Confessions of a Reasonably Dangerous Mind Let's call this one, punch-drunk blog...I have no idea what you should all expect...I haven't a clue myself. All I can say for sure, is that procrastination is a wonderful thing.
Thursday, January 29, 2004
Oscar Post: Redux
Yess, so i had some, uhm, issues the other day with the oscar post, but that's all done and done now and such. A little 'bout of weirdness and odd mini-self-destructiveness (if that's a word, i think). Any whoo, as i said yesterday, the Academy sure did throw some huge surprises out there, especially in the Best Actress Category (yay Whale Rider's Keisha Castle-Hughes!) and some pretty big omissions (so long 11-year Miramax streak...but where is Kill Bill/Big Fish/Scarlett Johansson??!!?!?). But, since i lost pretty much everything yesterday, i think i still remember my "will win/should win/should've been a contender" stuff, so here goes:
Lead Actor: Johnny Depp - PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
Ben Kingsley - HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
Jude Law - COLD MOUNTAIN
Bill Murray - LOST IN TRANSLATION
Sean Penn - MYSTIC RIVER
Should Win: Bill Murray
Will Win: Sean Penn (though if he had been nominated for "21 Grams", i would put him neck and neck w/Murray for "should win")
Should've Been A Contender: Russell Crowe (Master and Commander) and Nicholas Cage (Matchstick Men)
*Wow, I honestly didn't think Johnny Depp was going to get it. This still shocks me. 9 months ago i could have never predicted "Pirates of the Caribbean" being mentioned as oscar-bait. But, he did indeed make that movie. Retro-active karma for his Hunter S. Thompson in "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", and about a billion other things. I can't quite place it, but Jude Law seems oddly out of place here for some reason. Not sure why.
Lead Actress: Keisha Castle-Hughes - WHALE RIDER (possible upset in winning? her nom alone is a win in itself of sorts)
Diane Keaton - SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE
Samantha Morton - IN AMERICA (another pleasant surprise! but probably knocked out Uma Thurman out of contention)
Charlize Theron - MONSTER
Naomi Watts - 21 GRAMS (Yay!)
Should Win: Naomi Watts
Will Win: Charlize Theron
Should've Been A Contender: Jennifer Connelly (House of Sand and Fog) and Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation)
*Lots of upsets in this category, really. I can't wait to see who gets it. I'm unbelievably happy and surprised that Castle-Hughes got it, still can't believe that. Yay! Keaton would be the ultimate safe choice, but i don't really see it going that way. Theron seemes to be coming out of the very late in the game to score tons of awards, so they may give it to her for the first time. I'm personally rooting for Watts and her brutal, unflinching portrayal of a character on the brink.
Supporting Actor: Alec Baldwin - THE COOLER
Benicio Del Toro - 21 GRAMS
Djimon Hounsou - IN AMERICA
Tim Robbins - MYSTIC RIVER
Ken Watanabe - THE LAST SAMURAI
Should Win: Ken Watanabe
Will Win: Tim Robbins
Should've Been A Contender: Peter Sarsgaard (Shattered Glass) and Albert Finney (Big Fish)
*Though, to be honest, if anyone other than Robbins (though he does probably deserve it...if not for this role, than an excellent career otherwise), I'll be happy. Watanabe, Del Toro and Hounsou in particular all held the movie on their shoulders, and gave it them thier emotional thrust. Haven't seen Baldwin's performance yet, but he's overdue for some recognition, i figure. Ditto the constantly under-appreciated Hounsou (snubbed for a nom in Amistad a few years back).
Supporting Actress: Shohreh Aghdashloo - HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
Patricia Clarkson - PIECES OF APRIL
Marcia Gay Harden - MYSTIC RIVER
Holly Hunter - THIRTEEN
Ren?e Zellweger - COLD MOUNTAIN
Should Win: Shohreh Aghdasloo (she was devestating in this performance...one to watch over and over again)
Will Win: Renee Zellweger (hmm, as much as i like her, and i haven't seen the movie...the miramax machine basically guaranteed her this spot from the get-go...one of the few almost-sure-bets of the evening...maybe...now i'm confused..)
