Oscar Predictions 2009

Time again for my fearless Oscar predictions. Last year, I didn’t do too badly but I did screw up royally with the short films. I’m hoping to make a comeback in those categories this year. Here are my predicitons of who I think will win (not necessarily who I want to win, but luckily I’m a big fan of Slumdog Millionaire). Here they are from smaller awards to the bigger ones.

Live Action Short Film: Spiielzeugland (Toyland)
(Holocaust film. Need I say more?)
Animated Short Film: Presto
(It’s Pixar. It was before WALL-E. The bunny is adorable.)
Documentary Short: The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306
(Witness to the assassination of Martin Luther King? Why not?)
Sound Editing: The Dark Knight
(Gotta give Dark Knight something. They like to give blockbusters this award.)
Sound Mixing: The Dark Knight
(More often than not, the film that wins Best Sound Editing, wins this one too.)
Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire
(The driving rhythm of this film helped make it the masterpiece it is.)
Original Song: “Jai Ho” (Slumdog Millionaire)
(Who doesn’t like a Bollywood dance number? It’s pretty infectious.)
Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(An old deformed body with Brad Pitt’s face pasted on. I’m impressed.)
Make Up: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(The work it took to make Brad Pitt look 90 and also 25? Outstanding!)
Costume Design: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(The Duchess is the safe choice, but I think Button needs more stuff.)
Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(This is a hard one. Button is more epic in scale though.)
Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
(The flashbacks and quick cut editing make this film a great candidate.)
Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
(Slumdog is beautifully shot. Interesting angles all around.)
Documentary Feature: Man on Wire
(Guy walks on a wire between the WTC towers. I’m still awaitng the rental.)
Animated Feature: WALL-E
(This one should have benn nominated for Best Picture. I think it’s a lock.)
Foreign Language Film: Waltz with Bashir
(It’s either Waltz or The Class. I’m going with the animated war film.)
Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire
(A pretty safe bet on this one.)
Original Screenplay: Milk
(I’d prefer WALL-E, but Hollywood needs to support this trailblazer.)
Best Director: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
(Shooting Slumdog was pretty ambitious. He’ll get his reward.)
Best Supporting Actress: Taraji P Henson (Benjamin Button)
(This race is wide open with Winslet gone. I’m going on a huge limb.)
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
(It’s a lock. I will be dumbfounded if he doesn’t win this one.)
Best Actress: Kate Winslet (The Reader)
(It’s between Winslet and Streep. Winslet’s never won. It’s about time.)
Best Actor: Sean Penn (Milk)
(Penn was amazing job as Harvey Milk. I would prefer Jenkins or Langella though.)
Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
(Frost/Nixon doesn’t have enough going for it but great acting. The Reader is polarizing the voters with its raw subject matter. Milk has some great elements but not enough for the top prize. Benjamin Button is epic and is second-runner up. Slumdog Millionaire not only has the momentum, but it has all its elements working together in perfect harmony. It’s the feel-good underdog story of the year.)

So let’s see how I do on Sunday. Who are you predicting? Feel free to comment especially if you think I’m way off.

TV: 30 Rock

STARRING: Tina Fey (SNL,Baby Mama), Alec Baldwin (The Departed, Pearl Harbor, Glengarry Glen Ross), Tracy Morgan (SNL, First Sunday)
CREATOR: Tina Fey (Mean Girls)
PLOT: Liz Lemon, head writer on a sketch comedy show has to deal with her arrogant boss, crazy new star and the rest of the wacky staff while trying to run the show.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 What this show excels at is fast paced comedy. The jokes are both high-brow and low-brow with quick cuts and great pay-offs. Tina Fey and Robert Carlock hand in some of the funniest scripts on television.
4 While the ensemble works well together, there are three pairings that can’t be beat. Fey is always funny on her own, but she also plays a great straight man to Alec Baldwin’s blustery Jack Donaghy. Tracy Morgan does some really funny work with both Jack McBrayer (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Jane Krakowski (Ally McBeal). They both push his ego to all new heights. It’s very fun to watch.
4 When a show is doing great stuff, famous people want to be a part of it. 30 Rock does a great job of using their guest stars. Oprah, Steven Martin, Jennifer Aniston. They fit into the 30 Rock world quite beautifully. I am a little worried though that they might become like Will & Grace with their guestapalooza shenanigans.
4 I love the way 30 Rock makes fun of NBC. They don’t even hide the branding. You see the logo everywhere and every episode is chock full of inside jokes. Love biting the hand that feeds them.
4 It’s too bad not enough people watch this show. It’s on it’s third year, it’s won multiple awards, Tina Fey was practically a household name with her Palin impression, and still 30 Rock doesn’t get enough love on Thursday nights. It looks like it’s going the Arrested Development route. It won’t be fully appreciated until it’s gone.
It’s sad really.

