SEVENTY TWO!

Woke up this morning 'round 12:30 (so it was this afternoon...sue me), figure I should check the weather before walking to lunch. Figure it's gonna be low 60s, maybe mid if we're lucky.

SEVENTY TWO!

Now it's 73. I'm going for a walk SLASH gotta try to find a way to spend the entire day outside.

Pardon?

Rachel, I...I have to question the wisdom behind publicly admitting there are strange women in your room at late hours of the night. That said, I hope your roommate didn't...fall into Lake Michigan or something. Losing those posters would be too great a tragedy.

It's...*checks weather.com*...53 degrees out, but given relative temperature it's been over the past few weeks, I'm taking it to mean like 73, and am changing into shorts. And sandals, the greatest piece of footwear ever conceived. Sure, they have no practical use when it's raining or snowing or any sort of weather conditions below a certain temperature, but they're damn comfortable and it's the closest I'll get to going outside barefoot without fear of stepping on a needle or something.

Which, actually, was my mom's major concern in taking us (that's me and Chris) to Laguna Beach when we were younger (contrary to what they may tell you on the WB or whatever the hell network aired that show, Laguna Beach was filthy...and the place where a seagull stole my tuna sandwhich, proving you can't trust anybody in this world). But of course at the time, we don't know what the hell needles are doing on the beach. Was someone sewing? And how does that make them dangerous? At any rate, I guess I figured they'd just slice my foot open, and have done my best to avoid needles ever since.

Don't do drugs, kids.

The consequence of taking last night to just hang with Sam and folk is that I have an insane amount of homework tonight, not the least of which is...one of three exams in Listening to Music. Seriously, it's the only damn work we do in that class so I might as well succeed. But South Park is on at 10, and all I know is it has something to do with hybrid cars, so that should be vastly entertaining. Hopefully I'll catch it tonight, but if not, repeats are a very, very good thing.

Speaking of South Park, last week's glorious episode is on iTunes, and despite it having no lasting value beyond like...four months or so, I bought it. It's a slice of history I figure.

Sam Wasson and Nice Weather

Sam Wasson is in town looking at colleges. We saw a movie and got dinner. Sweet. No, seriously, good times with the Wasson.

And, what the hell, 55 degrees outside! It seems like so little, yet is really soooo much. I almost wore shorts today.

Almost.

I've reached a sort of nirvana in terms of homework, where it's getting done but I have just ceased to care. What year did that happen in high school? I'm thinking first half of Junior. I seem to remember a time when we were all doing lots of work, but having no real clue HOW it was getting done. Anyone? Anyone?

What else about this week...five weeks 'til the year's over. That's all kinds of weird. I really feel like I FINALLY just settled into this place a week or two before Spring Break, and soon it'll all be gone. For four months anyway. Damn. It'll be good times back home. Especially once I really do start looking for gainful employment.

Word on the street has a dodgeball tournament at school. I must find out all information that can be attained on this matter. Word on the street also has an $80 entrance fee per team, which depending on the size of the team could really suck ass. But hey...it's dodgeball. It's a game of sacrifice.

Because I have nothing else to post...

Uhhhhh...I really have nothing. And I fear if I go long without posting, people will just stop reading. So here's the logo (yes, it is the OFFICIAL logo, not one of many fan-made images) for Snakes on a Plane.

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y....NIGHT!

Yeah...I'm not cool.

Speaking of not cool, I'm of the opinion that people who put in their away messages that the reason they are not at their computer at the moment is because they're drunk, drinking, or otherwise insinuating they're consuming alcohol are completely lame. Yeah. Just putting it out there. I'm not against drinking...drink 'til your liver falls out for all I care. I'm against proclaiming it as if it makes you cool. I can think of no way of phrasing it that would simply explain where you are at the time, but if you can, I commend you.

Inside Man rocks. It really does. The trailer's just scratching the surface, and while I feel it doesn't finish as well as it maybe could have in that the further intricacies of the purpose behind the robbery are kinda bland, but the standoff stuff is so damn good. Like excessively good. And the actual way they pull off the robbery...fantastic. So, highly recommended, but see Thank You For Smoking first.

