled off easily. Why is it being championed so much? I think it has more to do with the actual character than the portrayal. There were several great supporting actors this year, and I feel they tower over him...that being said, him winning the Oscar this year doesn't bother me one bit.

7. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: While a film that I enjoyed, it is no doubt a flawed film. For OBers and film fanatics alike, who are generally so critical on movies and their components, how they can overlook the abundance of problems with ST:TDBOFS is beyond me. Tim Burton's direction is excellent, but the screenplay by John Logan is lacking on many fronts. And you can't find a film like this perfect when the singing is so ridiculously lackluster. Don't even get me started on the film's star--because the BEST thing about this movie is Helena Bonham Carter. And it is, without a doubt, a pure tragedy that she is not nominated (also, for the record, Ed Sanders was exceptional). But HBC, oh what could've been. She must have vennnnnnnngeance....

6. Jennifer Garner, Juno: Now before you harp on me, I did find her to be very good. What I also found her to be was inconsistent. There's nothing all that special to me about her and her so-called snub seems perfectly just. She was solid up until the mall scene, in which I felt she was in over her head. Her line delivery was flat and although she tried, she missed the mark. A better scene was yet to come back at the house, but by this point, what more can be said? She belongs here. If anyone deserved attention in a supporting role from this movie, it would be Allison Janney. Her characterization was great, but her line delivery was impeccable and superior to the rest of the supporting cast (save J.K. Simmons, whom was on par w/ her and also brilliant).

5. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War: I LOVED him in The Savages...but I couldn't stand him here. He was doing another riff on the smarmy, schlubby, deadpan asshole that he always plays. Was he good in the role? Sure, he definitely put effort in...but it just seemed like a cliche. Nothing was revelatory AT ALL--which, naturally, is Sorkin's fault. Things his character did just didn't seem particularly natural...and therein lies the problem. But the nomination is acceptable, for at least his work in Savages, which rightfully received a Golden Globe and ISA nomination, can be attributed to this nod as well. But the only gem in this forsaken film is Amy Adams, plain and simple--because she's the only one with any heart and soul.

4. Sean Penn, Into the Wild: Had his direction not rightfully been panned by several people, he might have landed at the top of this list of dubious honors. Nonetheless, his DGA and WGA nom are beyond preposterous. The screenplay is average, and has its shining moments. But the direction is the real source of agony here. What convoluted, shallow tripe! It was such shoddy and plodding nonsense from start to finish. LOOKING AT THE CAMERA? Realllllllllly, Sean?? Nice job, dingleberry. His glorification of Christopher McCandless, the failure to focus on more of the elements of his surrounding nature as opposed to the actors...ugh, I just can't go on.

3. Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart: Even though I wouldn't nominate her, I liked her in the film...up until those final 15 Oscar-begging minutes. Sorry, my dear, but your hyena orgasms did not fool the Academy. You may have scored at the Guild, but mwahahah. Part of this could be blamed on Michael Winterbottom (her performance is ineffectual enough due to her just disappearing for a half hour in the middle of the film), but the larger part is her misguided portrayal. She was great when she was subtle and controlled...then, she veered into histrionics--unbelievable ones, to boot. Plus, the age old question remains: Where the fuck were all the talented BLACK actresses, huh?!

2. Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: Most of you who know me have heard me harp about this pathetic portrayal of Benjamin Barker. But for those of you who don't, this will be educational. After Depp missed the SAG and BAFTA, I thought for sure, AMPAS would be as smart...not so much. It wasn't enough to nominate Cate Blanchett for [insert winning title of poll here]...especially over Bonham Carter, Adams, Nicole Kidman--hell, even Jolie! Oh, no...they have to recognize this bloated, futile attempt at acting. Depp, do you even TRY anymore? Stop playing every role like...well, you. The world is not your variety show. I won't even mention the singing (clearly, the suckitude of that is implied), because there are more important matters at hand. For one, the role of Sweeney Todd requires more visible rage and emotion...and he registered lethargy. The same, vacant expression of constipation was stagnant through 80% of the film. But perhaps the most vital misstep...was trying to reach today's audience...by portraying Sweeney...as an emo sadsack. As Helene McCready (Amy Ryan) would say: FAAAAACK YOOOOOO, CUNT. So props, Depp, on scoring another unremarkable nomination...and stealing the spot that Ryan Gosling and James McAvoy should've had.

And last....

But certainly...well, definitely...least....

I present to you....

My #1:

1. Into the Wild: Oh, my Lord, what a MESS of what was once a promising picture idea. Obviously, there's little doubt here that all blame is directed towards Sean Penn and his absence of skills behind the camera. There are too many ridiculous things to count here--but I will make a hearty attempt: the clichéd flashing lights on the highway...along with the imposed head of Emile Hirsch; the structure of the story; the pretentious narration (made bearable by Jena Malone), a vapid effort to shove Penn's worship of Alexander Supertramp down our throats; the disbelief following the Kristen Stewart portion; the pointless camera-lingering on the nudist camp (no Sean, you can't bone them); the way Hirsch is made to bear resemblance to a grizzled Penn, a clear sign that this is the part he wishes he was young enough to play; the aforementioned staring into the camera; the idolatry heaped upon Hirsch; Hirsch's line-reading, which extracted potency from his otherwise fine acting...I mean, the list goes on and on. The problems surmount. The film haunts me...with how overlong and tediously boring (as in every other segment, ESPECIALLY Vince Vaughn's) it could be...and for this, I have to say, it was one of the wisest snubs in Oscar history.

It is worth nothing though that Catherine Keener is very good and her SAG nod was basically deserved. But the real gem, and saving grace, is Hal Holbrook. Both heart-tugging and extraordinary, this transcends "fine veteran acting" to stake a claim as one of the finest portraits of the year. And an upset by him, however unlikely (though the most likely TO upset, that's for sure) would tickle me merry for weeks to come.

So, how much does this make you hate me? Or what about this list do you absolutely lurve? I'd like to hear it all!

Theme On.

2008-02-17T22:20:00.002-05:00

So according to web reports, for the first time, the Top 24 will be working with a theme. Isn't that amazing? I don't know. But the theme is...

THE 1960s!!!!

What is so special about this, you wonder?

This is fantastic news for Amanda Overmyer, my favorite lady in the competition, who can rock out to some Janis, Doors, Hendrix, CCR, or whatever the hell else she feels like.

I've also heard buzz that Danny Noriega has something kick-ass in store that will let him stand-out...I just hope in the right ways, if you catch my drift....

I only worry that certain contestants' individual personalities will not emerge. How do you all feel about this?

American Idol - Top 24: I Love You; Stop Trying To Touch Me.

2008-02-14T19:27:00.035-05:00

Well, this was my first year even remotely paying attention to the Auditions and Hollywood Weeks. But I gotta say I'm rather tickled pink by these outcomes. Pretty much anyone and everyone I gave two shits about made it through. Now that's astonishing for me, since So You Think You Can Dance cut half of my early loves.

But this year seems promising for American Idol. I'm terribly curious to see who rises and falls from their auditions...although some I find terribly overrated already.

Now, as for Josiah Leming...I feel empathy for his struggles, but I believe they made the right decision omitting him. His vocals were completely ingratiating; they often bordered on intolerable. I like him and find him interesting, but the competition would crush his soul. He's MUCH better suited to be picked up by an independent producer. I was much sadder to see Angela Martin go, after all she's been through. But I hope she tries out again.

Cardin McKinney and Kyle Ensley are your annual come-so-close people. They were the #13s in theory, or 25/26. Cardin is a sweetheart with a nice voice and I can see her doing some things in her future. Kyle is young and very talented. I am appalled that they didn't let him through, but I think they feared of having another Kevin Covais or Sanjaya Malakar on their hands. Still, I'd trade random generic bitch and forgettable asshole for those two (i.e. Not Sandy Mangina or Chicken Little) any day.

But without further ado, here is a rundown of your Top 24 (in the order that I care):

GIRLS:

Amanda Overmyer: I sense something awesome about her. She's got a beyond awesome personality and also lots of heart (she's a respiratory therapist who visits the elderly--and has been dubbed the "Rock'n'Roll Nurse"). But even aside from that, she's one magnificent performer. (And it's also worth nothing that she was involved in an automobile accident merely a week before the Hollywood rounds, so she overcame a lot.) Her renditions of classic rock are authentic and real, as opposed to cheesy Cold Stone imitations. She's fast becoming my favorite lady sheerly for having the entire package. She already rocks my world and I cannot wait to see her next week.

Asia'H Eppherson: Despite having been "pimped-out", per se, with her personal tragedies exploited by overseas cockspit Nigel Lythgoe, she is quite brilliant underneath it all. Yes, we should all feel bad about her loss (her dad sadly passed prior to her auditioning), but we should be more thrilled that she doesn't continue to wallow in it for personal gain on national television. Because if you choose to peel off the sap, she is a fantastic singer. Her speaking voice is adorable and raspy, but her vocals pack a wallop of power--and that's why I like her. And I anticipate her performance next week very much.

Syesha Mercato: This girl has overcome numerous obstacles in her trek to a Top 24 placement. For one, she lost her grandfather 2 days before her Hollywood tryouts. But on top of THAT, she caught the flu during this same week and was losing her voice! They showed clips of her writing on note cards how she can't talk because she must save her voice. But despite it all, she turned in on stupendous performance and sailed on through. Back story aside, I still love her, because she is just so incredibly talented. And I wanna see her go far this season.

Brooke White: There is something fetching and appealing about this singing nanny. She's just someone you want to root for, because she's so honest and true to herself. I mean, the woman has never seen an 'R' rated movie, just by having a strong will. Wow. But aside from her sincere personality, she also possesses a beautiful, soulful voice. She's very hip, contemporary, and sweet, and a joy to witness on the stage. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to seeing her climb her way up.

Ramiele Malubay: This little Asian plushie is both adorable and clandestine. She seems all meek and cute on the outside, but get her to sing, and she really belts it out. I see some love coming her way, possibly from me. She's got an incredible vocal ability and could do wonders on the show. Naturally though, the bubbly Asian angle is a plus as well.

Alexandrea Lushington: She reminds me of my favorite Idol contestant ever, Melinda Doolittle, probably because she sang "My Funny Valentine". But while she didn't top my MindyDoo, she managed to do a fantastic job with it nonetheless. She has a beautiful and silky smooth voice, which made her audition all the more brilliant. She could easily be overshadowed, but I can see her stepping up to the plate.

Carly Smithson: She has an incredible voice, no doubt, and she's certainly one to look out for. But there's just something irritating about her...I dunno if it's the rumors of her being a mondo-cunt during Hollywood Week or the fact that she's previously had a recording contract (not to mention a video of her flop single, complete with excessive hair-blowing via industrial fan and cheesy pop sets), but if she at least delivers consistent performances, she could be worth watching...or she'll just be this year's Idol villain, as Rickey.org feels. She's certainly pimped beyond belief, making her trek to the Top 12 seem inevitable...which irks me.

Kristy Lee Cook: Turns out she didn't REALLY sell one of her horses to get to her audition. AI probably just paid her to say that. She does sing "Amazing Grace" beautifully, but so far, it's all she's excelled on. (I'm sure a fallback plan includes singing it in 3 different languages for the semifinals. Ah, the hilarious possibilities.) However, she's likable and gorgeous, so I dunno. I do think it's hilarious how IMDb has her linked to a pornstar of Asian fetish films though.

Kady Malloy: She does vocal impressions masterfully, but will that carry her through or not? It's possible, since her own voice is definitely lovely and special on its own. But she might slip through the cracks. Hard to say...oh, and one other thing: Is anyone else disturbed by the fact that Kristy and Kady appear to be identical twins?!

