Archive for the 'Entertainment' Category
March 10th, 2009 by Blythe
You know that feeling when you’ve promised someone a favor? It’s someone you really like, and the favor is something you enjoy doing, but you just never seem to get time among all your other responsibilities to get it done. And you find yourself avoiding the person because when you talk with them you spend all your time apologizing about the favor, when they’ve probably either forgotten all about it or else just did it themselves because holy cow it wasn’t a big deal and it was taking you forever.
Yeah, I’ve kind of been avoiding blogging because the Oscar pool results were hanging over my head. You’d think I was being asked to do my own taxes or something. (My accountants and the German and American tax authorities are all thankful that’s not the case.)
So about the Oscars. I had a great time watching the big show with Katie. (Well, besides the part where I tried to demonstrate the wonders of modern technology and somehow used our DVR to skip over about 20 minutes of the telecast.) It was Slumdog Millionaire’s night, as you know, and while I am not convinced it will stand the test of time as the Best Picture, I couldn’t help but be touched and thrilled by the fresh-faced enthusiasm of the cast and crew as they accepted award after award. Highlights for me included Penelope Cruz winning Best Supporting Actress, the Milk screenwriter’s speech, and Kate Winslet receiving long-deserved recognition. I’m glad I didn’t have to see Mickey Rourke talk about his chihuahua and I like Sean Penn just fine but I wish Frank Langella had won. Also, I made some killer guacamole, which was delicious.
And now, the pool results. My sincere apologies for taking a year and a day (well, just a couple of weeks, actually) to get the results tabulated. Thanks to all 37 entrants. Repeat players will note that our big winner, Melanie, has been in either the first or second spot all four years we’ve played this game. If she doesn’t watch out we might have to name the award after her. Notably, she picked only three of the 24 awards incorrectly. Next year, let’s all take her to Vegas. Second place goes to my blog pal B. who has had kind of a rough year so far and deserves some good news. Neat prizes will be headed their way soon.
Oscar Pool 2009 Results, by name and number of correct predictions:
Melanie: 21
B.: 19
Anna B.: 15
Sandi: 15
Tom: 15
Courtenay: 14
Scott: 14
Aubrey: 13
Kari: 13
Kylee: 13
Chad: 12
Charles: 12
Erica: 12
Katie: 12
Kristen: 12
Hollie: 11
Martha: 11
Britten: 10
Christina: 10
Daniela: 10
Dina: 10
Kerri W: 10
Yvonne: 10
Belgian Waffle: 9
Darren: 9
Gerry: 9
Ingrida: 9
Jennifer: 9
Kerri B: 9
Emily: 8
Janice: 8
Kassie: 8
Amy: 7
Julia: 7
Julia D: 7
Kendra: 7
Mike: 7
(Special shout-out to those of you who voted for Hellboy II in the Best Makeup Category. Because that made me smile.)
February 19th, 2009 by Blythe
The Oscar pool deadline is fast approaching. Don’t forget to enter.
Also: if you’re Julia who submitted the very first ballot (gold star for promptness – seriously, I love it), please submit another one as there was a glitch with your entry.
February 16th, 2009 by Blythe
I unearthed a batch of mix tapes over the weekend. I hung onto them through the CD years when it was all but impossible to create mixes myself, during a time when I didn’t even own a tape player. Listening to old music is such a time machine experience, and I feel like I spent my Saturday afternoon as an early twentysomething, just graduated from college and flailing blindly through my life. Thank heaven my friends introduced me to some good music. Here are my mixtape favorites, that I downloaded and compiled into a playlist I named the Cassette Mix.
Heal The Pain by George Michael
This is so much better than “Faith,” why don’t I ever hear it on the radio?
Come Back Down by Toad the Wet Sprocket
I still don’t understand this band name.
Dela by Johnny Clegg & Savuka
I’m a little horrified that this was part of the “George of the Jungle” soundtrack but I swear I was listening to it back in 1992. I’m not sure why that’s better than hearing it for the first time over the credits of a Brendan Fraser movie but somehow it seems like it should be.
Occasionally by Melissa Etheridge
I almost always prefer the acoustic version of any song. Ergo, I really miss that MTV “Unplugged” series now that MTV only broadcasts Real World spinoffs.
Longview by Green Day
Theo loves this. I can’t wait until he starts shouting the swear words from his car seat.
Let the Day Begin by The Call
Apparently this has become a popular choice as a campaign theme song. However I learned about it via my roommate and she first heard it on from the guys down the hall who played it to start their campus radio show that no one ever listened to. Maybe that’s how Al Gore first heard it too?
