It’s Official

The “Recession of 2009″ or whatever we’re calling it has hit home.  My boyfriend was let go from his job yesterday.  Yes, this is a setback and it’s a terrible situation to be in, but he will be fine and we’re are looking ahead to a better future.  It’s been a rough couple of days.  The feeling that one if us isn’t working is just starting to kick in.  It’s sad and frustrating, but he is incredibly talented and I know he will go on to do amazing things.  My thoughts go out to all of my co-workers who were unexpectedly let go.  And to everyone out there who has been hit with this recession in some form or another.  I hope for the best and I know we will all come out of this stronger.

Odd Couple

I’ve been meaning to post this.  I know, this video has been out there for a while, but this is such a cute story.

Restoring the Endangered Species Act

Polar bears had a good day.  President Obama announced today an override of a Bush Administration regulation to the Endangered Species Act.  The rule,  announced  just weeks before Bush left office, made it easier for federal agencies to launch projects that could affect endangered species without consulting with government scientists.  Obama said, the overturning of the regulation will restore “the scientific process to its rightful place at the heart of the Endangered Species Act, a process undermined by past administrations.”

“The work of scientists and experts in my administration, including right here in the Interior Department, will be respected…”For more than three decades, the Endangered Species Act has successfully protected our nation’s most threatened wildlife, and we should be looking for ways to improve it, not weaken it.”

Environmental groups have praised Obama’s actions and so have I.

Al-Marri Indictment

More on the al-Marri case from Jane Mayer.  A federal grand jury has indicted Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri for supporting Al Qaeda.  Attorney General, Eric Holder announced his position on handling this case.

“This indictment shows our resolve to protect the American people and prosecute alleged terrorists to the full extent of the law… In this administration, we will hold accountable anyone who attempts to do harm to Americans, and we will do so in a manner consistent with our values.”

Marri will be transferred from the military bring in South Carolina, as soon as Attorney General Holder directs the Secretary of Defense to move him.  Marri’s defense lawyers are concerned the brig has become more preferable to the conditions in an ordinary prison.  As Mayor reported, Marri has been isolated in a separate wing of the brig with access to exercise equipment, a 32-inch television, and a library.

The Obama Administration filed a motion to dismiss the Supreme Court’s hearing on whether the Bush Administration’s actions on Marri’s case was legal.  Marri’s lead defense counsel, Jonathan Hafetz, intends to argue in front of the Supreme Court anyway.

Jane Mayer’s ‘The Hard Cases’

Oy vey!  The Obama Administration has some very complicated decisions to make.  Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri is the last “enemy combatant” being detained in America.  He is being held at the U.S. Navel Consolidated Brig in Charleston, South Carolina.   He has never stood trial and has been in isolation for more than five years.  In December of 2001, Marri was arrested in connection to the 9/11 attacks and was about to stand on trial, when President George W. Bush,  ordered the military to seize Marri and hold him until the “war on terror” was over.  Jane Mayer wrote, “The Bush Administration contended that America was in a full-fledged war against terrorists,  and the President could therefore invoke extraordinary executive powers to detain Marri until the end of hostilities, on the basis of still secret evidence.”

Jonathan Hafetz, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, challenged the constitutionality of Marri’s case.  A lower court ruled the government has the right to detain Marri indefinitely, yet after several appeals, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case in April. The Obama Administration is required to file a reply to the challenge by March 23rd.  Hafetz hopes “Obama will withdraw Bush’s executive order labelling Marri an enemy combatant, and issue a new one classifying him as a civilian.”  This allows Marri either to be charged with crimes or to be released.

Marri has spoken through his lawyers and said, “I am not asking to be taken at my word an to be released, although I very much want to go home to my family.  All I am asking for is to be treated like every other person in the United States who is accused of a crime, including terrorism, and to be given a fair trail in an American court.”

Attorney General Eric Holder is reviewing Marri’s case with an “eye toward finding alternative ways to deal with him.”  In the meantime  Marri is the sole prisoner in wing of the brig.  He has three cells, with a personal library, access to a treadmill, a computer, and watches his favorite programs, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, on a 32-inch flat screen television.  However, Marri was on the verge of insanity after he was initially confined in extreme conditions.

The Bush White House also agreed, when transferring Marri to the brig, he could not be charged again with the same crimes  under “double jeopardy.”  Therefore, the Obama Administration will have to use a different set of charges, if they decide to charge Marri in the criminal system.

What an interesting case.   We’ll see how the Obama Administration handles this case.  Much is at stake.  Read Jane Mayer’s article, The Hard Cases.

She Was Guaranteed To Win

Great scene from the sitcom ‘Extras’ by Ricky Gervais.
Funny, her plan worked.

I wonder if Sam Mendes will ‘polish’ her Oscar now…

“You commie, homo-loving sons of guns”

Hooray! Sean Penn wins his second Oscar for his portrayal of gay rights activist, Harvey Milk.  A well-deserved award.  And a great speech.  He flat out cried for gay rights. Thank you, Mr. Penn.

“For those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, I think it’s a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect on their great shame and their shame in their grandchildren’s eyes if they continue that support.  We’ve got to have equal rights for everyone.”

Well done, Penn.  And thanks for the support.

Dustin Lance Black Wins!

Congratulations to ‘Milk’ screenwriter, Dustin Lance Black,  for his Oscar win for Best Original Screenplay.  I’m so happy for him.  His acceptance speech was so inspiring and honest.  I’m glad he gave a plea for gay rights.  Here is what he had to say.

