Saturday, January 31, 2009
the night before
this is it friends, my first 5k is tomorrow! training for 6 weeks (somewhat lame, I know) and the first pay-off towards my ultimate half-marathon goal. Katie and I picked up our numbers today at Marathon Sports (my name is on my bib!!), and we'll be running with Nick LaPete and Mike Arnold. Check back tomorrow for a full recap. But here is a preview....
Friday, January 30, 2009
the wait is over
Breaking sports news 2:21 PM
Varitek, Sox agree to deal
Jason Varitek and the Red Sox have agreed to a one-year contract with an option, a baseball source confirmed to the Globe's Tony Massarotti.
Varitek will earn $5 million in 2009, with the club holding a $5 million option for 2010. If the Red Sox do not pick up that option, Varitek has the choice of remaining with the club on a $3 million deal. In '10, he can earn another $2 million in incentives based on playing time, beginning at 80 games started.
Thus, the potential total value of the deal increases from $8 million-$10 million to $10 million-$12 million. The incentives apply to both the team and player options for 2010.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Worse Than Expected....
Frequent readers to this blog (or those with the ability to scroll down the page) will know that I had a milestone last night- my first training injury! While I was excited (well, maybe excited is the wrong word) about my scrape/fall, the severity of it didn't really occur to me until this morning. I spent the rest of last night walking around normally, my leg slightly sore, but not thinking much of it. I woke up this morning and was not prepared for the amount of pain that had somehow managed to manifest itself overnight. I could barely swing my leg out of bed. I stood up and was a little wobbly, and the trip downstairs to the bathroom took what seemed like 5 minutes. It was a struggle to even lift my leg over the side of the tub so i could get in the shower.
After the painful ascension back upstairs to my room, I called my mom, somewhat frantic, to ask what to do. She told me that since I could put weight on it, it probably wasn't broken, just bruised. She told me to take some Advil or Ibuprofen and take it easy. I told that I didn't have either of those, but I did have Tylenol...which got me thinking (and thus the reason for this posting), what, exactly is the difference between the various types of over the counter pain relievers? Again, I turned to my trusty friend Google (god, where would I (and the rest of the world, for that matter) be without Google? seriously?!) to investigate and find out what the difference was, once and for all. Google directed me to a WikiAnswer site, and they were able to shed some light on my inquiry:
Pain Reliever: Aspirin
Over-the-counter brands: Bayer, Bufferin
Ah, good old aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, as the science-savvy call it. The first over-the-counter pain reliever to see mass production, aspirin gets absorbed into the bloodstream and essentially “looks” for prostaglandins, substances that are concentrated where we feel pain. In short, aspirin reacts with our blood chemistry to inhibit the enzyme cyclooxygenase, which in turns limits the volume of prostaglandins. As you undoubtedly know, aspirin is used to treat headaches of all sizes, to quell minor body aches and pains, and to reduce inflammation when we’re sore. But what are the problems with aspirin as an over-the-counter pain reliever? Among other things, it’s rough on the upper digestive tract (can cause upset stomach, heartburn, and even dyspepsia), it’s bad for hemophiliacs (because it’s an anticoagulant), and it’s not always safe for kids (because it’s linked to Reye’s syndrome). That said, aspirin is still the most common over-the-counter pain reliever, available in both brand names and generic versions. And now it’s also playing a role in the treatment of heart disease.
Pain Reliever: Ibuprofen
Over-the-counter brands: Motrin, Advil
Ibuprofen is chemically similar to regular aspirin and functions in an analogous way, minimizing the production of prostaglandins, though it accomplishes this with slightly different chemical reactions. So how is ibuprofen different from aspirin? In lower doses, ibuprofen seems to irritate the esophagus and stomach lining less than its close cousins, aspirin and naproxen. If you have ulcers or acid reflux disease, ibuprofen may be the best product for pain clearly resulting from inflammation (arthritis, sprains, sunburns, etc.).
Pain Reliever: Naproxen
Over-the-counter brands: Aleve
Although it is used for headaches, naproxen is especially effective as an anti-inflammatory agent. For arthritis, sprains, sunburns, and other inflammation-based pain, naproxen seems to edge its competition. Many women suffering from menstrual cramps also report that naproxen is more effective than standard aspirin (but as a man, I can’t really confirm that!). The other difference between naproxen and its chemical kin? Similar doses of this over-the-counter pain reliever tend to last longer—often for 8-12 hours instead of 4-8 hours.
