Driving home this evening, I heard Usher's "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" and it got me thinking. Whenever I hear that song, it makes me want to dance. And not just my normal little sway from side to side dancing, but really dance. My senior year of college, my roommate Kim and I were regulars at a dance club on Saturday nights where they played 80s music. We'd go, order a couple of waters, and dance our asses off for about 4 hours straight and it. was. awesome. Every once in a while, I'd catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and, ignoring all of the arm flailing happening with my body, all I saw was a shit-eating grin on a super happy girl. I miss dancing, and I want to rectify this. Like, now. So, I searched around for a place where I could take some dance classes near my house, and wouldn't you know it, a place exists. It is reasonably priced for unlimited classes, and just looking at it for a few minutes tonight, I can already see a few classes that might fit into my schedule of availability and coverage for Anna (oddly enough, I've also really been wanting to find a dance class for Anna to take once she turns two- thinking she'll love it!). The place is called Abby Bella Dance Studio and there are locations near my house. I'm really interested in the actual dance classes, but also curious to try the fitness dance and yoga/pilates classes as well.
With all of those positives, you're probably now wondering why the name of this post says that I might dance. Well, here's the problem- I'm scared shitless. I've been mocked for my awkwardness my whole life, and while I can usually suck it up and just bust a move, I'm worried that in a dance studio situation that I might have a panic attack and chicken out. I hate that I feel this way, and I'm pretty sure this is an even bigger sign that I need to do this, but I'm all jittery even thinking about it. Never feeling comfortable moving in front of people has held me back from pursuing so many things in life. It's amazing how many times I've performed in my life, when you think about the absolute paralysis I feel when I feel other people's eyes on me. I'm wondering how many people will be shocked to read this, and how many of you will say you're not surprised. Have I been fooling anyone?
Long story short, I want to do this, and I'm posting this blog to try and hold myself accountable. Putting this out into the world means that I can't just talk myself out of this with some lame excuse like I do for most things I want to pursue. I really, really need to get myself into shape, and I'd like to lose the rest of my baby weight. I want to feel healthier than I currently do, and I know I always feel better about myself when I'm in a good routine. I eat better when I am committed to physical activities, as I know that good food equals good energy. I am more productive professionally and personally when I workout routinely, as the endorphins help to carry me and motivate me to move with a greater spring in my step. I am a better wife and mother when I get that extra boost of happiness, and I think dance would be a great way to do that. I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and dog gonnit- people like me (just seeing if you are paying attention). The money is a little worrisome, as I'll need to budget an extra monthly expense if this is going to work, but I bet I can do that by eating healthier, as that usually means less fast food and more meals at home. Hell- maybe I'll even start planning weekly menus, an idea I've been wanting to steal from my sister-in-law for about a year.
So what do you think folks: can I do this? Are you going to be up for reading about my progress, and, possibly, my embarrassing escapades? I mean- come on now. One of the classes is called Cardio Striptease- there is no way I'm going to get through that one without falling over, or being asked to leave due to incessant nervous giggling. Can this awkward girl with a double-jointed elbow finally feel comfortable moving when other people are watching? Will I stick with this, unlike so many other failed attempts to get into shape? Will Kevin Bacon show up to teach me how to dance, while "Let's Hear it For the Boy" plays all around us? I suppose only time will tell. If you'd like to help, be sure to ask me how the whole dancing thing is going whenever you see me/call me, or join me in a class if you think you might enjoy it. In fact, bring a video camera- this may be my best shot at ending up with a hilarious viral video that Tosh.0 will want to give me a web redemption for. See- if I make fun of myself first, it won't hurt as badly when other people do. Humor as self-defense mechanism to the rescue! Sigh. Ok- off to bed for now. Remember (and remind me): "when you get the choice to sit it out or dance: dance."
