Returning with a Musical Mash-Up

Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted, so what better way to get back into it by welcoming Winter with an homage to the Summer/Autumn viral hit?

Here's me in the Jib-Jab "Gangnam Style" video.

And this Sarah McLachan's new holiday song, performed with students from the music school she founded.

(If you missed it last year, this is the Sarah McLachlan original holiday song from 2011, which I still think is insanely catchy and wistful.)

That's all for now...more to come (I promise).

Beasts of Burden

We all need our breaks from the wear and tear of our workday grinds (and no, I don't mean "MTV's The Grind" - whatever became of Eric Nies, anyway?).  Sometimes, that wellness break can be as simple as refueling with a snack or re-hydrating with lots of water.  For me, sometimes it's a yoga stretch or a short walk around the building, and often it's a song break to 80s music or showtunes (accompanying dance is optional).

This year, I've added a new healthy option to my repertoire: inventing prehistoric beasties names after words that come up at work - the brief drawing times and word mash-ups just make me smile.  And these days, a smile and a chuckle are the simple joys that I happily use to populate my own little higher education Cretaceous Park.

The one that started it all: "Ridiculous" + "Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex)" = "T. rexiculous" (as in "I have a T. rexiculous task to finish today" or "That meeting was just T. rexiculous!")

Sometimes you just want to give a meeting (or specific people in a meeting) the beat-down, so armor plating and a spiked tail can come in handy: "Meeting" + "Stegosaurus" = "Meetingsaurus"

Our Behavioral Concerns Committee (B.C.C.) manages a lot of difficult cases and challenging issues, hence: "BCC" + "Triceratops" = "Beeceeceratops"

Sometimes I am so hungry I could eat more than a horse: "Hunger" + "Pteranodon" = "Hungeranodon" (since the prehistoric flying reptiles are not officially "dinosaurs," this was also the first creation that expanded the menagerie beyond dinosaurs to all kinds of beasties, thus opening the door to even broader selections!)

At a co-workers request for some kind of more nurturing, less nasty critter: "Emotion" + "Maiasaura" = "Emotisaurus"

When my immune system gets triggered by the land of pollen that is Saint Louis, MO, I just want to attack my allergens: "Allergies" + "Dunkleosteus" = "Allergyosteus"

Administrative Assistant who is super-fast on every task: "Meredith" + "Therizinosaurus" = "Meredithizinosaurus"

When the "Allergyosteus" attacks and causes my sneezing fits (usually three in a row): "Sneeze" + "Muttaburrasaurus" = "Sneezaburrasaurus"

Oh, you know you work in higher education when the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA, or the Buckley Amendment) comes up as often as it does in the workplace: "FERPA" + "Xiphactinus" = "Ferpactinus"

And finally, a nod to my local surroundings - the city that just hog wild for fish fry parties and fundraisers during the Catholic season of Lent before Easter (fittingly enough named to a marine reptile, also not officially a "dinosaur"): "Fish Fry" + "Liopleurodon" = "Fishfrypleurodon"

And there you have it: my prehistoric rogues gallery that gives me enough of a wink and a nod to make it through even the toughest days.  The power of the imagination to transport me away from reality by re-framing it in a context that is both real and unreal all at once.

Do you have a word of the workday or a favorite prehistoric creature?  Comment on this blog post and maybe you will inspire the next round of my office beasties.  (I can't just let a dry erase board in my office go to idle waste, you know!)

Happy Hump Days

Back in 2009, I started posting music videos from the 1980s on my Facebook page every Wednesday as a fun foray into the world of social media because I had finally (I know, right?) taken my big technological leap into the present-day with my then-new iPhone. Recently, someone suggested that I post those weekly trips down memory lane on this blog as well, and I still might someday (if it doesn't eat up all my Google space), but I can't possibly post the last three years' worth of them. So to recap, here's the near-anniversary list of my Happy Hump Day 80s Flashback Music Videos (so far):

Boy Meets Girl - Waiting For A Star To Fall (4/11/12)
Men At Work - Down Under (4/4/12)
The Pretenders - Back On The Chain Gang (3/28/12)
Madonna - Vogue (3/21/12)
Pet Shop Boys - Suburbia (3/14/12)
Tanita Tikaram - Twist In My Sobriety (3/7/12)
Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is A Place On Earth (2/29/12)
Stevie Nicks - Talk To Me (2/29/12)
Paul McCartney - No More Lonely Nights (2/22/12)
Ultravox - Love's Great Adventure (2/15/12)
Quarterflash - Harden My Heart (2/8/12)

OMD - Secret (2/1/12)

OMD - Tesla Girls (2/1/12)

Depeche Mode - Somebody (1/25/12)
General Public - Tenderness (1/18/12)
Belle Stars - Iko Iko (1/11/12)

KC and the Sunshine Band - Please Don't Go (1/4/12)

George Michael - Faith (12/28/11)

Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas (12/21/11)
Squeeze - Tempted (12/14/11)
Stevie Nicks - Stand Back (12/7/11)

R.E.M. - It's The End Of The World As We Know It (11/30/11)

Fine Young Cannibals - Suspicious Minds (11/23/11)

Fine Young Cannibals - Johnny Come Home (11/23/11)
Lick The Tins - Can't Help Falling In Love (11/16/11)

Peter Schilling - Major Tom (11/9/11)
Sheila E - Glamorous Life (11/4/11 late for 11/2/11)
Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (10/26/11)
Freeez - I.O.U. (10/19/11)

Real Life - Send Me An Angel (10/12/11)
Prince - Raspberry Beret (10/5/11)

Shannon - Let The Music Play (9/28/11)
Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill (9/21/11)

Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer (9/21/11)

The Jets - Crush On You (9/14/11)
Nenah Cherry - Buffalo Stance (9/7/11)

The Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed (8/31/11)

The Go-Go's - Vacation (8/31/11)

Whitesnake - Here I Go Again (8/24/11)

Bryan Adams - Summer of '69 (8/17/11)

Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It? (8/10/11)

Madonna - Borderline (8/3/11)

Clarence Clemons and Jackson Browne - You're A Friend Of Mine (7/27/11)

Bananarama - Cruel Summer (7/20/11)

T'Pau - Heart And Soul (7/13/11)

Paul Lekakis - Boom Boom Boom (7/6/11)
Doctor And The Medics - Spirit In The Sky (6/29/11)

Nina Hagen - Universal Radio (6/22/11)
Tone Loc - Funky Cold Medina (6/15/11)

Romeo Void - Girl In Trouble (6/8/11)
Escape Club - Wild Wild West (6/1/11)

Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls (6/1/11)

Book Of Love - Boy (5/25/11)

The Hooters - And We Danced (5/18/11)

Sade - Smooth Operator (5/11/11)

Belouis Some - Some People (5/4/11)

Belouis Some - Imagination (5/4/11)

Psychadelic Furs - Heaven (4/27/11)

10,000 Maniacs - Like The Weather (4/20/11)

10,000 Maniacs - What's The Matter Here? (4/20/11)

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Cities In Dust (4/13/11)

Men Without Hats - Pop Goes The World (4/6/11)

Men Without Hats - Safety Dance (4/6/11)

Howard Jones - Things Can Only Get Better (3/30/11)

The March Violets - Turn To The Sky (3/23/11)

King - Love And Pride (3/16/11)

Laura Branigan - Gloria (3/9/11)

Laura Branigan - Solitaire (3/9/11)

Corey Hart - Never Surrender (3/2/11)

Animotion - Obsession (2/23/11)

Pat Benatar - We Belong (2/16/11)

Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam (2/9/11)

Erasure - A Little Respect (2/2/11)

Erasure - Chains Of Love (2/2/11)

Pebbles - Mercedes Boy (1/26/11)

Rush - Time Stand Still (1/19/11)

Honeydrippers - Sea Of Love (1/12/11)

The Alarm - Spirit of '76 (1/5/11)

Pretenders - 2000 Miles (12/29/10)

Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas (12/22/10)

The Bangles - Hazy Shade Of Winter (12/14/10)

Wild Swans - Young Manhood (12/7/10)

Julie Brown - The Homecoming Queen's Got A Gun (12/1/10)

Belinda Carlisle - Mad About You (11/24/10)

Pepsi and Shirley - Heartache (11/17/10)

Go West - We Close Our Eyes (11/10/10)

Double - Captain Of Her Heart (11/3/10)

Salt N Pepa - Push It (10/27/10)

Dead Or Alive - You Spin Me Round (10/20/10)

Falco - Vienna Calling (10/13/10)

Alison Moyet - Invisible (10/6/10)

