Currently Getting Into...

YASSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!



A true pop event, Gaga knows how to stir up controversy and have people talking about her. The clip features homicide, lesbianism, the weirdest ad placements ever, and Tarantino's Pussy Wagon. The song is pretty good, too. Awesomery!



Def one of the better, more inventive videos this quarter. With the song too, the quartet proves they're more than just a youtube sensation.

And the Oscar Goes To...

The ceremony is less than two hours away, and I dunno bout you, but i'm pretty psyched to see who wins what. I've seen like 95% of these films, luckily i've seen all ten nominated for Best Picture. Below is what I think will win what, and of course why I think it'll win what. Disagree? Agree? Lemme know.

Best Actress

I haven't seen Helen Mirren's performance, but it hardly matters at this point, she's at the very bottom of this race. Besides, she's already won in this category already. Recently, too. I've seen "The Blind Side", but I have a huge bias against Sandra Bullock- she's a horrible actress and by no means does she deserve to be in this category, but something tells me she just might win what with having bagged the Globe and SAG awards. I'd rather see Carey Mulligan sock it to her.

Will Win: Sandra Bullock "The Blind Side"
Should Win: Meryl Streep "Julie and Julia"

Best Actor

What a boring film Invictus is, and i'm sorry, as much as I love and respect Morgan Freeman, his turn as Mandela is hollow and unconvincing. Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker was fantastic, the heart and soul of Bigelow's film, but this just isn't his year. Ditto for Colin Firth and the little seen A Single Man. It hardly matters though, Bridges seems to have this one locked.

Will Win: Jeff Bridges "Crazy Heart"
Should Win: George Clooney "Up in the Air"

Best Supporting Actor

After the otherwise ridiculous The Lovely Bones, I now see Stanley Tucci in a whole 'nother light; what a creepy performance! But while the momentum had started largely in his favour, it has died. Completely. Woody Harrelson gave an affecting performance in The Messengers, but just like Ledger last year, the villain of the lot will win. And deservedly so.

Will Win: Christoph Waltz "Inglourious Basterds"
Should Win: Christoph Waltz "Inglourious Basterds"

Best Supporting Actress

I never though i'd ever think Cruz could carry a movie, but in truth, she was one of the very few reasons to see Nine. Farmiga and Kendrick were uniformly great in Up in the Air, too and it's wonderful to see an under-rated talent like Gyllenhaal finally nominated after years of noteworthy performances. But only one name matters here and i'm sure by now Mo'Nique has already memorized her acceptance speech.

Will Win: Mo'Nique "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire"
Should Win: Mo'Nique "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire"

Best Director

Some good films are nominated in this category, and after an artistic slump, it's great to see Tarantino back in the thick of things. I would have preferred to see District 9 instead of Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, Blomkamp's work was awesome, and as much as I love Up in the Air, I don't see what's so awesome about that film's direction. Anywho, it's a battle of the exes here- heavy weight champion of the world, James Cameron, and the underdog, Kathryn Bigelow. Cameron's direction for Avatar was ground-breaking, but now that Bigelow has won the Director's Guild, the first woman to do so, it's hard to see the Academy taking ten steps back.

Will Win: Kathryn Bigelow "The Hurt Locker"
Should Win: Kathryn Bigelow "The Hurt Locker"

Best Film

So ten films are nominated to increase public interest in the awards, or so the Academy says. As such, we have acclaimed archness, A Serious Man, and blockbuster melodrama The Blind Side and everything else in between. It's awesome to see Up in the runnings; the last time an animated feature film achieved this kind of reception was in 1991, but I really would have loved to see "Fantastic Mr. Fox" in there, too. Still, the nominees are mostly generally brilliant. Inglourious Basterds won the SAG for Best Ensemble Acting, a pre-cursor to the Oscars if there ever was one, but it's hard to see this award going to such a controversial film when one of the highest-grossing films of all time is in the runnings. It would be no surprise if Avatar won, unless of course they decide to give it to The Hurt Locker, which has won the Producer's Guild and most everything at the BAFTA's.

Will Win: Avatar
Should Win: The Hurt Locker

My Wish List

 

Love love love this film! Tarantino is a genius! Need this in my collection like now!

  

Don't judge me, but some of these songs have memories attached to them. Plus, there's no denying that Spears is (or was, depending on how you look at it) a pop force. Some of these songs here are some of the most ubiquitous, most memorable, best popular songs of the last ten years.

 

The singularly most controversial book published in the last 5-10 years, I want to read this one to see what the hoopla is all about.

Curently Getting Into...

Like Coldplay before them, these guys are easy to hate- they wear their influences proudly on their shoulder and for most, they're a bit too fey. But just like their infectious self titled debut, their sophomore effort is filled to the brim with hooks and expert song-writing.

 

Here's another group that i'm not a big fan of, but has dumb-founded me with a new release. The name of the band is Beach House; the name of the album is Teen Dream. For some reason, I think of Fleet Foxes whenever I listen; fulfilling from end-to-end.

 

 Joy Division's Closer has got to be one THE coolest albums ever made. I have no words to describe it or when I listen- I just let it envelop me.

Currently Getting Into...

Hot song, even hotter video. The song plays none stop on my island (and my head). The pop arty-ness of the video works and the whole island theme ties in well with the video. Should be another huge hit for Ri-Ri.

One of my musical heroes, it's great that she can go away for ten fricking years and come back perfectly ahead of the game. It's almost as if she never left. Her voice sounds just as great as it did 15 years ago, and i'm loving the minimalistic elements of the video, too.

Love Green Day, love this song. The collaged video gives us images that complement the themes and energy of the song quite well.

Currently Getting Into...

 

My fave book of all time; i'm having a re-read :)

Had this one in my collection for so long, and despite all the rave reviews and buzz, I kept putting it off. When I finally picked it up, I finished it in almost one sitting. I love how James (a Facebook friend) ably spins a tale full of comedy, religious and sexual obsession and obscenity. His use of magical realism calls to mind Toni Morrison, but it doesn't outrightly apes her. And to think it's only his debut. Looking forward to reading his second.

 

Yes, I know it's a high-fashion magazine- I have an interest in fashion too, plus magazines actually have words in them, too. Recently got this one and I flip through it most every night. Rihanna looks great on the cover, and I love her spread. The editorials and ad campaigns are pretty compelling in themselves, too.

Currently Getting Into...

 

I don't fluently speak a foreign language, but I love foreign language film; they always seem so much arts-ier than regular movies. This one is pretty good, too. Yolande Moreau  gives such a good, understated performance as French painter Séraphine. She hardly speaks much through-out the entire film, but it's a performance that requires so much than words said.

 

One of my new fave films, Fox is perfect. Can't believe the Academy kept this one put of the Best Picture race. Perfectly voiced by George Clooney and Meryl Streep, Wes Anderson and Noah Bambauch don't allow arch-ness to get in the way of comedy and fantastic story-telling.

 

When I was ten and watching this, I ran and hid in my room. Re-watching this the other night, I realized why. I probably have never seen a scarier movie in all my life. It's a perfect blend of pitch and tone, too, and less you not realize, the movie doesn't have a cheap and manipulative accompanying score; it doesn't need that Just look at the expressions on Ellen Burstyn's face.