Amy Davis: She has a nice audition and a promising voice. She also has a lovely personality that slightly rises above "generic white chica" and a modest background. If she delivers on her potential, who knows. She might get a couple votes for her rack, too. I like her though--and her abstinence. Teehee...Abstinence Amy.

Joanne Borgella: As much as I adore plus-size models and support equal opportunity (I despise it when the skinny bitches get more attention--IF the larger ones aren't more deserving), this girl's pipes are a little lackluster. She can hit the high notes tonally, but her pitch is far too screechy and in the nasal register. We shall see....

Alaina Whitaker: AI didn't even show you in a flashby clip...you should sue, girl. 'Cause I mean...Whoooooooooooo are you? Who who, who who? I realllllllllly...don't give a twat.

BOYS:

David Archuleto: This kid amazes me. He's a breath of fresh air--a completely pure and captivating teenage singer void of any ego whatsoever. And what's more spectacular is that he suffered vocal paralysis a few years back, shortly after his time on Star Search (which is perhaps the source of blame). And much like Jordin Sparks last year, perhaps this will capture the attention of more dedicated voters. His vocals are beautiful, natural, and never overbearing (And a possible king gay in a sea of gays this season?...). He's just a pure joy to watch (with a smile that cute, c'mon) and hear. I'm thrilled to be one of the "Arch Angels" (The nickname for his fans--get it? Yeah, you should.) and am squirming until next week.

Danny Noriega: You wouldn't think it at first glance, but he has an amazingly captivating voice. It's very smooth and chilling. For a skinny teenager, he sure can belt it. Not only that though, but he's got arguably one of the best personalities of the contestants. He's very open and honest about who he is and I feel that he will be a very positive role model for the gay community, who are sure to be an ardent fan base (and this I can surely attest to). I can't wait to see him perform for the voters. VoteForTheWorst.com is even digging Danny (which if it gets him more votes, I don't mind), but are saying right now it's less to do with his singing (which they find to be splendid), but more to do with him embracing the campiness of AI. Whatever way you look at it, he's mesmerizing and one to really root for.

Michael Lee Johns: Although he's Australian, he's an American citizen, thus permitting him to enter this competition--and I, for one, am glad he did. He is sensational. He puts his all into each and every one of his performances. His sexy factor certainly contributes, but does not bias me in any way. I'd clearly tap a bad singer while criticizing them, Simon Cowell-style. But all joking aside, he's one of my favorite males up to this point And I look forward to seeing what he will deliver this week. Some accuse him of going over-the-top, but as of now, I dig him.

David Cook: I think he's fantastic and feel that, as far as rockers go, I'll definitely prefer him over that douchecock Chris Daughtry (seriously, your life is great, so take the plunger out of your arse already and lose the constipated look--it's not flattering). In fact, let's call him the Anti-Daughtry! He's got a nice, crisp voice and an appealing demeanor that I think will benefit him well. My only hope is that he fine-tunes his vocals a bit, for the fear that Simon might tear him a new one easily. But he indubitably stands above most of the rest of the males. Can't wait to see what he does.

Chikeze Eze: He's pleasant to listen to and has got a fun personality (although perhaps the cockiness WASN'T sarcasm). He could definitely deliver some interesting performances...and to be frank, at least one black guy always gets to the Top 12 (shut up, you know Elliott Yamin is an inner chocolate daddy). I just worry that maybe he won't shine and one of this other random guys will break on through--which they may be deserving of, but we just wouldn't know, now would we...?

David Hernandez: While my lust wants to rank him higher, I must remain objective. He's got potential to be fun and entertaining, but he's just so generic, vocally. That seems to be a trend with the Latinos/-as. Some are stellar, but some are more for show. And while it's good to be an engaging stage presence, this IS about finding the best vocal recording artist. Still, he could deliver and seems like a sure thing as far as the guys go. He just needs to strengthen his pitch and quit that grunting...that...sexy....

Robbie Carrico: Anyway, then there's this guy: a former boy-bander (that about 8 listeners of Radio Disney bothered with) and ex-boyfriend of America's favorite train wreck, Britney Spears. But don't let that influence your decision--he's actually quite talented. His audition was impeccable and he gives me a Bucky Covington vibe (only not quite as sweet-natured, of course). He could certainly make it up there if he chooses the right songs.

Colton Berry: I won't let my resent for him beating out Kyle cloud my judgment. He seems like a nice guy and, if my gaydar is in tact, yet another sparkle in our Idol rainbow. Don't let the albino Macaulay Culkin look distract you...although his vocals do leave something to be desired. Still, he might have something in store. He just canNOT afford to play it safe like he did with his auditions.

Luke Menard: The following guys, including Luke, will be ranked purely by their hottness factor--because frankly, we have nothing else to go on. And in that department, he definitely delivers. He could be a sultry crooner...or a pretty rockstar. Who the hell knows. The indubitable fact of the matter is: he's easy on the eyes.

Jason Yeager: What is he now, Sparkle #4? Perhaps...tough, tough call. Not much else to say, except that watching his reaction to his induction into the Top 24 left me feeling elated--he was such an exuberant recipient of this information. He could be a potential surprise...even though he IS a Jesus freak. I'mma send Elaine to go steal his Jesusfish. But the lack of airtime for these last four guys is peculiar, to say the least....

Jason Castro: Okay, dude...what is with the dreadlocks? It reminds me of that Play-Doh meat grinder I had as a child and how I ruined all my colors, because I mixed them all together and wound up with clay shitburgers. Yo, Miss Cleo called, and she wants her pubes back.

Garrett Haley: And then there's him. We didn't even get to hear this androgynous tool speak. He looks like one of those Playgirl models from the '80s...ya know, the ones you flip past because you're just terribly confused? Oy gevalt!

Well, there you have it, ladies and gents--the Top 24. What a mixed bag of juicy and moldy. But at least it's only 2 days away...and 3 days to find out who's pimpage worked and which unsung candidates will sail on. Oh, how I just wish...that Alexis Cohen were a part of this motley crew. Now THAT would be entertainment worth my time.

And now, I am off to scour the web for spoilers of song choices. Avast!

"Fuck the Oscars", as Maggie Smith would say.

2008-01-24T13:57:00.000-05:00

No Ryan Gosling? No Amy Adams? No James McAvoy? No Helena Bonham Carter? The list goes on (see below), and my fury continues. Expands. Ferments. Combusts.

I tell you, these are all inexcusable snubs. Damn you, AMPAS, and your faux-indie embracing but ultimate denial to acknowledge subtler, more complex roles.

Gosling delivered a heartfelt and stupendous performance in Lars and the Real Girl, my favorite film of the year. And in my opinion, he's also the best actor of the year! (I won't even get into the overlooked Emily Mortimer and Kelli Garner, although at least Nancy Oliver's screenplay was recognized.)

Adams was magnificent in her Enchanted portrayal. Leave it to the Academy to overlook that. But at least Alan Menken's songs were acknowledged.

McAvoy had Atonement power...and yet they failed to honor his brilliance.

Bonham Carter completely stole the show away from her Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street co-star...and look who they nominate instead.

Molly Shannon also never got the buzz she deserved for Year of the Dog. How she didn't even collect an Indie Spirit nod baffles me.

Nor did Billy Crudup for Dedication. He was overlooked even by the Independent Spirit Awards, which absolutely astounds me.

Or Marketa Irglova for Once. No Spirit nod?

Nothing for Patrick Fugit for Wristcutters: A Love Story either. Should've at least gotten a Spirit nod.

Nicole Kidman may have an Oscar, but she was terribly overlooked in Margot at the Wedding (and now I finally understand what's so great about her).

Casey Affleck received one Academy Award nomination this year, but he also deserved more attention for Gone Baby Gone.

But whatever. My own awards are better. And you will see them soon--in addition to the CAFE committee's orgasmic lineups, which are far superior to anything "professional" churned out this year.

The end.

Women Screenwriters on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough.

2007-12-15T03:17:00.000-05:00

2007. We thought it was heading for suckage. We expected things to get crappy (see: Threequels), then crappier (see: overflow of pretentious war dramas [Next post!]), and finally reach its crappiest (see: The Bucket List).

Then came the vaginas.

Yes, I believe that we owe much of the reason for this year's infusion of rich, multilayered dramedic entertainment to the female population. They came, they saw, they conquered. They refused to be stuck scribing estrogen-laden rom-com fluff (Hell, P.S. I Love You was written by a man. A MAN!...More on that later.), opting instead for examining pathos, neuroses, humor, heartache, and so much more. And above all that, they helped to create some of the year's most truly unique and eccentric characters, providing great inspiration that transformed into some of the year's most heralded performances. Ah, yes...this is clearly a good year for the ladies. So let's take a look.

*Sarah Polley: This fantastic actress ventured into new territory with her directorial and writing debut, Away from Her, about a woman dealing with Alzheimer's and the effect it has on her husband. After it generated massive buzz for its star, Julie Christie, at TIFF, it became highly anticipated. Upon its debut, it was met with generally favorable reviews. Now, here we are in December, and Christie is dominating the crix awards thus far, only threatened by major competitor Marion Cotillard (of La Vie en Rose), who snagged 2 accolades, leaving the rest for Christie. (It's worth mentioning that both are frontrunners in the Best Actress race.) But Polley has not been shafted in any way, having received her own prizes for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Debut Director. And this is just the beginning....

*Adrienne Shelly: The most positive thing to emerge from her tragic murder last November is the wonderful impact she's made on the indie film scene. Awards, scholarships, and foundations are being established under her name. Her husband has created a charity. But best of all, her final film, Waitress, was a critically-adored hit. Initially receiving mass acclaim at Sundance, it is a jubilant crowd pleaser. Its star, Keri Russell, has been mentioned as one of the dark horse Actress contenders, and co-star Andy Griffith was said by many to be worthy of a Supporting Actor mention. While those look unlikely, there is hope to be found elsewhere: Best Original Screenplay. It's a wide-open category, where nearly any movie can score recognition. But the DVD campaign (one of the first this year) and the ISA nod for Shelly keep it above the radar. The script is truly wonderful, with some terrific lines (assisted by amazing delivery via the cast) and Shelly has an additional chance in the Best Original Song category, having wrote a tune for the film. She, even posthumously, deserves one final hurrah.

*Nancy Oliver: Well, it's safe to say that few anticipated the charming little surprise that was my favorite film thus far this year: Lars and the Real Girl. This endearing and offbeat charmer led to speculation of a potential flop, but instead managed to be a joyous and crowd-pleasing film, beginning at TIFF (where it received several 4-star reviews and standing ovations). But it shouldn't have been such a stunner, seeing as how Oliver is a Six Feet Under alum. Her screenplay is the perfect blend of contrasting moods, with something often difficult to achieve: heartwarming hilarity. So it's quite pleasing that she won (in a tie with the a certain former lap dancer) the NBR for her work and is emerging as a major contender for Best Original Screenplay. But let's not neglect giving credit where credit's due, for this film is aided by a stellar cast, including Ryan Gosling in one gem of a performance. He's absolutely magnificent as the titular Lars and has been receiving his own fare share of attention, including four nominations thus far: Golden Satellite (note: Emily Mortimer received one as well), CFCA, BFCA, and the Golden Globes. Gosling managed to win the Satellite and now has scored a SAG nod! Most surprising is his recognition at the BFCA, which generally nominates the majority of the Oscar nominees for any respective year. So his inclusion leads us to consider him as a dark horse possibility for Best Actor (hey, every year has its out-of-nowhere nominees). Quite an achievement for such an odd little film indeed.