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
The One Where Shana Can't Sleep, So Figures She Should Write
Fair warning- it's been 4 days since I was able to sleep through the night, which means this may be long and totally rambling. For those of you not following my Facebook feed (read: whining status updates), I have a nasty ear infection that has turned into a ruptured ear drum. Personally, I'm pretty sure it's something more serious, as my doctor was a bit dismissive and didn't even listen when I mentioned I've had two surgeries with this ear previously and the fact that this seems to be more than just your typical infection, but I guess time will tell. I'm on antibiotics, and have pain meds that don't work, along with ear drops that aren't even going into my ear, because it's so swollen and full of (ick factor) drainage. I'm tired, I'm cranky, and I'm probably a little smelly. With that lovely introduction out of the way, here are the things on my mind this evening:
1. Oscars. I watched Winter's Bone tonight, thinking it might be the kind of movie that puts me to sleep. For those unaware, this movie is nominated for several Oscars, but it's the kind of movie I'd file under J for "just not my style." Are the performances great? Yup. Did it tell the story it wanted to tell, while staying believable, coherent, and engaging? Sure. Is it something I will ever watch again? Nope. It did, however, complete my Best Picture movie-watching stage of the season, as I have now seen all 10. Yay me. I have closed out several other categories along the way, but there's no way I'll see every movie nominated this year. I only did that once, when I had access to Academy screenings. Man, that was a good year (thanks Tarrah!). Since I can't go into detail on every category, let's stick with the top ones. I'm not claiming to be any sort of expert at picking winners, as I actually haven't won an Oscar pool in years. Unfortunately, seeing all of the movies makes it really hard for me to pick the winners. I used to do much better when I would just follow the hype and articles and go with what seemed politically safe (by which I mean wins like Denzel Washington for Training Day- not the best performance of the year, but an award given, in my opinion, for his culmination of work and because Julia Roberts stated, "I just can't live in a world where Denzel Washington doesn't have an Oscar," or something like that). Yes, the Academy, like any large group of people, can be hard to predict, and downright infuriating, although any subjective contest is going to be like that. There are some wins from the past that sting me more than most (seriously- Three Six Mafia has an Oscar and I don't?!?), some that bug me, but I have come to live with (The Hurt Locker...come on now), and ones that just boggle the mind (Um, love ya Judi Dench, but you were in Shakespeare in Love for like 2 minutes...and why that movie one over Saving Private Ryan, I'll never understand). Ahh.. there I go, getting off topic. I'm sure you're all dying to know what I think about THIS year's Oscars, right? Well, if you're still reading this, you must be (or you're super bored at work), so here you go:
Best Picture: My pick to win? The King's Speech. This is what I believe will win, and what I actually hope will win. Rarely do these two distinctions line up. Remarkably, I really enjoyed almost all of the 10 nominees this year. This is remarkable because the Academy tends to have a large crop of sad, depressing movies in the bunch, and frankly, I'm more about the happy stuff. If you look at the movies nominated this year, you may notice a common thread- they are (mostly) uplifting. Let's look at them one by one, shall we?
The King's Speech- At it's core, a movie about friendship and love. I really, really enjoyed this from start to finish, but I will admit a slight unexplainable obsession with the British Royal family (seriously- where did this come from?). Colin Firth- love him. Always have. When I first saw Bridget's Jones' Diary, I about packed my bags to move to England to find my own Mark Darcy. I think he also delivers the line of the movie when he takes forever to get out the line "Timing is not my strong suit." Shit, that's brilliant. Bear in mind, I have watched Sense and Sensibility at least 100 times. This is not an exaggeration. I tell you this so that you can understand my tolerance, nee love for slow-paced, British cinema. I really didn't think The King's Speech was slow, but it might have been. I also have a weird love for all stories involving WWII, so again, totally biased opinion here. I loved it, and it seems to be gaining steam as voting comes to an end, so thinking it will take the prize.