Flesh For Lulu - Postcards From Paradise (9/29/10)

Sheryl Lee Ralph - In The Evening (9/22/10)

Company B - Fascinated (9/15/10)

UB40 - Red Red Wine (9/8/10)

Irene Cara - Flashdance (9/1/10)

Jane Child - Don't Wanna Fall In Love (8/25/10)

Scandal featuring Patty Smyth - Goodbye to You (8/18/10)

Scandal featuring Patty Smyth - The Warrior (8/18/10)

Housemartins - Happy Hour (8/12/10 late for 8/11/10)

Limahl - Neverending Story (8/8/10 late for 8/4/10)

Glass Tiger - Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone (7/28/10)

Kirsty MacColl & Billy Bragg - A New England (7/21/10)

Cher (and Peter Cetera) - After All (7/14/10)

Sinead O'Connor - Mandinka (7/7/10)

Sugarcubes - Birthday (6/30/10)

Pseudo Echo - Funkytown (6/23/10)

Vitamin Z - Burning Flame (6/16/10)

Stephen Duffy - Kiss Me (6/9/10)

Teena Marie - Loverboy (6/2/10)

ABC - Be Near Me (5/26/10)

Olivia Newton-John - A Little More Love (5/19/10)

Martika - Love Thy Will Be Done (5/12/10)

Stephen Bishop - It Must Be You - Theme from Tootsie (5/5/10)

Debbie Gibson - Only In My Dreams (4/28/10)

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax (4/21/10)

Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind (4/14/10)

Human League - Keep Feeling Fascination (4/7/10)

Toni Basil - Hey Mickey (3/31/10)

Toni Childs - Don't Walk Away (3/31/10)

Tracy Chapman - Baby Can I Hold You (3/24/10)

Feargal Sharkey - You Little Thief (3/17/10)

Feargal Sharkey - A Good Heart (3/17/10)

Phil Oakley - Together In Electric Dreams (3/11/10)

B-52s - Legal Tender (3/3/10)

Book Of Love - Boy (Big Red Remix) (2/24/10)

Haircut 100 - Love Plus One (2/17/10)

Musical Youth and Donna Summer - Unconditional Love (2/10/10) 

Simple Minds - Don't You Forget About Me (2/3/10)

The Cure - Why Can't I Be You (1/27/2010)

Breathe – Hands To Heaven (1/20/2010)

Paul Young - Love of the Common People (1/13/2010)

Alphaville – Forever Young (1/6/2010)

Paul Young - Come Back and Stay (12/30/2009)

Band Aid, Band Aid 2, Band Aid 20 – Do They Know It’s Christmas (all three versions) (12/15/2009)

Nena – 99 Luftballons (12/9/2009)

Blow Monkeys – Digging Your Scene (12/2/2009)

Iggy Pop – Candy (11/25/2009)

Wham – Club Tropicana (11/25/2009)

Sheena Easton – Strut (11/17/2009)

Lightning Seeds – Pure (11/10/2009)

Mel & Kim – Showing Out (11/4/2009)

Voice Of the Beehive – I Say Nothing (10/28/2009)

Maria McKee – Show Me Heaven (10/21/2009)

Lone Justice – Sweet Sweet Baby (10/21/2009)

Howard Jones – No One Is To Blame (10/14/2009)

DeBarge – Rhythm Of The Night (10/14/2009)

Suzanne Vega – Luka (10/7/2009)

Susannah Hoffs – My Side Of The Bed (10/7/2009)

Til Tuesday – Coming Up Close (9/30/2009)

Thompson Twins – You Take Me Up (9/30/2009)

Berlin – No More Words (9/23/2009)

Johnny Hates Jazz – Shattered Dreams (9/23/2009)

Chaka Khan – I Feel For You (9/16/2009)

Fire, Inc. – Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young (9/9/2009)

Mary Jane Girls – In My House (9/9/2009)

Curiosity Killed The Cat – Misfit (9/2/2009)

Eurythmics – Right By Your Side (8/26/2009)

Nik Kershaw – Wouldn’t It be Good (8/19/2009)

Jody Watley – Real Love (8/12/2009)

Jody Watley – Looking For A New Love (8/12/2009)

When In Rome – The Promise (8/5/2009)

Stacey Q – We Connect (7/29/2009)

Stacey Q – Two Of Hearts (7/29/2009)

Jane Wiedlin – Rush Hour (7/22/2009)

Echo and the Bunnymen – Bring On The Dancing Horses (7/22/2009)

Basia – Time and Tide (7/17/2009)

Level 42 – Something About You (7/15/2009)

Prefab Sprout – King of Rock N Roll (7/8/2009)

Kate Bush – This Woman’s Work (7/1/2009)

Everything But The Girl – Apron Strings (7/1/2009)

Jane Siberry – One More Colour (7/1/2009)

Wet Wet Wet – Sweet Little Mystery (6/24/2009)

Culture Club – Church of the Poisoned Mind (6/24/2009)

Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy (6/24/2009)

Sweetbox – Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (6/17/2009)

Shriekback – Nemesis (6/17/2009)

Camouflage – The Great Commandment (6/10/2009)

Scritti Politti – Wood Beez (6/3/2009)

Amazulu – Excitable (5/29/2009)

Amazulu – Montego Bay (5/29/2009)

Propaganda – Duel (5/20/2009)

Propaganda – P Machinery (5/20/2009)

The Smiths – The Boy With The Thorn In His Side (5/13/2009)

Strawberry Switchblade – Since Yesterday (5/6/2009)

Eurogliders – Heaven (Must Be There) (4/29/2009)

Bananarama – Robert DeNiro’s Waiting (4/22/2009)

Tracey Ullman – They Don’t Know (4/16/2009)

If any of those reminders of your past put a smile on your face or set your toe a-tappin' or if you can swear you have never heard of some of those songs, feel free to look them up and enjoy a flashback moment of your own, Child (or Fan) of the 80s!

Post-Oscars 2012: Not-So-Live Blogging

Yes, you can re-live it all with me now: typed as it happened...

• Tim Gunn + Nina Garcia on the red carpet = love.
• What was wrong with Nick Nolte?  Oh right: he's Nick Nolte.
• A producer mentions there will be Cirque du Soleil?  Lord.  That could be very cool...or ridiculously bad.
• Morgan Freeman opens the show - that felt stately; good choice.
• Opening medley seemed too short.
• Tom Hanks recognizes a seat-filler?  Interesting choice.

Cinematography goes first?  Damn, I'm 0/1 right away.
Art Direction brings me back to 1/2.  

• Hey, producers: I want to go to sleep at a reasonable hour too, but why does this all seem so rushed already?
• Cutaway to the band in the box seats: strange...until...wait: that's Sheila E., about to kick the high-hat in a glittery dress?  Yeah, that works!  Bring it on, "Glamorous Life!"
• Premiere of JCP commercial with Ellen: score!
• McDonald's even has a cinematic feeling commercial: wait, this really is like a Gay Super Bowl!
• Commercial for new series, "GCB" - um, anything with Kristin Chenoweth saves it!
• Loving the Kodak bankruptcy humor.
• Another movie medley?  This is what we were rushing for?
• Smart choice: seems like all the technical awards are going first...hey, that's how I structured my previous blog post.  Genius move, right?

Costume Design winning choice underwhelms me.  I'm 1/3.  But the acceptance speeches have been smartly succinct.
Makeup category features clips of praise - nice touch. Back to an even split of right/wrong on my ballot: 2/4.

• Celebrity clip testimonials: nice tribute to imagination and magic...but could they have picked more diversity and better articulated snippets?  Will this be the bumper to every commercial break?
• Sandra Bullock: looks great, riffs on foreign language, and surprises me auf Deutsch!  But this is the 84th Academy Awards.  Can we please stop saying that every year this gets "more international?"

Foreign Language Film puts Iran into the Oscar record books and puts me at 3/5.  Phew.  I thought that acceptance speech was moving into dangerous political posturing but then he reeled it in just in time to be appropriate for an international category of a global award.

• Introduction of Christian Bale that referenced the 2012 presidential election was great.

Supporting Actress: here we go.  Octavia Spencer completes her landslide and looks gorgeous!  Standing ovation?!  Awesome.  She recognizes the "hottest guy in the room" - double awesome.  I'm 4/6.  And (yes, I'll go there) I'm still a bit troubled with all the heaps of formal recognition that might be going to extremely talented and deserving (African American or Black) actors who play maids.  There, I said it.

