Notoriety - The Toast Mixtape EP

A few friends of mine have been recording tracks for a few months under the name Notoriety, and after sharing tidbit after tidbit, they finally cobbled 10 tracks together for The Toast EP, which they released Monday evening. Now I've never been one to shamelessly plug the music of a friend for that reason alone, but Notoriety certainly do enough here to rise above the ranks of the Mixtape scrapheap.

The most striking element on the mixtape is the inspired production that culls influence from all over the musical landscape. The heavy bass of the opening bars of Gaining Control are standard hip-hop fare, but the flighty strings and chopped vocals draw favorable comparisons to master samplers The Avalanches. From here, Notoriety shrug off standard hip-hop orchestration and prove that a good beat can inspire from anywhere. Roughnecks features furious organ chords that give things a rock throwback feeling, Reasons Why has an undeniable Motown-inspired groove and some of the strongest lyrical performances of the whole mixtape. These are great, but the song that really had me floored was Under My Thumb that cops the Rolling Stones chorus as the beat, and maintains the playful xylophone and snappy electric guitar. Three fantastic, breakneck verses do justice to an otherwise untouchable song, a serious compliment.

While some verses strain and stretch to follow the beat, the wordplay and delivery is consistently strong throughout, and it's impressive to see how effortlessly each voice adjusts to match the eclectic production. In addition, many of the soul-influenced choruses stand head and shoulders above typical throwaway R&B garbage. With so many mixtapes that shine in a single capacity but disappoint everywhere else, it's refreshing to hear something that feels so polished across the board.

SNACKS

In an effort to clear up an earlier disagreement, I consolidated snacks into a simple Venn Diagram. Click for full size. Cheez-its are crackers. And fried cookies are gross. 

On Repeat: Editors

I know I did an On Repeat post on Thursday, but get over it. While Brit group Editors have existed since 2002 (so says their Wiki), and I was already in possession of one of their earlier albums, they've never sounded like THIS before. Papillon, the debut single off 2009's In This Light and On This Evening, is a pulsing, undeniable morsel of synth-pop, that sounds like something that sprung forth from 1983's time capsule. The New Order parallels are plentiful, with Editors flaunting an irresistable synth riff that seems tailor-made for a laser-infested night club of brooding teens. Just as the riff starts to get a bit tired, things shift into a higher gear by layering yet another synth line, this one engineered to make you lose any trace of inhibition and class. The chorus simply serves to buffer between these screaming synth lines, and to allow things to build from scratch yet again, but I can't help but turn my Zune into eardrum-puncturing (sorry mom) levels when I sense the synths on the horizon again.

While Papillon is a 180 from the post-punk roots of their earlier works, singer Tom Smith has a flexible, measured baritone that can snarl and coo in the same breath, allowing him to slither effortlessly into this change of scenery. While Editors may be over their heads trying to reinvent themselves 7 years and three albums into a career, Papillon makes it quite clear that they have the chops for it. At least for 3 minutes and 56 seconds. 

T-Tracker!

From the brilliant minds that brought you a subway that closes at 12:30, a Red line that is a "danger to life and limb", and a bus system that rivals Toyota's brakes in reliability comes the MBTA's newest way to foster disappointment and resentment: The T-Tracker!

The T-Tracker offers GPS-based arrival times for customers riding the MBTA bus routes. Currently only available on five of the busiest bus lines, the T-Tracker offers "real-time arrival time predictions" for stranded customers, eliminating the emotional rollercoaster associated with waiting for any sort of public transportation. When you are waiting for a bus with a friend, a conversation of this mold is inevitable.

"Is that a 7 or a 1?"

"I can't tell, but I just saw a flock of 77's go up Mass Ave, so we probably have another hour."

"It says every 10-12 minutes here, but it's been like 40, easy."

"Why didn't you tell me to wear a hat?"

I have this conversation with JL on a weekly basis. Sometimes I resort to putting a plastic bag on my head as a windshield, but most times I try to fashion a burqa out of my scarf and compose angry emails in my head to MBTA authorities.

With the T-Tracker, you only need your stop number (which is conveniently nowhere to be found at any bust stop I've ever waited at) and a cell phone. Simply call 617-517-3917 from your touch tone phone, and a friendly humanoid will impatiently prompt you for your stop number. Key it in, and said male voice will gently approximate the arrival times for the two closest buses. If you've listened to a children's book on tape in your life, you will recognize this man's voice. He has a cool, steady diction, one that could easily lure you to your death in a sci-fi movie, until he pronounces the word 'inbound' like a cyborg and the jig is up. Not quite there yet, but a far cry from the Red-Line automaton that butchers 'ASHMONT' 500 times a day.

