The Year That Was Film

Yep, it's time for me to catch up to the rest of the world. I watched the Oscar nominee announcements live and I have to say that this past year was truly a great year for film. Of course, when the geeks took home the pennant with a clean sweep in 2003 (don't fuck with Frodo), I was ecstatic. This year, drama is the name of the game. So here are the nominated movies (in various categories, not just Best Picture) that I STILL HAVEN'T SEEN!
1. Brokeback Mountain
2. Syriana
3. Capote
4. Transamerica
5. Mrs. Henderson Presents
6. Junebug
7. Hustle and Flow (Best Surprise of the Morning - Terrance Howard for Best Actor)
8. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

Both "Murderball" and "March of the Penguins" were nominated for Best Documentary. I'm bummed that "Mad Hot Ballroom" got shut out. My vote is for the furry little guys!

RANDOM: Is there a reason why Cat Power is saturating the media? Album reviews is almost every major entertainment magazine, interviews, a guest spot on Subterranean...I've loved her music for many years now. I'm excited to get the new album (again with the me catching up to the rest of the world) because there must be something about "The Greatest" that is out of this world. Anyone care to comment?

Behold the Raconteurs

Remember a time
when all was not fine
and up from the dingy sewers
came four lousy theives
who flourished like trees
Behold the Raconteurs...

Thanks to Sultan and Big Matt for the heads up!

Cool things...

1. Drinking games - yes, I've been out of college for some years now, but during that time I played very few drinking games. I played two last night - man, I missed out on a ton of Saturday nights!

2. Dating on Demand - The ONLY reason to get Comcast cable. It's fueling my next video project - and you're ALL going to be part of it. You'll find out soon enough.

3. Fashion in 2006 - Yesterday, I bought my first Delia's purchase in years and I FOUND MY BROWN BOOTS. Time to strut.

4. Jimmy Kimmel - why? Because this coming Wednesday, Ron and I having tickets to the Wednesday night show. Holy Best!

5. PBR - but if and only if it is served ice cold and in a bottle. No bullshit.

6. Steve Carrell - I can totally see myself having a meal with him. Amazingly hilarious and a 'normal guy' to boot!

7. Cleaning my apartment - like the weight of the world is off my shoulders. Very theraputic.

8. "Love Monkey" - High Fidelity, but not a record store. Snappy dialouge and great music reference througout. And did anyone else catch the Monroe, Michigan reference from the first episode? Smerigan hometown represent!

9. Check out this video of Trent Reznor (on lead vocals) in his old band, Option 30. Slightly embarassing, but so best. I can't even hip-thrust like that. Isn't he adorable???

Number ten is up to you - off to the WAB now...mmmmmmmmBLOODY MARY!

Love Monkey say what?

Did anyone see the premiere of "Love Monkey?" I missed out on all that was Ed, so I guess this is like my second chance. Let me know if I should add it to the DVR schedule.

And for those who have DVR/Tivo/related technology, when you watch television in 'real time,' do commercial breaks frustrate the hell out of you?

Day One Complete

The Fellowship has been broken and Gollum is still after Frodo and Sam. Orlando Bloom is still the hottest elf on the planet and Gandalf will return as the most awesome wizard of all time.

We started the night of with "Ringers: Lord of the Fans." I expected it to be more in the vein of "Trekkies", but it was more on the cultural significance of LOTR books from the 1960s on. It meandered too much, didn't have much structure and had actual "reinactments" of the 1960s hippie culture and 1970s culture. Oh, and if you didn't know, slacker kids in tie dye were the first people to use the IntraWeb. Ridiculous - but still a good way to start off the evening.

After a 30-min circulation break, "The Fellowship of the Ring" was completed. I haven't watched these movies since last year's marathon so I had a fresh perspective on the film. I forgot how brilliant these movies were. I know there are people who will completely disagree, but that's okay.

Gandalf just fought the Belrog and now Frodo and Sam are about to meet up with Gollum for the first time. "The Two Towers" has begun. More as this nerdfest continues...

