342 Movies in 2009

Cinema 2009 by Kees van Dijkhuizen is a mashup of this year's 342 movies all condensed into a mere seven minutes.

It's an amazing look at 2009's releases and worth the watch. See what you can catch.



Off to watch Nine, it's been getting a slew of mixed reviews, and with Roger Ebert's recent review of two stars (ouch!), I'm apprehensive. He scrutinizes very closely and juxtaposes with Fellini's 81/2. Having never seen 81/2, I guess we'll see how well Rob Marshall's Nine can speak to this generation. I do have high hopes though --many of the featurettes and trailers released look promising.

Saw Up in the Air on Christmas day, and I have to say--it did not disappoint at all. In fact, it was pretty amazing. Movies that get hyped like this usually end up overrated, but Jason Reitman did such a fantastic job. The person that stood out the most though was Anna Kendrick. I'd say her Oscar nom is in the bank.

Okay folks, hope you all enjoyed this year at the movies and I can't wait to see what 2010 has to offer. Happy new year!

CARRIED AWAY!

Ridiculously excited for Sex and the City 2!

The teaser trailer isn't much of anything, just alot of glitz and city shots, but still, I'm excited as hell. SATC 2 opens May 28, 2010!

SAG Awards Nominees

The award season is rolling right on--SAG nominees were announced last week with a list of the predictables, a couple of unpredictables, and a couple of those who were just plain left out.

My thoughts:

• I have no real beef with the movie nominations. Pretty predictable, pretty well chosen. I definitely love that Betty White will be receiving her lifetime achievement award. Very well deserved.
• As for the TV noms, I'd really like to know where Breaking Bad's ensemble drama series nomination is. Sure, Bryan Cranston got his best actor nomination, but what about the rest of the cast? I know I'm not the only one who was blown away by Aaron Paul's performance this season. Breaking Bad really has been deprived this awards season. First the Golden Globes, now the SAGs? I don't know what's worse--especially since the SAG nominations are chosen among peers.
• Speaking of those left out-- what about Sons of Anarchy for best drama ensemble?
  
• Very glad to see Christina Applegate recognized for her work in Samantha Who?, but let's be realistic, she won't be winning. I can only hope that best female performance in a comedy will go to Toni Collette, because another year of Tina Fey sweeps just ain't cuttin' it for me.
• Again, glad to see Modern Family getting the recognition it deserves. Whether or not it will win, that's another story. All I know is that if 30 Rock wins another round of awards season, I'll just throw in the towel and wonder why the formality of actually naming other nominees actually exists. I've been a fan of the show from the start, but the quality has been lacking. And when it comes to quality in Modern Family, that definitely isn't lacking.

Watch the SAGs January 23rd, 2010 on TBS or TNT.

Full list of nominees below:

MOVIES:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role:
Jeff Bridges – 'Crazy Heart'
George Clooney – 'Up In The Air'
Colin Firth – 'A Single Man'
Morgan Freeman – 'Invictus'
Jeremy Renner – 'The Hurt Locker'

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role:
Sandra Bullock – 'The Blind Side'
Helen Mirren – 'The Last Station'
Carey Mulligan – 'An Education'
Gabourey Sidibe – 'Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire'
Meryl Streep – 'Julie and Julia'

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role:
Matt Damon – 'Invictus'
Woody Harrelson – 'The Messenger'
Christopher Plummer – 'The Last Station'
Stanley Tucci – 'The Lovely Bones'
Christoph Waltz – 'Inglourious Basterds'

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role:
Penélope Cruz – 'Nine'
Vera Farmiga – 'Up In The Air'
Anna Kendrick – 'Up In The Air'
Diane Kruger – 'Inglourious Basterds'
Mo'nique – 'Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire'

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:
'An Education'
'The Hurt Locker'
'Inglourious Basterds'
'Nine'
'Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire'

Lifetime Achievement Award:
Betty White

TELEVISION:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Kevin Bacon, "Taking Chance" HBO
Cuba Gooding, Jr., "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story" TNT
Jeremy Irons, "Georgia O'Keeffe" Lifetime
Kevin Kline, "Great Performances: Cyrano de Bergerac" PBS
Tom Wilkinson, "A Number" HBO

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Joan Allen, "Georgia O'Keeffe" Lifetime
Drew Barrymore, "Grey Gardens" HBO
Ruby Dee, "America" Lifetime
Jessica Lange, "Grey Gardens" HBO
Sigourney Weaver, "Prayers for Bobby" Lifetime

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Simon Baker, "The Mentalist" CBS
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad" AMC
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter" Showtime
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men" AMC
Hugh Laurie, "House" FOX

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Patricia Arquette, "Medium" NBC/CBS
Glenn Close, "Damages" FX
Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" NBC
Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace" TNT
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife" CBS
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer" TNT

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock" NBC
Steve Carrell, "The Office" NBC
Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" HBO
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk" USA
Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men" CBS

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?" ABC
Toni Collette, "United States of Tara" Showtime
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie" Showtime
Tina Fey, "30 Rock" NBC
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "The New Adventures of Old Christine" CBS

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
"The Closer" TNT
"Dexter" Showtime
"The Good Wife" CBS
"Mad Men" AMC
"True Blood" HBO

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
"30 Rock" NBC
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" HBO
"Glee" FOX
"Modern Family" ABC
"The Office" NBC

2010 Golden Globe Noms: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Today Justin Timberlake, John Krasinski, and Diane Kruger rose in the wee hours of the morning to kick off awards season by announcing this season's GG noms.