I'm afraid I can't speak to the accuracy of the T-Tracker, as it is only in use on a few lines (and I'm not interested in taking a field trip), but I did a little investigating, and here's what I found. An alarming amount of times, the T-Tracker sadly informed me that it had "No Current Predictions" for me. To me, this either meant that the bus is SO FAR away, that the complex algorithm that determines wait times is insufficient, or the MBTA bus somehow chewed off its GPS tracker like an angry dog and left it in a gutter. Both are equally disconcerting. More often than not, the wait time ranged from 10-20 minutes. However, if you've ever waited for an MBTA bus, this should be your first red flag.

I think the T-Tracker is an interesting idea, but will inevitably be the cause of more frustration and grumblings than it alleviates. Anytime you try to affix a schedule to something that sits in traffic and is 30 feet long, you introduce a certain amount of error. What the MBTA should have done was remove all bus schedules entirely and adapted a new slogan. MBTA: We'll get there when we get there.

Top 10 Films of 2009: 5-1

It's been over a week since I vowed to finish my Top 10 Films of 2009 list over the weekend (here are Honorable mentions and Films 10-6). The masses haven't breached riot-level anticipation (yet), but I feel an obligation to round it out as soon as possible. This week found me distracted with Lil Wayne and a Soup-Off, but now that Wayne is presumably resting comfortably after his dental work today, and the Soup Champion has been crowned (don't get me started), I can move on to bigger/better things. Namely, this. Here are my Top 5 films of 2009.

5. Fantastic Mr. Fox - Wes Anderson
(Note: I originally reviewed this back in December, you can read that review here.) Fantastic Mr. Fox feels like such a natural progression in Wes Anderson's catalogue, it's a wonder he didn't dabble in animation before. Since 1996's Bottle Rocket, Wes Anderson films have carved out a genre all their own, one that has threatened to become a parody of itself in recent efforts, but still retains a fair amount of charm. Whimsical soundtracks, meticulous sets, cartoonish characters with a deadpan delivery. If you've ever watched a Wes Anderson movie and found yourself turned off by the quirk or the mawkish behavior, you'll be relieved that the same dialogue is exponentially more palpable when delivered by furry puppets in sport coats. Much like Spike Jonze in Where The Wild Things Are, Anderson delicately expands the beloved Roald Dahl story to absorb some wider themes, but still leaves the core and the heart in tact. For my money, this rivals Avatar in terms of eye candy, but with 1/100th the budget.

4. District 9 - Neil Blomkamp


Adapted from Blomkamp's 2005 short film, District 9 brilliantly deconstructs the science fiction genre, and turned a meager 30 million dollar investment into a 200 million dollar blockbuster. Utilizing cinema verite style camerawork and seamlessly meshing live action and CGI, District 9 packages some serious themes here, ranging from Xenophobia and Apartheid. Refreshingly these are never administered in a preachy fashion, and we as viewers are completely duped into engaging in the same though processes as the protagonists when forced to come face to face with an unfamiliar creature. Thematic elements aside, District 9 is first and foremost an effective Science Fiction film that features mutations, mysterious liquids and assorted high-tech weaponry. The action scenes are compelling and engaging, and buck any well-worn cliches whenever it appears they will be tempted to do so. Not since Primer have I seen a Sci-Fi film that is so satisfying in every capacity.

3. Moon - Duncan Jones

Oops, did I say not since Primer? I meant not since Moon. Moon is Duncan Jones' (son of David Bowie) feature film debut, and tells the story of Sam Bell, a lunar contractor wrapping up a three year stint on the Moon, harvesting energy in the form of Helium 3 for those back on earth. Sam is the only 'human' on the lunar base save for his robotic assistant GERTY, voiced by Kevin Spacey. If you haven't already noticed from the above still, Sam is played by the incredible Sam Rockwell, whom is asked to carry the entire film, and delivers. Sam Rockwell has always had an uneasy, loose-cannon quality about him. He's showed glimpses of it in 2007's TAOJJBTCRF and 2002's Confessions of A Dangerous Mind, and with no costars to keep it in check, he is allowed to soak into it here. It is this quality that makes the paranoia and hostility his character feels after coming into contact with his clone ring true. The plot develops from a chance encounter to outright conspiracy ingeniously and tactfully, but the real sight to behold is Sam Rockwell.