Pain Reliever: Acetaminophen (sometimes called paracetamol)
Over-the-counter brands: Tylenol
As they used to sing on Sesame Street: “One of these things is not like the other!” And such is the case for acetaminophen. This pain reliever lowers fevers and soothes headaches effectively, but it is NOT an anti-inflammatory substance. As a result, it won’t do much for arthritis or sprains. Of course, acetaminophen has some key trade-off benefits, including a milder effect on the upper digestive tract than other over-the-counter pain relievers. It is less irritating to the lining of the stomach, making it the best headache treatment for people with acid reflux disease, ulcers, and the like. Acetaminophen is also safer for hemophiliacs and children than aspirin and its friends. There are various permutations of acetaminophen on the market, so be sure to see what else it’s partnered with and whether drowsiness may result from the combo. And alas, because its usual dosage for pain relief and its overdose amount are not incredibly different, some doctors consider acetaminophen to be more dangerous than aspirin, arguing that it is easier to overdose unintentionally.
Interesting...I for one didn't know that it was possible to over-dose on Tylenol. So, for the rest of the day/duration of my pain, I will become best friends with a bottle of Bayer, and make sure that I drink an entire glass of water with each dose. I remember in 9th grade health class Mrs. Kiriu saying that if you take aspirin, there is a good chance they can burn a hole in your stomach. Being only in the 9th grade, the thought of something burning a hole in my stomach scared the hell out of me, and since then I've always been somewhat afraid of aspirin. I'm glad my research today has debunked that myth!...sort of...
Sadly, this puts my training schedule on hold until at least Saturday, but I should still be able to do the 5k on Sunday. I hope....
After the painful ascension back upstairs to my room, I called my mom, somewhat frantic, to ask what to do. She told me that since I could put weight on it, it probably wasn't broken, just bruised. She told me to take some Advil or Ibuprofen and take it easy. I told that I didn't have either of those, but I did have Tylenol...which got me thinking (and thus the reason for this posting), what, exactly is the difference between the various types of over the counter pain relievers? Again, I turned to my trusty friend Google (god, where would I (and the rest of the world, for that matter) be without Google? seriously?!) to investigate and find out what the difference was, once and for all. Google directed me to a WikiAnswer site, and they were able to shed some light on my inquiry:
Pain Reliever: Aspirin
Over-the-counter brands: Bayer, Bufferin
Ah, good old aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, as the science-savvy call it. The first over-the-counter pain reliever to see mass production, aspirin gets absorbed into the bloodstream and essentially “looks” for prostaglandins, substances that are concentrated where we feel pain. In short, aspirin reacts with our blood chemistry to inhibit the enzyme cyclooxygenase, which in turns limits the volume of prostaglandins. As you undoubtedly know, aspirin is used to treat headaches of all sizes, to quell minor body aches and pains, and to reduce inflammation when we’re sore. But what are the problems with aspirin as an over-the-counter pain reliever? Among other things, it’s rough on the upper digestive tract (can cause upset stomach, heartburn, and even dyspepsia), it’s bad for hemophiliacs (because it’s an anticoagulant), and it’s not always safe for kids (because it’s linked to Reye’s syndrome). That said, aspirin is still the most common over-the-counter pain reliever, available in both brand names and generic versions. And now it’s also playing a role in the treatment of heart disease.
Pain Reliever: Ibuprofen
Over-the-counter brands: Motrin, Advil
Ibuprofen is chemically similar to regular aspirin and functions in an analogous way, minimizing the production of prostaglandins, though it accomplishes this with slightly different chemical reactions. So how is ibuprofen different from aspirin? In lower doses, ibuprofen seems to irritate the esophagus and stomach lining less than its close cousins, aspirin and naproxen. If you have ulcers or acid reflux disease, ibuprofen may be the best product for pain clearly resulting from inflammation (arthritis, sprains, sunburns, etc.).
Pain Reliever: Naproxen
Over-the-counter brands: Aleve
Although it is used for headaches, naproxen is especially effective as an anti-inflammatory agent. For arthritis, sprains, sunburns, and other inflammation-based pain, naproxen seems to edge its competition. Many women suffering from menstrual cramps also report that naproxen is more effective than standard aspirin (but as a man, I can’t really confirm that!). The other difference between naproxen and its chemical kin? Similar doses of this over-the-counter pain reliever tend to last longer—often for 8-12 hours instead of 4-8 hours.