A few surprising noms to say the least, but the GGs tend to yield such results. Here's the lowdown:

MOVIES:

• AVATAR: Surprised to see Avatar in the best pic category, but okay okay. After getting some atrocious reviews from its sneak peeks, the reviews are in from its first screenings--things are looking up for James Cameron. Keep in mind that Avatar is Cameron's baby and after a 4 year development period and what has shaped up to be one of the most expensive movies ever, he has alot in stake when it comes to the movie's success. I still need some convincing, still looks like giant smurf fairies, some expensive giant smurf fairies to me.
  
• REPEAT PERFORMERS: Sandra B lands 2 noms in two separate best actress categories: drama and comedy for The Blind Side and The Proposal. Wow. Very surprised, but I can't say she wasn't great in these movies. This is definitely her year. Kudos. The woman who can do no wrong in my eyes, the lovely Meryl Streep managed to nab two noms in the same category: best actress in a comedy for Julie & Julia and It's Complicated.
• UP IN THE AIR SWEEPS: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, and Jason Reitman all nabbed individual noms as well as a best picture nom. Not surprised. Can't wait to see this movie.
• THE PREDICTABLES: Just as I forecasted earlier in my Oscar post, the following Oscar buzzing performances have received their GG noms: the whole of the Up in the Air principal cast and Jason Reitman, Gabby Sidibe and Mo'Nique/Precious, Freeman/Invictus, The Hurt Locker, Christoph Waltz/Inglorious Basterds, Jeff Bridges/Crazy Heart, etcetera, etcetera
  
• WTF MOMENT: Julia Roberts' best actress nom for Duplicity? Uh, I'm not even sure how to react to this. Let's keep in mind this movie was a theatrical flop--so much so that it made less than Julia earned for this movie. Sure sure, theatrical success doesn't necessarily gage the quality of a movie, but who really thought she'd be getting a nod for Duplicity? Come on.
• PLEASANT SURPRISES: (500) Days of Summer, Joseph Gordon Levitt's best actor nom for the aforementioned movie, The Hangover (huge surprise, but very well deserved), Karen O for the Where the Wild Things Are score, and The Fantastic Mr. Fox. Can I get a collective hooray?!
• BIGGEST SNUBS: Invictus, The Lovely Bones, A Serious Man, Lee Daniels (for best director, Precious)

Full list of nominees:

Best Motion Picture -- Drama
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Precious
Up in the Air

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama
Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sadibe, Precious

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture -- Drama
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Tobey Maguire, Brothers


Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy
(500) Days of Summer
The Hangover
It's Complicated
Julie & Julia
Nine

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy
Sandra Bullock, The Proposal
Marion Cotillard, Nine
Meryl Streep, It's Complicated
Meryl Streep, Julie and Julia
Julia Roberts, Duplicity

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy
Matt Damon, The Informant
Daniel Day Lewis, Nine
Robert Downey Jr., Sherlock Holmes
Joseph Gordon Levitt, (500) Days of Summer
Michael Stuhlbarg, A Serious Man

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Mo-Nique, Precious
Julianne Moore, A Single Man
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Penelope Cruz, Nine

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Matt Damon, Invictus
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Christopher Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger

Best Animated Feature Film
Coraline
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
The Princess and the Frog
Up

Best Foreign Language Film
Barria
Broken Embraces
A Prophet
The White Ribbon
The Maid

Best Director -- Motion Picture
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Clint Eastwood, Invictus
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds

Best Screenplay -- Motion Picture
Up in the Air
It's Complicated
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds

Best Original Score -- Motion Picture
Michael Giacchino, Up
Marvin Hamlisch, The Informant
James Horner, Avatar
Abel Krozeniowski, A Single Man
Karen O. and Carter Burwell, Where the Wild Things Are

Best Original Song -- Motion Picture
"I Will See You," Avatar
"The Weary Kind," The Crazy Heart
"Winter," U2, Brothers
"Cinema Italiano," Nine


TELEVISION:

• COMEDY SURPRISE: My heart is bursting because Modern Family got its best comedy nom! AHH! This show is so close to my heart and its nomination is very well deserved. Definitely one of the greatest shows on television right now.
• GLEE IS GLEEFUL: It's no surprise Glee received its best comedy nom, but I'm very surprised that Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison, and Jane Lynch have been nominated. Let's keep in mind that Morrison is up against the likes of Steve Carrell and Alec Baldwin so he won't be winning, but kudos--although I'm not sure he's all that funny on Glee. Oops.
  
• BIGGEST UPSETS: Breaking Bad's HUGE snub from this year's nominations. Seriously, what in the fuck. Bryan Cranston didn't even get a nod for his amazing performance. This is crazy, especially since he won the Emmy two years in a row for this show. Also snubbed was Amy Poehler for Parks and Recreation, which I really believe she deserved this year. Season 2 is infinitely better than the first.
  
• WTF MOMENT: Courtney Cox's nom for best actress in Cougar Town. Now let me get this out in the open first: I love Courtney because she will forever be the hilarious Monica on Friends, but come on. Come on. This show is so bad it hurts.
• TRUE BLOOD HAPPY THIS YEAR: not so much the last. After getting snubbed last year, True Blood has finally landed a nomination for best drama and Anna Paquin also received one for Best Actress.