2. Inglourious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino
I've been a huge Tarantino fan ever since I first saw Pulp Fiction almost ten years ago. His peerless dialogue, memorable characters and unapologetic love of cinema is infectious, and even in his lesser projects (From Dusk Til Dawn, Four Rooms) he manages to make an impression. I have been hearing about Inglourious Basterds for most of the 21st century, and it wasn't until a script popped up online that I ever considered it would come to fruition. Well here we are, and I'm sorry for ever doubting you Quentin. While Tarantino is often dismissed as stylish or indulgent, he has an incredible talent for dramatic tension, wringing every pause and piece of body language out of a scene until it reaches a boil. Inglourious Basterds has no less than 3 of these scenes, each masterfully executed and each rendering the audience completely rapt. And I haven't even mentioned the stellar performances of Christoph Waltz as Hans Landa and Diane Kruger as Bridget von Hammersmark, the roaring soundtrack, and the 'so crazy it's brilliant' plot. Tarantino may seem unfocused to the uninitiated, but as they say, the proof is in the pudding and Inglourious Basterds is delicious.

1. A Serious Man - The Coen Brothers
Before No Country For Old Men, I struggled to understand the unanimous approval of the Coen Brothers. Their lighter fare felt completely forgettable and their serious works felt slight and unsatisfying. It wasn't until they adapted McCarthy's novel that I finally experienced a clicking sensation. So you can imagine how disappointed I was with 2008's Burn After Reading. The credibility that they developed with NCFOM evaporated and I was back to square one. I had heard great thing after great thing about A Serious Man, but it wasn't until a rave review on my beloved Filmspotting that I felt compelled to give it a shot. This movie and the resulting conundrums it has shackled me with make me want to rewatch their entire catalog. I don't believe I missed a layer of nuance in Brad Pitt's Chad Feldheimer in Burn After Reading, but after A Serious Man, who knows.

Opening with an unsettling scene that sets the tone for those to follow, A Serious Man is the story of Larry Gopnik, a Minneapolis physics professor in 1967. He is mild-mannered and unassuming, and despite his efforts to lead a just life, he is a lightning rod for trouble. I've heard that if you put a frog in a pot of water and bring it to a boil, the frog will stay in the water and die, but if you put it directly into a pot of boiling water, it will jump out immediately. Such is the case for Larry Gopnik. His troubles begin as annoyances; a pot-head son, a few dollars missing from his wallet, a deadbeat brother sleeping on his couch, and grow into larger and larger problems and he is either too weak or too taken aback to respond with the incredulity you would expect. He is a man that desperately believes in karmic principles, and is simply biding his time until his karma boat comes in. The thing is, how do you know when it does?

Longtime Coen Brother collaborator Roger Deacon does great work here with the camera, and the Coen Brothers do an admirable job in reigning in the quirk that plague some of their other comedies, and ask some uncertain questions that I am still grappling with. I know very little about Jewish culture and religion, but the film remains accessible because of its universal themes. While decidedly bleak, the film ends with typical Coen Brothers ambiguity, but this time it feels completely appropriate. Larry doesn't understand why things happen, why should we?

On Repeat: The Delta Mirror

Despite the nu-metal inspired album art, Los Angeles' The Delta Mirror are a pretty tame affair, or at least they start out that way. On 'He Was Worse Than The Needle He Gave You', the opening shoegazy bars swirl like an Explosions in the Sky song, but the red herring is complete when an 8-bit scratchy drumbeat joins the party. From here the song graduates from an ambient snooze to a glitchy lullaby, complete with uncanny Interpol-inspired vocals that drip with pained indifference. The song bounces around in the margins of lo-fi electronica, layering harmonies and frantic synths, but is smart enough to pull the plug before things get too muddled. I'm curious to find out which direction the rest of the album leans. Machines That Listen is out March 16th on Lefse Records.

Mulligatawny Noms

I had every intention of of writing an honest-to-goodness blog entry today, but then I got a wild hair up my bum and decided to get my hair did. This proved to be a waste of nearly 2 hours of my life. Miraculously I brought a book to read or I would have hopped into a chair and sheared myself. Actually I probably would have just fiddled around on my cellphone and tried to tell myself my hair isn't THAT long. When I got home, I still had vague blog aspirations that fizzled completely when I remembered I had to make soup for a Soup-Off on Friday at work. From this momentary desperation was birthed this cooking themed blog entry. I made an African Peanut Soup on Saturday, and after eating it all (CMM and BSC helped), I had to put all of my eggs in this Mulligatawny basket. Mulligatawny soup translates to 'Pepper Water' in Tamil, and that's about all the wiki says. I found a neat recipe on allrecipes.com and fired up the Panasonic TZ5.

