On Hiatus

Well, like so many TV shows do, I am going to put this blog on hiatus. I haven't been keeping up with it like I should, and I have to many others out there to keep track of. (And I don't think that many people actually read it anyway.) If you do happen to stumble on this blog, how about checking out my other blogs out there in the world of the internet (I will post a list below). I will probably resurrect this one later on, when things in my life settle down a bit, but for now, happy surfing. :-)

Rambling Thoughts and Thoughtful Ramblings

Mayland Writers' Group

Tri-County Critter Sitters

The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs

OK, when it first started, I was not a fan of Iron Chef America. I have since come over to the dark side and watch it every chance I get (except for the ones with Bobby Flay, sorry dude). When I first heard about The Next Iron Chef, I knew it was a show I would like as I love other cooking competition shows such as The Next FoodNetwork Star and Top Chef. And now we have the Super Chefs.

The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs has some of my favorite cooking celebs going against each other, and I'm loving every minute of it. The first episode did not disappoint. The 10 competing chefs are taken out in the middle of nowhere, split into five teams, and told to cook dishes using a suckling pig and open fire. (Pretty cool that one of them even found stuff growing around the lake to use.) Two of my favorites, Chef Anne Burrell and Chef Robert Irvine, were teamed up and I really like them together. (It helps that they are 'rivals' on another FoodNetwork show, The Worst Cook in America).

This episode saw Chef Spike Mendelsohn being sent home after a head-to-head elimination battle with his teammate Chef Marcus Samuelsson. (Sad part is, he's the one who picked Samuelsson for his team.) But, there is no shame in being beaten by someone with that man's reputation and standing in the culinary world. The secret ingredient in this battle was fresh diver scallops, something all chefs seem to love to cook with. Chef Samuelsson took a risk by making 2 dishes on the plate instead of just the required one; risky because you are basically judged against yourself and not just your opponent. But, the risk paid off....this time.

The second episode took the remaining 9 chefs to a ballpark where they had to reimagine ballpark fare. Let me tell you, there were some pretty good things cooked up on this one. And I have to admit, Chef Alex Guarnaschelli deserved the win she got on this one. (Not a big fan of hers, but even I know good creative food when I see it.)

Chef Robert Irvine made what he called a Hotburg, a combination of ground up hot dogs and ground beef. It looked so good, and the judges loved it. (I so wish they would put the recipes for this show online. I love this stuff they come up with.) He probably would have been OK, but he put some pickled radishes on the dish that did not go over well and put him in the elimination challenge with Chef Michael Chiarello whose runny, poorly separated egg did not go over well at all. (Chef Samuelsson, who made 4 dishes this time, was again told about taking such a risk and that next time, it would not bode well for him.)

The secret ingredient for the elimination challenge was peanuts, something I would think they would love to see. I've seen so many dishes made with peanuts on various FoodNetwork shows, that it seems like everyone would find it to be a simple and versatile ingredient. Well, maybe I was wrong. The chefs did not seem happy.

Chef Chiarello made a homemade pasta with a peanut pesto and a tomato salad. The only use of the peanuts was in the pesto and sprinkled on top of the pasta; the salad was completely devoid of peanuts. Chef Irvine made a peanut crusted halibut with a peanut hummus and a peanut sauce (something else in that sauce as well, but it escapes me). The judges loved both but were a bit miffed at the lack of peanuts in the pasta dish (come on, only in the pesto???) and the thickness of the hummus.

In the end, they opted to send Chef Irvine home due to the thickness of that hummus, a decision that I think was totally unfair. They had no complaints about the taste of anything on his plate, no complaints about the presentation or use of the secret ingredient. It was just that they (well, two of them anyway) felt the hummus was too thick. If you ask me, that is less of a problem than the lack of use of the secret ingredient, but then, nobody's asking me are they?

