The Nominees Are...

From left to right: 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, Nebraska, American Hustle

Tomorrow is the big day when the big daddy of all award shows, the Academy Awards - better known as “The Oscars” - announce this year’s list of nominations. Sure we had the Golden Globes on Sunday and they’re always fun, but these are the Oscars! The bee’s knees of awards shows. All the other award shows that precede it are just a build-up to the real thing; they’re the appetizers to the main course, the plain vanilla ice cream to an apple pie ala mode, well, you get the idea – they’re better. Heck, I’d bet money that a lot of the stars sitting in that ballroom this past Sunday would happily trade in 10 Globes for just one shiny little gold man. If you win, you’re somebody (in the industry). You’re no longer just Joe Schmo, you are now Academy Award-winner Joe Schmo; those three little words will forever precede your name.

Producers, directors, actors and actresses, and of course screenwriters, because you need the words on the page, outdid themselves in 2013. It was a bumper crop of truly awe-inspiring performances and unforgettable movies that captured our imaginations and our hearts. Early and mid-2013 films delivered the usual lot of comedies, dramas and blow ‘em up action capers, but the latter half of the year offered a seemingly endless stream of Oscar-caliber films. Each one was better than the next and I honestly couldn’t keep up with all of them. One per weekend just didn’t make the cut; I’m still behind on some films which I think will be nominated. Circumstances might call for a movie marathon one of these weekends.

Since I consider myself a bit of a movie connoisseur (or at least a huge fan), I decided to take a stab at predicting tomorrow’s list of nominees. I was torn on whether to go with my heart or my head here and make my selections based on my own personal preferences of who I “want” to be there, as opposed to whom I “think” will be there; but alas, the heart wants, what the heart wants – so here are my list of both films and actors/actresses that I hope will be filling the seats at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 2nd.

BEST PICTURE (this can range from 5 to 10)
“12 Years a Slave”
“Gravity”
“American Hustle”
“Captain Phillips”
“Nebraska”
“Her”
“All is Lost”
“Dallas Buyers Club”
“Saving Mr. Banks”
“Philomena”
Other contenders: “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “The Wolf of Wall Street”

BEST DIRECTOR
Alfonso Cuaron, “Gravity”
Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave”
David O. Russell, “American Hustle”
Paul Greengrass, “Captain Phillips”
Alexander Payne, “Nebraska”
Other contenders: Martin Scorsese, “The Wolf of Wall Street”; Spike Jonze, “Her”

BEST ACTOR
Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave”
Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”
Tom Hanks, “Captain Phillips”
Robert Redford, “All Is Lost”
Other contenders: Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Wolf of Wall Street”; Joaquin Phoenix, “Her”; Christian Bale, “American Hustle”

BEST ACTRESS
Meryl Streep, “August: Osage County”
Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”
Judi Dench, “Philomena”
Emma Thompson, “Saving Mr. Banks”
Amy Adams, “American Hustle”
Other contenders: Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Barkhad Abdi, “Captain Phillips”
Michael Fassbender, “12 Years a Slave”
Will Forte, “Nebraska”
Bradley Cooper, “American Hustle”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle”
June Squibb, “Nebraska”
Julia Roberts, “August: Osage County”
Sarah Paulson, “12 Years a Slave”

Visit Oscars.org tomorrow at 8:30 am ET to watch the nominees announced live by Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth.

The Wrath of Red

Red is back with a bang (or more like a bang-bang), as we saw him exact wrathful vengeance on all those who dared betray him in the Anslo Garrick debacle as he searched for the identity of the mole. Victims dropped like flies, including the apple-eating man’s underling, the EMT who removed his tracking chip in the ambulance, and the doctor who drugged him during Anslo’s torture. The side story surrounding this week’s Blacklist target, the Good Samaritan, was interesting but not compelling; it was all about bad Red last night and darn if he’s not just the scariest sight around when he’s bad. Coolly evil without even a flicker of remorse as he offed people left and right; so much for thinking he’s just a poor little ole victim in a much larger and intriguing web of deceit.