Waiting for Somebody by Paul Westerberg
Remember “Singles?” Man, Matt Dillon sure looks a lot better without the hair and the soul patch.
Alison by Elvis Costello
I only figured out who Elvis Costello was in my twenties, but it feels like I’ve always known about this song, and I never get sick of it.
Kayleigh by Marillion
This is one of those awesome eighties videos featuring children in military costumes and a mournful yet indecipherable message.
Hymn to Her by The Pretenders
This is a beautiful song. I can’t believe no one (Jessica Simpson? Mandy Moore?) has released an inferior cover version.
All That You Have is Your Soul by Tracy Chapman
January 27th, 2009 by Blythe
I haven’t seen a single nominated movie this year. I saw Gran Torino but apparently Clint and the Hmong are on the outs with the Academy this year. Maybe I’ll make progress in the next three weeks.
Anyway, it’s time for my fourth annual Oscar pool!
Just fill out this form:
Blythe’s Oscar Pool
and submit it by midnight wherever you are on Thursday, February 19, 2009.
Yes, indeed, there will be prizes.
Last year’s results
Results from 2007
And the results from 2006
A great Oscar info site
January 12th, 2009 by Blythe
Today’s the day to comment. Why?
Because it makes me feel popular and neat, and after that last post you know I need all the help I can get in the self-esteem department.
Also, because there’s a prize!
Comment below with your latest favorite song (add a link to your fave version on YouTube if you’d like). It doesn’t have to be new music, just something you’re enjoying right now. I’ll pick one random commenter and send him/her a $10 iTunes or Amazon gift card (your choice). Because I need some new musical inspiration and I need to feel loved.
AMENDED
I would also appreciate suggestions for sappy background music to be used in Theo’s Year Two video, if and when I ever take the time to fight with the moviemaking software. You might remember last year’s video, which was only a month late. Two months late for year two? That’s a good goal. Anyway, this amendment was inspired by Jonniker’s comment below. I am a shameless music/inspiration thief.
P.S.
Speaking of prizes, we’re giving away a really cool booster chair over at Mamas Worldwide. The deadline for entry is tomorrow at midnight.
December 15th, 2008 by Blythe
I’m not sure what’s up with my musical taste right now, but I’m all about the ladies.
Straight To…Number One by Touch and Go.
Video of Lance and Lacey’s DWTS mambo, because that’s what turned me on to the song.
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) by Beyonce
You might be sick of it, but I’m not. And this choreographer deserves an award.
Keeps Gettin’ Better by Christina Aguilera
I still maintain that this is really a Britney song, but who cares.
Untouched by The Veronicas
The day I downloaded this I put it on repeat and drove around listening to it for half an hour until I could sing along exactly to the chorus.
So What by P!nk
When this comes on the radio, Theo yells ROCKSTAR! ROCK MOVES! from the back seat.
That’s Not My Name by The Ting Tings
I have no idea where I came up with this one. But still. Love it.
Cobrastyle by Robyn
I think I’ve linked to this before. I’m still listening to it.
Fidelity by Regina Spektor
This video looks like Tori Amos landed in the middle of that weird Tom Petty/Alice in Wonderland video that I love so much.
When Will I Be Loved? by Linda Ronstadt
Everyone needs a little Linda in her life.
June 13th, 2008 by Blythe
(I chose these videos for their audio quality, not their visual fidelity to the songs. Some of them are truly bizarre, particularly the homemade Lost/Napoleon Dynamite tribute using Cake’s version of Mahna Mahna as its soundtrack. No, really, it’s right there.)
Fidelity by Regina Spektor
World Spins Madly On by The Weepies
Merry Happy by Kate Nash
Sea of Love by Cat Power
Sea of Love by The Honeydrippers
Killing Me Softly by Roberta Flack
How Deep Is Your Love by The Bird and the Bee
Brandi (You’re A Fine Girl) by Looking Glass
Mahna Mahna by Cake
Cobrastyle by Robyn
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West
My Maria by Brooks & Dunn
May 26th, 2008 by Blythe
-I’ve been unfaithful, dear readers. I’m spending all my time over at WordPress and neglecting you. Is it a case of the grass is greener, or the template is cooler, or the code is more exciting? I’m not sure. But instead of posting, I spend all my time deciphering FTP instructions and trying to find code in CSS. I’m not really sure what any of that means, exactly, but don’t I sound smart? And why do you care? Well, one of these days I hope to teach the old blog some new tricks and get rid of the lovely lavender. But first, I have to put my geek hat on for a while.
