Oscar, Oscar, Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah, Oscar

That was from an episode of "The Odd Couple" when Oscar & Felix go on some tropical vacation. Felix sings a song about Oscar. Well, whatever.

Tonight, Tonight, The Academy Awards Are On and of course the Barbara Walters Interview Show as well. I didn't get to go see "The Queen" yesterday. Oh well. I believe Helen Mirren and the film will win. I can't wait to see Ellen DeGeneres host.

I watched "Best in Show" today; such a funny movie. I just love Christopher Guest!

I found out today that Ross The Intern, from the Tonight Show, has a blog; I started reading it and I love it & him! He so full of life & entertaining.

Here's a clip of Vivien Leigh's acceptance speech for winning the 1940 Best Actress Oscar for "Gone With the Wind." Quite different from the Oscars we'll see tonight.



I need to get out and do some errands before I get settled into Oscar Night.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Meet Barack Obama

Ash & Movie Wednesday

I went online to see if my Church had finally created a website in order to find out what time they were distributing Ashes. As my Church is named St. Francis, I was reminded of "The Prayer of St. Francis" which I think is so beautiful and goes a little something like this:

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred let me bring your love
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord
And where there's doubt, true faith in you

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there's despair in life let me bring hope;
Where the is darkness, only light;
And where there's sadness, ever joy

Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand
To be loved, as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace
It is pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all men that we receive;
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

It's the last two parts that really get to me.


Onto the movies.


I requested "Babel" from my Library and I must be one of the first to watch it. What a great & powerful movie! It was simply superb. Loved it! I had no idea what this movie was about; I didn't even read the back of the DVD case. I wanted to go in blind. I like doing that.

So far, I have seen only two of the five movies that were nominated for Best Picture; "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Babel". I requested "The Departed" but I doubt if it will get to me by Sunday, Oscar Night. I don't believe the others are out on DVD yet. They are "The Queen" and "Letters from Iwo Jima". I just may go see "The Queen" on Saturday.


I also watched "Friends With Money" that I also got out of the library yesterday. I also had no clue as to what to expect. I liked it. I liked the characters a lot and could relate to the woman Jennifer Aniston played. The ending was a bit "ehh". I watched the commentary of the ending and they said that they switched around scenes. I would have preferred it the other way. Oh well.

I just got a call from the library that they have a DVD I requested. It's the Korean version of "Dangerous Liaisons" called "Untold Scandal". I'm going to get it right now and watch that instead of "Best In Show" that I was planning to see next.


This was a very good movie. This version of the classic story was set in Korea in the late 1790's. I liked it a lot. It was so beautifully shot and the costumes were so lovely. This is from the movie's website: "Based on the novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Untold Scandal is set in aristocratic 18th century Korea at the end of the Chosun Dynasty. The irresistible temptress Lady Cho (Lee Mi-Suk) asks her cad of a younger cousin, Jo-won (Bae Yong-Jun), to deflower the innocent young Soh-ok (Lee So-Yeon), who is to become her husband's concubine. But his attentions soon shift elsewhere: to the graceful and aloof Lady Sook (Jeon Do-Yeaon) who lives according to her convictions as a Catholic. Jo-won becomes obsessed with seducing this chaste woman who has remained celibate for nine years since her husband's death. However, it proves to be more difficult than he expected when Chosun's notorious playboy sets out to conquer the most virtuous woman in the land." I would add... and unexpectedly falls in love with her.

Since "Untold Scandal" was from another library, I was able to take out two other DVD's. They are "The Last Kiss" with Zach Braff and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."

Back to work tomorrow.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Watching & Reading

My weekend began last night with watching "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" (2003). This was a mini-series for French TV starring Catherine Deneuve and Rupert Everett. It was set in 1960's Paris instead of the 18th Century as in Dangerous Liaisons (1988) with Glenn Close and John Malkovich and "Valmont " (1989) with Annette Bening and Colin Firth. "Cruel Intentions" (1999) was set in the modern day with much younger actors, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe. One version of the Choderlos de Laclos classic tale I have not yet seen is "Untold Scandal" (2003), set in 18th Century Korea. I just requested the DVD and the book from the library. My favorite is version is "Dangerous Liaisons" with Glenn Close.

Today I watched "Funny Girl" that I had recorded on my DVR. I had only seen bits and pieces of this movie through out the years. Well, this was a great movie. Music was awesome!


Today I also watched "Conversation(s) With Other Women" (2005). It was shot in split screens. I enjoyed this movie a lot. From Roger Ebert's review: Here's the situation: Two people in their late 30s -- a tuxedoed wedding guest identified only as Man (Aaron Eckhart) and a bridesmaid known only as Woman (Helena Bonham Carter) -- strike up a conversation that lasts all night. Are they strangers? Do they they recognize (or think they recognize) each other from years ago? Did they know each other at one time, but one or the other has forgotten or is pretending to forget? Here's the trailer.


I will now read the rest of "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote. I'm halfway done and want to finish it on Monday, if not sooner.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Movie Wednesday

I watched Woody Allen's "Crimes and Misdemeanors" today. It was quite good although similar to his "Match Point" that I watched last Wednesday. This being because they both had the story line of the killing of a mistress. C & M was deeper and more "Allenesque".
I watched "Happily Ever After" last night. It's a French movie with English subtitles. It was written and directed by Yvan Attal; he also starred in it along with his long-time girlfriend. I liked this movie a lot. Here's the trailer.


I also watched the first night of the Westminster Dog Show from Madison Square Garden. I always watch it. I am a total cat person and would probably never have a dog, although after watching every year, I think about it.

It snowed last night into today, turning into icy rain. Gross. I hate winter! I went out to scrape my car and drove down the road to get a Calzone. I
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is on again; I'm recording it and will later put it on DVD.

Maria Sharapova was made a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Fund and donated $100,000 to help victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster today. Pretty damn cool!


Ciao for Now.
Maria

William Sledd

He's a 23 year old guy from Paducah, Kentucky who is huge on YouTube with over 35,000 subscribers. He does "Ask a Gay Man" . I learned of him from Christine Ebersole who mentioned him on "The View" on Friday when she was co-hosting. He's very entertaining. He cracked me up with this comment; I just had to edit the episode to get this part:



WilliamSledd's YouTube Channel

Chopin's Nocturne in C Flat Minor

I absolutely love this song or would you call it a composition? It's so beautiful. I went searching on YouTube and found a bunch of videos of people playing it. Here are my favorite two. The first is performed by an 8 year old girl from the Phillipines and the second by a 16 year old guy from California.

Movie Wednesday

I watched "Little Miss Sunshine" today and loved it! Sure beat "Black Dahlia" that I watched last night. That was real bad!

I also watched "Match Point" which was written and directed by Woody Allen. This was very different from any of Allens' other movies I've seen as it was a thriller. I just checked to see if this is his first thriller; no it's not. Crimes & Misdemeanors was also in this genre. I just requested the DVD from the library.

I liked the movie. I didn't know it would go where it did. The lead actor and the guy who played his brother-in-law were hot. I really want to go to London. One day I hope. For Wimbledon would be so cool !!

I also watched "Sunset Boulevard". Wow! What a tremendous movie! No wonder it's considered a classic. Truly a work of art.

Some Great Baby Vids

This next one is not for those with weak stomachs.