The Social Network- Maybe I'm crazy, but I found this movie to be uplifting as well. Sure, Zuckerberg doesn't seem to be super happy at the end, or really at any point, in this movie, but it's a cautionary tale. Yeah, he's rich. Like- super rich. But, in the end, I get the feeling it all feels a little hollow knowing that a girl he respected hates him, and even creating the biggest thing since sliced bread couldn't get her to like him. Plus, he's lost his best friend, all because he trusted silly Justin Timberlake (though, to be honest, who wouldn't?). From what I'm gathering, this and King's Speech appear to be the frontrunners. They've each won a few big awards, but I think the SAG award for the cast of The King's Speech is the real telltale one here. I tried to compare and contrast these movies with Mark the other day, mostly because it's so freaking hard. Acting? Phenomenal in both. Direction? Excellent- nothing that I would change. Writing? I would possibly give the upper hand to The Social Network here, as I love me a fast-paced Aaron Sorkin script, but both tell their stories perfectly. Another toss up. Music? Here's where Mark and I disagree. I felt like The King's Speech, being the quieter movie, was carried more by its score, and remember feeling how the music moved me in the gaps between dialogue. Mark felt more compelled by The Social Network score, plus how cool would it be if Trent Reznor won an Oscar (shout out to all my Nine Inch Nails loving readers!)? Anyway, it seems that on most levels, The King's Speech and The Social Network are two incredibly well made films, both of which have received mass critical and box office acclaim. I think that the new voting tally system for the Oscars will come into play, but I said that last year and it turns out my Inglorius Basterds pick was off, so what the hell do I know? Either way, I think both movies are telling us this: "you gotta have friends to be happy in life...but 50 billion dollars won't hurt."
Toy Story 3: Not surprisingly, my favorite of the bunch. This movie is all about my three favorite things: love, friendship, and staying forever young. The Toy Story trilogy is one of my favorite movies series of all time, and I'm so happy to see another animated film among the Best Picture nominees. As much as Walt Disney did for animation by proving that it could be a great way to tell a story, by focusing on mostly children's stories from the start, he defined the genre (I believe), unintentionally to always be associated with kids, when really it should just be a way to tell stories without having to worry about boundaries. I really feel that we are capable of telling stories with animation that are just as engaging and relevant as live action films, and I'll point to the scene in TS3 where Andy's toys are slowly moving towards impending doom to back that argument up. Normally, you'd need to rely on dialogue to convey the kind of emotion that we see on their faces, but the intricacies of animation (with Pixar technology especially) have allowed for so much detail these days that no words are needed. I laughed, I cried, and I don't care what Mark thinks- I believe this would have been nominated even if only 5 pictures were nominated this year. Yeah, I said it.
127 Hours- I loved this movie. Honestly, I didn't think I wanted to see it, as I figured it might be slow and, er, really super gross when he has to do that whole arm thing. Then I remembered - it's a Danny Boyle film. Danny, my buddy, my pal- he wouldn't let me down, would he? No, he certainly would not. For being so limited by the story (man goes canyoning, get's stuck by boulder, SPOILER ALERT...cuts off own arm), 127 Hours remains an interesting, dare I say, exciting movie throughout, and I was absolutely sobbing to the point of convulsions by the end. Again, an uplifting movie, in the greatest sense. This one is all about the triumph of the human spirit. Aron Ralston was met with an unthinkable, by most regards impossible, decision in the cavern, and I honestly believe I could not have done what he did to survive. I don't want to give anything away, but the scene where he decides that he wants to live badly enough to do what he has to do is just phenomenal, and totally inspiring, made even more so by the presence of the song, "If I Rise," sung during the movie by Dido, unaccompanied. This, by the way, is my pick for Best Original Song, in case you were wondering. It's used so well in the movie that Mark didn't even remember it, and thought it was only played over the end credits. To me, that means that it did its job perfectly- it moved the scene to where it needed to be without being obtrusive. Besides that, it perfectly sums up the theme of the movie, which is all about choosing to live. I don't care what's going on in your life- get the freaking boulder off your arm and LIVE. By the way, kudos to James Franco. If it weren't for Colin Firth starring in a movie about a stuttering, reluctant royal on the brink of war, you'd probably have yourself an Oscar this year.