I looked over to my roommate's ever-growing bookshelf and noticed he had somthing called Book of the Dead, which has a logo shaped like that of Dawn of the Dead but I'm totally hoping it's a copy of the Book of the Dead from the Evil Dead flicks.

Man, I went to the library today in hopes of amassing books for my research paper, but it closed at freaking 5, a mere five minutes from when I arrived. And I can't really see the Boston Public Library being a big hangout on Saturday nights, but given the crowd that was coming outta there, I'll bet if they stayed open 'til 7 they'd be getting a steady stream. Looking at the hours for Sunday, it says they're open from 1-5 tomorrow, which means my hopes of getting a significant head start tomorrow are kinda shattered, but I suppose if I woke up at 11 and got breakfast I really wouldn't be getting there much before 1 anyway. At least it's open.

Allegedly, The Simpsons will feature a live-action opening tomorrow night, this according to my friend Julie. Thus, if this does not materialize, direct your complaints to her. I know I will.

Speaking of Julie, we watched Eternal Sunshine last night, which I haven't seen in a long long time, but damn if that's not a good movie. It's a lot funnier than people sometimes give it credit for as well.

Anyway...despite not having the books I want, I could probably get something done on this project tonight. Or y'know...not.

Friday? Friday

I meant to post last night about initial reactions to jury duty and how I simply could not discuss it lest you horribly influence my decision, but I got distracted by...Wendy's and cartoons. Yes. Anyway, it was an assault case and we decided she was not guilty on the basis of self defense, and honestly I don't feel that the details of the case are of any interest to anybody, but I'd be happy to tell the story. Notable highlights from the trial include...

-The "dangerous weapon" was a candlestick, proving the people behind Clue weren't so wrong after all.
-The victim of the case claimed to have never seen the candlestick in question, yet could completely describe a candlestick she invented in her head, although the defendent was DID pretty much say "yeah...I hit her with that candlestick."
-The defendent actually THREW the candlestick at the victim, making the defendent a damn good shot as it hit the victim square in the jaw.
-The police officer who responded to the call spoke precisely like Ben Affleck in Good Will Hunting.
-The detective's name....Detective Lee. I doubt I'm the only one who thinks that's the name they give to every Asian detective in the movies.
-The judge looked like the bizarre love child of Matt Dillon and the guy who played J. Peterman on Seinfeld.
-Apparently, if someone is threatening you outside your house and you fear physical confrontation, you can completely go inside and find the best object to fend them off with and it's still self defense (at least in Massachusetts).

Anyway, I have a bunch of observations and notes and such from the three hours I spent in what they call the "Jury Pool Room," which I may post later depending on whether or not they seem as interesting as when I wrote them. And depending on if nothing actually happens to me this weekend, which, why should it be different than any other?

But honestly, aside from the getting-up-at-6:30-or-7 part, which I think I can truthfully say I haven't done since high school (one of the joys of being in college is using the phrase "since high school"), jury duty was pretty sweet. The verdict kinda worked out where none of us had to be convinced of anything else, and we all got the sweet satisfaction of 1) doing right by the people involved, 2) weilding our own brand of justice as we see fit, and 3) in the case of those who had work today, taking the rest of the day off. Now THAT'S America.

South Park and Jury Duty

Well, South Park was, as predicted, completely fantastic. I don't think anyone who didn't know the backstory would've found anything good about it, but for those who did...glory.

Emerson Ben got a 27" TV after his old 20" model broke. Emerson Ben, I commend thee, 'tis a fine telly.

Uh...I had something to say earlier today...well, I did get definitely called for Jurty Duty, so I'm bringing my notepad with me to cover any hilarity that may ensue (it'll probably be pretty boring), and I'll post all about it tomorrow. But as a preemptive measure, I read up on tips for getting out of it once you get there, and am bringing alone Nicholas Pillegi's book Wiseguy, which was what they based the movie Goodfellas on. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

And that's what I got. Oh, and my group got denied for suite selection. Any illusions I had about anything resembling a high life went with it.