• Miracle Whip commercial was trying hard to be clever but who wants to go to a website for a free sample of that mess?  Yuck.
• Ashley Judd is in a new TV series that looks like...oh, every Ashley Judd damsel-in-distress-who-will-kick-your-ass movie.
• Fake focus group ends with Billy Crystal asking, "...weren't they hilarious?"  Well, actually no.  I love Catherine O'Hara and Jennifer Coolidge, but I was bored.
• Thank you Tina Fey for making a funny set-up even better: wahoowa!

Film Editing: my "should win" pick wins over my "want to win" and "will win" picks - should I always go with my gut?  Love that the editors edited themselves off the stage.  Slipped to 4/7.
Sound Editing: my "should/want to/will" win pick redeems me to 5/8.  That Hugo/you go joke - lame.  The universal thanks to everyone who ever has been, is, or will be: better than lame.
Sound Mixing: another triple-pick for me, and another correct guess for 6/9!

• Diet Coke commercial tribute to the movies: totally worked for me.  Take a lesson, Miracle Whip.
• Muppets - yay!
• Cirque du Soleil goes to the movies!  Standing ovation: well done (even the few flubs were covered up well) and just non-stop awesome.  And so much better than the "Michael Jackson Immortal" show and "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark!"  Was the gratuitous involvement of stars from "The Artist" necessary?  No, I thought it was distracting and a terrible reason to cut the camera away from the circus.  When will that Cirque show tour?!?!

Documentary: the feel-good movie wins, and I lose.  7 out of 10.  And an acceptance speech that starts with "This is ridciulous!" borders on being exactly that.  What was bleeped?  It was enough to play them off the stage: cutting to a shot of a mostly disinterested audience was rude.

• Will the presentation of every category start by reciting some quote?  That technique might fill a high school term paper, but don't fill my awards show with that, please.
• Chris Rock: hilarious introduction of the category.

Animated Feature: the gecko wins!  Mark me 8/11.  OK, this speech starts not with "ridiculous" but with "crazy."  Nominees, please note: use your words.

• Commercial for Pixar movie "Brave:" I'm in.
• Melissa McCarthy sketch: hilarious.  Emma Stone: totally going for it.  Jonah Hill: well played.

Visual Effects: Martin Scorsese explanatory clip said it best: we look at the future of film by going back to the origins of film.  Brilliant.  You go, "Hugo!"  Everyone is paying tribute to Martin Scorsese: interesting move to compensate or risky move to predict?  I'm 9/12.

• Melissa Leo looks overly painted into makeup.  Has it really been 2 hours already? 

Supporting Actor: Captain von Trapp for the win at 82 - oldest actor ever to win, but who's counting?!  Aw...his acceptance is stately, funny, humble, and charming.  He's only two years younger than the Oscars?!  Wow.  My ballot is now scored at 10/13.

• Oh great.  They just announced that the "In Memoriam" tribute is coming up.  Tissues are within reach.  
• The Billy Crystal "What Are They Thinking?" routine - I heart this! 
• The Academy president = time for a bathroom break!
• Love Penelope Cruz in short(er) hair.  But the camera zoom on her breasts before she opened the envelope?  Roo.

Original Score: the winner has no formal training in orchestral arrangement or composing.  There's hope for my EGOT yet!  I'm 11/14.

• Will Ferrell and Zack Galifinakis: this has to be a comedic set up for The Muppets to win!

Original Song: A flying Conchord wins it for all of humanity and all of muppethood.  Hooray!  I'm up to 12/15.

•  Apparently, sitting in the front row at the Academy Awards is like sitting in the front row at a comedy show or drag bar: never do it unless you want to be endlessly picked on.
• Angelina Jolie: work...that...leg...slit.  But please: eat some more calories and unsaturated fat (or wear sleeves).  Thanks.

Adapted Screenplay: The Groundlings win, but my beloved "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" loses.  Love the mimic of Angelina's stance!  I'm down to 12/16.
Original Screenplay: I thought "Midnight In Paris" was sweet and romantic.  You know what else is sweet?  Scoring 13/17 so far!

• Another celebrity montage explaining why they love the movies: would prefer more sentimentality, less snarkiness.
• So will the "those we lost" montage come before or after the three short film categories?
• Milla Jovovich was the best they could do to host the Technical Awards ceremony?  Cool to see the glimpses of what was awarded.
• All the "Bridesmaids" presenting: very nice.  Hilarious penis jokes setting up the short film categories.  This is why we need more women headlining in comedy!  A "Scorsese" drinking game - OMG!

Short Film - Live Action: safe convention wins over harrowing emotion.  Sweet father and daughter, and a shout-out to the mom.  I'm 13/18.
Short Film - Documentary: my political/social activist hopeful wins, even if I lose the point!  I'm 13/19.  And a fitting demonstration of why everyone needs to be a feminist.  Uh-huh.  I went there too.
Short Film - Animated: a happy win for flying books!  Hooray!  (Although I would have been happy with "La Luna" or "A Morning Stroll" too - very happy for the two "swamp rats" who won!)  Now at 14/20.

• Why is Michael Douglas presenting the Director category?  Was no other director available?  No James Cameron, Clint Eastwood, Kathryn Bigelow, Spike Jonze?

Direction: that Michel Hazanavicius is as cute and charming as his cast - who knew?  Now at 15/21.

• The Governors Awards made me a little teary.  This does not bode well for me and the upcoming tribute that will have me seeing dead people...  In the clip of Oprah accepting her award, did you catch the cutaway to Gayle?!  Yeah, I'm juss' sayin'...  And Meryl seemed genuinely humbled.  
• "In Memoriam" with Esperanza Spalding!  I thought the minimal voiceovers and the gorgeous title cards with black and white photos were fantastic.
• Natalie Portman looks amazing.  What's with this scripted, directed praise from one presenter?  Not sure I am enjoying that bit.

Actor: oui, oui!  Jean Dujardin looks better in color, with a haircut, and salt-and-pepper hair!  Lovely acceptance with such nice emotion when he let loose!  At 16/22.

• Colin Firth seems uncomfortable reading his praises.  Come on, Mister - you won last year for a movie about royalty speaking in public!  The reference to "Mamma Mia!" was awesome.  More of that, instead, please.  He's making Meryl tear up, as am I.

Actress: OMG - Meryl wins her third!  Hooray!  Those cheers are all real and so deserved!  Now I am happily 17/23.  She is a funny, class act - so sweet.  And she is making me cry again!  They better not play her off, damnit.  Wow. 

• Hmmm...Tom Cruise is looking good.  Maybe I should have seen that latest "Mission: Impossible" movie after all.  Netflix queue!

Picture: big win for the little movie that many would not have believed.  And the acceptance includes Auggie - aw, cute.  That bring me to 18/24.




And there you have it: the 2012 Academy Awards.  My final score on my ballot is 18 out of 24 guesses correct (75%).  Not perfect, but much better than last year's (62.5%).  Time to renew my commitment to the "research" over the next twelve months...and thank you, Movies, for filling my life with stories, characters, wonder, magic, imagination.  So just in case you were wondering, that's why I'm a fanatic about this stuff.  Until next year...aaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnddddd fade.

Academy Awards 2012

Hooray!  It's here: the big day.  No, Birthday Month is a thing of the past.  Valentine's Day came and went. Not Mardi Gras.  For crying out loud, it's the Oscars - the Big Gay High Holy Day (not quite "Gay Super Bowl" as some call it, since this awards show has to rank second to the Tony Awards...duh)!  So whether or not you asked for it, here are my prediction and my amateur analysis (in no particular order except the acting, directing, and picture awards at the end).

As a refresher/reminder, I have already blogged my reviews of the "25 Must-See Movies" to prepare myself this year: you know it's all about doing the homework and the preparation (so click here for those additional comments).

And for a refresher/reminder of what these categories are about (especially the more esoteric ones that everyone else will skip for more food or drinks or bathroom breaks), refer to my Oscars blog post from 2011 by clicking here.

Choices will be sorted into three considerations (a change from how I have done this in previous years):
S = "S"hould win, or the nominee I think is most deserving;
P = My "P"ick, or the nominee I want to win (will be highlighted in light blue); and
W = "W"ill win, or the nominee I think will walk away with the honor of the statuette and the title.


VISUAL EFFECTS
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

• S = Rise of the Planet of the Apes: since this movie was not included in the Best Picture category (as sci-fi movies often get overlooked there), this might be its best shot at any win, and the effects really were incredible and made that movie (and its apes) come to life.
• P/W = Hugo: the 3D visuals of this movie were brighter, more colorful, and less morose than the final installment of the "Harry Potter" franchise.  I saw both in 3D, and I think "Hugo" more successfully used visual effects to tell its story in motion picture medium.  The other nominees are expected, but their visual effects were also just at the "meets expectations" level.