True Grit- Ahh, The Dude in a role made famous by the Duke. If you've seen this movie, you were blown away by one thing- the little girl. Hallie Steinfeld- you are so freaking awesome in this movie (I doubt she's reading this, but just in case). This is my favorite Coen Brothers movie, by far. Either I'm just looking for the upside in everything or a recession ridden country is clamoring for lighter fare, but I also thought this movie was uplifting, and about friendship, more than anything else. The relationship between Rooster and Mattie is one of unlikely respect, and surprising tenderness. I've seen the original, and actually enjoy both versions, in different ways. Jeff Bridges is just so freaking grizzly in this movie, as he should be, and the supporting cast really gives this one so much depth.
Inception- Honestly, not really sure what this one was about. I saw it when it first came out in the theaters, and have since seen the South Park spoof of it (Insheeption, anyone?), so it's hard for me to remember what the underlying thread was. I'm going to go with this- embrace reality and don't get caught up in a dream world. I won't get into my theories about whether or not the whole movie is a dream (though I think it is), but I will just classify this one as a visually stunning movie that doesn't necessarily need to make sense to be enjoyed. I love Chris Nolan, think he got robbed out of a nomination, and hope that he can dry his tears with some hunded dolla bills from the massive box office success from this and some of his other films.
Black Swan- Ballerinas are crazy. I'm tempted to leave it at that, but of course, I can't. Natalie Portman is awesome in this, and I really, really hope she wins. If they give it to Annette Bening over her, my remote is going straight at my TV, as this would be one of the aforementioned politically charged wins, meant to make up for the fact that Annette Bening has never won an Oscar, despite delivering consistently awesome performances throughout her career (more on this later). Other than Natalie's crazy awesome (or awesome, crazy) performance, this is another one of those movies that I don't need to watch again. It freaked me out, which isn't hard to do, and made me glad that I'm not a dancer, although perfectionism knows no boundaries. It's well done, and well acted, and it really, really made me hate cutting Anna's fingernails. This would be one of those movies that it's hard to find a happy theme in, unless you consider "don't go fucking crazy," an uplifting message. Black Swan is really just an in depth look at what happens when we let our darker side out, which I find ironic, since Natalie seemed so against the Dark Side in those 3 horrible Star Wars prequels. But, I digress. Go Natalie!
The Kids Are Alright- Eh. This is one of those movies that is just...fine. It has solid performances by every cast member, it seems to be well put together, and it has a topic that is important, given the debates around same sex marriage rights. I believe if it weren't for that last bit, this wouldn't be nominated for any major awards, as other than being about a hot topic, it's just...alright. Don't get me wrong- a story about the children of a same sex couple wanting to find out who the man who donated their sperm is intriguing, but I just didn't feel like the movie went anywhere. It's not bad by any means. In fact, the performances are good enough to carry it and make it enjoyable. I just didn't feel engaged enough by the plot. Wow- that sounded ridiculous, but it's really how I felt. I am 100% in favor of same sex couples having the right to be married and to enjoy all of the benefits of couplehood that straight couples may, including raising children, so it's not like I heard what this was about and turned up my nose. I guess I just needed a little something more. Annette Bening is very good in this, but I wasn't wowed, by any means. I really feel like her losing to Hilary Swank the year of American Beauty/Boys Don't Cry was the best chance she's had thus far of winning a truly-deserved Oscar, but it's hard to argue with Swank taking home the gold that night, no matter how much I love her in American Beauty (and that's a lot). Hmm- a theme for this one... You know, I guess it's all about family, loyalty, and realizing you don't need to look outside of yourself or your family to find any sort of completion.