The first step was deciding what size pot to use. This sounds simple, but without every time I chose a pot, I find myself getting exponentially more nervous with every new ingredient until I inevitably find myself pouring a scalding soup into a incrementally larger container. I spill, I splash myself in the face, I futilely try to use a ladle with my teeth, and eternally vow to opt for the larger pot. I did no such thing today. I found a hearty pot and set it a-cooking. I love gas ranges by the way (as I know SS does, not to rub it in) but that's another blog entry for another time. I can tell you're getting bored, so here's a 10 megapixel morsel to whet your appetite.

Onion, prepare to meet your maker. I read about some cool way to cut an onion on lifehacker a while back, so now I would put dicing an onion in my Top 5 cooking skills list. Right above cracking an egg and below good safety practices.

See. I told you, poor guy didn't stand a chance. 

Joined by his vegetable brethren (carrot and some leftover celery), we have Ireland's flag as imagined by a dyslexic vegetarian (JB). These will be saute'ed in a healthy amount of butter (shhh).

This is me sauteeing (how the hell is that spelled). I actually used the front burner, but the back burned had better lighting. This is not important to the story or to the finished product, but for some reason I felt guilty about it and wanted to come clean.

Flour and Curry are added to the veggies. Interesting side note. My roommate JL has lots of spice baggies in our spice cabinet, none of which my roommate RH has gotten to yet, meaning they have no labels or distinguishing characteristics to speak of. I know JL has Curry, but he also has Cayenne pepper in a baggie, I don't think they are interchangeable, and once you irreparably burn your mouth trying to taste one to figure out what it is, you get very confused very quickly. Thankfully, my other roommate LK had yellow curry that he graciously allowed me to pillage. 

Chicken stock is added to this mixture, and brought to a simmer for 30 mins. Don't be dainty with the heat. Crank it. I can't imagine how long this would take on an electric range, but suffice to say I'd still be cooking right now. In the meantime you can cook your chicken and dice/core your apples. "Apples?", you say? "Yes. Apples", I say.

Chicken browning beautifully. This is about the time LK yells "SMELLS GOOD!" from the living room. I derive a strange satisfaction from this, even though I have done nothing to warrant it. 

Broth veggie mixture has reached a simmer as you can see from the Starry Night-esque heat trails in the picture. 

Apples are chopped and cored. The bowl is solely for display purposes because I felt they looked sad on the cutting board. When I poured the apples into the soup I put the plate right back into the cupboard without washing it (SHH...).

 When the chicken is cooked, you want to "cube" it. I just chopped it into chunks, because cubing proved difficult. Maybe you are supposed to cube it before you cook it? Or maybe cube is a fancy way of saying "cut up so you don't look like a damn fool trying to eat this".

Also add some white rice. Look at those cuticles. You could eat off them. Wait, what are cuticles? I just looked it up in Google Image. Don't look it up in Google Image.

Throw all that jazz into the pot and boil until the rice is cooked. Then ladle it into a bowl and stir in a bit of cream (I used half+half because I'm a healthy boy) before serving. This is what it should look like:

Delicious is what it should taste like. And it does. The broth is surprisingly rich and flavorful, and the curry adds a unique taste without being spicy. The apples almost have the consistency of potatoes but have a distinctly sweet finish. I gobbled it up. I will edit this blog post with pictures of my trophy Friday afternoon.  

Prayers=Answered

Well folks, it appears that the 3 goats I sacrificed last night to save Lil Wayne from prison did the trick, as today it was announced that Mr. Carter will undergo dental surgery February 12th. His new sentencing date is March 2nd. Crazy, but unsurprising from the guy who pushed back his album Rebirth 6 times. I hope he spits (or drools) a few verses immediately after his surgery, I doubt we'll even be able to tell the difference.