RECOMMENDATION
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COMING SOON
TV reviews of Damages and Lost

Boycott CTV!

I'm pissed. I'm watching the Superbowl. I always watch the eastern feed so I can see the creative and funny American commercials. But wait, I'm seeing a lame-ass American Idol promo on CTV. WTF! I mostly watch the Superbowl for the commercials and thanks to CTV, I get nothing this year. Rot in hell, CTV! You are dead to me. Join in me in boycotting this useless Canadian network.

This is hardly the first time. Check out one of my previous posts. http://popculturepusher.blogspot.com/2006_09_01_archive.html

I hate you CTV!

Film: The Reader

STARRING: Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road, Little Children); Ralph Fiennes (Schindler’s List, Harry Potter)
David Kross (newcomer)
DIRECTOR: Stephen Daldry (The Hours)
WRITER: David Hare (The Hours)
PLOT: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman, Michael Berg, a law student, witnesses his former lover defend herself in a war-crime trial.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 After seeing Revolutionary Road and now The Reader, I can safely say that Kate Winslet is one of the best actresses in the business. This is stellar work. She does a fantastic job of conveying so much emotion without uttering a word. Winslet is amazing and the main reason to see this film.
4 David Cross plays Michael Berg as a young boy/man and he is eerily captivating. It’s interesting to watch his character silently piece things together. Ralph Fiennes plays Michael Berg as an older man and I don’t know why he was cast except for physical similarities. Fiennes didn’t interest me as much as Cross but I will concede that he has a great reading voice.
4 The Reader did a great job with cinematography. Very nice work with close-ups and interesting angles. I find it odd that there were two directors of photography. Chris Menges (Stop-Loss, Notes on a Scandal) and Roger Deakins (No Country for Old Men, Revolutionary Road) both took turns behind the camera. So I don’t know who to credit for what but The Reader was a visually sharp.
4 As some may know, I’m not a strong book person. However, I did like how this film promoted literacy. I hope more people pick up some books because of this film. I might even do so myself.
4 There was a little too much nudity in The Reader. I know there is an affair going on, but I don’t need to see all the body parts (male & female). Not that I’m a prude or anything, but you should know what you’re getting yourself into.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for the DVD
(Unless you want to prep yourself for the upcoming Oscars.)

COMING SOON
Probably something lighter like a romantic comedy

TV: Scrubs

STARRING: Zach Braff (Garden State), Sarah Chalke (Roseanne), Donald Faison (Clueless), John C McGinley (Identity, Office Space)
CREATOR: Bill Lawrence (Spin City, Nobody’s Watching)
PLOT: Through the eyes of John 'JD' Dorian, we get an unconventional look of how Sacred Heart Hospital deals with medicine, friendship and life.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 NBC kept hiding Scrubs for seven years and did a piss-poor job with its “out-of-order” dream sequence ‘series finale’ last May. It’s great to see this very funny comedy getting the respect it deserves on its new network, ABC. There’s some new energy this year and I’m confident they will do a great job ending the series on their own terms.
4 The show added some interns this year and they are fitting in nicely. Aziz Ansari (Human Giant, upcoming Amy Pohler show) is wonderfully weird as Ed and Eliza Coupe is a great contrast to JD as the un-emotional Denise.
4 Speaking of emotions, Scrubs manages to wear its emotions on its sleeve. Mixed with the off-beat craziness, Scrubs still provides meaningful storylines. The second episode this season dealt with death in a very real and profound way. Nice work.
4 JD’s imagination has been a little off this season. The first three or four seasons were amazing, but now, some of the wacky images seem a little forced. The recent Sesame Street edition was kind of funny, but didn’t seem to fit all that well.
4 Scrubs always has someone on the cast with bad hair. Usually its John C McGinely. He’s had some bad perms in the past. This year, the ‘winner’ is Zach Braff. Not liking the facial hair. Are they trying to make him seem older and more responsible? Is it for a movie he’s doing on the side? It’s not working for me.

