"Monty Got a Raw Deal"

I haven't been doing a very great job of keeping up with my blog like I originally planned. I go through stages in which I post a lot, and then none...and then a lot again...and then none again. I'm working on it, and getting better. It's a promise I've made for myself to help with my writing. 

That being said, I'd like to dedicate this particular entry to the frickin' 81st Oscars which aired this past Sunday. Yeah, it's gonna be one of THOSE posts. 

So after making my way back to school...twice (long story short, forgot my keys, and had to go home and back again), I settled in for what I was anticipating to be a pretty bad Academy Awards ceremony. Was I proven wrong? No. It was pretty bad. 

There were a few reasons why I was suspect of the quality of this year's Oscars. The number one reason was that they were in a transition period in which they are attempting to reconfigure everything in the show. This in turn was supposed to attract a broader audience, unlike the show last year (which, in the end, was a better show than this years in my own opinion) was the lowest rated in the history of the Awards existence. Why AMPAS decided to not nominate The Dark Knight, Wall-E, Bruce Springsteen or even Miley Cyrus (for her song in Bolt...and yes, it was a good song, and by nominating her, you automatically attract the youth audience, begging their parents to let them stay up and watch Hannah Montana sing on TV!! AND as a potential added bonus, you would've had Travolta perform as well!!) I just don't understand. I guess a fairly boring film, that no one saw (The Reader) and a couple of songs from Slumdog that no one noticed deserved it more. Sure. 

Anyway, besides reconfiguring this year's ceremony, I also wasn't anticipating the show because of the way they announced they were attempting to make changes. Firstly, they commissioned a couple short films from a few different directors, which is actually a good idea...but based on the fact that AMPAS had already overlooked so many worthy films, I was not looking forward to anything else they made the final decision on anyway. With their final thoughts, I was really expecting some piece of crap totally devoid of any intention the original filmmakers had. After seeing them, that didn't happen, but I prior to the show, I was not looking forward to it.

The third and final reason I was sketchy about the whole Oscar scene was due to their out of the blue host choice, the one and only Hugh Jackman. Now do not get me wrong, I really do like Jackman, and I was cheering for him right from the first announcement that he was hosting. However, I little voice inside of me, deep down in the depths, right beside the voice that was trying to inform me that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was going to be bad (and we all know how right that voice was), was attempting to tell me that Hugh was going to be really boring. And although the voice never fully took over, I was still a little bit convinced that he wouldn't be engaging enough for the entire 3 hour+ broadcast that I was going to be sitting through.

So I got myself comfortable for the night ahead of me, and all I can say is that Hugh Jackman wasn't particularly boring...but most of the rest of the show was.

I never really pay attention to the Red Carpet pre-festivities so I didn't start to watch until the actual ceremony took place. And when I did, I was honestly not that thrown off. In fact, I was surprised how engaged I was in the opening number. Jackman did exactly what I hoped he would do. Sing a little. Dance a little. Be cheeky a little. And he was. And the "Sweded" opening totally worked. "I am Wolverine!" was just the perfect cherry on top. I was smiling by the end of it, something I was sure was not going to happen. It was really almost as good as Billy Crystal's song numbers/film parodies from all the years he hosted. Pretty soon though, I knew exactly where Jackman was going to suffer: the talking. He proved to me that you really do need a comedian to participate in the Oscar ceremony, because they have that charisma that makes the jokes work with the audience. When Hugh sat on Frank Langella's lap, I couldn't help but cringe a little at how much the whole banter thing wasn't working for him. I have decided that they should indeed ask him to host again next year, but give him a co-host. He can play straight man, while someone like...oh I dunno...Ricky Gervais (wink wink) throws out the jokes. It would cover all grounds then...and picturing it now, it would be damn entertaining. Either way, Hugh handled the big chunks just fine, but when he wasn't shmoozing with song or dance, I couldn't be bothered to laugh at his mediocre material. 

Anyway, the show kept going on a fairly sharp note actually. When I figured out how they were presenting the acting awards, I was indeed impressed with their idea to have 5 previous winners announce the nominees. That is until I realized, every single one of them was going to have a monologue praising an individual nominee. I don't know about the rest of you, but I can only stand to listen to Penelope Cruz be buttered up for so long. Anyway, it was a valiant idea, but ultimately, for me, it slowed down the entire rest of the evening. And really, it wasn't like they had the "most prestigious" previous winners either! It seemed as though the "good" ones all turned 'em down do they had to settle for Whoopi Goldberg, Angelica Huston, etc. Glad Tilda Swinton showed up though. She's great.

Luckily, as soon as I had to sit through what seemed like 10 minutes on the first category, Steve Martin and Tina Fey relieved the audience, easily earning the title of "Best Presenters of the Evening". I don't know why they didn't ask Steve to host again...I always thought he was quite funny! Hell throw Tina Fey in there as well, and I'd PAY to watch it!! Sorry, back on track...ahem...ok. So yeah, they were quite hilarious, and the way they presented the Screenplay Oscars was very well done indeed. It made me immediately miss the clips that used to accompany each acting nominee when they used to do the Academy Awards that way. I always liked that process, why'd they ever get rid of it?? LAME.