The Fighter- Hello, Christian Bale. I've loved Christian Bale since the first time I watched Newsies. Oh, my lovely Jack Kelly- you've grown up so nicely, haven't you? Sure, you seem to be a temperamental a-hole in real life, but the performances you deliver are generally fantastic, and this is no different. Then there's Melissa Leo. Man, I wish I could argue with people who say she's going to win over Hallie Steinfeld, but she's just so freaking good! Honestly, I didn't even recognize her, and I'm one of 10 people in the world who sat all the way through Frozen River, for which she was nominated a couple year's back. Throughout the movie, I was wracking my brain trying to place her, and remember thinking, "if this lady isn't actually a chain-smoking, crazy mass-hole mother, she deserves an Oscar." Damn. You may notice I'm only talking about the actors here. This would be because I actually thought this movie was a little long. To be fair, it was the second movie I watched that night, and that may have skewed my perspective (it probably did). But, when I walked out of The Fighter, I was sure I had just spent 3 hours in the theater, which of course, I did not. That usually means, to me, anyway, that something could have been cut, besides Mark Wahlberg's face (seriously- so hard to watch him take a beating!). This movie is all about 2nd chances, and I'm all for that. I liked the story, and loved the performances; maybe I should give it another try as the first movie of the night?
Winter's Bone- See above. That's all I've got to say about that.
Ok- so that was Best Picture. If you're still with me, you probably have realized that I covered the big categories already, except for Direction. This is because I actually have no idea what to choose here. Some people say that Best Picture and Best Director should always match up. They haven't always, and I believe that sometimes, they shouldn't Can you have an amazing film with bad direction? No. However, could one movie be the best of the year, yet another be directed better? I believe so. If that weren't the case, they wouldn't have split the categories. All that being said, I'm really not sure where go to here. Oddly, I feel like I want to go with David Fincher (The Social Network), but I'm just not sure why. Maybe I think they'll give it to Fincher as a consolation for choosing The King's Speech for Best Picture? Like, "hey buddy- we think you're cool, too, we just liked this other movie a little better. I mean, the King has a speech impediment- what were we supposed to do?"
2. Like a man who has eaten too much cheese, there is no number 2. I started out this blog saying I would talk about what's on my mind, and began with a number 1, and though I hate to leave loose ends, I really don't have anything else to talk about. I'm hoping to fall asleep soon, although every time I lean my head over, I want to cry. Maybe I'll just re-read this blog and hope it puts me to sleep? Nah- I'm way to riveting for that. ;)
PS- I just re-read this blog, hoping to become drowsy. No dice. In fact, I left myself wanting more. Jk.
1. Oscars. I watched Winter's Bone tonight, thinking it might be the kind of movie that puts me to sleep. For those unaware, this movie is nominated for several Oscars, but it's the kind of movie I'd file under J for "just not my style." Are the performances great? Yup. Did it tell the story it wanted to tell, while staying believable, coherent, and engaging? Sure. Is it something I will ever watch again? Nope. It did, however, complete my Best Picture movie-watching stage of the season, as I have now seen all 10. Yay me. I have closed out several other categories along the way, but there's no way I'll see every movie nominated this year. I only did that once, when I had access to Academy screenings. Man, that was a good year (thanks Tarrah!). Since I can't go into detail on every category, let's stick with the top ones. I'm not claiming to be any sort of expert at picking winners, as I actually haven't won an Oscar pool in years. Unfortunately, seeing all of the movies makes it really hard for me to pick the winners. I used to do much better when I would just follow the hype and articles and go with what seemed politically safe (by which I mean wins like Denzel Washington for Training Day- not the best performance of the year, but an award given, in my opinion, for his culmination of work and because Julia Roberts stated, "I just can't live in a world where Denzel Washington doesn't have an Oscar," or something like that). Yes, the Academy, like any large group of people, can be hard to predict, and downright infuriating, although any subjective contest is going to be like that. There are some wins from the past that sting me more than most (seriously- Three Six Mafia has an Oscar and I don't?!?), some that bug me, but I have come to live with (The Hurt Locker...come on now), and ones that just boggle the mind (Um, love ya Judi Dench, but you were in Shakespeare in Love for like 2 minutes...and why that movie one over Saving Private Ryan, I'll never understand). Ahh.. there I go, getting off topic. I'm sure you're all dying to know what I think about THIS year's Oscars, right? Well, if you're still reading this, you must be (or you're super bored at work), so here you go:
Best Picture: My pick to win? The King's Speech. This is what I believe will win, and what I actually hope will win. Rarely do these two distinctions line up. Remarkably, I really enjoyed almost all of the 10 nominees this year. This is remarkable because the Academy tends to have a large crop of sad, depressing movies in the bunch, and frankly, I'm more about the happy stuff. If you look at the movies nominated this year, you may notice a common thread- they are (mostly) uplifting. Let's look at them one by one, shall we?