So, that's the first two episodes. I'm still miffed about Chef Irvine going home on the hummus. Just not fair. But, who am I to question the Iron Chef Judges (especially Michael Symon, whom I adore)? Can't wait to see what next week's episode brings. Chef Irvine was my original pick as the next Iron Chef, but who knows now. I like Anne Burrell, and she has the experience being the sous chef for Mario Batali on the show, but Geoffrey Zakarian isn't one to count out either. Guess we'll see.

The Green Hornet

I had heard plenty of bad reviews about this movie over the past several months, so when the hubs and I finally decided to rent the DVD, I had pretty low expectations. Boy, was I disappointed....or should I say pleased???

This movie was not the huge BOMB I'd been led to believe. Sure, there were a couple scenes that could have been shortened a bit...OK, a good bit...but all-in-all, it was actually a pretty fun flick. I have to say I'm tired of all the 3D stuff (seems everything is coming out in 3D now), and since I watched it on DVD, that was all lost anyway. But the movie itself was pretty good.

Now, I'm not going to say Seth Rogen will ever win an Oscar or anything, but who cares. He had a lot of fun with this movie, and I think that's why so many were disappointed in it. With all the big comic book movies out there now, people went in expecting the usual: lots of special effects, huge story line, BIG heroes, etc. This wasn't like that. This movie took the comic book hero genre into another direction. It made it a bit less serious, a bit more fun.

Seth Rogen did a good job as the partying Britt Reid who, after the death of his father and a whole bunch of other stuff, becomes The Green Hornet. Of course, he could not have done that without Kato (played by Jay Chou), a character who is really the main fighter/hero-type in this movie. With his fighting ability and brains (the man built an espresso machine from scratch, not to mention the car, the weapons, etc), the duo becomes...well...dynamic.

I even liked Cameron Diaz's character Lenore Case. She didn't end up with either of the main characters, even though they both had a "thing" for her, and I like that. I'm so tired of the typical formula of the strong woman who falls for someone and gets all mushy and stuff. Case is a strong intelligent woman who helps the guys out without throwing herself at either of them. Way to go!

I really wish this movie would spawn a sequel, but I have a feeling it won't. It wasn't a huge hit after all, and most reviews were bad. But, I would watch it again myself, and probably will. And if you like a bit of comedy with your action, I'd highly recommend it. (FYI: the scenes when they bring out the knock out gun for the first time....TOTAL HILARITY.)

Labyrinth

Well, let's relaunch this little blog about movies, TV and whatever with a bit of a blast from the past.

This week, I have rediscovered the movie "Labyrinth." I say 'rediscovered' because even though I have been a fan since it first came out back in 1986, and I have owned it on DVD for several years, I can't remember the last time I actually sat down and watched it. Life has a way of jumping in and keeping you from having the time to actually sit back and enjoy some of your favorite things. This week, I was really in the mood to watch this movie, so life just had to take a little break.

For fans of Jim Henson, this movie is a treat with some wonderful puppet work. (Check out the 15ft tall puppet called Humongous. WOW!) To this day, I'm amazed by the work Henson and his cohorts created back then. He was a visionary genius surrounded by visionary geniuses. What a combination.

For fans of fantasy, this movie is packed with goblins and creatures of all kinds. Monsters, both good and bad, walk the paths of the huge labyrinth that lead to the Goblin City and the wall's of the Goblin King's castle. The story flows well with a main character who is both damsel-in-distress and heroine, and a villain who is scary and a bit sad all at the same time. You want him to lose, and yet you feel sorry for him as he seems a bit lonely, surrounded by so many creatures that both fear and worship him.

For fans of David Bowie, this movie is a treat for the eyes and ears. I can't see anyone else playing this part. His eyes convey the pain he feels, even as he inflicts pain. And his voice...well, it IS David Bowie. In the scene where Sarah is running around the room of stairs trying to get to her brother, you can hear the pain and regret in Jareth's voice. You can see the sadness in his eyes. That scene gets to me every time I see it.

