Rango is meh

Is Rango weird in a good way or a bad way? It's difficult to decide.

Rango is a little lizard who has a big imagination. We meet him in his terrarium with his only friends: a wind-up fish that channels Nemo and the torso of a Barbie doll. When his home falls out of the back of a truck and lands in the desert, Rango finds himself friendless and alone in a strange world. He stumbles into the town of Dirt. A town with serious water shortage issues. Rango's tall tales get him elected sheriff. He defeats the town hawk. He encounters town intrigue. He does it all with a truly odd sensibility that is definitely wasted on children.

There are dozens of winks and homages to lot of other films (oh hey Hunter S. Thompson), especially Westerns (I knew you'd show up Clint!). It's fun to look for them and smile to yourself when you figure them out. The cast is full of fun characters that reference others you know. The story itself is missing . . . something. I've thought about it and thought about it and the only thing I’ve come up with is the fact that I think the movie expects you to root for Rango on principle (or the fact that he sounds like Johnny Depp). I enjoyed watching his adventures but unlike Woody and buzz and the old man from Up, I didn't really care where it was going.

Why is that? It could be because Rango himself looks odd. He's not your cuddly character like so many animated films. Even the supervillian in Despicable Me is cute in his own way. Rango is animated beautifully. The level of detail put into him and his cast mates is nothing short of remarkable. It makes complete sense once you realize the movie is the first animated movie to come out of Industrial Light & Magic, the place where Yoda learned to fight. But by the end, I liked the way Rango looked. I couldn't take my eyes off of his, small and beady as they were.

So what was it? If anyone can help me out, I'd love to hear it. Perhaps a second viewing will help me. Overall, Rango is fun. I just can't muster much passion about it. Good review, eh?

Oscar Picks 2011

This will be the first year in six years that I will not be able to watch the Oscars live. Only the second time I'll miss them since I can remember. This is especially upsetting because this year I actually saw all 10 nominees for Best Picture. I will be in New Orleans at a conference for work. I will attempt to keep myself in the dark until I can watch on Tuesday, so please, do not text, e-mail or call me to discuss it. I will publish my thoughts after I watch and digest.

For now, here are my picks. I decided to do more categories than usual to see how good I really am. As always, I accept gifts if I get 100%.

Best Picture
Black Swan
Inception
The Kids Are Alright
The King's Speech
The Fighter
The Social Network
True Grit
Toy Story 3
Winter's Bone
127 Hours

You can see (in a nutshell) what I thought of most of these on my "best of" list and my year recap. This is the first year in awhile where the winner is somewhat of mystery. 127 Hours is a phenomenal movie—every time I think about it I like to more and more. In a weaker year, I think it would have blown the competition out of the water. And Inception, well it is still my favorite movie of the year, but I get that the oldies in the Academy didn't quite understand it, though I judge them. It's really a two-horse race this year. The Social Network won most of the critics’ awards this season; The King's Speech most of the guild awards. The guilds have a lot of overlap with Academy voters so most seem to think that gives The King's Speech the edge. I'm not as sure. I feel like come voting time, people may think they've awarded The King's Speech enough. They will vote for The Social Network, a film that truly speaks for this year and this time. The film that was derided when it was announced and immediately praised on its release. Do I have that much faith in the Academy to reward the actual Best Picture? Eh, probably not.
Should Win: The Social NetworkWill Win: The King's Speech

Best DirectorDarren Aronofsky, Black SwanJoel and Ethan Coen, True GritDavid Fincher, The Social NetworkTom Hooper, The King's SpeechDavid O. Russell, The Fighter
Here is where I think The Social Network will be rewarded. The Coens just won, Tom Hooper managed to get amazing performances out of his actors, a job well done, but those actors could have done just as well under another director. I think the only one besides David Fincher who would really deserve it is Darren Aronofsky and I think Black Swan may be a little too weird for some Academy members. Plus, Fincher has been nominated before so some will consider this his "time." Fincher for the win.
Will Win: David Fincher
Should Win: David Fincher

Best Actor
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King's Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours
Jeff Bridges, True Grit

