Oscar Preview!

These are my Oscar Predictions. 

Best Original Screenplay:

Frozen River

Happy-Go-Lucky

In Bruges

Milk

WALL-E

Winner: Milk

Best Adapted Screenplay:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Doubt

Frost/Nixon

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

Winner: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Visual Effects:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Iron Man

Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Sound Mixing:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Slumdog Millionaire

WALL-E

Wanted

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire

Sound Editing:

The Dark Knight 

Iron Man

Slumdog Millionaire

WALL-E

Wanted

Winner: WALL-E

Best Short Film, Live Action:

Auf der Strecke (On The Line)

Manon on the Asphalt

New Boy

The Pig

Spielzeugland (Toyland)

Winner: Auf der Strecke

Best Short Film, Animated:

La Maison en Petits Cubes

Lavatory-Lovestory

Oktapodi

Presto

This Way Up

Winner: This Way Up

Best Makeup:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Winner: The Dark Knight

Best Original Score:

The Curious Case of Benjamin

Defiance

Milk

Slumdog Millionaire

WALL-E

Winner: WALL-E

Best Film Editing:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Frost/Nixon

Milk

Slumdog Millionaire

Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Documentary Short:

The Conscience of Nhem En

The Final Inch

Smile Pink!

The Witness-From the Balcony of Room 306

Winner: The Conscience of Nhem En

Best Costume Design

Australia

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Duches

Milk 

Revolutionary Road

Winner: Milk

Best Documentary Feature:

The Betrayal

Encounters at the End of the World

The Garden

Man on Wire

Trouble the Water

Winner: Man on Wire

Best Foreign Language:

The Baader Meinhof Complex

The Class

Departures

Revanche

Waltz With Bashir

Winner: The Baader Meinhof Complex

Best Original Song:

"Down to Earth" from WALL-E

"Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire

"O Saya" from Slumdog Millionaire

Winner: Jai Ho-Slumdog Millionaire

Best Art Direction:

Changeling

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

The Duchess

Revolutionary Road

Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Cinematography:

Changeling

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Animated Feature:

Bolt 

Kung Fu-Panda

WALL-E

Winner: WALL-E

Best Actress In A Supporting Role:

Amy Adams-"Doubt"

Penelope Cruz-"Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Viola Davis-"Doubt"

Taraji P. Henson-"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Marisa Tomei-"The Wrestler"

Winner: Marisa Tomei

Best Actor In A Supporting Role:

Josh Brolin-"Milk"

Robert Downey Jr.-"Tropic Thunder"

Philip Seymour Hoffman-"Doubt"

Heath Ledger-"The Dark Knight"

Michael Shannon-"Revolutionary Road"

Winner: Heath Ledger

Best Actress In A Lead Role:

Anne Hathaway-"Rachel Getting Married"

Angelina Jolie-"The Changeling"

Melissa Leo-"Frozen River"

Meryl Streep-"Doubt"

Kate Winslet-"The Reader"

Winner: Kate Winslet

Best Actor In A Lead Role:

Richard Jenkins-"The Visitor"

Frank Langella-"Frost/Nixon"

Sean Penn-"Milk"

Brad Pitt-"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Mickey Rourke-"The Wrestler"

Winner: Mickey Rourke

Best Directing:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

Milk

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Picture:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

Milk

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire

The Leaders of Tomorrow...

 I was watching television today and it turned out to be a horrifying experience. During the first commercial break, I saw what could be the most pathetic 30 seconds of television of all-time. It is bad enough we have things like the candle snuffer around. I want to know what the pitch was for the first candle snuffer was. "Don't you just hate to breathe hard on fire? We should invent something so that people don't exhaust themselves blowing fire out." As bad as the candle snuffer makes human beings look, it gets blown out of the water by Listerine's latest innovation, Agent Code Blue Mouthwash! It is mouthwash that turns your teeth blue (makes sense). You see what happens is it makes your teeth turn blue so you know where to brush and how long to brush for (until the blue is gone). I can't believe this. Your teeth are not hard to find. They are the white things that are inside your mouth between your lips and tongue. Here is the pitch off of Listerine's website:

LISTERINE® AGENT COOL BLUE® is a pre-brush tinting rinse. Used before brushing, it tints teeth blue so kids pay attention when cleaning their teeth; giving kids a sense of accomplishment that they are doing a good job and reinforcing the positive behavior.

• Tints teeth blue so children pay more attention to cleaning
• Makes brushing fun
• Helps your kids develop proper oral care habits
• Alcohol-free

Let's dissect this shall we. Tints the teeth blue so kids pay more attention to cleaning?? When the kid is brushing his or her respective teeth, I do not think they are gonna be running after squirrels or playing with Tonka Trucks. I have never bought the "Makes Brushing Fun!!!" argument. Even in my time. With the electronic tooth brush revolution. Brushing your teeth is not fun. It is something you do for 2 minutes a day. Suck it up. Helps your kids develop proper oral care habits? You see kids, by painting your teeth the same color as the ocean you will have white teeth for your whole life. Alcohol-Free? Well, I am pretty sure whoever came up with this brilliant idea was on more than just alcohol.