*Tamara Jenkins: A brilliant writer/director who helmed one of my favorite little films, the sardonic Slums of Beverly Hills, returns almost a decade later with the complex dramedy The Savages. This received massive praise at Sundance, earning Jenkins instant Oscar buzz, in addition to the members of the cast (Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Philip Bosco). The momentum for her has only improved with her two wins, to date, for her screenplay. She's a prime contender for a Best Original Screenplay nomination as well. But let's not forget about the actors/actress. Hoffman received a Globe nod, Bosco has gotten raves, and Linney has been lauded for giving one of the greatest performances of her career. She's high on many minds for a Best Actress nomination, and although she hit a speed bump, many say she's still a dark horse threat. Either way though, this still remains my most anticipated film of the year (God, that trailer gives me chills...).

*Diablo Cody: Indubitably this year's most talked-about lady scribe, this ex-good time girl-turned-screenwriter has made one hell of a debut with Juno. Since it premiered at TIFF, it was instantly adored and generated massive buzz--which has managed to carry on throughout the year. Ellen Page became a major star this year and the supporting cast were acknowledged for their brilliant contributions as well. Still, it's Page that's headed for Oscar nomination glory. Cody, on the other hand, is gunning straight for the win. The Best Picture buzz hasn't quite developed like it should, though it still can surprise. It is by NO means a lock though.

As a matter of fact, this is also a sign of hope for some femdom in this penis-ridden industry. Thanks to the support from critics and the WGA, it is looking likely that at least three ladies (if not, definitely two) will score nominations come that fateful Tuesday morning. Now here's something new to discuss in a revival of The Vagina Monologues.

Apologies and Old News.

2007-11-29T03:15:00.000-05:00

Sorry that my personal life has consumed the fun of blogging right out of my soul. But I feel that I truly miss this. I need this. Therefore, I am back.

Fail-Safe Failure.

2007-10-01T11:06:00.000-04:00

Is it just me, or is it beyond hilarious how much people overestimate certain films? I get a real kick out of watching people shame themselves when insisting they're awards predictions are absolutely flawless. Because, you know...it Meryl Streep is involved, there's no way it could suck...right?

Well, Rendition and Evening beg to differ, for starters. And just wait until Lions for Lambs is released!

Of course, this all stems from misguided mindsets. Unless you've learned how the system really works, you're bound to think big names and previous Oscar winners are guaranteed nods. It's a shame really, for people to think like that, because it proves how inhibited they really are.

You can't be afraid to look into the future at what will have the critics' support, the HFPA's support, and the guilds' support. That's what ultimately determines who are the best, not the starpower and box-office potential.

But people still refuse, which just causes endless entertainment when you see people, at this point, still predicting Cate Blanchett for Elizabeth: The Golden Age, which is being panned at every turn. And then there's Reese Witherspoon for the aforementioned Rendition. Yeah, right.

Pushing that sliver of plausibility over the edge is the ridiculous assumption that Tom Cruise has a chance for Lions for Lambs. In a preposterously conceived and preachy piece of contrived propoganda like that (I've gazed through the script, you see.), Robert Redford would be lucky to score a nom. From the BFCA.

And don't even get me started on Brad Pitt in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

I could go on, but this is wearing me out.

Slothland Tales.

2007-09-30T11:00:00.000-04:00

Man, am I behind. Major updations are in order.

To start things off: I updated my predictions on the sidebar and will be covering them by category as the month progresses.

Go ahead, take a peek, and tell me what you think!

Also, here's what I've seen since my last entry:

Death at a Funeral
Dedication
Once
Rescue Dawn
3:10 to Yuma

Okay, off to shower. Be back soon!

Back to the Blogger.

2007-08-22T16:46:00.000-04:00

Well, I have returned from my almost-neverending sabbatical in Connecticut (which, I must say, I'd have been fine if it never did), and am back in New Jersey, with more time to devote to keeping an eye on things. I have received my annual favorite issue of Entertainment Weekly: The Fall Movie Preview! Gotta say though...not as excited as I should be. Most of this year's projects leave me feeling pretty bleak. But I'll cover that in my next post.

Right now, I'd like to review all the (few) films I've seen this year, so far. Those would be:

Disturbia
Knocked-Up
La Vie En Rose
A Mighty Heart
No Reservations
Superbad
Waitress

Yeah, I know. I'm behind.

However, Matt and I are supposed to have a quadruple-feature one upcoming weekend in Manhattan, so I'll probably PR-pack a nice set into one day, as if it were an intangible Mexican immigration vehicle.

Also, don't forget the Emmys are near!...Although I find it hard to care much =]. Still, I need to make official predictions soon. But hey, there's still plenty of time...all the time in the world.

Rescue Blog.

2007-07-26T11:37:00.001-04:00

I am very disappointed at the lack of bloggerness in my life. Quite emo, actually. But fortunately, I am at my new home-away-from-home (And perhaps soon, my new home?) in Connecticut, which should allow me to grace you with the orgasmic, seismic blog entries once promised long ago.

First order of business: Discuss the 2007 movies I've seen to date. Due to financial issues, I've forgone seeing many until DVD, but I managed to catch several flicks, most of the Oscar-potential variety.

Second order of business: The Primetime Emmy Nominations. In some ways, much less blasphemous than usual. In other ways, a complete travesty, disregarding high caliber godliness for guilty pleasure shlock. More on that later.

Third order of business: Trailers and what hints they can divulge.

Fourth order of business: How I've been ensnared by reality TV.

So, with all that in mind, I think it's high time I get the ball rolling, don't you? The entry below this one will actually be a pre-written, but not published, entry containing my final Emmy nominations, after learning of a few Top 10s (because each category was narrowed down by a popular vote before experimenting with the new system).

A tout a l'heure!

Emmy Day Now....

2007-06-30T11:54:00.000-04:00

The time for revealing the ever-useless Primetime Emmy nominations is nearing. And naturally, I am preparing for the worst but predicting for the best. Now, several categories have been narrowed down to a top 10, excluding some extremely worthy candidates like the shmucks that they are. (House's Lisa Edelstein and The Shield's Walter Goggins were among those teabagged.)

However, the fact that such beloved fan favorites like The Office's Jenna Fischer and How I Met Your Mother's Neil Patrick Harris ACTUALLY made the cut is more promising than Paris Hilton's incarceration.

So, as opposed to rambling on about who/what COULD make the cut, let's jump right in to who/what I think WILL make these oft-chided lists. And the nominees might be...:

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
1) The Office (NBC)
2) 30 Rock (NBC)
3) Ugly Betty (ABC)
4) Scrubs (NBC)
5) My Name Is Earl (NBC)

Alternates:
6) Entourage (HBO)
7) Weeds (SHO)
8) Two and a Half Men (CBS)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
1) America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
2) Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
3) Tina Fey, 30 Rock
4) Leah Remini, The King of Queens
5) Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

Alternates:
6) Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives
7) Marcia Cross, Desperate Housewives
8) Sarah Silverman, The Sarah Silverman Program

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
1) Steve Carell, The Office
2) Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
3) Tony Shaloub, Monk
4) James Roday, Psych
5) Kevin James, The King of Queens

Alternates:
6) Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men
7) Zach Braff, Scrubs
8) Jason Lee, My Name Is Earl

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
1) Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds
2) Jaime Pressly, My Name Is Earl
3) Jenna Fischer, The Office
4) Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty
5) Conchata Ferrell, Two and a Half Men

Alternates:
6) Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men
7) Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
8) Ashley Jensen, Extras

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
1) Jeremy Piven, Entourage
2) Rainn Wilson, The Office
3) John Krasinski, The Office
4) Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
5) Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men

Alternates:
6) Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock
7) Justin Kirk, Weeds
8) Ethan Suplee, My Name Is Earl

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
1) The Sopranos (HBO)
2) Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
3) House, M.D. (FOX)
4) Friday Night Lights (NBC)
5) Heroes (NBC)

Alternates:
6) 24 (FOX)
7) Lost (ABC)
8) Rome (HBO)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
1) Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
2) Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
3) Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims' Unit
4) Edie Falco, The Sopranos
5) Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights

Alternates:
6) Minnie Driver, The Riches
7) Polly Walker, Rome
8) Patricia Arquette, Medium

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
1) Hugh Laurie, House, M.D.
2) Kiefer Sutherland, 24
3) James Gandolfini, The Sopranos
4) Michael C. Hall, Dexter
5) Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights

Alternates:
6) Denis Leary, Rescue Me
7) James Spader, Boston Legal
8) Eddie Izzard, The Riches

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
1) Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
2) Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy
3) Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
4) CCH Pounder, The Shield
5) Aida Turturro, The Sopranos

Alternates:
6) Katherine Heigl, Grey's Anatomy
7) Patricia Wettig, Brothers & Sisters
8) Lorraine Bracco, The Sopranos

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
1) Masi Oka, Heroes
2) Michael Imperioli, The Sopranos
3) William Shatner, Boston Legal
4) T.R. Knight, Grey's Anatomy
5) Dave Annable, Brothers & Sisters

Alternates:
6) Gerald McRaney, Deadwood
7) Brian Cox, Deadwood
8) Matthew Rhys, Brothers & Sisters

Hm...watch me fail miserably!

Oh yeah, as for my scorecard...every correct prediction equals one point, while each alternate equals a fraction: first alternate = 3/4, second = 1/2, third = 1/4. (It's only because it's the Emmys.) Also, since they are prone to the occasional six-nominees category, in that case if the first alternate was correct, it counts as a whole point.

Can't wait to find out....

Away from You.

2007-06-05T19:32:00.001-04:00

I apologize for being in absentia lately. I've had major computer debacles, not to mention numerous frustrations. But it's given me time to see a number of great films, not 2007 mind you, in addition to finding new topics to blog about. So rest assured, I'll be back to babble in no time!

P.S. I am LOVING this new "autosave" feature. It's fantastic! Because believe me, I've lost enough good posts in the past.

A Star Is Booted.

2007-05-19T22:35:00.000-04:00

On the second-to-last night of competition, one singer dazzled, one rejuvinated themselves, and one disappointed.If any episode confirmed it, this season is dastardly banal compared to last year's Top 3. Then again, last year contained the spectacle of Katharine McPhee's "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", Elliott Yamin's crooning groove/swan song, and Taylor Hicks's all-around spastic splendor. How could anything compare? Well, one came close....

(Note: The first song is an individual judges' choice, specifically indicated for each in the second paragraph. The second is the prodcuers' pick. And the third is a personal selection, possibly previously sang.)

Jordin Sparks:
01a. "Wish Upon A Star" - B
01b. "She Works Hard For The Money" - C-
01c. "I Who Have Nothing" - A-
Blake Lewis:
02a. "Roxanne" - C
02b. "This Love" - A
02c. "When I Get You Alone" - B+
Melinda Doolittle:
03a. "I Believe In You And Me" - A+
03b. "Nutbush, City Limits" - A-
03c. "I'm A W.O.M.A.N." - B+

Jordin seemed to disappoint with her first song, at least in the eyes of Simon Cowell. Ironically, the cranky wanker chose it for her. I actually felt it was a fun, amiable effort, though I do agree with him that "the original version was fine the way it was". The same, however, can't be said for her second performance, a tawdry bore. How the judges enjoyed it I'll never understand. And even though I was annoyed she repeated an earlier performance for her personal choice, the third song was easily her best. Meanwhile, Blake had a rough start, thanks to the abysmal song selections of Paula Abdul. But he bounced back with his spectacular second performance, easily one of his overall best of the night. And for his personal choice, he delivered another solid rendition. But neither came close to the brilliance of Melinda, who had tonight in the palm of her hand. Given a WHITNEY HOUSTON SONG by Randy Jackson (hehe, Johnson), I was on edge from the moment she stepped on stage. She had the biggest challenge--and the best result. She nailed it 100% and made it the best performance of the night. She followed-up with a fun producers' choice (even though the redundant lyrics were hardly worth making a fuss over), which she also hit out of the park. And even though her third song was also a repeat cop-out, but still terrific, she solidified herself as the indubitable best of this entire season.

