A Small Note to, Evidently, Everyone

These people are not harbingers of hatred, doom and/or the apocalypse.

Thank you.

VD's Best Music of 2010, Part II

Yay, I'm finally doing this again!

Continuing on with VD's Best Music of 2010, this is my list of my favorite remixes of the year! As anyone would know from my twitter, I'm basically obsessed with remixes. I don't even know why, I'm probably just a whore in need of a dancefloor. BUT ANYWAY: I WROTE WRITE-UPS. They're small and weird and full of unnecessary caps, but that's me anyway. I'm also tired and not proofreading this, so it could really be any number of things! That's always fun.

Without further explanatory bullshit:

VD's Best Remixes of 2010
(WARNING: I say 'synth' a lot from here on. As it should be.)
25. Hurts, "Stay"
Remixed by Groove Armada
Entirely captivating and amazing, while, at the same time, entirely void of content. It makes little sense but it's fantastic.

24. Lady GaGa, "Alejandro"
Remixed by The Sound of Arrows
Drastically different and impressive. So smartly put together on TSoA's part. I love them, I wish they'd remix more. ♥

23. Ellie Goulding, "Starry Eyed"
Remixed by Russ Chimes
It basically IS disco. One of the best remixes on the list you can just DANCE to without having to think about it. The instrumentation is OUT OF CONTROL.

22. Kelis, "4th of July (Fireworks)"
Remixed by Richard X
The differences between them are STAGGERING - X created dark, swirling synthpop out of some of the most boisterous electro-house I've heard in forever. A GENIUS at work, people.

21. Hurts, "Better Than Love"
Remixed by Italoconnection
Only released on the Italian release, which is a shame, because it's absolutely SYNTHILICIOUS. (I love making up words.) It really goes even beyond what Hurts themselves do with the instrument, especially in terms of nostalgic creation. It's really very sexy.

20. Cheryl Cole, "Promise This"
Remixed by Almighty
To be quite honest, I'm not sure why I like this so much. Is it because it's Cheryl? Nah. Is it because the club mix is nine minutes long? Possibly. Is it because it's so gay? Probably. Is it because I imagine myself near a giant wind machine when I listen to it? Most likely. ...see also the gay thing.

19. Alphabeat, "DJ (I Could Be Dancing)"
Remixed by Ian Masterson
SYNTHS SYNTHS SWEET JESUS THOSE SYNTHS. /productive comment

18. Gabriella Cilmi, "On a Mission"
Remixed by Wideboys
I NEVER hear anything about this mix, even when people love the less interesting, non-Wideboys version! It grabs you and DOESN'T LET GO TILL THE END. Bonus points: the repetition of "I AM A WOMAN" - makes it.

17. The Saturdays, "Ego"
Remixed by Almighty
5:10. It entirely defines it and that is all I need to say. Oh, and that's the only one on this list that is exceptionally better than its original. Just FTR.

16. Goldfrapp, "Rocket"
Remixed by Richard X [Eight Four]
The magnificent Mr. X (new to twitter just today btw!) created two different remixes, the Eight Four and the One Zero (get it?). There's nothing wrong with the latter; I just like the former a loooot more. It sorta deprives the song a lot of its original power, but instead transforms it into something JUST as retro in an entirely different way, even making it dancier. Amazing.

15. Armin van Buuren vs. Sophie Ellis-Bextor, "Not Giving Up on Love"
Remixed by Dash Berlin
Ghostly and dark as hell, like a overbearing nightmare with these little flashes of pure light floating about. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY IT'S AMAZING. The speeding up at the 4 minute mark leading into that instrumental bridge, ahhhhh. That's the kind of shit I live for.

14. Kylie Minogue, "Get Outta My Way"
Remixed by Kris Menace
Sometimes it plays out like an extended version (which is redundant), but it's mostly just brilliant. ESPECIALLY the use of those kickdrums.

13. Hurts, "Wonderful Life"
Remixed by Freemasons
Why don't more people worship THESE Freemasons? I mean, really. In their beautiful, magical fashion, they spice up the purposefully drab "WL" with this omnipresent synth beat that is absolutely suited for it. Couldn't be better.

