The Oscars 2009: Predictions in Acting

Part IV!

Best Supporting Actor
Nominees

• Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features)
• Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
• Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)
• Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
• Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)

✔Predicted Winner: Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
Looking back on the performances of the nominees, I actually do think Ledger deserves the award here. He gave the most transformed and captivating performance of the five, and he trounced Jack Nicholson as the pre-eminent version of the Joker.

Best Supporting Actress
Nominees

• Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)
• Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)
• Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax)
• Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
• Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

✔Predicted Winner: Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)
I'm really torn on this one. Personally, I'd have chosen Rebecca Hall (for Vicky Cristina Barcelona) or Amy Ryan (for Changeling) had they been nominated. As it is, I've switched Viola Davis and Marisa Tomei about six times just while trying to write this post. In the end, I'm going with Marisa Tomei, if only because she gave what I thought to be an equally devastating but lengthier performance.

Best Actor
Nominees

• Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)
• Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
• Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
• Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
• Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

✔Predicted Winner: Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)
Rourke seems to be the awards-season darling this year, and rightly so. His performance was brave, honest and heartbreaking. My only complaint for this category is the lack of a nomination for Michael Sheen in Frost/Nixon. Maybe the Academy just can't swallow nominating someone who's starred in the Underworld films.

Best Actress
Nominees

• Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
• Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)
• Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)
• Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
• Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)

✔Predicted Winner: Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)
Again, this seems to be Kate Winslet's year, as predicted by Ricky Gervais. Not being a fan of The Reader, I really wish she'd been nominated for Revolutionary Road. Either way, though, Winslet's an obviously gifted actress, and I've got no qualms about her finally getting her Oscar this year.

The Oscars 2009: Predictions in Storytelling

Part III of my Oscar predictions begins... NOW!

Cinematography
This is the blend of lighting and camera choices that come together to set a visual tone for a film beyond the sets and costumes.

Nominees

• “Changeling” (Universal), Tom Stern
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Claudio Miranda
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Wally Pfister
• “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Anthony Dod Mantle

✔Predicted Winner: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Claudio Miranda
This was a hard category to call because The Dark Knight was strikingly shot, too. But there some truly beautiful images in Benjamin Button, despite the fact that I thought it was a mediocre film.

Director
In a nutshell, the director is the conduit between what's on the page and what gets shot.

Nominees

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Fincher
• “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Ron Howard
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant
• “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle

✔Predicted Winner: “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle
Out of the nominees, this was by far the most complex story told. Ron Howard and Gus Van Sant both did great jobs with their respective films, but the stories and the themes were pretty straightforward. Boyle took a story that could have easily derailed into a convoluted mess of threads and turned it into a beautiful tapestry, so he gets the prize in my book.

Film Editing
Film editing involves taking the film that's shot and determining how to piece it together to achieve a narrative that is both clear and compelling for the audience.

Nominees

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lee Smith
• “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Elliot Graham
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Chris Dickens

✔Predicted Winner: “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
How do you take a film about the filming of an interview—basically two talking heads—and make it not only interesting but edge-of-your-seat compelling? I have no idea, but apparently Mike Hill and Dan Hanley do.

Original Screenplay
Best screenplay not based on some other written material.

Nominees

• “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt
• “Happy-Go-Lucky” (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh
• “In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter

✔Predicted Winner: “In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh
I haven't seen the first two nominees (though Frozen River is on its way to my house via Netflix), but In Bruges is so different from any sort of movie I've seen in recent memory that I have to throw my support behind it. Thematically, tonally, verbally... It's just a really interesting piece of work.

Adapted Screenplay
Best screenplay based on other material.

Nominees

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
• “Doubt” (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley
• “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan
• “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy

✔Predicted Winner: “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy
The amount of research that went into the writing of the screenplay alone makes it worthy, let alone the sheer talent that goes into weaving a series of short stories into something that hangs together so well. There's really no contest here in my opinion. Beaufoy's got to win it, hands down.

I'd love to hear what you all are thinking, too! Coming soon: Predictions in Acting!

Recap: 15 February 2009

Missed my recap last week due to the lack of a weekend thanks to work. But it definitely made me appreciate finally getting a break this weekend!

What I Watched

• He's Just Not That Into You (3½ stars): A cut above your typical romantic comedy, but it doesn't hit the bar set by Love, Actually. Still, I really enjoyed this one, and it strikes me as pretty guy-friendly. This one's taken a lot of critical flack because it plays up stereotypes while proclaiming to knock them down, but, frankly, I just didn't care. I had fun, the crowd had fun, and that's really all I was looking for.
• A Life Less Ordinary (3 stars): This is exactly the sort of romantic comedy I would expect from Danny Boyle. Funny, sweet and weird.
• Confessions of a Shopaholic (2 stars): I didn't go into this movie wishing for me than a mildly fun time, but I didn't even get that. It's really too bad because the cast was excellent, but they just couldn't do anything with the story they were provided. I still have no idea why I was supposed to root for the main character, let alone root against the debt collector who was just trying to do his job.
• Scoop (3 stars): My third venture into Woody Allen territory. I was mildly amused but not blown away. Better than Manhattan but not as good as Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
• Oliver Twist (3 stars): This is the 1997 TV version that ran on ABC. I had semi-fond memories of it, mostly due to the fact that it aired during the height of my crush on Elijah Wood. It didn't quite live up to my memories of it, but it was still fun and a fairly solid depiction of the classic Dickens story.
• Neverwhere (2½ stars): I read Neil Gaiman's novel several months prior to taking in the 1996 BBC miniseries, and I'm glad I did it in the order I did (despite the series coming to life before the book). There are some stories that need a big budget, and this is one of them. I'd still love to see Neverwhere on the big screen some day because I think it's a really cinematic story, but it just didn't work on the small screen with the tools they had to make it.
• Coraline (3½ stars): This was one creepy movie. Seriously. Don't let the cute trailers fool you. That being said, the first half was a little slow, but once things got rolling in the second half I was pretty entranced. The third act felt a little too easy, but this is certainly one of the better films out right now. As for 3D vs. 2D, I would have preferred to have seen it in 2D, but Neil Gaiman himself says see it in 3D since it'll be available forever in 2D and not in 3D. So there you have it. FYI, it won't be in theatres in 3D much longer thanks to the ubiquitous Jonas Brothers.