Should've Been A Contender: Patricia Clarkson (The Station Agent) and Jessica Lange (Big Fish)
*The academy always likes to be kinda nutty here, and this year seems no exception...as much as i look at it again, i'm kind of doubting Zellweger's win. It'd be pretty cool to see an upset with the relatively unknown but amazing Aghdasloo taking home the prize. I'm also glad Harden got a nom instead of her costar Laura Linney, since her whole role consisted of one rather bizarre, 3rd act-twist scene that didn't sit well. But since Harden won already, I'm more than happy to see either Aghdashloo or Clarkson take home the prize (haven't seen Pieces of April, but she deserved it for just the Station Agent alone...)
Adapted Screenplay: Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman - AMERICAN SPLENDOR
Braulio Mantovani - CITY OF GOD
Fran Walsh, Queen of the Geeks & Peter Jackson - THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
Brian Helgeland - MYSTIC RIVER
Gary Ross - SEABISCUIT
Should Win: Lord of the Rings
Will Win: Lord of the Rings
Should've Been A Contender: Big Fish and House of Sand and Fog
Original Screenplay: Denys Arcand - THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS
Steven Knight - DIRTY PRETTY THINGS
Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson & David Reynolds - FINDING NEMO
Jim Sheridan & Naomi Sheridan & Kirsten Sheridan -IN AMERICA
Sofia Coppola - LOST IN TRANSLATION
Should Win: Lost in Translation
Will Win: Lost in Translation
Should've Been A Contender: The Station Agent and 21 Grams (the writing process for "Grams" was probably like nothing I could imagine...wow. And "Agent" is just the perfect character script, overall. Nice, little, simple and great film. Sigh.)
Director: Fernando Meirelles - CITY OF GOD
Peter Jackson - THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
Sofia Coppola - LOST IN TRANSLATION
Peter Weir - MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
Clint Eastwood - MYSTIC RIVER
Should Win: Peter Jackson
Will Win: Peter Jackson
Should've Been A Contender: Tim Burton (Big Fish) and Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill Vol.1)
*There will be riots in the streets if Jackson doesn't win, but i don' t think the academy will let him down, and his millions upon millions of legions of fans. He did pretty much create an entire world, so he'll probably get his due. Another surprise in the form of Meirelles, that was unexpected, and now i want to see that movie like nothing else. Argh. I'd love to see an upset by either Peter Weir or Sofia Coppola (the first American woman nominated for this category), but it's probably unlikely. An amazing film by Weir, but the nom is pretty much the award until next year. Coppola will win the screenplay award as her big break most likely, but oh my, if she won. Wow.
Best Picture: THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
LOST IN TRANSLATION
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
MYSTIC RIVER
SEABISCUIT
Should Win: Lost in Translation
Will Win: Lord of the Rings
Should've Been A Contender: Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Big Fish
*Eep, this is really close to call. I'd say any of the films really deserve it, and they do. Well, "Mystic" has its shakey third act, but is really startling overall. "Seabiscuit", while not blow-me-away fantastic is very, very good. Not necessarily Best-Picture good, is all. "Master and Commander" would be the ultimate upset, but an interesting and not unwholly undeserving one. "Lost in Translation" would also be a very interesting choice, and one of my favourite movies of not onl this year but ever (but why oh why are Burton and Tarantino's masterpieces missing?!? Sigh). I'm going to have to play it overall safe and say "Rings" will take it...it will really depend on how many they sweep early in the night. Only time will tell, i guess. I can't wait.
Is There Anything Better Than "Touch-of-Lime-Flavoured Tostitos"? Quite Possibly, No.