The King's Speech- At it's core, a movie about friendship and love. I really, really enjoyed this from start to finish, but I will admit a slight unexplainable obsession with the British Royal family (seriously- where did this come from?). Colin Firth- love him. Always have. When I first saw Bridget's Jones' Diary, I about packed my bags to move to England to find my own Mark Darcy. I think he also delivers the line of the movie when he takes forever to get out the line "Timing is not my strong suit." Shit, that's brilliant. Bear in mind, I have watched Sense and Sensibility at least 100 times. This is not an exaggeration. I tell you this so that you can understand my tolerance, nee love for slow-paced, British cinema. I really didn't think The King's Speech was slow, but it might have been. I also have a weird love for all stories involving WWII, so again, totally biased opinion here. I loved it, and it seems to be gaining steam as voting comes to an end, so thinking it will take the prize.
The Social Network- Maybe I'm crazy, but I found this movie to be uplifting as well. Sure, Zuckerberg doesn't seem to be super happy at the end, or really at any point, in this movie, but it's a cautionary tale. Yeah, he's rich. Like- super rich. But, in the end, I get the feeling it all feels a little hollow knowing that a girl he respected hates him, and even creating the biggest thing since sliced bread couldn't get her to like him. Plus, he's lost his best friend, all because he trusted silly Justin Timberlake (though, to be honest, who wouldn't?). From what I'm gathering, this and King's Speech appear to be the frontrunners. They've each won a few big awards, but I think the SAG award for the cast of The King's Speech is the real telltale one here. I tried to compare and contrast these movies with Mark the other day, mostly because it's so freaking hard. Acting? Phenomenal in both. Direction? Excellent- nothing that I would change. Writing? I would possibly give the upper hand to The Social Network here, as I love me a fast-paced Aaron Sorkin script, but both tell their stories perfectly. Another toss up. Music? Here's where Mark and I disagree. I felt like The King's Speech, being the quieter movie, was carried more by its score, and remember feeling how the music moved me in the gaps between dialogue. Mark felt more compelled by The Social Network score, plus how cool would it be if Trent Reznor won an Oscar (shout out to all my Nine Inch Nails loving readers!)? Anyway, it seems that on most levels, The King's Speech and The Social Network are two incredibly well made films, both of which have received mass critical and box office acclaim. I think that the new voting tally system for the Oscars will come into play, but I said that last year and it turns out my Inglorius Basterds pick was off, so what the hell do I know? Either way, I think both movies are telling us this: "you gotta have friends to be happy in life...but 50 billion dollars won't hurt."
Toy Story 3: Not surprisingly, my favorite of the bunch. This movie is all about my three favorite things: love, friendship, and staying forever young. The Toy Story trilogy is one of my favorite movies series of all time, and I'm so happy to see another animated film among the Best Picture nominees. As much as Walt Disney did for animation by proving that it could be a great way to tell a story, by focusing on mostly children's stories from the start, he defined the genre (I believe), unintentionally to always be associated with kids, when really it should just be a way to tell stories without having to worry about boundaries. I really feel that we are capable of telling stories with animation that are just as engaging and relevant as live action films, and I'll point to the scene in TS3 where Andy's toys are slowly moving towards impending doom to back that argument up. Normally, you'd need to rely on dialogue to convey the kind of emotion that we see on their faces, but the intricacies of animation (with Pixar technology especially) have allowed for so much detail these days that no words are needed. I laughed, I cried, and I don't care what Mark thinks- I believe this would have been nominated even if only 5 pictures were nominated this year. Yeah, I said it.
