Getting my calendar ready

20 days until I see ‘Precious’

Surprise you it may not, but it is raining today in London.
Considering we have had a pretty long spell of rather sunny warm weather, this is the first proper sign that winter is indeed upon us.
Aside from the few panics I have had of late, finding a cat sitter for when I go home over Christmas, it is a rather exciting time – winters come, and I forgot my mittens.

Firstly, we have said holiday which just brings out the very best in me. I love the holiday. Spending time with friends, cooking, baking, listening to Christmas songs (the B.F. is not a fan of the season……I am determined to make the Grinch’s heart break the heart measuring machine).


Then you have the fun and frolics of New Years.

However this is the season of the Oscar film. Suddenly the cinemas will be filled with high brow films for adults (as well as a few silly holiday family films) and we will all have a clearer picture of how the awards race will shape up (although here in the UK opening times are so f*cked up – sure BAFTA members get their screeners, but the public usually have to wait until February)
We also have the top ten lists for the year, and the various critic awards will announce, hopefully throwing in some names that were thought of down for the count to shake up the race.

Here are some dates to look forward to:

Dec. 1
• Gotham Awards
• Indie Spirit Award nominations announced
Dec. 3
• National Board of Review honorees announced
Dec. 1
• L.A. Film Critics voting
Dec. 14
• New York Film Critics Circle voting
Dec. 15
• Golden Globe nominations announced, 5:00 AM
Dec. 17
• SAG Award nominations announced
Jan. 3
• National Society of Film Critics
Jan. 5
• PGA Awards nominees announced; final polls open
Jan. 6
• NAACP Image Award nominations (date tentative)
Jan. 7
• DGA Awards feature film nominees announced; final ballots mailed
Jan. 11
• WGA awards screen nominees announced
Jan. 12
• National Board of Review gala
Jan. 15
• Critics Choice Awards
Jan. 17
• 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards
Jan. 23
• 16th Annual SAG Awards
Jan. 24
• Producers Guild Awards
Jan. 30
• 62nd Annual Directors Guild Awards
Feb. 2
• Academy Award nominations announced

This doesn’t even count in Boston Film Critics and Chicago who do also count (not as much as N.Y. and L.A. though)

More often then not most of the precursors will try and emulate what they think Oscar is going to do. In terms of the acting nominations, the Golden Globes and SAG’s are the best precursors for Oscar, although the naked golden man does like to do his own thing from time to time.
This is the thing, you can never accurately predict what is going on in the minds of the Academy at large.
It is a clique.
They have no problem voting for an outsider as a nominee, but do they really want them to be part of the winners circle?
I liken the Academy to a Fraternity or Sorority or a Soraternity. They make you jump through hoops before they feel you are ready.
Sometimes you can get in as a fluke (or a weak year) but this is a popularity contest and largely winning one has less to do with talent then it does with who they like, they really really like.

And yes, talk shows and campaigning goes a long way, but in the end it is up to each individual and who they want to see walk up that podium.

I am still holding out hope for Gabby Sidibe. I mean can you think of a more emotional moment?

Anywho, we have the various awards coming up, and they will give us a better idea of what is happening. For all the pre Oscar awards, which are your favourites?

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My Christmas Message

Well not mine, but stolen from my favourite Christmas story.

"Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
Maybe Christmas...
perhaps...
means a little bit more! "

May you all have the most wonderful holiday season!

All my love,

Michael

P.S. Posting will continue well after the festivities (like the 28th or something)

Seasonal Song

Just a few of my favourite Christmas songs to help spread the cheer!





From Left to Right:

Boney M – Mary’s Boy Child
Nat King Cole – Oh Holy Night
Ella Fitzgerald – Christmas Song
The Ronettes – Frosty The Snowman
Judy Garland – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Madonna – Santa Baby
Vanessa Williams – What Child is This.
Barenaked Ladies feat Sarah McLachlan - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings
The Muppets and John Denver – 12 Days of Christmas

How I feel today

Work Christmas Party Wednesday night and still feeling rough!

