The College Experience

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:20:27 GMT

So I don't think anyone reads this. therefore, in a week, I'll be graduating from school (woohoo!) And livejournal. Adios muchachos! Have a great summer!

DEAR GOD!!!!

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 21:56:37 GMT

Please hear my plea!

Yours forever,
EMB

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:47:29 GMT

My name is Eli
I am awesome
because I am friends with Rebecca
and Rebecca is also awesome!
xoxox

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 21:33:04 GMT

I'm trying to stay positive and have faith. But I have this pain in the pit of my stomach that's just screaming 'rejection'.

But I can't let this get me down. I have to prosper. I will survive (Gloria Gaynor knows her shit). I just have to take life as it's thrown at me and I will find a way. IT'S ALL IN GOD'S HANDS.

A thought

Sat, 07 Apr 2007 14:38:54 GMT

I've decided to write an actual update instead of my random sentences. Only because my dad so rudely woke me up at 7 in the morning and I can't get back to sleep. I know, right? Well, I'll keep thoughts of my life short and sweet because I'm sure nobody cares. Here it goes.

Okay, so I don't know where next year leads. It makes me quite nervous because of this very difficult field I'm entering, but I have to strive to do the best I can. The only thing I know for certain is that I'm moving to LA this summer. Which is a step in the right direction I guess. Even if it's an uncertain direction. But everything that's meant to happen does, right?

Now the even more sad part. Graduating. I can't believe I only have ONE more month of UofA left. It's going to be oh-so-sad when I depart from a life I've become so comfortable with for the last 4 years. My experiences Freshman year, living in the dorm, being an RA, being involved in theatre, meeting and becoming friends with my amazing BFA class, the campus I've become so familiar with, everything has nearly come to an end. It's extremely bitter sweet because although I want to move on with my life, it's gonna be difficult to move away from something I'm so used to. I guess I just have to embrace the moment, cherish the past, and be grateful for everything I've been given.

Thu, 05 Apr 2007 15:37:30 GMT

What's AGE got to do with it?

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 06:12:27 GMT

So much to do, and so little time. Send me good thoughts.

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 05:56:23 GMT

The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love, and be loved in return.

brrr

Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:30:59 GMT

I don't like it when it rains! Well, not when I don't have an umbrella and have on SANDALS! I'm walking the mile to my car, and I attempt to cross the street/river which is filled with water. My sandal flies off and floats down the street. I had to run down the street barefoot chasing my shoe. I probably caught Triganosis.

I'm cold.

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 23:18:17 GMT

I'm turning over a new leaf. If you ever see me being judgemental, pinch me or something. I need to clean out my aura because I have so much negative energy. So from now on, only positive thoughts.

Also, I have to start doing things for me, and not for the approval of anyone else. I tend to get in the mindset that if I don't have the respect of others, then I'm not good enough. But I have to let that go and just be content of what I do.

Two goals.

P.S. Rachel, if you read this I want you to be my life coach.

Only so often....

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 22:52:12 GMT

I just saw 'Pan's Labyrinth'. My God! It was the most inventive, evocative, extraordinary, artistically divine film I have seen in a LONG time. The power that Guillermo Del Toro brought to the screen is beyond words. Every element about the film wasn't only entertaining, but subtly brought forth important issues while utilizing symbolism beautifully. The juxtaposition between the harsh reality of the Revolution and Ofelia's fairy-tale imagination collided to create a heartfelt story with heartbreaking results. The visual depth (make-up, art direction, cinematography) was well crafted and ultimately brought to life this "special universe" masked with the horrific realness of fascism. Bravo Guillermo. YOU, sir, are a filmmaker.

RELAX!

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:33:49 GMT

Spring Break! Wow, I've been waiting for this week my whole life. I'm relaxing all week and hanging out with friends. Yes, I have some work to do, but my parents are out of town so I have the house to myself. So this is good!

I finally have time to write a real entry. So since my little oscar-frenzy, a lot has actually happened. I finished Romeo and Juliet (thank GOD!). I was completely over it for the longest time, but now I am DONE! It looks good, and I got a bio in the program. Sounds stupid, but it was a goal of mine to have one by the time I graduated. It's short, but sweet.