I should also mention I saw Lee's Summit West High School's production of Footloose on Saturday. Despite some issues with the sound system (something you get accustomed to seeing in high school productions), the kids put on a great show. The choreography was impressive, and the two leads especially did a stellar job. If you've got high school or even college productions happening in your area, make sure you go out and support them when you can. It's amazing how much work goes into a production like that, and the arts programs deserve the support of the community they're trying to entertain.

What I Read

I finally finished Breaking Dawn this past week, meaning I'm through with the Twilight series. I think I've already made it clear that I was unimpressed. Now, I'm not going to go as far as Stephen King did because it's obvious by the astounding success of the novels that Stephenie Meyer is doing something right. I'll simply say that I wish her editor had pushed her harder. While I didn't enjoy the novels (as evidenced by the several times I was sitting on my bed literally yelling in frustration at them), I'm glad that I read them so that I can have an informed opinion at the very least.

I also read through JK Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which I found to be quite charming. They stand fairly well on their own even without the foundation of the Harry Potter series, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing what Ms. Rowling has up her sleeve for future works (whether they're set in magical worlds or not).


What I'm Writing

EARNEST is doing better this week. I'd been feeling really frustrated by it and by the writing process in general. And then three things happened.

1. Screenwriter Kevin Lehane (along with several others, but I saw his first) posted a link on twitter to this wonderful TED talk by Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love). It really struck a chord, and I've felt much less pressure ever since.
2. I listened to a Creative Screenwriting podcast with Robin Swicord, screenwriter of The Jane Austen Book Club, among other adapatations (including screen story for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). She shared some practical tips for adapting novels into screenplays, and I feel much more comfortable attempting the feat now.
3. I listened to another Creative Screenwriting podcast with Luc Besson, who gave the simple advice of listening to the same music for the entirety of a project. I've heard and employed this before, but I'd sort of forgotten it for whatever reason. I'd been listening to Sondre Lerche on and off throughout my struggle with EARNEST, and it occurred to me that my less hair-pulling nights have been whilst listening. So now, the earbuds go in as the fingers hit the keyboard.

That's it for now. Look for the rest of my Oscar predictions this week as we gear up for the big show on Sunday. Have a lovely week, all!

The Oscars 2009: Predictions in Visuals

Oscar.com tells me there are just nine days left 'til the big show, so I'd better get moving on this whole prediction thing. On to the visual categories.

Costume Design
Pretty self-explanatory, this one.

Nominees

• “Australia” (20th Century Fox), Catherine Martin
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Jacqueline West
• “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O’Connor
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Glicker
• “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Albert Wolsky

✔Predicted Winner: “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O’Connor
One of the things the title character was known for was her trend-setting ways. Unsurprisingly, the costumes were intricate and gorgeous. The other nominees all did a nice job as well, but the designers for The Duchess had the most work cut out for them, and they succeeded beautifully.

Art Direction
Again, from my limited research, Art Direction appears to encompass the overall look of the physical aspects of the movie (most notably, the sets).

Nominees

• “Changeling” (Universal), Art Direction: James J. Murakami, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt, Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Peter Lando
• “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction: Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
• “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Art Direction: Kristi Zea, Set Decoration: Debra Schutt

✔Predicted Winner: “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction: Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
I haven't seen Changeling quite yet, so it's possible (though doubtful) that it will yet blow my mind and I'll have to come back and change this. But, for now, I'm giving this one to The Duchess as well. All other nominees were entirely adequate, but the sets and overall look of The Duchess was, again, gorgeous.

Make-up
Another self-explanatory category.

Nominees

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Greg Cannom
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan
• “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (Universal), Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz

✔Predicted Winner: “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (Universal), Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz
I know the Academy doesn't like to give awards to comic book movies, but I think this really has to be the fair winner. It appeared to me that a grand portion of Benjamin Button's aging effects were done with CGI (and a lot of the time, you could tell). Hellboy II was a true spectacle for the art of make-up.

Visual Effects
And here we have the special effects category.

Nominees

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
• “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan

✔Predicted Winner: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
This was a tough one. Part of me thinks that Iron Man deserves it, but, despite the fact that I knew I was watching CGI effects, I really was rather impressed by what they managed to do with Benjamin Button. I think this one could really go either way and still be fair, but I think Oscar will lean toward the bait, and that's Benjamin Button.

The Oscars 2009: Predictions in Sound & Music

Leading up the Oscars on Feb. 22, I'll be making my predictions for each of the categories. I've seen most of the nominated films, so I feel like I can actually offer informed opinions this year. Tonight, I'll tackle the sound and music categories.

Sound Editing
From my quick research (in lieu of easily-found descriptions on the Oscar Web sites), I've come to believe that Sound Editing more or less encompasses the selection of sound effects.

Nominees

• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Richard King
• “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Tom Sayers
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
• “Wanted” (Universal),Wylie Stateman

✔ Predicted Winner: "Wall-E" (Walt Disney), Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
Out of the nominees, I think Wall-E required the most creativity as far as choosing sound effects that were both whimsical and realistic.

Sound Mixing
Again, from limited research, it appears Sound Mixing is the art of compiling dialog, sound effects and music together to create the soundtrack for the film.