Now this is a race that was over early. Colin Firth, my pick for should win last year will get his will win this year. I'm OK with that. I did love him and was very impressed with his performance in The King's Speech. But it didn't blow me away like Eisenberg, or even more so, Franco. Those were roles they disappeared into. I noticed it even more this weekend when on Friday I watched Zombieland and then Sunday rewatched The Social Network. Zombieland is what people mean when they say Eisenberg plays the same character over and over. I love that character and am completely fine with seeing him play it. He does something completely different in The Social Network. His normally emotive eyes are dead—so smug with the knowledge that even though friends and enemies may have sued him, he's already won. Then there is James Franco. He does something else. He carries the entire movie completely by himself. Not only does he make it entertaining, as much as such a terrible situation can be made entertaining, but also he elicited such a strong reaction from me. One I wasn't expecting and can say with confidence I had never experienced in a movie theater. He won't win but damn does he deserve to.

Will Win: Colin Firth
Should Win: (tie) James Franco or Jesse Eisenberg

Best Actress
Annette Bening, The Kids are All Right
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Now here I agree with the general consensus. No disrespect to the other ladies. Michelle, I adore you. I enjoyed your movie. You made me cry. Haven't seen Rabbit Hole, but Nicole, you've had your turn. Jennifer, your movie really upset me, and not in a good way. Annette, I know everyone says it is your time but you really can't hold a candle this year. I have long been a fan of Natalie Portman. She is one of my ultimate girl crushes. I went and saw Black Swan alone and I remember just sitting and being in awe and looking at those around me thinking, "are you guys seeing this too?" The moment she won the Oscar is the second she steps on stage as the black swan. It's like the first half of the movie didn't happen. She transforms in front of you and it is nothing short of incredible.

Will Win: Natalie Portman
Should Win: Natalie Portman

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Fighter
John Hawkes, Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech

Christian Bale is the only thing that elevated The Fighter from your standard boxing movie to something else. It's still not one of my favorite movies this year and that's not a knock against it by any means. There are just movies I enjoyed way more. I just felt like, overall, I'd seen it before—except Christian Bale. How can Batman turn himself so completely into someone else? He does it and makes it look so effortless. Note: I do love Geoffrey Rush!

Will Win: Christian Bale
Should Win: Christian Bale

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

This is a category I find myself not that excited about. Not quite sure why because all these ladies deserve to be here. I think I just really wanted Mila Kunis in the mix. My vote would go to Hailee Steinfeld and it just might happen. She holds her own against all those boys. Melissa Leo has been the front-runner, with good reason. But she just kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth. In fact, I think this is where I'll pick the upset. There's always one and True Grit isn't going to win many of its nominated 10 Oscars. I say go Hailee!

Will Win: Hailee Steinfeld
Should Win: Hailee Steinfeld

Best Animated Film
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Toy Story 3

This needs no explanation. Toy Story 3 deserves to be Best Picture period, so this award is a gimmie at this point.

Will Win: Toy Story 3
Should Win: Toy Story 3

Best Adapted Screenplay
127 HoursThe Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

This is a tough one. The Social Network will win but I'm struggling with should it? Creating drama out of a situation that mostly took place in front of a computer is a feat to be sure. The dialogue crackles so much it feels like you can't even take it all in at once. OK, it should. But I have to tip my hat to 127 Hours again and Toy Story 3. Both completely worthy.

Will Win: The Social Network
Should Win: The Social Network

Original Screenplay
Another Year
The FighterInception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech

Now in my opinion Original Screenplay should go to the most original screenplay. If that was the case there would be no debate because Inception would win. But the dumb old Academy is going to give it to The King's Speech. It's a good movie but come on! It's a British drama. They've won before. It doesn't reek of originality. You screwed Christopher Nolan out of a director's nomination—AGAIN! This is where he should win. But he won't. Because the Academy is old and can't pay attention and understand movies more complicated than ones where a major part of the action requires a cup of tea. But here is where I hope I'm wrong.

