And the Oscar goes to...

Since I am a big moviegoer and fan of celebrity I feel that I am more than qualified to play movie critic and provide my picks for this year's Oscars.

I will preface my picks my saying that these are no rash decisions, I actually make an attempt to see all major movies that are nominated so I do actually know what I'm talking about - so feel free to confidently place your money on these bets.


Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls
This of course is no shocker as she has won every other award this season, but she did give a solid performance, although I don't know if this is because she's a promising actress or that the rest of her cast was weak - I can't decide. I've yet to see Notes on a Scandal but I have no doubt that Cate Blanchett could/should be a real contender for this one.

Best Supporting Actor: Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls
Again, he's won everything thus far and while it was refreshing to see him in something other than a character that required a fat suit, I truly don't believe this was an Oscar-worthy performance. It was fine but predictable - I think he played a drug addicted has been so well because in some ways that's what he is, hopefully he'll continue the trend and take on more serious roles but I'm not holding my breath.

Best Actress - Helen Mirren in The Queen
Now this pick is all due to Mirren's ability and not based on what other awards shows have already led us to believe. I saw this movie and thought she WAS the queen, I felt like I knew her even though she portrayed an unknowable person. She became the queen and made you sympathize and still want to shake her all at the same time. If you're an Anglophile you definitely need to see this movie.

Best Actor - Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland
While I'd love to see the Academy break form and give it to O'Toole or Gosling, this one is going to Whitaker and deservedly so, similarly to Mirren he was Idi Amin - totally terrifying, yet realistic in showing how these African war lords rise to power only to be consumed and destroyed by it. I was a bit skeptical about liking a story set in 1970s Uganda but it was a compelling story and throuhg Whitaker you could feel Amin's magnetic pull.

Best Director - Martin Scorcese for The Departed
Finally, somebody give this poor little guy an Oscar already! After being the ultimate gracious loser it is finally Scorcese's time. While deep down I don't believe it's his best movie ever it is the best time ever for him to have a shot at winning. The Departed was entertaining through and through - I enjoyed it so much I even downloaded the song played as Jack and Leo are headed off to the big shootout (Dropkick Murphys, Shipping off to Boston). The Academy wants to finally give it to this guy and his movie was well received enough to merit the award.

Best Movie - Little Miss Sunshine
All the other critics are hedging about picking a winner but I am putting it out there and saying this great, little indie pic should win it all. It provides one of the best examples of the dysfunctional American family I've seen in a long time, funny, poignant, painful - it's a beautiful movie - you must see if only for Olive's Little Miss Sunshine number at the end. I want this over any other film - it's not trying to be a winner but yet it still is - which is the exact point of the film.

As for the other awards let's not pretend like we care about them.

And the Blogging Continues......

So far I'm loving this blogging thing! I've had rave reviews from you (thanks for humoring me) and I'm probably not annoying family and friends as much as I now have another outlet for everything that comes into my mind.
Which brings to mind my need to confess my latest obssession. My name is Kimberly and I'm addicted to Law & Order. I'm not quite sure how this happened and I'm fairly certain I somehow was the last person in the free world to realize that it's a good show and on tv EVERYDAY! This is what I love and simultaneously hate about this show. If you want to watch it's on, if you want to get things done, you can't, it's on. A few weeks ago I was home for several days recovering from a little foot surgery (sexy, I know) and I felt compelled to watch any and every episode of L&O that was on - I couldn't stop even if I wanted to. I'm hoping this is just a phase and soon I'll grow tired of it (it's actually on in the background right now and you bet your pants that I'm watching it as soon as I finish this up) but I worry that the phase will last while because there are something like 800 episodes and I don't even think I've reached the 100 mark yet. I'll keep you posted on this and hopefully I'll kick the habit soon. In meantime............ dun dun dun duuuuuuuun........ dun, dun .......... dun, dun, dun, duuuuuuuuuuuuun.

For Those of You Too Lazy to Read

In 2005 I started a book club and it has become one of my favorite things. It combines several favorite activities, reading, drinking wine and testing out new appetizers - all things I consider myself a pro at. And while I do love my bookclub it does have the tendency to become more a drinking, snacking, gossiping night than a high-brow literary event - which I must confess can tend to get on my nerves since I'm a bit of a nerd, that coupled with my bossy nature, and I was not satisfied with the discussion time we were giving the books in our club, so one my friends had the fabulous suggestion of using this blog to provide a mini review of our books (I'm sure she's also thankful that this will hush up my complaining about our discussion quality as well). So here's a review of the most recent book we've read, An Unfinished Season by Ward Just.

In a nutshell the book tells a story of Wils Ravan a 19 year old boy living in what's now northwest suburban Chicago in the 1950s. The story focuses on his summer between finishing high scool and attending college. Wils' family is fairly well off but his father is a brusque man who's fight against the local labor unions and anti-communist views make a figure of some contempt. There is also the typical story of Wils parents who seem to be growing apart and living in entirely different worlds, although in a surprising twist later in the book several life changing events end up bringing them back together and they take that dream trip to Havana they always dreamed about.
In the meantime Wils spends the majority of his summer working essentially as a gopher at a local paper in Chicago, a view that most of his North Shore society friends find to be a vulgar job - that is - finding out the truth and printing uncomfortable stories that don't neatly compartmentalize into their privileged lives. Wils of course has a coming-of-age summer romance with Aurora Brule, a unique girl that he encounters at one of the endless debutante parties that summer. They spend an idyllic, if somewhat, exaggeratedly intellectual summer together, planning their futures, until Aurora's mysterious father, Jack Brule, commits suicide and the summer season abruptly ends.
Overall, I liked this book primarily for the tone that Just manages to create, especially when writing on Wils musings about, life, work, Chicago, music - I felt that it really captured the essence of what he was likely experiencing at the time. Although, not being a 19 yr. old boy in mid - 1950's suburban Chicago, this is admittedly a bit of a stretch. Being a native of the area myself, I also enjoyed the mentions of the North Shore and Chicago, envisioning what has changed and what's remained the same over the past fifty some years.
However, I'm guessing that the majority of my book club members will say that they've found this book a bit boring and difficult to get through. The story is not anything extraordinary but that's part of the point. Those looking for some epic story with a message will ultimately be disappointed.

Check back to hear what group's consensus was on the book!