Nominees

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten (HORRIBLE)
• “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney),Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
• “Wanted” (Universal), Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt

✔ Predicted Winner: “WALL-E” (Walt Disney),Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
I'm going to go with WALL-E here again. When I try to recall anything about the other nominees, I can't think of anything truly remarkable (except for how remarkably bad I found the sound mixing to be for BENJAMIN BUTTON; it's possible the theatre I was in was having issues, I guess, but I had a lot of trouble hearing and understanding dialog in certain places). WALL-E, however, had the dust storms, the spaceship landing, the "Put on Your Sunday Clothes" montage... lots of good sound stuff.

Original Score
Hopefully this award is pretty self-explanatory. But, for those not in the know, the score of a film is the music that runs throughout it. The easily recognizable themes from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, and the Harry Potter films all come from the scores.

Nominees

• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.),Alexandre Desplat
• “Defiance” (Paramount Vantage), James Newton Howard
• “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Elfman
• “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman
• “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Thomas Newman

✔ Predicted Winner: “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman
I don't remember much from BUTTON, MILK or WALL-E. I haven't seen DEFIANCE, but I caught an excerpt on youtube. It's beautiful but traditional, and it has no buzz. I think SLUMDOG will take this, since the soundtrack is also beautiful, catchy, and something not usually seen in Oscar-nominated films. WALL-E might put up a good fight, but I think SLUMDOG will come out victorious.

Best Original Song
Again, pretty self-explanatory. I still shudder when I think of poor Amy Adams being sent out on stage last year to perform "Happy Working Song" all by her lonesome with only invisible animals to accompany her. Too bad, because that could have been a very cool bit. Oh well. Onto this year.

Nominees

• “Down to Earth” from “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel
• “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
• “O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman andMaya Arulpragasam

✔ Predicted Winner: “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
This is a tough one. All three songs are great. But it seems like SLUMDOG's going to be the Oscar darling this year. Of the two, I like "Jai Ho" just a little bit better than "O Saya," though they're both great. So that's my pick.

Any thoughts from you all out there? If anyone can offer any better explanations of sound editing vs. sound mixing, feel free to chime in. Next week: The Visual Categories!

Recap: 2 February 2009

The dearth of quality films opening in January allowed me to round out my Oscar-nominee viewing this weekend. Next weekend that all changes, though, with Coraline and He's Just Not That Into You (which may or may not be a "quality" movie, but it will be fun, and I'm OK with that). By the way, if you haven't seen this video about the clichés you will not find in HJNTIY, it's worth checking out.

What I Watched

• Milk (4 stars): Stellar performances here, as expected. The framing was interesting, but sometimes confusing. The only thing that kept it from earning 5 stars was that I would have liked a more even-handed take on the "villains" of the story. As it is, they're set up as sort of one-dimensional versions of evil; an exploration into the development of their motives would have been more effective. It would be interesting to see an alternate version of history if this had been released prior to California's Prop 8 vote; methinks it might have made a difference.
• The Wrestler (4 stars): Despite the bloated first act, the film was able to deliver a fairly powerful, albeit disappointing story. When I say "disappointing," I mean my own disappointment in the characters as human beings. They were well-written, but I hate seeing journeys that begin and end in the same place, even if the arc is true to character. That's just a personal preference with no bearing on the quality of the movie, mind you. The movie was solid, and Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei earned their respective nominations.
• If a Man Answers (4 stars): This is a sort-of screwball Sandra Dee-Bobby Darin movie about the trials and errors of marriage. I wasn't expecting much, but I ended up adoring it. Dee is adorable as usual, and Darin reminds me of Ben Savage here, which makes for a good combination.
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona (3½ stars): This one has grown on me in the past 18 hours. I nearly turned it off because the dialog was driving me up a wall in the first 15-20 minutes, but it improved once the story got moving. This is only my second time exploring the Woody Allen canon, so I don't really have a huge frame of reference for comparison, but I did enjoy it more than Manhattan, as it seemed to be less about nothing than Manhattan was. Also, I think the Best Supporting Actress nomination should have gone to Rebecca Hall instead of Penelope Cruz. Cruz was great, but Hall had to give a more layered performance.

On Writing

I got my BlueCat analysis back last night, and my fear that MUTE sucks (and by association, that I suck) is starting to lessen just the smallest, tiniest bit. Don't get me wrong; I love MUTE, and I worked very hard to make it the best I thought it could be, but there's always that little voice of doubt in the back of my mind.

The feedback from BlueCat made me incredibly grateful I read and applied this post from The Rouge Wave blog, run by The Script Department head Julie Gray. By the way, I purchased script notes from The Script Department back in October before submitting MUTE to the BFSC, and they really helped me punch up my script a bit. They're not cheap, but they're definitely worth it.

I keep getting bombarded by all these what-if scenarios, usually when I'm trying to go to sleep, of course. What if I win? What if I place? What if I don't advance at all? And then I try to imagine what I would do and how I would react in all those situations. I usually let my mind play around for a minute in each of those scenarios before reality checks in and gives me the real answer. And you know, the answer that always comes back is pretty simple: Keep writing. And so that's what I do. Keep writing, keep studying, keep learning.


This Week's Goals

1. Seriously, I need to get through my Netflix rentals. It's not even funny anymore.
2. Finish reading Breaking Dawn so I can finally be done with the Twilight series.
3. Hit 65 pages in EARNEST.

Oh, and Happy Groundhog Day, everyone! Only six more weeks of winter!*

*Please excuse the forced optimism. I'm trying to convince myself that I'm actually OK with six more weeks of bitter cold. Fake it 'til you make it, right?

You Only Get What You Give, Except When I'm Doing a Meme

My friend Matt stumbled across an interesting meme, and I decided to join in the fun. I've been toying with doing some sort of blog give-away anyway because I think they're fun. This seems like a good opportunity, so here it is.

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me!

My choice. For you.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

• I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
• What I create will be with you in mind.
• It'll be done sometime this year (2009)
• You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be something written, some physical thing made, could be anything at all, but I will make it myself. It's entirely my choice what it is. No quibbles, no refunds--because you never paid me in the first place. :p

Most of these things will probably be IRL items, but I won't ask for addresses until later--if I need them at all.

