This should normally be a very happy and exciting time for me, but if I'm being honest it isn't. I feel like a black cloud is hanging over my head. I was reading some of the headlines on Sympatico.ca and clicked on something I shouldn't have. Now I know the fat content in movie theatre popcorn and I'm not sure I will ever be able to step foot in a theatre again. At a Cineplex Odeon in Ontario they tested a large popcorn with butter. 100g of fat!! They also tested it without any topping. 67.3g of fat!!!! It's a miracle of modern science that I'm still alive! They say ignorance is bliss. I guess that will teach me for going on Sympatico.
Still, it is Oscar time. A time where millionaires and billionaires rub their fancy dresses and tight new body parts in our faces. Not literally Dad, don't go getting all excited. Well this is embarrassing. It's a time to celebrate the best in movies. A time to forget about popcorn and nutrition, (or lack thereof) and acknowledge who really did something special on the silver screen in the past year.
It's so nice to be able to say that I've seen every best picture nominee and not be bullshitting. That's something new. In fact the only movie I really wanted to see that I was unable to was Blue Valentine. Well, I guess Meet The Fockers too but I'm not sure that deserves an Oscar nomination.
As always, there were a few major snubs this year. It's hard to feel sorry for people who own jets and politicians, but I think it's a shame that a few people got overlooked. The biggest one would probably be Christopher Nolan not being nominated for Inception. I don't know what the Academy has against Mr Nolan. He always challenges the viewer and assumes they are paying attention. That's the way it should be. If you don't like it, go and watch Grownups. The other major snub for me was Tangled not being nominated for Best Animated Movie. The fact that two more movies could have been nominated but the Academy decided no movie was worthy makes me think that Walt Disney himself is probably rolling over in his freezer. Another smaller snub, I think Rabbit Hole should've been nominated for Best Picture instead of Winter's Bone.
Anne Hathaway and James Franco host this year. I'm not expecting much here, but for the love of God, just tell some good jokes. It's a long show. Hopefully some winner will make things interesting with one-armed pushups or maybe surf the crowd. Something to keep me awake in my comfy easy chair.
It's always interesting to see the outfits of the stars. Joan Rivers always asks who are you wearing? Who are you wearing? There will be a lot of Versace, Armani and Vera Wang. One of the benefits of watching from home, I get to wear Joe Boxer.
Okay, I've kept you in suspense long enough. Here are my OFFICIAL (it just looks more important when it's in all capitals) Academy Award predictions. Let your hair down, put your feet up, and enjoy.
Supporting Actor - One of the easier categories. Christian Bale for The Fighter. No question.
Supporting Actress - Not quite as easy, but I'll pick Melissa Leo also for The Fighter.
Adapted Screenplay - This is likely between True Grit and The Social Network. I'll go with Aaron Sorkin for The Social Network.
Original Screenplay - I feel pretty confident this will go to David Seidler for The King's Speech.
Original Score - It will be a crime if The Social Network doesn't win this. It sets the tone for the whole movie.
Original Song - I'll go with Coming Home from Country Strong, sung by Gwyneth Paltrow.
Animated Feature - Obviously this will go to the brilliant Toy Story 3.
Art Direction - This is tought since there were no directors named Art this year. We'll go with Eve Stewart for The King's Speech.
Cinematography - If there's any justice in the World, this should go to True Grit, pilgrim.
Costume - I just can't give anything to Alice In Wonderland. Nope. I'll say The King's Speech.
Makeup - No real standouts this year. I'll say The Wolfman.
Sound Editing - It's like sound mixing, only different. How about Inception? I mean, Inception!
Sound Mixing - This is when you take all the sounds and mix them together. Glad I could clear that up. The Social Network.
Visual Effects - This should go to Inception.
Documentary Feature - As my Mom says daily in the Vodka section of the Liquor Store, Eenie, meenie, minie moe. Wasteland.
Documentary Short - Warriors Of Quigang sounds important, and that's usually how the Academy picks. You don't think they
actually watch these movies do you?
Film Editing - I'm going to pick a dark horse. I loved the editing in Black Swan though not sure I would bet my house on it
winning. Screw it! Okay, I'll bet my house.
Foreign Film - I will give it to Biutiful, the story of a man in Spain who is a bad speller. It's TRAGIC!!
Animated Short - Again I can picture my Mom in the Liquor Store. We'll go with The Gruffalo.
Live Action Short - God Of Love. Who could vote against a movie with the word God in it? Well, maybe Bill Maher.