Will Win: The King's Speech
Should Win: Inception

Art Direction
Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Inception
The King's Speech
True Grit

Will Win: Inception
Should Win: Inception

Best Cinematography
Black Swan
Inception
The King's Speech
The Social Network
True Grit

Will Win: The Social Network
Should Win: Inception

Achievement in Costume Design
Alice in Wonderland
I Am Love
The King's Speech
The Tempest
True Grit

Will Win: Alice in Wonderland
Should Win: Alice in Wonderland

Makeup
Barney's Version
The Way Back
The Wolfman

Will Win: The Wolfman

Editing
Black Swan
The Fighter
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network

Will Win: The Social Network
Should Win: Black Swan

Best Original Score
How to Train Your Dragon
Inception
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network

Will Win: The Social Network
Should Win: (tie) The Social Network & Inception

Sound Editing
Inception
Toy Story 3
TRON: Legacy
True Grit
Unstoppable

Will Win: Inception

Sound Mixing
Inception
The King's Speech Salt
The Social NetworkTrue Grit

Will Win: Inception

Visual Effects
Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Hereafter
Inception
Iron Man 2

Will Win: Inception
Should Win: Inception (next year Harry!)

Best of the Decade Challenge

My friend Mike challenged me to give him my best movies of all time list. This seems an impossible task to me. So he said he'd settle for a best of the decade list. This was still difficult but I narrowed it down to my 30 favorite films of the past 10 years, 2000-2009. I put them alphabetically because it's just too time consuming to try and rank them. The list still feels incomplete at 30 but hopefully your Netflix queues will thank me. Or you can judge me—that's equally as fun.

Almost Famous
Amélie
The Aviator
Before Sunset
Brokeback Mountain
Capote
Closer
The Dark Knight
The Departed

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Finding Nemo
Garden State
Good Night and Good Luck
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Inglourious Basterds
Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 (I'm counting as one movie)
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (I'm counting as one movie)
Lost in Translation
Match Point
Memento
Minority Report
Moulin Rouge!
Munich
The Royal Tenenbaums
Snatch
Slumdog Millionaire
There Will Be Blood
Wet Hot American Summer
Zodiac
500 Days of Summer

2010 Movie Rundown

This is my last post about 2010, which comes almost a month into 2011, but I wanted to share my movie rundown for this year like the last two years. Same categories. Somehow I saw 39 movies this year, as opposed to 41 last year. I need to step up my game clearly. But I am confident that I will have seen all 10 nominees for Best Picture when they are announced next week, after I watch Winter's Bone. So here we go...

Perfection
Inception
The Social Network
Toy Story 3

Excellent
127 Hours
Black Swan
Blue Valentine
Easy A
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World
The King’s Speech

Solid
Cyrus
Cemetery Junction (Netflix)
Despicable Me
Hot Tub Time Machine
How to Train Your Dragon (Netflix)
I Love You Phillip Morris
The Fighter
The Kids are Alright
The Town
True Grit
Waking Sleeping Beauty

Decent
Get Him to the Greek
Shutter Island
The Runaways

Dumb but enjoyable
Due Date
Eat Pray Love
Going the Distance
The Other Guys
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps

Eh
Iron Man 2

Bad
Alice in Wonderland
Death at a Funeral
The Tourist

Shame on me
Burlesque
Frozen (Netflix)
Remember Me (Netflix)
Sex and the City 2
The Wolfman

Wanted to see but didn't be they good or bad
Catfish
Client 9
Hereafter
Howl
I’m Still Here
Love and Other Drugs
Megamind
Never Let Me Go
Nowhere Boy
Please Give
Rabbit Hole
Salt
Somewhere
The American
The Romantics
Rabbit Hole
The Tempest
Waiting for Superman
Winter’s Bone-Watching this weekend. Once I have I'll put it in its rightful place.

Best of 2010: Films

I've struggled with ranking a few of these. I even toyed with the idea of not ranking this year but decided that was a cop out. If everyone else can, so can I. So I give you my ranked list, as much as the ranking part kills me this year. Same rules as last year:

1. The feeling I left the theater with.
2. The film's watchability—would I want to watch it again and again?

Top 10 movies of 2010

Inception
I think Inception got the top spot in this list because of No. 1 there—the feeling I left the theater with. I remember feeling like I had to scoop myself out of the seat and re-enter a world that was different from the one I'd started watching the movie in. Dramatic? Yes. But when was the last time you saw a movie that completely and utterly blew you away? Not just with special effects, that's easy, but with an idea executed so beautifully and that was actually saying something, all the while being incredibly entertaining. After watching this movie I just wanted to shout, "see this is what happens when Hollywood gives money to actual talent!" Debate all you want about if the top stops spinning at the end. The point is, it doesn't matter and Cobb doesn't care. He is where he wants to be. I guess I can relate to that part. In dreams we can be with the people we love. And when in them, it doesn't matter that they aren't real. Kind of like movies.