After they took 40 minutes to dish out the opening and the first 3 awards, I was predicting a 4 hour show in the least. Well, it didn't quite make it to four hours, but holy crap did it feel like it. Despite the fact that the stage looked quite exquisite, changing looks for each of the categories, moving screens playing a large part in the look of it all, I couldn't stand to deal with co-presenters, giving out 3 to 4 categories a piece!! I mean, I can only stand Sarah Jessica Parker's face for so long. If she had presented one more award, I probably would have had the urge to mount her and race her in the Kentucky Derby...get it?? Cuz she looks like a horse...

The Baz Luhrmann musical number was well done, albeit managed to incorporate more Zac Efron than anyone was willing to handle. What was the deal with him being such a huge part of the show anyway?? Performer. Presenter. And featured prominently in the "Romantic Movies of 2008" montage for High School Musical 3. Yeah. I don't get it either.

Beyoncé did alright, but I'm still confused over the reasoning for them to have chosen Beyoncé to perform at the Oscars in the first place. I think you could have chosen someone else who has a little more prominent relevance to the industry itself. Hell Anne Hathaway was GREAT in the opening number!! She proved she could sing, bring her in there!! At least then, maybe we would have seen some chemistry for Hugh to channel!! 

I also wasn't such a huge fan of the "musical" songs they chose in the medley. I think we have some better contributions than any song from High School Musical 3. It was funny seeing Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper perform together again though...considering they are no longer a couple, and had a fairly rough break up supposedly. Don't even ask me why they were there (same with Efron and Vanessa Hudgens) because it took away from the overall spectacle of the show. Just saying. 

By this point in the show, I had been doing pretty well in the Oscar pool actually. I only had two wrong answers, and that was only because I was anticipating SOME sort of surprises. Apparently I'd be wrong. Had I chose all the frontrunners that I knew prior to this, I would have kicked ass. Alas, I went with my gut and decided that "there are always a couple 'oh my goodness, no way!' picks, so I went that route. Mistake. As far as the winners went though, it's an absolute travesty that Wall-E went home empty handed in the Song and Sound categories. There is NO way, the two Slumdog songs were better than "Down to Earth". Or that ANY film had better Sound Effects than the Pixar masterpiece as well. It's unheard of. 

And while we're at it, why John Legend singing a Peter Gabriel song!? They couldn't fine someone who at least sounded a LITTLE similar to him!? Sting?? Phil Collins?? Or maybe AMPAS could be a little less anal, and have GIVEN GABRIEL THE FIVE MINUTES IT TOOK TO SING IT HIMSELF!! The Once performance from last year was one of the most memorable from last year's ceremony...why would you take that completely out of this year's show!? And you only had THREE songs compared to the FIVE last year!? DOUBLE LAME!!

Okay, I'm going to stop this before I start going on ever more tangents than I already have. I'll just wrap it up by saying this: the show this year, seemed to carry on much longer than previous years have. There was a definite lack of closeness that I felt for the show in the past, and because of that I felt completely disconnected and uncaring. A couple shocks add for better TV, but alas there was none. Even the most enduring moments that normally make the Oscars so personal (the Honorary Awards, the In Memorium Montage, etc.) felt rushed, or done wrong. I liked having Eddie Murphy present Jerry Lewis with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, but it was there and gone and forgotten so quickly. When I think back, it was a very nice moment, but it was just placed in such a time slot that I was already bored. Then of course, the In Memorium montage was ruined by swooping camera shots and Queen Latifah taking away from the honor and sadness we were supposed to feel for each individual. They are mighty lucky they got it right for Paul Newman, otherwise I was going to crack some skulls. (And yes, they got it so right for him, that I indeed shed a tear or two). 

Bottom line: the show this year showed the potential to be phenomenal, but in the end...I was presented with one of the most boring cermonies in recent memory. 

But P.S., even though she didn't win, how amazing did Amy Adams look?? And Anne Hathaway. TOTAL babe-ocity right there. 

"Well I wonder what it's like to be a Supehero."

Make your own hero. This is my guy. I didn't get to name him (they do that for you after you've chosen all his stuff) but I kinda like it. 

http://www.cpbintegrated.com/theherofactory/

Things That I Love Today: Inglourious Basterds Trailer

I have very little to say about this, except that I cannot explain my excitement for this movie now. At first I had a little butterfly of doubt in my stomach, but now?? Well, when you have Brad Pitt demanding "Nat-zee scalps" you have a damn good movie from where I'm sitting.

Rant: Why Don't I Try??

So I'm literally sitting here, listening to music, and have come to a very serious conclusion. I don't actually try at doing anything I would normally be good at doing. Of course I'd been aware of this on some level all ready, because I've been told that from every single teacher that's ever had the pleasure of having me as their wonderful student. I came to this conclusion this way:

I decided to search the lyrics of a song that started to play, so I did. As the song played, I read the lyrics...and although the song had played so many times over that I knew most of the words anyway, it was the first time I actually thought about what the song was talking about. Like, I had never been aware what the songs message/story was until I actually tried to figure it out. This isn't even the first time this has happened. It happens all the time!! Unless I am concentrating on what the song is saying, I don't really clue in as to what the purpose of the song is. I don't try to figure it out.