Director - I'm once again going to vote with my heart here. I'll pick Darren Aronofsky for the brilliant Black Swan. My finger and
toes, and eyes are crossed for him.
Actress - Natalie Portman. 'Nuff said.
Actor - I would have no problem with Jesse Eisenberg winning this, but the overwhelming favorite is Colin Firth. He was brilliant in The King's Speech and he will win the gold naked man this time around.
Picture - It was a great year for movies and there are a number of movies that could win this. True Grit, The Social Network,
Black Swan, The King's Speech and The Fighter are all in contention. Since a lot of these movies did well at the box
office you can expect some big ratings at the Oscars this year. I feel pretty confident that The King's Speech will take
the big prize this year. Although, I could be drunk.
There you go. I just saved you three and a half hours of boredom. If you still want to watch, park your behind in a VERY comfy chair and have your snacks and alcohol within arms reach. Enjoy the show and remember, We Are All Canucks! Oops, wrong blog, sorry.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Corey's Favorite Songs Of 2010
As I mentioned in my last blog, the album is what matters to me. I would take 12 non-hooky, non-commercial, but solid songs over Kesha's, sorry K$sha's Greatest Hits any day of the week. Having said that, I did promise to release my favorite songs of the year, and here they are, only 2 months late. You've all seen the Grammy Awards, here now are the Grampy Awards. (Hey, I'm no spring chicken.)
I have quite a few favorite songs. Some were on the radio. A lot were not. I will list the majority of them in no particular order and then follow that up with my top 10 along with a brief lame comment about each. Following that, I will post a list of Best Album honorable mentions. Read. Enjoy! Rinse, and repeat.
Kings Of Leon - Mary, The Face; Kanye West - Dark Fantasy; Gary Allan - Today; Ray Lamontagne - God Willin' And The Creek Don't Rise, New York City's Killin' Me; Band Of Horses - Older, Compliments; Melissa Etheridge - Indiana, Drag Me Away; John Legend & The Roots - Hard Times, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free; Scissor Sisters - Whole New Way; Tom Petty - Good Enough; Vampire Weekend - Cousins, I Think Ur A Contra; Ryan Bingham - The Weary Kind; Elton John/Leon Russell - When Love Is Dying, $800 Shoes; Justin Townes Earl - Harlem River Blues; Johnny Reid - Today I'm Going To Try And Change The World; MGMT - Congratulations; The National - Blood Buzz Ohio, Runaway; Sarah McLaughlin - Loving You Is Easy; Eric Clapton/Sheryl Crow - Diamonds Made From Rain; Josh Groban - Hidden Away; Jakob Dylan - Nothing But The Whole Wide World; Robert Plant - Angel Dance; Enrique Iglesias - I Like It; Flo Rida - The Club Can't Handle Me. (I told you there were a lot.)
Now for my illustrious TOP 10 (and yes, all these artists will have to pass a drug test to officially be elligible for their Grampy):
10. Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band -- A slow song with great harmonies. Sounds like the Eagles meets Lynnyrd Skynnyrd or
however the Hell you spell it. I love singing along in the car to this one, Ryan, not so
much.
9. Born Free - Kid Rock -- A great driving in the sunshine while talking on the phone and looking for a hooker and a dealer
song. At least that's the way Charlie Sheen described it.
8. Wavin' Flag - K'Naan -- This is a great song with a catchy chorus and a positive message.
7. Airplanes - B.O.B (Featuring Hayley Williams) -- A very catchy, very radio-friendly song. Rihanna did a great version live.
6. Need You Now - Lady Antebellum -- Here's a song that crossed over into Pop. Some great vocals and a great piano hook
that even I could probably play.
5. Love The Way You Lie - Eminem/Rihanna -- Just a great song. Rihanna's voice was perfect. In fact, I prefer the second part of
this song which is the last track on Rihanna's new album Loud.
4. Hey Soul Sister - Train -- This blockbuster of a song made Train relevant once again and perhaps more importantly they will
never again be thought of as a one hit wonder.
3. Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars -- Is there a star rising faster than Bruno Mars right now? The sky is the limit for this
young Hawaiian, and this is the song that started it all.
2. Runaway - Kanye West -- My favorite song on what I thought was the best album of the year. He almost dares radio stations
to play him. It's strange, it's odd, yet it's ridiculously catchy. And I have to like any song with
'douche bag' in it.