Pain Reliever: Acetaminophen (sometimes called paracetamol)
Over-the-counter brands: Tylenol
As they used to sing on Sesame Street: “One of these things is not like the other!” And such is the case for acetaminophen. This pain reliever lowers fevers and soothes headaches effectively, but it is NOT an anti-inflammatory substance. As a result, it won’t do much for arthritis or sprains. Of course, acetaminophen has some key trade-off benefits, including a milder effect on the upper digestive tract than other over-the-counter pain relievers. It is less irritating to the lining of the stomach, making it the best headache treatment for people with acid reflux disease, ulcers, and the like. Acetaminophen is also safer for hemophiliacs and children than aspirin and its friends. There are various permutations of acetaminophen on the market, so be sure to see what else it’s partnered with and whether drowsiness may result from the combo. And alas, because its usual dosage for pain relief and its overdose amount are not incredibly different, some doctors consider acetaminophen to be more dangerous than aspirin, arguing that it is easier to overdose unintentionally.
Interesting...I for one didn't know that it was possible to over-dose on Tylenol. So, for the rest of the day/duration of my pain, I will become best friends with a bottle of Bayer, and make sure that I drink an entire glass of water with each dose. I remember in 9th grade health class Mrs. Kiriu saying that if you take aspirin, there is a good chance they can burn a hole in your stomach. Being only in the 9th grade, the thought of something burning a hole in my stomach scared the hell out of me, and since then I've always been somewhat afraid of aspirin. I'm glad my research today has debunked that myth!...sort of...
Sadly, this puts my training schedule on hold until at least Saturday, but I should still be able to do the 5k on Sunday. I hope....
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
My first training injury!
After I got home, I forced myself to run. I hadn't been outside in a while, and since the 5K is this weekend, I needed to get outside. I mapped out a new, varied route with the help of google, and after I made a quick change, I was well on my way. I ran all the way up to Magoun Square, and was doing pretty well, I wasn't terribly winded, and my legs felt a-ok. I turned down Willow Street off of Broadway, and began to zone out- I was almost done! Just as I had settled into my comfort zone, I tripped, and before I knew it I was face down on the sidewalk. The concrete sidewalk slabs were uneven, and I wasn't really paying attention. Thank god it was dark and no one was around. My initial thought was "fuck, no one is around, I'm laying facedown on the sidewalk in Somerville- this is where I'm going to die". After a little bit of thinking, I picked myself (along with my dignity) up, walked it off, and went on my way. Below is documentation of my injury (it looked a lot worse when I initially rolled my pant leg up)
So there it is! My very first injury! I figure I'm no worse for the wear, and it gives me the strength to shoulder on!
(p.s...the forecast says it's going to be 40 on Sunday...hooray!)
(p.s...the forecast says it's going to be 40 on Sunday...hooray!)
Fruit, Vegetable, or Mineral?
While at lunch today, we were discussing one of my more favorite foods, the avocado.
What, besides being great for dips, omelets, and salad topings, exactly is an avocado? It has a pit, so it could be a fruit, but it's skin/texture makes it seem like it should be a vegetable. If you put the pit/seed in water it will grow roots (like a vegetable), but it grows on a tree, where most fruits grow. I decided to turn to trusty old wikipedia to help me out. Here is what they had to say...
What, besides being great for dips, omelets, and salad topings, exactly is an avocado? It has a pit, so it could be a fruit, but it's skin/texture makes it seem like it should be a vegetable. If you put the pit/seed in water it will grow roots (like a vegetable), but it grows on a tree, where most fruits grow. I decided to turn to trusty old wikipedia to help me out. Here is what they had to say...
The avocado (Persea americana), also known as palta or aguacate (Spanish), butter pearalligator pear, is a tree native to Mexico, Central American and South America classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae. The name "avocado" also refers to the fruit (technically a large berry) of the tree that contains a pit (hard seed casing) which may be egg-shaped or spherical. or
Avocados are a commercially valuable crop whose trees and fruit are cultivated in tropical climates throughout the world (and some temperate ones, such as California), producing a green-skinned, pear-shaped fruit that ripens after harvesting. Trees are partially self-pollinating and often are propogated through grafting to maintain a predictable quality and quantity of the fruit. After the seed is planted, it takes about two to six weeks to sprout.