Shockingly thought, that didn't matter. I don't know whether I should blame complacency (regarding Melinda's assumed "frontrunner status" and people assuming everyone's already voting for her, so let's vote for the other person we want to see in the finale) or voter dementia (i.e. take a plunge off the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, a la Saturday Night Fever). Either way, this was her swan song. But hey, it's better to go out with a bang than a whimper, and she left like a nuclear explosion of godliness. What I love most about her though is how well she accepted her fate when Ryan Seacrest announced those dreaded words. Because I think we all know this won't be the real end of her journey. It's just beginning. This is the dugout. I do wish she had chosen from a number of more standout performances, or in the past-weeks brought more of an A-game to the stage. It would've been a knockout closing number, had she sang "Home, "I Got Rhythm", "Trouble Is A Woman", "My Funny Valentine", "Since You've Been Gone", or even "For Once In My Life", the audition song that landed her on the show in the first place. Or maybe this would've all worked out better, had Jordin been turned away at Seattle (in addition to Los Angeles) and the deserving Sabrina Sloan or even fucking alienoid Antonella Barba being the 6th girl (thus allowing the underappreciated Stephanie Edwards to be part of the Top 10 AI Tour). But alas, she's probably better off anyway without the shackles-of-restraint from the naziducers. She's going to go places, just wait. Perhaps she'll win an Oscar for acting (AND SINGING) as Tina Turner/Aretha Franklin and/or composing an original song. Or, of course, the more likely scenario would be her winning a Grammy with an enrapturing modern jazz number--who knows? Either way: LONG LIVE MINDY-DOO!

Saturday Night Plague.

2007-05-12T19:30:00.000-04:00

I don't know who decided to choose Boogie Night as the follow-up to Rock Week, but they should be fired. The night was, for the most part, utterly atrocious. Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees appeared to mentor, looking like Jesus and speaking like Sean Connery on Valium. American Idol will also never be the same following his see-through-shirt performance. Then again, at least he erased the memories of the night before. Still, I wish they had reserved his booking for earlier in the season. Perhaps if they had him on Tony Bennett week instead, it would've created a more enjoyable outcome.

Before I get to the performances, let me just say I've had it with those pretentious pre-taped performances...because combined, they all have less talent than any Top 12 Idol. Pink was this week's and her backup singers outshined her, proving that they deserve more credit. Hell, a former backup singer is the best thing about Season 6 (that's you, Mindy-Doo). Fergie was another, and I can't even discuss that. Robin Thicke was okay, but they need to quit attempting to pass them off as guest stars. It's a joke. It'd be better if they brought Elvis back from the dead again. But I digress. Now, onto the grades:

01a. Melinda Doolittle: "Love You Inside And Out" - B+
01b. Melinda Doolittle: "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?" - A+
02a. Blake Lewis: "You Should Be Dancing" - D
02b. Blake Lewis: "This Is Where I Came In" - C-
03a. LaKisha Jones: "Stayin' Alive" - D+
03b. LaKisha Jones: "Run To Me" - C+
04a. Jordin Sparks: "To Love Somebody" - A
04b. Jordin Sparks: "A Woman In Love" - B-

Melinda and Jordin were both outstanding and pretty good, at separate times. Melinda, though, gave the BEST performance of the night. It was practically a moment. She blew me away with her second tune and exhumed so many passionate emotions, she was able to remind everyone why she is golden. She was simply sensational and I felt a reconnect with voters. Jordin's first performance was close competition though, and with good reason. She finally displayed some subtlety in a soothing ballad, which she did expertly. Melinda's second song choice was slightly catchy, but admittedly a little underwhelming. Still, there was no denying she did it well. I just hope next week, she doubles on her second performance and stops the show. Meanwhile, Jordin's second ballad was utterly depressing and ventured over-the-top once again. She shouted the boring lyrics with overripe intensity and gave us a screechy, pageanty rendition, which was easily forgettable. She needs to control that vibrato and discover the meaning of range. Oy vey.

As for the other two, they ranged from adequate to borderline-abysmal. I love both, so it's difficult for me. But it was a toss-up as to whom was less appealing. LaKisha's slightly dull ballad was perfectly suited to her talents, but she must've been drained from the first song. This second performance had a few pitch problems (and yes, it was dubbed "pitchy") and her voice cracked at least twice, but overall, I was still remembering it as one of the better of the lesser four offerings. Blake's second choice was probably more fun to watch than it was to hear, as you'd most likely skip to the next tune on your iPod. But his sexy, rhythmic dancing made it worthwhile. It wasn't anything to rave about, but it was indubitably better than the next two. LaKisha's first was fairly bland and uninteresting. I love the song, but it was easily forgettable. Even less appealing was Blake's first choice of song. He tried to beatbox a bit to spice it up, but for the most part, it failed. It was like putting Splenda in Diet Coke--just leaves you with more cravings afterwards. And when the results were in the following evening, Jordin was immediately declared safe. Then, to a monsterwave of applause, Melinda was deemed safe as well. I was ecstatic, because it felt like there was more pimpage than usual. So, down to Blake and LaKisha, it was clear who was heading home. LaKisha's time was up, but it was not in vain. She came a long way, longer than some predicted. And ultimately, I'm enthralled that she made it this far. She's made herself and her daughter proud. And no doubt will soon have something to show for it.

Mutual Adoration.

2007-05-03T17:43:00.000-04:00

Once again, this week completely exceeded my expectations. Who'd've expected Rock Night to be the most entertaining night of American Idol this season? Hell, it even triumphed over Country Week, which was my favorite up until now. Bon Jovi made an incredible mentor too, so kudos to them for giving everyone (save one) the ability to rock out.

Now, the votes that rolled over for last week really should've been preserved for last week only. It would've been massively more accurate had each week stuck to its own votes. It was unfortunate, because two people that were really good tonight were sent packing, when they should've had the chance to move on to next week. But I digress. Here are the performances:

01. Phil Stacey: "Young Guns (Blaze Of Glory)" - B
02. Jordin Sparks: "Living On A Prayer" - F
03. LaKisha Jones: "LoveSong" - A
04. Blake Lewis: "Bad Name (Shot Through The Heart)" - A
05. Chris Richardson: "Wanted: Dead Or Alive" - A-
06. Melinda Doolittle: "Have A Nice Day" - B+

After a tumultuous previous two weeks, LaKisha struck back with a golden performance. Her rendition was soulful, yet never compromised the original song. And the diva herself was much more personable than usual. She has been smiling more and loosening up lately, and it's great to see. I think ever since Sanjaya left, she's felt content with the remaining contestants, because she was surrounded by actual talent. And after her performance, Simon said "LaKisha, I could kiss you right now," to which she responded with a "Well, come on!" hand gesture. And so they did. It was awesome. And that saved her, without a doubt.

But lest we not forget about the marvelous Blake, who returned to his beatboxing roots with magnificent effect. It was easily the most stunning performance of the night, and perhaps one of the most unique the show has ever witnessed. He was also sporting a darker look, which coincided perfectly with the moods of the songs and the night in general. Also aces was Chris, who outdid Daughtry's version last year with ease. The best part was how you could almost completely forget that he is a nasally singer by nature and appreciate the commendable job he did. Kudos to Cake tonight, for they were on FIRE!

I have to admit, I WAS worried about Melinda, and have been lately. I feel like the shift in frontrunner status, albeit unfairly, to Jordin has made people feel complacent about Melinda and therefore, vote less passionately. And so I was nervous as to whether or not she could pull this off tonight...but she did. She was wonderful. She can literally do anything. Somehow, someway, it worked and she "rocked on" (she even did the hand gesture, which was adorably hilarious). It wasn't my favorite of hers or of the night, but she was still amazing. Phil was terrific as well. I can see him being a rock star, too. He opened the show with a superb and electrifying performance that, even if it was simple and faithful, was still a commendable effort.

The only real suckage tonight was Jordin, who was completely out of her element and gave the biggest bomb since the time of Sanjaya. The lights were distracting, her hair looked as if a Brillo Pad were devouring her melon of a head, and the vocals were screechy and horrifying. Thankfully, Simon abhorred it as well, reminding devotees that she lacks versatility. Sadly though, this awful performance, which may have given her the boot earlier in the competition, suffered the fate of others being average and the fucking rollover votes. Ryan split them into two groups of three, the perfect way to oust them, with one victim in each. Thankfully, Melinda was declared safe to much more applause than last time. That left LaKisha and Phil standing together, at which point Phil was inevitably booted. Even VFTW couldn't keep him on. But he had a great run and I am thrilled he made it this far, because he's grown on me (while Jordin has grown on my nerves). After she was also safe, it was down to Blis (the other way to say Cake). Let met tell you know--it was adorable. They hugged each other, but not the man-pat-on-the-back, no-hip-contact hug. They hugged. Then, at the end of the show, they were brought out to the stage, where Ryan inquired about their well-publicized friendship. They both replied "We're best friends" and received unanimous "Awwwww"s from the audience. Chris said "And I'd go home for him." Cue more "Aw"s. Blake concurred, then turned to the camera and said "Why do you gotta do this, America? Huh? Why must you do this?" Yet more "Aws". But then Blake said "But it's okay, we're going on tour together this summer." Then, Chris leaned in and they hugged once more. Massive "Aws". And when the results were announced, it was...naturally...Chris, who was leaving AI. There were cheers of sorrow and joy, for they know Blis will remain a powerful force and they were proud both made it as far as they have. And for that matter, so was I. Then, they embraced once more, and there were faint, tearful clips of "I love you, man," as Chris sang his swan song. It was an emotional night for all. But at least we know that Cake will forever live on in Blis.

With A Donation In My Heart.

2007-04-26T14:19:00.000-04:00

American Idol decided to do something monumental this year, in an effort to both help impoverished nations (African slums and our own backwoods) have more food and medicine and garner behemoth ratings. It's called Idol Gives Back. A bevy of celebrities donated cash and made useless guest appearances, because big stars always tug at even the most stoic and close-minded denizens' heartstrings. But all in all, it wasn't a complete borefest. There were even some delightful moments for you fellow Oscarnerds.

Ryan Seacrest and Ellen DeGeneres simultaneously hosted events at two separate locations. Ryan was, naturally, with the contestants, while Ellen was over at The Disney Music Hall, where many performers were singing live. Numerous celebrities paid a visit, including my second favorite moment of the night: the "Stayin' Alive" dance-off. Recent Oscar winners and nominees were there, including Helen Mirren, Forest Whitaker, and Keira Knightley (because Brits have bigger hearts). Speaking of Brits, Hugh Laurie was probably contractually obligated by FOX to appear, but I was ecstatic to see his face. Ah, but I'm running off on a tangent here. What about the performances of the contestants themselves?