The catch?

Oh, the catch is that you put this in your journal as well. If you don't, you don't get anything.

And that last part about the catch? You can ignore it. Feel free to join in if you like, but I'm not holding you to that requirement. First five commenters get something. Plain and simple. Ready, set, GO!

Recap: 25 January 2009

Where did January go? I'm barely able to comprehend that it's 2009, let alone almost February 2009. Sheesh.

What I Watched

• Revolutionary Road (3½ stars): Any movie that makes you think is probably worth seeing, and this one certainly falls into that category. That being said, I didn't think this film was as effectively put together as, say, American Beauty (also directed by Sam Mendes). That being said, I'm astounded that it got Oscar-snubbed and am suspicious that perhaps they got The Reader and Revolutionary Road mixed up.
• Inkheart (3 stars): This one just barely eked out a third star. The more of them I see, the more I believe that epic fantasies need to be at least two hours long*, and this one falls 14 minutes short. My reasoning here is that it's integral to give your audience both a footing in the fantasy world and an understanding of the characters (who they are, what they want, why they're doing things the way they are). And that's where Inkheart falls short. It becomes a movie where you witness a bunch of events without ever really connecting with any of the characters. It has some strong elements: Paul Bettany as Dustfinger is especially great, and his banter with Farid (who fell out of Arabian Nights) is amusing. Still, as one of my most anticipated movies of 2009, I was pretty disappointed.
• Like Water for Chocolate (3½ stars): This wasn't quite as good as I wanted it to be, but it was still solid. It tells the story of a woman who is forbidden to marry her true love because it is family tradition for the youngest daughter to care for the mother until her death. This particular woman finds that she can transfer emotions into the food she cooks. I was hoping for a bit more overt magic or at least whimsy, à la Chocolat, to be honest, but it was still a romantic and moving little story worth seeing.
• Holiday (4 stars): While I wouldn't call this 1938 film "heavy" by any means, the Katharine Hepburn-Cary Grant rom-com certainly carried a little more weight than I was expecting. In some ways, it tackled some of the same themes as Revolutionary Road but with a lighter, more hopeful touch. I'd put it in the rare category of classic films that hold up over the years.

What I Read

Well, I finished Eclipse (the third book in the Twilight series). I hate Bella now more than ever. I hate Jacob. I'm annoyed by Edward. Everyone else is kind of a non-issue, since Aro (very sadly) wasn't in the third book. He is literally the only character I like, and, admittedly, I absolutely adore him. I will say this: I suppose it's better to have a reaction to a character (even if it's an extremely negative one toward the ones who are supposed to be protagonists) than to have no reaction at all. Right?


What I Wrote

Remember how my goal was to hit 25 pages in EARNEST? Well, I did. And then I promptly deleted 23 pages and started over. It occurred to me that I was having to try way too hard to make the setting work, so I adjusted it, and now it's working much better. I'm back up to 13 pages total, and I might even try to scrounge up a couple more before the night's done. Either way, I'm pleased despite the drop in page count. Sadly, I have made zero progress on Fairytale Redux this week.


Quick Oscar Thoughts

I'm going to do a more thorough post on this pre-ceremony, but I was more or less unsurprised by the nominations. I was happy that Frost/Nixon got a best pic nod, but The Reader? There are some films that get Oscar buzz that I don't like but can at least understand (I'm looking at you, There Will Be Blood). The Reader is not one of them. I also think Michael Sheen deserved a best actor nod far and above over Brad Pitt (who was perfectly fine in Benjamin Button, but didn't exactly have to really do much beyond the expected).

Also, the nominations have confirmed my status as a movie junkie. Excepting documentaries, foreign films, and shorts, I've seen or will see everything except Milk, Rachel Getting Married, Frozen River, Happy-Go-Lucky, and Defiance before the ceremony on Feb. 22. And you know what? I'm OK with that.

* What I consider the best epic fantasy films of the past five-ish years have all come in at two-plus hours: Stardust (2 hours, 7 minutes); Prince Caspian (2 hours, 30 minutes); and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2 hours, 23 minutes). Another epic fantasy novel adaptation with great potential that turned out pretty dismally, Eragon, clocked in at just 1 hour, 44 minutes.

Some News + Recap: 19 January 2009

So, back in October 2008, I entered a screenplay called MUTE in the British Feature Screenplay Competition. I found out last week that I've made it through the first round of judging. I'm one of 412 who made it through. I have no idea how many total entrants there were, and I'm pretty convinced at this point that it must have been the equivalent of getting a point for remembering to put your name on a test in school. But I'm still ridiculously happy.

I'd been having a rather unfortunate day when I sat down at my computer to write and decided to pull up the Web site on a whim. When I saw the heading that they'd announced their first round qualifiers, I actually said to myself, "Great, one more disappointment for today." So, all depressed and frowny-faced, I scrolled down, saw my name, and proceeded to scream, cry, laugh and pretty much behave like a maniac. One of my dogs actually went and hid in her kennel.

Even though I'm obviously quite excited by this turn of events, there are still five or six more rounds of judging, and I have zero expectations of making it through the second round. However, I'm still thrilled. This is only the second script I've entered in a competition, and it's nice to know I'm heading in the right direction after a year of toiling away. I worked very hard on this script, including a complete rewrite of the last 20 or 30 pages and a number of other changes in the 62 pages prior in the last 10 days before I submitted it. So, even if I did only get through the first round because I managed to mail my script to the correct address overseas, I'm OK with that.

So, now that I've gotten that off my chest, here's...