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
The Descendants
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

• S/P = Hugo: My pick is biased by my love of the original source, which I still think is a gorgeously crafted tale in drawings and narrative text.
• W = The Descendants: I have not read the original sources of the other nominated films, so I will defer on popular and critical buzz on this one...along with its Writers Guild win.

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Margin Call
Midnight in Paris
A Separation

• S/P/W = Midnight In Paris: I have only seen three of the five nominees, but I think this screenplay was the only one that was both well written and also truly original.  A movie like "Bridesmaids" was great for its genre, but it still fit in with that genre's formula.  "Midnight In Paris" may feel formulaic for a Woody Allen quirky work, but that's not its own movie genre, and this one kind of breaks the mold for period romances, romantic comedies, independent fantasy, etc.

SOUND EDITING
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

• S = Drive: There were stunning moments of stillness and quiet that punctuated this otherwise high-octane action thriller's loud violence, and cutting and interlacing all of those scenes with some degree of restraint elevated this movie from the rest in its genre.
• P/W = Hugo: Arranging all the of the real sounds of dialogue over layers of created sounds of wind and snow or the hustle and bustle of a train station required far more deft artistry than editing the sounds of motorcycle/car engines and screams or metal crashing or gunshots and bombs exploding.

SOUND MIXING
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

• S/P/W = Hugo: This category is about the creation of sounds that can't otherwise be recorded.  Normally even a terrible sci-fi movie like the latest "Transformers" cacophony would have a lock on this, since you can't really place a microphone in Chicago and record an actual sentient alien robot destroying a building.  But this year, the addition of "Hugo" to the mix means that the usual Michael Bay loud crashes and bangs have to compete with much more delicate and nuanced sounds like winding clockworks, steam whistles, train engines, and crowds moving in imaginary train stations.  I'm hoping "Hugo" gets recognized for its technical craftsmanship here.

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Man or Muppet (The Muppets)
Real in Rio (Rio)

• S/P/W = Man or Muppet.  First of all, is there anyone who does not love The Muppets?  Second of all, this is a surprisingly tough neck-and-neck race and considering how much I love the other nominee's credentials (Sergio Mendes, Carlinho Brown, and Siedah Garrett - who has worked with both Michael Jackson and Madonna) this category is a tough one for me to call.  And then 'thirdary,' why are there only two nominees?  Totally overlooked was the hauntingly sparse song from "Albert Nobbs" (co-written by its star, Glenn Close), heartbreakingly performed (as usual) by Sinead O'Connor.  I would have loved to have seen her perform live (once again) with either symphonic orchestral accompaniment, or nothing at all, and that a capella performance would have sealed the deal.

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life

• S/P = The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore: this was a gorgeous visual treat that was matched with a perfectly sentimental story (that highlighted the magic of reading books - love that!).  There's even a best selling iPhone app for this.  Remember the first 10 minutes of "Up" - you know, that opening flashback encapsulated life-in-love timeline of a sweet couple that broke your heart and made you cry like a baby?  Yeah, I know.  Put that kind of heartfelt emotion into this category that you never even pay attention to, and you have my choice(s).
• W = La Luna.  Woah, what gives?  After all the praise for the flying books movie, I think another movie will win it?  Well, quite possibly.  Why?  Because "La Luna" is a short film created by the animated film juggernaut that is Disney's Pixar Studios.  And quite frankly, this is another cute entry from them, but if I get this prediction wrong and my heart's choice wins, I will be very happy to lose the point.  (Surprise bonus: my YouTube crush, Nick Pitera, worked on "La Luna" - go ahead, look him up.  Or better yet, just follow these links: "A Whole New World," "Don't Stop Believing," "Edge Of Glory.")

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic

• S/P = Raju.  Hard to believe this film with its characters, scenery, emotion, and plot all fit into a block of time that still qualifies it as a "short" film.  It was fully developed and deeply moving.  
• W = The Shore.  With the exception of "Time Freak," I thought all of the nominees were original and quirky and used the short form genre to the best possible effect.  "The Shore" was the closest to a Hollywood mainstream movie because it had the most conventional storyline sprinkled with moments of (mostly) humor and (sometimes) drama.  So I think its overall accessibility will result in enough votes to win.

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
The Adventures of Tintin
The Artist

Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

• S/P/W = The Artist.  Hard for me to pick against John Williams ("The Adventures Of Tintin" and "War Horse," which had an exceptionally good sweeping orchestral score) or Howard Shore ("Hugo") because they both have such highly developed expertise in this category.  But let's face it: the silent film form of "The Artist" relied on its score to tell a story without the spoken language that would otherwise be needed.  And that original score included tap dance numbers!  Score a big win for Ludovic Bource, who has previously scored mostly short films but won the Golden Globe for this category last month.

FILM EDITING
The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball

• S = The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo: for its thankfully restrained treatment of potentially gory violence, with no loss in impact.
• P = Hugo: for masterful cuts that drove the pace and defined perspective in a 3D environment.
• W = The Artist: I fear the academy voters will equate "editing" with "overall quality" so I think this three-way split in my thinking will be resolved in favor of the movie that was most likely to put a smile on your face.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsieur Lazhar
A Separation

• S/P/W = A Separation.  For the first time, I was not able to see any of the nominated films this year.  Wah wah.  So relying on critical mentions and current political affairs ("A Separation" is the rare nominee from Iran) alone, I'm making a singular prediction here that I hope is still a safe bet.

MAKEUP
Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
The Iron Lady

• S/P = The Iron Lady: I think it's one thing for Meryl Streep to have played the role of Margaret Thatcher, and another thing for the makeup artists to have aged her so convincingly over many decades.
• W = Albert Nobbs: methinks the Academy will favor any transgender performance (in not one, but two characters) as a solid demonstration of what can be achieved with makeup.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated

• S = Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory: this story of the "West Memphis 3," has (for almost two decades) been the go-to narrative about bias and criminal injustice, and has popular culture involvement of known celebrities like Natalie Maines and Eddie Vedder behind it, so the connection to the voting members of the Academy may serve it well.
• P = Pina: Wim Wenders practically transforms the documentary genre with another masterful application of 3D technology (his other venture "Cave Of Forgotten Dreams" was also stunning, but bogged down with his usual eccentric and effusive narration), this time letting the brief interviews and extraordinary performances of real dancers pay homage to a visionary choreographer.  Truly a spectacle to see on the big screen.
• W = Hell And Back Again: I didn't see the other nominees besides the two I describe above, but I know this is a documentary about a United States Marine who returns from serving in the war in Afghanistan with a badly injured leg and post-traumatic stress.  So, subject matter alone in a U.S. election year wins this one serious points.

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God Is the Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad


Saving Face
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

• S = The Tsunami And The Cherry Blossom: I have not seen any of this year's nominees, but I have seen scenes from this movie and the footage is heartbreaking.
• P = God Is The Bigger Elvis: a movie about a successful Hollywood actress who leaves behind her life to answer a calling and become a nun?  Sounds cool enough to me to carry its weight in this category.
• W = Saving Face: one of the great impacts of documentary filmmaking comes from social activism in this medium, and any movie that can tell a story about the terrible attacks on women in Pakistan that involve perpetrators throwing acid at women's faces has got to win to bring some necessary attention to a horrifying crime (also in a U.S. election year when proposed unnecessary invasive medical probes are mistreating women in this country in similarly horrifying ways).

COSTUME DESIGN
Anonymous

The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.

• S/W = Anonymous: the Oscars love their period dramas in this category, and there are quite a few to choose from this year, but this one is set in the fictionalized world of Shakespeare (and the other period contenders like "Jane Eyre" and "W.E." were either critically panned or commercially unsuccessful).
• P = W.E.: despite what I said above, I'm going to cheer on my girl, Madge, based on the stills I've seen of her directorial (and co-writing) debut.  It may not be Shakespeare, but at least these costumes covered a range of periods and all seem as gorgeous to watch as her Super Bowl 2012 halftime show!

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

• S = Chico & Rita: I am an instant fan of any animated film that is intended for adult audiences (like "Persepolis" or "Waltz With Bashir") because it recognizes the imaginative freedom allowed in this genre.  So although I can't see this movie in St. Louis for several more weeks, I have already fallen in love with the trailers.
• P/W = Rango: not only was this a commercial and critical success, but the story was original and the animation was exceptionally sharp in challenging details like bright sunlight, moving shadows, and reflections in water.  The voice talent of Johnny Depp can't possibly hurt its chances, either.