01. Chris Richardson: "Change The World" - A
02. Melinda Doolittle: "There Will Come A Day" - A
03. Blake Lewis: "Imagine" - B+
04. LaKisha Jones: "I Believe" - C-
05. Phil Stacey: "The Change" - C
06. Jordin Sparks: "You'll Never Walk Alone" - B

So the theme for tonight was "Songs of Inspiration". And I started out impressed. After being criticized for his nasal harmonies last week, he received a boost of confidence from the judges this time around. I was thrilled, because he deserved it. He started out the show magnificently and proved that even with his nasally tone, he can masterfully work a song and make us believe it. And Melinda, who was unfairly given the second spot (not to mention how Chris should've gotten the "Pimp Spot"), delivered a moving and brilliant rendition to more praise. Simon Cowell is extremely devoted to Melinda, and I hope that's a positive thing. It seemed like the night might've been a success--even with Blake's slightly lacsadaisical performance, which I still liked anyway. He had a difficult song to pull off, since it is John Lennon's classic, and there wasn't much innovation he could really infuse. But still, he was commendable for keeping with the spirit of the original.

Meanwhile, the Pimp Spot was reserved for their stock "let's put a spin in this competition and give it some juice" performer, Jordin. Now, I really like her. She's got a great personality and is not cocky or full of herself in any way. She knows she has juggernaut vocals and utilizes them to full effect. However, I hate how AI tries to spice up the competition around this time each year. And I'm sorry, but Jordin nearly butchered her song. She commenced too strongly, with vocals too intense for the lyrics she had. She "shouted" MORE than LaKisha ever had. She lacked any subtlety whatsoever. And to top it all off, she ended with a completely over-the-top crescendo that was utterly inappropriate for her tune. All in all, points for the power, deductions for the ear-aching delivery. Randy Jackson actually noted that this was one of the best vocals ever on AI. Hey, news flash. You were in Journey. Give me a break.

However, she was still a couple notches above Phil and LaKisha. Phil was decent, but easily overshadowed this week. And I agree with Paula Abdul, that the lack of country twang in his voice was slightly detrimental to the song. But it was still okay. He didn't get harsh criticisms, just average feedback. I'd say that LaKisha took the worst beating of the night. This is the second consecutive week where she has used a previous Idol winner's single as her song choice (Carrie Underwood and Fantasia Barrino, respectively). Yes, she has amazing vocals. Yes, she did "shout" the lyrics. Yes, overall, it wasn't tremendously impressive. Frankly, I am on Melinda's page regarding the competition though--I want them all to win!

But apparently, someone HAD to go this week...or did they? It was Charity Week, after all. Could they really be so cruel? Cruel enough to put us through two hours before we got to the final results, that's for sure. Immediately during the second half-hour of the first hour, Ryan announces that Melinda is safe. Shortly towards the end of this particular hour, Ryan lets Blake know he's safe too. A little while after that, Phil gets some comfort in knowing he's safe. Soon following was relief to LaKisha's ears, in knowing she's safe. Then, we come to the final ten minutes. Chris and Jordin stand up. Chris has a microphone in his hand. I'm worried. Ryan says "Chris,...you are safe." A huge sigh of relief trickles through my body. The audience seems concurrently happy and confused. Then, Ryan says "Jordin,...you are also safe. We can't kick anyone off on CHARITY WEEK!" A massive wave of cheers and applause engulfs the theater. I am appalled, yet thrilled. Although next week, TWO contestants will be eliminated, when the votes from this week rollover into next. I found that part a little disgusting. Couldn't they just have said "We used you to garner money for Idol Gives Back"?! Thank you, American Cocktease.

Idol Hands.

2007-04-19T17:53:00.000-04:00

Wow. I can't believe it. The week I've been dreading is most is officially the best week of the Top 12 so far. Yeah, that's right. Country Week on American Idol was AMAZING. It seems almost blasphemous to type such a statement, but lo and behold, this night featured some fantastic performances (and one dud to outdo all duds).

Martina McBride was the mentor for this night and a great one at that. I think she really helped most of the contestants find their country voice, even if some didn't take her advice fully at heart. Still, she elicited what she could and did a terrific job. She was without a doubt a breath of fresh air after last week's deplorable work and less-than-inspiring coaching. Martina also rocked her performance...but who really cares about anyone but the Idols. Here is the order of performances, in addition to the songs each contestant sang:

01. Phil Stacey: "Where The Blacktop Ends" - A
02. Jordin Sparks: "Broken Wing" - A+
03. Sanjaya Malakar: "Something To Talk About" - D-
04. LaKisha Jones: "Jesus, Take The Wheel" - C
05. Chris Richardson: "Mayberry" - C+
06. Melinda Doolittle: "Trouble Is A Woman" - A+
07. Blake Lewis: "(When The Stars Go) Blue" - B

And now, to the performances! Two of my favorite contestants, Melinda and Jordin, blew me away with outstanding renditions tonight. Jordin worries me, because she might actually win over my dominant favorite, Melinda, BUT this was easily her best performance and one of the best of this entire season. She really made the mentor herself proud. Then again, Melinda was extraordinary! I am in awe at how awesome she was tonight. It seems funny, but she was actually the sexiest and most energetic performance of the entire night. Congratulations to you, Mindy-Doo, proving you can do almost anything.

I am also really happy that Phil had a chance to shine. Though at times he was a little stiff, he is clearly a country singer. He was magnificent tonight and belonged to the better half of the night's vocals. Great work from this man. And even more amazing, he managed to crack the TOP 3 as opposed to the Bottom 3. Good work, Philabusters!

As for the others, they were all decent (well, 3/4 of them anyway). Blake was adorable, even though his performance was nothing to rave about. It was solid, but one would hope for a little more energy I suppose. He was the line by which I can separate the commendable and the lamentable. Well, perhaps that's a bit too strong for Chris. His rendition was underwhelming, but still adequate nonetheless. He took a heap of criticism tonight though, and seemed on the verge of tears. I wish I was there to hug him. Meanwhile, LaKisha received even harsher comments, but with some justification. It was an average perfomance, one in which you knew her vocal abilities but failed to connect with her due to her "shouting".

The dud, however, clearly came from Sanjaya, who was indubitably the worst of the night. There is absolutely no way to argue against it this time. This molotov cocktail of a performance was a more excrutiating karaoke rendition than Cameron Diaz in My Best Friend's Wedding. And don't even get me started on the horrendous maid-from-the-slums look he was sporting tonight. (Randy Jackson actually called him intelligent...gag.) But I thank him for sucking with such intensity last night. He inspired me to vote for Every. Single. Contestant. BUT. HIM. And whaddya know...?

Before the results came, there was a brief public conference to illuminate the true motivation for Simon Cowell's eye-rolling at Chris's shout-out to the Virginia Tech victims (he's a VA native). I assumed Simon was scoffing at what he felt was a blatant attempt for pity votes. But it turns out Paula Abdul was trying to defend Chris's nasal-singing, which Simon had chastised, and just had an apparently ill-timed bitch moment. That soon segued into the results, where they were split into two groups of three (Phil, Jordin, Chris & Blake, LaKisha, Sanjaya). Melinda was asked to choose which group she belonged to (which was the Top, naturally), but she wisely refused and sat down in the dead center of the stage. She also received applause for doing so. That left Ryan Seacrest to do his own job, so he sent Melinda, Jordin, Chris, and Phil back to their seats and rightly so, leaving audiences shocked that Blake was actually in the Bottom. (That will certainly rally fans.) Fortunately, he was the top of the bottom (again, sexy images), leaving it between LaKisha and Sanjaya. As I stared at the screen, I wondered "Could the moment we've all been waiting for FINALLY have arrived?!" I naturally was nervously anticipating a LaKisha-ejection shocker, but alas...she was safe. SANJAYA IS GONE! And NOW I finally feel empathy for him. But it was his time. Even the VFTW and Fanjayas had to admit he was the worst and he had to go. And so it was, the end of an era that will forever live on in infamy.

A.I.: Artifical Idolatry.

2007-04-13T23:13:00.000-04:00

So tonight was Latin Night on American Idol and there's no nicer way to express my feelings than: What. A. Disappointment. It didn't quite reach disatrous levels, but it was underwhelming to the umpteenth power. Jennifer Lopez was the guest coach and, while boisterous and fun, couldn't really suppress the fact that Latin music is more showy performance than vocal challenge. She was able to bring out as much as she could, but the judges were on the mark calling the performances karaoke-style.

Nevertheless, there were a couple bright spots and some unfairly criticized fares. And now, I present...My Thoughts:

01. Melinda Doolittle: B+
02. LaKisha Jones: B
03. Chris Richardson: A-
04. Haley Scarnato: C-
05. Phil Stacey: C+
06. Jordin Sparks: B-
07. Blake Lewis: A
08. Sanjaya Malakar: C-

Cake was on fire tonight. Blake clearly scored the best performer of the night with his outstanding rendition of "I Need To Know". (It certainly didn't hurt that he utilized the breakout song from J.Lo's hubby, Marc Antony.) Chris was also terrific with "Smooth"--despite the judges' overly harsh feedback. Sadly, he was in the Bottom 3, but luckily for him, he was the top of the bottom (an incredibly sexy image has just been conjured).

The triple-threat of divas were decent, though lacking the same passion that made them the extraordinairres of last week. Melinda was much better than she was given credit for with "Sway". (She received her first Simon criticism!) I'm admittedly a bit worried for her in Country Week next week, but I anticipate her nonetheless. LaKisha was entertaining with "Conga" and Jordin fun with "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You", but neither were anything to write home about.

Phil takes a lot of slack from people, but he's actually much better than given credit for. The only problem is he fails to challenge himself. His "Maria, Maria" was decent, but I hope he ventures outside of the box next week. It was inevitable he'd be in the Bottom 3 this week, naturally. As for the actual worsts of the night, it's a tie between Haley's Tin Pan Alley diet-salsa "Turn The Beat Around" performance and Sanjaya's gut-wrenching "Besame Mucho" camera-fucking. Since he showed that he doesn't suck as much as usual (yet still manages to hit sour notes more often than allowed), he was bound to be safe, leaving Haley to round out the Bottom 3.

Poor Phil and Haley have both had their share of experiences with the Bottom-spots much too often and only 5 weeks into the Top 12. Thankfully, Phil was spared to grow a bit more as a singer, leaving Daisy Dukes Junior packing. But I admire her, strangely. Can I explain it?...I think so.

Haley's proved to be a resilient performer, managing to remain dignified despite the onslaught of whorebashing from the judges. She has a good personality and is clearly well-liked among the contestants. She was noticably upset when Gina received the boot last week (seeing as how they were close friends on the show, and I'm sure they both felt Sanjaya deserved to go first) and probably wished she had gone instead. So when this week came around, she knew her time was short.

It's a good thing she took it all in stride though. She might've fared somewhat well on Country Week, but then who would go instead? It's too horrifying to ruminate about. One can only hope HE goes. In the meantime though, Haley should be proud of making it this far (even though Stephanie Edwards may have deserved a Top 10/Tour-spot over her). But at least she made friends--who even got invited to her wedding! (Those three would be Gina Glocksen, Jordin, and Melinda--I'm guessing LaKisha looked down upon her.) So au revoir. And on to next week.

Everything You Will Need To See In 2007 (But Are Afraid You Might Hate).

2007-04-09T21:48:00.000-04:00

And now, I present to you my fabulous list of 150 Movies to See in 2007. Now, I know it used to be 120 (and before that, 100), but I decided I was being too harsh on several and others are worth seeing if only to have something for the others to look impeccable by comparison.

Now, below you'll find a list of films that are all presumed to be released, at least for a single week, in the USA this year, thereby qualifying them for Oscar/Razzie contention. I have italicized the 100 that I believe have some potential for critical praise and film festival love and bolded the 50 of those with true hopes of being in contention. So without further ado, enjoy this alphabetized list of glory and thank me for all eternity.

(Note: I will present descriptions and thoughts on certain films later on in the week. Enjoy!)