So, fruit it is...thanks wikipedia!
In other news- the half marathon training is going well. I'm running in a 5K this weekend with Nick, Katie and Mike; I'm excited and nervous at the same time. Excited to run in the race, and nervous that I'll end up with a horrific time. Oh well, I guess I don't really care that much since it's my first one. I also bought my first pair of running tights (read: underarmour compression pants) yesterday at Sports Authority so that my legs will stay warm this weekend. I might try them out tonight- I haven't run outside in over a week, and since running on a treadmill isn't quite the same as running outside, I need to practice.
Oh, and, we're supposed to get 8 inches of snow tomorrow. Hooray. I'm secretly hoping that we have a snow day tomorrow (well, not really secret since everyone at the MOS has been openly talking about their desire for it to happen), the DVR needs my attention.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Additional thoughts...
Now that I've had a chance to digest this morning proceedings, here are some of my thoughts:
13 Nominations
including Best Picture, Best Director (David Fincher),
Best Actor (Brad Pitt), Best Supporting Actress (Taraji P. Henson)
Best Adapted Screenplay
10 Nominations
including Best Picture, Best Director (Danny Boyle),
Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score (A.R. Rahman),
Best Cinematography, Best Editing
8 Nominations
including Best Picture, Best Director (Gus Van Sant),
Best Actor (Sean Penn), Best Supporting Actor (Josh Brolin),
Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score (Danny Elfman)
8 Nominations
including Best Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger),
Best Cinematography, Best Editing,
Best Visual Effects
6 Nominations
including Best Animated Feature, Best Original Screenplay,
Best Original Score (Thomas Newman), Best Original Song "Down To Earth"
5 Nominations
including Best Picture, Best Director (Ron Howard),
Best Actor (Frank Langella), Best Adapted Screenplay
5 Nominations
including Best Picture, Best Director (Stephen Daldry),
Best Actress (Kate Winslet), Best Adapted Screenplay
5 Nominations
including Best Actress (Meryl Streep), Best Supporting Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman),
Best Supporting Actress (Amy Adams), Best Supporting Actress (Viola Davis)
Check out oscar.com for the full list of nominations.
For early predictions, I'm gonna go with Slumdog Millionaire taking Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Score and Song, Kate Winslet for Best Actress, Mickey Rourke for Best Actor, Penelope Cruz for Best Supporting Actor, Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor, In Bruges for Best Original Screenplay (a longshot), Wall-e for Best Animated Feature and Waltz with Bashir for Best Foreign Language Film.
As for my nominees predictions? I was 29/48 (60%) and 34/48 (70%) with alternates...not terrible, but not great either.....
ok, enough for now, I have to get some work done today
- I really am surprised that The Dark Knight didn't get in for Best Picture and even MORE surprised that Christopher Nolan didn't get a Best Director nod. The Academy has been concerned about the ratings and critics have been bemoaning how out of touch the Academy is with the general public. There was a sense that this year could buck that trend with two critical and fan favorites that could wind up with a Best Picture nomination, The Dark Knight and Wall-e. Swing and a miss.
- Surprised that Dev Patel didn't pick up a supporting actor nomination for Slumdog Millionaire. He certainly had enough precursor support, including a SAG nomination. If Slumdog wins Best Picture, which, currently it's certainly the early favorite, it will be the 11th time a film has won Best Picture without a single acting nomination. The last film to do so? The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King in 2003.
- I don't get the lovefest for The Reader. I guess it just goes to show that the Academy loves their Holocaust-themed films. But props to Stephen Daldry, he's directed 3 feature films, and has scored a Best Director nomination for each of them; Billy Elliot, The Hours and now Also somewhat upset that THIS is the performance that Kate Winslet was nominated for, her performance in Revolutionary Road was nothing short of exquisite.
- Pumped for Brad Pitt's nomination in Benjamin Button, but this seems to be a case of the Academy making up for past mistakes- he should have been nominated (and won) for Babel in 2006.