They're truly delicious, they really are. That title is a bit of a trick, a sly move on my part. This entry's really not an entry all that much as another soundtrack of the day/late evening/early morning post. I can't get the following songs out of my head... though i do readily admit those new nachos are amazing...mmm....
Brand New - Sic Transit Gloria
Brand New - Seventy Times Seven
Billy Talent - Standing in the Rain
Billy Talent - Living in the Shadows
Yellowcard - Avondale
The Stills - Still in Love Song
Incubus - Megalomaniac
Iggy Pop - The Passenger
That was a rather funny line i overheard last night while standing in line for 1/2 an hour or so, in the freezing cold, in waterloo, for the billy talent show. Of course, anything in that temperature would've been pretty funny. Except, uhm, i guess the line "sorry folks, concert's cancelled!". That would've been not so funny. But otherwise, i digress. The concert ROCKED!! It was mucho fun, and one of my really first times in a mosh pit. I didn't know it was so bloody hot in those things, and lots of pushing is apparently also involved. Very interesting, fun scene. I'm really wiped, but it's been an excellent weekend. Now, this week coming up shall be interesting...
It's all a bit of a mixed blessing: Tarantino decides to split up his swords/yakuza/western/revenge/charlie's angels/sonny chiba homage blender into two, which on one hand allows for the anticipation of not one but two masterpieces, but then Miramax (aka current bane of my existence) decides to delay the second half until APRIL! April, i say!! I can not wait that long, i literally think i will spontaneously combust. *Poof*, no more Barry. Well, uhm, it could happen...But, until that fateful day arrives, the good folks on this world wide web of ours have released the so-cool-it-redefines-cool-even-as-it's-transcending-cool teaser trailer for "Kill Bill Vol.2". Enjoy. (Extra huzzah for Caine AND Tooth Pic Vic Vega in the same scene!!)
Meh, it's a necessary evil, I suppose. I'm actually happy to be working at all right now, 'cause my dvd habit it seriously growing out of control (i won't say how much i spent the other day...suffice to say, Mr. Larry David is currently entertaining me with his hilarious awkwardness and anxiety). Today was my first shift, which would normally start at 1, but started a little late because of a visit to the dreaded dentist (ugh...i just really don't care for dentists. And flouride. And that scratchy thingy. It's an ick altogether sort of situation). Otherwise, it seems like every Tuesday shall be okay, with stock duties and then pretty much me trying to amuse myself until closing time, which apparently I'm doing next week alone. And from thereafter too. I almost was thrust into the closing position by myself this week, but a last-minute change thankfully reversed that. But otherwise, it's a pretty nice place to work, and the people seem really friendly and relaxed. Though, honestly, how many soy products do people need? It's bewildering.
It's cold in Toronto lately, but I'm betting it's just as cold, if not more so, in the mountains of Park City, Utah, amongst the movie stars and indie geeks clamoring for cred. I wish i was there this week for the Sundance Film Festival, sipping my hot chocolates and watching the emerging films.
Wow, in the past few days there's been quite a large amount of excellent trailers hitting the net, here's a good sampling of some to check out to see what's ahead in the year:
Van Helsing - Hugh Jackman all dressed up and nowhere to go. No, wait, he has someplace to go. To kick monster ass. What monsters, you ask? I shall tell you: none other than the grande trifecta of classic monster villains: the Wolfman, Frankenstien, and Dracula. Oh, and Kate Beckinsale is in it too looking quite loverly.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy - Funny, funny stuff. Still on the fence if it's as good as that batch of clips that was posted a while ago, but has its moments, definitely. ("I love rum...rum rum rum"). I don't like the voice over, but meh. Will Ferrel can not lose.
Starsky and Hutch - Oh. My. Funny, funny stuff again. More Ferrel, plus Owen Wilson plus Ben Stiller plus Snoop Dogg plus Vince Vaughan = good time had by all.