The Social Network
Here's another one that had my mind reeling after leaving the theater, but for very different reasons. Five powerhouse performances make love to whip smart writing. The actors just destroy the script. I've heard people say Jesse Eisneberg and Michael Cera suffer from the same one-note, one-character sickness. I can't disagree more with that assessment of Eisenberg's performance as Zuckerburg. You can't even compare that deadeye defiant stare he wears throughout this movie with the mawkish, sweet guy he plays in Adventureland. There are also larger issues at work with all the praise the film has garnered. This is a movie completely of our time. Not just society's time as a whole but of my own. Zuckerberg is my age. There are scenes in the movie that show how Facebook spread from college to college. I vividly remember when Facebook hit KU. How it felt to start using it and the obsession it started for so many. It's so rare to see a film that feels so of its moment when you hear Justin . . . er Sean Parker plead with Mark during that scene at the club, "This is OUR time," you know he's talking to our section of the audience. And he is right.

Black Swan
I feel like Black Swan kind of sneaked up on me. I had read very little about it, which is becoming increasingly rare for me. The trailer really did its job this time and, somehow, I ended up excited to go on opening night. After it was over, this was a film that was hard to shake. Natalie Portman absolutely transforms on screen. During the finale, when she finally embodies the Black Swan, you feel like you are watching a completely different person. Despite its moments of cringe-worthy violence, the film is achingly beautiful and not just because of the dances, the costumes or the actors because as bat-shit crazy as it can be, you can still identify with that feeling of wanting to be perfect at any cost.

Toy Story 3
I declare a blanket ban on any more entertainment writers/bloggers being surprised that animation can actually be an effective medium for adults. I have seen Toy Story 3 at least three times and I cried each time. There is something so moving about it, especially the end of the movie. Throughout the film our beloved toys are struggling with their place in the world. Should they accept their time is over and retreat? Should they hope for something more? Who hasn't felt that way? The real piece de resistance is after the toys have made their way back to Andy's, ready to accept their destiny in the attic, they are saved by the boy who they thought had forgotten them. If you can watch that scene when Andy passes his toys on to the next generation without welling up, you are dead inside. It just illustrates so well how growing up is about letting go, and how bittersweet that can be.

127 Hours
I love when movies produce unexpected reactions. I expected to be horrified by the much-discussed arm amputation scene. Would I close my eyes? Would I pass out? Would anyone around me get sick? But when I think back at the movie now, having seen it, it's not the gruesome maybe 15-20 minutes of that moment that I focus on. It's the feeling that washed over me when it was over. But first, let's rewind—the film is a fantastic exercise in the term one-man show. James Franco, as Aron Ralston (a real person who, while mountain climbing in Utah, became trapped when a boulder falls on his hand), holds the whole film on his very attractive shoulders. The drama unfolds as he slowly comes to the realization of what he must do to survive. We watch him wrestle with it, reject it and then come around to it and we as an audience struggle as well. We know what's going to happen but that doesn't make the decision any less fascinating to watch. When he finally musters the resolve, we do too and we watch, and urge the scene to move faster, for him to finally get free and when he does, an incredible feeling washed over me. A feeling that brought me instantly to tears like no other movie I saw this year, tears of pure joy, sadness and relief. Franco's acting has never been more beautiful than in that moment and you've never seen anything like it.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Those that have read this book know there is a section in the middle that is a slog. It makes sense why it is in there but it was frustrating for many readers. Our trio is increasingly isolated from everything they know, including each other, and the chapters that detail this massive road trip serve to showcase just how insurmountable their task is. When they announced they were splitting the book into two, there was relief because it meant we knew we were in for an incredible Part 2 because they'd have a whole movie to spend time on the Battle of Hogwarts. But we knew getting through Part 1 was going to be tough. How do you make this part of the book into a compelling movie? Moving the slow parts by as fast as possible and focusing on our characters, that's how. Has the relationship between these three ever been such a showpiece of these movies? Not until this film and it is completely better for it. These kids can finally act and the film lets them. It's a dark, bleak movie but one that is impossible to take your eyes off of.