- Bummed that Bruce Springsteen didn't get a nomination for Best Original Song for "The Wrestler"...in fact, Slumdog Millionaire picked up double noms in Best Original Song for "Jai Ho" and "O Saya"...don't really think "O Saya" needed to be there. BUT! VERY excited that "I Thought I Lost You" was NOT nominated, I wouldn't be able to handle "Academy Award Nominee Miley Cyrus".
- Speaking of Bolt -it's nominated for Best Animated Feature over Waltz with Bashir....SERIOUSLY?!
13 Nominationsincluding Best Picture, Best Director (David Fincher),
Best Actor (Brad Pitt), Best Supporting Actress (Taraji P. Henson)
Best Adapted Screenplay
10 Nominationsincluding Best Picture, Best Director (Danny Boyle),
Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score (A.R. Rahman),
Best Cinematography, Best Editing
8 Nominationsincluding Best Picture, Best Director (Gus Van Sant),
Best Actor (Sean Penn), Best Supporting Actor (Josh Brolin),
Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score (Danny Elfman)
8 Nominationsincluding Best Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger),
Best Cinematography, Best Editing,
Best Visual Effects
6 Nominationsincluding Best Animated Feature, Best Original Screenplay,
Best Original Score (Thomas Newman), Best Original Song "Down To Earth"
5 Nominationsincluding Best Picture, Best Director (Ron Howard),
Best Actor (Frank Langella), Best Adapted Screenplay
5 Nominationsincluding Best Picture, Best Director (Stephen Daldry),
Best Actress (Kate Winslet), Best Adapted Screenplay
5 Nominationsincluding Best Actress (Meryl Streep), Best Supporting Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman),
Best Supporting Actress (Amy Adams), Best Supporting Actress (Viola Davis)
Check out oscar.com for the full list of nominations.
For early predictions, I'm gonna go with Slumdog Millionaire taking Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Score and Song, Kate Winslet for Best Actress, Mickey Rourke for Best Actor, Penelope Cruz for Best Supporting Actor, Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor, In Bruges for Best Original Screenplay (a longshot), Wall-e for Best Animated Feature and Waltz with Bashir for Best Foreign Language Film.
As for my nominees predictions? I was 29/48 (60%) and 34/48 (70%) with alternates...not terrible, but not great either.....
ok, enough for now, I have to get some work done today
first impressions.....
Quick reactions-
Legit shock for no Dark Knight in Best Picture; instead The Reader
Kate Winslet nominated for The Reader and NOT Revolutionary Road
All the love for The Reader - BLECH
Bummed no Dev Patel for Slumdog
Pissed that Bolt is in Best Animated Feature in place of Waltz With Bashir
SLUMDOG WITH 10! NOMINATIONS!
ok- off to work, will have some more thoughts later
Legit shock for no Dark Knight in Best Picture; instead The Reader
Kate Winslet nominated for The Reader and NOT Revolutionary Road
All the love for The Reader - BLECH
Bummed no Dev Patel for Slumdog
Pissed that Bolt is in Best Animated Feature in place of Waltz With Bashir
SLUMDOG WITH 10! NOMINATIONS!
ok- off to work, will have some more thoughts later
it's oscar nomination day!
it's here! it's here! oscar nominations are announced in just about a half hour, and i'm beyond excited. I've decided to include three last minute no guts, no glory thoughts-
1. Slumdog Millionaire is the most nominated film- receiving a double digit nomination total
2. The Class shows up in best adapted screenplay
3. my worst fear comes true; "I thought I lost You" from Bolt is nominated and Miley Cyrus can attach "Academy Award Nominee" to her name...BLECH
Stay tunes!
1. Slumdog Millionaire is the most nominated film- receiving a double digit nomination total
2. The Class shows up in best adapted screenplay
3. my worst fear comes true; "I thought I lost You" from Bolt is nominated and Miley Cyrus can attach "Academy Award Nominee" to her name...BLECH
Stay tunes!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
time to start anew!
hello readers!
i know that i said waay back in august that i was starting a new blog to coincide with the new adventure that i was embarking on (moving to somerville), so apologies for not totally following through on that promise. anyways, i decided, since today is oscar nominations eve, my 3rd favorite day of the year after christmas and my birthday, i would do an update, and, naturally, post my predictions for oscar nominations tomorrow. but, before i get to the good stuff, here is a quick update on life.....