‘Tis the season

Well it is that time of year again and I am going to celebrate my favourite holiday by putting some of my most recent favourite tunes on my box!
These get me in the Christmas spirit so much that I sometimes even just around my tiny flat in glee screaming “IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!” (the bf can attest to this)

Here are my selections:

1) No a huge fan of either of these two artists, but the combination of Sarah Maclachlin and the Bare Naked Ladies doing “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” is magic.

2) Just the ULTIMATE Christmas song. Just honestly the best. Boney M – “Mary’s Boy Child/Oh My Lord”

3) Yes Eartha Kitt’s version if timeless and sexier, but there is just something so cute about Madonna’s cover of Santa Baby. It always gets played as I decorate my tree.

4) Nothing makes me laugh more than this version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. Not only does Miss Piggy get the best day, but the ninth day has had me and my friends wetting ourselves all season. Enjoy John Denver and the Muppets.



And he is a beautiful and talented Vanessa Williams with “What Child is This?” and it is not Christmas without Nat King Cole warming the cockles of your heart with a voice like treacle. This is my personal favourite of all his Crimbo songs – “Oh Holy Night”
as a bonus:

My state in this race.

So my feelings on the race so far are this.

I need to see more movies!!!! Still not seen “Into the Wild”, “There Will Be Blood”, “No Country For Old Men”, “The Assassination of Jessie James”, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”, “Juno”, “I’m Not There”, and well basically everything getting all the buzz.

I was so excited about the Oscar race, but when the precursors started getting announced I began to get very very bored. It has just been a No Country for Old Men, Daniel Day Lewis, Julie Christie, Amy Ryan and Javier Barden orgy and that makes for a very very boring race.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

And then SAG comes along and pisses me off.

Perhaps next year I will just mainly concentrate of film and performances and not get so caught up in the prediction thing…..I mean nothing is set in stone, there are no rules and every year I am disappointed, I am already disappointed and it hasn’t even begun.

Guess I will just have to enjoy the Christmas season with good friends and lots-a-food-and-wine and not worry so much that “Atonement” is slipping.

Back to blogging very soon!

Oh my God I am so stuffed. Mince pies, turkey, chicken, cassava pie, roast plain and sweet potatoes, roast parsnips, carrot and swede mash, gravey, cookies, brandy butter, brandy, champagne, wine, baileys, chocolates, stuffing, stollen, smoked salmon, salad, cakes, ginger bread, ginger bread men and spiced nuts. I am gonna need to butter myself to get through the door. Every year it com, and every year I am never prepared for the amount of food I will force myself to ingest. I mean I was eating when over stuffed, just because it was there! It was all worth it, and it was one of the best Christmas days I have had in a long time. You should have seen Jeremy's face when he got his light saber!!!! So worth it!! Here is a selection of the amazing gifts me and mine got this year!
A fantastic musical DVD
Jeremy is a geek
Red iPod Nano helping AIDS relief in Africa
The best gift I could have ever received
I book I will finally now read
A brilliant DVD which accompanies 'The best gift I could have ever received' nicely
Something to be creative with
My Toni
And finally my childhood obsession

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE!!

Well, it is that time of year again, only for the first time in 31 years I will not be at my family home, or be in Bermuda (my place of birth). So such traditions as a family Xmas eve dinner, gathering around the TV with Mark and Pheona and the family to watch ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ (animated version thank you!) and frantically trying to finish off the baking will not be happening today. Instead Jeremy and I plan to clean the apartment, do some last minute baking using the Williams Sanoma cookie press I was given years ago, go for a nice walk and a drink down the pub, and come home to a warm stew and watch A Christmas Story…….and maybe I will read him The Grinch…with voices and everything!!!
So to all my family and friends who may have a look at my blog tonight. Have a wonderful Christmas eve and may you not be woken by footsteps on your roof.

A little break from the Oscar posts for about eh....10 minutes.

Ahh back home from work, today we had secret Santa and I have come home with a lovely bottle of plonk. Tis the gift that keeps on giving. Thanks Cath!! (boss extraordinaire) will suck this one down tonight.
To celebrate excess and Christmas....here is the Queen.