Short Shrift

broderic on March 4, 2011

God of Love put a smile on my face. It’s this year’s Oscar winner for Live Action Short, and the director and star, Luke Methany, had IMO the best acceptance speech. It was also produced by a Filipina, so it’s got a lot of good karma going for it.

The story centers around the main guy, a singer, looking to fall in love with his drummer who has the hots for the guitarist who is also the lead’s best friend. The singer prays to the gods for guidance in love and he receives it in the form of cupid’s darts. Did I mention he’s also an accurate dart player? He’ll use these darts to bring love and happiness to his life and the lives of others.

I had purchased this short on iTunes along with a few others last week before the Oscar telecast. This was the best of the bunch. Let’s Pollute, an animated short, tried hard to satirize our wasteful ways by assuming the guise of a 50s ‘how-to’ cartoon. It was too heavy handed and quickly became a one note tune. The Crush was about a boy and his crush on his school teacher. I had picked this to win, but knew immediately when I started watching it that it was a terrible choice. It was predictable. I wondered how it could’ve gotten a nomination.

That’s my Oscar shorts. I think I want to catch the Illusionist.

God of Love 4 of 5 stars.
Let’s Pollute 3 of 5 stars.
The Crush 2 of 5 stars.

Bound to Wind Up Dead

broderic on March 3, 2011

Landover ’88, RFK ’89, Miami ’89

I think, but I really can’t remember. It’s a fog, a hazy, smokey, fog.

Scoring Update

broderic on February 28, 2011


Scoring Update
Originally uploaded by browsermetrics.
I graphed the scores from last nights Oscar frenzy showing how each of us did as the winners were announced.

Points if interest:
Everyone who started out bad had no chance. At least Annie, clawed her way out of the bad group and into the mediocre group.
Marge just stunk it up. Maybe if she had seen any movies she wouldn’t have been terrible.
Angeli and Ness could’ve scored higher if they knew about the scoring points.
At the Adapted Screenplay point, those with bad choices went south and the contenders rose. Separation is noticeable.
Akeshia made terrible choices after Documentary Short. I thought she had it, but she let one slip away.
It was all over by the Directing award. Brian and Eleanor jousting for the win.

The winner is actually Brian who guessed correctly on the first tie-breaker question: 4 Oscars to The King’s Speech.

Thanks again to all who played.

It’s a go!

broderic on February 28, 2011

So cool. I wish I could see a shuttle launch. There are only a couple left. Then we’re done with space flight.

Virtual Oscar Party

broderic on February 28, 2011

Live blogging the Oscars! I’ll post scores (maybe) or the winners.

8:27 EST PM: Watching the Amazing Race. And can’t believe that the Cowboys made it past the last roadblock.

8:28 EST PM: You could also follow my tweets here!

8:32 EST PM: Opening monologue/movie. Are you laughing yet.

8:37 EST PM: What the hell does Back to the Future have to do with anything tonight?

8:41 EST PM: Switched over to The Amazing Race again. The teams are in kangaroo suits!

8:42 EST PM: This is boring me. How much longer? 4 hours!?!?!

8:44 EST PM: Art Direction: Alice in Wonderland. Lots of people made this choice!

8:48 EST PM: Cimematography: Inception. Only 1 hit!

8:52 EST PM: CapitolSwell’s in the lead with 13 points. Everyone else is going backwards. Trying to catch the end of the Amazing Race. Come on asian dudes!

8:59 EST PM: It was the engaged couple who got the uturn in the first episode that were philiminated. And Melissa Leo wins the Supporting Actress. I’m going backwards.

9:07 EST PM: Animated short: The Lost Thing. Only CapitolSwell and Marge get that one. Animated Feature: Toy Story 3. Only Angeli missed that one! That was the shoo-in of the week! I mean that category is the annual Pixar Oscar!

9:13 EST PM: White tie!

9:17 EST PM: Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network. And this guy talks alot. I thought he could speak faster!

9:21 EST PM: Original Screenplay: The King’s Speech. I thought Inception. Akeshia in the lead with 19 points.

9:35 EST PM: Supporting Actor: Christian Bale. Foreign Film: In Better World. I should’ve made the scoring more dynamic. Everyone in the hunt is bunched. And it looks as if it will come down to the Best picture.

9:42 EST PM: Sci Tech Awards! Marissa Tomei was the presenter? The couldn’t find another young hottie to have hosted this one? What? Where was the Black Swan girl? No, the other one?

9:44 EST PM: Oscar winner Trent Reznor? Wha!?

9:53 EST PM: I am bored. Let’s hurry up and finish this?! Wait! The SciTech awards!

10:01 EST PM: Makeup: The Wolfman. Costume: Alice in Wonderland. James Franco is dying on stage. Anyone tweet that out to him?

10:03 EST PM: I’ve never been so relieved to see them singing the nominated songs on the telecast. It brings something to this boring show. I’m too busy updating the numbers. Here’s something hilarious: Marge has 3 points, but has guessed 6 correctly! Hi hi!

10:28 EST PM: Billy Crystal. Bring this guy back.

10:30 EST PM: Bob Hope. Bring this guy back.

10:37 EST PM: Worst show in a while.

10:44 EST PM: Wait. That song was nominated? Was it really longer than that?

10:53 EST PM: I noticed that I haven’t posted winners in awhile. Meanwhile Brian and Eleanor tied for the lead.

10:58 EST PM: @jamesfranco‘s twitter feed more interesting than his hosting capabilities. Bring back the ghost of Bob Hope!

11:01 EST PM: Congratulations, nerds! is making the google rounds!

11:05 EST PM: It’s a tie! Brian and Eleanor have it from here on out. Unless The Social Network makes a run… doubtful… We’re gonna have to go to the tie breakers!

11:17 EST PM: At least this was a short telecast. Directing: Tobe Hooper, The King’s Speech. Actress: Natalie Portman.

11:25 EST PM: Colin Firth. The King’s Speech.

11:30 EST PM: Preliminary winner of the 4th Annual BrowserMetrics’ Oscar Pool is Brian if the numbers holds up. (and if it’s The King’s Speech)

11:38 EST PM: The King’s Speech! Wins 4 Oscars! Finally we’re done!

11:41 EST PM: Welp. We’re done for another year. Congratulations to all winners, both at the Academy and in the BrowserMetrics’ Oscar Pool. (I think it’s Brian as he gets the first tie breaker correct). I got to go add up the numbers and check all things we’ll see.

Thanks for playing!

Yeah! Rockers!

broderic on February 26, 2011

K-ON!! Ep 10 - Teacher

Sawako sensei rocks as evidenced by her students throwing up the devil horns! Rock on Sawako sensei, rock on! On a side note, when are we getting that Sawako nendoroid? Please, Good Smile Company, can I get that Sawako nendo? Or just complete all girls from K-ON!

Morning Tense

broderic on February 26, 2011

Watching The Gunfighter on AMC. It’s pretty tense. Jimmy Ringo, a notorious gunslinger rides into Cheyenne to woo his girl back. Everyone is gunning for him: the three brothers of the last idiot who went up against him, the local tough guy, the loafers at the bar, the kids hooking school. Everyone is except the girl he wants back. Soon, they’ll all cross paths.

The movie is pretty well written as expressed by getting an Oscar nomination. Sometimes its witty banter. And other times its the tension building.

I’m actually enthralled.