001. Across the Universe
002. An American Crime
003. American Gangster
004. And When Did You Last See Your Father?
005. Angel-A
006. Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters
007. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
008. Atonement
009. Away from Her
010. Le Ballon Rouge
011. Battle in Seattle
012. Be Kind, Rewind
013. Becoming Jane
014. Bee Movie
015. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
016. Bernard and Doris
017. Black Book
018. Black Snake Moan
019. The Bourne Ultimatum
020. The Brave One
021. Breach
022. Broken English
023. Cassandra's Dream
024. Chalk
025. Charlie Wilson's War
026. Control
027. The Darjeeling Limited
028. Day Night, Day Night
029. Death Defying Acts
030. Dedication
031. Diggers
032. Disturbia
033. Eagle Vs. Shark
034. Eastern Promises
035. Enchanted
036. Evening
037. Fay Grim
038. First Snow
039. Fracture
040. Georgia Rule
041. The Golden Age
042. Gone, Baby, Gone
043. Goodbye Banfana
044. Goya's Ghosts
045. Grace Is Gone
046. Grindhouse
047. Hairspray
048. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
049. The Hawk Is Dying
050. His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass
051. The Hoax
052. Hot Fuzz
053. The Hottest State
054. I Am Legend
055. I Could Never Be Your Woman
056. I'm Not There
057. In Bloom
058. In the Land of Women
059. In the Valley of Elah
060. In Tranzit
061. Interview
062. Into the Wild
063. The Italian
064. Joshua
065. King of California
066. The Kingdom
067. The Kite Runner
068. Knocked-Up
069. Lars and the Real Girl
070. Leatherheads
071. Lions for Lambs
072. The Lives of Others
073. Lonely Hearts
074. The Lookout
075. Love in the Time of Cholera
076. Lucky You
077. Manolete
078. Margot at the Wedding
079. Married Life
080. Meet the Robinsons
081. Michael Clayton
082. A Mighty Heart
083. Mister Lonely
084. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
085. La Mome
086. My Blueberry Nights
087. The Namesake
088. The Nanny Diaries
089. No Country for Old Men
090. Nothing Is Private
091. The Other Boleyn Girl
092. Paprika
093. Paranoid Park
094. Paris, I Love You
095. Penelope
096. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
097. Rails & Ties
098. Ratatouille
099. Reign over Me
100. Rendition
101. Rescue Dawn
102. Reservation Road
103. Resurrecting the Champ
104. Rocket Science
105. Savage Grace
106. The Savages
107. Se, Jie
108. Severance
109. Shrek the Third
110. Silk
111. The Simpsons Movie
112. Smiley Face
113. Smokin' Aces
114. Snow Angels
115. Snow Cake
116. Son of Rambow: A Home Movie
117. Spider-Man 3
118. Spring Break in Bosnia
119. Stardust
120. Starter for 10
121. Starting Out in the Evening
122. Stephanie Daley
123. Still Green
124. Stop Loss
125. Straightheads
126. Surf's Up
127. Summer Palace
128. Sunshine
129. Sweeney Todd
130. Synecdoche, New York
131. Talk to Me
132. TMNT
133. Tenderness
134. The Ten
135. There Will Be Blood
136. Things We Lost in the Fire
137. 3:10 to Yuma
138. Trade
139. Transformers
140. Transsiberian
141. The Treatment
142. The TV Set
143. 12:08, East of Bucharest
144. Vantage Point
145. Waitress
146. The Wind that Shakes the Barley
147. Wristcutters: A Love Story
148. Year of the Dog
149. Youth Without Youth
150. Zodiac

Which are you most looking forward to? And which twenty do you think hold the most Oscar potential? Please vent your thoughts and rants--I'd love to hear them.

BLISter in the Sun.

2007-04-08T18:27:00.000-04:00

And now for some unrequited Cakelove:

And you're welcome.

A Very Belated Thing.

2007-04-07T08:52:00.000-04:00

Okay, a few updates on recent events are quite overdue. I apologize for that, but I've been occupied with various annoyances. But now, here I am, watching The Bad News Bears--as in the fantastic, witty 1976 original, starring Academy Award-winners Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal and co-starring recent Oscar-nominee and comeback kid Jackie Earle Haley. If you have yet to feast on this charming, uproarious, crude little gem, I say you best tackle that debacle ASAP.

Now, most missed I'm sure was my American Idol commentary, so I suppose I should tackle that immediately. I myself was in a deep slumber during the actual extravaganza (and half of House). Now, this same incident occured last year (my first year giving a rat's ass) during the exact same week (Top 9). This year's nine delivered more glorious and commendable, by far.

I listened to them all via mp3s, courtesy of Rickey.org, an extremely devoted fan site, covering everything competitive. Maybe it was just via the joys of ears-only listening, sparing me the often excrutiating spectacles one gazes upon weekly. Now, I'm too fatigued to reminisce on my feelings per performance, so instead, I'll deliver the gradings only:

01. Blake Lewis: A-
02. Phil Stacey: B+
03. Melinda Doolittle: A+
04. Chris Richardson: A
05. Jordin Sparks: A-
06. Gina Glocksen: A
07. Sanjaya Malakar: B-
08. Haley Scarnato: B
09. LaKisha Jones: A+

--------

I know, pretty shocking, eh? I think this Tony Bennett week was the best one yet of the Top 12 (although poor Tony had contracted the flu, we were graced with the terrific crooning of Michael Buble). All of the contestants were delivering their A-game that evening--even those otherwise contemptible performers we all want to disappear....

Unfortunately, this was the same week last season the magnificent Mandisa Huntley was given the boot. And this year, yet another disgusting shocker was delivered....

The remaining stars and shlubs were delineated into three clumps of three. The top three, of course, consisted of those delicious divas: Melinda, LaKisha, and Jordin. The middle three was comprised of everyone's favorite quasi-gay couple, Blake and Chris, and America's hangnail, Sanjaya. Then, the jarring bottom three were Phil, Haley, and Gina.

I knew I had cause to worry when Phil was sent back first, but I had hoped that Haley's cabaret singer performance and bland feedback would've been her ticket out. Once again, she was spared...for Gina?! Gina, who was brilliant and delivered a wonderful variation from her usual, edgy performances?! Absolute garbage.

Haley actually burst into tears herself, so I think even she was ready to go home and felt it was her time. Oh, the mysteries of the minds of voters. The audience was shocked and everyone's emotions were visably upheaved. In fact, Gina was the one who seemed to take it with the most composure. But watching her perform her swan song, I felt utterly deteriorated.

But I don't think I'll have much need to worry. Gina is extremely marketable and had a passionate-enough fanbase to get her this far and I'm confident enough she'll have a post-Idol career in due time. I guess most of her "true fans" needed something a little more satisfying, with a dark side, from her. And I think there will be plenty to come, and this time original. So congratulations, Gina, you're still a winner.

Ecstatic Is the Word for Cinemaniac.

2007-04-03T14:16:00.000-04:00

It was hard work, but I've created a handy-dandy sidebar of Oscar predictions, with links to each name/title on IMDb for futher information. Things will likely change every few weeks, especially after I complete my 120 Movies to Anticipate in 2007 List (yes, I had to expand it from 100, dash it all), of which I will derive the awards contenders. Check back soon. Also, feel free to share YOUR early predictions and/or thoughts on mine.

Spirit Awards Revue: Part 1.

2007-04-02T13:51:00.000-04:00

Whilst I await feedback on my 100 Movies to See in 2007 list, I thought I'd share my experiences of being a member of this less-than-exclusive, but-still-quite-prestigious organization. As a voter of FilmIndependent/IFP, I've seen all but 6 of the nominees (which apparently is more than most members actually see, for what it's worth), and I'm going to present the ratings in preferential/semi-chronological order (reviews to come at a later date).

The ceremony was actually pretty spectacular. Sarah Silverman makes a BRILLIANT host. She must host annually from now on, in addition to someday hosting the Academy Awards. She's edgy and literally caused me to fall off of the couch.

Voting was exhilarating too, but previewing 30-something screeners--forcing myself to view them, attending the free screenings in TriBeCa, etc.--was, needless to say, exhausting. But for the most part, it proved worthwhile, because the majority of my favorites scored in the end.

So, without further ado, I present to you Part I:

01. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
*Directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris
*Written by Michael Arndt
*Starring: Alan Arkin, Abigail Breslin, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Greg Kinnear
*Nominations: Best Feature Film, Best Director(s), Best First Screenplay, Best Supporting Male (Arkin), Best Supporting Male (Dano)
*Rating: ****/A+

02. CHALK
*Directed by Mike Akel
*Written by Mike Akel & Chris Mass
*Starring: Troy Schlemmer, Janelle Schlemmer, Shannon Haragan, Chris Mass
*Nominations: John Cassavetes Award
*Rating: ****/A+

03. WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY
*Written & Directed by Goran Dukic
*Starring: Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon, Shea Whigham, Tom Waits, Leslie Bibb, Will Arnett, Mary Pat Gleason, Cameron Bowen
*Nominations: Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay
*Rating: ***3/4/A

04. QUINCEANERA
*Written & Directed by Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland
*Starring: Emily Rios, Jesse Garcia, Chalo Gonzalez, Alicia Sixtos, Araceli Guzman-Rico, Jesus Castanos, David W. Ross, Jason L. Wood
*Nominations: John Cassavetes Award
*Rating: ***3/4/A

05. THANK YOU FOR SMOKING
*Written & Directed by Jason Reitman
*Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Cameron Bright, Kim Dickens, Maria Bello, David Koechner, Robert Duvall, J.K. Simmons, Katie Holmes, William H. Macy, Sam Neill, Rob Lowe, Adam Brody, Marianne Muellerleile, Aloma Wright, Todd Louiso
*Nominations: Best Screenplay, Best Male Lead (Eckhart)
*Rating: ***3/4/A

06. HALF NELSON
*Directed by Ryan Fleck
*Written by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
*Starring: Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Anthony Mackie, Tina Holmes
*Nominations: Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best First Screenplay, Best Male Lead (Gosling), Best Female Lead (Epps)
*Rating: ***1/2/A-

07. BROTHERS OF THE HEAD
*Directed by Keith Fulton & Louis Pepe
*Written by Tony Grisoni
*Starring: Harry Treadaway, Luke Treadaway, Bryan Dick, Sean Harris, Jonathan Pryce, Elizabeth Rider, Brian Aldiss, Jane Horrocks, Ken Russell
*Nominations: Best Cinematography (Anthony Dod Mantle)
*Rating: ***1/2/A-

08. THE BLOSSOMING OF MAXIMO OLIVEROS
*Directed by Auraeus Solito
*Written by Michiko Yamamoto
*Starring: Nathan Lopez, J.R. Valentin, Ping Medina, Pepe Smith, Bodjie Pascua, Soliman Cruz, Neil Ryan Sese, Peter Anthony Tombasa
*Nominations: Best Foreign-Language Film
*Rating: ***1/2/A-

09. THE ILLUSIONIST
*Written & Directed by Neil Burger
*Starring: Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Paul Giamatti, Rufus Sewell
*Nominations: Best Screenplay
*Rating: ***1/4/B+

10. LAND OF PLENTY
*Directed by Wim Wenders
*Written by Scott Derrickson, Michael Meredith, & Wim Wenders
*Starring: Michelle Williams, John Diehl, Wendell Pierce, Richard Edson, Shaun Toub, Burt Young, Gloria Stuart, Bernard White
*Nominations: Best Female Lead (Williams)
*Rating: ***/B

11. 12:08, EAST OF BUCHAREST
*Written & Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu
*Starring: Teodor Corban, Mircea Andreescu, Ion Sapdaru, Luminita Gheorghiu, Cristina Ciofu, Constantin Dita, Mirela Cioaba, Lucian Iftime
*Nominations: Best Foreign-Language Film
*Rating: ***/B