....nothing exciting to report, EXCEPT, that i'm training for a half marathon. yes friends, i will be running 13.1 miles on may 24th, 2009 in boston's run to remember half marathon. i've been training since mid-november, and so far things have been going well. i'm up to about 3 miles a day, although it is somewhat frustrating that 3 miles on a treadmill is NOT the same as 3 miles outside. i'm trying to work a schedule so that i run outside at least 2 days a week, but in the winter, that often proves difficult. i will, however, keep you all posted on my progress. i'm running in a 5k next weekend with nick, katie and mike arnold, so i'm sure i'll blog about that. and now, on to what you've been waiting for....
2008 was a fairly good year for films, if i were making a top 10 list, my top films would be: Slumdog Millionaire, Wall-e, Waltz with Bashir, The Dark Knight, In Bruges, The Wrestler, Milk, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Revolutionary Road, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Oscar nominations are tomorrow morning, and the following are my predictions for the top 10 categories;
Best Picture
Slumdog Millionaire
The Dark Knight
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
Frost/Nixon
alt: Wall-e, The Wrestler
Four of those five appear to be locks (Slumdog, TDK, Button and Milk) and I would love to see either Wall-e or The Wrestler sneak in. other potential upsets: Revolutionary Road and The Reader. I'm all in for a Slumdog Millionaire win, it was, in my opinion, hands down the best film of the year. Yes, it had some flaws, but it's been a LONG time since I've been so swept up and taken with a movie.
Best Director
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Gus Van Sant - Milk
Darren Aronofsky - The Wrestler
alt: Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon, Andrew Stanton - Wall-e
it is rare for best pic/director to match 5/5, so this is where I think The Wrestler will be recognized. There usually are a few surprises in the director race, and I think Aronofsky will be it.
Best Actor
Sean Penn - Milk
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
alt: Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road, Colin Farrell - In Bruges
I have yet to see The Visitor (I'm going to watch it tonight), but I've heard nothing but good things about Richard Jenkins performance. However, having not seen it, I was inclined to put DiCaprio in the 5th slot, but the lack of precursor love for Revolutionary Road may not help him. Colin Farrell is a no guts, no glory prediction, he was fantastic in In Bruges.
Best Actress
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
alt: Melissa Leo - Frozen River
In all honesty, this is the category I care least about, as I feel that there are really only 3 deserving nominees, Kate, Meryl and Anne...and I'm going with Kate for the win...next...
Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Robert Downey, Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire
Josh Brolin - Milk
Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
alt: Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road, James Franco - Milk
This is basically Heath Ledgers award to loose, although no one has won a posthumous Oscar...perhaps this is the year? Robert Downey Jr. is also pretty safe for Tropic Thunder for playing "the dude playin' the dude, disguised as another dude!" and Dev Patel should get swept up in the Slumdog love (although his performance is really leading).
Best Supporting Actress
Kate Winslet - The Reader
Penélope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Marissa Tomei - The Wrestler
Viola Davis - Doubt
Amy Adams - Doubt
alt: Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
This is a pretty set category, with Henson possibly getting in over Tomei. For the win- it's between Winslet and Cruz...Cruz should have won in 2006 for her fabulous performance in Volver.
Best Original Screenplay
Milk
The Wrestler
Wall-e
Vicky Christina Barcelona
Waltz with Bashir
alt: In Bruges
Best Adapted Screenplay
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
alt: Revolutionary Road
Best Animated Feature
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-e
Waltz with Bashir
Best Foreign Language Film
Everlasting Moments (Eviga Ogonblick) - Sweeden
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Der Baader Meinhof Komplex) - Germany
The Class (Entre les Murs) - France
Three Monkeys (Uc Maymun) - Turkey
Waltz with Bashir (Vals Im Bashir) - Israel
Nomination Totals
The Dark Knight and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - 13
Slumdog Millionaire - 9
Milk, Frost/Nixon, Wall-e - 6
The Wrestler - 5
That is it for right now, you can bet I'll be back with an update tomorrow morning to see how well I faired, I doubt I'm going to be able to go 48/48, but we'll see...
and I promise that I will try and be a better blogger and keep my updated more frequent from now on.
i know that i said waay back in august that i was starting a new blog to coincide with the new adventure that i was embarking on (moving to somerville), so apologies for not totally following through on that promise. anyways, i decided, since today is oscar nominations eve, my 3rd favorite day of the year after christmas and my birthday, i would do an update, and, naturally, post my predictions for oscar nominations tomorrow. but, before i get to the good stuff, here is a quick update on life.....