Jim and I have heard back from film festivals. Yes, we've been rejected from Tribeca (which we expected), but on the bright side, we got into Sedona International, Peoria (where we got 3rd place), and AZ International. We've taken Arizona by storm. Sedona was fun, but tiring. Film festivals are great (watching movies, eating), but it takes a lot out of you. HOwever, we were able to attend the workshops, where I met some of the panelists and made some pretty great connections. I just emailed them to follow up. So I hope they still remember be when I move to LA in August. Plus, Rachel, Justin, and Rebecca were so much fun....and Jim I guess.

That's pretty much a recap of my life. I'm completely ready to graduate. Things are so irrelevant to me now. Don't get me wrong, I loved my undergraduate years. But there's only so much Tucson I can take.

This week's assignment - Pan's Labyrinth and Notes on a Scandal.

And my Predictions are..... (The Results)

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 23:16:26 GMT

What a GREAT night! I'm happy with all the wins (a little sad that Patricia Field lost the costume wint - but everything else was SO exciting! Surprises all over the place! I didn't do the greatest (15/24), but I did better than Entertainment Weekly (12/24). Anyways, I'm very happy!

(WITH THE OSCAR'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER, I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO PLACE MY PREDICTIONS TODAY. THIS IS ONE HELLUVA YEAR BUT WE'LL SEE HOW THINGS TURN OUT. IT WAS THE TIGHTEST RACE BETWEEN 'THE DEPARTED' AND 'LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE', BUT I'M PUTTING MY MONEY ON SCORCESE'S FILM.)

PICTURE:
The Departed (CORRECT!)

DIRECTOR:
Martin Scorcese (The Departed) (CORRECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

ACTOR:
Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) (CORRECT)

ACTRESS:
Helen Mirren (The Queen) (CORRECT)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) (CORRECT)

SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine) (CORRECT)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine) (CORRECT)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
William Monahan (The Departed) (CORRECT)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:
Pan’s Labyrinth (INCORRECT - The Lives of Others/Germany)

CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Children of Men (INCORRECT - Pan's Labyrinth)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
An Inconvenient Truth (CORRECT)

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT:
The Blood of Yingzhou District (CORRECT)

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM:
West Bank Story (GO UofA BFA Alum!) (CORRECT!!!)

FILM EDITING:
Babel (INCORRECT - The Departed)

MAKEUP:
Pan’s Labyrinth (CORRECT)

ART DIRECTION:
Pan’s Labyrinth (CORRECT)

SOUND MIXING:
Dreamgirls (CORRECT)

SOUND EDITING:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (INCORRECT - Letters from Iwo Jima)

VISUAL EFFECTS:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (CORRECT)

COSTUME DESIGN:
The Devil Wears Prada (Wishful thinking) (INCORRECT :( - Marie Antoinette)

ORIGINAL SCORE:
The Queen (INCORRECT - Babel)

ORIGINAL SONG:
“Listen” (Dreamgirls) (INCORRECT - MELISSA ETHRIDGE!!)

ANIMATED FEATURE:
Cars (INCORRECT - Happy Feet)

ANIMATED SHORT FILM:
The Little Match Girl (INCORRECT - The Danish Poet)

My Top 10

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 01:29:58 GMT

Okay, so I decided it was my turn to list MY favorite films of the year. This year was pretty decent in the world of films, but there definitely have been better years. Well, in any case here are my picks in no particular order.

Little Miss Sunshine: How can you not like America's most dysfunctional family...okay, maybe not the MOST dysfunctional, but this indie has a truly cohesive and talented comedic ensemble who elevate their material. And let's just be honest, it was hilarious.

The Departed: Scorsese returning to his favorite genre! I know some people did not like it, which I think is a downright shame, but I thought this incredible cast and nail biting story was aw-inspiring.

The Devil Wears Prada: "The details of your incompetence does not interest me". How I love love LOVED this film. Meryl Streep + Designer Fashion + an incredibly witty script with a bunch of hilarious quips = Great Film.

United 93: If you asked me a year ago, I would tell you I would NEVER watch this film. It was too soon. It was disrespectful. It was never going to work. And under normal circumstances, it probably would have panned out like that. But Paul Greengrass's amazing direction, and subtle portrayal of that day (with no big cast names - *cough* Oliver Stone *cough* Nicholas Cage). It was definitely a respectful success.

