Belated Oscar Thoughts

Sunday, February 24, 2008, was the day that I looked forward to all year long. My World Series. My Super Bowl. My World Cup. My Daytona 500. It was: the Oscars. I got into the spirit of things early in the day. I took my People Magazine to Jittery Joes and devoured my celebrity smut. I parked myself on the couch promptly at 6 PM so that I could flip back and forth between E! and TV Guide Network (to minimize commercials) so that I could see the Red Carpet coverage, trying desperately to hear over Livers' screams, cries, and yells. And though most Americans disagreed with me as to how wonderful this year's award show was (the lowest ratings in years), I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I am not a fair weather fan. I was in for the long haul....all 3 1/2 hours plus of it.

What made the Oscars more enjoyable for me this year than in years past was that for the first time I had actually seen all of the films nominated for Best Picture (and many of the other films that actors were nominated for). I felt like I could actually form a valid opinion of the quality of movies and credibility of acting abilities this year. On this note, I will give my opinions of the major categories this year.

BEST PICTURE: This for me is kind of tough. I liked each of these movies and I understand why the critics did, too. No Country for Old Men is a good movie and I understand why it won its award. However, I personally would have chosen Juno instead. The movie is precious on so many levels. It is witty. The characters are deep and well-portrayed. The music was spectacular. It had everything I wanted in a movie, which is why, after watching over a dozen films this year, it remains my favorite movie (and I suspect might be at year's end). I also really loved Atonement. Maybe it's the hopeless romantic that still dwells within, but I felt like crying when I thought of this movie for DAYS after watching it. It really stuck with me.

BEST ACTOR: I only saw Daniel Day-Lewis, Viggo Mortensen, and George Clooney, and based on these I would have to say the winner was properly chosen. DDL was great and scary, and will drink your milkshake.

BEST ACTRESS: Only saw Ellen Page and Julie Christie. Would have chosen Page, because Christie's role got on my nerves (must not have a soft spot for Alzheimer's patients) because I couldn't tell if she was faking it to piss off a husband who cheated on her years ago. The Academy does love their portrayals of real-life people, so it's no shocker that Cotillard won.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: I think they got it with Javier Bardem. He was one scary brother pucker in No Country. However, I did love Hal Holbrook's emotional performance in Into the Wild (which was strangely absent in the Best Picture race; I would've preferred it over There Will Be Blood).

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Totally disagree with the Academy's choice here. Tilda Swinton did okay in this movie, but man, Amy Ryan's performance in Gone Baby Gone was gritty and depressingly good. And I somehow feel that Cate Blanchett's protrayal of Bob Dylan in I'm Not There probably would have been spectacular had I seen it. (I don't care enough for Dylan to watch five people be him for two hours.)

Into the Wild

In a completely unrelated Valentine's note, I have a new movie on my list of favorites: Into the Wild. Based on the work of nonfiction of the same name by John Krakauer, it chronicles the journey of Christopher McCandless, aka "Alexander Supertramp", as he roughs it for a year and a half across America after his graduation from Emory University and his trip to his final destination of the wilds of Alaska. I read the book Into Thin Air by Krakauer when I was in college, so I had high hopes for this movie, and I was not let down. The scenery is breathtaking, and though sometimes the motives that Alex had for his travels left me skeptical, I had to admire him for his determination to give up society and go back to nature to live a pure and simple life. The soundtrack for this movie is spectacular as well. I've always had a lukewarm relationship to Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam (I like them and find them talented, but I never gave them the massive fan following that my husband did), but after hearing Eddie in this movie (he wrote the songs for the soundtrack) I feel I might have to reevaluate my opinions of his skills. It was amazing. (Listen to "Hard Sun". It's been in my head all day.) All in all, this movie HAS IT ALL: good plot, great characters, beautiful music, and a message that will make you think about what it is to be human and a part of this world.

Happy Valentine's Day!

(Livers, after a nap yesterday, with a SERIOUS case of bedhead...this picture doesn't even do it justice...)