This movie has held up well over the years. It's one of those movies that take you through the gamut of emotions. It's true that you will find yourself laughing, cringing in fear, cheering and even singing & dancing (or at least wanting to). If you have kids, it's a great one to share with them as well.

Pernell Roberts (1928 - 2010)

Actor Pernell Roberts died Sunday at the age of 81. I loved watching Roberts on the TV series "Trapper John, M.D." when I was a kid. While most of my friends had 'goo-goo' eyes for his costar, Gregory Harrison, I liked Roberts. Guess I had a thing for older men.

Of course, many people know Roberts more for his role as Adam Cartwright in "Bonanza," which I used to watch in reruns as a kid as well.

Roberts was born in May of 1928 in Waycross, Georgia, an area many members of my family also call home. He used to visit the area often many years ago when his mother was in a local nursing home, and even came into the bait shop where my sister-in-law worked to purchase his fishing license. He was a friendly, unassuming man, and if you ask me, one of the handsomest men to ever grace the television screen.

Roberts was proceeded in death in 1989 by his only son, Jonathan, who was killed in a motorcycle accident.

Julie & Julia

OK, after nearly 7 months down, I have decided to resurrect this blog. Why not? I only have 3 others I'm trying to keep going, what's one more? ;-)

The hubs and I recently watched the movie Julie & Julia, and I have to say it was both wonderful and a disappointment. Let me explain.

The movie is of course based on the book by Julie Powell as well as the book "My Life in France" by Julia Child. The movie is often very fun, poignant and thought provoking. You laugh, you cry and you really, really want to start cooking...and eating. The food looks so marvelous. Yummy!!

The sections of the movie about Julia and her start are wonderful. Merle Streep did such a good job in the part of the iconic chef, it was hard to separate her from the character. She sounded like her, moved like her, even looked a bit like her. Her Golden Globe win last night is very much well-deserved.

Amy Adams also did a great job as Julie Powell, the author of the "Julie & Julia Project" blog, as well as the book. She went through the gambit of emotions Julie must have felt during that hectic year; sadness, frustration, happiness, disappointment. I had no problem with her performance at all. The problem I did have was with that part of the story.

OK, Julie Powell really took an interesting idea and ran with it. And for some reason, it really caught on, making her blog one of the most popular out there. Then the book and movie of course. But, if at the time she was anything like she was portrayed in this movie, she was a bit whiny really. That was the disappointing part. I did feel for her somewhat, but not as much as I would have liked.

This is a good movie, and one I would recommend wholeheartedly. But, I wonder what a movie just about Julia Child, starring Merle Streep of course, would have been like. There are a couple details that I would love to have more information about, things that were hinted at in the movie but not fully covered. I guess I will just have to put Child's book on my reading list.

Take A Final Bow, Ed.

Ed McMahon died early this morning in Los Angeles. He was 86.

I grew up watching Ed on the Tonight Show and Star Search (the precursor to American Idol and America's Got Talent). My mom worked graveyard shift, so I could stay up without her knowing and laugh along with Ed and Johnny, and boy did I laugh. They were a riot.

My mother and I both were fans of Star Search, and one of my fondest memories is sitting in front of the TV with her, trying to guess who was going to win in each category. We were fans of Sawyer Brown back then. (Remember? They got their start on that show.)

Ed McMahon and Johnny Carson made a great late-night team, and now they are back together.

Hey-O!

More Sad Losses

Dom DeLuise died on May 4th. What a loss to the world of moves and comedy. He was a funny man.

I know in recent years he was known more for his roles in Burt Reynolds comedies (Smokey and the Bandit II, Cannonball I & II - movies I've never really had the desire to watch), but he was also lent his voice to some great animated movies (An American Tail, All Dogs Go To Heaven, The Secret of NIMH) and was so funny to watch when appearing on interview shows such as Good Morning America.

Dom, who was75, left behind a great legacy of comedy as well as his three sons who are also accomplished actors: Michael, Peter and David.