Babel: Apparently, you either LOVED this movie. Or you HATED it. Personally, I thought it was directed SO well and a story that can really never get tired. It deals with the similar issues that Crash did, and I think it did so WAY more successfully. Yes, it dealt with communication and how everyone in this world are essentially the same. But I think it dealt with much deeper issues. What throws us apart is the Universe we each put ourself in and our unwillingness to see from others’ perspectives. This is often a theme in sloppily-made films, and an attribute given to characters we are meant to think of as evil. But in Babel, all the characters are good, well-intentioned. Constantly, characters are ‘stuck’ in their self-interested perspective. If they could see the problem they are creating for others, there wouldn’t be all this anguish that is created and being passed on.

Akeelah and the Bee: The best family movie, by far! It truly was inspiring and a true pleasure. Plus, who couldn't love this diverse cast shedding the misperceptions often bestowed upon Minorities.

Children of Men: By George, Joe actually got it. This movie wasn't as appreciated by wide-scale audiences than I would hope. Alfonso Cuaron is so talented it's not even funny. The story, the cinematography, the acting...Flawless. And quite the political film disguised in a sci-fi shell.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan: Okay, the title alone deserves merit. Hilarious film.

Pan's Labyrinth: Simply amazing. I replaced 'Pursuite of Happyness' here, because this film was beyond words!

The Queen: This film was hovering. Yes, it was like a fancy, gorgeously made TV movie. But Helen Mirren's performance floored me, and it essentially tipped the film onto my list. The subtly, and use of symbolism to represent the Queen's inner-turmoil was beautiful. Well done Stephen Frears.

So Close but yet so far: Thank You For Smoking and Dreamgirls.

So that's my list. Can't wait for this year to really begin.....that's all.

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 22:26:14 GMT

One of the most relaxing things to do, for me atleast, is to sit on a bench outside and just watch people walk by. Everyone has such distinct characteristics which amaze me and a story that I'm oblivious of. I often like to make up stories for each person I see walking. For instance, today I saw this heavy-set young woman dressed entirely in black, wearing a plastic, crimson-colored jacket. I called her Justine. Her hair dyed black, with snake jewelry clasped to her wrist. She scooted passed me as she listened intently to her walkman (not iPod). I think she was listening to *NSYNC. To me, she grew up in a foreign State, like South Dakota, and was raised by her 72 year old grandma. Justine used to dress in high-water jeans and zip-up sweatshirts and shared a room with an older, slender sister who received most of the attention at her High School leaving her deep in the shadows. After getting accepted to UofA, she secretely changed everything about herself and started dressing in darker, more mysterious clothes (basically how she felt for the last 19 years) She has a boyfriend named Jasper and is studying Psychology. She's happy.

You see what I think about when I'm alone. You don't want to know what's going on in my mind. It's very cluttered. Sometimes, I pretend my sight is a viewfinder of a 35mm camera, and I create my own short film in my mind. Hey, don't make fun, the performances I get from the natural passerbys are flawless!

And the Oscar Nominations are.....

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 14:50:14 GMT

Actual Best motion picture of the year:
BABEL
THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
THE QUEEN

My Predictions for BEST PICTURE: (4/5)
- Babel
- The Departed
- Dreamgirls
- Little Miss Sunshine
- The Queen

(Okay, who would have thought! I knew 'Letters From Iwo Jima' had a chance, but 'Dreamgirls' seemed to be a forerunner for so long, I didn't think it'd be shut out. Honestly, these five films were probably most deserving - I didn't think 'Dreamgirls' was out-of-this-world amazing.)

Actual Achievement in Directing: (4/5)
BABEL - Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
THE DEPARTED - Martin Scorcese
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA - Clint Eastwood
THE QUEEN - Stephen Frears
UNITED 93 - Paul Greengrass

My Predictions for BEST DIRECTOR
- Bill Condon (Dreamgirls)
- Clint Eastwood (Letters from Iwo Jima)
- Stephen Frears (The Queen)
- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel)
- Martin Scorcese (The Departed)

(Again, didn't think Bill Condon was that deserving. I'm very happy here. United 93 was actually a great film with great performances. Although, I'm dissapointed 'Little Miss Sunshine' didn't score a nod here)

Actual Performance by an actor in a leading role:
Leonardo DiCaprio - BLOOD DIAMOND
Ryan Gosling - HALF NELSON
Peter O'Toole - VENUS
Will Smith - THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Forest Whitaker - THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

My predictions for BEST ACTOR (4/5)
- Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed)
- Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson)
- Peter O'Toole (Venus)
- Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness)
- Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland)

(Essentially, I got all of them right. HOWEVER, Leo got a nomination for Blood Diamond, which was slightly surprising, but go Leo! Right?)