This is the same for everything though, not just music. I don't analyze movies unless it is my intent going into it to sit there and try to figure it out. It's true. It's not like its difficult for me to do that either, but I don't do it every time, because, well...I'm not really sure. You can add books to that list as well. I am an English major, and yet I don't ever pay close enough attention to the crap they make me read because I'm more focused on just getting it done and finished (when I actually choose to read what they give me) as opposed to really taking it in. 

I have decided that this is a very serious problem actually. Its not hard in the sense that I have difficulty analyzing things, just getting myself to focus on the interpretation and getting done is what I need to improve. 

For someone who thrives on pop-culture, this sure is a massive downer of a realization. 

"Wouldn't it be great, if no one ever got offended?"

I hate instances where I come off as rude when I don't intend to be. It happened twice to me today that as soon as I left whatever person, I felt as though I came off as a dick. I don't like when that happens. If I am intending to snub the person, then that is a different story, but when I'm tired, or late, or preoccupied and just completely zone out on what's happening until its too late, I hate when I do that to myself. Its inevitable, I just am disappointed with myself when that happens. 

"Try a Little Tenderness"

What the hell is the point of having this blog if I'm not even gonna write in it?? 

That's been bugging me...I refrain from posting things on here simply because I don't feel like I need to share specific things with "the blogging world"...well y'know what?? I don't need to do this for anyone. Who am I trying to impress?? No one... so this should really be for me. 

That's it.

This blog is now strictly for me...you can read at your leisure, but this blog is for me. And that's all. I simply need an outlet to process my thoughts, and since I am normally the only one who cares about them anyway, I hereby deem this for no one but myself. 

...so there. 

Rant: Why Susan Bunch is Maybe the Most Irritating TV Character Ever

Alright. I am in no means a television historian, or proven expert on the subject of bad TV characters. However, I have seen every single Friends episode numerous times over, and can quote most of them at any given time of the day. So, as far as being a Friends expert goes, I think I can at least be considered something close to that. 

So one of the very first episode's in the series came on last night, and it is one that has always, ALWAYS irritated me to no end. In this episode ("The One With the Sonogram at the End") the audience is introduced to both Ross' lesbian ex-wife Carol, and her new lover, Ms. Susan Bunch. Its really rather harmless, the first encounter, having Ross understandably be uncomfortable around his former true love's new flame, so at first, she's just there to do what she does best: annoy. 

Eventually though, after we all learn that Carol is pregnant with Ross' child, Susan suddenly takes a turn for the bitchiness hills during the first sonogram. Up until now, as the audience understands it, the baby that is going to be introduced, is Ross and Carol's. However, when the task of naming the child is brought up, Carol reveals that it will be "Marlon for a boy, and Minnie for a girl." Then, Ross pipes up, suggesting Julia. Carol, ponders this for a moment, but before she can answer, Susan intervenes, rather forcefully. "We agreed on Minnie."

Wait. Let's back the crazy train up a second. 

How exactly is this decision within the authority of Susan to make?? I mean, she has absolutely nothing to do with the child's conception, why should she have a say in how the baby should be named. Like, don't get me wrong, had the baby been conceived when she and Carol had already been a couple, then yes, she should have a say. But in that case, it would have meant that Carol was cheating on her with Ross, and they wouldn't be a couple anyway. But, that is not what happened...in fact it's the exact opposite. 

Ross was the one being cheated on by Carol, and we presume the baby was developed during one of the final nights they were together before she revealed her lesbianism to him in the first place. This situation brings me back to my original point of how exactly this gives Susan any sort of opinion as to what the name of ROSS and CAROL's baby will be named!?!?

It doesn't stop just at this episode though. You get Susan's interference later on in the series as well. She continues to insist that this baby is just as much hers as it is anyone else's. No. I beg to differ. Did she provide the uterus for the child?? No. Did she contribute the sperm?? Not so much. Does this not mean that the baby is a little bit more Ross' than hers?? You bet your ass it does. So as far as naming the baby anything she wants (which happens at least three or four more times in the series) or taking over the duties of involved parent during the birthing process, she should really just back the truck up, because it's Ross' kid there, NOT hers!! Actually, probably the most annoying thing she ever did was attempt to convince them that the baby should have her last name as well!! I mean, they were actually considering leaving Gellar out of the child's name and giving it Willick-Bunch as a last name!! How INSANE is THAT!? 

Listen, I think that she can be as involved as she wants in the raising of the child, being Carol's new life-partner, but Ben (what they eventually agree on as the baby's name) was conceived when Ross and Carol were still a couple, and thus, is THEIR kid. That's all I'm saying, and that's why Susan Bunch is one of the most irritating characters in any show I have ever watched. She just doesn't throw in the towel when everyone (except apparently Carol) is aware of her blatant insanity. 

And that's my dumb rant for the day.