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COMING SOON
TV reviews of 30 Rock and Damages

TV: House

STARRING: Hugh Laurie (Blackadder, Stuart Little), Lisa Edelstein (West Wing), Omar Epps (ER, Mod Squad), Robert Sean Leonard (Dead Poet’s Society, Swing Kids)
CREATOR: David Shore (Traders, Family Law, Law & Order)
PLOT: A grouchy, brilliant doctor specializes in diagnosing puzzling cases while berating his team of doctor sidekicks.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Everything hinges on Hugh Laurie. And this man is brilliant. He’s the reason to watch every week. I thought I would get tired of his mean-spirited sarcasm but I still enjoy every caustic thing that comes out of his mouth. Laurie plays the character to perfection. I also love knowing that he has to master the American accent being British and all.
4 I find the ‘bromance’ between JD and Turk on Scrubs a little much, but the dynamic between House and Wilson on House is undeniable. The beginning of the season did a great job of showing why these polar opposites need each other. Unfortunately, House and Cuddy’s budding romance has moved this story to the backseat.
4 The show still seems a little formulaic for me. They think they’ve healed the patient with twenty minutes to go. But it all goes wrong. Then House talks to someone on staff or someone in the clinic and gets his medical epiphany so he can solve the case with only two minutes left. This is probably why I enjoyed the 'House’s Head' episode last season, where House tried to piece together the bus accident that ultimately took Cutthroat Bitches’ life.
4 The rest of the cast works well enough. The don’t get to have as much fun as Hugh Laurie. Part of that is the writing. I get a little annoyed when the team is bothered by House’s antics. They know what they signed on for. I guess that’s why I like Kal Penn’s Kutner the best because he’s just a big suck-up.
4 I hate Thirteen. Olivia Wilde is nice enough to look at but her character is so annoying. And her relationship with Foreman? Could not care less about these two. It looks so forced unlike Cameron and Chase who are only given brief cameos these days.

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COMING SOON
TV reviews of 30 Rock and Damages

Film: Oscar Nomination Predictions

Oscar nominations come out this Thursday. Every year I like to predict who will be nominated in each category (except the short films). These are not always who I want in the category but what or who will be chosen. I have also included a 'For Your Conisderation' for people and films I wish the Academy would recogonize. Some of these are more pipe-dreams than others. Some have a chance, some are way out in left field. Anyway, here's the list:

Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button / Frost/Nixon / Milk / Revolutionary Road / Slumdog Millionaire
For Your Consideration: The Dark Knight

Best Actor
Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) / Sean Penn (Milk) / Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) / Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) / Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)
For Your Consideration: James Brolin (W)

Best Actress
Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) / Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) / Angelina Jolie (Changeling) / Meryl Streep (Doubt) / Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road)
For Your Consideration: Michelle Williams (Wendy and Lucy)

Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder) / Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt) / Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight) / Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) / Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)
For Your Consideration: Peter Dinklage (Prince Caspian)

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams (Doubt) / Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) / Viola Davis (Doubt) / Taraji P Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) / Kate Winslet (The Reader)
For Your Consideration: Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man)

Best Director
Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) / David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) / Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon) / Gus Van Sant (Milk) / Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight)
For Your Consideration: Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road)

Best Original Screenplay
Woody Allen (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) / Dustin Lance Black (Milk) / Tom McCarthy (The Visitor) / Robert Siegel (The Wrestler) / Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon (Wall-E)
For Your Conisderation: Charlie Kaufman (Synecdoche, New York)

Best Adapted Screenplay
Eric Roth (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) / John Patrick Shanley (Doubt) / Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon) / Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) / Jonathan & Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight)
For Your Consideration: Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road)

Best Foreign Film
Tear This Heart Out / The Baader Meinhof Complex / The Class / Waltz With Bashir/ 3 Monkeys
For Your Consideration: Son of Ranbow

Best Documentary
Man on Wire / Pray the Devil Back to Hell / Fuel / Standard Operating Procedure / Trouble With Water
For Your Consideration: No idea

Best Animated Film
Wall-E / Kung Fu Panda / Waltz With Bashir
For Your Consideration: Horton Hears a Who

Best Song
The Wrestler (The Wrestler) / Jai Ho (Slumdog Millionaire) / I Thought I Lost You (Bolt) / Down to Earth (Wall-E)
For Your Consideration: Rock Me Sexy Jesus (Hamlet 2) & Dracula’s Lament (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) (tie)

Best Score
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button / Slumdog Millionaire / Wall-E / The Dark Knight / Australia
For Your Consideration: Indiana Jones

Best Art Direction
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button / Slumdog Millionaire / The Dark Knight / The Duchess / Australia
For Your Consideration: Wall-E

Best Cinematography
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button / Slumdog Millionaire / Australia / The Dark Knight / The Reader
For Your Consideration: Valkyrie

Best Costume
Sex & the City / Prince Caspian / The Curious Case of Benjamin Button / The Duchess / Changeling
For Your Consideration: Milk

Best Make-Up
Hellboy II / The Dark Knight / The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
For Your Consideration: The Reader

Best Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button / Slumdog Millionaire / Frost/Nixon / In Bruges / The Dark Knight
For Your Consideration: Cloverfield

Best Sound Editing
The Dark Knight / Iron Man / Wall-E
For Your Consideration: Cloverfield

Best Sound Mixing
The Dark Knight / Iron Man / Quantum of Solace / Slumdog Millionaire / Wall-E
For Your Consideration: Wanted

Best Visual Effects
The Dark Knight / Iron Man / Journey to the Center of the Earth
For Your Consideration: Hellboy II

So there you have it. We'll find out how close I am on Thursday, January 22 (my birthday incidently). Till then.

