Miramax Oscar Ballot Challenge

Take the Miramax Oscar Ballot Challenge for a chance to win prizes.

From the site:

Here’s your chance to win a massive prize pack of Miramax Oscar®-winning films. Are you ready to take the challenge? Complete your ballot now!

GRAND PRIZE: 20 of Miramax’s Academy Award®-winning films
2nd PLACE: Miramax’s Best Picture, Actor and Actress winning films
3rd PLACE: Miramax’s Best Picture winning films

All entries must be submitted by 11:59pm Pacific Time on Saturday, February 23, 2013.

Before you start, review the official rules.

I haven't seen any of these movies in their entirety (although I did embed "Paperman" earlier this month, but have now noticed the video has been made  private), but I have seen some of the trailers and read "the buzz" on most.  So, my entry into the contest is riddled with (mostly) educated guesses and a few favorites.  Here are my picks:

Actor in a Supporting Role: Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Animated Feature: Frankenweenie
Original Song: 'Skyfall' - Skyfall
Original Screenplay: Zero Dark Thirty
Animated Short: Paperman
Documentary Short: Redemption
Live Action Short: Henry
Makeup: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Adapted Screenplay: Life of Pi
Supporting Actress: Sally Field, Lincoln
Production Design: Les Miserables
Costume Design: Lincoln
Sound Editing: Life of Pi
Sound Mixing: Life of Pi
Cinematography: Life of Pi
Original Score: Skyfall
Visual Effects: Life of Pi
Documentary Feature: How to Survive a Plague
Film Editing: Life of Pi
Foreign Film: Kon-Tiki
Actor in a Leading Role: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Actress in a Leading Role: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Director: Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Best Picture: Lincoln

After you fill out your choices, you'll get an email listing them.  I hope I don't get more spam because of it, but if I do...oh well.

Miramax Oscar Ballot Challenge

Procession - The Moody Blues

A homemade video of one of the most interesting songs that's ever been written. With only three words for the lyrics, "Procession" basically describes the history of music from the beginning of time up to the present.


Read more about "Procession" at Wikipedia

Fun Phone Fact

Did you know the first phone in the White House was installed  in 1879 during the Rutherford B. Hayes administration? (even before electricity in 1891) Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, gave Hayes personal instructions on how to use it. The number was "1" because at first it was only connected to the Treasury Dept.

I wonder how long it was until the President was interrupted during dinner by a telemarketer?

The Gourde

Did you know that the official currency of Haiti is known as gourde, named after the gourd? (botanically classified as a fruit) In the early 1800's the ruler of northern Haiti declared all gourds to be state property and had them rounded up and brought to the state treasury where they were then reissued as currency. Eventually banknotes and coins replaced the gourds, but gourde has remained the name of Haiti's official currency.

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I first discovered this fact when I read The Black Sun as a young man. My folks were big fans of the Mandingo series of books, as well as others written by Kyle Onstott and his partners. The books were really too adult for my age but I guess my parents thought it better for me to find out about sex that way instead of them having to uncomfortably explain it to me.

There were gourds growing in the pastures surrounding the house where I grew up; not sure what specific type of gourd they were, but they usually didn't grow much larger than a baseball and, in fact, throwing them was the most fun I had with them.  The vines and fruit smelled to high heaven when crushed, with an odor like day-old B.O.  After working hard all day during a hot summer, I often heard my dad say "I smell just like an ol' gourd vine." 

A Head's Up

Thought I'd better let everyone know a week in advance:

I won't be posting on this blog on Feb. 29th or the 30th.

It's a religious holiday for me.

Not Exactly a Comedy

But I'm watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets .... for probably the twentieth time. Not really "watching" it because I'm sitting at the computer but it's on behind me.

You Should Watch a Comedy

You are a fun loving person who is able to laugh at all aspects of life. Some may think you're light-hearted, but you're also able to be amusingly dark. You can see both the best and worst in people. More importantly, you understand how absurd life can be. You find a well written comedy to be intelligent and even insightful. Anyone can make a good movie, but only a genius can make a hilarious movie.

What Kind of Movie Should You Watch Tonight?

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I'd agree with the results. I DO understand how absurd life can be. Well, I understand how absurd MY life is.

I haven't watched a good movie in quite some time.  Oh, I've watched movies, but none of them have been too good.

Yeah, should watch a comedy.   The only comedy that's coming on is Beetlejuice and I watched it (again) not too terribly long ago and that will do me for that particular movie for about five more years.  It wasn't all that great the FIRST time I saw it.

Too bad I can't sit back and watch my love life.  It's laughably non-existent. -sigh-