Lord of the Movie Marathons

And so begins our annual Lord of the Rings EXTENDED EDITION marathon. Go big or go home. Updates from the field as our agents make themselves available. No doubt Middle Earth will be saved and many a hobbit will dance and drink and rejoice. More as this story develops...

TV will rot your brain.

24 makes me want to have a heart attack. I sweat and I have palpatations and I say 'Jack, what are you going to do next? THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN GET OUT OF THIS.' Yet, he does. This season has taken off sprinting, running circles around past seasons. Granted, I skipped out on season four, but I can't remember being this engrossed since season one. Well done, Keifer. But, admit it, don't you miss the Lost Boys? They're worms, Michael!!!

Did you hear how Apple ripped off The Postal Service? Check out Ben Gibbard's statement regarding the new iMac commercial (1/19/06 - A Note From Ben) on their homepage. Just coincidence that both projects share the same director? Recycled creativity doesn't count as creativity! Check this out, then go back and watch "Such Great Heights."

RANDOM: Does anyone have new stuff from The Gossip or Tom Vek? And Emily, I'll take you up on that Ladytron. Yum!!!

Speaking of yum, two words: February 21st.

"Going Bye-Bye" Award of the Week

Fran found this story - I don't quite know what to make of it. Ray Nagin doesn't know which way to go, so he took I-Crazy Guy to Exit Mentally Challanged. Check this out.

And now for the WTF Award of the Week - James Iha and Adam Schlesinger producing America's new album? They seem pretty excited about it - read on...

I know it's 2006, but...

Over at InSound, Pitchfork's Top 50 albums are all 25% off (via Stereogum). Pretty nifty. I'm still playing catch-up from last year. I know, Daft Punk is playing at my house, but they left all their shit in my basement so I assume they'll be back to pick it all up - especially that fucking treadmill. I still don't have Kanye, Sleater-Kineey, Ladytron, or Franz - I'll just *sigh* add them to the list.

World Tour 2006

Dude, maybe The Super Fucking Awesome can tour with these guys. Hookers and Hullabaloo Fest '06 - tickets on sale now!

I'm a believer.

Okay, Macworld recap overdue. Ready?
iWeb - it's not just a a blog, it's so much more! This new app in the iLife suite lets you create photo pages, post multi-media (audio and video), and create a blog as well as home pages. There are lots of tasty templates, but they are very 'professional' looking. I heard someone describe them as 'brochure-like,' and I would agree. You upload your page to your .mac account and it's readable from any browser. Great for your grandparents who probably always wanted their own website, but were too afraid of THE INTRAWEB. Now, they can do it with ease. Pretty nifty.

NEW Garage Band addition - I just have to smile and save my dollars. Garage Band now has a podcasting studio. You can record audio straight in, and there are over 200 license-free sound effects and license-free music beds from all genres. 'Ducking' automatically lowers the music when the voice track hits. Brilliant!

Intel has partnered with Mac and every new iMac and the new MacBook Pro (we'll get to that in a minute) will be powered by two Intel processors, making them four to five times faster than current models. Superfast, superBEST!

And now - ta da - THE MACBOOK PRO! It's the newest and greatest laptop, available in February. Ron and I are saving up. Not only does it come with the Intel processors and the entire iLife Suite (which included iDVD and iMovie - great for me!), it comes equiped with the iSight video conferencing camera built right into the monitor.

Now, the down side: nothing is upgradable when it comes to Mac. So for all of you who bought the iMac last October without the Intel processors - too fucking bad. That's the only thing that gets me. But when you buy a super-genius computer like the MacBook Pro, does it matter? I've never been the type of person that needs to be the first kid on my block with the first of anything, so personally, I could give a rip.

Plugity plug plug - if anyone is free on Monday nights, Planet Ant is running their Improv Monday shows. The Home Team doesn't go on until around 10pm, so if you're in the mood for something off the wall and entertaining, head down to Hamtramck.

My new favorite music right now is being created by a woman named Imogen Heap. Wacky name, but check her out. You'll recognize her at the female counterpart to Frou Frou (it's all in a name, right?) Better yet, see her live this Wednesday at the Magic Bag. Tix at $15 at the door.