127 Hours- I loved this movie. Honestly, I didn't think I wanted to see it, as I figured it might be slow and, er, really super gross when he has to do that whole arm thing. Then I remembered - it's a Danny Boyle film. Danny, my buddy, my pal- he wouldn't let me down, would he? No, he certainly would not. For being so limited by the story (man goes canyoning, get's stuck by boulder, SPOILER ALERT...cuts off own arm), 127 Hours remains an interesting, dare I say, exciting movie throughout, and I was absolutely sobbing to the point of convulsions by the end. Again, an uplifting movie, in the greatest sense. This one is all about the triumph of the human spirit. Aron Ralston was met with an unthinkable, by most regards impossible, decision in the cavern, and I honestly believe I could not have done what he did to survive. I don't want to give anything away, but the scene where he decides that he wants to live badly enough to do what he has to do is just phenomenal, and totally inspiring, made even more so by the presence of the song, "If I Rise," sung during the movie by Dido, unaccompanied. This, by the way, is my pick for Best Original Song, in case you were wondering. It's used so well in the movie that Mark didn't even remember it, and thought it was only played over the end credits. To me, that means that it did its job perfectly- it moved the scene to where it needed to be without being obtrusive. Besides that, it perfectly sums up the theme of the movie, which is all about choosing to live. I don't care what's going on in your life- get the freaking boulder off your arm and LIVE. By the way, kudos to James Franco. If it weren't for Colin Firth starring in a movie about a stuttering, reluctant royal on the brink of war, you'd probably have yourself an Oscar this year.
True Grit- Ahh, The Dude in a role made famous by the Duke. If you've seen this movie, you were blown away by one thing- the little girl. Hallie Steinfeld- you are so freaking awesome in this movie (I doubt she's reading this, but just in case). This is my favorite Coen Brothers movie, by far. Either I'm just looking for the upside in everything or a recession ridden country is clamoring for lighter fare, but I also thought this movie was uplifting, and about friendship, more than anything else. The relationship between Rooster and Mattie is one of unlikely respect, and surprising tenderness. I've seen the original, and actually enjoy both versions, in different ways. Jeff Bridges is just so freaking grizzly in this movie, as he should be, and the supporting cast really gives this one so much depth.
Inception- Honestly, not really sure what this one was about. I saw it when it first came out in the theaters, and have since seen the South Park spoof of it (Insheeption, anyone?), so it's hard for me to remember what the underlying thread was. I'm going to go with this- embrace reality and don't get caught up in a dream world. I won't get into my theories about whether or not the whole movie is a dream (though I think it is), but I will just classify this one as a visually stunning movie that doesn't necessarily need to make sense to be enjoyed. I love Chris Nolan, think he got robbed out of a nomination, and hope that he can dry his tears with some hunded dolla bills from the massive box office success from this and some of his other films.
Black Swan- Ballerinas are crazy. I'm tempted to leave it at that, but of course, I can't. Natalie Portman is awesome in this, and I really, really hope she wins. If they give it to Annette Bening over her, my remote is going straight at my TV, as this would be one of the aforementioned politically charged wins, meant to make up for the fact that Annette Bening has never won an Oscar, despite delivering consistently awesome performances throughout her career (more on this later). Other than Natalie's crazy awesome (or awesome, crazy) performance, this is another one of those movies that I don't need to watch again. It freaked me out, which isn't hard to do, and made me glad that I'm not a dancer, although perfectionism knows no boundaries. It's well done, and well acted, and it really, really made me hate cutting Anna's fingernails. This would be one of those movies that it's hard to find a happy theme in, unless you consider "don't go fucking crazy," an uplifting message. Black Swan is really just an in depth look at what happens when we let our darker side out, which I find ironic, since Natalie seemed so against the Dark Side in those 3 horrible Star Wars prequels. But, I digress. Go Natalie!
