During Oscar Thoughts version 3.0

It's that time of year again. I figured I've done it twice, let's do it a third time. As an added bonus, sort of - I decided to write my picks down for who I thought would win in the main categories. I did pretty well considering the fact that I had only seen 2 (!!!) of the nominated movies (The Dark Knight and Milk). Again, I give you - Thoughts on the Oscars...

• Wow Hugh Jackman is tan. Nevermind - Anne Hathaway is just still really, really pale.

• Well, I still want to fuck Penelope Cruz. 1 Oscar pick wrong, 16 more to go.

• Tina Fey & Steve Martin - I want to go to there.

• Brent: "How much do you think it cost to make that mini animated short for the Oscars?" I don't know, but probably a lot.

• Saank you, sank you, sank you. Says the Japanese man who can't speak English. Want some Sanka? How does the Jap win for a French animated film? And Domo Origato Mr. Roboto? Is it racism if you make fun of your own culture?

• Brent: "When did Sarah Jessica Parker get boobs? Me: "Since always. Don't you remember Hocus Pocus? They were the only reason I watched it."

• Benjamin Button wins for Art Direction. I'm 3 for 5.

• 8:19pm. Brent goes upstairs to talk to Jess. Whatta homo.

• The Duchess wins for costume design. I saw that Kiera Knightley was in it. Neat. If you know me, you know I like my skinny girls. Can't believe I'm saying this, but I think she might be too skinny. Someone give that ho a bacon cheeseburger.

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is just that for me - as I have not seen it.

• Listen ladies. I look better than Robert Pattison from Twilight. A park bench looks better than him. A rank, clothesless homeless man begging for change on Marquettes campus has a chance to look more attractive than that guy. I don't understand women at all, it's clear.

• I would absolutely destroy Natalie Portman. DESTROY.

• A part of me is really happy for Robert Downey Jr. His current movie roles have been entertaining and inspiring. Years ago, he was a struggling drug addict. His turnaround is good to hear. The other part of me thinks that he's just putting on a front, and is a complete asshole. I say he winds back up in rehab at some point in the future. Heard it here first.

• I love James Franco. Nuff said.

• Billy Corgan is still the worst sounding vocalist in the last 20 years.

• Beyonce is lip synching. I think. But that's ok cuz I don't think she's on steroids. I'll have to ask her ass though, cuz that thing looks juiced. Wait, maybe she's not lip synching. Now i'm unsure. Well this was pointless.

• Dear Mr. Arkin. It's Phillip Seymour Hoffman, not Seymour Phillip Hoffman. Ouch, man.

• Zach Effron looks like Jared Leto, A LOT.

Well that's it. Nothing groundbreaking, unfortunately. Here's my Oscar picks - Green Highlighted picks mean I was right. Red means wrong. Winner in parentheses. I did well, even without reading any 'favorites' columns on the topic.

1) Leading Actor: Mickey Rourke (Sean Penn)
2) Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger
3) Leading Actress: Kate Winslet
4) Supporting Actress: Viola Davis (Penelope Cruz)
5) Animated Film: Wall-E
6) Art Direction - Benjamin Button
7) Cinematography - Slumdog Millionaire
8) Costume Design - Milk (The Duchess)
9) Directing - Slumdog Millionaire
10) Documentary - Encounters from... (Man on Wire)
11) Documentary Short - Witness (Smile Pinki)
12) Editing - Slumdog Millionaire
13) Best Picture - Slumdog Millionaire
14) Sound - The Dark Knight
15) Sound Mixing - The Dark Knight (Slumdog Millionaire)
16) Adapted Screenplay - Doubt (Slumdog Millionaire)
17) Original Screenplay - Milk

That's Tepid, yo.

Fever Ray - "When I Grow Up" video

So I saw this video / heard this song on another blog. I was going to give credit where credit was due - until I realized that every other edgy musica blog has already covered this. Either way - amazing song with amazing visuals. Enjoy.



When I Grow Up from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

Feb Tunes:

13) Ting Tings - We Walk
12) Katy Perry - Hot N Cold (LMFAO Remix)
11) Flo Rida ft. Katy Perry - Right Round (Ross.Fm Club Mix)
10) Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
9) Midfield General - Disco Sirens (Blacklight Flashlight Remix)
8) Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folks (Klumpfisk Remix)
7) English Beat - Mirror in the Bathroom
6) Paramore - Decode
5) Cut Copy - Far Away (Ddpesh Remix)


4) Hercules & Love Affair - Blind

3) Clint Mansell - Dead Reckoning

2) Submarines - You and me and Bourgeoisie

1) Mint Royale - Show Me

Meet Gil

This normally wouldn't be a big deal for most of you reading this, but it was for me at the time.

Last week, I finally shot a firearm. OH THE POWER. I have these small baby-hands, you see, so I wasn't as sharp as I would have liked to have been, but oh well. Not gonna go into details, but a huntin' pal of mine took me to a shooting range with his Glock .40 and .357 magnum. The glock was simple and easy to shoot after I got the hang of it. The magnum was like shooting a fucking cannon. The recoil was absurd.

So anyways, here's Gil:







(click for hi-res)

Gil tried to shoplift, and we caught him in the act. Gil is now deceased, but is survived by 1,000,000 identical siblings.

It's Rice.

Something just isn't right about this.

I mean, It's rice. How can you improve the taste & texture of white rice? Seriously. It's a tasteless starch. Used for color and/or carbohydrates in various dishes. Kraft must think the consumer as a whole is retarded. I believe rice has been around for a few thousand years, no? Let's consult the all-knowing wikipedia:

"...rice has been cultivated for 3500 years. Between 1500 and 800 BC, O. glaberrima propagated from its original centre, the Niger River delta, and extended to Senegal. However, it never developed far from its original region. Its cultivation even declined in favour of the Asian species, possibly brought to the African continent by Arabs coming from the east coast between the 7th and 11th centuries CE..."


Got it. As an ever-curious student of advertising and package design, this just bothers me. I just want to know which executive, or project coordinator, or graphic designer thought it would be a brilliant idea to put that NEW & IMPROVED! stamp on there. I just hope no one (myself included) bought a box of WHITE RICE because of that snazzzy lil new & improved claim on the top there. After all, it's rice.

It's rice.