The King’s Speech
I was of the opinion that Colin Firth was robbed last year. Yes, I did not see Crazy Heart but come on! I love The Dude as much as the next guy but Colin Firth gave the performance of his career in A Single Man. Until now. The King's Speech, on the surface, seems like a traditionalist in a year of movies that threw abandon to what makes traditional Oscar bait. That doesn't make it any less fantastic. Firth just melts into this character. The relationship between Bertie and his speech therapist is as dynamic as any other couple on screen this year. They meet. They find their rapport. They fight. They make up. It's so refreshing to see a film about male friendship that doesn't rest on child-male humor to get the point across. By the end when title cards tell you about how their friendship progressed as King George's reign, you've just witnessed something truly inspiring and original.

Blue Valentine
This is the movie I was waiting for before making my top 10 for this year. I knew from the moment I read about the casting that this would be something special. I don't think I realized just how awful that something special would make me feel. The "something special" is these two actors (Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling) and their performances. The movie itself examines the destruction of a marriage, pieced together by glimpses of their meet-cute and when reality settled in. I think some pieces are missing in their story but at the end it doesn't matter. It's like a boxing match between them as they tear each other apart. What they create is just so beautiful, so heart breaking and so unabashedly real.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Speaking of original, this one may take the cake for the year. It shares something with The Social Network for me, and it isn’t the “similarity” of the two leading men. Note: I’ll put Michael Cera in this movie up against any moment of Michael Cera in his other movies as an example that though he’s always awkward that doesn’t mean he’s not talented. It’s that those films were made with my generation in mind. When you see the film, its not surprising that some critics felt it was too spastic, unfocused and erratic. I loved every minute of it. I think most people my age did. It just felt like it was made just for us. So when it didn’t do well, we could feel superior in that those stuffy critics and older movie watchers just didn’t “get it.” But fine, it’s not for everyone, and we’ll take it for our own.

Easy A
I struggled with picking the final addition here. I had The Fighter in this spot but I decided what I like about The Fighter wasn't strong enough to push Easy A off this list. The movie itself is pretty standard sports/boxing movie stuff with some drug abuse thrown in. I chose to go with Easy A because, while based on The Scarlet Letter, it is still one of the most original films that was released this year. As I said in a previous post, when I saw the trailer for this, it felt like a breath of fresh air, and the film followed through on that promise. Yes, Emma Stone is the reason this is not your average "teen" comedy. In lesser mortals' hands, say a Hayden Panettiere, the film wouldn't be nearly as fun, funny or even interesting. Although an incredible supporting cast of Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson, Thomas Hayden Church, Lisa Kudrow and Penn Badgley buoys her, Stone owns the movie and you can't take your eyes off her.

Wish I was doing this . . .

Best of 2010: Trailers

I love a good movie trailer. They are a significant source for where I find new music. and considering when I can't muster the energy to blog, an amazing trailer seems to suffice. Now what makes a great trailer? Music plays a large role. I also have personal feelings about the use of an announcer, which from my choices, you can guess is not positive. So for 2010 we had some great ones. Some of these have been posted/shared elsewhere. Do yourself a favor and watch them all again.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Clearly this was the most anticipated film for me this year. So any trailer would have made me even more excited for the film. Then they released this beauty, which covers both Part 1 and 2 and I was blown away. The scenes they chose to show were serious ones. The trailer is bookended by Harry/Voldemort encounters: One expected and one that, while not in the book, looks amazing. In the middle we have a hauntingly beautiful score and title cards that speak the truth and tug on heartstrings of those of us who have lived with this franchise for a decade. By the time that bolt of lightening hits the bottom of the P in Potter my jaw was dropped, my heart was bursting and the days to November 19 and July 15 couldn't go by fast enough.

