Every year I watch the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science Awards ceremony, also known as the Oscars. It does not matter who is hosting or which films is nominated. It doesn't even matter that I have serious doubts that the Academy Awards are an accurate gauge of what the best films released in any given year were. The fact is that it is a chance to see many of my favourite actors, to see clips from some of my favourite films released that year, and, of course, to see who wins.
Unfortunately I did not get to watch the Academy Awards last night. At approximately 6:00 PM last night a thunder storm rolled through mid-Missouri. It about 6:10 PM that our power went off. Our power stayed off until about 2:30 AM. In other words, I entirely missed the Oscars. It is for that reason I can offer no review of the ceremony as I usually do. I cannot comment on how good or how bad James Franco or Anne Hathaway were (although I will confess I am happy just to watch Anne Hathaway breath). I cannot comment on the acceptance speeches. I cannot comment on anything.
And given the fact that last year I saw fewer movies than I usually do, I cannot even comment that much on the various winners. For the category of Best Picture I was rooting for either True Grit or Inception. That having been said, I cannot criticise the fact that The King's Speech won, even though it seemed like the most conventional choice among the movies nominated. I have not yet seen The King's Speech, although I have heard very good things about it. For the same reason I cannot criticise the fact that Colin Firth took Best Actor over Jeff Bridges--I have not seen The King's Speech.
I will say that I am happy Toy Story 3 won Best Animated Feature (unlike the live action features, I kept better track of the animated films) and I am very happy that Randy Neuman won for Best Song (I was scared that song from Country Strong would win). I am also glad that Alice in Wonderland won Best Art Direction, although I cannot say I would have been disappointed if Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 had won. I am also happy that Inception won Best Cinematography.
In fact, the only award I have a real complaint about (and I think this is justifiable even if I have not seen all the nominees) is Best Film Editing. Oh, I am not going to begrudge The Social Network winning, given it does have great editing and I suspect that editing is better than the other nominees. What I am going to complain about is the fact that Inception was not even nominated. As great as the editing on The Social Network is, the editing on Inception is better.
Anyhow, I feel as if I have to apologise for this rather pathetic excuse for an Oscar post, but then it is what happens when the lights go out for the entire extent of the ceremony. With any luck, it will not happen again next year!
Monday, 28 February 2011
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Kim Kardashian at Elton John Oscar Party
Kim Kardashian was spotted at the 19th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation's Oscar in Los Angeles on Sunday February 27.
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Composer John Strauss Passes On
John Strauss, who composed the classic theme song to the sitcoms The Phil Silvers Show (AKA Sgt. Bilko) and Car 54, Where Are You?, passed at the age of 90 on 14 February 2011. The cause was complications from Parkinson's disease.
John Strauss was born in New York City on 28 April 1920. He took piano lessons as a child. During World War II he served in the United States Army in both France and North Africa. Following the war he studied music composition at Yale.
John Strauss would enter the television industry in a big way. He composed the theme song to the classic sitcom The Phil Silvers Show and also as its music supervisor. His songwriting partner, the multi-talented Nat Hiken, was the show's producer. Mr. Strauss would also work on Nat Hiken's next series, Car 54, Where Are You?, also serving as that show's music supervisor and the composer of its theme song. He would serve as sound editor on the films Blast of Silence (1961) and Take the Money and Run (1969). He also served as music supervisor on the latter film.
From the Sixties into the Naughts, John Strauss served as music editor, music supervisor, or composer on such films as Little Big Man (1970), Bananas (1971), Slaughterhouse Five (1972), Cops and Robbers (1973), Hair (1979), The Blues Brothers (1980), Ragtime (1981), Amadaeus (1984--on which he also served as conductor), Valmont (1989), Impromptu (1991), and When Danger Follows You Home (1997). On television he served as music editor on L.A. Law and on the mini-series Wild Palms.
Mr. Strauss also composed an opera, The Accused, with a libretto by Sheppard Kerman. Based around the Salem witch trials, it aired on the series Camera Three on CBS in 1961.