ART DIRECTION
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse

• S/P = Hugo: a visual treat like this movie deserves recognition for its production and set designs.
• W = The Artist: another visual treat, this time limited to a black and white palette to show off every exacting choice in details that will probably do well for the category's title.

CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse

• S/P = War Horse: although it can not even come close to the stage production that had me applauding and crying like a baby (sometimes all at once), "War Horse" had some gorgeous camera work that captured the darkness of World War I battles, contrasted with the lush verdant sun-soaked peace of an English countryside.
• W = The Tree Of Life: the academy always equates this category with "pretty visuals" (which maddens me to no end every year) and there is somewhat of an industry upwelling of support for Terrence Malick's film (which confuses me to no end this year), which did have striking images, if nothing else.

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week with Marilyn"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Max von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

• S = Max von Sydow: for all the talk this year of the breakthrough revival of the silent film genre, Max von Sydow's silent performance was a standout emotional feature in the otherwise overworked motion picture adaptation of the Jonathan Safran Foer novel.
• P/W = Christopher Plummer: his finely handled performance was an emotional center in an otherwise underpaced movie, plus he seems to have the undefeated support of his professional colleagues.  Okay, who wouldn't want to see "Captain Von Trapp" accept an award after all these years of seeing him sing "Edelweiss" in television broadcasts of "The Sound of Music" - come on, that's a true return to Old Hollywood!

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Bérénice Bejo, "The Artist"

Jessica Chastain, "The Help"

Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"

Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"

Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

• S = Berenice Bejo: I thought she carried the heart of "The Artist" with an effervescent performance but she seems to be disproportionately ignored for her contributions to that film (I mean even the cute dog is getting more buzz - what's up with that?  Go, go, "Peppy Miller!").
• P/W = Octavia Spencer: she has all the momentum to win this award for stealing every scene she occupied in the ensemble feature.

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Demián Bichir, "A Better Life"
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

• S = Demian Bichir: I didn't see this movie yet, but I think he is a great talent just based on what I have seen in the coming attractions preview and hearing him in an NPR interview.  (And totally overlooked in this category was Michael Shannon in "Take Shelter.")
• P/W = Jean Dujardin.  First of all, Gary Oldman is a terrific actor, but he was in a mess of a movie that hasn't been nominated for anything else (translation: the Academy is paying him due respect with the nomination).  Secondly, Brad Pitt showed us a fully formed character and not just his usual smirk in a smile or a twinkle in his eye, but other nominees were better (translation: the Academy is paying him due respect with the nomination).  Thirdly, I'm tired of the buzz over George Clooney and I still think in this movie he is performing like...well, like George Clooney.  I think he had a fine leading role part written for any actor, but I'm not convinced that George Clooney owned it.  Finally, Jean Dujardin defined the movie that carries his character's title, he did it with panache and style, with dexterity and grace, and even with tap dancing shoes.  (Oh,and have you noticed how devastatingly charming he is? - I think Academy voters will pick him just to see him get air time, and I'd support that.)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"

Viola Davis, "The Help"

Rooney Mara, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"

Michelle Williams, "My Week with Marilyn"

• S = Glenn Close: she championed the making of this movie for two decades and then gave me all the heartbreak, suffering, and loss that could come with a lifetime destroyed by broken dreams and secret identities.  She inhabited the role completely: from obvious makeup and costumes and posture, to more subtle cadence of speech and non-verbal movements.
• P = Meryl Streep: just as Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo carried the plot and heart of "The Artist," Meryl Streep not only imitated Margaret Thatcher, she completely transformed herself into a known public figure without resorting to obvious caricatures, and she played the role over an imagined timespan of several decades.  The movie itself is a bit of a mess as far as biopics go, and is far from being a balanced historical portrait of the woman, but Meryl Streep is truly a master class wonder to behold.  There's a reason why she holds the record of 17 Academy Award nominations (14 in this lead category), but inexplicably she has not won since "Sophie's Choice" in 1982, so I think the Academy has a lot of making up to do here (for "Silkwood," "The French Lieutenant's Woman," "Out Of Africa," "A Cry In The Dark," Postcards From The Edge," "The Devil Wears Prada," "Julie and Julia," and "Mamma Mia!" - ha!...just kidding on that last one).
• W = Kate Winslet, for "Midlred Pierce" (oops, wrong year, wrong awards)!  No, no, the winner will be: Viola Davis.  Having cheered for Viola Davis ever since she dazzled me and broke my heart in the film adaptation of the Broadway production of "Doubt," I applaud any accolade she earns on stage or on screen.  I hesitated on picking this category for the longest time because I still think Meryl Streep gave the best performance in the role that had the most air time in the nominee's movie.  Viola Davis had a great lead role but her lines and character depended on the rest of the ensemble in what I thought was an otherwise fluffy formulaic movie.  But when Meryl Streep chose to honor Viola Davis with her own shout-out, well, that kind of praise won me over.  The Screen Actors Guild award to the ensemble of "The Help" might help Viola Davis narrowly edge out Meryl Streep, who I hope comes back to claim a win with her eventual 18th nomination.  If my pick is correct, however, I also want Viola Davis to come back and win on her eventual 3rd nomination to add to her 2 Tony Awards.

DIRECTING

Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"

Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"

Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"

Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"

• S = Martin Scorsese: for doing something completely different from what he usually does and doing it well (as opposed to Terrence Malick, who ventured into completely genre-defying territory but doing it less-than-well).
• P/W = Before Michel Hazanavicius took the helm for "The Artist," I doubt anyone else in Hollywood would have backed a silent movie, or a black-and-white movie, let alone one that is both.  But if a director is charged with pulling together a team to craft a captivating experience that will tell a story artfully and beautifully, then this award is all his.  He took an original screenplay, added scenic design, score, costumes, and a cast that looks thrilled to be narrating this tale and gave us a bit of movie magic this year.  Bravo.

BEST PICTURE
The Artist
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse

• S/P/W = The Artist.  I had early hopes for "War Horse" and "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" but I did not think they lived up to their promise or potential.  I think the best movies out of this crop of nine nominees are the two that pay tribute to the industry's craft: "Hugo" and "The Artist."  All indications are that "The Artist" will take home the award for its sheer joyful and refreshing originality (although if "The Artist" and "Hugo" were both available on Blu-Ray tomorrow and I could only afford one, I would probably buy "Hugo" and know that I would watch that film many more times than "The Artist").

So there you have it: my predictions for the 2012 Oscars.  Is your ballot filled out yet?  I will blog an update after the awards with my score tallied, and you better share any Oscar betting pool wins with me if I helped!

Before any "...and the award goes to..." announcements, where are my pajama pants and my corkscrew?

P.S. If predicting these awards is too much for you, take a break and watch my statistics lesson from 2005.  Maybe there's a simpler formula for doing it after all?

Pre-Oscar Warm-Up: The Quest

Each year, "Entertainment Weekly" (otherwise known as the Pop Culture Holy Book) publishes its list of 25 movies it believes the ardent movie fan must see before the Academy Awards.  Note that this list is printed even before the nominations are announced, so the list is a suggested by the relative merits of the movies to earn nominations, not just predictions based on previous award wins.  This year I decided to undertake a personal quest to see as many of the 2012 "must see" movies as I could, and came closer than ever before to actually crossing off the whole list.  In preparation for the 2012 Academy Awards, here is a summary of my brief review of each of "Entertainment Weekly"'s "The 25 Movies You Need To See Before Oscar Night (2012)" (in ascending, or reverse, order):

25. Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Fascinating and gripping documentary about criminal (in)justice - the story of the "West Memphis 3" who were released from prison after 18 years because of DNA forensic evidence and a review of failures in the trial procedure, and only because they agreed to a bizarre deal to plead guilty but maintain their innocence.  This is the kind of activist film-making, backed by legal, popular, and celebrity support, that tends to do very well.

24. Young Adult
Had no strong interest in this mature comedy even after reading it on this list, so I skipped it.

23. Drive
Intense action thriller that was thankfully relatively discreet with the graphic violence and strongly carried by Ryan Gosling, who would be my choice of chauffeur and bodyguard any day!  Carey Mulligan is establishing herself as the go-to woman for dramatic supporting roles (see #16, below).

22. We Need To Talk About Kevin
Was publicized to premiere in St. Louis two weeks ago, but was rescheduled to April.  Why?  Don't get me started.  But based on the coming attractions alone, I'm already creeped out.

21. J. Edgar
Despite my exhaustion with Clint Eastwood's directorial style (where he can only convey emotion - fear, anger, lust, joy, whatever - by using extreme close-up shots), Dustin Lance Black's screenplay was nuanced and controlled.  Leonardo DiCaprio and Armie Hammer did well in their roles, but I felt this movie showed their potentials, not their most outstanding performances.