Actual Performance by an actress in a leading role
Penélope Cruz - VOLVER
Judi Dench - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Helen Mirren - THE QUEEN
Meryl Streep - THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Kate Winslet - LITTLE CHILDREN

My Predictions for BEST ACTRESS: (5/5)
- Penelope Cruz (Volver)
- Judi Dench (Notes on a Scandal)
- Helen Mirren (The Queen)
- Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada)
- Kate Winslet (Little Children)

(Easiest call of them all)

Actual Performance by an actor in a supporting role:
Alan Arkin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jackie Earle Haley - LITTLE CHILDREN
Djimon Hounsou - BLOOD DIAMOND
Eddie Murphy - DREAMGIRLS
Mark Wahlberg - THE DEPARTED

My Predictions for BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: (3/5)
- Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine)
- Djimon Honsou (Blood Diamond)
- Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls)
- Jack Nicholson (The Departed)
- Michael Sheen (The Queen)

(Toughest call of the acting races and I F'd it up. Michael Sheen was a long shot, I probably shouldn't have put him. However, Jack Nicholson was completely snubbed! He was one of the best things about The Departed. Although very happy to see Marky Mark there.)

Actual Performance by an actress in a supporting role:
Adriana Barraza - BABEL
Cate Blanchett - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Abigail Breslin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jennifer Hudson - DREAMGIRLS
Rinko Kikuchi - BABEL

My Predictions for BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: (5/5)
- Adriana Barraza (Babel)
- Cate Blanchett (Notes on a Scandal)
- Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine)
- Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls)
- Rinko Kikuchi (Babel)

(Again, pretty easy to call - WHAT A LIST! Very excited)

Actual Original screenplay:
BABEL
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE QUEEN

My Predictions for BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: (3/5)
- Babel
- Little Miss Sunshine
- The Queen
- Stranger Than Fiction
- Volver

Actual Adapted screenplay:
BORAT CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED
LITTLE CHILDREN
NOTES ON A SCANDAL

My prediction for BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: (3/5)
- Children of Men
- The Departed
- The Devil Wears Prada
- Little Children
- Thank You For Smoking

Actual Best foreign language film of the year
AFTER THE WEDDING
DAYS OF GLORY (INDIGÈNES)
THE LIVES OF OTHERS
PAN'S LABYRINTH
WATER

My predictions for FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: (4/5)
- Indigenes (Algeria)
- Water (Candada)
- Das Leben Der Anderen (Germany)
- Pan's Labyrinth (Mexico)
- Volver (Spain)

Actual Best animated feature film of the year
CARS
HAPPY FEET
MONSTER HOUSE

My predictions for ANIMATED: (3/3)
- Cars
- Happy Feet
- Monster House

Actual Achievement in costume design:
CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA!!!!
DREAMGIRLS
MARIE ANTOINETTE
THE QUEEN

My Predictions for BEST COSTUMES: (4/5)
- Dreamgirls
- Marie Antoinette
- Curse of the Golden Flower
- The Painted Veil
- The Devil Wears Prada

(GO PATRICIA FIELD! One of the best nominations of the morning!)

