Best Picture

Yesterday, I spent all day at the movie Theater. The Empire Theater at Times Square had a marathon screening of all 5 Best Picture Nominees. Every year I say, that I am going to see all the nominated movies but never do it so when I found out that I was going to have the day off I had to go. I left my apartment at 9am (I had to stop by the bank first) and didn't get home until almost 1am. Yeah it was a long day. I forgot that they are working on the N line on the weekends so it was running Local instead of Express so it took longer to get there then I had planned. When I got to the Theater the schedule board said the showcase was sold out. Bummer. I was upset because I was really looking forward to it and I tried to buy tickets online but they were not available on line and I decided against going into the city Friday after work because I was tired from working all day so I didn't. Well, I figured that since I came all this way, I might as well see a movie. The line was long to buy tickets at the counter so I went to one of the free standing self service kiosks. Well, it turns out you could still buy tickets for the showcase! Yippee. So, up I went to the third floor. Picked up my badge and free popcorn and settle for a long day. Between movies, they asked trivia questions and I won a free tshirt and soda and re admittance pass for a later day! Yeah! So, after my free Soda, I upgraded to a Large and had free refills on Soda and Popcorn all day! What a deal! I'm not sure I will do this again because sitting in a theater all day is really tiring and not to mention it really makes your eyes tired. By the fifth movie, I was having trouble focusing but it was worth it and I had a lot of fun.

Now, here's my short reviews.

Milk I thought this was really well down. It was paced very well and had good acting from everyone. I was really impressed with Emile Hirsch (who I previously thought was overrated) and Josh Brolin. Sean Penn was excellent as always and it was nice to see him play a role where he had to smile a lot. I wasn't sure he was even capable of that.

The Reader I read this book for a class and college so I knew the story. I remembered when I first heard it was being made into a movie and Nicole Kidman and cringed. So I was very happy to hear that Kate Winslet took over the roll. For the most part the movie was as I remembered the book, except for the Ralph Fiennes as the adult Michael Berg. I don't remember that story line being in the book. I understand why it was added (if it was added) to the movie but it didn't seem to mesh with the story. I kind of felt it broke up the movie. The book was about reconciling with the past. The Germans facing their role in World War II and the Nazis and Michael Berg coming to terms with his relationship with Hanna Schmitz and what he did and didn't do. The emotional payoff at the end didn't quite come off as it did in the book. It was very powerful and well done though. As for Kate Winslet, she was marvelous and after seeing this and Revolutionary Road last week, I understand why the Academy nominated her for this role and not for April Wheeler.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button I saw this movie on Christmas and I wasn't sure if I wanted to see it again (It's 3 hours long!) but I had a good seat, which I knew I would lose if I left and came back and I wanted to see how it would stack against the rest. Of all the nominees it is the weakest of the films. It's an interesting idea for a story but it is a little Forrest Gump like. The make-up and technology used to age Brad Pitt was pretty fantastic but beyond that there really isn't anything special about this film.

Slumdog Millionaire Definitely the theaters favorite. Of all the films it was the most fun to watch. There is just a spirit about the movie that you can't just help but not love. It's not the flashiest or have the biggest stars but it has a lot of heart. It is a good story, full with great moments and will with a doubt win.

Frost/Nixon I really liked this movie. I wasn't sure I wanted to see it but I'm glad that I did. It was a lot funnier then I thought it was. Who knew that Nixon had a sense of humor? The movie is based on a play that both Frank Langella and Michael Sheen won Tony's when it was on Broadway. I think it would be amazing to see it on the stage. Not the knock the movie because the movie was great but there were some scenes that I don't think quite translated on to the screen. The final interview with Frost and Nixon was pretty intense but if you saw it on the stage, I'm sure you would have felt the tension in the room. The tension got lost when the audience was separated from the actors. Other then that, it was great. I do think that Kevin Bacon is an underrated actor. He gave a great performance as Nixon's Chief of Staff and most loyal friend. I thought it did an amazing job.

So the Oscars are tonight. I don't think I am going out on a limb and say that Slumdog Millionaire is going to the big winner tonight. It's a shoo-in for Best Picture. I think Benjamin Button will probably win for Make-up and maybe a few other minor categories but nothing else. I think Sean Penn is going to win over Mickey Rourke for Best Actor and Kate Winslet for Best Actress. Heath Ledger is going to win Best Supporting Actor in what will be the most emotional moment of the night and Penelope Cruz for Best Supporting Actress. When she was on the screen in Vicky Christina Barcelona you couldn't keep your eyes off of her and I'm not her biggest fan so that says something. Wall-E better win for Best Animated Movie. It's a small consolation for not being nominated for Best Picture even though it was the best reviewed movie on the year (and my personal favorite movie on the year).

So that's my predictions for tonight. Have Fun watching tonight!