I'm listening to an Interpol song called "Song Seven" Anyone know where it comes from?

Steve Jobs, I wanna have 10,000 of your babies.

As Macworld wraps up and I cry bitter tears over the mountain of tasty tech goodness that I'll never have, please enjoy Steve Job's keynote speech from Monday. It's about an hour and a half, so make some popcorn, grab a soda and take some notes. I will have a MacBook Pro - oh yes, I will have a MacBook Pro. Tomorrow: my favorite moments courtesy of Mr. Jobs and my feelings of technical inadequacy grow larger by the minute. Get on the train...IT'S LEAVING THE STATION!!!

Big ups to my boy Damon Lindelof on last night's "Lost" - we got our monster. And, thanks to Jackie's DVR, we got to have a frame-by-frame recap of what Echo saw inside the smoke monster. Here's my crazy theory - this monster is a good guy. It reads whomever it comes in contact with and then judges them. This is why Locke and Echo were "spared." They are both people who have either lead good lives or have turned their lives around for the better. I think there's another 'spirit' that is connected to The Others that we have yet to see. There will be a battle of the supernatural and there may be dance fighting. I'm tired of the Charlie addiction story - boring. Michael is going to go Pulp Fiction on the rest of the cast-aways and go after Walt at all costs. We all agreed last night that he was walking right into a trap - but who's trap...The Others? Another Dharma follower? We shall see...

If you want something to make your day, check out what Ron dug up. You will watch it a second time.

Do you ever...

...have that feeling that you need to accomplish something but you can't find the motivation anywhere? You've looked under the couch, in the pocket of your favorite jeans, but it's nowhere to be found? Ugh. I might have my...wait for it...first contract production job, but I have to get a budget together. Real money. Real responsiblity. And it freaks the fuck out of me. I have to get this together...ugh!!!

Saturday Looks Good To Me, help guide me with your sweet, sweet organ! Every Night makes me so happy.

Okay, back to work...

EDIT: I love The Hold Steady. I wish I was dirty and had girls to run between the cars. Damn right, I'll rise again.

News Flash!

You mean all of those years that I had to chase Vick's 44 with Pepsi were for nothing?

And I still don't take Nyquil. Ever since it gave me that 'fuzzy' feeling when I was nine years old, I've been leary of taking it again. Rolling Rock fuzzy is always better than medication fuzzy. Then again, I've never abused prescription or OTC drugs. Am I rambling? I think this qualifies.

We get Mr. Echo's backstory on "Lost" tomorrow - he and Locke are like the thinking man's Crocket and Tubbs, for sure.

Brain break

THINGS I LOVE:
1. Leo's Coney Island

2. Client approval!

3. "Munich" - go see it now. Drop whatever it is that you're doing and enjoy one of the finest pieces of cinema ever created. I'M SERIOUS.

4. Roller Derby - I'm too fragile to play. Too much talk, not enough action. But damn, are those girls hardcore! Check out our local teams here.

5. Trivial Pursuit "Pop Culture 2"...look, Mom, I'm smart!

6. Reliving the old 'high school days' at my cousin's volleyball games.

THINGS I HATE:

1. ROBOTS Am I the only one who sees the beginning of the end?

2. Rob Thomas

3. No sun. I'm lacking some major vitamin E. Can anyone help a sista out?

OH! New improv performance date coming soon. It will officially be during a Monday in February. I will officially let you know when soon. Back to work. Piece out.

Champagne-1; Liz-0

This is how my conversation went with champagne last night:

Me: Hey, honey! I haven't seen you in a while. You still look refreshing.
Bubbly: SHUT UP AND DRINK ME, YOU IGNORANT BITCH!
Me: No need to shout. I'll only have a little bit.
Bubbly: That's all you'll need...te he he...

I had three glasses last night and the sickenly sweet taste made my stomach toss and turn. The night wasn't a wash, believe me. I had such a fun time...up until about 1am. I had to make a choice - throw up at Sarah Bruce's house, or throw up in the comfort of my own bathroom. I chose the latter. I hope everyone had a safe evening. Happy Freakin' 2006!!!