I ♥ the lemon yellow. I ♥ the American flag bandana. I ♥ HER.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Picture I Am Totally Obsessed with at the Moment
I ♥ the lemon yellow. I ♥ the American flag bandana. I ♥ HER.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Stuck on Repeat Shuffle
Ten songs, devotedly and accurately transcribed from my iTunes shuffle in chronological order. I could've skipped a few of these, BUT I DIDN'T, SO HAH. My lax opinions are fun to express sometimes. That and I'm glad to express anything at all?
01. Sugababes, "Conversation's Over"
Okay, Three is their best album, innit? Okay, maybe One Touch on a technical level, but Three is so MAGICAL. Though it has more contracted titles (like this) than I'd like. I do NOT know why that bothers me.
02. Alicia Keys, "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart"
Ugh. I still don't know if it makes me feel depressed or ecstatic, but I love it SO MUCH. It's the backing track, I know it. *drools*
03. A.R. Rahman & M.I.A., "O... Saya"
Well, it should've won of the nominees (not that that's a prideful accomplishment or anything), is probably the best aspect of the film.
And that's all I'm saying.
MOVING ON.
04. Goldfrapp, "Rocket (Richard X One Four Remix)"
I prefer the Eight Four remix (and the original), but this is nice. I'm glad I'm finally getting into them btw, lol. Dunno why it took me so long, but the fact that Head First should be totally up my alley forced my hand into hunting down their catalogue. So yay!
05. Green Day, "Last of the American Girls"
LOL. Story time.
2005-early/mid 2007, I was obsessed with American Idiot. It was the height of my emo phase and I'm not proud of it; the oldest of my readers might remember it. So when 21st Century Breakdown came out last year, I just didn't give a shit. At all. I only listened to it like two weeks ago, for nostalgia's sake, basically. I didn't even like it? Like, it all blended together into the same derivative, monotonous tone of faux revolutionary dissatisfaction. My 13 year old self cried a little, BUT HE GOT OVER IT. Quick.
06. Grizzly Bear, "While You Wait for the Others (BBC Maida Vale Session)"
Really good live version.
07. Alex Beaupain, "Brooklyn Bridge"
Beaupain himself performs it in Love Songs (for which he won two Chloes, LEST WE FORGET). It's beautiful, innit?
08. The Killers, "Under the Gun"
So brief and zany and ultimately a little confusing. God I love them.
09. Kate Bush, "Never Be Mine"
OKAY, yay, I was hoping Kate would actually show up. You could've picked something... not entirely devastating, though, shuffle. :(
10. Regina Spektor, "Dance Anthem of the 80's"
I'm still sad Far disappointed me as much as it did the first time I listened to it - I was worried she'd go further down the path Begin to Hope presented and become just another bland indie-pop quirkstress, and I felt she at least halfway did, though I've grown to like it more since. All the same, this was, and still is, a definite highlight.
Btw, if you want to, you can download all/any of the songs. DON'T TELL THE COPS.
Also, if you hadn't noticed, I've taken up using the word 'innit' more often. It's such a perfectly wonderful word, innit? ♥ ♥ ♥
01. Sugababes, "Conversation's Over"Okay, Three is their best album, innit? Okay, maybe One Touch on a technical level, but Three is so MAGICAL. Though it has more contracted titles (like this) than I'd like. I do NOT know why that bothers me.
02. Alicia Keys, "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart"
Ugh. I still don't know if it makes me feel depressed or ecstatic, but I love it SO MUCH. It's the backing track, I know it. *drools*
03. A.R. Rahman & M.I.A., "O... Saya"
Well, it should've won of the nominees (not that that's a prideful accomplishment or anything), is probably the best aspect of the film.
And that's all I'm saying.
MOVING ON.
04. Goldfrapp, "Rocket (Richard X One Four Remix)"
I prefer the Eight Four remix (and the original), but this is nice. I'm glad I'm finally getting into them btw, lol. Dunno why it took me so long, but the fact that Head First should be totally up my alley forced my hand into hunting down their catalogue. So yay!