Sick

I'm not a very good sick person. I'll admit I am a wimp. I am very whiny and needed and feel like I am going to die. So, it goes without saying, I really hate being sick. Since Saturday, I have had a very bad cold or at least I think it was just a cold. I had a sore throat and stuffy nose. I was achy all over and very very tired. I think that was the worst thing was that I was just so exhausted but I couldn't sleep because I was always sneezing. I'm always been afraid of taking Tylenol PM or NyQuil or anything that is supposed to knock you out because what if something happened? What if there is a fire in my building and I slept through the alarm or a friend needed my help and I slept through the ring? Plus, after years of living in Iowa, where one has to sign away their life just to buy Sudafed, I have gotten used to just letting the virus taking it's course without drug interference. So, I didn't take anything. I called out Sunday and tried to sleep for most of the day. When I did get sleep it wasn't very good and had the weirdest dreams. I had to open on Monday. I still didn't feel very good but it's a such a hassle when the opener calls out. It just throws the whole day off. I figured I would go, do all the morning paperwork and deposit and sit in the back until noon when Lourdes, who was the mid, came in but as things happen. I wasn't the only one who wasn't feeling well. We had people call in late or had to leave early in the cafe. So, some of my cashiers had to be moved in the cafe to cover and I had to be at the registers to help ring. When Lourdes came in, I was sent to Lunch. My manager Laurie, is a saint, tried to move people around so I could leave and finally was able to get every where I covered so at around 2 I was able to leave. Thank You Laurie. I know that I could have lasted another two hours but I was so relieved to be able to come home because as soon as my head hit the pillow I was out. I got a solid five hours of sleep before I got out of bed to watch House. (I forgot that the President was having a press conference) So, I watched him for a bit before flipping the channel to the Westminster Kennel Club. I went back to bed after that I had another 14 hours sleep. I'm still feeling a little under the weather but I do feel better. The sleep is what I really needed. I have to close tonight and I have tomorrow off so I think I'm going to be ok. I just want to be able to breathe through my nose again!

It looks like I have falling back into old happens. I'll try to post more often. I really will try but you know me.

Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi

I know have said this before but the Tennis Channel may be one of the best investments I have ever made. I think it was last year, when ESPN and the Tennis Channel came up with the partnership to co-broadcast the slams. They take turns with live and taped coverage. It's awesome. Literally, you can watch the Australian Open 24 hours! When one station's coverage ends, just flip to other channel and it's just beginning and so forth. It's a tennis fans dream come true! Of course it is messing with my sleeping habits majorly but oh well. I can deal with a couple of late nights for two weeks. And if I do decide to go to bed early or because I have to because I have to open the next morning, I can always catch up on what I missed later because it's always on! LOVE IT! Thank You Tennis Gods for this great gift!

Oh, what to do?

I sign up for a lot of different online newsletters. Well, not a lot but some. One of them is Entertainment Weekly's Popwatch or whatever it's called. Periodically, they send me surveys about different aspects of entertainment that could earn my free DVD's. So far, I have not won one, yet. I also get previews of issues before it's posted online or sent out to subscribers so that's cool. They also let you know when advance screenings of movies and TV shows they are putting on. In the past, I couldn't take advantage of such events because I didn't live anywhere they held them until now. I got an email from them last week about and advance screening for the United States of Tara, a new show on Showtime, created by Diablo Cody and produced by Steven Spielberg, starring Toni Colette. I like all those people so I thought this would be fun to see but the thing is. I don't get Showtime. I don't want to see the pilot and fall in love with it and then not be able to see the rest of the series until it's on DVD. I know I could watch it online but there is something about watching a TV show on TV that I still like. I find the Internet as plan b. I know that attitude is so 20th century but it is how I feel. I've never gone to an advance screening before and most importantly, it's free! Nothing is free in this city so I should take advantage of it while I can. So, I decided to go until I got a text. I signed up for text alert from 43kix.com a few months ago because they were in charge of all the Twilight advance screenings. I wasn't able to go to the one here in New York because of work but it was all good because then I got to keep my promise to my sister and wait and see it with her. Anyway, I totally forgot that I was still on their text list until yesterday. They are holding a advance screening for the new movie, Coraline. It's directed by the same guy who did The Nightmare before Christmas and based on the book by Neil Gaiman. I haven't read the book but I hear it's good. So here's my problem. They are both at the same time, playing in different theaters in Manhattan. Which one do I go to? And more importantly, I have been living in New York for six months and why do I have to get both invitations for the same night?

Familyless again

My family is all gone. They have all left. It was nice to have them all because I really do miss them. We have always been a close family so not seeing each other on a regular basis has been hard. I think we have all coped with pretty well. We have had a lot of practice with Katharine travelling the globe and all. This past weekend we my Mom's turn. We did some Christmas shopping but mostly just walked and down Midtown. Macy's was crazy. We got there pretty early and it was still packed. We then came back several hours later and it was still packed. Mom made a comment that after seeing the crowds at Macy's, the economy is going to be fine. My take was, if it's this crowded when the economy, what is it like when the economy is good? Scary. We walked a few blocks up to Lord and Taylor and they were almost empty so while Macy's is still packing it in, not everyone is so lucky. I think we finished my Christmas shopping, which really was the whole purpose of the trip so that was good. We didn't really have the big Birthday dinner that we planned but we did have some excellent meals. On Friday we went to Maria's Mexican Bistro a block away from my apartment. I always forget it's there so I never think to go there. It was amazing. I'll have to eat there more often. On Saturday, we had a little muffin from Starbucks and then a bigger lunch at the Brewery called Heartland Brewery. We originally planned to only have appetizers and drinks but by the time we got there we were really hungry. After we had finished our shopping, we had walked up to Rockefeller Center and thought, wouldn't it be nice to have drink and watch the skaters. Well, of course everyone had the same idea. So then we tried Time Square and again the same Idea. So we walked back to Macy's got a little bottle of wine and cheese and crackers and came home. Katie had invited us out to the Dram Shop later Saturday night and I wanted my mom to meet at least one of my friends so we both took a little nap instead of having a fancy dinner. You all probably won't believe this but Mommy stayed up past 1 am all three nights she was here.

Dad and Katharine's visit wasn't as exciting because I mostly worked but Thanksgiving was a hit. Katharine made the most delicious turkey ever! Katharine and I got to see Twilight! and it was angsty, awkward awesomeness I expected to be. While I was work on Friday, Dad and Katharine saw the new James Bond. We walked around Prospect Park. Hung out and drank a lot of beer. All in all it was a good visit. I just wished I was able to spend more time with them. Next time when they come, I will make sure to have more time off. It's kind of sad that they had to go home but I will see them later this month. I'm still shocked I got the week after Christmas off. I'm so glad I asked.