Bite this
Friday, December 28th, 2007EW’s best TV sound bites of ’07. Hilarious
Archive for December, 2007
Going for Gold
Friday, December 28th, 2007IMDb has launched its ‘Road to the Oscars’. Pretty good summation of the favourites and longshots so far.
Friday, December 21st, 2007
The Last Word column from today’s Day and Night in the Irish Independent
If memory serves, I didn’t make any New Year resolutions last year (the fact that I can’t remember is surely evidence enough). In fact, I think I argued on these very pages that they are a big waste of time, seeing as nearly all resolutions made at New Year are violated faster than those passed by the UN Security Council.
This year, however, I’ve decided to change my attitude somewhat. I’m determined to make some changes in 2008, and see them through to the end* (*Terms and conditions apply). But I hasten to classify any of these plans as resolutions per se. Considering I’ve contemplated most of these things before, or have already attempted them and given up, I think it more accurate to call them New Year “resurrections”.
So here are my resurrections, in no particular order either of importance, or of my level of commitment to stick with them:
Negative thinking: The one and only thing I’m definitely ditching in ’08 is negative thinking, a dysfunctional form of mental hard-wiring that’s kind of like smoking: a filthy, disgusting habit that poisons you from the inside. And I’m a chain-smoker (so to speak).
Negative thinking: The one and only thing I’m definitely ditching in ’08 is negative thinking, a dysfunctional form of mental hard-wiring that’s kind of like smoking: a filthy, disgusting habit that poisons you from the inside. And I’m a chain-smoker (so to speak).
So from January 1, I’m going to slap on my Neg-atine patches, and think happy thoughts. Now, if I understand the gurus on daytime talk shows correctly, thinking positively will kick the universe in its big vindictive ass, and allow all the good things I know I deserve – well, want anyway – to come into my life. All of which should come in handy as I tackle my three resurrected projects, which are:
The gym: ‘Oh how predictable’, you cry! But wait! See, I’m already a member of a gym – quite a swanky one at that – so I’m pledging to resurrect that initial enthusiasm I demonstrated for fitness when I first joined, which incidentally lasted about 45 minutes (or however long that episode of Shortland Street was that I watched while listlessly gliding on the cross trainer).
This one is important as the gym is my only option to keep in shape, because the Lord herself knows I love food too much. Diets definitely are not for me, though I hear that several weight watchers are fans of a “regime” where they substitute lettuce for bread in their sandwiches, and replace one meal a day with a helping of cotton wool dipped in orange juice. Which serves as an unappetising segue to my plan to enrol in:
Cooking classes: Yes, I can microwave instant rice and slave over a hot take-out menu like the best of them, but 2008 is the year where I will master the foodie basics and a lot more besides. By the end of my cooking course, I plan to be the MacGyver of food, able to whip up delectable, Michelin star- cuisine with just Quorn, pasta, a duck egg, some string, and a copy of Irish country queen Susan McCann’s 1991 album, Diamonds and Dreams.
Finally, learn a new language: I could be practical and make the effort to learn our second national language – you know, Polish – but I’ve been threatening to learn Spanish for years now, and I reckon it’s time I got off my culo and did something about it. The idea is that once I master the language, a whole new world will open up to me, one rich in culture, literature, history (Okay, I want to chat up Hispanic guys in their own language, are you happy?)
Of course, despite my good intentions (is that the road to hell I see before me?), it’s possible I might just pack all these in after two weeks because I just couldn’t be bothered. Sorry, that’s negative right? I’ll pack them in because I positively couldn’t be bothered. See, it’s working already.
Screen Actors Guild
Friday, December 21st, 2007
Nominations for the 2008 Screen Actors Guild Awards are out. Always important ones to watch, as they’re voted for entirely by actors, who make up the largest voting block in the Academy Awards. See full list of nominations here
Biggest surprises:
The strong showing of Into the Wild, which was shut out by the Golden Globes. Sean Penn’s movie picked up 4 nods for Emile Hirsch, Catherine Keener and the brilliant Hol Holbrook, who I think will emerge as the sentimental favourite to win Supporting Actor, just shading heavy fave Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men).
Atonement was completely ignored – this does not auger well.
Ryan Gosling makes the cut for the bizarre Lars and the Real Girl. The actors clearly love him. He could make the Oscar race.
Ellen Page nominated as Best Actress for Juno – the girl is going to go far. Perhaps even an underdog winner? Strange that the cast failed to pick up an Ensemble nod though.
No love for The Savages, and its stars Laura Linney and, shockingly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, who has 3 award worthy performances this year.
Charlie Wilson’s War looks finished already.
With cheese…please!
Wednesday, December 19th, 2007EW’s latest list: Ultimate cheesy ballads - class!
Obama: "The bridge to the 21st century"
Wednesday, December 19th, 2007
Yes, it’s Wednesday but I’m just getting around to reading the Sunday papers now. Andrew Sullivan had an extraordinary piece in the Sunday Times, in which he laid out the most eloquent argument yet as to why the only person for the job of US president post-Bush is Barack Obama. I don’t need any convincing (not that it matters since I won’t be voting!), but if you’re one of the doubters, read on…
“Last week was a horrible one for Hillary Clinton. Her husband had thrown a wrench into her campaign to become president of the United States by declaring that he’d been against the Iraq war from the beginning – a transparent fib that reminded many Democrats of the pathological lying of the 1990s.” continue
Write sentiment
Tuesday, December 18th, 2007
AFI movies of the year
Monday, December 17th, 2007The top ten movies of 2007 according to the American Film Institute (alphabetically):
- Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead
- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
- Into the Wild
- Juno
- Knocked Up
- Michael Clayton
- No Country For Old Men
- Ratatouille
- The Savages
- There Will Be Blood
Best TV 2007
Monday, December 17th, 2007
EW.com has a great feature on the top TV moments of 2007 here. My personal faves were the shattering flash-forward twist ending to Lost, the Pam/Jim resolution in The Office and every moment of 30 rock.
Leon takes X Factor
Sunday, December 16th, 2007
Genuinely shocked. Yet kind of hard to deprive him too, right?