05. Green Day, "Last of the American Girls"LOL. Story time.
2005-early/mid 2007, I was obsessed with American Idiot. It was the height of my emo phase and I'm not proud of it; the oldest of my readers might remember it. So when 21st Century Breakdown came out last year, I just didn't give a shit. At all. I only listened to it like two weeks ago, for nostalgia's sake, basically. I didn't even like it? Like, it all blended together into the same derivative, monotonous tone of faux revolutionary dissatisfaction. My 13 year old self cried a little, BUT HE GOT OVER IT. Quick.
06. Grizzly Bear, "While You Wait for the Others (BBC Maida Vale Session)"
Really good live version.
07. Alex Beaupain, "Brooklyn Bridge"
Beaupain himself performs it in Love Songs (for which he won two Chloes, LEST WE FORGET). It's beautiful, innit?
08. The Killers, "Under the Gun"
So brief and zany and ultimately a little confusing. God I love them.
09. Kate Bush, "Never Be Mine"OKAY, yay, I was hoping Kate would actually show up. You could've picked something... not entirely devastating, though, shuffle. :(
10. Regina Spektor, "Dance Anthem of the 80's"
I'm still sad Far disappointed me as much as it did the first time I listened to it - I was worried she'd go further down the path Begin to Hope presented and become just another bland indie-pop quirkstress, and I felt she at least halfway did, though I've grown to like it more since. All the same, this was, and still is, a definite highlight.
Btw, if you want to, you can download all/any of the songs. DON'T TELL THE COPS.
Also, if you hadn't noticed, I've taken up using the word 'innit' more often. It's such a perfectly wonderful word, innit? ♥ ♥ ♥
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
VD's Oscar Nomination Predictions
HI AGAIN.
I don't know how else to preface this but with the obvious: Bleh. Huge rule changes in at least three categories; anything could happen more than ever. I think most of this will be right, desperately hope I'm wrong for some things, am in denial for some others.
And wtfever Avatar counts as. BLEH.
[/digressing]
VD's Official/Final/Only (lol?) 2010 Oscar Predictions.
Best Picture
Avatar
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Invictus
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air
Alternates: (500) Days of Summer + The Hangover
I'm fairly confident with this. And I only mention The Hangover because IT'S SO FRUSTRATINGLY PLAUSIBLE.
Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Lee Daniels, Precious
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Alternate: Clint Eastwood, Invictus
AKA the five Best Picture nominees.
Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
Alternate: Matt Damon, The Informant! (I guess?)
This seems fairly locked and done with, doesn't it?
Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourney Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Alternate: Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria
Four are basically irrefutable, and the fifth spot, obviously, runs a rough spot. The default pick is Mirren, but of course Blunt or Ronan (or Laurent or Cotillard, though they were probably fucked out of the race completely thanks to the category fluctuation - THANKS HARV) could make it in. Mirren seems pretty fun tho? So whatever.
Best Supporting Actor
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christian McKay, Me and Orson Welles
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Alternate: Matt Damon, Invictus
McKay is my taking a chance/probably biased (since I loved him SO MUCH) pick, and I could see him easily missing out for Damon. I'm eh on Mackie or Molina making it in (though Mackie is probably likelier IMO with the love going around for his film).
Best Supporting Actress
Marion Cotillard, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Mo'Nique, Precious
Julianne Moore, A Single Man
Alternate: Samantha Morton, The Messenger
*rips hair out; jumps off bridge*
Fuck it, basically. Felt like going with Cotillard for no reason. I WOULD go for Morton if I thought her film could get O. Screenplay or Picture noms - which it definitely could, but I'm not predicting that to happen, I mean.
Best Original Screenplay
Jon Lucas + Scott Moore, The Hangover
Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Joel + Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
Pete Docter, Bob Peterson + Thomas McCarthy, Up
Alternate: Scott Neustadter + Michael H. Weber, (500) Days of Summer
...My Big Fat Greek Wedding, anyone? Yeah.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Neill Blomkamp + Terri Tatchell, District 9
Nick Hornby, An Education
Anthony Peckham, Invictus
Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious
Jason Reitman + Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
Alternate: Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche + Ian Martin, In the Loop
Oh, how awesome it would be if In the Loop actually made it in.
*weeps for A Single Man*
Best Foreign Language Film
A Prophet (France)
The Secret of Her Eyes (Argentina)
The White Ribbon (Germany)
Winter in Wartime (The Netherlands)
The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner (Bulgaria)
Alternate: Samson and Delilah (Australia)
This seems too Eurocentric, I think. Oh whatever. Most of it is guessing!