The Social Network

Remember when you heard that they were making a movie about Facebook? I think the country did a collective eye roll. Then you heard that it was going to be written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Fincher, which made me a little more intrigued but still dismissive. Then the world saw this trailer. The marriage of the creepiest version of "Creep" ever with images of people clearly creeping on people's Facebook pages could have been a great teaser on its own. Then the song continues to play over Jesse Eisenberg's incredible dead-eyed asshole performance. I love the end of the trailer when the quick succession of clips flick by and the music swells. This is a case of a trailer completely changing my perspective of a movie and guaranteeing that I would be there on opening day.

Blue Valentine

Another thing I love about trailers are how they can do so much with so little. This trailer uses the audio of one scene to frame the rest of the trailer. Obviously, if you have a scene of Ryan Gosling serenading Michelle Williams, it will clearly work in your favor to put it in the trailer and allow it to seduce the rest of us. Even though the serenade is adorable, the song itself is heartbreaking and sets us up that this is not a happy movie.

Inception

Now here is a movie that is a hard sell to begin with. How many of you even "got" what it was about from the trailer? The best part is that it doesn't matter. It still completely sucks you in. It shows you all the iconic scenes of the movie but in no way explains anything about them. Why is JGL floating through the air? Why is that city folding on itself? We know nothing?! The most memorable part of this trailer is the foghorn sounds that make it seem like a bad-ass clock is ticking down to something. Ticking down to blowing your MIND.

Black Swan

Speaking of what the hell is going on, how about when Miss. Portman pulls a black feather out of her back? I had heard little about this movie before seeing the trailer, which is rare for me. So I was really blown away by what I saw. It also doesn't give too much away, as I figured that the movie was going to be about her sleeping with her director. Wrong. I also remember being shocked, but happy, that Mila Kunis was in such a serious movie. Lots of crazy shit going on, but it all looks amazing. Sold.

True Grit

Three things make this trailer awesome. 1. Johnny Cash's version of "God's Gonna Cut You Down," which I can not for the life of me find to download (so if you have, give it to me please). 2. Matt Damon's line about Jeff Bridges eye (shows there's some classic Cohen humor in there). 3. Enough of an echo of No Country for Old Men mixed with enough new awesomeness by The Dude means a movie ticket will be purchased.

The Adjustment Bureau

We have a meet cute. We have title cards spouting off lines about free will and fate. We have great music. We have Roger Sterling in a fedora. Later we have Matt Damon in a fedora. It's all good. Very good. I love the shot of them walking into an empty Yankee stadium. Very chilling. I am sad this got postponed until the spring but this trailer suffices for now.

Easy A

This one probably has more to do with my girl crush on Emma Stone, but I watched this trailer at least five times before seeing the movie. You could just tell that it was going to be better than your average teen movie. Perhaps it was the Gaga. Perhaps it was because respectable adult actors kept showing up (Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson, Lisa Kudrow). It is probably mostly just due to the fact that it is a great movie and this trailer just showed it off. Plus anytime you can just Emma Stone talking to a camera and it doesn't make you hate her, you've got something good going on.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

The beauty of this lays in the fake out. The beginning makes it seem as though it's another Michael Cera romance where he's awkward and pines. That is true . . . to a point and then POW! It becomes something else entirely. Killer moves. Killer music. Killer casting. The trailer did it's job and made me certain this movie was going to be amazing.

Iron Man 2

And here is the one on the list where the trailer was better than the movie. RDJ's "Yes, dear response in the first clip plus the "You complete me" line remind you why he is the best part of these movies. I had so much hope after seeing this trailer. Mickey Rourke looking absolutely insane—from this it looked like he could have given a Heath Ledger/Joker caliber performance. Instead it turned out he was better in small doses, like in this trailer, than an entire movie where he is ridiculous instead of creepy. Then you have the fast successive clips, which I'm always a fan of, but in this case it just proves that this film was better in theory than in practice. But one mark of a good trailer is that in retrospect, it can still make you forget that the movie itself wasn't what you wanted it to be. The hope that it's going to be awesome survives in the trailer.

