It was another Oscar night

It really was a very very long night. After going to the movies for a year, we have the final showdown at the Oscars.
Like most of the movie awards, nowadays this kind of ceremonies are more related to marketing, audiences and money, of course. No ones makes me watch the Oscars, but I enjoy the "suspense" to see who is going to win and the unexpected reactions and bloopers. When there's a live show, anything can happen! eheh

The "suspense" isn't present anymore because most of the awards have a sure winner. And we can have two types of sure winners: those who win because the competitors are still young actors, and those who win because they should have already won some years ago. The later are called "rewards" instead of awards! eheheh

The big winner was Slumdog Millionaire and I agree with its Oscars. Technically, the music, the cinematography, the sound and the editing played an important role in the movie. The "big" awards like screenplay, director and best movie were the highlights of the night.

They should end with the "Animated Feature Film" category, because the Oscar always go to Pixar movies! :-P "Wall-E" is a different animated film (almost no dialog) and has an ecologic message and... well, it's Pixar! eheh

One surprise for me was the Oscar for Heath Ledger for the supporting role in The Dark Night. I really like his role as the Joker, but it wasn't a role for an Oscar. But, as he didn't win for "Brokeback Mountain" in 2005, the Academy decided to honor him with a posthumous award.

I lost my bet for the makeup award. If you watched "Hellboy II - The Golden Army" you know what I mean. Come on, "Hellboy" was a makeup feast for the eyes!

It was a long night and thanks to my usual "light" snacks (eheh) I managed to stay awake until the end! eheh

Slumdog Millionaire

Who Wants to be an Oscar Champion? This could be the name for tonight's 81st Oscar ceremony.
After watching "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", I had "Slumdog Millionaire" left on my Oscar-to-do-list! eheheh

If Button was original by its story, Slumdog is definitely a lot better. Yes, I'm another one who will be cheering for Dany Boyle's movie.
With a low budget, totally filmed in India and with an unknown cast, the british director Dany Boyle really deserves the Oscar for best director and best movie. No, no, I don't get paid for this kind of publicity! eheh

The story rounds around Jamal Malik, a teenager who borns in the slums of Mumbai, India, and becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?". "So, what's new?" you may ask. Well, let's just say he knows the answers to the game's questions... because they are part of his life.
From his childwood playing with his brother, the encounters with local gangs, to the love of his life, Latika, each question reflects a stage of his troubled life.

The cinematography is great. Dany Boyle really masters it. If you know his other movies, totally different from each other, like "Trainspotting", "28 Days Later" or "Sunshine", you will pleased with "Slumdog Millionaire". Yes, he also directed "The Beach", but it's more for teenage girls! eheh

Just for curiosity, the young actress who plays the role of Latika, named Freida Pinto is a long descendant from Portuguese.

Go watch this movie because is really good. There are many movies which get a buzz without really worthing it, but Slumdog is one of those good exceptions. Not like "The Dark Knight" which I still believe it got too much buzz and it has some flaws... but Heath "The Joker" Leader is fantastic.

And the Oscar will go to... ;-)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

This movie could also be named "The very very long story of Benjamin Button". What a ride! eheheh
The race for the Oscars has started, so it's time for me to my movies up to date.

The story of the man who borns old and die young. It sounds weird but it's exactly like that. The movie stars a Brad Pitt different from what we are used to see.
With a little help from makeup and special effects, Brad Pitt sees his life going backwards, from his early days with an aged body and a child's mind, to his final days has a... baby.

I must agree the story is original and very well directed. David Fincher directs Brad Pitt once again, after "The Fighting Club", and the formula works again.
The first two hours are fun, where we see the typical adult character behaving like a kid and being innocent. Yes, this reminded me other movies like "Forrest Gump" or the very old one "Big".
But then we have the last hour of the movie, where the fun changes to a very slow pace drama.

The special effects are convincing, and you believe that there really exists an old, very short Brad Pitt who uses an wheelchair or walks with canes.
But for me the better effects go to Cate Blanchett and the young prima ballerina! I thought I was watching a very young Cate Blanchett dancing like a pro! While the old Pitt didn't move a lot or quickly, the young Blanchett was jumping and flipping around! Bravo!

This movie has the most Oscar nominations for this year's edition: 13! Does it deserve them? For the technical categories, yes... and for best adapted screenplay too. But I don't believe Pitt will win the Oscar for Best Actor.