Watch South Park Tomorrow Night!

Gonna resist the urge to post anything tomorrow before...10 PM, when South Park is on and features the return of Chef. The reason you should watch is because Isaac Hayes, the voice of Chef and all-around badass, left the show like a week ago...maybe two, over objections regarding the brilliant "Trapped in the Closet" episode of South Park, which made fun of Scientology. See, in addition to being a badass, Isaac Hayes is a Scientologist. And as you may or may not be aware from watching Tom Cruise over the past ten months or so, Scientologists don't take too kindly to people making fun of them. They might just be the new Catholics! That joke really had no basis.

But ah...see, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the guys behind South Park, are pretty well-known for writing, animating, and all-around making their episodes in like, the week before they air, one because they're kinda like the rest of us in being a little lazy, and two because it keeps them the most cutting edge as far as satire goes in series television. So what this means is the episode was most likely made with the full knowledge that they had no Hayes.

So tune in...Wednesday, March 22, 10 PM, Comedy Central. Hilarity will ensue.

"I'm busting, Jerry, I'm busting!"

This suit thing completely worked for me. I got more work done with greater ease while I was at the library than probably ever before. Sure, it helped that I was writing about Superman, but still, being in the suit got me in this zen. It's like how I am almost incapable of working in the dorm room (I take refuge in the library and common rooms), because I really can't work in the same space I live in (the apartment life will not treat me well). I think it stems from our only computer being in the basement all my life, thus that's where work mostly happened.

At any rate, I think I've discovered that the less I am dressed in any sort of normal, relaxing clothing, the less likely it is I'll accomplish anything. This goes along with my long-held theory that the longer my hair gets, the less capable I am of schoolwork.

But for now, the suit'll have to be worn a lot more often. Though it's brown and I wore a black tie with it today (white shirt if you must know) and my friend Julie says that just can't be done. Ladies, I need to know if she's right, 'cause I thought it looked damn good.

We thought our mouse was dead, but I can hear that bastard scraping away under my bed.

So the first draft of the research paper is pretty much wrapped (page and a half to go) thanks to the suit, which means I won't have to use my pass that lets me turn in my essay two days later (I know, is this high school?). At this rate it looks like I'll never use that damn thing, but I'll probably save it for the final draft of this and just kick ass on it. Judging by my grade on the first essay and how it's looking for the second, I'll need to.

Wait a second...

I recently realized the one-year anniversary of The Rail passed by like a month or two ago and I didn't even notice. What was I doing? Probably nothing. Well, happy first anniversary, blog.

Saw V For Vendetta last night. It was sweet. Review's at The Gravy, SLASH some comments that might incite discussion. It's a discussion kinda movie. Dude in front of me, previews start up, I'm munchin on my potato chips, he says "You're not going to crunch those during the movie, are you?" I was kinda tempted to just crunch them, but not actually eat them. Heh. Crunch.

I'm tired. Having the 9:40 showing sold out and going to the 11:20 could not have been beneficial in this regard.

Totally won the trailer game though, where you try to identify what movie the trailer's for first. And I didn't even suggest the game. What's up now.

Gotta pick up some ties, 'cause I'm kinda sick of not busting out the suit. Plus, I think my Concept prof is mad at me for missing last Monday's class after being on the same flight as him, and I dunno...something about showing up in a suit will either impress the hell out of him or make him even more pissed. Either way, I go for extremes.

Jury duty this Thursday. Maybe. I'm on standby. Which means I call the courthouse after 3 and some recording tells me I don't have to go. Or I do. Kinda hoping for the former. Getting out of class would be cool though. The part where I have to wake up at 6 would not.

I'm kinda low on cash. Maybe the dining hall will take this opportunity to serve me something edible on a weekend.

Just when you think it's over...