What this product tells me is that people think every child is inept. If they can't brush their teeth without painting their teeth blue, plaque is the least of your worries.

Blue font for Blue teeth paint!!!!

MJL

Dinner Tonight.

 Here at school we have on main dining hall and adjacent to that is a Mini-Mart sort of deal. I was not hungry today til about 7:45 and the main hall closes at 8 PM then turns into "The Late Night Bistro" where they sell chicken tenders and fries and such. I wasn't really feeling that so I hurried to Flik (the main hall) to get food. I walked in and saw it was pretty bare and decided to check the frozen foods at the mini market. I got some Mac 'n' Cheese. I went back into Flik because Mac 'n' Cheese would not be enough for me. So I got a california roll. As I went to the register to pay the clerk said "Go get another one." I complied. He said "Have a nice day, Flik Love." So now for dinner I am eating 16 California rolls and mac 'n' cheese. What a nice combination. Sophistication meets tv dinners.

MJL

Liveblogging My Laundry/Shower

Today I was done with classes at 12:15 PM. This gave me ample time to do all sorts of things, I could read Oedipus Rex, I could clean my room, I could get out of my pajamas, I could nap, or I could do my laundry. I opted for laundry. I will give you some background information on the relationship between me and my clothing. Since I was a kid, I did not really care what I wore as long as it was comfortable and did not have any New York Rangers or Boston Red Sox insignia on it. There was also another person in this relationship, my mom. You see my mom did my laundry up until early september of 2008. Pathetic? Yes. Am I complaining? No. 

3:03 PM- I have to wash sheets, t-shirts, socks, a pair of jeans, and boxers. I believe that mixing your whites and colors is not as bad as people say it is. Listen, we mix all kinds of whites and colors here in the world, and while the first couple hundred years didn't go so smoothly, we did work it out. Why can't laundry be any different?

3:05 PM- The two loads are separated and ready to go. 

3:07 PM- I walk down the hallway with my laundry in hand. I am excited. Some kid almost bumped into me and I dropped a sock. He turned the same corner as I did, but we were going in opposite directions. When we saw each other we both studder stepped in the same direction, twice. I don't know how that always happens. No matter where you are or who you are walking into, nobody ever goes in two opposite directions. It never goes smoothly, never.

3:11 PM- The clothes are in their respective washers. I made some last minute switches, (I had two red shirts in with the mostly whites). I hit spin. We are off. I am going to shower while these clothes get cleaned. Its like me and my clothes are getting clean together!

Sometime during the shower: I am one of the few people who walk to the shower in nothing but a towel toting my shower caddy along with me. Most people walk there in shorts and a t shirt. I don't know why. Anyways, I was in my usual walk to the shower garb when I saw two of my friends. I started to talk to them in the hallway. We chatted like high school girls for about 4 minutes or so. I had forgotten that I was still in only a towel but I was reminded quickly when two girls walked by me and said you should put some clothes on. I had no idea who this girl was and she didn't know me I don't think. But she made her point. 

3:28 PM- The noises that laundry machines make lead me to believe they are from hell.

3:31 PM- I am the only one in here still. Which is good, because I don't want somebody to walk in on me alone in the laundry room (which is about 4 by 12 feet) on my laptop. 

3:34 PM- Time to put the wash in the dryer. 

3:38 PM- There are two washers and two dryers on the first floor. Someone forgot about their clothes in the dryer. And they are not warm and the dryer has been off since I got in here, so I do not suspect he will be back soon. There are so many possibilities here. I don't condone theft but I am tempted. I think I will screw with him a little bit and put them in the washing machine again. 

3:42 PM- The transition went pretty smoothly.

3:48 PM- I have been wrestling with something in my mind for quite a while now. Do I want a ShamWow? I feel like I do for three reasons

1. You have to admit, it does look cool.
2. I hate the ShamWow guy so much that I feel like if I buy one he will stop advertising them to me and I won't have to see him again.
3. Its made by the Germans. And you KNOW they make good stuff.

3:54 PM- Some kid came in here asking if the dryers were being used. I said yes. That was that.

4:01 PM- I decided that I wanted to start a summer camp for kids with A.D.D and Tourettes today. They need the help right. I thought that these kids need to focus. They need to learn how to focus and sit still. So I thought, Michael's Concentration Camp will be a hit.

4:12 PM- I apologize for that.

4:19 PM- There are 11 single socks on the floor in here. 

4:24 PM- My music of choice during this session has been Billy Joel. 

4:29 PM- Another kid just walked in. He did not say anything. He peeked in and bounced. Gotta love communication.

4:34 PM- Ten minutes to go. What an adventure this has been.

4:40 PM- I am bringing this to an end.