12. A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS
*Written & Directed by Dito Montiel
*Starring: Shia LaBeouf; Robert Downey, Jr.; Dianne Wiest, Chazz Palmentieri; Channing Tatum; Melonie Diaz; Julia Scarro; Adam Scarimbolo; Rosario Dawson; Jon Abrahams
*Nominations: Best First Screenplay, Best Supporting Male (Tatum), Best Supporting Female (Diaz)
*Rating: **3/4/B-

13. BUBBLE
*Directed by Steven Soderbergh
*Written by Coleman Hough
*Starring: Debbie Doebereiner, Dustin James Ashley, Misty Wilkins, Madison Wilkins, Omar Cowan, Laurie Lee, Decker Moody, Thomas R. Davis
*Nominations: Best Director
*Rating: **1/2/C+

14. FOUR-EYED MONSTERS
*Written & Directed by Susan Buice & Arim Crumley
*Starring: Arin Crumley, Susan Buice, Joe Griffin, Marc Scrivo
*Nominations: John Cassavetes Award, Best Cinematography (Crumley)
*Rating: **1/4/C

15. FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
*Directed by Christopher Guest
*Written by Christopher Guest & Eugene Levy
*Starring: Catherine O'Hara; Harry Shearer; Parker Posey; Christopher Moynihan; Eugene Levy; Ed Begley, Jr.; Rachael Harris; Jennifer Coolidge; Fred Willard; Jane Lynch; Christopher Guest; Bob Balaban; Michael McKean; Ricky Gervais; Larry Miller; Carrie Aizley; John Michael Higgins; Ari Graynor; Sandra Oh; Richard Kind
*Nominations: Best Female Lead (O'Hara)
*Rating: **/C-

16. WILD TIGERS I HAVE KNOWN
*Written & Directed by Cam Archer
*Starring: Malcolm Stumpf, Patrick White, Max Paradise, Fairuza Balk, Kim Dickens, Hailey Anne Nelson, Bernadette Wilson, Tom Gilroy
*Nominations: Best Cinematography (Aaron Platt)
*Rating: *1/2/D+

I still have a number of Netflix screeners, too, so I will be finishing those up ASAP and posting my ratings. Let me know what you think about my ratings and if you're interested in knowing more about any of the films, particularly the obscure gems that I have been fortunate enough to discover.

The Way We Rate.

2007-04-01T06:28:00.001-04:00

I've been engulfed in a cerebral typhoon, trying to decide on a proper ratings system. I make do with the standards, but certain components of each are too basic for my tastes. I'm an avid film lover and embrace most, but I'm aiming to avoid The Peter Travers Syndrome. However, that's been difficult so far, or so it seems. Perhaps the only way to critique more harshly would be to expand my cinematic repertoire per year--which is what I'm aiming to do this year.

But I believe I have finally settled on something I'm comfortable with:

A+ = ****
A = ***3/4
A- = ***1/2
B+ = ***1/4
B = ***
B- = **3/4
C+ = **1/2
C = **1/4
C- = **
D+ = *1/2
D = *
D- = 1/2
F = 0

So now, I feel confident in branding films with my ratings, knowing full well that the ratings are equivocal. And with that...onto the next post.

Wild is the Blog.

2007-03-31T23:42:00.000-04:00

Keep an eye out for my 100 Anticipated Films of 2007 list, soon to premiere. It will be a handy movie guide, including recently released picks, of what you should make time for (not all Oscar-potential, by the way).

Now, this will only be a list. I will fully describe them in a later post, perhaps doing a countdown. If you have any suggestions for films I absolutely must include, please contact me and let me know. I'm eager to know if I've left off anything significant.

Well, that's all for now. Check back soon!

CELTAs: The Oscar Alternative.

2007-03-30T23:56:00.000-04:00

I am very proud to be a member of CELTA, a more exciting and varied personal awards committee. And today, I sent my ballot in very last minute with surprisingly wonderful effects. Here are the splendiforous nominees (the winners are in bold; my votes are in italics):

BEST PICTURE
Babel
The Devil Wears Prada
Little Miss Sunshine
Pan's Labyrinth
Volver

BEST DIRECTOR
Andrea Arnold for Red Road
Darren Aronofsky for The Fountain
Pedro Almodóvar for Volver
Alejandro González Iñárritu for Babel
Martin Scorsese for The Departed

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Gael García Bernal in The Science of Sleep
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Departed
Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson
Peter O'Toole in Venus
Patrick Wilson in Little Children

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Ivana Baquero in Pan's Labyrinth
Penélope Cruz in Volver
Judi Dench in Notes on a Scandal
Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet in Little Children

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine
Gael García Bernal in Babel
Jackie Earle Haley in Little Children
Channing Tatum in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
Mark Wahlberg in The Departed

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Adriana Barraza in Babel
Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada
Eva Green in Casino Royale
Rinko Kikuchi in Babel
Mia Kirshner in The Black Dahlia

BEST ENSEMBLE
Babel
The Departed
The Devil Wears Prada
Little Children
Little Miss Sunshine
Volver

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Borat!: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
The Departed
The Devil Wears Prada
Notes on a Scandal
Thank Your For Smoking

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Little Miss Sunshine
Pan's Labyrinth
The Queen
The Science of Sleep
Volver

BEST ART DIRECTION (TIE)
Apocalypto
The Black Dahlia
Marie Antoinette
Pan's Labyrinth
The Science of Sleep

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Babel
Children Of Men
The Fountain
Pan's Labyrinth
13 - Tzameti

BEST EDITING
Babel
Children of Men
Conversations with Other Women
The Departed
United 93

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Aquamarine
The Black Dahlia
The Devil Wears Prada
Marie Antoinette
Pan's Labyrinth

BEST MAKEUP
Apocalypto
Casino Royale
Little Children
Pan's Labyrinth
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Eva Green, Casino Royale
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
The Science of Sleep
Superman Returns
X-Men: The Last Stand

BEST READING OF A LINE (TIE)
«What's up with it, Vanilla face? Me and my homie Azamat just parked our slab outside. We're looking for somewhere to post up our Black asses for the night. So, uh, bang bang, skeet skeet, nigga. Just a couple of pimps, no hos.», Sacha Baron Cohen in Borat!: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
«Sorry James.», Eva Green in Casino Royale
«Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe fuck yourself.», Mark Wahlberg in The Departed
«Do you have some prior commitment? Some hideous skirt convention you have to go to?», Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada
«There you are Emily. How many times do I have to scream your name?», Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada

BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada
Abigail Breslin in Little Miss Sunshine
Rinko Kikuchi in Babel
Channing Tatum in A Guide to Recognising Your Saints/Step-Up
Nora Zehner in Brick/Conversations with Other Women

BEST ON-SCREEN CHEMISTRY
Judi Dench & Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal
Shareeka Epps & Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Abigail Breslin & Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine
Eva Green & Daniel Craig, Casino Royale
Kate Winslet & Patrick Wilson, Little Children

BEST SEX SCENE
In Honour of Jude's ass, Breaking & Entering
Edited Quartet, Conversations With Other Women
Ejaculation in the Laundry Station, Little Children
Illegal Trainspotting, Notes on a Scandal
Star Spangled Banner, Shortbus

BEST KISS
Aquamarine & Raymond, Aquamarine
Man & Woman, Conversations With Other Women
James & Gay Mayor, Shortbus
Sarah & Brad, Little Children
Marie & Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette

BEST CAMEO
Pamela Anderson in Borat!
Adam Brody in Thank You For Smoking
Princess Diana of Wales in The Queen
Dustin Hoffman in The Holiday
Gwyneth Paltrow in Infamous

BEST USE OF MUSIC (TIE)
"美簿の青空" in Babel
"Très Très Chic" in The Devil Wears Prada
"SuperFreak" in Little Miss Sunshine
"I Want Candy" in Marie Antoinette
"If You Rescue Me (Chanson Des Chats)" in The Science of Sleep

BEST SOUNDTRACK
Babel
Cheetah Girls
The Devil Wears Prada
Marie Antoinette
Volver

BEST POSTER
Aquamarine
The Black Dahlia
The Devil Wears Prada
Little Children
Volver

BEST TRAILER
The Devil Wears Prada
The Fountain (teaser)
Little Children
Marie Antoinette (teaser)
Notes on a Scandal

BEST TAGLINE
«Listen.», Babel
«High five!», Borat
«Where's Olive?», Little Miss Sunshine
«Let them eat cake.», Marie Antoinette
«Open your mind. And everything else.», Shortbus

WORST PICTURE
Ask the Dust
Basic Instinct 2
The Da Vinci Code
The Nativity Story
Running With Scissors

MOST OVERPRAISED DIRECTION
Bill Condon for Dreamgirls
Clint Eastwood for Flags of our Fathers
Clint Eastwood for Letters from Iwo Jima
Mel Gibson for Apocolypto
Ron Howard for The Da Vinci Code

WORST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR
Tim Allen in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
Tim Allen in The Shaggy Dog
Orlando Bloom in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Jamie Foxx in Dreamgirls
Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code

WORST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS
Halle Berry in X-Men 3: The Last Stand
Keira Knightley in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Beyoncé Knowles in Dreamgirls
Julianne Moore in Freedomland
Renée Zellweger in Miss Potter

WORST SCREENPLAY
Ask the Dust
The Da Vinci Code
Dreamgirls
The Holiday
The Pursuit of Happyness

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
The Holiday
Just My Luck
Marie Antoinette
Running with Scissors
Snakes on a Plane

MOST ANNOYING CHARACTER
Keisha Castle-Hughes as The Virgin Mary in The Nativity Story
Jamie Foxx as Curtis Taylor Jr. in Dreamgirls
Jennifer Hudson as Effie White in Dreamgirls
Beyoncé Knowles as Deena Jones in Dreamgirls
Eddie Murphy as James Thunder Early in Dreamgirls
Anika Noni Rose as Lorrell Robinson in Dreamgirls

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN OSCAR BEGGING
Clint Eastwood in Flags of our Fathers/Letters from Iwo Jima
Tom Hanks's Hair in The Da Vinci Code
Peter O'Toole in Venus
Toby Jones in Infamous
Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN OVERACTING
Charlotte Gainsbourg in The Science of Sleep
Djimon Hounsou in Blood Diamond
Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls
Sienna Miller in Factory Girl
Fiona Shaw in The Black Dahlia

THE "THEY OBVIOUSLY DID IT FOR THE PAYCHECK" AWARD
Daniel Craig in Casino Royale
Judi Dench in Casino Royale
Eva Green in Casino Royale
Mads Mikkelsen in Casino Royale
Jeffrey Wright in Casino Royale

THE "DOING IT FOR THE SAKE OF ART" AWARD
Sacha Baron Cohen in Borat!: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Darren Aronofsky for The Fountain
Samuel L. Jackson in Snakes on a Plane
Anthony Minghella for Breaking & Entering
Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada

Hmm...I think soon, I will begin my own committee. Yes, that will be wonderful.

Bye-bye, Mr. American Sligh.

2007-03-30T08:39:00.000-04:00

(I apologize in advance for the delayed response.)

I'm quite astonished that I accurately predicted the Bottom 3 of American Idol (although for fear of jinxing with such an underwhelming week, I chose not to reveal). It was pretty clear to anyone with sense that Haley Scarnato and Chris Sligh were in the Bottom 2. I figured after that, it would be Phil Stacey or Jordin Sparks, even though Phil did not deserve to be (and it's redundant to keep reiterating how Sanjaya Malakar did). He's the Bucky Covington of this year, in terms of fan appreciation and track record. Poor guy will likely be booted soon. I blame the cocky demeanor. (Seriously, quit trying to pull off Chris Daughtry. He's a hack and deserves to perish for going home AFTER Paris.)