So I'm sitting in the library right 'round 9:00 Wednesday night, just finishing up some work after THREE HOURS, and telling myself, "All right, tomorrow's Thursday, then you're free...take some time to relax" (I doubt I'm alone in feeling that a week off prior to saying this has no bearing on that problem). BUT of course, I have an assload of work this weekend, not the least of which is a 5-page draft of an eventual 12-page research paper that I have yet to research a bit on.

And instead I watched A History of Violence last night (still an amazing movie). Oh, and Ken, to recommend two DVDs to buy out of ANY you could buy is a tough proposition...that said, A History of Violence and Good Night, and Good Luck are damn fine pictures.

Hey, Katie Bieze was in town...that was fun. Especially when I was trying to figure out which way the restaurant was (as Ellie decided to lead me out to the FAR outskirts of the greater Boston area), only to discover Ellie and Katie were right in front of me, and upon discovering me they both flipped out. Not in the happy-to-see-me way just yet, more in the "WHERE THE HELL DID HE JUST COME FROM?" kind of way.

The Thank You For Smoking review is up at the Gravy, but yeah right you checked here before that. V For Vendetta should be up soon enough, as I'm taking off to see it in (checks watch) a half an hour.

Y'know what's fun? The process of staying friends with a girl you knew because one of your friends was with her. Though take my word, it can be accomplished.

Yesterday was St. Patty's Day, which I joyfully spent sober, but I hear it was practically a parade of drunkards outside. Oh, Boston, how you continue to deliver the stereotypes. I was pretty holed up for the night, but if you have a cool story, please share.

#5 Album on iTunes for March 17, 2006

Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies For the Film Curious George - Jack Johnson and Friends

Coming...probably tomorrow...on the Gravy, early review of Thank You For Smoking (funny as hell) and if I get home early enough tomorrow night, instant reaction, Elizabethtown-style of V For Vendetta.

Hells yeah

My Dad taped and sent me the comeback show of The Rick Emerson Show from Monday, and thanks to the fact that I somehow still own a walkman...yeah, listening to it now. Isn't life wonderful? It is.

Annnnddd I'm pretty much posting this because I wanna keep myself occupied while listening to it.

Nancy and Maggie rule for sending me...
-1 Hawaiin shirt
-1 letter
-1 postcard
-Tiny shells? What?

All right, Rick's on, and I've lost all interest in typing.

Whew

It's been a really eventful few days, and I can't believe I've been back less than 48 hours, especially given how much has happened in that time. Never mind the ever-increasing mounds of homework (which has nothing to do with the fact that I did none of it over Spring Break...no, why would you ever say that?).

UHHHHH....Ice Cube's set to play Mr. Kotter in a big-screen adaptation of probably the greatest sitcom of the 70s, Welcome Back, Kotter, and it'll be directed by the guy who directed The Hot Chick. Odds of success are not looking good, but I'm rooting for it 'cause the show kicks ass, and is not shown on TV Land nearly enough.

Picked up A History of Violence and Good Night, and Good Luck on the digital video disc today (that IS what DVD stands for, yeah?). Then I looked at my bank situation and realized now would be a good time to stop spending so much on DVDs, and probably movies in general.

Then a pass came along to Thank You For Smoking, which I was going to end up seeing but hey free is cool too. Plus it's an Admit 2, and who doesn't love that? Anyone?

Well, enough stalling...a review of that symphony thing I saw two weeks ago awaits. A SEVEN PAGE REVIEW.

Weather?

It's almost 60 degrees outside. I'm loving it.

Back in Boston

After a series of very poor airport experiences (going through security once is ass...going through again at the connecting airport just pisses me off; I was going to make a list of the rest of the things that went wrong with airline transportation, but I lost all my pens...sweet), I have returned to Boston. The dorm's just as I left it, unfortunately I got back pretty damn late and didn't have time to see everyone, but tomorrow is another day (a day which will be taken up almost entirely by homework...I got so bored during spring break, and what do I have to show for it?).

Watched "Phone Booth" on the plane for the first time in God-knows-how-long. Sweet flick.