What I Watched

• The Reader (2½ stars): I'm a fan of character-driven dramas. But the key to character-driven stories is that I, as an audience member, must connect with at least one of the characters. For me personally, I wasn't able to do that as fully as I would have liked with this movie. It's an interesting story, but I just wasn't as moved as I felt I should have been.
• The Age of Innocence (2½ stars): Again, I had a lot of trouble feeling for any of the characters in this film. I haven't read the novel, but I have read Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, which is one of the only books that's ever made me cry, so I doubt it's a problem with the source material. It seemed there was a lot of focus on the (admittedly beautiful) sets rather than on the characters and their motivations. I didn't find anyone all that likeable. So, yeah. I was disappointed.
• Valkyrie (3 stars): Again with the character development. Less time could have been spent on the nuts and bolts of the plot in order to give us better insight into why these people were willing to make such a sacrifice. A character can say he's willing, but unless we understand the circumstances of that specific character's life that have led to that stance, it doesn't feel authentic. That being said, this film didn't deserve a lot of the ridiculously harsh criticism it received. It was a solid effort that could have used another half hour to really delve into the characters, I thought.
• Man on Wire (4 stars): A pretty fantastic documentary about a man and his obsession with completing a tightrope performance between the two World Trade Center towers in 1974. Seeing his single-minded determination, his artistry, and the people who believed him and helped him was quite moving. The film ends on a bittersweet note that left me wanting to know more about what happened to the people post-performance, but, all in all, it's a wonderful story.

Last Week's Goals

1. Hit 94,000 words on Fairytale Redux: Passed 93k, but didn't quite hit 94. This is OK, though, because of Goal No. 3.
   
2. Finish Earnest outline: Done.
   
3. Write 5 pages of Earnest: Actually wrote about 15 pages, thus excusing my bare-miss of Goal No. 1.

This Week's Goals

1. Get through the three Netflix rentals I have at home. (Yes, this counts as a goal!)
2. Break into Act Two with Earnest, which will put me at about 25 pages in.
3. Hit 96,000 words in Fairytale Redux.
4. Finish reading Eclipse.
   

Recap: 12 January 2009

So, my shows are coming back from the holiday hiatus, which makes me both happy and sad. Happy because they're back obviously, but sad because it means less time for movies. I only managed to catch a few last week. Rough life I have, huh?


What I Watched

• It Happened One Night (4 stars): The precursor to the modern American romantic comedy. Clark Gable is as charming as I've ever seen him, and this little movie that almost wasn't ended up winning the five major Oscars. Definitely worth checking out.
• The Graduate (3½ stars): I'm still kind of confused about this one to be honest. It gets the extra ½ star because of the performances given by Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft. I think it's definitely worth seeing (it did win an Oscar and five BAFTAs), but I'm not sure I could concretely tell you why.
• Bride Wars (3 stars): This movie survives on the sheer charisma of Anne Hathaway. If you're in the mood for a typical rom-com, it's not a bad choice.

What I Read

I finished reading New Moon yesterday. I thought the prose improved slightly over Twilight, but I still find myself very frustrated at my failure to connect with any of the main characters. And Bella drives me up a freakin' wall. That being said, I did very much enjoy Aro, one of the Volturi. He was suave verging on flamboyant, and I'd really prefer to read a book about him instead.


What I'm Writing

I'm just about ready to start the actual writing of my Importance of Being Earnest update. I basically finished my outline, but I'd like to go over it again since I've still got some threads sticking out. I'm splitting time between that and Fairytale Redux, depending on what my brain feels like doing. I've also got a short story I'm working on when the gray matter rebels against either of my two main projects. Heaven forbid I focus on one thing at a time these days.

This week's goals:

1. Hit 94,000 words on Fairytale Redux
2. Finish Earnest outline
3. Write 5 pages of Earnest

Post Golden Globes Stream of Consciousness

Is David Duchovny getting hotter? I think so. Lots of love for John Adams. Haven't seen it, but no surprise as everyone involved rocks (Hanks, Giamatti, Linney, Wilkinson, etc.). I used to think Colin Farrell was kind of a douchebag, but now I'm finding him really quite charming. Wish Brendan Gleeson had gotten some recognition, too. Kate Winslet = very cute. Tina Fey = very awesome. Steven Spielberg = wow. Sacha Baron Cohen = ouch! Sad that Frost/Nixon didn't get any love, but can't blame people for loving Slumdog Millionaire. Hollywood loves an underdog story, and so do I. And Hollywood really loves a comeback (see: RDJ, Colin Farrell, and Mickey Rourke). Oh, and Ricky Gervais? Fabulous. Well done, Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Goodnight.

12 Movies I'm Looking Forward to in 2009

12

Inkheart

I haven't read the books, and, while Brendan Fraser tends to be hit and miss for me, this one looks like a really fun, well-done fantasy film.

11

Earth

Nice to see Disney returning to it roots this year with this nature film and also my No. 2 pick down below. The trailers look gorgeous, and I'm a sucker for cute animals.

10

Coraline

This will be the first Gaiman adaptation I've seen in theatres since I became a fan. The stop motion animation looks quite impressive.

9

Watchmen

I totally didn't get the hype for this movie until I read the graphic novel. Fantastic. Hope the media congloms don't screw over the fans with their lawsuits.

8

Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince

HP5 was the most successful of the adaptations in my opinion, and we've got the same people helming this version. So I'm hopeful. The trailers just get better and better, too.

7

The Soloist

Like HP6, this film was supposed to come out last year and was mysteriously pushed to 2008. Writer Susannah Grant is one of my favorites, and can you really go wrong with Robert Downey, Jr.? Also has Joe Wright, who directed Atonement, at the helm.

6

New York, I Love You

I adored Paris, Je T'aime, and, while I've never been to NYC myself, I like to think there's a little New Yorker in all of us. Even if I'm off-base there, the list of talent attached is plenty motivation to seek this one out.

5

Julie & Julia

The casting of Amy Adams pretty much guarantees I'll see a movie these days. Additionally, I loved the memoir, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what they'll do with it on screen. Bonus: Meryl Streep as Julia Child and Stanley Tucci as her husband.