The Kids Are Alright- Eh. This is one of those movies that is just...fine. It has solid performances by every cast member, it seems to be well put together, and it has a topic that is important, given the debates around same sex marriage rights. I believe if it weren't for that last bit, this wouldn't be nominated for any major awards, as other than being about a hot topic, it's just...alright. Don't get me wrong- a story about the children of a same sex couple wanting to find out who the man who donated their sperm is intriguing, but I just didn't feel like the movie went anywhere. It's not bad by any means. In fact, the performances are good enough to carry it and make it enjoyable. I just didn't feel engaged enough by the plot. Wow- that sounded ridiculous, but it's really how I felt. I am 100% in favor of same sex couples having the right to be married and to enjoy all of the benefits of couplehood that straight couples may, including raising children, so it's not like I heard what this was about and turned up my nose. I guess I just needed a little something more. Annette Bening is very good in this, but I wasn't wowed, by any means. I really feel like her losing to Hilary Swank the year of American Beauty/Boys Don't Cry was the best chance she's had thus far of winning a truly-deserved Oscar, but it's hard to argue with Swank taking home the gold that night, no matter how much I love her in American Beauty (and that's a lot). Hmm- a theme for this one... You know, I guess it's all about family, loyalty, and realizing you don't need to look outside of yourself or your family to find any sort of completion.
The Fighter- Hello, Christian Bale. I've loved Christian Bale since the first time I watched Newsies. Oh, my lovely Jack Kelly- you've grown up so nicely, haven't you? Sure, you seem to be a temperamental a-hole in real life, but the performances you deliver are generally fantastic, and this is no different. Then there's Melissa Leo. Man, I wish I could argue with people who say she's going to win over Hallie Steinfeld, but she's just so freaking good! Honestly, I didn't even recognize her, and I'm one of 10 people in the world who sat all the way through Frozen River, for which she was nominated a couple year's back. Throughout the movie, I was wracking my brain trying to place her, and remember thinking, "if this lady isn't actually a chain-smoking, crazy mass-hole mother, she deserves an Oscar." Damn. You may notice I'm only talking about the actors here. This would be because I actually thought this movie was a little long. To be fair, it was the second movie I watched that night, and that may have skewed my perspective (it probably did). But, when I walked out of The Fighter, I was sure I had just spent 3 hours in the theater, which of course, I did not. That usually means, to me, anyway, that something could have been cut, besides Mark Wahlberg's face (seriously- so hard to watch him take a beating!). This movie is all about 2nd chances, and I'm all for that. I liked the story, and loved the performances; maybe I should give it another try as the first movie of the night?
Winter's Bone- See above. That's all I've got to say about that.
Ok- so that was Best Picture. If you're still with me, you probably have realized that I covered the big categories already, except for Direction. This is because I actually have no idea what to choose here. Some people say that Best Picture and Best Director should always match up. They haven't always, and I believe that sometimes, they shouldn't Can you have an amazing film with bad direction? No. However, could one movie be the best of the year, yet another be directed better? I believe so. If that weren't the case, they wouldn't have split the categories. All that being said, I'm really not sure where go to here. Oddly, I feel like I want to go with David Fincher (The Social Network), but I'm just not sure why. Maybe I think they'll give it to Fincher as a consolation for choosing The King's Speech for Best Picture? Like, "hey buddy- we think you're cool, too, we just liked this other movie a little better. I mean, the King has a speech impediment- what were we supposed to do?"
2. Like a man who has eaten too much cheese, there is no number 2. I started out this blog saying I would talk about what's on my mind, and began with a number 1, and though I hate to leave loose ends, I really don't have anything else to talk about. I'm hoping to fall asleep soon, although every time I lean my head over, I want to cry. Maybe I'll just re-read this blog and hope it puts me to sleep? Nah- I'm way to riveting for that. ;)
PS- I just re-read this blog, hoping to become drowsy. No dice. In fact, I left myself wanting more. Jk.
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