Happy

December 25 – Photo – a present to yourself Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and [...]

I had a couple photos that would work for this but I chose this one because

1. I'm incredibly happy in it.
2. I'm eating ice cream
3. And yet look skinny

This photo was taken on my last night in Paris. I had spent the late afternoon reading by the Louvre but wanted to go back to the Eiffel Tower to watch the lights turn on. I was delighted to find the place packed with people, and it didn't even seem like it was all tourists. I watched a group of French young people, two of them parents to an adorable little girl who was playing with all their friends. Everyone around was having fun, drinking wine and just enjoying the warm summer night. To prove I was actually there, I asked a group of girls to take my picture. I'm sure they thought I was crazy when I made that face, but it is my signature move in photos.

But back to item one. I am very happy in the photo. I was proud of myself for going to Paris alone. Proud that I didn't let being lonely ruin my good time. Proud that I could sit there and remember that I took photos in that very spot with my parents a few years earlier with happiness instead of complete sadness. Proud that I made that trip to London happen period.

Also here is a video of the magic moment. (I can't figure out how to flip it)

Traveling man

Note: Some of the prompts are incredibly lame, hence the delay. Hard to get excited to write about. So therefore I will only write the ones that interest me.

December 22 – Travel. How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year?

How did I travel? Well by subway, ferry, airplane, train, and Zipcar. What a weird question to ask. instead I'll catalog all the places I've been this year for posterity.

MenuDirections conference
March 20-23: Miami, Fla.
The annual national conference for my magazine brought me to Miami for the second time. Though I didn't get the chance to leave the hotel at all so I enjoyed none of the city's delights except during our annual Dine Around, where the entire conference enjoys a progressive dinner at three Miami restaurants. I was so busy I didn't even get to enjoy any pool time.

Visit to University of New Hampshire
March 31-April 1st: Durham, N.H.
I got a tour from my favorite foodservice director in a little electric buggy around campus. He even had a free basket of wine, cheese and snacks put in my hotel room. I was also there on the day they had a huge special event featuring Mary Ann Esposito, TV chef on PBS, who gave me a free cookbook and lots of delicious food. Driving back from this trip I had the fun experience of having to pull over for not one, not two, but three conference calls. It was then that I got the news that our company had been purchased. These calls caused my phone to die and in panic mode to find a place to charge it for the final conference call, I pulled over in Greenwich, Conn. into an office park, sneaked in and charged my phone. Thinking I had enough juice, I went outside but quickly the phone started dying again. Instead of risking discovery, I found an outlet on the outside of the building, behind some bushes. So there I sat, hidden behind bushes, plugging my phone in as I listened to my company's big news. People who worked there must have thought I was insane.

Visit to University of Massachusetts
April 22-23: Amherst, Mass.
This trip I was treated to the huge Taste of UMass event , which included a Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest where I saw a young man vomit. This trip also marked my rental car's collision with a Porsche, which thankfully has never amounted to any money. Though I still live in fear of receiving the bill for this mistake THAT WAS NOT MY FAULT.

Casey's wedding
May 12-17: Chicago, Ill.
I've written about this trip several times but it was so lovely I must recap. We had a great bachelorette party with karaoke and the Great Will of China, heard about the boys' bachelor party at Medieval Times/an arcade where Phill got knighted. The Kritikos', the Cardons, Cichelli and myself shared a lovely meal in Wicker Park where Ted critiqued Jared's order of duck, I tried a scallop for the first time and Corinne made us milkshakes afterward. We watched Casey and Phill graduate in a beautiful church, where we found out Casey had won a ton of awards that she told no one about. We gathered for a fun-filled rehearsal dinner where we had the longest conversation about zucchinis that anyone has ever had. The next day we watched Casey and Phill get married and showed everyone how to dance to "Don't Stop Me Now." Great trip.

Casey's reception
May 21-24: Kansas City
Another celebration of Casey and Phill's nuptials, this one joined in by many more friends that I knew...We shared a incredible night of karaoke, characterized by a brilliant rendition of "I Swear." The weekend was capped off with the Sigmon's and Kritikos' joining the Ramsey's (and for a time, Dan and Kim) for a viewing of the finale of "Lost" and beef Stroganoff.