You always follow the money trail which is just what Red did, ultimately leading him to the banker behind the payoffs in the failed assassination attempt. For a split second when the finger pointed to poor Aram, I bought in hook, line and sinker to the banker’s set up and thought he really was the mole, until of course his beat the clock-like face off with Red. Yikes, who can work under that kind of pressure! Heading back to the duplicitous banker, I had a good chuckle at Red’s threats to the banker’s wife as he shoved her in the closet and his parting line about the stroganoff was classic Red. I was a bit disappointed at hearing the banker’s reluctantly uttered Newton Phillips as the name behind the money. A total red herring meant to temporarily appease fans because after all that, we still don’t know the identity of the FBI’s mole.

The Phillips fake out actually redirected my cross-hairs on Tom as the mole with enough information about the blacksite’s location to provide intel to Garrick. After all, Tom had been at the blacksite during the whole Angel Station investigation during the Gina Zanetakos episode; in his confrontation with Liz, he’s the first to suggest that she call her suspicious in, I think in hopes that she would bring him to where she worked. Plus, there's got to be something to the fact that Phillips was the guy Tom readily identified as the "job interviewer" in the Boston hotel. Though given last night’s Fitch-related reveal, I would guess he’d have access to any information he wanted on blacksite locations and he could be the mole. Ugh…I don’t know (throws hands up in the air)…I’m just throwing some mud around and hoping it sticks on someone.

One thing I know is that there's got to be more behind Tom's holier than thou facade; I don't buy the innocent school teacher schtick. I think Tom’s newfound determination to relocate to Nebraska is an attempt to get Liz out of the way. I think Fitch and his cohorts (Tom being one of them, maybe?) have determined that the FBI’s draw for Red lies in Liz. With Red’s homing beacon, Liz, safely tucked away in Nebraska, they can go about their normal course of business. Speaking of Fitch, I loved the perfectly timed whaaaat?! moment as he suddenly popped onto the screen during the meeting with Chief Fowler revealing that he’s some kind of government official about to testify in front of Congress.

Now on to some spoilers, according to TVLine.com, episode 13 entitled "The Katana #99," “will introduce us to our second female Blacklister, Madeline Pope – and this gorgeous and formidable businesswoman has a bit of a (ahem) “past” with Red. In fact, one of them might end up “tied up” by episode’s end.” In addition, according to a Wall Street Journal interview with executive producer Jon Bokenkamp, there’s also more to come on the FBI's enigmatic informant saying "I will tell you that there are answers that we will be giving about... how do I delicately state this... we will be answering things about both Red's family and about his background."

Overall, it was a great way to welcome back our old friend; exciting, if a little violent and dark. Personally, I like Red when he’s at his most winsome and lighthearted; me no likey scary Red. Nonetheless, scary Red is better than no Red which is what we’ll have again soon enough as NBC breaks for their Olympics coverage but I will not linger on the negative and just bask in the splendor of any and all upcoming new episodes. ‘Til we meet again.

One to Watch: Believe

NBC seems to be on the upswing this 2013/2014 TV season; with an epic homerun in September with freshman series The Blacklist and I think if not a homerun maybe a double or triple in this new midseason show Believe, which merits a watch if for no other reason than that it’s produced by the brilliant minds of J.J. Abrams and Alfonso Cuarón, the director of 2013’s blockbuster Gravity.

Believe follows Bo, a young girl with special powers and Tate, the ex-convict sent to protect her, as they run from sinister forces after Bo’s power. “Tate and Bo begin their journey, one in which trust must be earned. Traveling from city to city, every place they stop and everyone they meet will be changed forever.”