Brand New - Sic Transit Gloria
The Darkness - I Believe In a Thing Called Love ( Ed. Warning: This song is dangerously addictive...)
Yellowcard - Way Away
Yellowcard - Rock Star Land (Ed. Note: Does anyone else think the guitar riff here is from the theme "Somewhere Out There" from the animated movie "An American Tale"? Or am i just completely insane?)
Thursday - Paris in Flames
Audioslave - Set if Off
Ozma - Baseball
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Gong Li
Well, maybe that's a little too strong. An overexaggeration of sorts, since I'm sure Dante had a much harder and trying time. And I'm sure it's not as bad as i made it out to be, but damned if that wasn't the most frustrating journey home i've ever had.
It started off inconspicous enough. I was happy and content come 5, when the final class in an 8-hour class-after-class marathon (otherwise now known as Wednesdays this term) was over, and I was looking forward to going home and takign a nap/watching the "Alien Quadrilogy". It was only when i walked outside i realized home was a far ways off. Thirsty after a sort of dry-airy english class, I grabbed an ice-cold coke from the machine (mistake #1), put on my toque (today i just had to accept i do indeed have a good head for hats), and off i went. My first sign things were not to go as planned was the fact that it took me almost 5-10 minutes (!?) just to get INTO the entrance into the Dundas subway underground. The lineup started just before that ugly blue awning and continued inwards. Apparently, the source of the problem was the immense amount of slush and sludge and general wetness that layered itself on the concrete-cracked steps leading underground, which in itself caused everyone to be extra-conscious in walking downstairs as to not trip and collapse an entire generation of others. It was interesting.
Next up was a line to get into the subway itself, which wasn't too bad as I'm probably making it out to be. The real challenge was drinking the now near-frozen-to-the-lips can of coke, which had acquired an interesting texture to my already-frozen tongue. I was really thirsty, though, so i relented and drank the sucker up as soon as i could. Of course, it being in the thick of the shit (aka rush hour), there were no seats until Davisville or so, so i spent most of the ride doing a balancing act of my paper (a curiously thinning eyeopener...has anyone else noticed this?), my empty can of coke, and my headphones/cd player (the only thing that kept me remotely sane during the ride). Finally, seat in hold, i managed to fit in a little zzz time before hitting finch.
Then, it was the mad rush out of the subway, and into, what i like to casually refer to as, The Apocalypse. Imagine roughly 400 people or so all lining up for the same bloody bus at a crowded, unheated bus station and that's a rough approximation of the Danny Boyle-esque horror that awaited. Sheer anarchy, i tells ya. No choice in hand, i decided to do essentially all i could do: wet myself. Well, no. But close. The next moment of chaos began when one lone bus, like the sole escape pod from a space ship heading to the core of the sun, arrived. Pushing. Yelling. Cursing. And then there were the bad parts. Sadly, no bus ride back on this try for our lone hero. Instead, moment of irony numero #1 came along, as Chris Cornel began wailing on my headphones about "Setting this fucker off", in which the crowd assembled before me literally seemed on the cusp of doing. Why do people push towards nothing? Hope, i suppose. Oh my, the hope that was deposed before me. It was funny, in a holy shit i want to be warm right now no matter the cost kinda way. Irony moment #2 settled in shortly after Cornel and Co. wailed about setting "this fucker off", as my cd player quickly heeded to the advice and stopped working. Damned batteries and thier lack of, uhm, lasting forever.
Now, I was sadly stuck without music to block out the rest of the world, so i turned to the next logical source of reality-dillusion, and i pulled out my article on blogging from the NY Times, which was pretty interesting, but i didn't have a chance to finish up yet. Just as i got to the emergence of Xanga and general emo-ish psycho-mumbo-gumbo, ironic moment #3 (well, it's not really ironic, just annoying) happened, and an over-enthusiastic (the nicest adjective i could find) fellow commuter decided to shove me by the wayside for what he thought was a the next bus (it wasn't the right route), and then the magazine flies down into the wetness of the floor. Along with my gloves, which, stupidly enough, were not on my hands but held in my hands for some bizarre reason. So, now they were wet, inside and out. The magazine was okay, just took a little time to dry off, but i wasn't in the mood to read anymore any ways.