Film: Revolutionary Road

STARRING: Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond, The Departed); Kate Winslet
(Little Children, Finding Neverland,)
DIRECTOR: Sam Mendes (American
Beauty, Road to Perdition, Jarhead)
WRITER: Justin Haythe (The Clearing)
PLOT: A young 1950’s couple deal with marital strife within the confines of claustrophobic suburbia.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Kate and Leo are superb actors. The Titanic connection is cute but these actors have each come a long way from that sinking ship flick. They work incredibly well off each other. DiCaprio is compelling as Frank Wheeler, an indecisive office worker who doesn’t know how to reach his wife. Winslet is mesmerizing as April, the housewife who longs to break free from suburbia hell. April’s character could have been whiny and annoying but Winslet does a fantastic job of showing the proper amount of frustration and anger. The make-up people really should do something about her eyebrows. She sometimes looks man-ish.
4 The breakout star of Revolutionary Road is Michael Shannon (Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys II). Shannon plays John Givings, a self-proclaimed ‘certified lunatic’ who says what’s on his mind. His freedom to speak the truth exposes the real inner workings of the Wheeler family. Such an amazing performance! He outshines the already stellar cast. Give this guy an Oscar nomination!
4 To be honest, Revolutionary Road looked an awful like Mad Men. Sure, the television show takes place in the 60’s and Don Draper loves his job, but the home situations looked pretty similar. Of course, the film had two hours where Mad Men gets a couple of seasons to show the slow disintegration of a marriage. Thank goodness I love Mad Men, so watching a shortened intense variation was fine by me. Also, despite the very depressing subject matter, I enjoyed how Mendes ended the film with a tongue-in-cheek solution to surviving married life.
4 I expected a bit more in the way of cinematography. Sure Mendes’ first two films had the brilliant Conrad Hall Sr., behind the camera but Roger Deakins who did Jarhead and most of the Coen brothers films is no slouch. The beginning shots that depict Frank Wheeler trudging to work was nicely done but hardly original. I was hoping for some more eye candy with my emotional drama.
4 Thomas Newman’s score was a little too reminiscent of Road to Perdition. The mix of sorrow, drama and suspense works for Revolutionary Road but I kept thinking of Tom Hanks killing people and that can’t be good.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for the DVD
(Unless you want to prep yourself for the upcoming Oscars.)

COMING SOON
Oscar nomination picks

TV: The Golden Globes

Sorry this list a little late. Golden Globes are tomorrow! Last year was terrible with the lame press conference thanks to the writer's strike. This year, it’s back to the drunken celebrities making lighter speeches. Hope it’s fun. Again, I’m not making predictions but I do like to root for people (otherwise, why watch an awards show). Here's my picks.

Best Motion Picture – Drama
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button / Frost/Nixon / The Reader / Revolutionaty Road / Slumdog Millionaire
4 My Pick: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Motion Picture – Comedy
Burn After Reading / Happy-Go-Lucky / In Bruges / Mamma Mia! / Vicky Cristina Barcelona
4 Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Actor – Drama
Leonardo DiCaprio (Revolutionary Road) / Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) / Sean Penn (Milk) / Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) / Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)
4 Frank Langella

Best Actress – Drama
Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) / Angelina Jolie (Changling) / Meryl Streep (Doubt) / Kristin Scott Thomas (I’ve Loved You So Long) / Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road)
4 Meryl Streep

Best Actor – Comedy
Javier Bardem (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) / Colin Farrell (In Bruges) / James Franco (Pineapple Express) / Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) / Dustin Hoffman (Last Chance Harvey)
4 James Franco

Best Actress – Comedy
Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) / Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) / Frances McDormand (Burn After Reading) / Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia!) / Emma Thompson (Last Chance Harvey)
4 Sally Hawkins

Best Supporting Actor
Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder) / Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder) / Ralph Fiennes (The Duchess) / Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt) / Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
4 Heath Ledger

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams (Doubt) / Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) / Viola Davis (Doubt) / Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler) / Kate Winslet (The Reader)
4 Viola Davis

Best Animated Film
Bolt / Kung Fu Panda / Wall-E
4 Wall-E

Foreign Language Film
The Baader Meinhof Complex / Everlasting Moments / Gomorrah / I’ve Loved You So Long / Waltz with Bashir
4 Waltz with Bashir

