Now This

This blog is now read by more machines than humans: RSS robots, spam-laying insectopoids, echoes of blog-gathering .edu projects. This essentially is the state of affairs that all human activities w

Cleaning Up the Nation

Austin Bay:

If Air America were a conservative radio network its corrupt funding trail and cynical abuse of a poverty program would be front page news at the NY Times and full-time mega-scandal at

Rank Materialism

Freedom. I am now the proud new owner of a Gateway 6020GZ laptop, perfect for students and others with limited means. I can now go into a Starbucks or a Barnes & Noble and look like I'm doing some

Fallujah Fonda

Uh-oh. From the Telegraph comes this exciting news:

Jane Fonda is returning to anti-war activism and embarking on a cross-country tour to call for an end to US military operations in Iraq.

Acros

John Pilger: Partner in Terrorism

In an outrageous piece of terrorist propaganda appearing on the cover of today's New Statesman, John Pilger puts the blame for the 7/7 London attacks not on the terrorists, but rather on Tony Blair:

Oscarzzzz

Oscar noms have been released. Some are making a big deal about Michael Moore being shut out. But the real contest for that movie took place on November 2. It lost that race, which makes anything else worse than anti-climactic- kind of like the Pro Bowl except with losers.

The Gibson v. Moore thing is also old. And I didn't see either one and don't care to.

I didn't see any of the best picture nominees in fact. With the possible exception of Ray, they all look pretty dull. The Aviator might be good, but only for Scorsese's patented Goodfellas swooshing. I can't get too worked up about crazy old Howard Hughes.

The best movies I saw in 2004 (and recall right now) were Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Napoleon Dynamite, neither of which are nominated for best picture. Kate Winslet is up for best actress in Sunshine though, which is a good thing. I would have liked to have seen Jim Carrey up too, but what are you gonna do?

The most Oscar-like nomination, that is, that thing which, upon reading about it, makes one groan with a weird mixture of dread and amusement, is Imelda Staunton's best actress nomination for Vera Drake. Nothing against the movie or actress, because frankly I've never heard of either. For all I know they're both damn fine. But c'mon:

Vera Drake is a cheerful, hard-working wife and mother in postwar England who, unbeknownst to her family, sometimes provides assistance to women who want to end their pregnancies. When Vera is arrested and put on trial, the event has powerful repercussions within her family.

"It's powerful, and it makes you think." Or wretch. Take your pick.

English? Check. Period piece? Check. Political message? Check. It's got everything Oscar's looking for, except for epic sweep.

But enough random bitching. And I predict nothing because I don't seem to care that much this year.

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Comments

What about Kill Bill vol 2?

Didn't see it. I've kind of gone off Quentin.

I did also like (I had to search around to remember these) The Terminal- Spielberg's schmaltzy but he can tell a story, Spiderman 2 and Deep Water. Also good in a stupid way was Hellboy- great perf from the beastman. And how could I forget Team America: World Police? That one should have gotten a best song nom at least.

Ooh! Shaun of the Dead! Excellent- probably the smartest movie out last year. Also good were Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Shrek 2, and no year's best list would be complete without Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is up there too.

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