Yay!
I feel good today(work was so boring yesturday, Public Policy training! What a cruel joke!), Me and my- sister-the-devil went to see Coraline in 3D last night, (So Cool! And I think too creepy for most kids, it's really a more grown up movie). I got to discover that I look good in plastic 3D glasses! Kind of Buddy Holly geek chic. Also another book store run: another Ugly Doll, pink 3-eyed Peaco, another Chuck Palahniuk, Rant, Gregory Maguire, Mirror Mirror, and Laura Weiss, Leftovers.
Finally,
Almost done Smoke and Mirrors, after stopping to read Marat/Sade (long Title: The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade ) a few days ago (Asassin Charlotte Corday's Description: young, with wavy reddish brown hair parted to the side, a low cut white dress and knee high pink boots, sounds like me!) but it's so amazing! sex, macrabre and social criticisms in a single volume, that is the stuff of champions. Also you know you're cool when you go see a movie based on a Neil Gaiman book for kids you read at age nine (was it nine? and what's with all the books I read years ago being turned into movies now? Coraline, Inkheart, Shopaholic, Twilight-and some more I just can't remember) with a Neil Gaiman book for adults in your giant bright yellow purse.
Also, as its me, and I had to keep up my insanity, I picked up a box of whimsical band-aids, containing: heart shaped, Jolly Rogers, bull's eyes, camoflage, flame (so everyone will think you're going fast?) and zebra print. Awesometastic!so my next klutz-related injury will be fun, at least.
So a visit to Chapters, seriously made me revisit my childhood with a display of reissued picture books as soon as you walked in the door: If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, Go Dog Go, Jillian Jiggs, Madeline, Cordoroy, Harold The Dirty Dog, Paddington, Frog and Toad, Poky The Little Puppy, The Very Hungry Caterpiller, and Eloise ('cause she like owned The Plaza!)!
And my favourite, the reissued- on- recycled- paper edition of my old pal , The Lorax! For some reason I was inordinatedly obsessed with this book. A Doctor Seuss opus about a furry little creature preaching about saving the evironment, that i loved for some weird reason. I want a copy! (Funny that Theodore Geisel {AKA Doctor Seuss} actually lived next door to a real Doctor Seuss! Their mail always got mixed up)
So........................
I know they're stupid and pretentious, mostly awarding films no one has really seen about dramatic deaths, accents, serial killers, and depression, and snubs the most popular films for being low brow or for mass appealing (hello Dark Knight!).
But Seriously, I love the Oscars!
I've taken to watching them each year, snarking at the dresses and hoping for some kind of casulty, like someone Tracey Flick-ing it, expecting to recieve the award and finding out they lost to some underdog, tripping over on the way to the stage, or just giving a good old fashioned reaction shot. And I must confess I am overly obsessed with confrontation and reactions.
This all may stem from my childhood, when I dreamed of being an actress (which I still kind of do, but reality has come crashing down on me) and could so clearly imagine myself in a long slinky, silky dress (always red and dramatic- with those who know me, red's kind of become my signature colour, maturing out of a childhood of pink, I guess), admired, beloved and dripping in jewels. Going for journalism as a career now, I still wonder about life on the other side and have entertained the idea of going to auditions, or making my name in reporting from the red carpet and then as a 'somebody' making my debut. I've also started writing screenplays, writing myself in each lead character.
When I was that little girl, prancing around in plastic jewels, my mom's heels and a hot pink (of course) feather boa with red lipstick all over my cheeks and teeth (actually come to think of it, the long lipsticked smile idea, now reminds me of the Joker, so maybe I was just ahead of my time?) I was never allowed to stay up to see the big winners, I'm still techincally not, but now I have a TV in my room and have pretty much given up listening to my parents. They're trying to teach me new behaviours the year I move out? No Thanks! I think I'm pretty much too old a dog to be taught new tricks
And this year, everybody's watching for Best Supporting Actor. Thoughts? We all pretty much know that the Late Heath Ledger is getting a posthumous win, but a lot of people I've spoken to seem to think this is all because of his death, just like people said about Jonathan Larson's death and the success of Rent. I don't agree (not about Rent either), his perfomance was chilling, and he didn't just play the character, he became him! Each time I watch it I'm shocked again at how good he was, and I feel sorry for being doubtful when the casting was first announced. He totally has that whole unhinged, shaky spastic quality that I so loved in Christian Slater's Jason Dean (just accidently typed Death not Dean), if you haven't seen Heathers, shame on you! Go watch it NOW! Murder, One liners and strip croquet! Awesome!
As for Ledger, In my mind there is no doubt that he deserves to win, but i have to wonder, if he hadn't died, would he have even been nominated? He probably would have been snubbed, just like TDK was from the rest of the major award categories. The Academy seems to turn up their noses on musicals and comic book movies, as of late no matter how well acted.
And in spite of what I said about him becoming the role, I do not support the idea that's float around now, with groups petitioning to retire the role of the Joker, so no one else can grace our screens with the Clown Prince of Crime again. NOOOOO! Well, I do agree that no one should try to take over his role in Nolanverse, I think that a role should always be open to new interpretations! Other wise there's no hope of bringing the incompriable Harley Quinn to life in an acceptable way, all past attempts aside (Madonna in Batman Triumvant? So glad that fell through. Birds Of Prey? That was not my Harley). I'd play her in a heartbeat, I sometimes think we're too much alike for my own good.
(on a side note: Why is it that every boy I strike up a conversation with starts esposing Marvel! Sorry, But I'm born and raised a DC girl. You don't grow up with a Batfan for a Dad and learn nothing! Said Batfan, just poked his head into my room and asked if I wanted to go watch his DVD of The Batman cartoon with him. No way. Even if I wasn't hyped up on Oscar Buzz, I'm boycotting their "Monkey" Joker. No. Just No. He's supposed to be all creepily charming and debonair! That's the cartoon mad man we all feel for, the one with Mark Hamill's voice. Wow. long bracket!)
I bet I just shocked you all with how much I know and care about all this. Sorry, but sometimes my geekiness overcomes me, I'll try to rein it in, but no promises.
Oh! And Heath Leder just won! Yes!
I'm going to make a honest attempt at blogging and snarking about the award show later, but we'll see. If I seriously fail or forget, you have my permission as Queen of the Supreme Republic of Xylophone (no countries begin with X, so I made up my own. I'm just that cool) to laugh at me .
-Catcher-Kins
