Oscars Ok, I haven’t watched the Oscar awards show in I dunno how long, I find it boring and tedious. However, I do like to see the list of nominations to find out how many of the movies I’ve actually seen, and which ones I really should go see soon. So, here’s the list of nominations, with notes of the ones I’ve seen. Which apparently isn’t many of them! With thanks to http://www.oscar.com/ for the list.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Philip Seymour Hoffman - CAPOTE
Terrence Howard - HUSTLE & FLOW
Heath Ledger - BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Joaquin Phoenix - WALK THE LINE
David Strathairn - GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.

Sadly, I have not seen any of these movies! I do want to see Brokeback Mountain, and noticed just yesterday that it has finally got to a theatre near me (the owner/manager is gay, go figure!). I also wanted to see Good Night, And Good Luck but didn’t get the chance, and tho I am a fan of Johnny Cash, if it were any other than Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, I’d have gone to see that as well. I’ll wait for the DVD so as not to waste too much time or money on them :-p

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
George Clooney - SYRIANA
Matt Dillon - CRASH
Paul Giamatti - CINDERELLA MAN
Jake Gyllenhaal - BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
William Hurt - A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

I have seen Crash, and thought it was absolutely brilliant! (of course, it was written and directed by Canadian, Paul Haggis). I have also recently seen Cinderella Man, and it actually wasn’t too bad. The others listed I have not yet seen, tho I would like to see A History of Violence when its on DVD. I didn’t see it in the theatre mainly because it didn’t look like something I’d want to see, despite LoTR alum Viggo Mortensen. He’s just not one of my faves.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Judi Dench - MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS
Felicity Huffman - TRANSAMERICA
Keira Knightley - PRIDE & PREJUDICE
Charlize Theron - NORTH COUNTRY
Reese Witherspoon - WALK THE LINE

I have seen none of these movies. I hadn’t even heard of the Judi Dench one, but I will see this when its on DVD, I do like her, she’s awesome.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Amy Adams - JUNEBUG
Catherine Keener - CAPOTE
Frances McDormand - NORTH COUNTRY
Rachel Weisz - THE CONSTANT GARDENER
Michelle Williams - BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

Again, I haven’t seen any of these. I really need to get out more. :-p
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR
HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE
TIM BURTON'S CORPSE BRIDE
WALLACE & GROMIT IN THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT

I wanted to see Corpse Bride, but just couldn’t convince James to go with me. We’ll see it soon on DVD.

ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
KING KONG
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
PRIDE & PREJUDICE

Yay! I’ve seen 2 of these! Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and King Kong!

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
BATMAN BEGINS
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
THE NEW WORLD

I saw Batman Begins, and even bought the DVD. Can’t figure out why it deserves a nod for cinematography though. I guess the scenery when he’s climbing the mountains?

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTSPRIDE & PREJUDICE
WALK THE LINE

Yeah, Willie Wonka’s costumes were cool, but Oscar worthy?

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
CAPOTE
CRASH
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
MUNICH

Well, as I’ve only seen Crash, I’ll go with that one. ;-) Seriously, it was a brilliant movie. Very disturbing.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
DARWIN'S NIGHTMARE
ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM
MARCH OF THE PENGUINS
MURDERBALL
STREET FIGHT

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
THE DEATH OF KEVIN CARTER: CASUALTY OF THE BANG BANG CLUB
GOD SLEEPS IN RWANDA
THE MUSHROOM CLUB
A NOTE OF TRIUMPH: THE GOLDEN AGE OF NORMAN CORWIN

I haven’t seen any of these documentaries.

ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
CINDERELLA MAN
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
CRASH
MUNICH
WALK THE LINE

I’ve seen only 2 of these, and will again have to go with Crash. Fitting all of those different story lines into one, not only a marvel in writing, but in editing as well.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
DON'T TELL
JOYEUX NOèL
PARADISE NOW
SOPHIE SCHOLL - THE FINAL DAYS
TSOTSI

Foreign films never get here until DVD. If then.

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
CINDERELLA MAN
STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH

Says a lot for how George Lucas stretched out his Star Wars story that his only nod for the final entry is for makeup. I’m not a fan of Star Wars, but even I know that Lucas and his ILM crew made SFX what it is today.

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES(ORIGINAL SCORE)
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
MUNICH
PRIDE & PREJUDICE

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES(ORIGINAL SONG)
"In the Deep" - CRASH
"It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" - HUSTLE & FLOW
"Travelin' Thru" - TRANSAMERICA

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
CAPOTE
CRASH
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
MUNICH

Well, who will the big Oscar go to this year? Brokeback Mountain has so much hype about it, it may take it, but then again, is even Hollywood ready to acknowledge a “gay” themed movie with “the big prize”?
I really do need to get out and see the other movies

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
BADGERED
THE MOON AND THE SON: AN IMAGINED CONVERSATION
THE MYSTERIOUS GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORATIONS OF JASPER MORELLO
9
ONE MAN BAND

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
AUSREISSER (THE RUNAWAY)
CASHBACK
THE LAST FARM
OUR TIME IS UP
SIX SHOOTER

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
KING KONG
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
WAR OF THE WORLDS

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
KING KONG
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
WALK THE LINE
WAR OF THE WORLDS

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
KING KONG
WAR OF THE WORLDS

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
CAPOTE
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
MUNICH

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
CRASH
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
MATCH POINT
THE SQUID AND THE WHALE
SYRIANA

Well, there’s your 78th annual Oscar nominations. Y’all can stay up and watch them if you want. Me, I can wait til the following morning to find out who won. ;-)

Wow, a few minutes ago there was a HUGE bang, and it shook the house. We first thought maybe Bruno had knocked something over outside against the house, but when James went to look, nothing was askew. Bruno however was scared shitless, and ran inside the house. We went out the front door to look and there is a huge black cloud off in the distance.

We live just a few blocks from a gravel pit, and a chemical plant. Occasionally we hear dynamite going off when the gravel pit is blowing up more rock, but it doesn’t usually shake the house! This time it’s the chemical plant, James drove up to see what was going on. We have no idea what they make up there, James says he’s asked several people, but they never have answered him. Hopefully we won’t have to evacuate. So far it seems the cloud is not going anywhere, there’s not much of a breeze today. The dogs are worried though, and they want to go outside to see if there’s anybody who needs rescuing.

I’ve got dressed and got a duffle bag ready to pack, just in case they come round to evacuate us. Its been quite a few minutes though, and so far nothing, so we’re probably ok. Lots of emergency crews driving by. We’re between the fire house and the plant. And I can hear a helicopter, its probably a news crew.

****

update, few minutes later

the TV news just had an update for us. The plant makes chemicals for the textile industry, and so far there is no indication that evacuation is necessary, quite a lot of people are just hanging around in the area, and local emergency crews are not wearing hazmat suits or breathing aparatus. Several employees of the plant have been taken in ambulance and a few others are being taken via helicopter. Our local hospital does not have a trauma centre, so they'll probably be going to Charlotte.  ¶ 12:05 PM