12. Florence + the Machine, "Cosmic Love"
Remixed by Short Club
The constant acoustic guitar plucking atop the harps and synths being so playful together really signals how massive and stunning this is.

11. Ke$ha, "Your Love is My Drug"
Remixed by Dave Audé
ACTUAL euphoria. One would never expect a remix of a KE$HA song to be this lovely and brilliant, but thankfully there's always Audé to be awesome.

10. Marina & the Diamonds, "Oh No!"
Remixed by Grum
Grum can remix in his sleep, I'm convinced. There's always a new mix of his coming out! Somehow they're almost always great, this being the year's key example. Brief compared to other mixes on the list, but perhaps better because of that. It adds its own retro personality to a song already brimming with it and it works SO well.

09. Robyn, "Dancing on My Own"
Remixed by Fred Falke
Falke is pretty much the KING of remixes, isn't he? His 2010 was perhaps quieter than the year before, but this packs such a punch that it doesn't really matter. Full-out bass-driven disco, and I love every second.

08. Marina & the Diamonds, "Hollywood"
Remixed by Fenech-Soler
A very nice, very crazy rush of pulsations that I love getting high on. (I also adore how it turned me on to F-S, they're GREAT if you don't know.)

07. Alphabeat, "DJ (I Could Be Dancing)"
Remixed by Biffco
Biffco, and its genius Richard Stannard, are always underrated but vital as a pop production team, with this single mix being a primary example. Taking the already great "DJ" and dipping it in even more delirious synths while giving it a spankin' new subtitle? Fantastic work.

06. Robyn, "Dancing on My Own"
Remixed by Buzz Junkies
Successfully makes it absolutely upbeat and blissful without really losing the song's emotional weight. Frankly that's a win in and of itself. But then it's also listenable as fuck, which helps.

05. Selena Gomez & the Scene, "Naturally"
Remixed by Dave Audé
Probably (quite easily) the best remix of a Disney-manufactured song ever. And the scary part is, they completely embraced it! One of the more shocking musical events of the year was seeing Audé's name mentioned on the Disney Channel of all places. Crazy.

04. Sophie Ellis-Bextor, "Bittersweet"
Remixed by Freemasons
Taking what they've co-produced (as they did with Kylie's "The One") and spinning even more gold from it. Faster tempo, more crunching synths, just a racier vision of the candy-coated perfection of the original - and it's still enough to make you joyously explode.

03. Armin van Buuren vs. Sophie Ellis-Bextor, "Not Giving Up on Love"
Remixed by Jorn van Deynhoven
WHOAAAAAA. This is some BEAUTIFULLY EPIC shit right here. Somehow it makes me existential. While on an ungodly amount of the best acid ever created. And that middle section? TRANCE INFERNO.

02. Robyn, "Hang with Me"
Remixed by Starsmith
Following the release of the electronic version, I...felt a little underwhelmed, I'll admit. The production was awesome, but it felt a bit lifeless? And then, like magic, Starsmith slams it out of the park and creates my favorite version of the song IN GENERAL. It has the beats AND the emotion, AND that insanely awesome intro. I LOVE STARSMITH.

*druuuuuuuuuuuuuuum roll plz*

01. Marina & the Diamonds, "I Am Not a Robot"
Remixed by Clock Opera
Incandescently perfect. From the moment I first heard it, I don't think I ever had a different #1. It's sweeping and loaded with strings - the complete antithesis of a modern pop remix. It almost twists the song's emotive nature to that of despair (the vocal modulation with 'our love faded' - amazing), which is DAMN remarkable, only to turn it back around to the hopeful, shining brilliance with a BEAUTIFUL crescendo.

I LOVE IT SO MUCH I COULD JUST EXPLODE.

-----
So, yeah. Thoughts? Anything?

Chaos: A Minimalist Reaction

*blinks*

Huh.

The hell?

Random.

Blah, I figured.

Yay!

Sad.