Best Director
Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) / Stephen Daldry (The Reader) / Daivd Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) / Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon) / Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road)
4 David Fincher

Best Screenplay
Eric Roth (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) / Doubt (John Patrick Shanley) / Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon) / David Hare (The Reader) / Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)
4 Eric Roth

Best Original Score
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button / Changeling / Defiance / Slumdog Millionaire / Frost/Nixon
4 Slumdog Millionaire

Best Original Song
“Down to Earth” (Wall-E) / “Gran Torino” (Gran Torino) / “I Thought I Lost You” (Bolt) / “Once in a Lifetime” (Cadillac Records) / “The Wrestler” (The Wrestler)
4 “Down to Earth”

Best TV Series – Drama
Dexter / House / In Treatment / Mad Men / True Blood
4 Mad Men

Best TV Series – Comedy
30 Rock / Californication / Entourage / The Office / Weeds
4 The Office

Best TV Actor – Drama
Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment) / Michael C Hall (Dexter) / Jon Hamm (Mad Men) / Hugh Laurie (House) / Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors)
4 Hugh Laurie

Best TV Actress – Drama
Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters) / Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU) / January Jones (Mad Men) / Anna Paquin (True Blood) / Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)
4 January Jones

Best TV Actor – Comedy
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) / Steve Carell (The Office) / Kevin Connolly (Entouage) / David Duchovny (Californication) / Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
4 Steve Carell

Best TV Actress – Comedy
Christina Appelgate (Samantha Who?) / America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) / Tina Fey (30 Rock) / Debra Messing (The Starter Wife) / Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds)
4 Tina Fey

Best TV Supporting Actor
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) / Denis Leary (Recount) / Jeremy Piven (Entourage) / Blair Underwood (In Treatment) / Tom Wilkinson (John Adams)
4 Neil Patrick Harris

Best TV Supporting Actress
Eileen Atkins (Cranford) / Laura Dern (Recount) / Melissa Geroge (In Treatment) / Rachel Griffiths (Brothers & Sisters) / Dianne Wiest (In Treatment)
4 Laura Dern

Best TV Mini-Series
A Raisin in the Sun / Bernard and Doris / Cranford / John Adams / Recount
4 John Adams

Best TV Mini-Series Actor
Ralph Fiennes (Bernard and Doris) / Paul Giamatti (John Adams) / Kevin Spacey (Recount) / Kiefer Sutherland (24) / Tom Wilkinson (Recount)
4 Paul Giamatti

Best Mini-Series Actress
Judi Dench (Cranford) / Catherine Keener (An American Crime) / Laura Linney (John Adams) / Shirley MacLaine (Coco Chanel) / Susan Sarandon (Bernard and Doris)
4 Laura Linney

Bear in mind that those choosing the winners are from the Hollywood Foreign Press. Ninety critics. That’s it. The award show is a total crapshoot but it should be fun.

TV: Midseason Correction

I was off by a week for the CSI: return. That show is this week (Jan 15) and features the departure of Gil Grissom. Also, NBC was going to wait until the Superbowl for the next new Office but they changed their minds and are now showing new episodes this week as well.
So The Office is on Thursday (Jan 15) and features the aftermath of everyone learning about Angela and Dwight affair except Andy.
Good times.

By the way, our mainstage play Lady Windermere's Fan goes up in a couple of weeks, so there won't be as many reviews for a little while.

TV: Midseason Start Dates

The Christmas hiatus is almost over. New and returning shows are just around the corner. Here are the ones I’ll be keeping an eye out for:

Jan 6 ....Scrubs & Nip/Tuck
Jan 7 ....Damages
Jan 8 ....30 Rock & My Name is Earl & CSI:
Jan 11 ....24
Jan 12 ....How I Met Your Mother & Two and a Half Men
Jan 15 ....Smallville
Jan 16 ....Battlestar Galactica
Jan 18 ....Flight of the Conchords
Jan 19 ....House
Jan 20 ....Fringe
Jan 21 ....Lost
Jan 21 ....Lie to Me
Jan 28 ....Life on Mars
Feb 1 .....The Office
Feb 2 .....Chuck & Heroes
Feb 13 ...Dollhouse
Feb 15 ...Amazing Race
Mar 17 ...Reaper

Don’t know the status of Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money and Eli Stone. They all have more episodes, it just depends on whether ABC will air them on leave them for their DVDs. Prison Break returns sometime this spring. Same with Fox’s animation block of Simpsons, Family Guy and American Dad. Other new shows are coming in March but I’ll wait till we’re closer before I make some viewing decisions.