Tomorrow (or, today rather since it's actually Monday) marks the dawn of the three-piece suit, assuming that my shirts aren't horribly wrinkled from the luggage.

And then they come back

Have to get up in about five hours for my 9 AM flight (the Nye family is notoriously for needing to get to the airport long before anyone else), I'm tired as hell and that burger I ate at the Mexican restaurant last night is still talking back to me (NOT a good idea), but dammit if that wasn't a good day.

'Cause after all, the problem with Spring Break is that hardly any of the old crowd was around. But I spent the day with Ben and Rachel, and damn if it wasn't home again.

And even the cast party at Beth's turned out awesome. Cast parties when you're not a member of the show are always a little weird, even moreso after you've graduated. But a good time, gotta say, greatly helped by the presence of other grads (almost said "other seniors"...I suppose in some way, we'll always be that).

Still, looking forward to getting back to Beacon St. (albeit at around 11 PM...damn you time zones!), and the old crowd there. What I'm NOT looking forward to is the massive amount of homework I inexplicably did not do.

Ready

I'm not gonna lie, I am completely ready to go back to Boston. Don't get me wrong, Portland's treating me well, it always does. Last weekend was a blast, and I'm looking forward to Saturday more than anything in the world, but this week was incredibly boring, most of my high points being late-night phone calls with the Boston crowd (which could only go so late...they are, after all, three hours ahead), and of course pizza with Cynda.

And most of it is probably just not really having that many people around, and the rest being a massive amount of business that has to wait 'til I get back, but I'm ready. It's getting to be more and more that I can't believe I'll be away from the Emerson folk for four months in really just a few weeks. I'd stay later if not for Coffee House and the Playfest, which I can't wait for in May, and I'd go back earlier if it were possible/if I didn't need money so badly over the summer. Which reminds me, I do need to find a job...

But I think much moreso than Christmas break, being home hasn't totally felt like being home. It's cliche, but the bed's here and the family's here and some of the old crowd is here (though they're busy as hell with the show), and thank God the car's here, but it's the people, man. THE PEOPLE!

Argh...I tell ya. Saturday can't come soon enough. It never totally feels like home without some people.

What's in Scott's e-mail this morning?

Through March 31, Save 10% from Amazon.com on Select Carbon Monoxide Detectors.

Let's take this step-by-step.

1) Is there some sudden need for Carbon Monoxide Detectors?

2) Amazon SELLS these?

3) I can only save 10% on a few of them? Does that mean there's some high-end one that I'm going to have to shell out for?

The world's a mystery to me.

New suit

Here's another thing I love about Portland - used clothing is everywhere. There's this massive business of people buying other people's clothes that you can have a Red Light across the street from Buffalo Exchange. So I popped on into Red Light yesterday (downtown location) after striking out at a Goodwill and the Exchange, and found a really killer three-piece brown suit. I'll get pictures if I can (a little dicey as I am, as always, without a digital camera).

FINALLY getting to the Spaghetti Factory tonight, after not being able to go over Christmas break, and I think the last time I went before that was at graduation, but I could be wrong (wouldn't be the first time). Although I'm spoiled in Boston with Maggiano's, the best Italian food around (and damn cheap too), ya gotta love going back to the roots.

Watched Hitchcock's Rope last night, which kicked all kinds of Hitchcockian ass. Highly recommended (but see Rear Window before anything...that movie's just amazing).

Katie, my beef with the Crash dialogue had more to do with the fact that all they talked about for two hours was race. I can tolerate that coming from one character or one set of characters, but when that's all ANY of the characters talk about, it gets old, fast. That, and some of the stuff they were saying just doesn't sound like things I've ever heard anyone say (Don Cheadle's opening dialogue prime among them). And yeah, there were emotionally-driven parts, but I didn't buy that the Iranian would try to shoot the locksmith to begin with (again, we have no idea what their names are), or that suddenly everything would be okay following that (he's a two-dimensional character with only two traits - completely pissed off or totally zen). And Matt Dillon rescuing the lady from the car is another one of those instances when the coincidence is just too big. Plus, any situation of life and death in the context of a realistic drama is automatically emotionally charged, and pretty easy writing.