And today there came word that actor David Carradine was found dead in his Bangkok hotel room. As a kid, I loved watching Kung Fu reruns. I had a bit of a crush on Carradine...or maybe just on his character, Caine.

My mom told me one time about stories that went around about Carradine getting too much into the character, ending up turning to drugs and such. All I knew was, he seemed so peaceful as he kicked the bad guys' butts. :-)

Carradine comes from a big acting dynasty that includes not only his father John Carradine, but also brothers Michael Bowen and Keith & Robert Carradine. There's also Calista and Kansas Carradine, his daughters; and nieces Ever Carradine and Martha Plimpton.

David Carradine was 72.

Bea Arthur

On April 25th, Bea Arthur passed away after a long battle with cancer. When I was a teenager, I loved The Golden Girls, and I still do. Reruns can be seen on various channels at all times of day, and I catch them whenever I get a chance. Dorothy was always my favorite of the "girls," the one I could sort of identify with the most. I love her outspokenness, frankness. What a great character played by a great person.

We'll miss you, Bea.

Sling Blade

I had almost forgotten what a work of genius this movie was until I came across it this evening on Showtime. Wow! Gets me every time.

Billy Bob Thornton has made headlines over the years for his odd behavior, especially during his marriage to Angelina Jolie, but lately he's been pretty tame. He's had some great parts in pretty good to great movies, and I have to say I am a fan. (Well, except for the movie Mr. Woodcock.)

Sling Blade is a work of pure genius. (Did I say that already.) Thornton's acting is perfection. (Should be I guess since he wrote and directed this movie.) He plays the part of Karl Childers in a way that takes you from being a bit fearful of him, to liking him a hell of a lot. In the end, you feel sorry that he ends up right back in the institution, despite what he has done. Or, maybe even because of it. Karl's mind may not be quite all there, but his heart is in the right place....sort of.

The entire cast of this movie just seemed to fit together. Lucas Black as Frank Wheatley, the boy who befriends Karl, was a great casting move. He was a great actor when he was young, although the jury's still out on his more recent work. He seemed to be made for this part. And as much as I really like Dwight Yoakam, he played the jackass Doyle Hargraves so well, you almost have to wonder if he's such a big jerk in real life. (Just kidding Dwight.)

John Ritter was another great addition to this movie. To this day, I can't believe he is no longer "with us" as they say, and this movie is just one example of how good of an actor he really was. No signs of Jack Tripper here.

If it's been a while since you've seen this movie, rent it....now.

If you've never seen it...what the ever-loving heck are you waiting for? An engraved invitation? Well, consider this it. Rush out and rent this thing. Order it from NetFlix. Borrow it from a friend. I don't care how you get it, just get it. Not seeing this movie should be a crime.

Back to the Oscar Fashions

OK, I'm slow. It's been a busy month for me, so I am just now getting back to the fashions from the Oscars. But, what the heck. We'll keep stretching the Academy Award discussion out, keep the Oscars alive until the next ones, or at least until the next awards show. I love red carpet stuff. I love talking about the fashions. And today, I'm talking about some fashion missteps.

I have to say that I actually like the dress Amy Adams wore to the show. The color is beautiful and the cut looks so good on her. (Love the chunky necklace as well.) The one small issue I have with this gown is the way it has been "attached" on the front; that little bit of fabric that seems to have been brought up and hooked there. I think it would have looked much better without that little detail.

I adore Melissa Leo; have been a fan since her days on Homicide: Life in the Street. This is one of the few times I have been disappointed in her. The dress itself is actually pretty nice, a real classy design. My problem is with the color. It matches her hair almost perfectly, which is a mistake.

This is another one of those dresses that are both good and bad. Marissa Tomei is a beautiful woman and the dress is beautiful for the most part. The problem I have is when it goes toward the bottom. It's a bit much for me there, and is almost heading in the direction of the mermaid dress (see below).

Vanessa Hudgens and Melissa George both opted for mermaid dresses. I really hate this style. It isn't at all flattering if you ask me, and since you're reading my blog you must have asked, and it looks so totally awkward when it comes to walking across the floor...much less up the steps to the stage. It's just plain ugly.