There can be no doubt of John Strauss's talent as a composer, music supervisor and conductor. Indeed, he won an Emmy for sound editing on the telefilm The Amazing Howard Hughes. It will perhaps be his status as the man who composed the themes for The Phil Silvers Show and Car 54, Where Are You? for which he will be best remembered. It is notable that, even though Car 54, Where Are You? only lasted two years, its theme songs (with lyrics by Nat Hiken) is remembered to this day. Not many composers can boast a song with such a life span, let alone a television theme. John Strauss can.
John Strauss was born in New York City on 28 April 1920. He took piano lessons as a child. During World War II he served in the United States Army in both France and North Africa. Following the war he studied music composition at Yale.
John Strauss would enter the television industry in a big way. He composed the theme song to the classic sitcom The Phil Silvers Show and also as its music supervisor. His songwriting partner, the multi-talented Nat Hiken, was the show's producer. Mr. Strauss would also work on Nat Hiken's next series, Car 54, Where Are You?, also serving as that show's music supervisor and the composer of its theme song. He would serve as sound editor on the films Blast of Silence (1961) and Take the Money and Run (1969). He also served as music supervisor on the latter film.
From the Sixties into the Naughts, John Strauss served as music editor, music supervisor, or composer on such films as Little Big Man (1970), Bananas (1971), Slaughterhouse Five (1972), Cops and Robbers (1973), Hair (1979), The Blues Brothers (1980), Ragtime (1981), Amadaeus (1984--on which he also served as conductor), Valmont (1989), Impromptu (1991), and When Danger Follows You Home (1997). On television he served as music editor on L.A. Law and on the mini-series Wild Palms.
Mr. Strauss also composed an opera, The Accused, with a libretto by Sheppard Kerman. Based around the Salem witch trials, it aired on the series Camera Three on CBS in 1961.
There can be no doubt of John Strauss's talent as a composer, music supervisor and conductor. Indeed, he won an Emmy for sound editing on the telefilm The Amazing Howard Hughes. It will perhaps be his status as the man who composed the themes for The Phil Silvers Show and Car 54, Where Are You? for which he will be best remembered. It is notable that, even though Car 54, Where Are You? only lasted two years, its theme songs (with lyrics by Nat Hiken) is remembered to this day. Not many composers can boast a song with such a life span, let alone a television theme. John Strauss can.
Friday, 25 February 2011
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Kim Kardashian Launches Her Fragrance at Macy Glendale Galleria
Kim Kardashian launches her Fragrance range "Kim Kardashian" at Macy's Glendale Galleria on February 22, 2011 California.
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
Kim Kardashian Pics
Kim Kardashian at Ciroc Vodka NBA All-Star Weekend Party.
Kim Kardashian Pics, kim kardashian dresses for sale, fabulous shoes by kim kardashian
Kim Kardashian Pics, kim kardashian dresses for sale, fabulous shoes by kim kardashian
The Late, Great Dwayne McDuffie
Comic book writer Dwayne McDuffe, who founded Milestone Media and with aritst John Paul Leon co-created Static, passed 21 February 2011, at the age of 49. The cause was complications from emergency heart surgery.
Dwayne McDuffie was born in Detroit, Michigan on 20 February, 1962. He attended the Roeper School, a school for gifted children there. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1983 and attended film school at the Tisch School for the Arts at New York University. Mr. McDuffie wrote under a pen name for stand up comedians and late night comedy shows, and also co-hosted a radio comedy show. He began his career in comic books in 1987 as a special projects editor at Marvel Comics. His first major work for the company was Damage Control, a mini-series about a company which cleans up the destruction left in the wake of superhero and supervillian battles. At Marvel he also worked on Spicer-Man, Iron Man, and Deathlok. In 1990 he left Marvel to become a freelance writer. He wrote various titles for DC, Marvel, Archie, and even Harvey Comics.