Full list of nominees:

Best TV drama series
“Big Love,” HBO
“Dexter,” Showtime
“House,” Fox
“Mad Men,” AMC
“True Blood,” HBO

Best TV comedy or musical series
“30 Rock,” NBC
“Entourage,” HBO
“Glee,” Fox;
“Modern Family,” ABC
“The Office,” NBC

Best actor in a TV drama
Simon Baker, “The Mentalist,” CBS
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men,” AMC
Michael C. Hall, “Dexter,” Showtime
Hugh Laurie, “House,” Fox
Bill Paxton, “Big Love,” HBO

Best actress in a TV drama
Glenn Close, “Damages,” FX
January Jones, “Mad Men,” AMC
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife,” CBS
Anna Paquin, “True Blood,” HBO
Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer,” TNT

Best actress in a TV comedy
Tina Fey, “30 Rock,” NBC
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie,” Showtime
Toni Collette, “The United States of Tara,” Showtime
Lea Michele, “Glee,” Fox
Courteney Cox, “Cougar Town,” ABC

Best actor in a TV comedy
Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock,” NBC
Steve Carell, “The Office,” NBC
David Duchovny, “Californication,” Showtime
Matthew Morrison, “Glee,” Fox
Thomas Jane, “Hung,” HBO

Best actor in a supporting role
Jeremy Piven, “Entourage,” HBO
Neil Patrick Harris, “How I Met Your Mother,” CBS
William Hurt, “Damages,” FX
John Lithgow, “Dexter,” Showtime
Michael Emerson, “Lost,” ABC

Best actress in a supporting role
Jane Lynch, “Glee,” Fox
Rose Byrne, “Damages,” FX
Janet McTeer, “Into the Storm,” HBO
Jane Adams, “Hung,” HBO
Chloe Sevigny, “Big Love,” HBO

Best TV movie or miniseries
“Georgia O’Keeffe,” Lifetime
“Grey Gardens,” HBO
“Into the Storm,” HBO
“Little Dorrit,” PBS
“Taking Chance,” HBO

Best actor in a miniseries or TV movie
Kevin Bacon, “Taking Chance,” HBO
Kenneth Branagh, “Wallender,” PBS
Chiwetel Ejiofor, “Endgame,” PBS
Brendan Gleeson, “Into the Storm,” HBO
Jeremy Irons, “Georgia O’Keeffe,” Lifetime

Best actress in a miniseries or made-for-TV movie
Joan Allen, “Georgia O’Keeffe,” Lifetime
Drew Barrymore, “Grey Gardens,” HBO
Jessica Lange, “Grey Gardens,” HBO
Anna Paquin, “The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler,” CBS
Sigourney Weaver, “Prayers for Bobby,” Lifetime

The Golden Globes air January 17th on NBC. Watch!

Quick Bytes

Just a morsel of what's going on as of late:

ENTERTAINMENT:

• Comcast merges with NBC Universal: What does that mean for the long run? We'll just have to wait and see. For now, layoffs. Eek.
• Disney closing in on their merger with Marvel
• Massive PR and marketing machine to be created on Jan 1st: PMK/HBH and Bragman Nyman Cafarelli, two bigshot PR firms, will be merging-- creating one major powerhouse of Hollywood.
  

MOVIES:

• As discussed in my previous post on oscar buzz, Up in the Air has even more reasons to anticipate winning the almighty golden statue. It has won National Board of Review's best picture award and Anna Kendrick has nabbed best supporting actress. The Board's previous 2 winners of best picture have gone on to win the Academy Award.
• More National Board winners here.
  
• Big ups to Sandra B! The Blind Side dominated the box office last weekend, taking out New Moon's reign. I'd like to think I was part of Sandy's success since I went to see The Blind Side last weekend. Sandra's best performance ever. You get that warm, fuzzy feeling.
• Also went to see Fantastic Mr. Fox. Amazing! Wes Anderson is brilliant, but I'm sure you all knew that already. Go see!

TV:

• Heroes: near cancellation? Not surprised, considering their disappointing ratings this season, and the downhill trend on plot themes.
• CBS cancels long running soap, As the World Turns
  
• Bonnie Hunt talkshow canceled -- do I see a trend here?
• Flash Forward takes a longer hiatus than initially expected, it was due back by January, but now that date has been pushed further back to March. No word on how it will affect a date that's pivotal to the show's plot, April 29. This news also comes after the show had to stop production in order for the writer's to caucus and scramble for better material.

MUSIC:

• 2010 Grammy nominees: aka awards that will go to Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, or Kings of Leon
  
• Susan Boyle (of X Factor fame) just released a new album ("I Dream a Dream") and how is she doing? Sitting pretty at #1. Turns out you can be 48 and have it all--and, and you don't need to win some reality TV show.
• Sade releases new single after nearly a decade, "Soldier of Love", new album drops Feb 8th, 2010!
  
• Glee: The Music, Volume 2, out now
• Chris Brown, Graffiti, out now [For the love of GODDD just look at that album cover. I swear it's not Photoshop, that's what's sad. Click to see bigger, because you really need to see it bigger.)
• 30 Seconds to Mars, This is War, out now
• Timbaland, Shock Value II, out now [I take back what I said in this post. I wish I wasn't looking forward to its release and in fact, I wish it was never released. Plus no rumored KOL track. What a tease. However, check out Brandy, I mean Bran Nu's, rapping. It's actually not that bad.]
  
• Alicia Keys, The Element of Freedom, Dec 15

FICTION:

• Just finished Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and now I am a total fangirl for Jonathan Safran Foer. Highly recommended--easily one of my favorite books.
  
• Currently reading Everything is Illuminated by you guessed it, Jonathan Safran Foer. Also check out his current nonfiction release Eating Animals, which focuses on a vegan lifestyle and animal cruelty. Excessive fangirling ends right about now.
  
• I've also picked up A Little Bit Wicked, an autobiography by Kristin Chenoweth and Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky on sale at B&N! I love myself some Cheno!
• More books on my must read list on the left. Any reviews?