4

Easy Virtue

Screwball British comedy. Fabulous soundtrack. Colin Firth. Ben Barnes. Need I say more?

3

Sunshine Cleaning

Two down-and-out sisters start a crime scene clean-up business. Just the premise sounds great. Add Amy Adams and Emily Blunt as the sisters? Gold.

2

The Princess & the Frog

Disney's return to hand-drawn animation. Finally!

1

Dorian Gray

Ben Barnes and Colin Firth team up to make all my dreams come true. OK, maybe not all of them, but this is like my Sweeney Todd of 2009 anticipation-wise, except it's even worse because I love the novel so, so, so much. From the little bit I've heard in interviews, it sounds like they're really delving into the character of Dorian with this adaptation, which is exactly what I was hoping for. The 1945 version feels dry because they never get inside Dorian's head, which is such a shame because that's the most heartbreaking and poignant part of the novel. I cannot wait to see how this turns out.

How about you guys? What movies are you looking forward to in 2009?

Recap: 5 January 2009

That's right! 2009! Crazy! I'm suffering from the procrastination bug tonight regarding the writing of my novel, so I thought I'd at least procrastinate productively by writing a blog post. So, here I am. And here's...

What I Watched

• Gidget (3 stars): My sister insisted I watch this Sandra Dee flick on New Year's, and, while it's no masterpiece, I will admit it was very cute and I enjoyed it. There, I said it.
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (3½ stars): At a running time of 2 hours and 48 minutes, you're certainly getting your money's worth out of your theatre ticket with this one. Honestly, I would have been perfectly happy with a run time of about 2 hours and 15 minutes, which would have forced the cutting of a few sequences that were unnecessary and, in my opinion, muddled up the narrative and the theme, which in turn lessened the potential emotional impact of the story. That being said, I did enjoy the movie. The make-up and special effects were very well done, and there were parts of the movie that were really touching.
• Ever After (3½ stars): This retelling of Cinderella has had a huge impact on me over the years. I blame it for starting my obsession with dark, longish, wavy/curly hair on men, and it definitely had an impact on my philosophical views as well as dooming me to life as a hopeless romantic. It's not as clever as The Princess Bride, but, as far as reimaginings of fairytales go, this one's pretty charming.
• Doubt (4 stars): I was pleasantly surprised by this film. The transition from stage to screen wasn't as smooth as the one for Frost/Nixon, but the powerhouse performances by Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, as well as the grounding character played by Amy Adams, had me glued to my seat.
• Death at a Funeral (3 stars): An amusing but slightly uneven dark comedy. With a little more heart, it could have been great.
• In Bruges (4 stars): This had all the potential to be a five-star rating, but it seemed like the film was never able to decide whether it was a comedy or a drama. It was great at both, but it really jerked my emotions around so much that I just didn't know how to feel when it was done. Great story, great performances. Just puzzling.

What I'm Writing

I'm still toiling away at Fairytale Redux, but I've also started planning an adaptation/update of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. After reading it and seeing the 2002 film version last year, I started toying with the idea of reimagining the story set in today's world. And, since it's in the public domain, I've really got no excuse not to do it. I'm almost done with my beat sheet, and I hope to get a 40-scene outline done in the next couple of weeks.

That's all for now. Hope the New Year's off to a good start for everyone!

2008: My Year in Review

2008 was a landmark year in my life. It was a year of transition: ends, beginnings, redefinitions, and, most of all, getting back to the core of who I am and what I want out of life. Looking back over my tangible accomplishments, it's also been a fairly productive year.

1. I wrote or rewrote five screenplays totaling 489 pages and 93,500 words.
2. I wrote five pieces of short fiction and one free-verse poem, totaling 10,300 words.
3. In the last two months of the year, I wrote the first 90,000 words of a novel.
4. I wrote some nonfiction essays and brainstormed/planned a number of others.
5. I wrote 88 blog posts (make that 89, I guess, including this one).
6. I started jogging, kept coaching little kid soccer, and took fencing lessons.
   
7. I participated in and won ScriptFrenzy for the first time and also served as the municipal liaison for the Kansas City area.
8. I participated in and won NaNoWriMo for the fourth time.
9. I reached my goal of reading 24 books a year for the second year in a row.
10. I watched 151 movies and learned a lot about the art of cinema.
    

Beyond the accomplishments, the year sneaked in a number of valuable lessons as well. Here are my Top 3.

1. Appreciate the present, and do not cling to what is not so. I've learned to better appreciate the ebb and flow of life. Things come and go, and we cannot control it all. There is beauty in every phase of life, even in the moments of melancholy.
2. Do something every day that moves me one step closer to my goals. Even if it's something minuscule, I try to do at least something. No day should be wasted.
3. Most importantly, I made the decision to be authentically and unapologetically me. After many years of trying to fit the mold of what I thought I should be, I realized that what I should be is, simply, me. It has been the most freeing decision of my life to date.

So, with 2008 behind me, I've set up some goals for the coming year. I like to call them New Year's Initiatives rather than resolutions. Eleven worked well for 2008, so I'm going with that for this year, too.

1. Finish the first draft of Fairytale Redux.
2. Adapt a novel for the screen.
3. Edit/re-write SoS.
4. Rewrite M. Valentine.
5. Write a stage play or a comic book script for ScriptFrenzy 2009.
6. NaNoWriMo 2009.
7. Visit a place I've never been before.
8. Read another 24 books.
9. Finish a themed short story collection.
10. Write another spec screenplay.
11. Film a short.
    

So, cheers to 2008 being over, and here's to 2009 being the best year yet. Happy New Year, everyone.

2008: The Year in Movies

I saw a total of 151 movies this year, which, if you're counting, comes out to about one every two and a half days. Out of those, 46 were new releases. Below are my ratings of those new releases, along with an explanation of what I tend to mean by those ratings.