Network

By and large, and I'm also echoing the thoughts of Roger Ebert and Stanley Kubrick here, I think the primary purpose of film should not be to get some sort of message across. Messages are important, and there are a couple films that can convey them well, but what should come first is character (not just people talking) and story (not plot).

I watched this movie last night called Network. It was released in 1976, directed by Sidney Lumet (who may be better known for Serpico) and written by Paddy Chayefsky (who sadly pretty much had this one story in him). It's about a network dwindling in the ratings trying to reinvent itself with sensationalist television. Watching it, most of it seems commonplace now, but for its time it was almost prophetic.

Anyway, it's a hell of a picture, and it got me thinking about how, by and large, I could give less a crap what a film is trying to say.

But every now and again a film comes along that IS trying to say something, and something WORTHWHILE at that. Network did it phenomonally by telling the story of a television network, and the people involved with its rise to the top. Good Night, and Good Luck worked as a commentary on journalistic integrity (and it was NOT trying to compare McCarthyism with anything the Bush administration is doing) because in the middle of its own true, compelling story there were interesting characters with their own separate lives.

And yes, it all comes back to Crash, and why for me it ultimately failed. Crash had a lot to say, but without a shread of interest in its characters or any real story to tell. And you can tell this not just because of the fact that the characters didn't talk or mostly act like people, but also because no one can name even half the characters without hitting IMDb. Give it a shot. And none of their subplots, their own lives, were in there for the character.

Matt Dillon's father was sick and needed further health care...so Matt Dillon's a racist. Terrence Howard is a TV director...so someone can talk about racism in television. Ludacris and that other guy steal cars...and talk about why white people are afraid of them (not the least of which could do with the fact that they're stealing their car...of course). Don Cheadle's mom...okay, I'll give you that, that was a genuinely well-done subplot, and would've made me appreciate the film that much more if his brother didn't turn out to be one of the carjackers. That's when the script's other problem of completely random, improbable coincidences takes hold (never mind when the carjacker steps into Ryan Phillipe's car).

And if Crash had just been a film that came and went (which, eventually, it will be), I wouldn't be talking about it nearly as much. But the fact that it was named as the best picture of 2005 is what keeps me thinking about it. And it worries me. Look, I think it's great that people want to rexamine how they look at the world around them. But the minute we stray away from the importance of character, story, emotion, and mood in a film, that's the wrong step to take.

Also, despite the number of times I've brought Crash up in conversation, I haven't heard a really solid defense of why it's such an amazing film. So if anyone has anything, I'm all about the dialogue.

YES!

Okay, in a geeky sorta way, it's been a good day. First...Rick Emerson Show, back on the air on Monday. Noon. 970 AM. Hopefully they'll be streaming it online, 'cause hey look...I leave on Sunday.

And the new X-Men 3 trailer is online.

And yes, that's all it takes to make the day great.

In other news, I forgot to mention on the Oscar post that I really appreciated all the looks back at the epics and the movies with messages and film noir. Really, any excuse for a giant geekfest for me and the boys I assembled is good times.

Y'know what's cool? Someone you invited not showing up to your Oscar party, then having one of their own. Big fan.

Aaaannnnnnd that's all I got.

P.S. Found a new late-night restaurant...could replace Stepping Stone.

Oscars

Well, I didn't end up seeing Why We Fight (soon, Rachel, I promise), but I did end up talking to my friend Julie from Boston for an hour and a half (new phone record!), and still I'm coming off my Oscar daze enough to talk about it.

I'll put my Crash rant first, the theory being that this way you're more likely to READ it.