This brings me to Diane Lane. I love her and thought she looked beautiful. The dress was perfect, until you get to the bottom. There's that little mermaid type thing again. At least hers wasn't as bad as the two previously mentioned.

And this thing Heidi Klum wore was just...just...well, bad. The cut and design...I just don't know what the designer was thinking.

Natasha Richardson 1963 - 2009

Natasha Richardson (45) passed away yesterday after a fall Monday on a ski slope in Canada. A very accomplished actress known for roles in the remake of The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan, The Handmaid's Tale and Nell with Jodie Foster and Liam Neeson, whom she married in 1994, Richardson was a part of the Redgrave acting dynasty. She was the daughter of Vanessa Redgrave, niece to Lynn Redgrave and sister to Joely Richardson of Nip/Tuck.

Richardson and Neeson have two sons together. My thoughts and sympathies go out to the entire family. Their loss is also a great loss to the world of theater and movies.

The Quiet Man

For your St. Patrick's Day viewing pleasure, I highly recommend The Quiet Man. If you haven't seen it yet, where have you been? If you have, then you know just how good this one is.

John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara were a wonderful pair. The chemistry between them was perfect. I just wish they had made even more movies together.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Sicko

I'm stepping away from the Oscars for a moment. I just watched the movie Sicko by Michael Moore. If you only watch one movie this year, and if you haven't seen this yet, then by all means, rent it and watch it. It will make you think, it will make you wonder...it will make you angry.

We live in the greatest country in the world, so why are we ranked so low when it comes to health care? You have to wonder.

Oscar Fashions: Couples

Yeah, I'm posting about the Oscars again. Why? Because I can. :-)

Even those years when I'd stopped watching the Oscars, I'd flip through magazines or surf the 'net checking out what people wore to the show. I love the whole red carpet fashion show thing, and not just the Oscar version. All the awards shows are fair game when it comes to rating the fashions. And it still amazes me how horribly wrong some choices are. Many of these celebrities use stylists to get them all glammed up for those special occasions, and many of those stylists should be drawn and quartered. (And the celebrities who went along with their choices should be banned from red carpet events until they take some sort of style class or something.)


So, for today, here are some 2009 Oscar fashion winners in the couples category (Beware, some of these will appear on both the winners and losers lists):

I love this picture of Brad and Angelina. In most photos, they are posing and seem so serious. This one is such a spontaneous image full of humor. It's a great shot of one of the most beautiful couples at the awards. And Angelina's jewelry is beautiful. Great shade of green.

Another beautiful couple, Diane Lane and Josh Brolin. I have to admit, as wonderful as she looks, Diane will be on both my good and bad lists. I'm not the biggest fan of the regular neck tie style tux, but sometimes it works. Josh certainly carries it off well.

Another great couple; Robert Downey, Jr. and his wife Susan. Again, the neck tie style tux, and again, it works. Susan is a producer on Robert's upcoming Sherlock Holmes movie. I am so looking forward to that one. And don't they make a beautiful couple. I love her hair. The only thing that could have made them better was if Robert was sporting the little goatee-moustache he had in the movie Iron Man. That is such a sexy look on him.

Not a real-life couple, but a couple in the movie Slumdog Millionaire and on the red carpet, Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto make an attractive pair at the awards. I'm not usually a fan of single-sleeve dresses (kind of like the neck tie tux thing) but I love this dress. It was gorgeous. I can't believe all the people I've heard on E! and the TV Guide Network who talk about it being a poor choice. I really thought she was beautiful in this dress.

And I think this is my favorite couple. Why? Well, not just because I'm a Star Trek fan (which I am) or because they both look pretty dapper (which they do - even with the regular neck tie) but because of what they represent. George Takei and his partner of over 21 years Brad Altman were married in September of 2008.

What About Eartha?