FASHION:

• RackedLA has spotted the inexplicable 2 week early launch (and possible snafu on Target's part) of Rodarte's line at the Eagle Rock, CA target. Guess who will be paying a visit tomorrow?
• Target's next designer? ZAC POSEN. Can I say that louder, now with more schoolgirl glee? ZAC POSEN! Mark that calendar for April 29, 2010!
• Lara Stone replaces Madonna as the new face of Louis Vuitton. Check out the campaign here.
• It's that time of year! Sample sale season! A notable few happening this weekend in LA: RVCA, Obey, William Rast and J. Lindeberg, LF warehouse sale. More info here.
• My newest shoe obsessions:
  YSL sculpted heels and the fabulous Kate Lanphear rocking the boot version[image courtesy of Jak and Jil.] Agh. Perfection!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Prada Mohawk sandals and Jane from Sea of Shoes with her amazing pair:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

so dreams do come true.. but apparently only on youtube

Ladies and gents, this is a story about the American dream, or er--the Hollywood dream? Federico Alvarez runs a post-production house in Uruguay and he could also be the next big filmmaker. He was discovered on youtube after he posted a self-made, original video of a giant robot invasion. He shot the video on his own time, and with a budget of $500. After nearly a million views on youtube, he's got himself a big Hollywood contract to the tune of $30 million, and $1 million in directorial fees. He's now signed with Mandate Pictures, a subdivision of Lionsgate. A number of directors have also reached out to him, including Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting) and Sam Raimi (Spiderman), who is rumored to be working with him on his project.

How unbelievable is that? I mean, first music artists getting signed to labels (a la Justin Bieber and Esmee Denters) and now future directors? Could the future of Hollywood lie in youtube? I guess that's the natural progression. No more original scripts --> Milking book adaptations for all their worth ---> Youtube. Oh, okay.

All sarcasm aside, this video is pretty fucking impressive. In fact, it's amazing. I still can't believe it was shot with $500. I mean, think of what this guy can do with $30 mil!

Check out the video below. It's worth it. Trust me:




Kudos, Federico! Now for the more pressing matter of trying to figure out what I can post on youtube.. Hello, Hollywood, can you hear me? I'm working on it.

Oscar Buzz and the Big 10

With the Oscars approaching (on March 7, 2010), we're about to see a whole lotta movie releases. This year could turn out to be quite a race considering some categories have expanded, most notably with animated feature expanding from three to five, and get this--best picture going from five to ten. How will this clusterfuck work, you ask?

Best Picture will be decided on a system of preferential voting, whereas all other categories decide a winner upon whichever nominee receives the most votes. Voters will rank their preference from 1-10, and if after separating out all the first place rankings, there is a majority, that film will win. If not, the movie with the fewest first place rankings will be eliminated, and the 2nd place rankings on those ballots will be refactored into the remaining 9 films to see if there is a majority. If not, the process continues until a majority is reached. Confused? Yeah. It's pretty mind boggling. Click here for more info on the voting process.

The more pressing question, however, is why, dear God, why are there going to be 10 nominees? According to Academy President Sid Ganis, it gives films who often show up in other categories but are "squeezed out" of the best picture category a fighting chance. This is an obvious allusion to The Dark Knight, whose notable absence from last year's best picture category caused an internet uproar among fans.

Movies that have generated a significant amount of Oscar buzz this year so far are: An Education, Inglorious Basterds, The Hurt Locker, A Serious Man, Up in the Air, Precious, Invictus, The Lovely Bones, Up, District 9, and Nine.

Let's take a brief look into the possible nominees:

Best Picture
I'm thinking these pictures pretty much have a lock:

• The Hurt Locker
• Precious
• Nine
• Invictus
• Up in the Air

This leaves five possible slots for: Inglorious Basterds, A Serious Man, An Education, The Lovely Bones, or Up -- Yep. We'll probably see this animated film in the top 10. We all know if it came to the traditional 5 picture category, this movie wouldn't be here. And what about Star Trek, Where the Wild Things Are, and District 9? Could be, could be. Especially with 10 noms!

Best Actor

• Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
• George Clooney, Up in the Air
• Daniel Day-Lewis, Nine
• Morgan Freeman, Invictus
• Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

Oops. That's already 5. I'm sure this list will be changing as movies continue to open and reviews come pouring in.

Best Actress
These two basically have a lock in this category. Drawing a blank on who else might fit in though. I think Meryl may get a nom, and possibly Saoirse (though it seems like a long shot) seeing as the category is pretty open as of yet.

• Gabby Sidibe, Precious
• Carey Mulligan, An Education
• Saoirse Ronan, The Lovely Bones?
  
• Meryl Streep, Julie and Julia?
  

Best Director
This is a tricky category seeing as there are ten Best Picture noms and only 5 Best Director noms. The only director I'm pretty sure of landing a nom at this point is Katherine Bigelow. I'm also thinking Jason Reitman has a good chance as well considering how much Oscar buzz Up in the Air is getting.

• Katherine Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
• Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
• Rob Marshall, Nine / Clint Eastwood, Invictus /Michael Mann, Public Enemies / Peter Jackson, The Lovely Bones / Coen Brothers, A Serious Man / Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds ?
  

Best Supporting Actor
Another somewhat open category for me. If I had it my way, I'd want to see Christoph Waltz walk away with the best supporting actor award. He was gloriously evil in Inglorious Basterds.

• Matt Damon, Invictus
• Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
• Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
  
• James McAvoy, The Last Station (Seeing as though he was previously snubbed for the Last King of Scotland and Atonement, James may just get a nod.) / Alfred Molina, An Education / Paul Schneider, Bright Star ?

Best Supporting Actress
I'm pulling for Mo'Nique or Anna Kendrick (most notably of Twilight saga fame). Mo'Nique's performance as an abusive mother in Precious blew critics away and I've been itching to see it for a long time. Kendrick is an up and coming actress, and she may have a small role in the Twilight saga movies, but she is alongside George Clooney in Up in the Air and is definitely someone to watch out for.

• Penelope Cruz, Nine
• Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
• Mo'Nique, Precious
• Mariah Carey, Precious / Dame Judi Dench, Nine / Julianne Moore, A Single Man ?

Best Animated Feature
I'm thinking these three are definitely getting their nods, but now that this category has been expanded to 5, it's hard to say which movies will fill the other two slots.