Best Animated Feature Film
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Ponyo
The Princess and the Frog
Up
Alternate: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
This category is PROBABLY going to be the bane of my existence. Up, Fox and Coraline are probably locks. Frog is the forst 2D Disney in almost six years, and had a really good reception if only because of that. But Cloudy fits the less-than-artistic last minute surprise (Surf's Up, Shark Tale, Jimmy Neutron, Bolt, etc) - except for the fact it's not last minute. That gives me JUST ENOUGH reason to not predict it. Ponyo HAS missed precursors, but it's still HAYAO MOTHERFUCKING MIYAZAKI. THEY GAVE HIM A WIN. AND NOMINATED HIM FOR HOWL'S. I'm a denial-prone fanboy, sure, but I would imagine there would be some as well in the Academy.
Best Documentary Feature Film
Burma VJ
The Cove
Food, Inc.
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Valentino: The Last Emperor
Alternate: The Beaches of Agnès
I wanted to list The Cove five times?
From here on, it's more guessing than I'd care to admit (even though I just admitted, LOL. Oh, self). So, very little commentary.
Best Art Direction
Avatar
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
A Serious Man
Alternate: Sherlock Holmes
Best Cinematography
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
The White Ribbon
Alternate: A Serious Man
*weeps for Bright Star*
Best Costume Design
Bright Star
Coco Before Chanel
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
The Young Victoria
Alternate: An Education
I realize I'm probably underestimating Sherlock Holmes a bit here and in AD.
Best Film Editing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Up in the Air
Alternate: Precious
Best Original Score
James Horner, Avatar
Alexandre Desplat, Coco Before Chanel
Marvin Hamlisch, The Informant!
Hans Zimmer, Sherlock Holmes
Michael Giacchino, Up
Alternate: Michael Giacchino, Star Trek
???????
Best Original Song
"Almost There" - The Princess and the Frog
"Cinema Italiano" - Nine
"(I Want to) Come Home" - Everybody's Fine
"Take It All" - Nine
"The Weary Kind" - Crazy Heart
Alternate: "All is Love" - Where the Wild Things Are
We have no idea how many nominees there will be, NOR IF THE CATEGORY WILL EVEN HAPPEN. So this may/probably will end up being entirely batshit.
Essentially, again: ???????
Best Make-Up
District 9
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Star Trek
Alternate: The Road
Best Sound Mixing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Star Trek
Up
Alternate: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Best Sound Editing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Up
Alternate: District 9
???????
Best Visual Effects
Avatar
District 9
Star Trek
Alternate: 2012
Yeah.
Okay, I think that's it? Phew, I'm exhausted a little. (I never predict the short categories because I'm not THAT kind of insane.)
Your thoughts?
I don't know how else to preface this but with the obvious: Bleh. Huge rule changes in at least three categories; anything could happen more than ever. I think most of this will be right, desperately hope I'm wrong for some things, am in denial for some others.
And wtfever Avatar counts as. BLEH.
[/digressing]
VD's Official/Final/Only (lol?) 2010 Oscar Predictions.
Best PictureAvatar
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Invictus
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air
Alternates: (500) Days of Summer + The Hangover
I'm fairly confident with this. And I only mention The Hangover because IT'S SO FRUSTRATINGLY PLAUSIBLE.
Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Lee Daniels, Precious
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Alternate: Clint Eastwood, Invictus
AKA the five Best Picture nominees.
Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
Alternate: Matt Damon, The Informant! (I guess?)
This seems fairly locked and done with, doesn't it?
Best ActressSandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourney Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Alternate: Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria
Four are basically irrefutable, and the fifth spot, obviously, runs a rough spot. The default pick is Mirren, but of course Blunt or Ronan (or Laurent or Cotillard, though they were probably fucked out of the race completely thanks to the category fluctuation - THANKS HARV) could make it in. Mirren seems pretty fun tho? So whatever.
Best Supporting Actor
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christian McKay, Me and Orson Welles
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Alternate: Matt Damon, Invictus
McKay is my taking a chance/probably biased (since I loved him SO MUCH) pick, and I could see him easily missing out for Damon. I'm eh on Mackie or Molina making it in (though Mackie is probably likelier IMO with the love going around for his film).