I know I’m dating myself but the preview trailer puts me in mind of the 1984 Drew Barrymore sci-fi movie Firestarter, in which she had pyrokinesis (the ability to start fires at will) and a secret government agency was after her in an effort to try and control her powers and use them as a weapon. (There’s always a sketchy government agency involved in these things.) The “traveling from city to city” bit from NBC’s show description reminds me of Bill Bixby’s The Incredible Hulk; I can almost hear that hauntingly sad theme song now.

By the way, another midseason show I was looking forward to and which I posted about, Resurrection, has a scheduled premiere date on ABC of Sunday, March 9 at 9/8c. I'll definitely be tuning in for Resurrection and based on the trailer will also give Believe a try; two shows is about the max of what I'm willing to add to my TV viewing schedule.

If you're interested in the balance of the new Winter TV show lineup, then visit TVGuide.com's Winter Preview page; it provides descriptions of all new shows and even offers sneak peek trailers.

Nebraska

Nebraska is the latest film from Academy Award-winning director Alexander Payne, starring Bruce Dern and Will Forte. It's the road trip and father-son tale of Woody Grant (Dern), an alcoholic and slightly senile Korean War veteran who believes he's won a million dollar prize based on a sweepstakes letter he received in the mail. Woody determinedly plans on walking from his home in Billings, Montana to the prize collection office in Lincoln, Nebraska to cash in his prize in person, seeing as how you can't trust the mail these days (especially with one million dollars). With an unsteady gait that makes you fear he'll tip over at any moment, Woody shuffles down the highway on more than one occasion despite the boisterous haranguing of his wife, Kate (a hilarious June Quibb), and younger son David (Forte), who seems to be the go-to person whenever dad needs to be rescued; fielding calls from mom and police in an effort to both help and connect with his cantankerous and emotionally-distant father.

After a number of failed attempts by Woody, David takes pity on his feeble old man and seeing an opportunity to spend time and bond with him, calls in sick at his salesman job ("sick in the head" as his mom Kate says) and leaving his seemingly empty life temporarily behind, the two hit the road in his Subaru en route to Nebraska. Along the way they stop at Mount Rushmore with which Woody isn't very impressed saying it looks like they got tired of working on it (Washington's the only one with clothes and Lincoln doesn't even have an ear) and suffer a scrape or two before they waylay in Hawthorne, Nebraska, Woody's old stomping grounds. Reconnecting with old friends, Woody quickly becomes a minor hometown celebrity when word of his supposed windfall comes to light, helping David learn a thing or two about Woody and showing him how quickly pride in the local boy making good turns to greed when money is involved. An eye-opening journey that will bring father and son together in a way a previously shared lifetime hadn't.

I loved this film. In black and white, the film's stark images of empty landscapes as David's car hits the road and the local mom and pop shops and dive bars that line unassuming one-street towns offers an honest depiction of small-town America. An America were people still gather around the kitchen, sharing the latest gossip on their neighbors, including strengths and foibles going back generations. A glimpse at a wholesome (not necessarily pure) part of America where everyone knows everyone, people still take pride and joy in someone elses success, though greed and envy aren't a foreign state. Nevertheless, Nebraska, its towns and residents are just the backdrop for this heartwarming tale about family (the good and bad), forgiveness and love. An old man nearing the end of his story and the son willing to let go of childhood hurts to see a truer picture (sins and all) of the absent father he'd never known and is just now - when he might not be around much longer - beginning to understand and love.

The acting was wonderful. I've never seen Dern in another film, so I have nothing for comparison purposes but given the brilliance of this performance I'd have to assume that this is a role of a lifetime for him. From the physicality of the role (his lost gaze, stooped shoulders, and halting gait) to his grumpy one liners to the craggy yet expressive face that conveys emotions like an open book (anger, hurt, hope, joy), Dern does what few can and makes it look effortless. Forte was a happy surprise in this role. Despite carrying baggage like MacGruber on his resume, he more than holds his own next to Dern's standout performance. You feel his sense of frustration early in the film and slowly see the shift in the emotions for his dad, as he shows him limitless understanding and compassion. June Quibb as the foul-mouthed, long-suffering wife Kate was hilarious. Kate's nagging and complaints mask a deep and abiding love that is readily made apparent when with the ferociousness of a mama bear protecting her young and a clearly enunciated four-letter word she defends Woody from the greedy vultures that come circling; and movingly visible in the way she tenderly pats down his hair as he lies in a hospital bed, after only seconds earlier griping that he's going to be the death of her.

