January 8, 2009

• Oscar Is Waiting

  The New Year, as ever, precipitate the annual Oscar season leading to a cornucopia of screeners flooding the internet for film buffs such as myself to view at our perusal. Kudos to those Academy members for taking the time, making the effort and risking their reputation to upload the screeners. After all, the intention is to generate Oscar buzz and influence the Academy members’ voting decisions. Don’t get me wrong, I still attend the cinema to watch a film but only if the movie warrants such ardent attention.   

  

  Clint’s final acting role as he concentrates solely on directing. It was like watching an old-aged ignoramus Dirty Harry whose intransigence was slowly but inevitably eroded away by his Hmong neighbours. Eastwood demonstrates his perfect comedic delivery as his portrayal of bigoted Walt evokes many a laugh. A Best Actor nomination awaits.  

  

  David Fincher surprisingly succeeds in making a film about love without falling into an overindulgence of sentimentality. But then again this is from the director of Se7en and Zodiac so sentimentality is taboo. With terrific performances from both Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, this is a certain strong Oscar contender.

  

  An early favourite for Best Actor. Sean Penn is mesmerising as Harvey Milk, the first gay rights activist to obtain political office in 1970s San Francisco. Some people might enjoy watching Penn and James Franco locking tongues.  

  

  Predictable and sickeningly sentimental. Avoid like the plague unless you want heavy doses of fervent sappiness.  

  

  A true story. A good film. Just don’t expect any of the major nominations.  

  

  Mickey Rourke is brilliant as a washed-up wrestler in this excellent film by Darren Aronofsky. But what the hell happened to his face?? It was like someone hurled some petrol onto his face, threw a match and injected a huge needle of Botox for good measure. I wonder how Aronofsky will approach his remake of Robocop. Yes, you’d read that right – Aronofsky is remaking Robocop! Why remake such a classic?!

  

  Probably the greatest documentary ever made. Ever. Thank God for free speech or Bill Maher would have been stoned alive.  

  

  Danny Boyle’s best film since Trainspotting. Beautifully shot and expertly edited, this has Oscar written all over it. It should or else it’s a travesty. A must-see. Contrary to what you might have read, the film is not a true story. Slumdog was based on an Indian novel Q & A which is a work of fiction.  

  

  Next in line for me to watch. Penelope Cruz and Scarlett Johanson get to lock lips in Woody Allen’s latest number. Worth watching just for that!

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  Berlin – Sunday 30th November 2008

  The day was spent visiting Sachsenhausen, a concentration camp north of Berlin. I think the photos can speak for themselves without the need to explain.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Returning to Berlin, next to visit was the Jüdisches Museum – the Jewish Museum designed by Daniel Libeskind.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

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  How Dogs And Men Are The Same

  1. Both take up too much space on the bed.
  2. Both have irrational fears about vacuum cleaning.
  3. Both mark their territory.
  4. Neither tells you what’s bothering them.
  5. Both have an inordinate fascination with women’s crotches.
  6. Neither does any dishes.
  7. Both fart shamelessly.
  8. Neither of them notice when you get your hair cut.
  9. Both like dominance games.
  10. Both are suspicious of the postman.
  11. Neither understands what you see in cats.

  
  

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  Look Out Bird!

  

  • 10:13 pm
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