Awards on the side, if you plan to watch this movie don't choose a late night session (yes, I suppose you will go to a movie theater! eheh)

Let's see if 13 will be a good or bad number to Benjamin Button...

Yatai!

I did it! Yes, this is the meaning for yatai. So, what do you do when you a foreigner in France? Well, you take the opportunity to learn a new language... like, japanese! :-P

Last year I decided to re-start my japanese lessons... because you never now when you'll find a lost japanese tourist around Paris! eheh
The first quarter has ended and I passed the final exam. Well, it was a basic japanese test but it's a start! :-P
I will continue with the lessons, of course... until I become a japanese jedi master! eheheh

Some of you already know my deep passion for Japan and its culture, food and the wonderful people.
It's not that difficult japanese language once you understand the basics. The grammar is easier than french, spanish or italian, and you don't have several ways to pronounce a syllable like in chinese! :-P

On the other hand they can complicate stuff. The way you count persons, animals, long and small objects is totally different. If you have 5 kids, 5 cats, 5 pens and 5 cars... well, you will have a headache! eheh

Although it isn't a personal resolution for this year, I will add the japanese certificate (later this year) to my "to-do" list for 2009! eheh

So, next time you go to Japan and you need help to walk around there... you can invite me. For sure I won't refuse! ;-)

The Day France Stood Still

Yes, this would be a great great movie title! Plus, the casting would be so big that would beat any Hollywood super-production!

"What the hell is he talking about?" you might ask. Well there's a national strike in France. At first you might consider that's normal, everyone has the right to strike, to fight for their rights.
But here, striking is a national sport because any reason is a good reason to stop working! :)

Today is a jeudi noir (french for "black Thursday"), which means almost everything will be closed, stopped or very very delayed. Some cities are more impacted than others, like Paris, where many people take their day off in the absence of public transportation.
Cars? Well, some people drive their way to the city, while others don't dare to face the traffic caos!

To make things even more interesting... I have a plane to catch tonight! Without trains and buses it will be difficult to reach the airport. And then I'll pray not to have my flight cancelled! eheh

Besides transportation, you have all other services on strike too: postal services, hospital, schools, radio, TV, airports... even people who works on ski resorts (during the ski season, of course!). No matter what kind of service, you name it and for sure they're on too! eheheh

Happy New Ox!

Each year the tradition is the same: every time the western world changes the year's number, the eastern world changes the year's animal. It's like a yin-yang relation between both worlds.

I love the eastern culture, their people, their natural landscapes... and of course, the food! But today I'm not here to talk about food (really? Am I sick? eheh) but to wish you another happy new year. In this case, a happy new chinese year, the year of the Ox.

That's a unique animal name because I believe it's the only one with two letters (in english, of course).
So what does this mean? Are we going to have a short year? It can't be, because accordingly to the Mayan calendar the end of the world will be in 2012! eheheh
It could also mean short of money, now that the so-called "world crisis" became popular!
I know: maybe my tax bill will be shorter this year! I hope so, because I don't wish to get anything else short! :-P

Naaaa... I prefer to believe that this will be an unique year: short on problems and full of energy!
Like the chinese running man on the picture here! eheh

I have just to say... Ox you all! ;-)

Australia

One resolution I have this year is to update more this small internet garden! eheh And that means movies must be a high priority... followed by gastronomy and travel! eheh

I have to try to write smaller posts, because that's the main reason which I don't update that much. Everytime I think about posting it's like "Hmmm... I'll do it later because now I don't have to write as I would like"! eheheh
So let's get started...

By now you already know which movie I'll be talking about: Australia. It was not the last movie I've seen, but the last one I've enjoyed.
It's a 2h30m adventure in the australian outback, but it doesn't look like it. I enjoyed the film, with nice acting from Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackmand and Will Smith's... son! eheh

Regarding the director, the australian Baz Luhrmann, I was expecting more, a personal touch, like he did for the romance genre with "Romeo + Juliet" and for the musical genre with "Moulin Rouge". Still, I enjoyed the cinematography and the story.
Yes, it's a war drama with a touch of romance, but don't worry... it's not another "Pearl Harbor"!

Go see it if you can, I recommend it.

So here is my first movie "review" for this year! eheh
Let's see if I'll go forward with the other 2009 resolutions! eheheh I'll keep you posted! ;-)