Actual Achievement in cinematography
THE BLACK DAHLIA
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE ILLUSIONIST
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE PRESTIGE

My predictions for BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: (2/5)
- Dreamgirls
- Babel
- The Children of Men
- Apocalypto
- Pan's Labyrinth

(I don't wanna talk about it)

Actual Achievement in art direction
DREAMGIRLS
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
PAN'S LABYRINTH
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST
THE PRESTIGE

BEST ART DIRECTION: (2/5)
- Dreamgirls
- Marie Antoinette
- Letters from Iwo Jima
- Children of Men
- Pan's Labyrinth

(I also don't want to talk about it)

Actual Achievement in film editing
BABEL
BLOOD DIAMOND
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED
UNITED 93

My predictions for BEST EDITING: (3/5)
- The Departed
- Dreamgirls
- Babel
- The Queen
- United 93

Actual Achievement in visual effects:
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST
POSEIDON
SUPERMAN RETURNS

My predictions for BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: (2/3)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
- Superman Returns
- X3: The Last Stand

Actual Achievement in makeup
APOCALYPTO
CLICK
PAN'S LABYRINTH

My predictions for BEST MAKE-UP: (2/3)
- Pan's Labyrinth
- Apocalypto
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

(Click? Are you kidding me?)

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
BABEL
THE GOOD GERMAN
NOTES ON A SCANDAL
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE QUEEN

My predictions for BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (2/5)
- Babel
- Notes on a Scandal
- The DaVinci Code
- Apocalypto
- The Painted Veil

(Damn it! No 'Painted Veil'???? What is going on???)

Actual Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"I Need to Wake Up" - AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
"Listen" - DREAMGIRLS
"Love You I Do" - DREAMGIRLS
"Our Town" - CARS
"Patience" - DREAMGIRLS

My predictions for BEST ORIGINAL SONG (2/5)
- Dreamgirls
- Dreamgirls
- Happy Feet
- Bobby
- An Inconvient Truth

Actual Achievement in sound mixing
APOCALYPTO
BLOOD DIAMOND
DREAMGIRLS
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST

My predictions for BEST SOUND (2/5)
- The Departed
- Dreamgirls
- Flags of Our Father
- Letters from Iwo Jima
- Cars

Actual Achievement in sound editing
APOCALYPTO
BLOOD DIAMOND
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST

My predictions for BEST SOUND EFFECTS EDITING: (2/5)
- Flags of Our Father
- The Departed
- Superman Returns
- Pirattes of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
- Cars

Okay, so I didn't do too well. Let's hope I do better with the winners.

FINAL OSCAR PREDICTIONS

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 23:17:20 GMT

The Golden Globes were last night and let me just say.....what a night! Viva las Mexicans! Not only did Ugly Better win for best Comedy Series and America Ferrera for the same show, but Babel pulled off a very surprise win for Best Drama (very happy about this one). In other news, Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Helen Mirren, and 'Dreamgirls' all won (as predicted). Nice job Eddie Murphy - who I did not think woud win.

Now that that show is finished, I'm ready to submit my FINAL predictions with the Oscar Nominations (which will be revealed January 23rd.

BEST PICTURE:
- Babel
- The Departed
- Dreamgirls
- Little Miss Sunshine
- The Queen

BEST DIRECTOR
- Bill Condon (Dreamgirls)
- Clint Eastwood (Letters from Iwo Jima)
- Stephen Frears (The Queen)
- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel)
- Martin Scorcese (The Departed)

BEST ACTOR
- Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed)
- Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson)
- Peter O'Toole (Venus)
- Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness)
- Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland)

BEST ACTRESS
- Penelope Cruz (Volver)
- Judi Dench (Notes on a Scandal)
- Helen Mirren (The Queen)
- Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada)
- Kate Winslet (Little Children)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
- Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine)
- Djimon Honsou (Blood Diamond)
- Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls)
- Jack Nicholson (The Departed)
- Michael Sheen (The Queen)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- Adriana Barraza (Babel)
- Cate Blanchett (Notes on a Scandal)
- Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine)
- Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls)
- Rinko Kikuchi (Babel)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
- Babel
- Little Miss Sunshine
- The Queen
- Stranger Than Fiction
- Volver

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
- Children of Men
- The Departed
- The Devil Wears Prada
- Little Children
- Thank You For Smoking

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
- Indigenes (Algeria)
- Water (Candada)
- Das Leben Der Anderen (Germany)
- Pan's Labyrinth (Mexico)
- Volver (Spain)

ANIMATED
- Cars
- Happy Feet
- Monster House

BEST COSTUMES
- Dreamgirls
- Marie Antoinette
- Curse of the Golden Flower
- The Painted Veil
- The Devil Wears Prada

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
- Dreamgirls
- Babel
- The Children of Men
- Apocalypto
- Pan's Labyrinth

