Always Anna

I stayed up way past my bedtime last night - for some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to see The Dark Knight at midnight.

I was right.  The movie is amazing: a perfect blend of awesome action scenes, complex characters, and a dark, depressing storyline. The returning actors were all perfect, Maggie Gyllenhaal is a million times better than Katie Holmes was in Batman Begins, Aaron Eckhart was great as Harvey Dent, and - last but definitely not least - Heath Ledger’s final performance as the Joker was nothing short of brilliant. 

The movie was beautiful and disturbing and fun. Go see it!

This week has sucked for me.  I’m all stressed out between work, trying to move, and the whole Brett situation in Green Bay.

But, finally, I have some good news. 

Bret Michaels will be back for a 3rd season of Rock of Love!  And it sounds like the most amazing idea ever! AND I just found out yesterday that Project Runway is premiering tonight! 

Hooray for reality TV saving my week!

People are often surprised to learn that I like country music - I guess my love of rock, rap, and pop throws them off.  But I love country music, actually.  Not all of it - but the kick @ss music, about partying and drinking and being strong?  LOVE IT.

I’ve been listening to Boston’s Country Music station online today, and realized one of the things I love most about country music is the continuity.  I get to hear today’s popular songs AND hits from the early ’90s, when I first started listening to country.  They’ll throw in some Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn and - let’s not forget - Dolly Parton to mix it up even more.  It’s great!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to wail along with Reba McEntire’s “Why Haven’t I Heard From You?” now.

It’s only the end of June and it’s already been an incredibly busy summer.  But I took some time on Saturday night to go see Pearl Jam play at the Comcast Center.

The BF is a huge Pearl Jam fan - he loves them so much that I think he might leave me for Eddie Vedder (you know, if Eddie asked him to).  I’ve always liked Pearl Jam - I mean, they’re obviously very talented and passionate about music, so what’s not to like? - but I’ve never really loved them before.  I’ve never craved their music (the way I do with my faves), and I didn’t really get it when some of my girl friends professed their undying love for Eddie. 

But I get it now.

I don’t know what it is about Saturday’s performance that deepened my interest in Pearl Jam, but something about it was just amazing - loud and electric and full of energy.  And Eddie was… ummm… well, hot.  I think I’m going to have to put together a Pearl Jam playlist for my iPod now.  And we’ll see if this new-found interest grows into a true music love.

Could it be true?  Could Project Runway really be in jeopardy of getting cancelled as a result of a lawsuit about the move from Bravo to Lifetime?  Please, tell me it’s not true!

Personally, I don’t care if the show is on Lifetime instead of Bravo after this next season.  I already watch Golden Girls reruns on Lifetime (LOVE THEM!), and I like that Lifetime turns great books like The Memory Keeper’s Daughter and Plain Truth into TV movies.  And I loved it when they turned four Nora Roberts books into movies last year! 

I guess I’ll have to pay extra close attention to season five when it airs in July… just in case it’s the last one.

Yesterday: I bounced and squealed my way around the office because Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway were filming a scene from Bride Wars right around the corner from my office.  Their trailers were RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY OFFICE BUILDING.  Obviously, I stalked the movie set until I saw them.  Kate is freaking GORGEOUS.  I didn’t get quite as good a view of Anne - I just saw the side of her face and back - but she looked amazing too. 

I’m loving that so many movies are filming so close to my office - it makes it easy to go see famous people!

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Today: I read on Jezebel (my favorite gossip site because it provides more substantial content than most, has great writing, and is committed to reducing girl-on-girl crime) that, when you look up the word “weaker” on Thesaurus.com, the two main entries that you get are “lady” and “female.”

I looked it up and it’s true.  Sigh.  I just contacted the site to complain.  You should too.

Update: I just read through the comments on Jezebel and looked into thesaurus.com’s crappy synonyms some more.  Want to be disgusted and horrified and PISSED OFF?   Check out the definition of man.  Now check out the definition of woman.

I am SEETHING.

Freaking out.  Freaking out.  Freaking out. 

Okay, it’s not quite that heart-attack-inducing, but I am totally excited and smiley about the fact that New Kids on the Block are reuniting!  And being on the Today Show on Friday!  AHHHHHHHH!

I’m still not over the fact that my mom wouldn’t let me go see NKOTB when I loved and stalked them in grade school - my Tiger Beat and BOP-postered walls, NKOTB scrapbooks, numerous concert and cartoon series videos, comic books, buttons, pillow cases, and sleeping bags were no replacement for seeing them live.  

But if they’re reuniting, surely they’ll be having some kind of concert in Boston, their hometown, right? 

AHHHHHHHHHH!

Thanks to my friend Karen for letting me know!!!!

As you know, I made a ridiculous effort to see every movie nominated for the Big Six Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture.  And I’m sure you’ll be shocked and thrilled to learn that I managed to see all but 3 of the films!*

As I settled in for 6 hours of Oscar watching (including E’s red carpet special, obviously), I was really excited to see who would end up winning.  And I have to admit that I thought I’d predict at least some of the winners.  I mean, I saw almost every movie!  I really thought about each category!  And surely I’m not so far out of touch that I couldn’t predict at least half of them, right?

