LOST and Exams

Well I'm sitting at my computer(duh) and freaking out. I have a 2 hour english exam in an hour. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I HATE EXAMS!!!!!!!!!! and this exam is 3 questions, 2 essay questions and a sight passage and critique....ewww...and its my last year of h.s so these are uber important for acceptance and scholarships. GOD i'm screwed...no...positive thinking... I know I can ace this. I'm going in to this exam with an 86% and I realy want to at least keep it the same...wish me luck.

As for the Lost in the title, anyone who knows me knows that I AM A HUGE LOST FAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and just felt like putting that somewhere...Last nights episode was good, I know some people were upset about the whole baptisim Eko being wrong thing but hey if they're upset about that then they have issues. Its a TV show. I LOVE me some Charlie though and liked that the writers are finally getting back to the original characters who made this show a hit.

Procrastination

Well I haven't posted for awhile so I fiugred I should post something at least or else I would jsut keep putting it off and putting it off like the procrastinator I am...so heres a post...maybe I"ll acually write something later now that its the weekend, but who knows.

Golden Globe Predicitons Part Three

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
"A Love That Will Never Grow Old" – Brokeback Mountain
"Christmas in Love" – Christmas In Love
"There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway" – The Producers
"Travelin' Thru" – Transamerica
"Wunderkind" – The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe

Songs are another tricky area but I'm going to have to pick Travelin' Thru.

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
SyrianaComposed by Alexandre Desplat
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The WardrobeComposed by Harry Gregson-Williams
King KongComposed by James Newton Howard
Brokeback MountainComposed by Gustavo Santaolalla
Memoirs Of A GeishaComposed by John Williams

No one likes to be nominated against John Williams, the man is a musical genius. He has made every film he has done better case in point think of Star Wars without the music (scary i know). This year is no exception with his beautiful score perfectly complimenting and inhancing Memoir of a Geisha's beautiful visuals. Harry Gregson-Williams might be a suprise winner if the foreign press decides not to give the seasoned veteran another award.

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Match PointWritten by Woody Allen
Good Night, And Good LuckWritten by George Clooney, Grant Heslov
CrashWritten by Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco
MunichWritten by Tony Kushner, Eric Roth
Brokeback MountainWritten by Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana

Everyone has been raving about Good Night and Good Luck which is the type of movie the foreign press loves however I'm giving this one to Brokeback Mountain writers Larry McMurty and Diana Ossana who took a short story and crafted an elegant movie keeping the originals emotions and heart while trying not to shove the fact that it's about too gay man in people faces and offending the easily offended.

Best Director - Motion Picture
Woody Allen – Match Point
George Clooney – Good Night, And Good Luck
Peter Jackson – King Kong
Ang Lee – Brokeback Mountain
Fernando Meirelles – The Constant Gardener
Steven Spielberg – Munich

Ang Lee has won pretty much every best director award possible for this movie, and I'm pegging him as adding Golden Globes to that long list.

Best Foreign Language Film
Joyeux Noel (Merry Christmas)FranceNord Quest Productions/Senator Film Productions/The Bureau Artemis Productions/Media Pro Pictures/TFI Films/Les Productions de la Gueville; Sony Pictures Classics
Kung Fu HustleChinaColumbia Pictures Asia/Huayi Brothers/Taihe Film Investment Co. Ltd/Star Overseas; Sony Pictures Classics
Paradise NowPalestineAugustus Film/Lama Films/Razor Films/Lumen Films/Arte France Cinema/Hazazah Film; Warner Independent Pictures
Promise, The (Master Of The Crimson Armor)ChinaMoonstone Entertainment
TsotsiSouth AfricaUK Film & TV Production Company PLC/Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa/National Film & Video Foundation of South Africa; Miramax Films

Kung Fu Hustle is a brilliant hilarious comedy. COmedy typically isn't in any other category other then Best Comedy but people can't deny the appeal of this movie. Stephen Chow took home the critics choice and he might be taking home the Golden Globe. However my bet and the better movie is the touching and disturbing tale told in Paradise Now.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
George Clooney – Syriana
Matt Dillon – Crash
Will Ferrell – The Producers
Paul Giamatti – Cinderella Man
Bob Hoskins – Mrs. Henderson Presents

Paul Giamatti getting the award that he really deserved for Sideways.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Scarlett Johansson – Match Point
Shirley MacLaine – In Her Shoes
Frances McDormand – North Country
Rachel Weisz – The Constant Gardener
Michelle Williams – Brokeback Mountain