Finally, another bus comes, and the pandemonium begins again. They fill up like sardine cans, and just as I'm about to make it on the bloody vessel, wam!, the door slams shut in my face. Too full, a voice says from somewhere (by this time i wouldn't have been surprised if it was my own mind deteriorating and causing voices to spur), but it was there nontheless. Full bus. No room. Time to wait again.
15 minutes pass, maybe 20. The cold is getting colder, the wind getting oh the more chillier. My gloves are still wet. I think my toes have gone numb. But by this time i was losing my grip with reality. People are getting angsty. Well, the word "angsty" sort of conveys a "Dawson's Creek"-like teen awkwardness. Maybe the word "pissed off and ready to rumble like spurned fans at a cancelled Guns n' Roses show" is more apt.
Finally, the bus came. And then it stopped. And then the doors didn't open. I have, to this moment, no idea why other than to torment me further. Finally, after about 5 minutes of teasing us, just sitting there taunting everyone with its warmth and comfort and ability to get us the hell home, the doors opened. I've never been as happy to hear that damned "swishhhh" sound before.
Seated (miraculously, somehow, but more likely due to the fact i was literally first in line for the bloody thing after my first bout of bus rejection), off we were. Off we were to freedom, to glory, to home. Oh, yes, and traffic. Lots of traffic. And snow that hadn't been salted. And sleet. And traffic. I think i should mention the traffic. After a further duration in this diesel-fueled purgatory of sorts, i got to my bus stop. My beloved bus stop that i would've kissed if my lips hand't lost all feeling upon leaving the bus.
Trudging my way back through the windy, snowy suburban air, my glasses fogging up to the point past translucence, the wind biting at my cheeks, trying to stay on any path i could, i wondered how those pioneers did it in the way back when. Then i imagined what my life would be if my name was Ishmael and i had to build fires and hunt nightly. Then my senses come back to me, thankfully, since Ishmael really is a name not suited for me, i think. Too cold to reach for my keys, i just hold my finger on the doorbell continously, until someone, anyone, answeres. My mom greets me with a smile. And a request: "Do you think you could do a bit of shovelling?"
Not really doing anything imparticular, and just enjoying the moment, sitting here right now and listening to a random assortment of Beatles songs. Last night was the most fun I've ever had on my birthday, and this afternoon was pretty relaxed and comfortable. Watched part of the Alien Quadrilogy, which kicks so much ass it's unbelievable. I'm slowly making my way through it. It's going to take a lot of commitment, though, but i think i can handle it. I'm up to the challenge.
My mind's in kind of a limbo, sifting through thoughts and ideas and concepts. There's one section of my mind devoted to two of my favorite tv shows right now, doing the trivial disections of them each. "24" was fairly good tonight, an ending I could see a little ways away, though. And the whole Sherry-Palmer-returning was ruined this morning (well, 12:45 pm) when a certain columnist in a certain major national paper ruined it. Then my dad called me later this afternoon to ruin it again. Ah well.
"Alias" is, at least in the last three weeks, continuing to usurp "24" in its twists and turns. This week's episode was particularly nutty. Let's go down the list: Syd recovering what happened to her two years? Yep. Surprise appearance by Kendall? Yep. Guest voice cameo by Q. Tarantino as head (maybe?) of the Covenenant? Yep. Vaughan's wife evil? Yep. (That last one had me screaming at the top of my lungs at the television, much to the shock of my mom and semi-conscious dad). But, both damn fine shows.
It's official, next week i start the new job. Right after a big dentist appointment (*shudder*)....should be an interesting day. I'm not terribly excited about it, really. It's more of just a job for the sake of a job, means to and end. Until the next best thing comes along, though, I'm happy to take it.