On another note, see the nifty artwork above? Yeah, I made that. It's currently in the final stages of approval at MoMA. Actually, it's just my mouse handiwork from yesterday afternoon. This neat little program follows your mouse cursor around the screen and traces it's path. When you leave the mouse idle, it will make a little bloop. The size of the bloop is proportional to the length of time left stationary. The upper right bloop was probably dinner (African Peanut Soup, YUM), and the massive bloop to the left was when I watched Days of Heaven (beautiful film). I went for a run, showered and did some reading too, but damned if I know which bloops those are. Eating and movies is a pretty fair summation of my evening activities on a daily basis. And people say surfing the internet is lazy! Look at that mouse go!

Everyone Loves A Good Montage

While I've already blogged today, I feel compelled to share this incredibly edited video montage for the films of the 2000's. Prepare to spend the next 7 minutes and 11 seconds smiling or terribly confused (depending on your level of film snobbery).

the films of the 2000s from Paul Proulx on Vimeo.

Day of Reckoning

Tomorrow promises to be a dark day if you consider yourself a fan of one Weezy F. Baby. If you don't recall, tomorrow Dwayne Carter, Jr (Lil Wayne) will be formally sentenced after pleading guilty to a 2007 felony gun possession charge and is expected to proceed directly to jail to begin serving his term. The general legal consensus is that Wayne will be sentenced to a year in prison. Some speculate that Wayne could be out in as little as 8 months with good behavior. In the hip-hop community, 8 months is an eternity. Poor Weezy is going to feel (and look) like Rip Van Winkle when he gets out.

With Lil' Wayne and Gucci Mane in jail, winter just got a whole lot colder. What are we to do as Wayne disciples in this hour of uncertainty? I can't speak for anyone else, but my grief has taken the shape of a killer Weezy playlist and a little Vegas oddsmaking.

Chances Lil Wayne is able to smuggle weed into prison: 6:5

Chances Lil Wayne is able to smuggle Promethazine into prison: 5:2

Chances Lil Wayne escapes prison: 50:1

Chances Lil Wayne gets a new teardrop tattoo in prison: 50%

Chances Lil Wayne releases an album while in prison: 90%

Number of words Lil Wayne finds rhyme with prison: 94

Chances Lil Wayne engages in a conjugal orgy: 3:1

Chances Lil Wayne cuts his dreads off in prison: 10,000:1

Chances Lil Wayne has his grill confiscated, only to have it returned after autographing a copy of Tha Carter III for the Warden's grand-daughter: 40%

Chances Lil Wayne regrets releasing Rebirth: 100%

On Repeat: Thao With The Get Down Stay Down

Believe it or not, cranking out 5 movie reviews in an afternoon is more taxing than you'd expect. Even when I've already reviewed them! We here at Lollipops and Crisps have a commitment to quality blogging, and every post goes through rigorous spell-checking and data cross-checking before it is released to the masses. I am accepting applications for unpaid interns, and offer unlimited DVD rentals and a bottomless bag of Jax as compensation. Until that glorious day, my Friday posts may be lacking the usual flair. To save my precious Top 5 Films from this sad fate, I'm going to finish that blog tangent this weekend, and offer a fresh installment of ON REPEAT. The song this week is 'Cool Yourself' by Thao With The Get Down Stay Down (heretofore abbreviated TWTGDST).

TWTGDST is a three-piece San Francisco 'alternative-folk' group, featuring lead singer and guitarist Thao Nguyen (go figure!), bassist Adam Thompson and drummer Willis Thompson. The aforementioned 'Cool Yourself' has been in heavy rotation on my Zune HD for the better part of a week since first hearing it on Sirius XMU. It's a short little diddy, clocking in just over 2 and a half minutes, so it wastes no time on verses or build-up, thrashing into a chorus within the first line. That's not to say it doesn't go anywhere. The second 'verse' leans on a jangly piano part that sounds torn from of a Billy Joel B-side and a full-fledged brass section. They both play quiet nicely with the electric guitar part, and give the breakdowns and the brief interlude an added heft. I can't imagine what they would have thrown in if there was a third verse. Glockenspiel? Sitar? Glass Harmonica? Fortunately, they know when to stop and end the song on a high of piano solos, bouncy tubas and Thao's adorable voice.