Michelle Williams has transformed from Dawson Creek alum to full blown actress and steals every scene shes in.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Pierce Brosnan – The Matador
Jeff Daniels – The Squid And The Whale
Johnny Depp – Charlie And The Chocolate Factory
Nathan Lane – The Producers
Cillian Murphy – Breakfast On Pluto
Joaquin Phoenix – Walk The Line

I LOVE Cillian Murphy and Johnny Depp and they both deserve more awards however this one is most likely going to go to Joaquin Phoenix for his portrayal of the man in black.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Judi Dench – Mrs. Henderson Presents
Keira Knightley – Pride & Prejudice
Laura Linney – The Squid And The Whale
Sarah Jessica Parker – The Family Stone
Reese Witherspoon – Walk The Line

No competition. Reese Witherspoon.

Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Mrs. Henderson PresentsHeyman Hoskins Productions; The Weinstein Company
Pride & PrejudiceWorking Title Prods.; Focus Features/StudioCanal
The ProducersBrooksfilms; Universal Pictures/Columbia Pictures
The Squid And The WhalePeter Newman-InterAL; Samuel Goldwyn Films/Sony Pictures Releasing International
Walk The LineFox 2000 Pictures/TreeLine Productions/Catfish Productions; Twentieth Century Fox

Walk the Line.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Russell Crowe – Cinderella Man
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Capote
Terrence Howard – Hustle & Flow
Heath Ledger – Brokeback Mountain
David Strathairn – Good Night, And Good Luck

Just like Ang Lee Philip Seymour Hoffman has won almost every award for his role in Capote. Again I think he'll be adding Golden Globe to his list soon.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Maria Bello – A History Of Violence
Felicity Huffman – Transamerica
Gwyneth Paltrow – Proof
Charlize Theron – North Country
Ziyi Zhang – Memoirs Of A Geisha

The Competition is between Maria Bello and Felicity Huffman...but with Huffmans Desperate nomination I think the award will be Maria Bellos.

Best Motion Picture - Drama
A History Of ViolenceBenderspink Productions; New Line Cinema
Brokeback MountainFocus Features/River Road Entertainment;
The Constant GardenerPotboiler Prods./Scion Films; Focus Features
Good Night, And Good LuckSection Eight/2929 Entertainment/Participant Productions; Warner Independent Pictures
Match PointA Jada Production; DreamWorks Pictures

Brokeback Mountain. This years movie to beat.

Golden Globe Predictions Part Two

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
Marcia Cross – Desperate Housewives
Teri Hatcher – Desperate Housewives
Felicity Huffman – Desperate Housewives
Eva Longoria – Desperate Housewives
Mary-Louise Parker – Weeds

With desperate housewives in a critic agreed upon sophmore slump its suprising to see them garnering 4 nominations. However Felicity Huffman has stepped out of the shadows and proven she can step it up and even outshine her fellow housewives, with an emmy under her belt she seems to be a lock.

Best Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Desperate Housewives
Entourage
Everybody Hates Chris
My Name Is Earl
Weeds

Comedy categories are notoriously hard to predict especially with The Golden Globes whose winners and nominees tend to be more eccentric or unusual choices. That said my guess would be My name is Earl thanks to its excellent first year and before mentioned success of bringing back the sitcom.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama
Patrick Dempsey – Grey's Anatomy
Matthew Fox – Lost
Hugh Laurie – House
Wentworth Miller – Prison Break
Kiefer Sutherland – 24

Matthew Fox hands down deserves this award. Simply put no one else handles a show and its content like he does. That said it waits to be seen if the foreign press are willing to jump on the Lost bandwagon. If not look to Hugh Laurie whose House has become a household success thanks to his acerbic performance to be getting his mantle ready.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama
Patricia Arquette – Medium
Glenn Close – The Shield
Geena Davis – Commander In Chief
Kyra Sedgwick – The Closer
Polly Walker – Rome

Patricia Arquette's shocking win at the Emmys has made her a contender in this race and she could win. However I think Kyra Sedwick's often overlooked but brilliant performance in the Closer cant' be denied and she could pull off a suprising win. the foreign press are more willing to give awards to good work not necessarily the more popular work so she's my choice for this years Best Actress in a TV series.

Best Television Series - Drama
Commander In ChiefTouchstone Television; ABC
Grey's AnatomyTouchstone Television; ABC
LostTouchstone Television; ABC
Prison BreakOriginal Film/Adelstein-Parouse Productions/Twentieth Century Fox Television; FOX
RomeHBO Entertainment/BBC; HBO

As said before I am A HUGE Lost fan, and it truly does deserve the Best Tv Series award (and the Emmy's agree with me) a brilliant ensemble work that has spawned dozens of copy cats and survived its sophmore season even improving on it and proving that audiences don't mind and ENJOY intelligent shows. If anything else wins it will be a serious upset and cause many a people to be VERY angry.