Last night marked the b-day festivities which were most excellent. First off was dinner at the (apparently very often-chosen) Lone Star, which included waaaayyy too much food (fajitas, nachos, fried ice cream, brownie ice cream, sooo much ice cream), great friends and a big, foam hat that i wanted to keep, much to the objections of the wait staff. Then, it was off to Milwuakees downtown, and standing in the freezing cold for what seemed like slightly more than 10 minutes. For the rest of the evening the classical music of Snoop Dogg and his compatriotes filled the alcohol-fueled air. It gets kind of foggy after that, but i can assure that an excellent time was had by all. Count me one very happy 21 year-old (?!...that seems like a really high number now that i write it). Anyone for Vegas? (It's the trip that pays for itself, i tells ya!!)
I've always been fascinated with conspiracy theories and other odd stuff. I used to be nearly obsessed with the stuff. Anything involving UFO's, aliens, ancient secret societies like the Freemasons, secret government black-ops, etc, hooked me in. It was the secrecy of it, the mystery surrounding it, that intrigued me. There was this something out there that wasn't fully explained, that had people devoting thier entire lives to finding out the truth behind the matter. "X-Files" was the perfect outlet for me to indulge this (until it got all, uhm, convulted in its own mythology). Oliver Stone films and books by Whitley Striber only helped fuel this. I actually remember dragging my dad into taking me when i was 13 or so to the local Chapters to hear a 3-week guest lecture on the Kennedy assassinations, and then making him take me to Convocation Hall at U of T to hear Oliver Stone when he did a talk a while back too. I was immersed in the conspiracy culture.
Towards Grade 9ish or so my interest began to wane, and i moved onto obsessing not just about alien movies, but movies in general. And so it's stayed that way pretty much since. But there's always that moment when i catch myself looking at that alien action figure in the corner and wondering. Or dusting off those books with titles like "Conspiranoia!" and thinking about the Knights Templar or the CIA's MK Ultra project. It's strange to think that there are all these little nuggets of mystery in the world just waiting to be solved.
The latest thing to ignite my interest is the new, excellent article in the latest issue of "Rolling Stone" that got my attention tonight. It's called "The Curse of Oak Island" by Randall Sullivan, and I can't find it online at the magazine's site, or else i would link to it, because it's really an amazing piece of journalism, something i don't think i could even dream of writing. It reads like a novel combined with a history textbook and with a dash of those zany "Disinformation" books that are sitting on my book shelf collecting dust. There's just this healthy amount of skepticism and objectivity that presents the whole issue as being just another mystery in the world, if not a damned big one. It's the perfect setup for an epic adventure: A young man wanders around an island off of Nova Scotia in 1795, finds an odd patch of land near the beach, and discovers a man-made hole that begins a treasure hunt that's still going strong today and involves everything from lost Spanish gold to pirate's treasure to the Ark of the Covenant to the true author of Shakespeare's plays (seriously).
To make a long story short, after many people turn thier lives over to trying to discover the mysteries that lay more than 200 feet below the island's surface (parts of it suspiciously man-made), and countless fortunes are lost trying to dig deeper, the true nature of whatever is lurking down in the deep caverns of the Oak Island "money pit" (as it has been dubbed), remains shrouded in mystery. What started as a treasure hunt of modest proportions (they originally thought it was just an intricate hidden vault that held lost pirate's fortunes), began a set of grande theories that are just too interesting, and bizarre, to ignore. Some say that ancient Masonic stories tell of treasure hidden there, or even the lost Ark of the Covenant or Holy Grail, or both (let the Indiana Jones comparisons begin). Then there's the whole matter of how some believe that Sir Francis Bacon hid his original manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays down there. (I always kinda held the Marlowe-penned theory, but that's just me). Then there's evidence that the hole down there is more than 450 years old. Then there's the stories of how it's haunted. Then there's the tales of fortunes lost and endless legal battles. Then there's the lost rock that supposedly reveals a code of how to access the treasure below. Then (exhaustingly) there's the obligatory aliens-did-it theory.