KINDA annoyed.

OMFG.

DEPRESSED.

ECSTATIC.

IS THIS REAL LIFE?!?!?!?!

Well good for you, Julia Roberts.

~~~fin~~~

VD's Final Oscar Nomination Predictions

(Even though they're also my first, but whatever, who's counting!)

Blah blah blah let's get on with the trainwreck.

VD's Official/Final 2011 Oscar Nomination Predictions.

Best Picture
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone
Alternate: The Town

It's down to those eleven, just like everyone thinks it is. I'm going with 127 Hours taking the edge over The Town, because, well, why the hell not. If anything, because it's Fox Searchlight and we all know they wouldn't lose the nom without a fight.

Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King's Speech
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David O. Russell, The Fighter
Alternate: Joel & Ethan Coen, True Grit

Ladies and gentlemen, our five Best Picture nominees.

I don't see Hooper missing considering the massiveness of TKS, for better or for worse, even if it's far from being a director's film.

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King's Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
Alternate: Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter

1) I'm predicting Williams and even though I haven't seen it yet (not my fault), Gosling and her in BV seem too symbiotic to have one miss. It's weird rationale but there it is. 2) If the 'industry support' is what'll help Bardem, why hasn't he been nominated for anything up to this point that makes it look like it's truly there, instead of just as Julia Roberts' conjecture? 3) I JUST DON'T SEE DUVALL HAPPENING. Get Low was released so long ago and did anyone even really care to begin with? I'm prepared to eat these words but I DON'T THINK I'LL HAVE TO. 4) I've had the weirdest feeling about Wahlberg for the last like month and a half; logic tells me it's not happening, BUT IF IT DOES I'M SHOOTING MYSELF IN THE LARYNX. 5.) Bridges isn't missing this.

But I don't actually know.

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine
Alternate: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

I, like so many others I assume, have no fucking clue what to do with Steinfeld - she's the only thing that could throw a wrench in my predix here, I think. She could be Keisha Castle-Hughes, overcoming a marginally incorrect supporting campaign to be nominated in lead, or she could be Scarlett Johansson, being flip-flopped between the two categories for various organizations and missing out entirely. (OMG, look at me being so clever, using two examples from the same race seven years to illustrate my point.)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech
Alternate: John Hawkes, Winter's Bone

As long as Andy's nominated, I couldn't give a crap who else is there.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom
Alternate: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

Continuing about Steinfeld: I loved her, but seriously, if she ends up here fraudulently and steals Weaver's place, I WILL HATE THE BITCH FOR LIFE. Even though this would be in no way her fault. I really just feel most comfortable not predicting her for anything right now. But sigh. The Academy's just gonna hurt me like in '08 with Sally Hawkins, aren't they. :(

Also, Barbara Hershey isn't happening, nor is she gonna siphon votes from Kunis, people.

Best Original Screenplay
Another Year
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
Alternate: Black Swan

Black Swan is about as much a writer's film as Moulin Rouge! was, but I can still see it happening. I'd just be shocked in a year where Mike Leigh has an actual contender that he isn't nominated. It'd just be so out-of-character for them! Blue Valentine could very well sneak in, too.

Best Adapted Screenplay
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone
Alternate: Rabbit Hole

This is guessing. It could Rabbit Hole, or The Town, and The Ghost Writer wouldn't surprise me though I can't seem to justify it.

Best Animated Feature Film