Crash is not the best film of 2005. Honestly, it's probably in my bottom 10 (having more to do with the fact that I didn't see many of the REALLY bad movies from last year). But as much as it is NOT the best movie of the year (especially when compared to the likes of Munich and Good Night, and Good Luck), even moreso is it not even close to the best screenplay of last year. In fact, it was one of the worst (and that has more to do with the actual quality of the script than with the quality of the movies I saw). The fact that it won over Good Night and Good Luck, Squid and the Whale, Syriana, and Match Point makes the wound even greater.

In fact, if any movie got the shaft, definitely Good Night, and Good Luck, which deserved to win all of the six categories it was nominated for (except lead actor...Phillip Seymour Hoffman deserved that award the day he was born), but did not win one of them. Clooney got Supporting Actor for Syriana, which was nice and he had one of the best acceptance speeches, but he and Grant Heslov deserved original screenplay so much, not only because it works dramatically and the dialogue kicks ass (neither of which were qualities Crash had), but also because they researched the HELL out of that thing. There was so much hard work put into every frame of that movie, and I called this weeks ago and I stand by it now more than ever, that ten years down the line people will point to it as one of many movies that didn't get the recognition come Oscar night that it deserved. Honestly, I'm kicking myself for not rating Good Night, and Good Luck higher for my top 10 of '05...can't wait to see how well it grows on me over the years. Meanwhile, Crash will be long forgotten, in the tradition of A Beautiful Mind (which, yes, did win Best Picture in 2001, and in spite of being a damn fine film is a film no one cares about anymore).

Spielberg deserved directing, but Clooney should've won and we all knew Ang Lee was taking it. It was a tragedy just waiting to unfold.

Similarly, Brokeback had a damn fine screenplay, but A History of Violence was hurt badly enough by its lack of nominations that throwing it this one would've really helped.

Reese, Hoffman, Clooney, and Weisz all completely deserved the acting awards they got. I'm sure this is the first time I've completely agreed with every acting award, and honestly if it were all up to me and I could pick anyone from any movie, these would be totally fine picks (though I will say that Q'Orianka Kilcher deserved more recognition for The New World).

Speaking of which, it would've killed 'em to rightfully give The New World the credit it deserved for cinematography? I didn't see Geisha, but The New World was one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. Completely gorgeous.

You know why Crash got editing? Interconnecting stories. If you're going to go that route, at least give Syriana some love and nominate it. But really, The Constant Gardener was so precisely edited I thought that was a lock. And I know that's a really geeky thing to dissect, but it's an important award.

War of the Worlds deserved the awards Kong won, but Kong is too good to really complain about it.

3-6 Mafia had the greatest acceptance "speech" ever. That IS how you win an Oscar.

Jon Stewart kicked ass. Especially the improvised moments.

Overall, pretty much as the industry predicted it, and the only things I was personally surprised by were the awards given to Crash, but that was probably because I feel it didn't deserves a single one of them and was surprised that anyone could watch Munich, Good Night and Good Luck, and Crash and walk away thinking Crash was the best of them.

Movie week

I've been on a rampage of movie-watching over today and yesterday, especially after I discovered Movie Madness rents their stuff out for $2 apiece. What a deal. I'd keep watching today, but the Oscars are on, and then I'm going to try to get to Why We Fight tonight (Fox Tower at 10:05 baby).

They had Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb on Turner Classic Movies yesterday, which just about made my day. One of the funniest movies ever made.

Last night I watched Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train which had me so completely hooked, even when they take a major liberty with physics as the third act picks up, but the ending it just sort of bizarre (in that the final showdown takes place on a merry-go-round). Still, very solid thriller, great performances. Then I popped in Secret Honor, which is basically a one-man show about Richard Nixon. It was interesting, but I ended up switching it off at the half-hour mark, which for now will close off any interest I have in director Robert Altman (who's getting the Lifetime Achievement Award tonight at the Oscars).

Luckily, The Graduate saved it. The Graduate is one of many movies you hear a lot about, but a ton of people from our generation haven't seen. Anyway, it's a damn good movie, and even though the entire ending was copied almost exactly in Wayne's World 2, it still had me hooked.

Then Natalie Portman was hosting Saturday Night Live, and damn if I can ignore Natalie Portman.