In many ways Valentine's has become an overcommercial Hallmark holiday. People are running around racking up credit card debt trying to prove with their wallets that they love each other more than the other person, all the while secretly hating their obligation to the 14th. However, with the birth of Livers I have come to have a new appreciation and respect for what Valentine's really means. It's not about expensive chocolates, hastily purchased flowers, or candlelit dinners at a restaurant with 500 other couples. It's about remembering the people in your life that you love and who love you back, whether they be your husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, children, family, friends, or pets, and celebrating the bond that ties you to one another. Just knowing that I have this little angel in my life makes me realize every morning that, though life is tiring and tough, that I have someone who depends on me and who loves me unconditionally. I would take one of her toothy grins or time spent hanging out with my husband watching TV in the comfort of our own home to any of the Valentine's cliches on earth.

Winter Dixieland

Today it actually snowed! Starting around 6:30 tonight the predicted "Winter Storm" moved through our part of the South. Now, to my northern in-laws this storm would be considered a joke, I'm sure. Case and point, the year we got engaged my husband and I spent Christmas in Ohio and we experienced their version of a "Winter Storm"...all 18 inches of it. Nevertheless, because snow is such a rarity here I always enjoy the treat it gives me. This picture was taken from my front porch. It's one of the few that actually turned out decent, because whenever I tried to use the "night" setting on my camera the flash went off, and instead of taking the breathtaking pictures of my backyard that I'd hoped, it took pictures of every little snowflake within 10 feet of lens. What a bummer, because it sure looks b-e-a-u-tiful.

The Life and Times of Lacey

Recently my husband and I moved my office into what was once the dogs' room (and technically the house's living room). They were initially confused, but have gotten used to it, and one of our dogs, Lacey, loves to jump onto the couch so she can sun herself and look outside at squirrels or whatever happens to be going by. This is a picture of her taken today. She looked so cozy! However, she was also trapped as her nearly identical looking (and domineering) sister had parked herself in front of the office door to keep her away from BOTH food bowls in the kitchen. When Lacey eventually did try to make a break for some afternoon grub she nearly got a cap busted in her canine kiester as Molly pinned her to the ground and knocked all of the food around the kitchen. It's no wonder that the dog has put on so much weight since we got her; she must figure that she must eat all she can when she can because who knows when the next butt-whipping will be.

Sleeping Beauty

This morning I went through my normal get-a-shower routine: put Livers in her Jumperoo, popped Baby Einstein in the DVD player, and get myself sparkly. Usually when I am showering Livers is entranced by the sounds of Beethoven and colorful images of toys (yes, I pseudo-bought into the whole classical music builds baby's brains bullhockey). However, when I finished came back to check on her I did not find her smiling face looking at me, but the above image. It sure looked uncomfortable, but she didn't seem to mind. Ahh, to be a baby....

Happy Birthday to My Firstborn!

(above: Livers, January 2, 2007)

(above: Livers, January 2, 2008)

It seems very strange to me, but one year ago at this very moment I was at St. Francis Women's Hospital, trying not to swear at my nurse because my epidural had worn off and back labor had also commenced. Meanwhile my husband was watching Louisville win the Orange Bowl as he held up one leg during contractions and my mom held the other while questioning the doctor as to exactly how long this was going to last before he'd give me a C-section. Yes, today is the anniversary of the birth of my child, "Livers". It is very hard to believe that a year has passed by. Sometimes it seems to have happened so quickly and sometimes it seems like an eternity. No matter how time seems to be passing, I can say that I have been truly blessed this year. Though there are times when parenting is hard and you ask yourself what in God's name have you gotten yourself into (like when she is crying uncontrollably, particularly at 3 am, or she is flinging all of her food on the floor or feeding it to your eager dogs, or when she discovers she can make a new, God-awful noise), all it takes is one toothy baby smile or belly-laugh or garbled first words to make you realize how special it is to have this person in your life.

With all of this said, I say Happy Birthday to you, Livers, and I raise my sippy cup of big-girl drink to this first year of your life and wish you many, many more. :)

P.S. It is my hope that I will be a more faithful blogger this coming year. We shall see how long it lasts.