How to Train Your Dragon
Tangled
Toy Story 3
Alternate: Despicable Me

Despicable Me fits the Jimmy Neutron/Shark Tale/Surf's Up/Bolt profile, but it could only beat out Tangled, which would be odd. I don't think The Illusionist is meant to be.

Best Foreign Language Film
Biutiful (Mexico)
Even the Rain (Spain)
In a Better World (Denmark)
Incendies (Canada)
Life Above All (South Africa)
Alternate: Dogtooth (Greece)
Whoops: Outside the Law (Algeria)

GUESSING! Something's telling me I should go with Dogtooth, tbh. They DID nominate The Milk of Sorrow last year, after all.

Best Documentary Feature Film
Exit through the Gift Shop
Inside Job
Precious Life
Restrepo
Waiting for 'Superman'
Alternate: The Tillman Story
Whoops: Gasland / Waste Land

???

Best Art Direction
Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Inception
The King's Speech
Shutter Island
Alternate: True Grit

They never nominate contemporary stuff, so hence the lack of Black Swan and its many thematically overbearing mirrors.

Best Cinematography
Black Swan
Inception
The King's Speech
The Social Network
True Grit
Alternate: 127 Hours

Because TKS has people creatively off-center sometimes and actually does more with the camera than you'd expect from it, they'll nominate it.

Best Costume Design
Alice in Wonderland
Black Swan
Burlesque
The King's Speech
True Grit
Alternate: TRON: Legacy
Whoops: I Am Love / The Tempest

I don't know what I'm doing.

Best Film Editing
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
127 Hours
The Social Network
Alternate: The King's Speech

??? Taking a total chance. 127 Hours just has SO much editing.

Best Original Score
Alice in Wonderland
Inception
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
Alternate: How to Train Your Dragon

There's so much Alexandre Desplat this year! I don't see more than one being nominated, though.

Best Original Song
"I See the Light" - Tangled
"If I Rise" - 127 Hours
"Shine" - Waiting for 'Superman'
"We Belong Together" - Toy Story 3
"You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" - Burlesque
Alternate: ??????
Whoops: "Coming Home" - Country Strong

I wouldn't be surprised if the category doesn't exist this year. Not the best year for songs, innit.

Best Make-Up
Alice in Wonderland
True Grit
The Wolfman
Alternate: The Fighter
Whoops: Barney's Version / The Way Back

Best Sound Mixing
Black Swan
Inception
The Social Network
TRON: Legacy
True Grit
Alternate: Shutter Island
Whoops: The King's Speech / Salt

Best Sound Editing
Black Swan
Inception
Iron Man 2
TRON: Legacy
True Grit
Alternate: The Social Network
Whoops: Toy Story 3 / Unstoppable

I...yeah.

Best Visual Effects
Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Inception
Iron Man 2
TRON: Legacy
Alternate: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Whoops (on the Academy's part): Hereafter

Scott Pilgrim being nominated would be SO FUCKING AMAZING.

So, in summation, I'm a pothead. Your thoughts?

Relatively Apathetic Golden Globe Predictions

Whoo.

Best Picture - Drama
The Social Network
Maybe? The King's Speech

TSN probably has this, just like every BP from here, locked. I wouldn't be entirely surprised by a TKS surprise, tho. They gave it to Atonement in the face of a lot of American pathos after all. Note: it's completely unlikely.

Best Picture - Musical/Comedy
The Kids Are All Right
Maybe? Alice in Wonderland

Alice could easily win since it's such a massive pile of shit grosser; TKAAR as a winner here seems kind of anticlimactic.

Best Director
David Fincher, The Social Network

Yeah.

Best Actor - Drama
Colin Firth, The King's Speech

This isn't not happening.

Best Actor - Musical/Comedy
Johnny Depp, Alice in Wonderland
Maybe? Jake Gyllenhaal, Love and Other Drugs
(Paul Giamatti, Barney's Version)

KILL ME NOW. Really. This category is DISGUSTINGLY bad and uninteresting.

Best Actress - Drama
Natalie Portman, Black Swan

No way she's losing THIS at least.

Best Actress - Musical/Comedy
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Maybe? Emma Stone, Easy A