Zach and Vanessa's wedding
May 28-31: Washington, D.C.
I begged to be invited to this and good man that he is, Gavin obliged and invited me as his date. A lovely dinner was followed by an epic night of boozing, complete with shots, hot hamburger tales, makeouts (by some) and a visit from a dear friend, and current D.C. resident, Jessica. The next day Alison, Kim and I took in the Air and Space museum, which we tore apart with our humor. The wedding itself was small and lovely. Very unique and touching, even though I didn't know the bride and groom as well as some. The night that followed was filled with Lady Gaga getting the party started and we didn't stop dancing for five hours. Fantastic.

Visit Corinne/FARE conference
June 25-30: Chicago, Ill.
A work trip gave me a chance to visit Corinne and Ted for Corinne's birthday. We had a great day on the beach, which afforded my first dip in a Great Lake. We went out for drinks to celebrate Corinne's birth with some of her fantastic friends. Then I retreated to Oakbrook for a conference where I had to moderate a panel, which was also a first for me. I was so nervous, especially when I looked in the crowd and saw my publisher and the CEO for our new company. I made it through but swore never to do it again.

NACUFS conference
July 7-10: San Jose, Calif.
Another work trip, this time to the West coast for the conference for college and university foodservice directors. The trip did afford me the opportunity to travel to Monterrey to see Miss Jennifer Ghrode and the lovely Katy. They showed me around their town, the aquarium and took me to a wonderful breakfast in Carmel.

Trip to visit Jeff
July 28-Aug. 8: London, UK and Paris, France.
This I've covered so I won't gush anymore. I spent too much money to go see Jeff and go to Paris for three days. Worth every penny.

Trip for Autumn/Gold's birthday
September 10-12: Atlantic City, N.J.
This was an epic impromptu trip. After a night of watching AFV monkey clips and several beers, we decided to book a hotel in A.C. for the weekend after our last Mets game of the season. Somehow we got the brilliant idea for 10 of us to take a limo from the Mets game to our hotel in A.C. It was inspired idea that completely lived up to the hype we had created in our heads. After the sheer amount of booze during the trip down, the rest of the weekend was rather mild in recovery. But still very fun and hilarious. I also won $80 on a slot machine so well done me.

Grandma's 90th birthday
September 22-27: Kansas City
Speaking of epic, to celebrate my Grandma's epic life, we had a huge party with all my cousins. Had the chance to spend some good times with them at the famous Double Nickel karaoke, where I destroyed Gangsta's Paradise.

Trip to University of Colorado, Colorado State University and Denver LTC
Sept. 27-29: Boulder, Colo., Fort Collins, Colo., Denver
I flew directly to Colorado after Grandma's birthday for visits to two colleges and a long-term care residence. I'd never been to Boulder and it was just as cool as you hear, though I would have liked more time to explore. The director at CSU did take me on a driving tour of Fort Collins and Rocky Mountain National Park, complete with a stop at the hotel featured in The Shining (the book, not the movie).

SFM Conference/Disney World
Oct. 4-10: Orlando, Fla.
Another work trip turned fun when Mom decided to join me and play while I was working. The conference was cool because we got to have a reception at the Disney Studios after hours and ride the rides as many times as we wanted. We also got a tour of behind-the-scenes areas of the parks and a dessert reception at EPCOT for the fireworks on the last night. After the conference ended, my sister joined us, and the three of us had four days at Disney/Universal. We went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where I downed delicious Butterbeer in no time.

That brings us to trips home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, which as always are great. I've done pretty well with travel this year. In the coming year I hope to travel more, I have wishes of going to Chicago, N.C. and Salt Lake to see dear friends. Trips home for Kim and Dan's wedding. A dream of a trip to Ireland. Stay tuned.

Pass #2

December 16 – Friendship. How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?

I am so incredibly lucky with the friends I have. They change my perspective on things almost daily. It's hard to pinpoint certain instances when they have have changed my perspective in sudden bursts but a few things this year come to mind. A lot of this is pretty personal so I'd prefer not to share this time. Apologies for the fake blog, but at least you know why I'm not answering.