BEST ART DIRECTION
- Dreamgirls
- Marie Antoinette
- Letters from Iwo Jima
- Children of Men
- Pan's Labyrinth

BEST EDITING
- The Departed
- Dreamgirls
- Babel
- The Queen
- United 93

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
- Superman Returns
- X3: The Last Stand

BEST MAKE-UP
- Pan's Labyrinth
- Apocalypto
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
- Babel
- Notes on a Scandal
- The DaVinci Code
- Apocalypto
- The Painted Veil

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
- Dreamgirls
- Dreamgirls
- Happy Feet
- Bobby
- An Inconvient Truth

BEST SOUND
- The Departed
- Dreamgirls
- Flags of Our Father
- Letters from Iwo Jima
- Cars

BEST SOUND EFFECTS EDITING
- Flags of Our Father
- The Departed
- Superman Returns
- Pirattes of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
- Cars

The DGA nominees are....

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 18:47:26 GMT

The competition for the Directing nominations for the Oscars have blown WIDE open people! The DGA Nominees just came out today, and let me tell you, all signs are pointing YES for Martin Scorcese. Before I go further into it, let me tell you the nominees.....

Bill Condon (Dreamgirls)
Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine!)
Stephen Frears (The Queen)
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel)
Martin Scorcese (The Departed)

Let me explain why this is my dream nomiation list. Not only did each one of these Directors do an amazing job on all of these films, but Clint Eastwood didn't even make the cut. I.E. Mr. Double Golden Globe nominee. I love Clint, but let's be honest, he was the only thing standing in the way between Marty and his Oscar. Now, it's lookin' good for MS!

Bill Condon got the nomination, which everyone expected. Stephen Frears did too, which I'm very happy for. Alejandro, Thank GOD, got the nomination, which he totally deserves. But the Directing duo, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris got a completely deserving nomination for one of the best films of the year. Granted, Clint will probably get the nomination come Oscar time, but in the meantime, I can always dream, right?

Thu, 28 Dec 2006 07:06:23 GMT

I haven't really done much since being home from break. I'm liking the care-free atmosphere I'm in. But I'll be ready to go back next week because I can't sit in this house much longer. What have I been doing? Well, I've seen a few movies. I saw 'A Night at the Museum' with my sis and Noelle. It was a kid's movie, so I wasn't expecting much. But it was fun to see The Natural History Museum on the big screen. I love that museum. I also saw The Nativity Story with my family on Christmas. It was good. I wish it was done in Hebrew, but it was pretty decent. Then, the movie of the year, Dreamgirls. Okay, not the best of the year, but it's the one I was most anticipating. Lordy, some of those songs blew me out of my seat. Most importantly, Jennifer Hudson was amazing! I think she just may take that Oscar home. Her acting is great, but her voice is fantastic!

I also went shopping a few times. I went to Saks Fifth Avenue at Biltmore Fashion Square and got Valentino cologne. It smells delicious. And I'm going to my Grandma's tomorrow which is exciting. Then off to Tucson to say bye to Sarah. And back here for New Years. My last Christmas Break of undergrad is almost over which is oh-so-sad.

On another note, like 15 minutes ago, at about 11:30pm, I was sitting at my computer minding my own business. I turn to my window, and the extension chord that's leading outside to the Christmas lights begin to move. I think it's my dad, so check his room, but he's sleeping. So I go outside, naturally, and someone had stolen our Christmas projector from our front yard. How rude. It is blatantly near my window, where my light it obviously on. And some person, desperate, snags the light out of the yard and bolts away. Merry Christmas, right?

God, these people.

Okay, have a great New Years all!

...and the nominees are....

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 05:00:46 GMT

It's my favorite time of year. The time when I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. No, I am not talking about Christmas. I'm talking about Oscar season! The time of year when the stockings are filled with amazing films, and those critic awards are strewn underneath the manicured tree. Can't you just smell it? I'm sure nobody cares about these posts, but I post them for my own fun. I finally narrowed down what I think the nominations will be this year. I'll provide a brief description after each short list.