And this morning I watched One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I read the book years ago (I know, weird right?), loved it, and the movie changes a lot in terms of the narrative (the book from the point of view of the Indian, who in the movie is a small supporting character), but I still dug it. Doesn't hurt that I love Jack Nicholson (who doesn't?).

Anyway, that was my weekend. Oscar party tonight, reactions here tonight or tomorrow, depending on if I go see Why We Fight.

Other flicks I wanna rent this week...Touch of Evil, Network, All the President's Men, The Godfather Part II (long overdue), Full Metal Jacket, Lawrence of Arabia, Sunset Boulevard, and Kiss Me Deadly. Then I gotta catch 16 Blocks and Ultraviolet in theaters (if you're wondering why anyone would want to see Ultraviolet, it's the same director who did Equilibrium, so there).

P-Town

So, back in Portland. It's weird, I'll tell you that much. But it's fun. Went to 42nd Street, and afterward like every two seconds I'd just hear "Scott Nye!" and get attacked with a hug. Best was when I was heading over to say hey to Beth, look to my left and Sam Wasson is probably a foot away, staring right at me. That sounds more creepy than awesome, but it was. Awesome, that is.

Things I'm looking forward to with this break...

Oscar Party, because I've always watched the Oscars with the family and never with people who are really into movies.

Watching movies...I have to catch three in theaters, and I have a monster list of DVDs I'll NEVER get through but will try anyway.

Phone convos with the Boston folk. Seriously.

iPod shuffle with Katie?

Seeing 42nd Street again, but with Rachel and Ben.

Saturday, March 11th with Rachel and Ben...it will be epic.

Walking around Portland...I walked a lot before going to Boston, but now I swear I'm invincible.

Wrapping Up Before Spring Break

Well, my last class of the day just let out, which means A) I just kicked my Media Arts midterm's ass, and B) I am now officially on Spring Break. Okay, technically I have to go to the Boston Symphony Orchestra tonight for my Listening to Music class, but I really don't consider hearing one of the best orchestras in the world playing Beethoven's 9th to be work (yes, I am bragging).

And my mailbox is (sadly) empty, which means any mail you've sent won't reach me until I'm long gone (or at least waiting at the airport to be long gone), thus will not be answered until I get back next Sunday (March 12th). If no one's written me recently, I feel like a fool for saying that, but send it anyway, at least you won't have to think about it later and I'll still get it when I'm back.

Geeking out about music is both fun and a worthy diversion from work and sleep.

I am unbearably excited about 42nd Street. Really, I am. We watched a scene from "Chicago" (Cell Block Tango, if you must know) in Concept Development today, which got me all kinds of jazzed (pun kinda intended, actually) about musicals. Friday through Sunday are gonna be crazy-busy between seeing the show, hitting the cast parties (word), and watching a crapload of Robert Altman flicks and "Hustle and Flow" before the Oscars on Sunday. Then I'll pretty much do nothing until Rachel and Ben get to town. Hurray! Actually, that's lies...I started Halo 2 on Legendary (which is pretty much as crazy-hard as I'd feared), and I need to put some serious mileage in walking around Portland. Just try to stop me, RAIN.

And traveling alone...honestly, I love it. I love flying alone. I love walking around the airport killing time in layover. I really, really enjoy it. I just hope the iPod doesn't run out of batteries, which it got WAY too close to last time.

P.S. I just listened to the CD my brother and Brittany Newell put out, and honestly it's really, really fantastic work. And I'm more critical of the boy than anyone. It's got soul without being angsty, and they harmonize beautifully. If you can get ahold of it, do so. I think the whole thing's on their MySpace (and that's the last time I'll EVER link to MySpace!).

P.P.S. I accidentally added that P.S. after Katie responded. Katie, my apologies.

P.P.P.S. I really screwed up shaving today, so I just shaved it all off. So my face is bald for the time being, save the the stubble that cannot be removed electronically, and there's no way I'm going the shaving cream route just yet.