“When I was 13 years old, my beautiful mother and my father moved me from a conservative Mormon home in San Antonio, Texas to California, and I heard the story of Harvey Milk. And it gave me hope. It gave me the hope to live my life. It gave me the hope one day I could live my life openly as who I am and then maybe even I could even fall in love and one day get married.

I wanna thank my mom, who has always loved me for who I am even when there was pressure not to. But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he’d want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches, by the government or by their families, that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights federally, across this great nation of ours. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you, God, for giving us Harvey Milk.”

Thank you, Dustin!

My Predictions

I’m winging it on some of these, but it’s still fun.  Let’s see how many I get right.

Actor in a Leading Role

My pick: Sean Penn
Prediction: Sean Penn

Actor in a Supporting Role

My pick: Robert Downey Jr.
Prediction: Heath Ledger

Actress in a Leading Role

My pick: Kate Winslet
Prediction: Meryl Streep

Actress in a Supporting Role

My pick: Taraji P. Henson
Prediction: Penelope Cruz

Best Animated Feature

My pick: WALL-E
Prediction: WALL-E

Art Direction

My pick: The Dark Knight
Prediction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Cinematography

My pick: Slumdog Millionaire
Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire

Costume Design

My pick: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Prediction: The Duchess

Directing

My pick: Danny Boyle
Prediction: Danny Boyle

Documentary Feature

My pick: Man on Wire
Prediction: Man on Wire

Film Editing

My pick: The Dark Knight
Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire

Foreign Language Film

My pick: ?
Prediction: Waltz with Bashir

Makeup

My pick: The Dark Knight
Prediction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)

My pick: Thomas Newman (WALL-E)
Prediction: A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)

Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)

My pick: “Down to Earth” from WALL-E
Prediction: “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire

Best Picture

My pick: Milk
Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire

Animated Short Film

My pick: Presto
Prediction: This Way Up

Live Action Short Film

My pick: ?
Prediction: The Pig

Sound Editing

My pick: The Dark Knight
Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire

Sound Mixing

My pick: Slumdog Millionaire
Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire

Visual Effects

My pick: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Prediction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Adapted Screenplay

My pick: Slumdog Millionaire
Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire

Original Screenplay

My pick: Milk
Prediction: In Bruges

Best Original Score, My Favorite Category

Hooray it’s Oscar Night.  I’m looking forward to see who will in each category.  But my favorite category is achievement in music written for motion pictures (original score).  I love film scores.  Every movie I watch I’m always listening for the music.  I know, I’m strange, but I think the film scores are so important and sometimes can either really kill a movie or add to it.  So what about this year’s nominees?

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Well, I thought Alexandre Desplat’s score for The Queen was much better. This movie, I thought, was so long and flat and unfortunately the music didn’t really help.  It’s beautiful score, the string and harp melodies were wonderful, but that’s it.  It was basically a two hour lullaby.  Wonderful to listen to, but nothing really note worthy.

Defiance

How can you go wrong with Joshua Bell?  Bell is designated violinist for film, just like Yo-Yo Ma is the designated cellist.  I can’t really say much about the score because, well, I haven’t seen the movie.  All I can say is James Newton Howard is no stranger to Academy Award nominations (The Village, Michael Clayton).

Milk

This is a surprise score from Danny Elfman.  Yeah, Danny Elfman is known for his campy soundtracks, but he is also known for composing some beautiful pieces.  I thought Big Fish was a great score and Milk is another one of his greater works.  This was a well deserved nomination.  It was so haunting, yet strangely beautiful.  The piece during the main titles of the film is what I think got Elfman the nomination.  It’s a strange mix of string melodies, a piano, an electric guitar, and a saxophone, yet somehow it all fit.  The saxophone solo was the perfect instrument to feature.  It’s something that you don’t really hear in a film score, but Elfman proved the saxophone can be just as soft and beautiful.  A great soundtrack, it has some of the unique Elfman qualities that most people are used to hearing, but overall the score is very different from his previous works.

Slumdog Millionaire

O…Saya!  Well certainly, like the film, this is a clear standout from the rest.  A.R. Rahman is insanely talented.   He is a huge Bollywood composer and has sold over 100 million records.  At first I wasn’t sure about the music of this film, but after watching it, that is what made the film.  It’s so complex and unique and unlike anything I’m used to hearing.  This soundtrack grew on me, I loved how modern it sounded yet it incorporated styles and instruments from the traditional Indian film soundtracks.  One of the best tracks is the scene when the children are running away from the gangster.  The sitar player is amazing and it’s not the usual way a sitar is used.  Another great track is ‘Ringa Ringa’, which is a  typical Bollywood sounding track.  It’s so driving and fun and features the popular Indian singer Alka Yagnik.  This score is so rich and full of layers it’s impossible to not give it a nomination.

WALL-E

Thomas Newman never disappoints.  His is in his own genre.  I love his compositions.  Each of them are so different, yet it has that Thomas Newman signature sound to them.  WALL-E is no exception.  The score has a driving percussive feel, but manages to sound other worldly.  The harps and guitar beats mixed with the strings sound so beautiful.  Newman was the perfect fit to put music to outer space.  It’s a joy to hear all of these weird sounds and mixes put into lovely sounding score.  WALL-E is Newman’s tenth Academy Award nomination.  Two this year, one for the score and one for the song “Down to Earth.”  Maybe he’ll actually win an award this time.