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THE BEST OF THE YEAR

5 stars
(Must See)

Wall-E
Nixon

4 stars
(Should See)

Definitely, Maybe

Bigga Than Ben
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Penelope

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ALL THE REST

3 1/2 stars
(Worth Seeing, But Not Groundbreaking)
Iron Man
Hellboy 2
What Happens in Vegas
X-Files 2: I Want to Believe
Bottle Shock
Wanted
Hancock
Tropic Thunder
Burn After Reading
The Duchess
High School Musical 3
Mamma Mia!
Bolt

3 stars
(Take it or Leave it)

Cloverfield
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Baby Mama
Made of Honor
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Kung Fu Panda
Get Smart
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
Hamlet 2
Ghost Town
Australia
Twilight
Yes Man
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Seven Pounds

2 1/2 stars
(Only See if You're Interested in the Genre/Actor/Some Other Factor)
There Will Be Blood
The Other Boleyn Girl
Leatherheads
The Tale of Despereaux

1 star
(Avoid!)
Prom Night

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BEST RATED RENTALS/PURCHASES

Additionally, I thought I'd list the 4- and 5-star rentals/purchases. If you haven't seen these, they're worth adding to your Netflix queue.

5 stars
Ordinary People (1980)
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
Once (2007)
Harvey (1950)

4 stars
(or a strong 3 1/2 stars)
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Rear Window (1954)
Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
Tootsie (1982)
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
The Lion King (1994)
The Full Monty (1997)
Wilde (1997)
The Virgin Suicides (1999)
Almost Famous (2000)
Hedwig & the Angry Inch (2001)
Amélie (2001)
Conversations with Other Women (2005)
Shopgirl (2005)
Angel-A (2005)
Kingdom of Heaven (Director's Cut) (2005)
Joyeux Noël (2005)
Children of Men (2006)
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Eastern Promises (2007)
Meet Bill (2007)
Ratatouille (2007)
The Orphanage (2007)
Stardust (2007)
The History Boys (2006)
Return to Me (2000)
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
Son of Rambow (2007)
Then She Found Me (2007)
The Visitor (2007)
All the President's Men (1976)

Recap: 28 December 2008

I love being on break from work. Probably too much. I've been off for five days. I've got to head back in tomorrow for two, and then I'm off for another five. When I'm off from work, I get to spend my days doing the things I love most: writing, reading, watching movies, and hanging out with friends & family. It's really a shame I have to pay bills and whatnot...

What I Watched

• Joyeux Noël (4 stars): A film about German, French and Scottish troops who call a cease-fire over Christmas during World War II. Sad, funny, moving and optimistic. Great movie for the holidays, or really anytime.
• The Tale of Despereaux (2½ stars): This one was really quite a disappointment. The animation was cute, but the sound mixing was awful with some characters barely audible and others booming for no apparent reason. The narration was odd, at best. More importantly, the different threads of the story never seemed to tie together. I haven't read the book, but the translation to screen seems to have been less than successful.
• All the President's Men (4 stars): Watched this in preparation for seeing Frost/Nixon. I hadn't watched it since high school, and it stirred the journalistic strings of my heart once more. Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman as "Woodstein" are, of course, fabulous.
• Slumdog Millionaire (4 stars): If this doesn't win the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, I will be astounded. Simon Beaufoy ties everything together beautifully in what was obviously a challenging narrative. I wasn't blown away by this movie, probably due to all the hype, but it was definitely a strong and solid film. Grabs you at the beginning and doesn't let go until the Bollywood send-off at the end.
• Seven Pounds (3 stars): I appreciated what this film was trying to do, but I don't think it went far enough. I can't say too much without giving things away, but I wasn't as emotionally impacted as I'd hoped to be. The closing scene didn't help matters. Will Smith and Rosario Dawson both gave excellent performances, but I just left feeling kind of empty.
• Frost/Nixon (5 stars): Best movie I've seen this year. Michael Sheen is spectacular. Nixon was long out of the limelight by the time I was old enough to remember, but Langella creates a character that is both despicable and heartbreaking. Supporting cast? Stellar. The story itself, though of course dramatized from the truth, is riveting. Excellent, excellent film.

What I'm Reading

Confession time. I'm reading Twilight. There, I said it. Next confession: I totally don't get all the excitement surrounding this book. Do the sequels get better? Can someone please explain the appeal? I don't think I've gotten too old to not appreciate teen angst, but if I have to read about how Edward's touch left Bella breathless one more time... I'm determined to finish and to read at least the second book, but seriously, if there's anyone out there who can help me understand this phenomenon, I'd honestly appreciate it.

I've also managed to get myself into a situation where I'm reading three (technically four) books at once again. Hoping to get Twilight knocked off the list, then I'll finish up A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Vile Village (Book 7). I'm also reading Good in a Room. The technical fourth is Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, which has been put on hold until the new year when I can devote a little more time to such a huge tome.


What I'm Writing

This hasn't been the most productive month for me, but after the marathon that is NaNoWriMo, I think that's OK. I'm still working on finishing up Redux, and then I've got to decide what to tackle next. M. Valentine needs a rewrite, SoS needs an edit and at least 20 pages added to it, and Tea still needs a better third act. Beyond that, I've got several other new projects in the queue. So, I've got choices, but I think perhaps I have too many choices. I'm still anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 words out from being done with Redux, so I guess I've got time to figure it out.

Hope you all had or are having a lovely holiday. Stay tuned this week for my Year-End Wrap-Up!

Recap: 22 December 2008

This month has been crazier than expected. I've not gotten nearly as much writing done as I'd hoped. In fact, this has been my most slackerish month of the year, which, after churning out as much as I did in November, I suppose is OK. I have at least managed to catch a few movies recently.