• Coraline
• Ponyo
• Up
• The Princess and the Frog / 9 / Fantastic Mr. Fox / Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs ?

Should be interesting to see how these predictions develop as movies start coming out and Oscar season gets closer. I'd love to see which movies will get the nom for Best Original Screenplay since there aren't too many of them these days, not goods ones at least. If anything, I'd love to see this go to 500 Days of Summer, which had just the right amount of comedic timing, aww moments, and originality.

I'm excited to see how this awards season will unfold, especially with the 10 picture category. Eek.

Collabs: Jimmy Choo x H&M, Badgley Mischka x HSN, Rodarte x Target, Louise Goldin x Topshop, etc

Fashion collaborations are not a new thing, but with the increasing number of big name designers crossing over into mainstream clothing chains, affordable fashion has never been more attainable.

Jimmy Choo x H&M, available in stores now
Jimmy Choo x H&M just launched on Nov. 14th in 200 stores worldwide, and the results have been surprising. I assumed the goods wouldn't be leather since H&M doesn't traditionally carry leather, but rest assured, everything in the collection is real. Amazing! I'm a little sad and I feel like I missed out because a) I was out of the country and b) at the the time of the launch I assumed it would all be faux goods. I was wrong and I missed out on the shoes! Dangit. However, I randomly stopped by an H&M (one that didn't stock the collab) the other day just to browse around and luckily I spotted a lone Jimmy Choo Dylan tote that was a return. I saw those bright purple Choo tags from a mile away. Heh heh.

My thoughts? The leather isn't of the greatest quality, and I wish it were a little softer, but lambskin would just be too expensive. My guess is that this is some quasi mix of pig and cow leather. Overall, I love the look, and the size (which is huge!).

Here's my dylan tote, although I kinda wished I had stumbled upon this little studded number since its design is more traditional Choo (left: $299, right: $199):



Some of my other faves:
Left (love the electric blue!): $129, Right: $129

Left: studded belt, $59.90, Right: $149

Check out the whole collection here. Much of the collection is gone from the stores, but if you're lucky enough, you may come across something. The only socal stores that carry the collab are Beverly Center, Sunset Blvd, and South Coast Plaza.


Badgley Mischka x HSN, available online now
Also available now is Badgley Mischka's American Glamour for HSN, which includes a line of jewelry, bags, shoes, and clothing. The collection is signature Badgley Mischka. Alot of girly, fanciful, shiny, glittery details. Some of my faves:

I kind of love the bow watch since it's just so unabashedly and ridiculously girly and sometimes that's just what you need--a little bit of over the top girly dashed in with something hard edged. I'm also into that caged bag-- it intrigues me. I'm curious of the quality and I wish I could get a feel of the materials. According to HSN's website it's leather with manmade materials, I wonder how much of that bag is manmade and how much of it is really leather. Hrm. American Glamour is available now via hsn.com and more will be coming your way March 2010.

Rodarte x Target, Dec. 20, 2009
The collection I'm the most excited about though is Rodarte for Target. I am a HUGE Rodarte fan and I just can't help but love season after season because the Mulleavy sisters never disappoint and never stray too far from their romantic design aesthetics. This may be attributed to their fairy tale story of fame. The Rodarte team is comprised of two sisters from Pasadena, CA who came to New York with a couple of dresses in their suitcases and bright eyes. It wasn't long until they became a red carpet favorite and critically acclaimed brand. Their new collaboration for Target will ensure that they will become a household name, even in suburban America.

Sneak peeks (photo credit via nymag.com):


























Close up of black lace dress featured in this month's Teen Vogue (with Dakota Fanning on the cover) $45, and Dakota in the leopard printed dress, $45 (credit: Teen Vogue and nitrolicious.com):

Some more editorial mentions: Rodarte x Target in Dec. 2009 Vogue and Marie Claire:

Looks promising! I'm excited. I love the dresses, skirts, cardigans, and lacy tights. I also love that sequined skeleton tunic. Amazing! Prices will range from $9.99 to $79.99. Rodarte for Target launches Dec. 20, 2009. I'm definitely in for a couple of pieces. Who else?

Louise Goldin x Topshop, Spring 2010
These are killer. I'm curious to know the price point, because I think I need a pair of these in my life. I'm thinking Badgley Mischka's girly jewelry with these. Perfect, no?













































Other collabs launching soon:
- Sonia Rykiel (lingerie) x H&M, Dec 5, 2009, preview
- Eugenia Kim (jewelry) x Target, April 18, 2010
- Cynthia Vincent (shoes) x Target, April 18, 2010
- Stella McCartney x Baby Gap, March 2010, preview
- Vivienne Westwood x Melissa shoes, preview

Vampire (and technically, werewolf) Weekend

I'm back! After weeks in China, I'm finally back in lovely LA. I really missed it and it looks like I've missed out on alot. Must catch up. China redux post coming soon.



If you couldn't tell already, this post is all about New Moon, because whether you love it or hate it, this is its weekend. The movie and predictions about its numbers have been getting alot of buzz, and I can't help but join in. After a clusterfuck of interviews and press tours all around the world (U.K., Japan, Germany, Latin America) and domestically (L.A., NY, Today show, Ellen, Jimmy Fallon, Conan, Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel, Regis+Kelly, etc., etc.), along with endless TV spots, the New Moon marketing machine has finally come to an end (somewhat), and Summit can now sit back and let the money roll in. And when I say roll, I actually mean pour.

The preliminary numbers for New Moon are insane. And I mean insane. After showing in 3,514 theaters, New Moon has produced the biggest midnight opening ever with Summit reporting $26.27 million. That's bigger than The Dark Knight and all of the Harry Potter movies. New Moon has also broken the record for the largest number of advance tickets sold as Fandango is reporting 10+ tickets/second. That's just ridiculous.