Film: 2009 Movie Preview

Here again is my preview of some of the films that should be hitting the theatres this new year. After some hasty research, I came up with 25 films that I consider watching in 2009. Again, my opions are based soley on trailers, plot descriptions and director/actor pedigree. Again, all dates are tentative; especially the later ones. Looking at last year, I watched 17 of the 25 listed. (Star Trek & Harry Potter moved to this year. Drillbit Taylor, Harold & Kumar 2, Speed Racer and The Love Guru all looked pretty dumb up close. Still haven’t gotten around to The Happening and Mummy 3. ) Here’s this year's list:

1.Fan Boys (Feb 6) – Maybe it’ll actually show up in a theatre this year.
2.He’s Just Not That Into You (Feb 6) – Fun romantic comedy. Looks funny.
3.Watchmen (March 6) – 300 director with another graphic novel? Hell yeah.
4.I Love You, Man (March 20) – Looking for a best man? Fitting sime I’m getting married.
5.Monsters Vs. Aliens (March 27) – I’ll give Dreamworks another shot.
6.The Soloist (April 24) – Robert Downey Jr & Jamie Foxx in Oscar-type performances.
7.Star Trek (May 8) – JJ Abrams won’t let me down.
8.Angels & Demons (May 15) – Hope this is better than Da Vinci Code.
9.The Brothers Blooom (May 15) – Fun con flick with Mark Ruffalo and Adrien Brody.
10.Terminator Salvation (May 22) – Christian Bale has a good track record.
11.Up (May 29) – It’s Pixar! I’d be stupid not to go see this film.
12.The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (June 12) – Denzel & Travolta in an action flick? Sure.
13.Transformers 2 (June 26) – Let’s see some more explosions.
14.Ice Age 3 (July 1) – Love me some Ice Age. Hope it’s just as good as the first one.
15.Public Enemies (July 1) – Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Sold.
16.Harry Potter VI (July 17) – Can’t stop watching the frnachise now.
17.Funny People (July 31) – Judd Apatow flick with Seth Rogen & Adam Sandler.
18.GI Joe (Aug 7) – Hope they don’t mess with my childhood imagination.
19.Jennifer’s Body (Sept 18) – Quirky horror by the writer of Juno. I’m intrigued.
20.Shutter Island (Oct 2) – Psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese. I’m there.
21.Where the Wild Things Are (Oct 16) – Classis novel directed by Spike Jonze.
22.The Fantastic Mr. Fox (Nov 6) – Wes Anderson tries animation. Why not?
23.Sherlock Holmes (Nov 20) – Guy Ritchie directs Robert Downey Jr as action Holmes.
24.The Lovely Bones (Dec 11) – directed by Peter Jackson. Great cast. Sounds good.
25.Avatar (Dec 18) – A James Cameron film that's Titatnic-free. It’s about time.

Of course, I’ll update my personal viewing season to season, based on more reviews, buzz and trailers, but for now, this will have to do. I hope this year’s crop of movies are better than 2008. I can only hope.

TOP 10 of 2008

It's time for my annual Top 10 lists. I love lists. I'm a geek that way. For movies, it was sure hard this year. I didn't see as many movies as in the past, and I wasn't too impressed with what I saw. Nevertheless, there were some stand outs.

TOP 10 MOVIES of 2008

1. The Dark Knight 4 Heath Ledger’s tour-de-force performace as Joker. The eyes, walk, cadence and licking of lips. Wow! Give this guy an Oscar. 4 Strong supporting cast that adds gravity to the film, especially Aaron Eckart and Gary Oldman. Talk about fully-fleshed out characters 4 Christopher Nolan brings us great action sequences and a great story with some powerful messages about anarchy and the human condition 2. Wall-E 4 The beginning of the film is like a stylish silent film reminiscent of Chaplin’s early work. A brave idea for a family cartoon. 4 Some spot-on commentary on consumerism, the environment and survival. 4 So cute! The beautiful intimacy of holding hands still makes me smile and little misty eyed. A nice change of pace from our oversexualitzed culture.