20. Bridesmaids
Normally not a fan of this kind of comedy, I was happy to support "the ladies" and those women cracked me up.  Good for them!  Work it, Girls.

19. Kung Fu Panda 2
Totally derivative comedy with cool animated action and solid cast voicing the characters.  I can understand why this movie grossed as much as it did in international sales, but I found the story rather dull.

18. The Ides Of March
The movie that proves Ryan Gosling is sexy in a political suit, or a racing jacket (see #23, above)...or (almost) nothing (reference "Crazy, Stupid, Love").  Unlike "Drive," he turns in a solid performance with spoken lines and not fisticuffs action.  Whereas this screenplay had smarts, it missed the mark in pacing and therefore did not feel like a cohesive package of a film.

17. Albert Nobbs
Good for you, Glenn Close, for shepherding a stage performance into a labor of love that took decades to reach mass audiences.  This movie's intimacy magnifies the emotional turmoil that cultural conventions of gender can create, but also suggests that the intimacy of a live stage performance would have been far more gripping.  Glenn Close turns out a truly masterful work of a life broken by desperation and secrecy, and Janet McTeer at least matches her (if not trumps her) with passionate bravado.  The Sinead O'Connor song over the end credits sealed the deal to break my heart.

16. Shame
Enough with the hype over Michael Fassbender's nude scenes, already.  Yes, he deserves the notoriety, but even more so, he deserves praise for what is a harrowingly sad and depressing performance about lives broken by addiction.  This movie makes it perfectly clear that there is absolutely nothing sexy about sex addiction.  Carey Mulligan, in another supporting role this year, is equally affecting. 

15. My Week With Marilyn
Sad that I missed the chance to see this, because I like Michelle Williams and Eddie Redmayne.

14. Rango
The second animated feature on this list had much more detailed visual effects (especially the nuanced sunlight and shadows in the desert ghost town setting) and was completely original in its story and sly humor.  Johnny Depp's voiced led character was very well done.

13. The Iron Lady
Not a great motion picture, if judged by historical biopic standards: the flashbacks and flash-forwards and imagined inner life of an aged icon were rather clunky and not as smoothly handled as possible.  But Meryl Streep proves she really can do anything.  She eats up the screen in every scene with personality beyond "The Devil Wears Prada" and with joyful enthusiasm beyond "Mamma Mia!" - this is a master class in becoming a character and telling a story (as imperfect as that story may be).

12. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows - Part 2
Well, of course I have seen this movie (in 3D, no less) - I had to wrap up the series, having seen the other 7 before it, and still loving all 7 original books.  A movie like this will probably get a lot of technical category nominations, the way many sci-fi and fantasy films manage, but it's less of a great movie and more of the capstone to a pop culture phenomenon. 

11. Beginners
Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer play off each other well, but again the pacing of this movie felt more dry than emotional; any tugs on my heart were a bit heavy handed and forced, but it was a joy to see Christopher Plummer really having fun in a role that could have easily been reduced to caricature by a lesser actor.

10. The Tree Of Life
The artistry and visual craftsmanship of the cinematography was stunning, but completely muddled whatever story there was here.  This motion picture hardly felt like a movie; it was like watching a pastiche of images from the best possible science and nature documentaries (like "Planet Earth" and "Cosmos"), interlaced with some kind of plot that was yearning to be far more grandiose than the structure could allow.  So I was visually enraptured, but when the end credits rolled, all I could think was, "What just happened?"

9. Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close
I had high hopes for the movie adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer's deftly imagined 9/11 novel.  Unfortunately, the treatment of his story in this movie felt forced: the lovely work on the book's pages just translated awkwardly into voiceovers and fast edits.  In a meta-reflection, maybe that kind of disjointed emotion creating a feeling of lost opportunity is exactly what a 9/11-themed movie about hope and loss and searching for love and meaning should be all about.  But a motion picture needs to tell a story well, and in this case even with a talented cast, the book told the story far better.

8. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
I was cynical about the American re-boot of any of the very well done Swedish original films based on Stieg Larson's bestselling novels.  Rooney Mara completely transforms herself not only physically and psychologically into the character or Lisbeth Salander, but she also makes her solid mark as a leader in a new generation of intelligent and powerful actors ready for more screen time.  David Fincher's direction was deftly controlled, but some missteps (like why was Daniel Craig's character the only one not speaking with a Scandinavian accent?) almost made the opening title sequence and the original score more memorable than my final thought as I left the theater: "Gee, that was a decent remake."

7. Moneyball
I didn't know what to expect with this movie because some of what I heard about it made me think it would be another sentimental baseball movie, a la "Field Of Dreams," or "The Natural," or even "A League Of Their Own."  But this was not just an underdog-wins-in-the-end movie; it was a surprisingly honest film about an earnest man with a dream to win, a desire to be a friend, and a heart to be a good father.  It was far from cute treacle: it was solid entertainment.

6. Midnight In Paris
I think the reason I have a hard time liking Woody Allen's movies is that even when he does not appear in them, there is always a character who is basically Woody Allen.  Such is the case here again, with a lead character who is so eccentric and neurotic that he is almost too much to like.  But Owen Wilson turns on the charm and plays off the imaginative original screenplay with wit and panache, so this movie now stands on equal footing or possibly surpasses my heretofore other favorite Woody Allen movie, "Match Point."  Overall, this was a fun romantic tale.

5. Hugo
Bravo to Martin Scorsese for applying all of his skill in making mob and crime action dramas to making a fun and visually gorgeous fantasy.  The original children's book by Brian Selznick, is a masterful combination of fantasy fiction, historical revision, graphic novel, and picture book.  What were gorgeous black-and-white illustrations in print have been given full color life in this movie that is beautifully realized in 3D - the colors are rich, the pacing is good, the characters are fun, the effects are dazzling, the cast is sweet, and the sentiment of the story is expertly conveyed.  This is what 3D film-making should be and what good movies should be.

4. The Help
I hesitated a long time before I could watch this movie.  I knew the original source novel was not something I would normally read, and I understood the criticisms of the inherent undertone of the White savior who swoops in to rescue the African American downtrodden.  But I finally gave in and saw it and was underwhelmed by the hype.  Thee were moments of clever comedy and triumphant emotion, but nothing struck me as truly great or fantastically innovative.  In fact, everything about this movie felt a bit expected.  I hope every award this movie might earn will encourage a cultural shift in expectations: can powerhouse actors like Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis please portray characters that are not the hired help?  If nothing else, this movie proves these two women can do anything, and I won't necessarily hesitate to see them ever again.  Enough already.

3. War Horse
Having seen the definition of "theatrical magic" in the Broadway stage show based on the same novel that is the source material for Steven Spielberg's live-action adaptation, I knew that no movie would ever equal that production.  But I wanted to see it anyway, and I admit that I still got teary-eyed over it.  There is gorgeous cinematography in this film, but the acting and effects and editing are just a bit better than any other child-and-horse, or child-and-dog, or dog-and-cat, or child and whale, or child and...oh well, you get the point.  It's that kind of sentimental tearjerker of a movie.  Oh, and it's about a boy and his horse.  Right. 

2. The Descendants
I appreciated the honest depictions of modern families and complicated relationships in yet another movie adaptation of a novel.  A lot of people keep referencing George Clooney's subtle performance about a father trying to raise two daughters in Hawaii while his wife lies in a hospital.  Teenage rebellion.  Infidelity.  Adult friends.  Confrontations.  Hard choices.  All of that is in here.  But I thought George Clooney masterfully acted like...well, like George Clooney.  I've seen that smirk and the shoulder shrugs, and the dismissive head bobs before: in "ER," in "Ocean's Eleven," in "Up In The Air," even in "The Ides Of March" (see #18, above).  I thought his performances in "Good Night, And Good Luck" and "The American" (and even in "The Fantastic Mr. Fox") were far more clever and skilled.  Having just visited Kauai for my Birthday Adventure 2012 trip last month, the movie felt even more wistful to me, but that did not elevate it to "best" status for me.

1. The Artist
This was a truly gorgeous and wonderfully original homage to motion pictures.  The format of this silent black-and-white film made the emotional spark and simple glamor of this movie pop out with so more life and heart than many modern voiced motion picture.  Both leads, Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo, are simply a joy to watch and carry this lovely story from beginning to end.  Lovely, lovely, lovely.