It gets bigger though. Friday has opened up to just about $72.7 million, which breaks both records of the biggest single day and biggest Friday opening. The previous record belonged to The Dark Knight, which opened to $67 mil on its first day. Batman & Robin have been beaten out by Stephenie Meyer and her vamps, werewolves, and damsel in distress, Bella Swan. I have no words for this, and I can't imagine how incredibly happy the bigwigs at Summit are and how incredibly mad the people at MTV are (they originally had the rights to adapt the Twilight saga).

I'm really interested in how the weekend numbers will do, especially since alot of people are predicting some phenom numbers, as in 100+ mil. I wasn't sure it would get there, but the marketing machine and the massive amount of diehard fans have paid off. There's now no doubt that New Moon will break the $100 mil mark, and potentially open up to $130 million. I can't imagine how Eclipse will do (the third installment of the Twilight saga, which has already been shot, this time by director David Slade - 30 Days of Night, and opens June 2010).

ETA: Weekend numbers are in. $142.8 million. This makes The Twilight Saga: New Moon the third largest weekend opening ever, right behind The Dark Knight and Spider-Man 3. That's pretty damn impressive, especially since this movie opened in the fall, not in the summer, the time of year when blockbusters usually come out. Just goes to show that you should never underestimate the power of teenage girls and vampires.

Just got back from watching the movie. There were times that were unintentionally funny and times that were just painful to watch because of the awkwardness. However, I thought the soundtrack was amazing and it was mixed in very well. I thought Chris Weitz did a great job directing, and that blue tint from the first installment is gone. That's not a knock to Catherine Hardwicke though because I think she's a great director, but Twilight was just too blue, literally. Lots of shirts off too in this one, which is never a bad thing. Not. at. all. Before watching the movie, I was observing the many fan girls who were going crazy over watching a movie. It made me think of my younger days and I felt a little twinge of sadness. When's the last time I felt so strongly about something that I became obsessed with it? (Because these girls were obsessed.) A long time. I guess I'm a little too jaded now to remember what it really felt like to really feel something with that much passion, which is sad, so sad. Yes, those girls seemed a little crazy and yes they are over the top, but hey, I can understand it and in some ways, I envy them.

In some other unrelated, but big news, Oprah will end her syndicated talk show in Sept. 2011, which will mark her 25th season. The big reason behind this move is so that she can kickstart her own network, appropriately titled OWN (oprah winfrey network) and presumably move her show there. Check out the video below of 25 years of the big O belting out celebrity names in the only way she knows how. It's pretty amazing.



So. Who's going to see New Moon and who's going to miss the big O?

Happy 35th, Hello Kitty!

I'm off to China for three weeks to go hug a panda and fulfill a life long dream! Before I left, I knew I had to check out the Hello Kitty Three Apples exhibit. I went last Saturday and had the best time! Three Apples is a celebration of Hello Kitty's 35th birthday. Last Saturday was super fan day and plenty of people came dressed for the event which was serious business--as in all out HK harajuku style. I was sad I didn't have a little red bow to wear in my hair. Festivities included a book signing with the creator of Hello Kitty, Yuko Yamaguchi, 21+ happy hour, meeting Hello Kitty, and karaoke (with some excellent song choices, I might add. Tainted Love, Say My Name? Amazing.)

Three Apples is a celebration of all things HK. There is an excellent art exhibition on display, HK themed rooms with all the HK merchandise you could ever imagine having and more, and a pop up store with some exclusive 35th anniversary gear along with Tokidoki x Hello Kitty collab stuff. Note: the store can get very crowded! The line was out the door, around the block for the tiny pop up shop. If you're looking to check it out, try going at the end of the day when the line has dwindled. The store closes an hour before the exhibit closes (store closing: 9pm, exhibit closing: 10pm).

I picked up the 35th anniversary Three Apples tee. Check out the adorable fluff tail on the back. :) Excuse the wrinkles.

















If you love Hello Kitty or if you're just looking for a good time, check out Three Apples at Royal/T in Culver City. Royal/T is a Japanese inspired exhibition space with its own shop, and a cosplay themed cafe. The cafe is featuring a special Hello Kitty themed menu, with a HK tea set, waffles, pancakes, and sandwiches, all of which feature miss HK herself on the food. I ate at the cafe, it was delicious! I shared kobe beef sliders, sweet potato fries, HK waffles, and a pot of their specialty Royal/T milk tea which is a combination of black tea, rose petals, and fruit brewed in soymilk. YUM!

Check out some of the pics I snapped on my iPhone:




















































The exhibit runs from October 23-November 15 with plenty of special events sprinkled in between. Admission is free! Check it out!
Royal/T
8910 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 559-6300
For more info, visit: http://sanrio.com/threeapples

Three Apples Event Schedule:

10/31 – Hello Kitty Halloween Party
10 AM – 6PM

• Trick-or-treat goody bags to the first 100 visitors
• Hello Kitty Halloween-themed decorations
• Hello Kitty will be available for pictures from 1PM – 3PM
• Bring in your Hello Kitty-inspired carved pumpkin and win a prize!
• Wear your costume and win a prize!
• Hello Kitty themed food in the café

11/1 – Hello Kitty Birthday Party, Birthday goody bags to the first 100 visitors!
10AM – 12PM

• Breakfast with Hello Kitty
• Hello Kitty themed waffle and pancake dishes will be available in the café
• Visit from Hello Kitty

12PM – 1PM

• Artist workshop with one of the Three Apples artists
• Workshop will include a hands-on project with the artist (advanced registration)

1PM – 2PM

• Hello Kitty tattoo booth
• Various artists will create one-of-a-kind temporary tattoos

2PM – 3PM

• Mama’s Apple Pie” interactive contest wheel

3PM – 4PM

• Birthday cake with Hello Kitty!