Best Supporting Actress
Marion Cotillard, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Mo'Nique, Precious
Julianne Moore, A Single Man
Alternate: Samantha Morton, The Messenger
*rips hair out; jumps off bridge*
Fuck it, basically. Felt like going with Cotillard for no reason. I WOULD go for Morton if I thought her film could get O. Screenplay or Picture noms - which it definitely could, but I'm not predicting that to happen, I mean.
Best Original ScreenplayJon Lucas + Scott Moore, The Hangover
Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Joel + Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
Pete Docter, Bob Peterson + Thomas McCarthy, Up
Alternate: Scott Neustadter + Michael H. Weber, (500) Days of Summer
...My Big Fat Greek Wedding, anyone? Yeah.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Neill Blomkamp + Terri Tatchell, District 9
Nick Hornby, An Education
Anthony Peckham, Invictus
Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious
Jason Reitman + Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
Alternate: Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche + Ian Martin, In the Loop
Oh, how awesome it would be if In the Loop actually made it in.
*weeps for A Single Man*
Best Foreign Language Film
A Prophet (France)
The Secret of Her Eyes (Argentina)
The White Ribbon (Germany)
Winter in Wartime (The Netherlands)
The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner (Bulgaria)
Alternate: Samson and Delilah (Australia)
This seems too Eurocentric, I think. Oh whatever. Most of it is guessing!
Best Animated Feature FilmCoraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Ponyo
The Princess and the Frog
Up
Alternate: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
This category is PROBABLY going to be the bane of my existence. Up, Fox and Coraline are probably locks. Frog is the forst 2D Disney in almost six years, and had a really good reception if only because of that. But Cloudy fits the less-than-artistic last minute surprise (Surf's Up, Shark Tale, Jimmy Neutron, Bolt, etc) - except for the fact it's not last minute. That gives me JUST ENOUGH reason to not predict it. Ponyo HAS missed precursors, but it's still HAYAO MOTHERFUCKING MIYAZAKI. THEY GAVE HIM A WIN. AND NOMINATED HIM FOR HOWL'S. I'm a denial-prone fanboy, sure, but I would imagine there would be some as well in the Academy.
Best Documentary Feature Film
Burma VJ
The Cove
Food, Inc.
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Valentino: The Last Emperor
Alternate: The Beaches of Agnès
I wanted to list The Cove five times?
From here on, it's more guessing than I'd care to admit (even though I just admitted, LOL. Oh, self). So, very little commentary.
Best Art Direction
Avatar
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
A Serious Man
Alternate: Sherlock Holmes
Best CinematographyAvatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
The White Ribbon
Alternate: A Serious Man
*weeps for Bright Star*
Best Costume Design
Bright Star
Coco Before Chanel
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
The Young Victoria
Alternate: An Education
I realize I'm probably underestimating Sherlock Holmes a bit here and in AD.
Best Film Editing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Up in the Air
Alternate: Precious
Best Original ScoreJames Horner, Avatar
Alexandre Desplat, Coco Before Chanel
Marvin Hamlisch, The Informant!
Hans Zimmer, Sherlock Holmes
Michael Giacchino, Up
Alternate: Michael Giacchino, Star Trek
???????
Best Original Song
"Almost There" - The Princess and the Frog
"Cinema Italiano" - Nine
"(I Want to) Come Home" - Everybody's Fine
"Take It All" - Nine
"The Weary Kind" - Crazy Heart
Alternate: "All is Love" - Where the Wild Things Are
We have no idea how many nominees there will be, NOR IF THE CATEGORY WILL EVEN HAPPEN. So this may/probably will end up being entirely batshit.
Essentially, again: ???????
Best Make-Up
District 9
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Star Trek
Alternate: The Road
Best Sound MixingAvatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Star Trek
Up
Alternate: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Best Sound Editing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Up
Alternate: District 9
???????
Best Visual Effects
Avatar
District 9
Star Trek
Alternate: 2012
Yeah.
Okay, I think that's it? Phew, I'm exhausted a little. (I never predict the short categories because I'm not THAT kind of insane.)
Your thoughts?
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