It was in 1992 that Dwayne McDuffie co-founded Milestone Media with Denys Cowan, Michael Davis and Derek T. Dingle. The company was entirely owned by African Americans and was intended to give minorities a greater presence in comic books. While published by DC Comics, Milestone was a separate company who retained the copyrights on its characters. Dwayne McDuffie had a hand in creating many of Milestone's major characters: Static, Icon, and Hardware, among others. The Milestone line of comic books would last only until 1997 due to poor sales.
In 20002 Dwayne McDuffie would enter the field of television animation as the Milestone comic book Static was developed into the animated series Static Shock. He served as the series' story editor and wrote several of its episodes. He would go onto write scripts for What's New Scooby Doo, Teen Titans, Justice League, and Ben 10. He served as a producer on Justice League and Ben 10. He also wrote the animated feature All-Star Superman. Mr. McDuffie later returned to comic books, writing Firestorm and Justice League at DC Comics and Fantastic Four at Marvel.
There can be no doubt that Dwayne McDuffie had a huge impact on the comic book industry. If minorities are now more visible in comic books than they were before the Nineties, it is largely because of him. While Milestone's comic book line ultimately failed financially, it was a success not only artistically, but in forcing the major companies of DC and Marvel to realise the need for more minority characters. Beyond giving minorities a greater presence in comic books, Mr. McDuffie was also, quite simply, one of the best comic book writers of the late 20th Century. He had an understanding of the importance of such legends as Batman and Superman, but at the same time was able to bring realism and originality. It was because of his understanding of the most important characters of the medium that he was able to create significant characters himself. Static's title may have only lasted a few years, but he remains one of the best remembered characters of the Nineties.
Dwayne McDuffie was born in Detroit, Michigan on 20 February, 1962. He attended the Roeper School, a school for gifted children there. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1983 and attended film school at the Tisch School for the Arts at New York University. Mr. McDuffie wrote under a pen name for stand up comedians and late night comedy shows, and also co-hosted a radio comedy show. He began his career in comic books in 1987 as a special projects editor at Marvel Comics. His first major work for the company was Damage Control, a mini-series about a company which cleans up the destruction left in the wake of superhero and supervillian battles. At Marvel he also worked on Spicer-Man, Iron Man, and Deathlok. In 1990 he left Marvel to become a freelance writer. He wrote various titles for DC, Marvel, Archie, and even Harvey Comics.
It was in 1992 that Dwayne McDuffie co-founded Milestone Media with Denys Cowan, Michael Davis and Derek T. Dingle. The company was entirely owned by African Americans and was intended to give minorities a greater presence in comic books. While published by DC Comics, Milestone was a separate company who retained the copyrights on its characters. Dwayne McDuffie had a hand in creating many of Milestone's major characters: Static, Icon, and Hardware, among others. The Milestone line of comic books would last only until 1997 due to poor sales.
In 20002 Dwayne McDuffie would enter the field of television animation as the Milestone comic book Static was developed into the animated series Static Shock. He served as the series' story editor and wrote several of its episodes. He would go onto write scripts for What's New Scooby Doo, Teen Titans, Justice League, and Ben 10. He served as a producer on Justice League and Ben 10. He also wrote the animated feature All-Star Superman. Mr. McDuffie later returned to comic books, writing Firestorm and Justice League at DC Comics and Fantastic Four at Marvel.
There can be no doubt that Dwayne McDuffie had a huge impact on the comic book industry. If minorities are now more visible in comic books than they were before the Nineties, it is largely because of him. While Milestone's comic book line ultimately failed financially, it was a success not only artistically, but in forcing the major companies of DC and Marvel to realise the need for more minority characters. Beyond giving minorities a greater presence in comic books, Mr. McDuffie was also, quite simply, one of the best comic book writers of the late 20th Century. He had an understanding of the importance of such legends as Batman and Superman, but at the same time was able to bring realism and originality. It was because of his understanding of the most important characters of the medium that he was able to create significant characters himself. Static's title may have only lasted a few years, but he remains one of the best remembered characters of the Nineties.
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
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