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Andy's Google Reader Bundle

Oscar Update

Well I correctly picked 16 of the 24 Oscar winners including Best Picture and most major awards, not too bad.  So which ones did I get wrong?...

The award for Best Documentary Short went to Music by Prudence,  I flat out guessed Rabbit a la Berlin because I didn't see any films in this category.

The award for Film Editing went to The Hurt Locker, I chose Avatar.

The award for Best Foreign Language Film went to El Secreto de Sus Ojos, this was another category of films that I didn't see any, I guessed The White Ribbon and after seeing it a couple days ago I see why it didn't win.

The award for Best Short Film Live Action went to The New Tenants, again I missed on a flat out guess.

The award for Best Sound Editing went to The Hurt Locker, I chose Avatar.

The award for Best Sound Mixing went to The Hurt Locker, again I chose Avatar.

The award for Best Adapted Screenplay went to Precious, I chose Up in the Air.

And finally, the award for Best Original Screenplay went to The Hurt Locker, I chose Inglourious Basterds, again Quentin is snubbed.

So it seems I really need to go watch The Hurt Locker.

New Film Reviews!

Alice in Wonderland

**

       After being disappointed with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory I wasn't expecting much from Alice in Wonderland, and that's exactly what I got.  I neither liked or disliked the film, it was too long or at least felt too long.  The performances were fine, nothing spectacular.  Anne Hathaway's character really annoyed me though, in a film that takes place in a weird fantasy world her character is overly odd/creepy.

If you liked Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate factory you'll probably enjoy this, otherwise I say skip it.

Brooklyn's Finest

**

       I was really looking forward to Brooklyn's Finest, I loved the cast and the trailer really grabbed me.  Unfortunately the film let me down.  The biggest problem was that the film follows three different story lines, and never gets to delve deep enough into any of them.  Each storyline followed a cop at a specific stage in his career, only one of which (the Richard Gere story) was interesting.

If the film could have focused on one story it could have been really good, unfortunately it is a mediocre film at best.

One Year Ago..........

        One year ago I began working out and eating better after I had trouble keeping up during some of my Geology field trips.  I couldn't even use a normal scale, I had to buy one that could take more weight and it read a whopping 345lbs when I stepped on it.  I cut out the soda and fast food which I was consuming daily, especially at work.  I began riding a stationary bicycle 5 days a week and after a couple months added some weight lifting.  Today 52 weeks later the scale read 190lbs, that's 155lbs LOST!

        Now I'm such a geek that I had to keep detail records of the whole process.  I created an excel spreadsheet to track and graph the weight loss, it also tracked my BMI, weekly and monthly averages, and percent lost.  My BMI went from an initial 43.12 to 23.75 today, I lost 43.93% of my body weight, and lost an average of 2.98lbs a week which is a little too high I think, but that has leveled off to 1 to 2 pounds a week which is better.  I'll post the graph below....

My Oscar Predictions

Leading Actor: Jeff Bridges

Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz

Leading Actress: Sandra Bullock

Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique

Animated Feature: Up

Art Direction: Avatar

Cinematography: Avatar

Costume Design: The Young Victoria

Directing: Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)

Documentary Feature: The Cove

Documentary Short: Rabbit a la Berlin

Film Editing: Avatar

Foreign Language Film: The White Ribbon

Makeup: Star Trek

Original Score: Up

Original Song: "The Weary Kind" (Crazy Heart)

Short Animated Film: Logorama

Short Film Live Action: Instead of Abracadabra

Sound Editing: Avatar

Sound Mixing: Avatar

Visual Effects: Avatar

Screenplay Adapted: Up in the Air

Screenplay Original: Inglourious Basterds

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker

Note: These are my predictions, not necessarily the films I wish to win.