3. Slumdog Millionaire 4 You can’t go wrong with an uplifting, inspirational tale that teaches that love will always be better than money. 4 The superb child acting, especially Ayush Mahesh Khedekar. You wanna take the kid home with you. 4 Danny Boyle’s cinematography and editing is captivating from beginning to end. 4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 4 David Fincher makes three hours fly by with compelling storytelling and beautifully dark visuals in this fantasy-driven epic. 4 Brad Pitt does amazing work as Button but don’t forget Taraji P. Henson as the only person who truly accepts Ben from the start. 4 Compliments to the make-up crew for aging Pitt & Blanchett and then making Brad look like his Thelma & Louise days. Such an important aspect for a film with a running commentary on aging. 5. Cloverfield 4 An ingenious concept of filming a monster movie from only the protagonist’s point of view. Less is sometimes more. 4 While the camera work is shaky, it’s completely justified and keeps you in each dizzying moment. Much better than The Blair Witch Project. 4 TJ Miller does an excellent job of providing comments that are filled with both sarcasm and dread. I was rooting for him the whole time. 6. Forgetting Sarah Marshall 4 Jason Segel plays the perfect everyday schlub you want to root for, even if you have to look at his penis for a couple of minutes. 4 Segel wrote a very funny script with some great jabs at relationships and the media, but there is still an emotional anchor to the story. 4 The supporting cast from the Judd Apatow gang and various TV comedies bring lots of flavour to this already rich script. 7. Iron Man 4 Robert Downey Jr’s natural charisma makes this movie what it is. He embodies the fun and emotional sides of Tony Stark. 4 Surprising great work from Gwyneth Paltrow, with some fun sexual tension. The helping robots are pretty fun too. 4 Jon Favreau does a great job of making Iron Man accessible to those who don’t know much about the superhero. 8. Frost/Nixon 4 Frank Langella is captivating as Nixon. Michael Sheen is impressive as Frost. Talk about power-house performances! 4 The interviews are a beautifully choreographed boxing match of dialogue. Not only the words but also the stares. 4 A stellar supporting cast of Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell and Kevin Bacon. It’s all about the acting people! 9. Horton Hears a Who 4 Stunning animation from Blue Sky Studios, the guys behind Ice Age. The field of clover flowers is amazing. 4 Excellent voice acting from Jim Carrey, Steve Carell and Will Arnett who make sure their antics serve the story over getting laughs. 4 Appreciate an animated film that is directed at kids without having to result to more adult situations to please older audiences. 10. Yes Man 4 A fun concept that may not be Liar, Liar worthy but works well, nonetheless. 4 Jim Carrey is back to form and Zooey Deschanel holds her own with a fun performance. Nice chemistry. 4 Plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, especially during a scene that involves a favourite Third Eye Blind song.

TOP 10 TV SHOWS of 2008

I’ve talked about most of these shows before. I thought this year I’d list three stand out episodes of 2008 that prove why they belong on this list. Download them or watch them online and see what I mean. 1. Lost 4 The Constant (Season 4 : Episode 5) Time travel jolts! 4 The Shape of Things to Come (S4:E9) Ben in the Desert! 4 There’s No Place Like Home, Part III (S4:E14) Sun screams! 2. The Office 4 The Dinner Party (S4:E9) Terrible charades! 4 Business Ethics (S5:E2) Battlestar Galactica talk! 4 Customer Survey (S5:E6) Trial phone call! 3. Pushing Daises 4 Circus Circus (S2:E2) Talking mimes! 4 Bad Habits (S2:E3) Religious fun! 4 Comfort Food (S2:E8) A vengeful Olive! 4. Chuck 4 Chuck vs the Seduction (S2:E2) Smarmy John Laroquette! 4 Chuck vs Tom Sawyer (S2:E5) Asteroid Kill Screen! 4 Chuck vs the Ex (S2:E6) Mouth-to-Mouth! 5. Mad Men 4 The Gold Violin (S2:E7) You’re garbage! 4 A Night to Remember (S2:E8) Joan’s disappointment! 4 Meditations in an Emergency (S2:E13) Pete now knows! 6. 30 Rock 4 MILF Island (S2:E11) What a reality show! 4 Believe in the Stars (S3:E2) Oprah and a Princess Leia costume! 4 Reunion (S3:E5) Liz’s flashbacks! 7. How I Met Your Mother 4 Sandcastles in the Sand (S3:E16) Cheezy music video! 4 Intervention (S4:E4) English accent intervention! 4 The Naked Man (S4:E9) The poses! 8. House 4 House’s Head (S4:E15) The piecing together! 4 Birthmarks (S5:E4) Road trip! 4 Last Restort (S5:E9) Hostage situation! 9. Eli Stone 4 Something to Save (S1:E6) Defending Eli! 4 Waiting for the Day (S1:E12) Golden Gate Bridge collapse! 4 The Path (S2:E1) Eil cured?! 10. Dexter 4 The Lion Sleeps Tonight (S3:E3) Protecting his young! 4 Go Your Own Way (S3:E10) Miguel yelling!

4 I Had a Dream (S3:E11) Trunk of the car!

There you go. Hope you enjoyed the lists. Did your favourites make it on my list? What's in your top ten? Feel free to let me know. Happy New Year!