11/7 – Hello Kitty Artist Party, JapanLA presents Hello Kitty Artist Party in association with Juxtapoz
7PM – 11PM

• Hello Kitty art-themed goody bags to the first 100 visitors
• Meet the artists
• Several artists will be on hand to discuss their work and Three Apples
• Group paintings – various artists will have a live group painting (Pieces will be auctioned with the proceeds going to LA Works)
• Interactive coloring party – attendees of the party will have giant Hello Kitty color sheets thus creating their own group “coloring”
• Meet Hello Kitty / photo ops
• DJ

11/13 – Hello Kitty Goth Party
8PM – 12AM

• Goody bags to the first 100 visitors
• “Hello Kitty’s Bats and Cats Masquerade”
• A retro, 80’s-inspired Goth party
• Dancing and DJ
• Performance group
• Meet Hello Kitty / photo ops
• “Best Dressed” contest and prizes
• Hello Kitty themed food at the café

11/14 – Fashion Show Party
7PM – 11PM

• Goody bags to the first 100 visitors
• Several designers will be creating one-of-a-kind Hello Kitty inspired fashion pieces that will make their debut on the runway
• These one-of-a-kind fashion/art pieces will be sold the night of the event
• Interactive workshop with one of the designers
• Meet Hello Kitty / photo ops
• DJ
  

Fall TV Schedule

Here it is: a roundup of the good, the mediocre/bad, and the ugly. Also, the status and reviews of this fall's new shows. What's missing from this list? Breaking Bad, the United States of Tara, and Flight of the Conchords as their season premieres have not been announced (with the exception of the FotC which may not see a third season. Sad, sad face. I hope Bret/Jemaine opt to do one or else I'll cry myself a river.) Also missing are the season premieres of 24 and Lost, which premiere in 2010. 24's 8th season will premiere on January 17th, 2010 and Lost's last season will premiere early February.

SUNDAY:

• 8pm: The Amazing Race (CBS): About: adventures throughout the world with teams who compete for $1 mil. With an endless amount of new locations and interesting challenges, this show never disappoints and I'm happy to watch it season after season.
  >>Up against: Extreme Makeover (ABC), The Simspons/The Cleveland Show (FOX), Sunday Night football (NBC)
  

• 9pm: Dexter (Showtime): About: A serial killer that doubles as a blood splatter analyst for the Miami P.D. I have a love/hate relationship with this show. The tension in last season was great and Jimmy Smits pretty much stole the show. However, I have gripes about the dialogue in this show. It's too cheesy and can be very distracting. I'm watching to see if this season can match up to the last. John Lithgow guest stars as the elusive serial killer and villain this season.
  >>Up against: Desperate Housewives (ABC), Three Rivers (CBS), Family Guy (FOX), Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
  

• 10pm: Mad Men (AMC): About: An ad agency set in the 50s. There is a reason why this is AMC's shiny hit show two seasons in a row. Great actors, great scripts. Worth watching. I'd warm up to it a little more if it wasn't such tight awards season competition against my all time fave: House.
  >>Up against: Brothers and Sisters (ABC), Cold Case (CBS), Californication (Showtime)
  

MONDAY:

• 8pm: House (FOX): About: A dysfunctional, but genius diagnostic doctor. If it wasn't already painfully obvious, I'm the biggest fan of this show. I will continue to pimp this show for all it's worth until the bitter end. With that said, I thought last season ended with a great finale, and this season's opener blew me away. I loved the 2 hour cinema-style premiere. Definitely, definitely worth watching as Hugh Laurie and company continue to deliver. Stay tuned for major character changes this season.
  >>Up against: Dancing with the Stars (ABC), How I Met Your Mother (CBS), One Tree Hill (CW), Heroes (NBC)
  
  
• 9pm: No pick. What's on: Dancing with the Stars (ABC), Two and a Half Men/Big Bang Theory (CBS), Lie to Me (FOX) Gossip Girl (CW), Trauma (NBC)
  
  

TUESDAY:
Honestly, Tuesday is a tank for TV. FOX should move Fringe back to Tuesdays so it doesn't have to compete with a slew of other shows worth watching. Take a look of what's on:

• 8pm: NCIS (CBS), The Biggest Loser (NBC), 90210 (CW)
• 9pm: Dancing with the Stars, after that concludes, Scrubs/Better Off with Ted (ABC), NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS), The Biggest Loser (NBC), Melrose Place (CW)
• 10pm: The Forgotten (ABC), The Good Wife (CBS), Sons of Anarchy (FX)
  

WEDNESDAY:

• 8pm: No pick for 8pm. I'm ambivalent towards ABC's new 8pm comedy programming and NBC's new medical drama, Mercy. What's on: Hank/The Middle (ABC), The New Adventures of Old Christine/Gary Unmarried (CBS), So You Think You Can Dance (FOX), Mercy (NBC), America's Next Top Model (CW)
  
  
• 9pm: Glee (FOX) About: a high school glee club, I am big fan of FOX's new musical comedy and I am a big fan of the show's creator, Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck, Popular). I've been loving the upbeat feel and musical injections. Watch to see how they mashup the classics with more modern hits.
  Honorable Mentions: Modern Family (ABC): This is ABC's underdog. I watched the fall preview of this show without much excitement, but this show is surprisingly great. Also, Law&Order: SVU (NBC): great guest stars this season, which include Wentworth Miller (Prisonbreak) and Eric McCormack (Will&Grace).
  >>Up against: Cougar Town 9:30 (ABC), Criminal Minds (CBS)
• 10pm: No pick. What's on: Eastwick (ABC), CSI: NY (CBS)
  
  

THURSDAY:
This is by far, the most concentrated, densely grouped night. There are too many good shows on, all competing for the top spot and because of that, I'm constantly trying to keep up.