Oddly enough though, when those two, in fact, WERE the Bottom 2, I knew that it was Haley who deserved to pack up her bags overall. But for some reason, I found myself wishing Sligh would get the boot. There could be two explanations for this:

1) Upon second sampling of their performances, Haley's deserved more commendation. Sligh, as Randy would say, was "pitchy".

2) The more actually-talented underdog contestants removed from the competition make way for the golden trio to continue their climb to the top.

FYI: The Rhythmical Triumverate, for me anyhow, consists of Melinda Doolittle, LaKisha Jones, and Blake Lewis. And if for some unforseen injustice prevents any one of them from progressing, only Gina Glocksen, then Jordin, followed by Chris Richardson should be allowed to assume their place. But even going that far would be an utter travesty.

So, who are you all rooting/voting for?

(If you say Sandy Mangina, then take your business to Rickey.org immediately.)

The Links of Others

2007-03-29T23:51:00.000-04:00

For all my fellow bloggers out there, you'll notice you're on my mind. See the sidebar (below the bevy of predictions) and embrace the love.

Also, please return the favor? I'll wuv you 4eva!!11.

(If you'd like to be added, please comment me. New blogs are always welcome--especially if you're an Oscar blogger.)

So far, I have linked the following people:

-CELTA
-Amy
-Javier
-Calum
-Joe
-Rob (Rosebud)
-Matt (NortonScrubs)
-Eegah (EcstaticTickle)
-Luke (KidmanicPortman)
-Emma (Pizzicato)
-Nick (Breakfast)
-Sandra (Chubbit)
-Anonymous
-MovieFreak
-Kimboluvr
-KamikazeCamel

And several others I don't know too well. It's all for a good cause. Let's keep up the networking!

American Idol infuriates me.

2007-03-28T08:03:00.000-04:00

So we're down to this abominable Top 10. To be honest, I had no clue what this week's theme even was. All I know is we as a nation need to salvage this competition as much as we can before it's morphed into a complete sham.

Last week's British Invasion was wonderful. The special guests were fantastic. Lulu is arguably the best coach yet. The female contestants were so inspired after working with her and put forth fantastic efforts. The male contestants weren't half bad, though incomparable by far. Peter Noone was an energetic one, but sugarcoated more often than necessary. But performances aside, the night will be forever tainted with notoriety thanks to one now infamous "Crying Girl" (Ashley Furl).

And no doubt (no pun intended) all the crying girls of America were trigger-happy tonight for Sandy Mangina's tone-deaf nonsense. But before I rant and rave, let me just say that Gwen Stefani was a refreshing presence. Aside from her natural beauty and her upbeat demeanor, she took me by complete surprise with her blunt honesty. She didn't waste time focusing on the pros and cons, but instead cut right to the point. It was a breath of fresh air and exactly what this show needed. It shows she's someone you can trust.

Now, without further ado, here are my brief critiques of each performance:

01. LaKisha Jones = This elegantly classy lady provided us with one of the night's most phenomenal vocals. She embraced the lyrics and belted out the classic tune wonderfully. It was a lively and spirited performance, one in which she was fully attuned to her excellent song selection. A brilliant way to start the show.
Grade: A

02. Chris Sligh = While the song he chose was magnificent, his performance left much to be desired. As Gwen said, his tempo was completely off and he was out of his element. Vocally, he was pretty decent. Otherwise, there's not much else here.
Grade: C-

03. Gina Glocksen = Talk about a comeback. Her dividing performance last week led her to give it her all this week, and she didn't disappoint. She chose the perfect song and infused it with soul. It was sweet redemption for her. And the judges were correct--this was her best yet.
Grade: B+

04. Phil Stacey = He delivered a subtle-yet-terrific performance, thanks in large part to a wise song selection. As a whole, it might've benefited from a little oomph, but his smooth, stylistic vocals were pure ear-candy. All-in-all, great job.
Grade: B

05. Haley Scarnato = The vocals were adequate and the song was great, but the main flaw here was a lack of effort. There was no feeling or commitment to the music flowing from her mouth. Very pretty, but without a doubt, the weakest of the females.
Grade: C-/D+

06. Sanjaya Malakar = Easily the worst of the litter by far. His banal, pathetic, and ridiculously off-key shower-singing crapfest was an abhorrent display of showmanship. And the faux-hawk was mildly distracting, but unfortunately, not enough.
Grade: F

07. Melinda Doolittle = Once again, this blossomming queen of the vocals dominated the show. With her genuine reception to praise, it's such a joy to see her before, during, and after. She interpreted the lyrics masterfully, infused a massive amount of soul, and let loose. An absolutely astonishing achievement.
Grade: A

08. Blake Lewis = A sudden change of pace for this unique performer was a rather welcome one. He delivered a superb and crisp vocal with a sensual, charismatic on-stage presence. All that and sans beatboxing to prove he has diversity brought us one of the night's finest.
Grade: A-

09. Jordin Sparks = The stock bubbly girl was as boisterous as ever and clearly having a jolly good time. Her vocals were tolerable, but something seemed amiss. She was filled with chutzpah aplenty, but all in all, she wasn't in touch with the song.
Grade: B-/C+

10. Chris Richardson = Underneath the nasally vocals lies a talented singer, who manages to hit the proper notes and gauge the right pitches. His performance tonight could've benefited from a drop or two more of confidence, but he is clearly the second best male. It was still an above average performance nonetheless.
Grade: B

Now, according to DialIdol, Melinda and LaKisha should be safe. So should Chris Rich and...Sanjaya...YET AGAIN. (Seriously, when is he going home?! This is ludicrous.) Anyway, my dialing fingers were in full force tonight. I got in a couple votes for the ladies, but their lines were all hot. Blake's lines were disturbingly less popular than usual, but soon picked up steam again. Still, I hope nothing terrible will occur...God, I can't even think about it.

But Chris R.'s lack of love really gave me cause for alarm. So I kicked into gear. He did NOT deserve to be in the Bottom 2 last week WHATSOEVER. And I sure as hell wasn't going to allow for a repeat. I have no idea how many votes actually came from me, but all I know is he had a high score. So...I hope I did well. I sincerely hope he's safe.

I know my mind will wander during Friday Night Lights tomorrow. (Let's hope only during the commercials.) I barely absorbed tonight's brilliant House episode thanks to my obsessive voting. Ah, such is the joy of the business.

Aw, Ellen, we still love you.

2007-03-22T05:52:00.000-04:00

Another Emmy rule, albeit of lesser significance to the races we care about, now states that any performance must be more than five minutes in length to receive a nomination. It's a scathing retort to the divine Ellen Burstyn's fourteen-second, two-line cameo in the made-for-TV movie Mrs. Harris, but also a seething look into the minds of Academy's voting block. Had they known she was in it for such a short length of time (though why they'd waste someone of Burstyn's considerable talents in such a measly appearance is beyond me), she might never have been nominated. They clearly checked her name off because of the merit her name carried. One has to wonder who else they could've done this to. Nonetheless, it only adds to her fascinating legend. And because of her, it may never occur again.

Fascinating new change in the Emmy rulebook.

2007-03-21T04:19:00.000-04:00

According to Tom O'Neil at GoldDerby, the Emmy organization is up to new tricks yet again. I wonder how they're going to rock the boat this time.

Last year, they created a huge convergence in the nominating process. Prior to 2006, the Emmy nominations were completely decided upon by a popular vote. But in 2006, they decided that this new system would help many unrewarded stars make their way onto the lists. For the series, the popular vote would narrow it down to fifteen contenders; for the lead acting categories, it would be shortened to the top ten. After that, a nominating committee would decide which five would advance to the final lineup of five (or, in the result of a tie, more). The panel would consist of a number of industry insiders, who were randomly chosen to see certain episodes. The result? While the nominee lists were rather sketchy in several ways (more on that shortly), the winners themselves were a breath of fresh air, particularly in Drama.

But apparently, the board wasn't satisfied and altered their rules once again. Now, ALL acting categories and series will be narrowed down to ten contenders by a popular vote. After that, it is manditory that each contender submit ONE tape, which voters are obligated to view. The next requirement is a mathematical fusion of various factors: To decide the five ultimate nominees, the result will be calculated through 50% of the popular vote and 50% of the judging vote. So this can really shake up the whole process.

Last year, several underdogs benefited the change, most notably numerous actors and actresses of cancelled shows. In addition, a number of nominees successfully received their penultimate nominations for series that had their finales.

However, there were some terrible snubs--some more egregious than others. I personally can't complain about the omissions of Edie Falco and James Gandolfini. Acting powerhouses that they are, enough is enough. Time to spread the wealth. But no Jason Bateman? No Zach Braff? No Mary-Louise Parker? No Tichina Arnold? No Jason Lee? No Eric McCormack? Not a single woman from Big Love (Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny, Ginnifer Goodwin)? And--worst of all--no Hugh Laurie?! It was atrocious.

Nonetheless, awards night was quite fulfilling. Despite repeat wins from Megan Mullally (over Elizabeth Perkins and Jaime Pressly), Blythe Danner (over Jean Smart, Sandra Oh, AND Chandra Wilson), and Tony Shaloub (over Steve Carell, don't get me started), the awards were pretty satisfactory. Alan Alda and Julia Louis-Dreyfus were previous winners for other series but worthy enough for their new shows. It was sad that Alda beat the amazing Gregory Itzin and Louis-Dreyfus robbed Jane Kaczmarek of her final chance for her spectacular character's show, but it's difficult to complain. Julia is an absolute delight and the only nominee able to return the following year. And Alan should've won the year prior, so it was repayment.

But following Jeremy Piven finally making it to the stage, when it came time for the lead drama acting categories, it marked a sweet moment in history. Mariska Hargitay and Kiefer Sutherland, long-standing bridesmaids, finally got their due. And following those wonderful moments, the series awards were handed out to shows that actually deserved the prize. Season 5 was a major high point of 24, thanks in large part to Smart and Itzin. And Season 2 of The Office was pure genius, in particular with its wonderful season finale.

And now this year, we can look forward to many more wonderous surprises, but likely less bizarre inclusions that the Academy would never vote for to begin with. These next few months are rampant with anticipation. Only time will tell what's in store.

Introduction To The Awards Greenhouse!

2007-03-20T03:42:00.000-04:00

Hey movie buffs and film fanatics. I'm James De Roxtra, an avid enthusiast of this snobby prognosticating business, here to submit my thoughts to the world. I am a regular poster on IMDb's Oscar Buzz and a member of FilmIndependent, a community that allows me numerous, incredible benefits, which I shall discuss with you sometime.

After such an exciting Oscar season, of which I couldn't be more satisfied, I'm ready to put forth my notions on the races and ditch my fears of jinxing contenders. It's a rare occurrence to have MY favorites win. When I saw The Departed, there was no denying some amount of bias all year round in my predicting. But as we came closer, I began to dream and wish and hope and actually believe it was possible like never before. And then, it happened: Martin Scorsese and a film directed BY Marty actually took home the Oscars. It is, perhaps, the best year at the Academy Awards this decade so far. And I wasn't here to revel and rant then, but the time has come to change all that. I'll cover every movie and television event throughout the year and keep up with the news-front, with help from fellow Buzzers and fanatics alike. Stick around and check back every once in a while for updates and comments. Hopefully, with time, we shall blossom into a full-fledged database for reliable predictions!

Any other cinema aficionado blogs out there? Please contact me so we can support each other =).

Well, no time to waste. Let's get started!