And my own personal additions to the list, based on critical reviews or awards season "buzz:"
+ Pina 3D
Wim Wenders once again employs 3D film-making to achieve its best possible cinematic beauty (and spares us his sometimes overly effusive voiceover narration) with this tribute to choreographer Pina Bausch.  The subtitle to this movie is "...dance, dance, otherwise we are lost..." and using brief clips of the musings of the dancers who appear throughout, these performances showcase not the gorgeous artistry and storytelling of dance.

+ Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Gary Oldman gives a solid performance in an otherwise muddled and befuddling spy caper that does not have enough drama, does not have enough emotion, does not have enough plot, and does not have enough resolution to match.  An ultimately unsatisfying disappointment of a movie.

+ Carnage
Four great actors giving it their all in a film adaptation of what was most assuredly a fantastic, tightly wound staged theatrical performance (that I will always regret missing on Broadway).  Unfortunately, much was lost in this translation: the movie felt forced, the camera work felt clunky, the pacing felt anguished.  The ensemble really chews up the screen, but for all their efforts, that's about all the carnage I witnessed.

Summary:
Quest Results = 22/25.  Take that, "Entertainment Weekly" List!  And I don't even get the screeners!  Ha!  I felt frustrated that the three movies I could not cross off the list either played in St. Louis for one week only engagements or will not screen at all before March.  But I feel pretty proud of the results of my planning, scheduling, and stamina - determination pays off!  Now I need to fill out my ballot...

2012 = 40 + 1

Birthday Adventure 2012!

I don't really know how or when it happened, but some time ago, I got an image stuck in my head of me reading on a beach surrounded by waterfalls. Maybe it was after I learned that the "Jurassic Park" movies were filmed there (along with countless others), or maybe it was every other vacation I had taken on one of the other islands of Hawaii when I longed for more solitude and quiet and less development and tourism, or maybe it was after I read an article in the United Airlines in-flight magazine on some non-tropical flight plan in a trip gone by. But the image stayed with me and crystallized over time to be a plan to take a solo vacation to Hawaii's "Garden Island" of Kauai. I thought 2011 would be the year to do it: I would enter my fourth decade in this dreamscape made real. Well, the job change and interstate move in December 2010 made the timing all wrong, but dreams like that can't fade away too easily, so although it was one year delayed, I made it happen and I celebrated my 41st birthday living my imagined reality.

Embraer 145 STL > IAH.

Hoping the inter-terminal train at IAH is quick enough to get me to flight #2!

Fruit, cheese, crackers, pecans, juice, and coffee. What else do I need? Oh yeah: lots more "else!"

That's more like it: I graduate to a "big boy" plane and the 757's Rolls Royce engines take me IAH > LAX.

Third flight leaves the mainland, passing the Channel Islands off of Southern California and another 757 is taking me LAX > LIH.

Chips, salsa, granola bar, fruit and nut trail mix, dark chocolate pretzel, tomato juice, and coffee - is this really enough to be called the "savory" snackbox?

The setting sun signals a westbound descent over the Pacific into my Hawaiian destination!

January 3, 2012: Travel Day
Almost too excited to sleep after packing light clothes lightly in the frigid night of a Saint Louis, MO New Year week. The day would involve over 10 hours of flying time, 4 time zones, over 4,000 miles, 3 flights, and 2 snack boxes as my only nourishment en route. I peacefully marveled (as I often do) on the thrilling science of modern flight and prayed silently that my tight connections would work out. Before I knew it, we were descending through evening skies into Lihue Airport, Kauai, Hawaii.

The trusty rental car: 6 days, 1 tank of gas, 2 U-turns, 0 accidents.

Good fortune (and a good online deal) brought me to the same hotel mentioned in the "Hemispheres" article from 2007.

The staff was nice enough to upgrade the room to the top (4th) floor - nice!

As my very good friend, longtime mentor, and one-time travel companion, Vasti, once told me: "It's not a vacation until you have to make a U-turn!" The evening landing in Lihue was smooth and easy. Apparently, there are very few direct flights from the mainland to Kauai and a 757 is a seeming giant on the tarmac there (most people fly in on smaller planes from another Hawaiian island). My best friend Greg flew in from San Francisco to join me on this adventure and he was waiting at the airport, ready to get the car and get to a cocktail! And after picking up the rental car, the not-so-developed feeling that I was hoping for had great promise because all the towns and the main highway roads were pitch black and signs were hard to read (especially after a day of flying). Two U-turns later, we were at the Sheraton Kauai Beach Resort in Poipu on the south side of the island - my cozy home for my birthday week. A quick stop at the hotel's bar/restaurant right next to their beachside pools for our first mai tais, and it was early (and fast) to bed for much needed sleep. After all, morning would bring a big event...

This birthday card was delivered in person all the way from San Francisco, CA by best friend courier service!

How nice of my hotel to give me a birthday card upon arrival: and the gift inside? Free mai tais at their beachside bar - yes, please!

First sunrise in Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii

January 4, 2012: Happy Birthday to Me!
And as fast as you could say, "Aloha!" the big day was here. I woke up in Kauai, Hawaii and was now 41. Age = no big woop. Location = really big woop.

Breakfast buffet in the hotel courtyard, amongst the wildlife (animals and some humans), then a stop at the "Pleasant Hawaiian" activity desk. Isaac, who really was pleasant, hooked us up with a full itinerary that included almost everything I wanted to do. (The tides that week were predicted to be way too stormy to allow for the inflatable Zodiac raft ride into an ocean cave, so that will have to be some other future trip - keeping it on the adventure bucket list.) From the south side of the island, Greg and I took a long drive around the east side of the island, with a stop at a lighthouse, and then to the north side (to where the road literally ended) to enjoy a "secret" beach - accessible only by boat or mountain hike (4-6 miles, cliffside). Route = Poipu > Koloa > Lihue > Wailua > Kapaa > Kilauea > Princeville > Haena > Hanalei > return. The generous warmth and easy hospitality of the Hawaiian "Aloha Spirit" was immediately and comfortably surrounding us all day long.

Breakfast on the courtyard lanai under chandeliers that looked like giant sea glass mosaics.

Bird (dinosaur descendant) hunting the koi in the courtyard fish pond - not a vegetarian breakfast!

My dream came true: woke up to a beachside sunrise in Kauai, Hawaii!

Greg agrees: who cares about morning clouds?

This trusty little red Ford Focus transported us all week (happily, not in the trunk).

"Tree Tunnel" headed north from Koloa to Lihue and parts east/north on the island.

View of the north Na'Pali coast from Kilauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge.

Very high surf pounding away at the seabird rookery.

Frigatebird sighted overhead.

Preview of even more to come...

The Kilauea Lighthouse.

Wishing there will be dolphins on this trip...

It's migration season for the Pacific Humpback Whales: no sightings yet...

Original lighthouse; modern light beacon.

Koa'e

Iwa

'A

Prop Roots of the Hala Tree: holla!

...or else risk getting bird-pooped on, for sure!

Already a very full half-day on my 2012 birthday!

After this wildlife-watching break, it was off to some of the more remote stops of the vacation - along single lane roads with road signs warning of road wash-outs due to high tides and other signs reminding drivers of the island custom to let 5-7 cars cross single-lane bridges before taking a turn in the opposite direction. The trek would soon move from vehicular to pedestrian.

Near the end of the road, with giant vines covering a lava wall.

Lava tube cave near the beach.

That breakfast buffet might not last all 11 miles, but let's see how far we get...

A muddy, rocky, up-and-down trail to the secret beach.

Walking through the Garden Isle's jungles.

Already a few thousand feet above the Kee Beach (used as location for "South Pacific" movie) - high surf advisory!

Log steps climbing up to another switchback.

Na'Pali Coast.

Hala Tree seed pods.

Greg in grey, surrounded by greens and blues.

Cliffs surrounding the hike.

Mile marker on trail.

Sun peeking through clouds.

Floral color with another view of Na'Pali behind.

OK, consider myself duly warned.

Five valleys later, we made it to Hanakapi'ai Beach - and celebrate with headstands!

Driftwood marks dangerous riptide.

Rescue Tube: as if any of the tourists will know how to use this?

Waterfall-fueled cool freshwater pools just above the beach.

No shortcuts!

Thankfully, I did not become a hash mark!

Greg attempts to squash some hikers.

Hello there, little field mouse on the trail!

Lifeguard station at Kee Beach.

Leave the rescues to the pros.

Why did this chicken cross the road? To peck at some freshly husked coconut!

More vines.

Surfboards in Hanalei.

Also crossed off the list: visit Puff The Magic Dragon's hometown!

Wyland "whaling wall" mural on the return to Poipu.