Well, it turns out that that the Academy did not agree with ANY of the films/actors that I thought should win.  NOT ONE. 

First off, I really don’t understand why the Academy equates good acting by a male with portraying totally over-the-top crazy.  What other explanation is there for the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor awards?  Yes, Javier Bardem was good in No Country for Old Men.  And I did really like that movie.  But how on earth did Tom Wilkinson not win Best Supporting Actor for Michael Clayton?  He was completely brilliant in his role!  And way more believable and harder to play (I think) than a blank-eyed killer.  And Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will be Blood?  Well, I admit that I’m biased, since I didn’t really like the movie .  But I still don’t understand why crazed screaming and convulsing and crazy-eyes is considered better acting than a complex combination of pain and strength - like George Clooney showed to perfection in Michael Clayton.  Apparently the Academy does not like subtlety.

Moving on to the actresses.  I thought that all of the actresses did a phenomenal job.  But two stood out well above the other nominees, which is why I was shocked that Cate Blanchett didn’t win Best Supporting Actress for her role in I’m Not There and Julie Christie didn’t win Best Actress for Away from Her.  I don’t really have anything bad to say about the two winners, but… well, I just don’t agree.

As for Best Director… well, I can’t lie.  I don’t really understand how to judge this, so I’m okay with the Coen Brothers winning for No Country for Old Men.  But I was hoping that Michael Clayton would win.  No reason, just hoping.

I sat on my couch, heart racing, as Denzel came out to announce Best Picture.  I bounced in my seat slightly, thinking “Please say Atonement.  Please say Atonement!  Please say Atonement!!!!!” over and over in my head.  First off, I was pretty pissed off and surprised that neither Keira Knightley nor James McAvoy received nominations for their acting in this movie.  They were both so wonderful, in that way that makes you unable to imagine anyone else in the world playing their roles.  They totally inhabited their characters!  And the movie was gorgeous.  So when Denzel announced that No Country for Old Men won ANOTHER award - the biggest award - I was shocked.  And a little appalled.  Again, I liked the movie.  But… I mean… Atonement was just better!  And, when it comes down to it, so was Michael Clayton!

I just don’t get it.  Really.  Don’t.  Understand.

* I didn’t make it to the theater to see Charlie Wilson’s War (Philip Seymour Hoffman nominated for Best Supporting Actor), In the Valley of Elah (Tommy Lee Jones nominated for Best Actor) was rented out at the two rental places I looked, and Into the Wild (Hal Holbrook nominated for Best Supporting Actor) isn’t out on rental until March.

I am having a heart attack. 

Matthew McConaughey - you know, from my lovers list? - is allegedly filming a scene for a movie ONE BLOCK FROM MY OFFICE. 

I have to go stalk him now.  Excuse me.

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UPDATE:  I SAW HIM!  HE WAS LESS THAN 10 FEET AWAY FROM ME!!!!!!   AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Okay, breathe.

My boss and I walked over to watch some of the filming - we ducked into a building entrance directly across the street from where they filmed about 10 takes of Matthew walking out of a building, pausing to talk on his cell phone, then climbing into the car and continuing to talk.  He was so CUTE - wearing jeans, a leather jacket (brown, I think), and red scarf.  He seemed really tan - a little too tan, actually, but maybe that was just makeup? - and was SO HOT.  Just as hot in real life as he is in pictures and movies.  Yum.

When they wrapped filming that scene, Matthew threw on a big black ski coat (it was FREEZING) and stopped to talk to some crew guys.  So, my boss and I did what any self-respecting crazed fans would do - we pretended to be extras and just walked into the middle of the street where a bunch of other extras and crew were milling around.  We ended up standing about 20 feet away from him, just staring.  Photographers descended on him as he tried to leave the set and blocked us from trying to talk to him, but he was only about seven feet away from us as he climbed into the backseat of a car!

I almost threw myself in with him, but then I remembered that I wasn’t totally insane.  Oh, and that I love the BF.  But seeing Matthew McConaughey?  Basically made my life.  And reminded me - in a rather cruel fashion, actually - that I need to get my camera fixed so that I can take photos if something like this ever happens again.

It’s the week before the Oscars…  which means I’ll be running from movie theater to Blockbuster to home (to update my Netflix queue) trying to see all of the movies that have been nominated for the “Big Six”: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Picture, and Best Director.

I’ve done this every year for the past four years, and think it’s totally worth it.  Seeing the nominated work makes it much more fun for me to watch the Academy Awards.  And, of course, it allows me to scream obscenities at the TV when they pick the wrong winner. 

Since I’ve been lazy this past year about seeing movies, this will not be easy - I still have 10 movies to see before Sunday night.  And I have actual social plans on Thursday, so that night won’t include any screenings.

I hope my eyes don’t give out before Sunday night.