Top 10 Films of 2009: 10-6

2009 was a mixed year for movies. A lot of terrible movies made obscene amounts of money (Alvin and the Chipmunks, Transformers 2, TWILIGHT), several small budget films made a killing (Paranormal Activity, The Hangover, District 9), and Hollywood pulled out all the stops in a desperate attempt to stay relevant in an era where HDTVs and instant streaming threaten to turn the theater experience into a niche. The solution to this conundrum? 3-D of course. Nearly 20 films got the 3-D treatment this year, with even more slated for 2010, forcing old theaters to scramble and update their projection technology (even my beloved Capitol Theatre). I saw 3 of them, (Avatar, Coraline, Christmas Carol), and with the exception of Avatar, the gimmick was clear. Pay $12, wear goofy glasses, get disoriented, steal glasses and tell usher you need them for real-life. 3D is not new, and while the technology has improved, it will remain a novelty. Avatar may have changed the game and broadened its appeal, but the fact remains; story comes first. But what do I know, Avatar just made 2 billion dollars. Here's my favorite films of 2009.

10. The Hurt Locker - Kathryn Bigelow
The directorial debut from Kathryn Bigelow masterfully portrays the paranoia and suspense associated with fighting a modern war in hostile territory. Roadside bombs and suicide bombers kill with alarmingly simple efficiency and further rattle already shell-shocked soldiers. Any unattended vehicle or suspicious glance elicits a rush of adrenaline and a wave of panic, making diplomacy almost impossible. Bigelow does a fantastic job of putting us into the middle of this war and is still able to give the film a heart in the form of lead Jeremy Renner. The intensity that Bigelow and Renner are able to create in the scenes here is never wasted, and is almost matched by those outside the combat zone.

9. Two Lovers - James Gray
I reviewed this film about a month ago, but I keep coming back to Joaquin Phoenix's performance here. The desperate longing, naivete and vulnerability that he brings to the role really impressed me. I loved how Gray was able to make such deeply flawed characters so likable and sympathetic, despite the cruel things they do to one another. Each thinks they know what they want and are blind to everything else. Such are the ways love can ensnare the soul.

8. Where The Wild Things Are - Spike Jonze
I reviewed WTWTA in detail a few months ago, but I am still in awe of how effortlessly Jonze was able to expand the story and retain original dialogue and themes. I don't envy the pressure and sense of obligation he surely felt, but I certainly can appreciate the care and attention in the finished product.

7. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans: Werner Herzog
I also reviewed Bad Lieutenant in my Movie Round Up pt. 1 about a month ago, and time has been kind to this film and Cage's performance. I still think Cage should have been nominated for his performance, and I hope he tackles more roles like these, even though he's $14 million in debt. While the plot itself is about as straightforward as they come, Cage's Terrence more than makes up for it. His despicable, drug-inspired actions are sprinkled with heroic behavior, but he is so messed up it's hard to tell whether his motivation is fueled by his drug-habit or his devotion to the case. I'm still not sure.

6. An Education - Lone Sherfig

An Education is a challenging film. It challenges you to watch a high school senior throw away years of study and hard work and say that you wouldn't be seduced by the charms of an older, worldly lover. The fact is you can't. No one is immune to the allure of a shortcut to their dreams, regardless of the repercussions and unanswered questions that may remain. Carey Mulligan and Peter Saarsgard are both fantastic here, hitting all the right notes. Their relationship never appears illicit, and you can't help but feel a paternal attachment to Mulligan's Jenny, hoping that she is making the right choice despite mounting evidence to the contrary. The film is operating on well-worn territory, but it never comes across as stale or familiar, due in large part to the performances.

Top 10 Films of 2009: Honorable Mentions

Before I start my Best of 2009 list, I should preface everything by coming clean on the movies I didn't see this year. For starters, I didn't see (but wanted to!) The Princess and the Frog, Ponyo, The Cove, or A Single Man. I avoided Precious and Invictus as they didn't interest me (I know, I know, don't tell Ebert). I also didn't have a chance to catch a lot of foreign films, most notably 35 Shots of Rum, Sin Nombre and Summer Hours. With that said, here are 5 Honorable Mentions, in no order.

Up

Up is a Pixar film, and that alone should be enough to demand your attention. Starting with a bizarre premise involving an old man and thousands of helium balloons, Up was wildly successful and has since become Pixars 2nd highest grossing film ever at 290 million dollars, behind Finding Nemo. I really liked Up, but thought that it lacked a bit of tenderness that Pixar normally offers that sets it apart from the pack of Dreamworks, et al. There were even some of scenes where it became a bit too cutesy and dare I say, annoying(!). Kevin the bird and Dug the dog were fun to a point, but they simply became distractions towards the end of the film. The montage of Carl and Ellie was masterful, and I loved the sense of adventure Russell brought to the story, but all in all, I think it settled into too many cliches, a rarity for Pixar. It's still a great film, and nearly the best animated film this year.