After burning all those calories on the long hike of day one, we had to have a proper birthday dinner. But first, we spotted some whale spouts from the hotel beach and got our first Kauai sunset.

Hey the iPhone 4 takes mighty fine pics in Kauai!

Sculpture at the hotel.

Pathway lighting at the Sheraton.

I'll have the Lava Flow, to start!

Birthday cocktails at the Beach House.

Yum!

Also yum!

Birthday dinner, complete with tiki torches!

Why should the cocktail have all the fun with a paper umbrella?

January 5, 2012
And just like that, the birthday came and went. But the adventure continued, this time wrapping around the west side of the island: breakfast at Kalaheo Cafe for anahola granola, veggie wrap sandwich, and macadamia nut French toast. Today's hike would go around Waimea Canyon, with views beyond all comparison.

Everyone recommended this stop!

Even the coffee has Aloha Spirit!

Greg surrounded a flock of locals.

Scenic overlook:

Now that's an amazing morning view!

The northwestern end of the road.

Somewhere behind those cliffs is yesterday.

The bathroom graffiti gets it right.

Prance.

Does hiking this trail condition my hair?

Again: take heed.

"...or killed." Nice.

White tree; blue sky.

An abandoned glove on the trail almost gives the "Hang Loose" shaka.

Fern unfurling.

Another trail conquered.

Greg, framed by the jungle.

"In the jungle, the mighty jungle..."

Whale vertebra in Waimea Canyon lookout station museum.

Words to honor one of the wettest spots on earth, Mt. Wai'ale'ale.

At Hawaii's "Grand Canyon."

Postcard-ready foliage.

Waimea Canyon.

"Hello, Gorgeous."

Greg takes in the sight.

A local performer gives me a ti leaf crown and a birthday blessing.

After Waimea Canyon, a stop at Wong's to pick up lilikoi chiffon pie, butter mochi, and macadamia nut cheesecake for dessert to go!

Poolside, back at the Sheraton.

Preparing for the Poipu sunset.

Across the street from the hotel parking lot.

Sinking into the waves.

Cocktails, pizza, and pasta in Koloa...

...also by tiki light.

Windchimes walking around Old Town Koloa.

January 6, 2012
Today included what was unquestionably the highlight of the trip: an afternoon sail to the Na'Pali Coast and sunset dinner cruise on Captain Andy's catamaran. The crew of four truly generous and attentive guys made everyone feel safe and happy. The crew even made sure we had grilled vegetables on the buffet line. The wildlife previews and lifelong dreams all came true: an albatross sighting brought good luck for us to see flying fish, spinner dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and humpback whales! I rode on the trampoline deck of the ship and had not a care in the world, even though I was drenched with Pacific spray. I don't think I stopped smiling all afternoon and evening.

Cloud-draped center of the island, from the rear balcony of our hotel room.

Red Bridge in Sheraton courtyard.

Sneaking into the post-breakfast foliage.

Red Dirt T-Shirt factory.

Waiting to board...

On board the "Akiaola" - and this catamaran would soon be buzzing like its hummingbird namesake!

Leaving Port Allen.

Getting hit with ocean spray (not the juice) in the bright afternoon tropical sun.

Dolphin slapping its tail at us: it wants us to follow and play!

Dolphins riding the bow wave of the catamaran.

We were cutting through the water at 10-20 knots and this dolphin rode the bow wave for several minutes - never once moving its flukes: that is expert bodysurfing!

Video Bonus: Greg's clip of the dolphins having fun - breathtaking joy for all of the humans on Captain Andy's sunset Na'Pali cruise!

The Na'Pali Coast.

North side of Kauai.

Word and photos can not do justice to this landscape.

In the afternoon sun.

Monty works the rigging.

Scotty and Tony prepare us for motoring.

Greg and the north coast.

View before dinner is served.

Awaiting the buffet line - drinks were non-stop!

Yup: the wind whipped my hair back and forth!

High clouds over one of the waterfall valleys.

Coming about to head back to the marina.

"What are you looking at? Vogue!"

My new shell and coconut bracelets, over the trampoline deck, over the speedy catamaran wave.

Captain Aaron, Monty, and Tony mugging it up for the photo.

Happily taking it all in.

Not faking it: Captain Aaron let me drive for a bit.

Greg and I in the wheelhouse.

Front into the sun.

Another gorgeous sunset, with Ni'ihau in the distance.

Crepuscular Rays ("God's Rays") of the setting sun.

Humpback whales!

We were zipping along, but luckily never needed the sideboards!

In the glow of the Hawaiian sunset.

Hoping to catch the "Green Flash."

Why yes, indeed, we've had fun!

Unlimited mai tais? Yes, please!

Humpback whale breaching - amazing to see so close to us in open water!

Everyone's excitement and the rocky waves made for a blurry picture, but this is a mother humpback whale (above center) and a newborn calf (right of center) who is practicing to breach - a natural wonder to behold!

Back on dry land, Greg and I with the whole crew of the Akiaola: Monty, Scotty, Captain Aaron, Tony.

January 7, 2012
Sadly, this was the date of my return ticket to depart Hawaii. Happily, I was scheduled on a red-eye itinerary, so there was still time to pack in one more Birthday Adventure. So the last "must do" on my list? That would be ziplining through the verdant valleys of this island. Driving to Hanama'ulu Valley before the sunrise was well worth it: a thrilling last day here.

Driving east to a morning adventure.

Yup: we are definitely going up into the backcountry on this all-terrain beast - past grazing cows through private land to ziplining fun!

Tower 2: high above the valley.

Geared up for 7 ziplines down to the river valley below: top-ranked, some of the highest and longest ziplines in the U.S.

Chris (brakeman) takes off on Line 1.

Greg comes in for landing #1.

Warning heeded.

Tim (advance scout and driver) tests Line 3.

Looks simple enough...

Brake on Line 6.

6 ziplines done; ready for the final flight over the river.

Picnic lunch overlooked a watering hole in the riverbend.

Greg braved the cool water to take a dip.

Lovely flower at lunch.

Thrilled for what I accomplished, thanks to this fine Kauai Backcountry Adventures crew: many thanks to Jamie, Chris (no, that's not David "Bud Bundy" Faustino), and Tim.

Video bonus: here's my Greg zipping on Line 3!

The zipline adventure worked up the appetite beyond the picnic lunch, and there was still half a day to fill before the flight back too the mainland. So the smaller excursions we reserved on the itinerary filled up the rest of that time.

Stops at the Kauai Kookie Company, and then the Kauai Chocolate Store.

When in Rome...one must stop here.

With fresh tasting cup (#4) in hand, I start the walking tour through the plantation.

Giant mortar and pestle.

Now that's a grinder!

A factory second?

Greg at the coffee berry drying station.

The colors were so bright in the afternoon sun!

This spider's X marks the spot for good coffee!

Red bottlebrush flower.

Hang loose, Kauai Coffee Company scarecrow!

I'm sure most national parks do not have this sign posted.

Spouting Horn: a natural blowhole in the lava rock coast located in the Koloa district near Poipu (which means "crashing").

Bleached driftwood and black lava rock.

After some final sun-soaking time at the pool, it was a last supper in the nearby Poipu Shopping Village at Keoki's Paradise - complete with a frozen blended drink, served in a pineapple.

So there it is, and there it was. A Birthday Adventure vacation over a year in the making, and so worth every second of the wait. Memories to last a lifetime, fun times accomplished over and over. In less than a full week, I even left Kauai as the FourSquare mayor of: Kauai Kookie Company; Kauai Chocolate Company; Kawailoa Bay; and Poipu, Hawaii. Some people told me it would be so hard to go back to work after Hawaii, but it really wasn't. The overnight flight and return to cold wind, snow, and ice was certainly a change of pace. But that Aloha Spirit is gleefully infectious and made me appreciate the joy of exploring and traveling and living as much as possible. Going back to work wasn't hard at all: this trip reminded me that I am privileged to be employed doing meaningful (and challenging) work. And doing the work earns vacation adventures like this one, although this birthday will be a tough one to ever match or surpass. That won't stop me from trying: my imagination is already scheming for 2013!

Just beyond my United 757 is a Hawaiian Airlines MD-80 inter-island commuter. Can I change planes?

After LIH > LAX, it was LAX > ORD for a breakfast flight.

Somewhere over mainland U.S., I found myself dreaming of Pacific Ocean waves again.

ORD > STL: somehow the blue skies were always a bit richer in Hawaii.

Aloha, Kauai.

Thanks for joining me, Greg!

Mahalo toast to you, Hawaii!

Starting 2012 like this: let my 41st year begin (fire pits, optional)!