-As long as we’re on the subject of stuff most of you don’t care about, I really wish Twitter would behave. I understand that it’s growing fast, and they do make the cutest announcements when they’re having problems (“Twitter is stressing out a bit right now”) but that doesn’t help me when I’m trying to be an effective stalker.
-I know you’ve been dying to hear what I thought about Kristi Yamaguchi’s big win last week. She deserved the title but her partner needs to tone down the singing/facial expressions. Isn’t there a deduction for that? Looking back on the competition, I wish Mario had stuck around. He didn’t deserve to go. And Jason Taylor may inspire me to tune in to an NFL game this year.
-I’ll leave you with this, Saturday’s Eurovision song contest winner, from Russia. Not since Madonna’s Like A Virgin days has someone mopped the stage floor in a white outfit so attractively.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSSadsrmTGc&hl=en]
April 27th, 2008 by Blythe
I’ve been American Idol-deprived this season, because we are too lazy/cheap to buy a a big-enough satellite dish. The little saucer we own is, apparently, insufficient to pick up the warblings of Kristi Lee Cook most weeks. Maybe I should be grateful. I did manage a couple of blurry episodes, just enough to become a big fan of Michael Johns right before he was undeservedly booted. I expected him to make it to second place, because that’s where my favorites usually seem to land (BO BICE! Holla!).
In case you thought I might take this opportunity to spend my newly-freed three hours per week learning Pilates or teaching Theo to recognize the Periodic Table, I’ll confess that my reality TV jones has been met by an even more addictive and less impressive fix. Yes, I’m addicted to Dancing with the Stars.
I’m rooting for Jason Taylor (hot! and graceful! and tall!). I almost stopped watching because Priscilla Presley freaked me out, but she is gone now. Carrie Ann Inaba is my new Simon Cowell (she’s always right) and I totally believe Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough are getting it on. Kristi Yamaguchi has an unfair advantage (Figure skating involves a bunch of dance training, doesn’t it? Kind of like being in a boy band. I’m looking at you, Drew Lachey), and Marisa Jaret Winokur is actually less annoying than I expected.
As you can see, it’s hopeless.
March 31st, 2008 by Blythe
What would The Matrix have been like if Will Smith had played Neo?(he turned the role down)
Lame.
I’m no advocate for Keanu Reeves’s acting abilities, but he (or probably his agent) is a genius when it comes to choosing roles suited for his wooden delivery. He looked cool and animatronic and that’s what Neo was all about. Will Smith as Neo would have meant The Matrix as (Insert Forgettable Action/Adventure Movie Here).
In your opinion is Britney Spears a bad mother?
I could write an entire blog filled with my opinions (based on biased popular media coverage and my own highly untechnical and wholly uninformed armchair psychology) on the Britney situation. I think her current behavior is due to a collision of fame, immaturity, money, bad advice, stubbornness, cultural values (her culture being lower-income American south), and a case of postpartum depression. I don’t think she’s a bad mother, I just think she needs to get the right kind of help and to grow up a little before she can be a good one. I suspect millions of mothers make the same kinds of choices she has made, but their mistakes happen behind closed doors. I hope she turns things around, but to do so she needs to give up the media attention she’s lived with for her entire adult life, and I’m not sure she can imagine how to do that.
I finally started reading some Chuck Klosterman — how do you feel about Billy Joel?
“Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits” is one of my top-five sing-along albums for long car trips. I once spent a long stretch of highway memorizing all the lyrics to “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.”
Christopher Hitchens: total pompous douchebag; really smart; little bit of both?
Both. And that’s why gets the big bucks. But I’m glad I don’t have to sit in the cubicle next to his.
You’re invited to attend the Oscars. Which designers would YOU invite to create YOUR gown?
First, I would hire a stylist, preferably whoever styles Jodie Foster because I have the feeling she doesn’t have fantastic dress sense but she always manages to look good at red-carpet events. Then, I would have my stylist place a call to Narciso Rodriguez’s people, and have Valentino’s people on the line as backup. Also, s/he could do some shopping at the Chanel warehouse because vintage Chanel might work in a pinch.
Who are your writer crushes?
Jon Stewart goes without saying, right? And, since I’m all about the funny geeks, Cameron Crowe and Joss Whedon are right up there too. I can’t come up with anyone outside the TV/Movie realm. Maybe I’m too jealous of print writers to have crushes on them?
Q&A Part 1 – About Me
