Woo hoo, it's Oscar time!

Woo hoo, my favorite time of the year! For our Oscar party this year, instead of our typical appetizer menu, we are opting for a full sit down menu on the fancy dishes (cue the applause and screams of delight from the girls). We are going with a deep fried Camembert served with raspberry preserves and hunks of crusty bread, followed by Cordon Bleu with an accompanying soup. YUM!


This year is probably the first one where there are a vast amount of nominated movies. I am on a self- imposed refusal to see Black Swan because, I will be honest, I hated Requiem for a Dream. I may pay to rent it on DVD just for Vincent Cassel because I adore him but I think it is sad that everyone just went crazy for Natalie (in part for her willingness to the lesbian route) and are sort of neglecting some of the other brilliance around. I think it is a foregone conclusion that she will win, but I will say I wish it was Jennifer from Winter’s Bone.

I think the decision to have James Franco and Anne Hathaway host is a good one. James has been putting many a tease out on Twitter and I am looking forward to seeing them together. I find both of them equal parts funny and very relatable.

One film I will recommend out of all of them that you decide to check out is Restrepo. I make no secret of my feelings about how desperately we need to get out of Afghanistan and this movie gives a good glimpse into what life is like on the ground for our service members. President Obama, I know you read my blog…considering the troubles we are having here in our country and that Afghanistan has repelled invaders for 100 years, please bring our troops home. They need a mental health break and our country needs the one billion spent there every four months. Thanks for listening.

Who are your favorites and why?

My New Favorite Action Star

Woot!  I was surprised I liked Taken so much.  Not gonna lie, I am kinda stoked to see this one too. 

INVICTUS

Recently we finally had the opportunity to see the film Invictus. Though I knew it would be moving, it reminded me how much I loved the poem. The last two lines are written on the chalkboard I have where inspiration strikes often. Here I write my favorite quotes and remind myself daily that I can rise above any circumstance. Today, I wanted to remind you. It is worth the re-read.


Slowly.

Savor it.

Invictus


William Ernest Henley



Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul

Oscar Roundup

So it is THAT TIME AGAIN! Woot!

What did you think of the list? What do you think of the adding more films? I will admit to being slightly stoked at the Baldwin/Martin combo...terribly funny together in It's Complicated.

Check the Best Picture category:

"Avatar" (20th Century Fox)
A Lightstorm Entertainment Production James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers

"The Blind Side" (Warner Bros.)
An Alcon Entertainment Production Nominees to be determined

"District 9" (Sony Pictures Releasing)
A Block/Hanson Production Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers

"An Education" (Sony Pictures Classics)
A Finola Dwyer/Wildgaze Films Production Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers

"The Hurt Locker" (Summit Entertainment)
A Voltage Pictures Production Nominees to be determined

"Inglourious Basterds" (The Weinstein Company)
A Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures/A Band Apart/Zehnte Babelsberg Production Lawrence Bender, Producer

"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" (Lionsgate)
A Lee Daniels Entertainment/Smokewood Entertainment Production Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers

"A Serious Man" (Focus Features)
A Working Title Films Production Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers

"Up" (Walt Disney)
A Pixar Production Jonas Rivera, Producer

"Up in the Air" (Paramount in association with Cold Spring Pictures and DW Studios)
A Montecito Picture Company Production Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

Now while as usual, I have only seen about half of these so far (this is the part of living somewhere other than NY or LA sucks for movie fans, we often don't get these movies until post-Oscars or not at all--thank God for Netflix), I must say I am feeling really attached to The Hurt Locker. Aside from the fabulous director being able to effectively put her ex's ego in check, I thought Jeremy Renner was phenomenal. It was nice to see a war flick depict, realistically, both the horror and the kind of personality required to be successful at the jobs in which service members are required to do. If you haven't seen it, pick it up. Totally worth the ride.

SO? Are you planning a party? I wanna see pictures! Print your ballots here.

Yes. I am a nerd. Get over it.

59 Degrees

WOOT!


Sorry, just slightly excited at the dip in temperature considering that we have had oppressive, too close to the equator type hotness going on for so long (which of course was followed by 40 days and 40 nights of rain). I am happy to grab a sweatshirt and cook something yummy.

Speaking of which, this is the perfect time for a new recipe! I just finished Julie & Julia which was marvelous, made me laugh outloud and definitely inspired me to try a Julia Child recipe of my own. I picked the Potage Parmentier which I have decided is AH-MAZING since monkeys of all varieties went back for seconds. Super easy is also big in my book.

Also, if you are one of those that likes to snuggle inside during this time of year, can I beg you to get on the True Blood bandwagon? Well, for this reason, and this reason and I suggest this reason. Is that enough?

I am off to clean something. Probably a closet if it doesn't try to suffocate me first.

Happy Fall!

FYI Bitches: Ryan Reynolds does NOT belong to you!

Summer is finally winding down and I am dusting off the cobwebs. Monkeys are returning from parts near and far so I have to get back to some regular patterns. I will inform you in advance; I won’t be waxing poetic today or giving some long monologue on a well thought out subject. No, the Queen’s glorious return post-summer break is about one thing and one thing only:

Screaming little girls that think Ryan Reynolds is hot piss me off.






::insert evil laugter here::

Far be it from me to argue that point but this is what it’s about...(sample conversation inserted for illustrative effects).

Random Idiot: OMG, Ryan Reynolds is so freakin hot, I just can’t BELIEVE it.

QOTU: Yeah, he’s funny too. Two Guys, A Girl and A Pizza Place is one of my favorite shows ever. I am thinking I need to buy it on DVD.

Random Idiot: WTF? Ryan Reynolds was never on TV, he’s a MOOOOOVVVIEEEE star, what are you talking about? Stupid old lady, ha ha ha.

QOTU: ::shoots IMDB lightning bolts all over said idiot faster than she can say ‘what’s IMDB?’::

Come on, he is NOT the new thing. He even kicked vampire butt before it was cool…now everyone is doing it. (Side note here, I am also RIDICULOUSLY addicted to True Blood but that’s another blog).

You can spend money going to see him and drool over his pictures, but I am sorry, you don’t get to carry the official Ryan Reynolds card. Those are reserved for us that know he is more than a pretty face but happily embrace his right to take his clothes off any time he pleases.

On a Comic Con side note, I could care less if he and Scarlet are fighting, I don’t really care for her anyway (sorry Scott), but dude, check this out…I am stoked!

Peace out!