A couple of facts I found interesting about Nebraska and its director were that Alexander Payne grew up in Omaha and four of his six feature films were actually filmed in Nebraska. In addition to the stellar main cast, Payne cast a number of real Nebraskans in small supporting roles, including Ron Vosta, an 86-year old Nebraska farmer who submitted a self-audition tape that his daughter helped him put together; Rachel Lynn Liester, a real waitress that the crew met when she waited on them during production; and Noah Matteo, who had never acted and along with his brother auditioned for the cub photographer role, to name a few.

Nebraska is a beautiful film that grabs your heart and tickles your funny bone. It is sweet, poignant and funny and a touching depiction of old age and the ties that bind.

Do Good.

As most of you are aware, I haven't gotten off on the best foot with my New Year's weight loss resolution (my friend's cheesecake was the first in a number of stumbling blocks), so instead of obsessing over the slow start I decided to put that on the back burner for now and refocus my efforts on my resolution to help others instead. After a two week break from the food pantry volunteering (it was closed), it was nice to get back this past Thursday and see everyone again - happy and re-energized. This past year I focused strictly on the organized volunteering, both at the pantry and occassionally at Kid's Kloset, but as many regular readers might know in year's past I used to take on "do-good" projects all on my own. Past do-good projects included a diaper drive, care packages and letters for soldiers, Project Night Night (good night bags for children in shelters), New Eyes for the Needy (used glasses for the poor) and Soles4Souls (used shoes for the poor).

As part of my resolution I decided that (as in year's past) I'd take on some new do-good projects and I've decided 2014's first will be...drumroll please...We Care Kits. In doing online research to select a project I found Hope Ministries, a faith-based organization based in Iowa that has been serving the homeless since 1915. Part and parcel of the many programs and services that they offer those in need includes three shelters (Bethel Mission, Door of Faith, and Hope Family Center) which means they have year-round need for basic hygiene products for their guests. The We Care Kit serves as a welcome bag/gift for new homeless or displaced guests at their shelters; by helping provide these essentials those who donate are making a direct positive impact on those struggling in our communities - men, women and children. In addition to the supplies in each kit, Hope Ministries also asks each person making a kit to include a note offering a few words of encouragement. The website states "while the hygiene items are tangibly beneficial, your words of encourage and inspiration lift up the spirits of our residents - some even carry the notes with them for months to come."

I searched for a comparable local program without much success, but in all honesty I'm not really concerned about the location as most of my other do-good projects were also shipped near and far. Ultimately, we are all God's children and as such part of an extended family scattered throughout the world. Whether I'm helping a New Yorker, Iowan or Filipino (as with Typhoon Haiyan), the where doesn't matter, just the need. I've set a goal for myself of assembling 15 bags - five each for men, women and children. Once I have all my supplies, I'll take some pics of my assembled bags and let you know when they're on their way.

What better way to help someone wash away some of the sorrows of yesterday, than to literally help them clean away the dirt from the streets and have a fresh start. God willing, the added knowledge that someone cares, even if a thousand miles away helps in some small way to lighten their load and make them feel a little less alone.