500 Days of Summer

A few months ago, this was probably right up there on my list, but then came Oscar season and things got all topsy-turvy. A post-Judd Apatow Garden State, down to the indie band sharing and the voiceovers, and I say those in the nicest ways. Director Marc Webb has an eye for innovative scenes, from the Expectations vs. Reality split screen, to an animated musical number, he takes some chances here, but they all work in the context of the film. My gripes with the film stemmed from how Summer and Tom approached love. Tom hopelessly clinging to and longing for love, deluding himself into thinking that it's all that is missing from his life. It's no surprise how petulant he gets when things don't turn out his way. Equally frustrating is Summer, who can't even concede that they are in a relationship, and comes across as callous and indifferent to the potential of love. I understand what both are saying, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating to watch. I suppose it's refreshing to feel a little something extra from a romantic-comedy these days, but I couldn't help but feel a bit unsatisfied.

Up In The Air


For Ivan Reitman's follow up to 2007's indie darling Juno, he trades in a bit of the whimsy and doubles-down on the charm of George Clooney. George is a charming man, to be sure, but he needs a bit more material to really knock things out of the park. Much like Summer in 500 Days (above), Ryan bristles at commitment, enjoying a life of relative anonymity on the road. Of course everything changes when he meets an equally charming compatriot in the form of Vera Farmiga. The chemisty isn't as electric as I expected, but they certainly have eyes for each other. The movie really establishes some heart in the scenes of Ryan and his family when he returns home for a wedding, and he is forced to come face to face with what he has sacrificed and needs to sincerely offer life advice. Soon after this scene, the movie jumps the shark. The plot becomes a bit too predictable and tidy in the final scenes, and while I liked the ending, I'm not sure exactly what Reitman was going for in the last third of the film. It felt unfocused and simple to me, disappointing for a film which had previously asked some thoughtful questions.

Big Fan

Big Fan features a serious turn from comedian Patton Oswalt as Paul Aufiero, the world's biggest New York Giants fan. Paul works in a parking garage and obsessively calls into sports radio stations. Paul lives with his mother. Paul doesn't have a lot going for him, but he is happy so long as it is football season. By chance, Paul and his friend see and proceed to follow star Giants player Quantrell Bishop in Staten Island. Paul introduces himself to Bishop in a strip club, and after a miscommunication, gets brutally beaten by Bishop and his entourage. From here the film dives deep into sports fanaticism and what happens when two worlds collide. Paul becomes a rag doll in a high-stakes tug-of-war he wants no part of. A fantastically gripping final act and a dark, pained performance from Patton Oswalt make Big Fan destined for the 'Cult Classic' rack (or at least my DVD collection).

The Brothers Bloom

The follow-up to 2006's high-school noir-classic Brick, 2009's The Brother's Bloom found director Rian Johnson with a 20 million dollar budget and esteemed Hollywood brethren like Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel Weisz. The film is best described as a heist-caper, filled to the brim (some would say overfilled) with double crosses and elaborate schemes. It's quirky without being 'wacky' and is almost as much fun to watch as it probably was to make. I'm a huge fan of Adrien Brody, and while he's a bit mopey here, Mark Ruffalo plays a great comic foil. It's not for everyone, but if you consider yourself a fan of Wes Anderson or enjoyed the stylistic choices in Brick, you'll find there's a lot to like here.

Oscar Noms

While I'm hard at work on my top 10 films of 2009 (just trying to round it out with a few foreign ones), the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did me one better this morning, releasing their 2010 Academy Award nominees. An interesting change this year is the expansion of the Best Picture field from 5 films to 10. As a result, the Pixar film Up became the first animated film since the inception of the Best Animated Feature category to be nominated for Best Picture. It doesn't stand a chance, but as they say at the Oscars, "It's an honor just to be nominated." I'm going to list the major nominations and bold who I think will win, and italicize who I think should win. If they are the same, then it's going to look weird. I'll also try to list a few snubs if I can think of any.

BEST PICTURE
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air

With 10 nominated films, there aren't a lot of best picture snubs. With that being said, it would have been nice if the Academy went out on a limb and choose a small-ish film like Moon or Where The Wild Things Are (especially since WTWTA is a non-animated "kids" film). It's nice to see District 9 and A Serious Man up there though.