I have to say, I am disappointed. I watched the Oscars on Sunday, as you know if you've read my last two posts, and as usual they had the little montage paying tribute to those in the movie industry who passed during the year since the last Academy Awards show. I thought someone was missing, but wondered if maybe I had just missed a face or two on the screen. So, I hit play on the DVD (yes, I recorded it) and it appears I was right. No Eartha Kitt.

I wonder how they could have missed someone of Eartha Kitt's caliber. Yes, I know she was known more for her sultry singing voice, but she had parts in over 60 different television shows, movies and cartoons. She is known to generations of viewers...even to children today as Yzma in The Emperor's New Groove, its sequel and the television spin-off.

Now, I know timing is often a factor. Roy Scheider died on February 10, 2008, but did not make last years tribute montage for the 80th Academy Awards broadcast on February 24. He did make it to this year's video. Ms. Kitt however passed on December 25th, plenty of time to have her among the others lost to Hollywood in the memorial montage. So, what's the deal?

And I have to wonder if certain people are left out on purpose. Actor Brad Renfro died on January 15, 2008 and was left out of the memorial last year. He wasn't a legend by any means, but that doesn't mean the potential wasn't there, and that the movies and television shows he worked on weren't worth seeing. (His first role was in The Client with Susan Sarandon.) I think the story of his death was "lost" when Heath Ledger died exactly one week later. A sad, obscure ending to a tragic life.

But, I digress. I wonder who else may have been missed this year. Eartha was a legend, and her fans will always remember her, even if the Academy does not.

Oscar Backlash?

It seems everything turns into a controversy of some sort, and why should the Oscars be any different. It's true you can't please all the people all the time. There will always be people who think this movie was no where near as good as they're saying, this actor deserved the award more than the other one, etc. This year's issue seems to be with the movie Slumdog Millionaire.

This "little" movie from India picked up 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture...and therein lies the problem it seems. Many are not happy with this one winning top honors. (Well, some posting on the internet anyway.) They are saying it just shows how out of touch the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences really is that a movie given only limited release in the US, a movie that didn't make much money and wasn't seen by much of anybody here, won big.

Me? I say more power to it. The Oscars have never really been about what was popular in the past year or what made the most money. If those were deciding factors, movies like The Dark Knight, Iron Man or Transformers would all be vying for the top honor. Small movies often garner high praise on Oscar night since the voting is done by industry "insiders" such as actors, producers, directors, etc. They look at more than just box office receipts when casting their votes. And what better way to discover new movies you wouldn't normally have seen than by looking at who won big and using that as a guide. (Although, some movies I've seen for that reason have been a disappointment, and I'm especially thinking of Crash here.)

If the gold statues were given out by us regular people, Heath Ledger would have won for Brokeback Mountain, Paul Newman would not have had to wait until a dismal movie like The Color of Money before getting one and Woody Allen wouldn't have 3 to his name. (Can you tell I'm not a fan?)

But, that's why we have The People's Choice Awards.

Oscar Recap

The show is over. All the gold statues have been given out. The winners are happy and the losers...well, I hope people feel that there are no losers. When they say it's an honor to be nominated, it's very true. Just watch most any movie trailer and notice how it seems to give a bit more weight to a person's name, and the movie, when the words "Oscar nominee" are spoken before their name.

Last night's show started out pretty well. Hugh Jackman sang and danced his way through some pretty amusing economy friendly props, pulling Anne Hathaway up on stage to stand in as Richard Nixon at one point. The jokes weren't bad, pointing out at one point the way the nominations showcased actors who played a diverse range of characters (Kate Winslet being English and playing a German, Robert Downey, Jr. being American playing an Australian who played an African-American), and then commenting on the fact that he (Jackman) is Australian who played an Australian in a movie called Australia...and he was hosting the show.