What I Watched

• An American in Paris (3 stars): Hard to go wrong with a classic Gene Kelly musical. The end sequence is a lot more interesting if you know that they're paying tribute to five different French impressionist painters (including Manet, who's my favorite painter).
• I Really Hate My Job (2½ stars): Helmed by Oliver Parker, who's done a number of Oscar Wilde adaptations (including 2009's Dorian Gray), this film would have fared better with a more sparkling and perhaps Wildean script. The similarly-themed Caffeine did a better job of embracing its character-driven quirkiness.
• Little Voice (2½ stars): I had high hopes for this movie, so I was really disappointed to find an almost total lack of character development. It seemed to be trying for a Benny & Joon-type vibe at times, and other times I wasn't sure what it was going for. The character motivations were unclear, which made the characters' arcs seem very uneven most of the time. Perhaps it plays better on the stage, but it seemed like a potentially very moving story was really mishandled in the transition to screen.
• Yes Man (3 stars): I was pleasantly surprised by this fairly standard romantic comedy. It really wasn't anything like Liar Liar, despite what the previews suggested. It was nice to see Jim Carrey play the straight man to zanier performances throughout a portion of the movie.
• Pillow Talk (3 stars): A fun, classic Rock Hudson-Doris Day flick. Funny, charming, and all that jazz.

That's all for now. Hoping to have another update later this week.

Recap: 8 December 2008

It was an exciting weekend for me, at least in the area of media consumption, as I got to use my new HDTV and Blu-ray player for the first time. I'd been using a nice-enough big-screen tube TV, but the difference between it and the new DLP I'm rocking now is pretty amazing.

So, after massive amounts of help from my mom, sisters and sister's boyfriend, I settled down to watch my first Blu-ray movie, Prince Caspian. I was a bit disappointed to find out most of the special features in which I was most interested are not available on the US-region discs. In fact, the only region that gets Bonus Disc 1 (which includes the LOTR-appendices-type making-of features) is apparently Japan, according to NarniaWeb. That being said, watching one of my favorite movies of the year in high-def Blu-ray was quite fabulous.

What I Watched

• Trainspotting (3½ stars): A funny but harsh (and honest) look at how heroin addiction affects the lives of a group of Scottish 20-somethings.
• Ballet Shoes (3 stars): My sister and I watched this because we were interested to see Emma Watson in something outside of the Harry Potter movies, and, while it wasn't great, it was cute (and there was admittedly one part where I teared up). Apparently this is a rather beloved children's novel. I hadn't heard of it, but it does seem like it would make a rather charming little book.
• The Visitor (3½ stars): This is the story of an emotionally-stilted widower who returns to his rarely-visited New York apartment to find an illegal immigrant couple living there. What follows is a sweet and often heart-breaking story about the widower's reawakening, so to speak, against the backdrop of the plight illegal immigrants face post 9/11. It's a pretty eye-opening tale, and, though it gets a bit slow at times, it's definitely worth seeing.

And just in case you're interested, this weekend's box office was filled with hold-overs. Where are all the quality, Oscar-bait films, I wonder?

This Week's Top 10

1. Four Christmases ($18.2 million)
2. Twilight ($13.2 million)
3. Bolt ($9.7 million)
4. Australia ($7 million)
5. Quantum of Solace ($6.6 million)
6. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa ($5.1 million)
7. Transporter 3 ($4.5 million)
8. Punisher: War Zone ($4 million)
9. Cadillac Records ($3.5 million)
10. Role Models ($2.6 million)

Memes: What to Give & What to Get

Penguin asked a bunch of their authors what books they're giving and what books they'd like to get this holiday season, and I thought, "Hey, that's a good idea for a meme." So, if you'd like to join in, here are the rules.

1. Post a link to the original list from the Penguin Group.
2. Tell us what books you're planning (or would like to) give this holiday season.
3. Tell us what books you'd like to receive this holiday season.
4. Tag others, if you so choose.

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GIVE

The Graveyard Book
Neil Gaiman's newest novel is pretty much everything you want in a book: funny, sweet (but not cloying), honest, poignant, scary, adventurous, great for all readers, etc., etc., etc.

Stardust
This was my first Neil Gaiman novel, and I think it's still my favorite. It's quite different from the movie in tone (but fairly similar in content). Often billed as a "fairy tale for grown-ups," it's a story about love, longing, evil and, of course, magic.

The Picture of Dorian Gray
I think I've already made my love for this story and for Oscar Wilde in general quite clear. With a movie adaptation coming out next year, this seems like the perfect time to introduce or reacquaint people with this excellent novel. Also, because of Wilde's way with words, it's a great starting point for people looking to get into the "classics" without being overwhelmed by the language.

Watchmen
A great way to introduce someone to the graphic novel medium. Beautiful art and an intense story. And again, with an adaptation coming out next year, it's a good time to do it.

Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously

Hey look! Another book being adapted for film next year! Julie & Julia is the memoir of a woman who decides to cook through every single one of the recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. And she has no training, and she lives in a tiny New York apartment, and she's going through a quarter-life crisis after turning 30. It's a fun story, obviously good enough to grab Amy Adams and Meryl Streep for the movie version.

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GET

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

I've heard nothing but good things about this book, and a bunch of the Penguin authors agree. So, apparently it's going on my "to read" list next year.

Sandman / American Gods / Coraline

In the pursuit of continuning my Neil Gaiman education, of course.

His Dark Materials Trilogy
Controversial books always pique my interest. After seeing the film adaptation of the first in the triology last year, I'm intrigued enough to read them. Also, epic fantasy is a guilty pleasure.

Biographies by Antonia FraserI've found Antonia Fraser to be an extremely skilled biographer. Historical nonfiction has the tendency to err on the side of boring, but that's something from which Fraser manages to steer quite clear. I've read Marie Antoinette: The Journey and The Wives of Henry VIII, and I'm looking forward to reading another one next year.

PersuasionAfter being delighted by Pride and Prejudice and then not being able to force myself through Emma, I've decided it's time to give Jane Austen another shot.

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Now that that's finally done, I'm tagging Brittany, Matt and Jen. Have fun!