Film: Valkyrie

STARRING: Tom Cruise (Lions for Lambs, The Last Samurai); Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Pirates 2 & 3); Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton, Batman Begins)
DIRECTOR: Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, Superman Returns, X-Men)
WRITERS: Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) & Nathan Alexander
PLOT: The dramatic account of an unsuccessful plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler at the height of WWII.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 I was pretty excited to see Singer and McQuarrie together again. I love The Usual Suspects. I didn’t expect the same quality of story but was ready for an nicely complex conspiracy film. I thought they delivered. It was well put together and nicely paced. I knew the ending (knowing that they failed their mission) but I was intrigued by the first attempt and how far these soldiers got with the second try. It was a good time at the movies. Wonderfully shot and choreographed.
4 It was interesting to see serious turns for some of the supporting actors who I’m usually accustomed to seeing in comedic roles. Bill Nighy often has roles with tongues placed firmly in cheek. He was highly effective as the waffling General Olbricht. Eddie Izzard is known for his comedy specials, in Valkyrie, he is almost unrecognizable as General Fellgiebel, an officer who reluctantly helps out. Nice job men.
4 I don’t know why people have such a problem with Tom Cruise. Sure, he did some stupid things a couple of years back, but he’s a darn good actor. I don’t know why people were giggling during previews when they saw his Claus von Stauffenberg character wearing an eye patch. He inhabited the role well. I don’t know what audiences are expecting from Cruise.
4 Tom Wilkinson continues to blow me away with his acting skill. He brings so much depth and gravitas to his roles. He can play intelligent, ruthless roles so well. I’m glad this film was filled with high quality actors. On that note, I wish Kenneth Branagh was more in the movie. He was gone far too soon.
4 The end of The Usual Suspects has this beautifully sound edited scene that goes through snippets from Verbal’s story. I don’t know if editor John Ottman is to be credited for that. In Valkyrie, there is this wonderfully sound edited scene a top of the film, where the audience hears the German language morph into English so we can understand what is being said. It’s smartly done and makes the audience aware that while we may hear English, German is being spoken and written throughout the film. A simple, yet clever, concept that works beautifully.

RECOMMENDATION
See it in the Theatre
(It’s a fun time at the movies, though the
content probably won’t interest younger people.)

COMING SOON
Film review of Revolutionary Road

Film: Doubt

STARRING: Meryl Streep (Devil Wears Prada, Lions for Lambs); Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote, Charlie Wilson’s War); Amy Adams (Junebug, Enchanted)
DIRECTOR: John Patrick Shanley (Joe vs the Volcano)
WRITER: John Patrick Shanley (Congo, Alive, Joe vs the Volcano)
PLOT: A nun confronts a priest after suspecting him sexually abusing a student.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman give power-house performances. Not only when they are yelling at each other but also in the quiet times. Streep’s glances, rolling eyeballs and stern demeanor are chilling; way more than her Prada role. Hoffman’s facial expressions leave you guessing and truly instills doubt. Watch the film to revel in their talent.
4 The supporting actors are no slouches either. Amy Adams often plays happy individuals who seem a little too naïve. She fits perfectly in this cast as the nun who brings up the charges, and Adams holds her own with Streep and Hoffman. Viola Davis (Law & Order: SVU, Jesse Stone) gives a remarkable performance as the black student’s mother. She is only in about ten minutes of the film but her emotions are on her sleeve as she discusses the issue with Streep’s Sister Aloysius. It’s a great scene to watch.
4 The dialogue is fantastic. The quick paced interchanges mixed with accusatory stares pull you into each scene. The writing is fantastic. I would have loved to see the play on Broadway, the following observation explains why.
4 John Patrick Shanley can write but he’s a terrible director. There was no rhyme or reason to a lot of the shots in the film. He did okay with his high and low angles but made too much use of the Dutch angle (usually 45 degrees). The Dutch angle is used to create uneasiness and tension. The dialogue does plenty of that, so we don’t need to be beaten over the head with a shot that takes us completely out of the scene. Amateur hour. Also there’s this feather scene which is poorly put together. The movie should have opened with the scene so that when is gets referenced, the audience could remember the opening shot’s significance. This way it was done here was lame. Again, amateur hour. Stick to the writing Shanley.
4 The music was odd in Doubt. For many of the scenes, there was no soundtrack (much like a play), but every now and then you could hear hymns in the background. For most of the time this effect worked well. Sadly, the last scene squandered its subtlety. 'The First Noel' is played over the final sequence which is severely misplaced. 'It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas' or 'Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring' would have been a bolder choice.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for the DVD
(Terrible visuals but the acting is compelling)

COMING SOON
Film review of Valkyrie