Golden Globe Predictions Part One

Well awards season is getting into gear with last nights Critics Choice awards and tonights People's Choice awards, so it is time for me to make my Golden Globe(Jan. 16) predictions! Lets get down to it....

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Naveen Andrews – Lost
Paul Newman – Empire Falls
Jeremy Piven – Entourage
Randy Quaid – Elvis
Donald Sutherland – Commander In Chief

I am a Huge Lost fan so of course I would LOVE to see Naveen Andrews win it. Lord knows he deserves it, but as with most awards shows older more established actors tend to be given the prize even if its not their best work. So look to see Donald Sutherland and Paul Newman duking it out with Paul Newman taking it in the end.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Candice Bergen – Boston Legal
Camryn Manheim – Elvis
Sandra Oh – Grey's Anatomy
Elizabeth Perkins – Weeds
Joanne Woodward – Empire Falls

The fight for this award I believe will be between Sandra Oh and Elizabeth Perkins, two unusual choices for an awards show but both equally deserving. In the end I believe it will be Perkins walking home with the prize but I wouldn't be suprised if the foreign press take the bold route and hand it to Sandra Oh.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Kenneth Branagh – Warm Springs
Ed Harris – Empire Falls
Bill Nighy – The Girl In The Café
Jonathan Rhys Meyers – Elvis
Donald Sutherland – Human Trafficking

Again, Johnathan Rhys Meyers is the most deserving of the award fully encommpassing the role of Elvis perfectly, most people not even realizing he wasn't even american. However this award will probably go to Kenneth Branagh a classically trained actor and someone whose proved their acting mettle many times over.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Halle Berry – Their Eyes Were Watching God
Kelly MacDonald – The Girl In The Café
S. Epatha Merkerson – Lackawanna Blues
Cynthia Nixon – Warm Springs
Mira Sorvino – Human Trafficking

S. Epath Merkerson walked away with the Emmy for her role in Lakawanna Blues look for a repeat performance.

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television
Empire Falls
Into The West
Lackawanna Blues
Sleeper Cell
Viva Blackpool
Warm Springs

The black horse of this race is Sleeper Cell which could win if the foreign press is ready to deviate from traditional award show practices of sticking with the safe bet. If not Into the West is most likely to win.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
Zach Braff – Scrubs
Steve Carell – The Office
Larry David – Curb Your Enthusiasm
Jason Lee – My Name Is Earl
Charlie Sheen – Two and a Half Men

This category is tough to decide with all the actors unusual choices but welcome. Larry David is the sentimental favourite being the oldest and having the most comedic credentials to his name. However Jason Lee has helped to bring back the sitcom and Steve Carell is riding high on the success of The Office. In the end I believe the award will go to Steve Carell whose performance on the Office is slightly better and more polished then that of Lee's.

March of the Penguins

I have always been a sucker for penguins. They're on my list of the 5 cutest animals ever. So of course I had to see March of the Penguins. Unfortunatly it didn't come to my small town so I only recently got to see it. March of the Penguins is better then 90 % of the crap that comes out period! One of the sweetest, happiest, and saddest movies out there.

March of the Penguins is told by a narrator( the amazing voice talent of Morgan Freeman bringing the right amount of warmth and listenability to the picture) as if he were reading a bedtime story and the undertaking of the penguins take seems like a wild made up adventure.

The images are breathtaking and the vistas are heart stopping in their simple purity. the antarctic is one of the most gorgeous untamed places on the planet and unfortunatly due to global warming and the greenhouse effect it is dissappearing. One wonders watching this what the future holds for the emperor penguins whose breeding is dependent on the thick ice plate.The penguins themselves are the most photogenic creatures adorable and real. I never realized how odd looking they were before, they're like little milk jugs.

The courtship and subsequent baby raising is portrayed in a very human manner when it comes to the emotions. During the courtship there is a scene of two penguins heads together in a heart shape and it appears they are whispering sweet nothings into each others ears.It brought a smile to my face, dont we all hope we can find someone to be that close too. One of the saddest scenes which made me cry was a lone penguin, old or weak stumbling alone trying to get to the mating grounds. Their is a long shot of him struggling to make his way across a vast expanse of ice the only living thing around for miles. He stumbles and walks behind an ice chunk never again reappearing. It was so sad, and lonely looking. Everyone can identify with feeling alone, but that scene visually represents the feel that every human being has.I cried like a baby.