For the most part, the winners were pretty predictable. Heath Ledger received his much deserved Academy Award for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight. (His father, mother and sister accepted it on behalf of his little girl, Matilda. I just love that name.) Penelope Cruz won the Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in Vicky Christina Barcelona, a movie I have to say I probably won't see since I'm not a Woody Allen fan. (I think he's kind of overrated.) Best Actor went to Sean Penn for his role of Harvey Milk in the movie Milk. (Penn's second Oscar.) Best Actress went to Kate Winslet for her role in The Reader.

I was glad to see Heath Ledger win, but a small bit disappointed in the others. (Not that they didn't deserve the recognition, I just tend to like the "underdog" as it were.) I would loved to have seen Mickey Rourke pick up an award for his role in The Wrestler. But, even if he didn't take home the gold statue, he truly was one of the biggest winners of the evening, earning acknowledgement from winners, presenters and the host throughout the night. His comeback is truly a great story.

For Best Actress, I would have loved to see Melissa Leo win for Frozen River simply because I'm a fan from her days on the TV show "Homicide: Life in the Street." For Actress in a Supporting Role...well, I haven't seen any of the movies, but I think I would have loved to see Taraji P. Henson win this one, simply from what I've heard about her and her role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Slumdog Millionaire won Best Picture honors, and since I have yet to see any of the nominated films, I can't really comment on this. I do have to say that it's nice to see small films such as this one win, and no one really complains when they do. It's like the little film that could...they come up from behind and trudge up the hill to the ultimate prize.

The Oscars will be talked about incessantly for weeks to come, as they are every year. The fashions will make news and postings, and this blog will be no exception. And next year, we'll gear up to start it all over again.

At the end of the telecast, scenes from upcoming movies were shown, and I have to say I'm looking forward to the coming year in movies. There will be so much to talk about, and I just love to talk. :-)

The Oscars

Tonight's the night. Hollywood is holding its collective breath. Who will win the coveted gold statue? Of course, most people, me included, think Heath Ledger will get the Best Supporting Actor Oscar tonight, and that is as it should be. His performance was pure perfection.

Then of course there is the movie Slum Dog Millionaire, which is basically the little movie that could. I haven't seen it yet, so I can't say if it's as good as the hype, but the buzz certainly is good. I don't think anyone will be very surprised, or even disappointed, if this one wins Best Picture. But, considering it's going up against movies like Milk and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I think it has its work cut out for it.

This year marks the first time since I was a kid that I will actually sit and watch an awards show. (Well, I at least plan to. I tend to go to bed early, so this may be a fight.) I used to watch all types of awards shows...Oscars, People's Choice, Grammys...but I guess I grew out of them. And to tell you the truth, they got kind of boring. Stale, if you will.

I have high hopes for the Oscars this year. Hugh Jackman is hosting, and he really is a great showman. (Not to mention just plain yummy to look at.) Let's hope he can perk this show up a bit this year.

Tune in tomorrow.....

Ghost Town

Last night I watched the movie Ghost Town starring Ricky Gervais, the star and creator of The Office (British Version). If you've seen his stand up, or his show, you know how funny this guy can be. And if you are a fan, you will not be disappointed with this movie.

Gervais plays a dentist who, to put it mildly, really doesn't like people. He goes way out of his way to avoid interaction with others. (Kind of odd considering his profession.) While undergoing a simple medical procedure, Bertram Pincus (Gervais) dies for 7 minutes. As he leaves the hospital, he starts seeing dead people. Of course, once all these people realize someone can actually see them, they start bugging him, demanding he help them out.

Greg Kinnear plays Frank Herlihy, a man who was killed several months earlier when he was hit by a bus. He enlists Pincus' help to keep his widow (Tea Leoni) from marrying a man he feels is after her money. What follows is some times embarrassing, often funny as heck. Gervais has an interesting comedic timing that serves him well in this movie. And when you watch this on DVD, make sure you take the time to watch the outtakes as well. They really are worth the time.

If you're looking for something funny, something to just sit back and enjoy...this is a great pick. If you're looking for some big profound statement on death and dying...well, you may find that here as well. This movie may not be quite a 10, but it comes darn close.