BEST ACTOR
Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart
George Clooney – Up in the Air
Colin Firth – A Single Man
Morgan Freeman – Invictus
Jeremy Renner – The Hurt Locker

I haven't seen Bridges in Crazy Heart, but I've heard enough good things and was generally unimpressed with the performances of Renner and Clooney in their respective films. A MAJOR snub was A Serious Man's Michael Stuhlbarg (who would have been my choice). Another inspired choice would be Viggo Mortenson from The Road, but that movie never generated enough buzz to garner nominations of any sort. Also, Sam Rockwell was pretty incredible in Moon as were Nicolas Cage in Bad Lieutenant and Sharlto Copley in District 9.

BEST ACTRESS
Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side
Helen Mirren – The Last Station
Carey Mulligan – An Education
Gabourey Sidibe – Precious
Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia

Really a pretty pathetic field for Best Actress this year without Kate Winslet or Judi Dench involved. I loved Carey Mulligan in An Education though, but Meryl Streep is Meryl Streep and the award is hers to lose. Sadly not many strong female lead performances this year, but I do have a few snubs for Supporting Actress.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Matt Damon – Invictus
Woody Harrelson – The Messenger
Christopher Plummer – The Last Station
Stanley Tucci- The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds

This award is a slam-dunk. Christoph Waltz completely stole every scene of his in Inglorious Basterds as the sadistic Nazi colonel Hans Landa. Woody Harrelson was pretty good in The Messenger, but I think Ben Foster was better (not sure on what distinguished Best Actor from Best Supporting Actor in regards to screen time.) Michael Fassbender was another standout performance from Inglorious Basterds who should have been recognized. He was also great in Fish Tank which I reviewed last week. Another worthy addition would be Jake Gyllenhaal in Brothers.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz – Nine
Vera Farmiga – Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick – Up in the Air
Mo’nique – Precious
Maggie Gyllenhaal – Crazy Heart

Mo'nique, like Christoph Waltz, has this one all wrapped up. Maybe if the Academy had nominated Marion Cotillard from Nine or Melanie Laurent (or Diane Kruger!) from Inglorious Basterds, she'd have a little competition. I think Anna Kendrick was much better than the chilly Vera Farmiga in Up In The Air. Zooey Deschanel was great in 500 Days of Summer, but I think that would probably qualify as a lead performance.

BEST DIRECTOR
James Cameron – Avatar
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds
Lee Daniels – Precious
Jason Reitman – Up in the Air

Tarantino did a fantastic job with Basterds, and although it isn't my favorite film of 2009, his flair for dialogue and tension made for 3-4 absolutely riveting scenes. This is what makes a director great. Pacing and tension. The Coen Brothers are an obvious snub for this award, as is Werner Herzog for Bad Lieutenant.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Mark Boal – The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino – Inglorious Basterds
Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman – The Messenger
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen – A Serious Man
Bob Peterson, Pete Docter – Up

I think this is probably a tight race minus The Messenger, but since The Hurt Locker will be beat out for Best Picture, the academy will probably offer Best Director an Original Screenplay to save face. I personally think it's a toss-up between QT and the Coen Bros, but what do I know. Moon and The Brothers Bloom deserve some consideration here.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche- In the Loop
Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell- District 9
Geoffrey Fletcher- Precious
Nick Hornby- An Education
Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner- Up in the Air

Kudos to the Academy all around here, for 5 solid choices. I wish Where the Wild Things Are and The Fantastic Mr. Fox got nods, but that's being a bit critical. I doubt Where The Wild Things Are qualified as an adaptation anyway, considering how short the book is.


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
Up

As much as I was entertained by Up and Coraline, The Fantastic Mr. Fox was a better film in almost every regard. I hope people don't confuse Best Animated Film with Best Children's Film. Sad not to see Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, and I have no idea WTF The Secret of Kells is.

Jon Hamm = Sexy Mann

If you missed SNL this weekend, it's ok. I didn't see it either, but I did see what was probably the best sketch and have taken the liberty of embedding it here for your viewing pleasure. Jon Hamm hosted this week (yes, Don Draper). If he looks familiar on the Studio 8H Stage, it's because he hosted SNL a little over a year ago and did a bang-up job. Several of the sketches from his maiden hosting are already classics, including Jon Hamm's John Hams and Don Draper's Guide to Picking Up Women. If you haven't seen them already, shame on you and scroll down. This week, he added another priceless sketch to his resume, lampooning Scott Brown (the newest Bay State Senator) and star-struck Democrats. If he isn't careful, SNL is going to offer him a spot on the cast, or at least make his Hosting Duties a yearly event (a la Alec Baldwin).