"I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." ~William Penn

A Little Kinder Than Necessary

I recently came across an article in the New York Times that reprinted author George Saunders commencement speech at Syracuse University for the class of 2013. The speech’s simple yet insightful and profound message was too wonderful not to share with all of you. In the speech Saunders shares with students some words of wisdom on life and regret, stating “What do I regret? Being poor from time to time? Not really. Working terrible jobs…No. I don’t regret that…What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness. Those moments when another human being was there in front of me, suffering, and I responded…sensibly. Reservedly. Mildly.” He adds “It’s a little facile, maybe, and certainly hard to implement, but I’d say, as a goal in life, you could do worse than try to be kinder.”

Saunders poses the theory that we’re not kinder because we believe (erroneously so obviously) that we’re 1) the center of the universe, 2) separate from the universe, and 3) indestructible. While we intellectually know better we perceive it as such and therefore put ourselves and our needs over those of others – long story short – we’re selfish. Lucky for us, life has a way of sometimes knocking us down a peg or two over the years and reminding us that no man (or woman) is an island; that we need others and others need us.

Being kind or kinder than necessary seems such an easy feat but one which sometimes due to selfishness or even at times expediency (it’s easier not do anything) we sometimes neglect. Kindness isn’t exactly measurable or quantifiable – you can’t use a yardstick for it – especially since its impacts can have far reaching effects beyond our comprehension, but its impact on daily life is undeniable, as can be attested in our own lives. There are countless simple acts of kindness bestowed upon us throughout our lives which stay with us as a treasured memory forever. A seemingly insignificant act of kindness will touch our hearts and endear that person to us by the simple fact that they cared.

I have such an example in my own life. I’ve always been a loner and nerd, which is the worst thing to be in middle school but even more so if you face the unfortunate circumstance of making a very poor hairstyle decision that leads you to being the only white girl in your class with an afro. Ugh…it was like painting a bullseye on my back for all the bullies and mean girls. Of course, I knew it was only a matter of time before someone said something which they did, but Robert Smith defended me. Robert was an African-American boy in my class; he wasn’t my friend, we might have exchanged a handful of words prior to that day and an equal amount after that day, but when they came with their snickers and barbs he stood up for me. I couldn’t tell you exactly what he said, I think something to the effect that my hair was part of the way God made me (it was a Catholic school we went to) but I’ll never have the words to thank him for that simple act of kindness because it meant the world to me. I saw him in a movie theater (where else) many years ago; he looked relatively the same (other than a few extra pounds in weight and inches in height) and seeing him still brought a smile to my face.

It’s silly really to think that such a simple gesture could mean so much to one person, but it can, and if we all took the time to share a simple act of kindness – a shared umbrella on a rainy day, a warm meal with a homeless stranger, a held door or friendly hello on your way in to work – the world could be a better place. Sometimes the words are easier said than done, as we struggle with the pressures of our daily life – work, health, bills, family, love (or lack thereof). We keep our heads down as we trudge through life and like Saunders said we focus on our little world, our problems, our fears and worries, and we forget that those around us are fighting an equally hard battle; they’re carrying similar burdens.

Reading Saunders speech I was reminded of a passage which I highlighted in my Kindle from a book I read last year, Wonder by R.J. Palacio. In the book, a school director addressing an auditorium full of fifth and sixth graders at a middle school graduation tells his students about a book,

“In Under the Eye of the Clock by Christopher Nolan, the main character is a young man who is facing some extraordinary challenges. There’s this one part where someone helps him: a kid in his class. On the surface, it’s a small gesture. But to this young man, whose name is Joseph, it’s…Well, if you’ll permit me…He cleared his throat and read from the book:

‘It was at moments such as these that Joseph recognized the face of God in human form. It glimmered in their kindness to him, it glowed in their keenness, it hinted in their caring, indeed it caressed in their gaze.’”

I found those words incredibly moving when I read them and still today. So, let’s all of us reading this make a rule that:

“wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is necessary – the world really would be a better place. And if you do this, if you act just a little kinder than is necessary, someone else, somewhere, someday, may recognize in you, in every single one of you, the face of God…”

And if you don’t believe in God, then “whatever politically correct spiritual representation of universal goodness you happen to believe in.”