• 8pm: Vampire Diaries (CW) About: A teen falls in love with a vampire, This is a new fall show, and it's easily CW's top ratings earner and because of that, it has received a full season pick up. This show is Twilight-esque with the slightest bit of edge. I had high hopes for ABC's Flash Forward and I wanted so much to recommend it, but it's been a disappointment. See review below.
  Honorable Mention: Bones (FOX). Watch out for Zooey Deschanel's guest spot coming up soon. It should be interesting to see her star opposite her real life sister and star of the show, Emily Deschanel. No word on whether or not it will be for just one ep, or a multi-episodal arc.
  >>Up against: Flash Forward (ABC), Survivor (CBS) Community/Parks and Recreation (NBC)
  

• 9pm: The Office/30 Rock (NBC): About: a mockumentary office comedy/a show about a show (a comedy about a variety show to be precise), This is a toss up hour for me, but I love NBC's The Office a little bit too much. Season five was a little bland at times, but this season has been great so far. Check out the episode titled 'Niagara'. I am a big fan of NBC's 30 Rock, especially after season 1 and 2, but I have to say, this show has been going a little downhill for me. It can be hilarious at times, but it's been losing its premise and plot points. Things get a little muddled and too crazy at times, and not in a funny way, just in a ridiculous way (See: season 3 finale, the ridic kidney telethon? Come on.).
  Honorable Mention: Fringe (FOX): I love this show, and I'm happy it got another season. Joshua Jackson and John Noble are just too amazing on this show. Plus, Spock (Leonard Nimoy) is on it, what could beat that?
  >>Up against: Grey's Anatomy (ABC), CSI (CBS), Supernatural (CW)
  
  
• 10pm: No pick, but ABC's Private Practice is still going strong, along with CBS' The Mentalist, and FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
  
  

FRIDAY:
No picks for Friday, either. Friday is where shows go to die (i.e. NBC's Southland recent cancellation). It's not a strong ratings night, which is not surprising since everyone is usually out and about at the end of the work week, and all shows on this night are pretty much suffering, including ABC's once immensely popular Ugly Betty. Fox's eleventh hour save last season, Dollhouse, has also been moved to this night and it's not looking good. Syfy's Stargate Atlantis has been kicking it's butt in ratings. Translation? Cable network performing better than a primetime TV? Yikes. Looks like Dollhouse may be headed for another fate of cancellation chopping block. Here's what's on:

• 8pm: Supernanny (ABC), The Ghost Whisperer (CBS), Brothers/'Til Death (FOX), Law&Order (NBC), Smallville (CW)
• 9pm: Ugly Betty (ABC), Dollhouse (FOX), Medium (CBS), Stargate Universe (Syfy), Monk (USA)
• 10pm: 20/20 (ABC), Numb3rs (CBS), White Collar (USA)
  

NEWBIE ROUNDUP: Which new fall shows to watch, and which ones that have been picked up, or in danger of cancellation.

ABC:

1. Eastwick, This show plays off the premise of the Witches of Eastwick (a John Updike novel), but the plot is muddled and cheesy. Status: In danger. Verdict: skip it.
   
2. Hank, ABC uses Kelsey Grammer's star power to fuel this show, but the show itself is alot of fluff. Verdict: skip it.
   
3. The Middle, This show is alot like Malcolm in the Middle, so it's a little difficult to differentiate, and because of that, I'm iffy. Status: back nine picked up, Verdict: DVR it.
   
4. Modern Family, Surprisingly really great, and very enjoyable. The relationships aren't shallow and actually have some depth and the characters are very lovable and hilarious. Status: back nine, Verdict: watch it.
   
5. Cougar Town, I wanted to like this show because it stars Courtney Cox Arquette, but it's just unfunny and it tries too hard. Status: back nine. Verdict: skip it.
   
6. Flash Forward: I had high hopes for this show. Previews looked awesome, the premise was strong (the whole world blacks out and sees a small glimpse of the future) and it looked like it could be a hit (with a very Lost-esque feel), but it just wasn't so. It continues to disappoint. Because I had such high hopes, I will continue to watch and hope it'll get better, but so far, it's not looking so good. Verdict: DVR it.
7. The Forgotten, a very appropriate title as I nearly forgot it from this list. Verdict: skip it.
   

CBS:

1. Three Rivers, It's harsh, but this hospital show just bores me. Verdict: skip it.
   
2. NCIS: Los Angeles, alot more action oriented and alot less funny than the original NCIS. Verdict: skip it.
   
3. The Good Wife, Great cast (Julianna Margulies, Chris Noth), and promising premise of a woman caught in a political scandal with her state attorney husband. Verdict: watch it.
   

CW:

1. Melrose Place, Bad reviews, bad ratings=not a good sign. Status: CW orders 5 more eps, Verdict: skip it.
2. Vampire Diaries, CW's ratings earner. No brainer for a pick up. Status: full season pick up, Verdict: watch it.
   

NBC:

1. Trauma, Nothing in particular about this show stands out as an original medical drama. Status: in danger. Verdict: Skip it.
2. Community, I want to like this show because it seems like it has potential, especially with Joel McHale as the show's star, but I'm iffy as it doesn't seem too funny to me. Status: *edit* back nine, Verdict: DVR it.
   
3. Mercy, I'm not too impressed with this show as it tends to fade into the background of many other shows with similar premises (i.e. the long running ER). It has started to pick up in ratings, so we'll see how it goes. It may surprise us. Status: *edit* back nine, Verdict: DVR/skip it

FOX:

1. Glee: I already reviewed this show above, so it should be pretty obvious where I stand, and where the critics stand. Status: full season pick up, Verdict: watch it
2. Brothers, Status: in danger, Verdict: skip it.