The baby penguins themselves were absoloutly adorable and looked like they were running around with tiny fur coats on all bundled up. The very fact that they were able to survive the harshest winter on earth is a testament to the strength of the emperor penguin. The scenes with the baby penguins brought up my own maternal instincts and the parent penguins were shown to be very relatable parents.

The story of the emperor penguin is heartwarming and devastatingly sad all at the same time. It manages to be uplifting and make you feel more alive and loving then ever when it's all over. An amazing documentary, and amazing music. I hope it gets an Oscar nod for best score because the music was perfect.

*****/5

Depression and the Dalai Lama

So...I'm not in a very happy mood right now. But I'm feeling a lot better then I was an hour ago. I don't know why I get like this, maybe its the whole teenage thing. Well I'm sure it is, but it royally sucks...Does it ever go away????? Anywhoo...I was sitting in my basement/library listening to the radio when I found a book called The Art of Happiness by his holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C Cutler. It sounded like something i should be reading at that moment and I was bored and self pitying so I began to read it. I am only on the middle of the 2nd chapter but man...I think I'm in love with the Dalai Lama. Not that kind of Love...But he just seems like such a smart, happy guy. He knows the secret and he's sharing! I'm a geek I know. Now I'm here writing and I went and found some quotes from the Dalai Lama on www.brainyquotes.com and here they are. They're really good :D

• Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
• If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
• In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.
• Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
• My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.
• Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day.
• Sleep is the best meditation.
• The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.
• This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.
• Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.
• We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.
• Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.

Sum 41 Rocked

I just finished watching the Sum 41 documentary Rocked and I still haven't stopped crying. I get so emotional when I see things like that. The documentary is Sum 41 touring the Congolese city of Bukavu as many celebreties do. However 6 days in they get caught up in a battle that is the product of the Congolese civil war still taking place. It was a touching doumentary and the childrens faces, these kids had so little and they still could smile. I know that sounds stupid and cliched but It makes me feel guilty for complaining about anything and not doing more with my life.
SUm 41 went to the Congo as part of Warchild Canada, so I visited their website and followed their links to various other sites where I found information on other conflicts and ways to help that don't necessarily include money, so I thought I'll post the sites here, if even one person sees it and even just looks thats a start right.

sites
Warchild Canada
The 6 Key Points
The Hunger Site
Make Poverty History
These are just a few...theres lots more out there...
Find something you're passionate about and fight for it.

Future

Well The holidays are almost over and once I go back to school I have exactly 2 days to figure out if I am applying to University or College. University applications are due Jan 11, you can apply later but then you don't get equal consideration. If i go to college however then I have till the beginning of Febuary. It is such a tough decision to make.

If i go to university It will cost roughly $5000 a year, but I automatically get a $1 250 entrance scholarship because of my average(as long as I keep it up the rest of the year) which would help. However college is about $3000 and no entrance sscholarship is guaranteed. My parents said they'll pay for it if I work on getting as many scholarships as I can, I feel bad though because I have been looking for a job for almost a year now but living in a small town means not that many jobs especially a town with a University and a college in it. I really really wish I could help them pay for it, I feel so guilty that I have to ask them for money. I know they will do everything in there power to help pay for it and won't be angry about it as long as I keep up my grades but they don't have tons of money and I'd like them to not have to worry about money all the time anymore.

*Sigh* then you throw in that I'm not quite sure what I want to do with my future and my head gets all jumbled and I feel like I can't breath and I just want to runaway and live like a hermit, but even that takes money nowadays.

And the program I'll take depends on where I'll go, and they couldn't be two more different things. At university I'll take a bachelor of arts(honours) with a combined major of Gender Equality & Social Justice And Religions & cultures. At college I'll take Film and Television production. Right now I'm leaning towards film and Television becasue ever since gr 6 I've wanted to be part of the movie business and my passion for those mediums has only increased. But I've never had a real chance to actively pursue either as a hobby so who knows If I'll be any good at it?? I won't know till i've paid and started... its going to require a big leap of faith and I do know If I am brave enough to take that leap...what if i'm wrong?

Happy New Year

Happy New year...well its officially 2006, and it feels exactly the same as 2005.
One more week off from school and I have to rewrite and memorize my monologue, finish my independent study for English, write a speech for American Lit and start my 2 end of semester projects for those two classes as well....shit I have really got to stop procrastinating so much.