1. F*&K You - Cee Lo Green -- What a great song, and at the Grammy's he performed it with Muppets. How cool is that?! (One
of them even resembled Gwyneth Paltrow.) Of course the single was called 'Forget You' and
unfortunately it's not on the album. This to me was the catchiest song of the year.
Albums Of The Year (Honorable Mentions, in no particular order):
Sarah McLaughlin - Laws Of Illusion
Lady Antebellum - Need You Now
Eric Clapton - Clapton
Scissor Sisters - Night Work
Gary Allan - Get Off On The Pain
Jacob Dylan - Women & Country
Eminem - Recovery
John Mellencamp - No Better Than This
This concludes the Grampy Awards. Thank you all for coming! Drive safe.
I have quite a few favorite songs. Some were on the radio. A lot were not. I will list the majority of them in no particular order and then follow that up with my top 10 along with a brief lame comment about each. Following that, I will post a list of Best Album honorable mentions. Read. Enjoy! Rinse, and repeat.
Kings Of Leon - Mary, The Face; Kanye West - Dark Fantasy; Gary Allan - Today; Ray Lamontagne - God Willin' And The Creek Don't Rise, New York City's Killin' Me; Band Of Horses - Older, Compliments; Melissa Etheridge - Indiana, Drag Me Away; John Legend & The Roots - Hard Times, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free; Scissor Sisters - Whole New Way; Tom Petty - Good Enough; Vampire Weekend - Cousins, I Think Ur A Contra; Ryan Bingham - The Weary Kind; Elton John/Leon Russell - When Love Is Dying, $800 Shoes; Justin Townes Earl - Harlem River Blues; Johnny Reid - Today I'm Going To Try And Change The World; MGMT - Congratulations; The National - Blood Buzz Ohio, Runaway; Sarah McLaughlin - Loving You Is Easy; Eric Clapton/Sheryl Crow - Diamonds Made From Rain; Josh Groban - Hidden Away; Jakob Dylan - Nothing But The Whole Wide World; Robert Plant - Angel Dance; Enrique Iglesias - I Like It; Flo Rida - The Club Can't Handle Me. (I told you there were a lot.)
Now for my illustrious TOP 10 (and yes, all these artists will have to pass a drug test to officially be elligible for their Grampy):
10. Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band -- A slow song with great harmonies. Sounds like the Eagles meets Lynnyrd Skynnyrd or
however the Hell you spell it. I love singing along in the car to this one, Ryan, not so
much.
9. Born Free - Kid Rock -- A great driving in the sunshine while talking on the phone and looking for a hooker and a dealer
song. At least that's the way Charlie Sheen described it.
8. Wavin' Flag - K'Naan -- This is a great song with a catchy chorus and a positive message.
7. Airplanes - B.O.B (Featuring Hayley Williams) -- A very catchy, very radio-friendly song. Rihanna did a great version live.
6. Need You Now - Lady Antebellum -- Here's a song that crossed over into Pop. Some great vocals and a great piano hook
that even I could probably play.
5. Love The Way You Lie - Eminem/Rihanna -- Just a great song. Rihanna's voice was perfect. In fact, I prefer the second part of
this song which is the last track on Rihanna's new album Loud.
4. Hey Soul Sister - Train -- This blockbuster of a song made Train relevant once again and perhaps more importantly they will
never again be thought of as a one hit wonder.
3. Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars -- Is there a star rising faster than Bruno Mars right now? The sky is the limit for this
young Hawaiian, and this is the song that started it all.
2. Runaway - Kanye West -- My favorite song on what I thought was the best album of the year. He almost dares radio stations
to play him. It's strange, it's odd, yet it's ridiculously catchy. And I have to like any song with
'douche bag' in it.
1. F*&K You - Cee Lo Green -- What a great song, and at the Grammy's he performed it with Muppets. How cool is that?! (One
of them even resembled Gwyneth Paltrow.) Of course the single was called 'Forget You' and
unfortunately it's not on the album. This to me was the catchiest song of the year.
Albums Of The Year (Honorable Mentions, in no particular order):
Sarah McLaughlin - Laws Of Illusion
Lady Antebellum - Need You Now
Eric Clapton - Clapton
Scissor Sisters - Night Work
Gary Allan - Get Off On The Pain
Jacob Dylan - Women & Country
Eminem - Recovery
John Mellencamp - No Better Than This
This concludes the Grampy Awards. Thank you all for coming! Drive safe.
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