....nothing exciting to report, EXCEPT, that i'm training for a half marathon. yes friends, i will be running 13.1 miles on may 24th, 2009 in boston's run to remember half marathon. i've been training since mid-november, and so far things have been going well. i'm up to about 3 miles a day, although it is somewhat frustrating that 3 miles on a treadmill is NOT the same as 3 miles outside. i'm trying to work a schedule so that i run outside at least 2 days a week, but in the winter, that often proves difficult. i will, however, keep you all posted on my progress. i'm running in a 5k next weekend with nick, katie and mike arnold, so i'm sure i'll blog about that. and now, on to what you've been waiting for....
2008 was a fairly good year for films, if i were making a top 10 list, my top films would be: Slumdog Millionaire, Wall-e, Waltz with Bashir, The Dark Knight, In Bruges, The Wrestler, Milk, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Revolutionary Road, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Oscar nominations are tomorrow morning, and the following are my predictions for the top 10 categories;
Best Picture
Slumdog Millionaire
The Dark Knight
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
Frost/Nixon
alt: Wall-e, The Wrestler
Four of those five appear to be locks (Slumdog, TDK, Button and Milk) and I would love to see either Wall-e or The Wrestler sneak in. other potential upsets: Revolutionary Road and The Reader. I'm all in for a Slumdog Millionaire win, it was, in my opinion, hands down the best film of the year. Yes, it had some flaws, but it's been a LONG time since I've been so swept up and taken with a movie.
Best Director
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Gus Van Sant - Milk
Darren Aronofsky - The Wrestler
alt: Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon, Andrew Stanton - Wall-e
it is rare for best pic/director to match 5/5, so this is where I think The Wrestler will be recognized. There usually are a few surprises in the director race, and I think Aronofsky will be it.
Best Actor
Sean Penn - Milk
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
alt: Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road, Colin Farrell - In Bruges
I have yet to see The Visitor (I'm going to watch it tonight), but I've heard nothing but good things about Richard Jenkins performance. However, having not seen it, I was inclined to put DiCaprio in the 5th slot, but the lack of precursor love for Revolutionary Road may not help him. Colin Farrell is a no guts, no glory prediction, he was fantastic in In Bruges.
Best Actress
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
alt: Melissa Leo - Frozen River
In all honesty, this is the category I care least about, as I feel that there are really only 3 deserving nominees, Kate, Meryl and Anne...and I'm going with Kate for the win...next...
Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Robert Downey, Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire
Josh Brolin - Milk
Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
alt: Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road, James Franco - Milk
This is basically Heath Ledgers award to loose, although no one has won a posthumous Oscar...perhaps this is the year? Robert Downey Jr. is also pretty safe for Tropic Thunder for playing "the dude playin' the dude, disguised as another dude!" and Dev Patel should get swept up in the Slumdog love (although his performance is really leading).
Best Supporting Actress
Kate Winslet - The Reader
Penélope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Marissa Tomei - The Wrestler
Viola Davis - Doubt
Amy Adams - Doubt
alt: Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
This is a pretty set category, with Henson possibly getting in over Tomei. For the win- it's between Winslet and Cruz...Cruz should have won in 2006 for her fabulous performance in Volver.
Best Original Screenplay
Milk
The Wrestler
Wall-e
Vicky Christina Barcelona
Waltz with Bashir
alt: In Bruges
Best Adapted Screenplay
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
alt: Revolutionary Road
Best Animated Feature
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-e
Waltz with Bashir
Best Foreign Language Film
Everlasting Moments (Eviga Ogonblick) - Sweeden
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Der Baader Meinhof Komplex) - Germany
The Class (Entre les Murs) - France
Three Monkeys (Uc Maymun) - Turkey
Waltz with Bashir (Vals Im Bashir) - Israel
Nomination Totals
The Dark Knight and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - 13
Slumdog Millionaire - 9
Milk, Frost/Nixon, Wall-e - 6
The Wrestler - 5
That is it for right now, you can bet I'll be back with an update tomorrow morning to see how well I faired, I doubt I'm going to be able to go 48/48, but we'll see...
and I promise that I will try and be a better blogger and keep my updated more frequent from now on.
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