Bening's the only likely Oscar nominee in the line-up so she's winning. I WANT STONE TO STEAL IT THOUGH.

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Maybe? Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Maybe? Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Logic has it being one of the Fighter girls, BUT MY STUPID HEART SCREAMS WEAVER UPSET. I want it. :(

Best Screenplay
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Maybe? David Seidler, The King's Speech

Eh.

Best Animated Film
Toy Story 3

HMMMMMMM.

Best Foreign Language Film
In a Better World
Maybe? I Am Love

???????? I'm high.

ETA HOW DID I DO THIS HAHAHAHAHA LMAO LOL OMFG.

Best Original Score
Hans Zimmer, Inception
Maybe? Alexandre Desplat, The King's Speech
(Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, The Social Network)

Best Original Song
"You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" - Burlesque
Maybe? "I See the Light" - Tangled

LOL nothing else makes sense as a winner! And they probably feel guilty for not nominating Cher for Best Actress.

So, yeah. Y'all's thoughts?

VD's Best Music of 2010, Part I

Oh, hi! Big gap of emptiness here, innit. Anyway.

Welcome to VD's Best Music of 2010 countdown! There'll hopefully be more than just singles and albums (basically enough to stall this long enough so I can actually do a decent albums list), with some legitimate effort put in! That should be fun. Or not.

I'm kicking it off with the bottom half of my miraculously accomplished singles list. It nearly killed me for a week, BUT IT'S DONE, and I quite like it, to be honest. I don't want to put it all out at once, though; I AM a glutton for attention, after all! I'm not gonna put any commentary, because that would've delayed this more than I've already been putting it off - that and I just don't want to explain some of these! (Esp. #96/#80.) Though I probably will if someone COMMENTS on a song or its placement or anything else. [/subliminal] Also, I hate my writing.

SO, without any further BS...

VD's Best Singles of 2010:
#51-#100

100. Frankmusik, "The Fear Inside"
99. Sabrina Washington, "OMG"
98. Kele, "Tenderoni"
97. Alexandra Burke, "Broken Heels"
96. Katy Perry, "Teenage Dream"
95. Ali Love, "Smoke & Mirrors"
94. P!nk, "Raise Your Glass"
93. Wynter Gordon, "Dirty Talk"
92. Two Door Cinema Club, "Undercover Martyn"
91. Ellie Goulding, "Guns and Horses"

90. Rihanna feat. Drake, "What's My Name?"
89. Girls Can't Catch, "Echo"
88. Drake, "Find Your Love"
87. Katie Melua, "The Flood"
86. Vampire Weekend, "Giving Up the Gun"
85. Blake Lewis, "Heartbreak on Vinyl"
84. Ellie Goulding, "Your Song"
83. Kelis, "Scream"
82. Starsmith, "Give Me a Break"
81. Alexandra Burke, "The Silence"

80. Ke$ha, "Your Love is My Drug"
79. M.I.A., "Born Free"
78. Alex Gardner, "I'm Not Mad"
77. Kanye West feat. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver & Nicki Minaj, "Monster"
76. Kelly Rowland, "Forever and a Day"
75. Cee Lo Green, "Fuck You!"
74. Afrojack feat. Eva Simons, "Take Over Control"
73. Nicole Scherzinger, "Poison"
72. Goldfrapp, "Alive"
71. Rihanna, "Rude Boy"

70. Mark Ronson & the Business Intl. feat. Boy George & Andrew Wyatt, "Somebody to Love Me"
69. Hurts, "All I Want for Christmas is New Year's Day"
68. Fenech-Soler, "Lies"
67. Scissor Sisters, "Fire with Fire"
66. David Archuleta, "Something 'Bout Love"
65. Florence + the Machine, "Heavy in Your Arms"
64. Example, "Kickstarts"
63. David Guetta feat. Rihanna, "Who's That Chick?"
62. Mark Ronson & the Business Intl. feat. Q-Tip & MNDR, "Bang Bang Bang"
61. Ellie Goulding, "The Writer"

60. Miranda Lambert, "The House That Built Me"
59. Mini Viva, "One Touch"
58. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Skeletons"
57. Hurts, "Better Than Love"
56. Gabriella Cilmi, "On a Mission"
55. Janelle Monáe feat. Big Boi, "Tightrope"
54. Alphabeat, "Hole in My Heart"
53. Nadine, "Insatiable"
52. Sade, "Soldier of Love"
51. Hot Chip, "I Feel Better"
NOW WASN'T THAT FUN. More coming as soon as I get them done.