The story just spurred me to write a bit about these sorts of mysteries. It's just so fascinating, and it makes me half-wittingly want to go to the blasted island and do some exploring myself. Some things you just can't make up, I guess.
Tonight's episode had all the makings to be one of the greatest of the season (not really a huge achievement when all the episodes are taken into account, but still). I don't exactly know how they did it, but they took a perfect opportunity to have some fun with John Goodman's character (the only good thing about this season) and introducing a former prez played by the always excellent James Cromwell, but they just completely wasted it. Oh my, that episode made my head hurt.
I'm not so sure i like that title. I remember back in the early, early days of writing in grade 7, our teacher always used to tell us to write the title to our short stories/poems/etc after we had finished writing them. I never really followed that advice, perhaps i should. I used to start all my stories with the title, and work from there. I suppose that restricted me in some ways, but no matter. Getting back, 2004 looks to be a promising year for all things entertainment. As a kind of opposite to the "best of 2003" post, i think i'll do a "looks to be promising/most exciting" upcoming movies/tv/etc in 2004.
Movies:
"Spiderman 2" - I don't think this needs a heck of a lot of explanation. The trailer. Oh my, the trailer. So, it begins benign enough with MJ and PP discussing the unrequited love in the coffee shop, and just when you think it's going to be a slow, emotional teaser (which would've been more than fine), it EXPLODES into a car-smashing, Doc Ock stomping, Spidey-swinging adrenaline rush!! Sharone couldn't have said it better than when he finished watching it: "I think i just wet myself." And, throw in Dylan Baker as Dr.Lizard-to-be, apparently more-stupendous Doc Ock vs. Spidey showdowns, and a cameo by the one and only Bruce Campbell, this is the must-see event ticket of the year.
"The Life Aquatic" - Wes Anderson. Bill Murray. Owen Wilson. Stop-motion undersea animation. Combine them all and this will be one of the most intriguing movies of the year. Anderson can do no wrong, and if keeps using the same rep cast of his other movies such as Murray and Wilson (Anjelica Huston and Kumar "Pagoda" Pallana are back, and Anderson newcomers Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, and Peter "TFM" Stormare are also in), it can be nothing short of amazing.
"Kill Bill Vol.2" - Oh my. Oh my. Oh my. If they push this back to April like Tarantino is alluding to recently (nooooo!!!), i don't think i'll be able to last the wait. I want this sucker now. That tid bit of Michael Madsen at the end of Vol. 1 was good, but not good enough to hold me over to see how Uma dispatches with him. And i need to see what Carradine ends up looking like, or how Pai-Me does that flying over the sword thingy that was seen breifly in the teaser trailer. Insanity, i tells ya.
"Hellboy" - Again, i have to direct everyone's attention to the teaser. It does have shades of "LXG" in it (hopefully nothing more than shades), but Ron Perelmen absolutely rules the screen as the demon with a heart o'gold hero. What the hell is that attacking him in the subway? What exactly is going on? I have no idea, but it looks dang interesting.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" - I posted the absolutely messed up but amazing teaser trailer for this a while ago, and now that i've seen most of the great "works of michel gondry" dvd, this promises to redefine surrealistic filmmaking. I can't wait to see what Charlie Kaufman and Jim Carrey working together produces. And what a great supporting cast too: Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, Kate Winslet, AND Tom Wilkson?!
"Jersey Girl" - J. Lo + Ben Affleck usually yields trouble. But, this must be good. It has to be. It's Kevin Smith, with Jason Lee, George Carlin, and various other Smith-ites. It can't be bad. I just won't let it.
"Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" - Wow. This looks mighty strange. Mighty cool, too, though. Looks like someone took the "Iron Giant" cartoon and put Jude Law and Gwenyth Paltrow in a live-action version of it.
"Alexander" - I'll watch any movie by Oliver Stone. But where's Tommy Lee Jones in this?
"Anchorman" - Starring Will Ferrel. That's all i have to say.
"Envy"/"Starsky and Hutch"/"Dodgeball: the Movie" - The three Ben Stiller movies of 2004, each promising something a little bit different. Apparently "Envy" is not so great, but has a cast including Stiller, Jack Black (!), and Christoper Walken (!!!). Can't go wrong. "S+H" looks most promising, ironically, of the three with the Old-Shoolish comedy gang of Stiller, Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughan, Will Ferrel, and a ton of others. "Dodgeball" i have heard next to nothing about, except Stiller and Vaughan costar. And that title.
"Blade: Trinity" - The final installment of probably the greatest, and most wildly inventive, of all vampire movie trilogies (hmm, well, maybe it's the only real vampire trilogy to think of..). David Goyer, the scripter of the first two movies, finally comes out behind the scenes and directs. I was initially sad to hear that they abandoned the original concept of throwing Blade into 2030 and having him live in a world completely taken over by vampires, but this one of him battling the ultimate vamp (Drac, or Drake as i think they call him) sounds very promising. Throw in Ryan Reynolds (?!) as a fellow vampire hunter (interesting casting), and it just gets weirder.
"The Incredibles" - The next Pixar flick, and after "Finding Nemo", they can do no wrong.
"Ocean's Twelve" - Haven't read too much about this one, except that it's set in France and everyone is returning. Including Soderbergh, which makes it promising enough to be high on the list.
"The Aviator" - The next Scorsese film about the life of Howard Hughes. With everyone from Leonardo DiCaprio as Hughes (interesting casting), Cate Blanchette, Kate Beckinsale, Willem Dafoe, Ian Holm, Jude Law, Alec Baldwin, and Gwen Stefani (as Jean Harlow).
Also Promising: "Troy", "The Stepford Wives" (more Walken goodness and Kidman too!), "The Punisher", "The Ladykillers" (more Coen bros. wackiness with Tom Hanks and 'Oz's" Schillinger with a funny mustache!) , "Be Cool" (Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace united!) , "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" (if only for the fact that Paul W.S. Anderson isn't directing) "Alien vs. Predator" (get's negative points for the fact that Paul W.S. Anderson is directing..sigh, James Cameron and Ridley Scott were once attached), "The Terminal" (Spielberg and Hanks again, with hopefully usually great results), "Dawn of the Dead" (creepy teaser, but nowhere near Romero quality), and "Van Helsing" (Hugh Jackman takes on everyone from Dracula to the Mummy to Frankenstien and back to the Wolfman...should be higher on list if only for the amount of classic monsters involved).
Television:
- Whew, went on far too long for that movies section than i thought i would: here's a quick roundup of some coming soon tv seasons that i just wish i had a satellite to catch...or maybe if i had a satellite it'd be dangerous..i'd just never leave my house:
1. "Six Feet Under" season 4
2. "Sopranos" season 5
3. "Carnivale" season 2
4. "Curb Your Enthusiasm" season 4, which just started last night...blast my lack of HBO...
5. "Family Guy" all-new 35 episodes coming any day now....hopefully...sometime....before 2005...maybe...
Neil Young - On the Beach
Jerry Garcia feat. David Grisman - Friend of the Devil
The Shins - Fighting in a Sack
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Fortune Faded
Switchfoot - Meant to Live
Bob Dylan - The Man in Me
Ozma - Curve in the Old 1-9
2004 was rung in last night in the best possible way, with great friends. And if you add on top of that the Coen bros. masterpiece (aka the best...movie...ever) The Big Lebowksi, then it's the best possible way times infinity (plus infinity. squared. plus one. minus one. plus two.) Now, let's all go bowling.