Best Picture
The Queen
The Departed
Letters from Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
Dreamgirls

This has been THE toughest year ever. Not because there are so many great films. But because there hasn't really been enough. However, after some debate, I chose the films that ultimately stood out (Granted, I had to look at precursor awards for some advice - I haven't yet seen 'Letters' and 'Dreamgirls'). Alas, I had to leave out 'Little Miss Sunshine' and 'Little Children' because it just wasn't a "Little" year; for the Academy anyway (but don't discount Little Miss Sunshine!). But I wouldn't be surprised if the 9/11 film 'United 93' snuck in there edging out one of the five. Critics have either loved Babel, or despised it. But one thing's for sure, every critic has LOVED 'Little Miss Sunshine'. Damnit! I LOVED 'Babel'!

+Edit: Saw Dreamgirls, loved it. Deserves to be in this category. ALSO, it pains me to admit this, but I'm trading out Babel for 'Little Miss Sunshine'. That little, indie flick has been unstoppable, and I think they Academy is gonna bite.

Best Director
-Martin Scorcese (The Departed)
-Clint Eastwood (Letters from Iwo Jima)
-Stephen Frears (The Queen)
-Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel)
-Bill Condon (Dreamgirls)

Dear Santa. Please finally give Martin Scorcese his fucking Oscar. If Eastwood, albeit a great Director, pulls another Oscar circa 2004 (winning for 'Million Dollar Baby' instead of Scorcese for 'The Aviator'), some rabid dog will be feasting on the Academy's danglers! In other words, Frears and Condon are locks. But it's my Alejandro who may be edged out by Paul Greengrass for 'United 93'. I thought the Direction in 'Babel' was spec-tacular. And I think Inarritu deserves a nod fo' sho!

+Edit: Although I think Condon still will get a nod, it wasn't amazing direction. In fact, I think the movie kinda directed itself. It was definitely no 'Chicago'/Rob Marshall where Marshall was oh-so-great!

Actor
-Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland)
-Peter O'Toole (Venus)
-Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed)
-Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness)
-Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson)

I remember it was three months ago, and a preview for 'The Last King of Scotland' appeared on the big screen. Immediately, I was blown away by Forest Whitaker and turned to my friend and told her, he will win an Oscar for that role. Low and behold.....he will. Not the surest best of the night because Peter O'Toole and Leo will give him a run for his money, but it's pretty close to definite. The fillers, respectively, are Big Willie himself (his best performance to date) and Mickey Mouse Club's Ryan Gosling.

Actress
-Helen Mirren (The Queen)
-Judi Dench (Notes from a Scandal)
-Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada)
-Penelope Cruz (Volver)
-Kate Winslet (Little Children)

HERE is the surest bet of the evening. Helen Mirren will win for 'The Queen' and deserves it. Finally, an older, talented woman taking home the Best Actress tropy! Yes, this should have happened 2 years ago when Imelda Staunton SHOULD have won for 'Vera Drake' over Hilary Swank's "been there, done that" performance in 'Million Dollar Baby'. But can't cry over spilled milk, right? In other old news, Judi Dench and Meryl Streep will both get deserving nominations. While Penelope and the ever so talented Kate Winslet may snag the last two spots (however, I'd keep an eye out for Maggie Gylenhaal. I hear after her brother's nomination last year, she's out for one herself for 'Sherrybaby')

Supporting Actor
-Michael Sheen (The Queen)
-Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond)
-Jack Nicholson (The Departed)
-Brad Pitt (Babel)
-Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls)

Could there BE more amazing Supporting Actor performances this year? I could not decide who would make the short list for the life of me. This will probably be the most messed up category of the bunch because Jack, Michael, and Eddie are the only sure locks. The rest are up for grabs. I wasn't really convinced of Brad Pitt's meaky performance in 'Babel' (although I loved the film). And Hounsou was great, but his performance in 'In America' was oh-so-much-better. The other men glaring for that spot are Mark Whalberg (The Departed), Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine), and Hollywoodland's Ben Affleck. (Coule this category BE more Hollywood?) The only Darkhorse of the bunch is Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children) who just may take one of these Movie Star's spots.

Supporting Actress
-Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls)
-Adriana Barraza (Babel)
-Rinko Kikuchi (Babel)
-Cate Blanchet (Notes on a Scandal)
-Abigal Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine)

This is, without a doubt, my favorite category of them all. This is seriously my dream nomination list right here because if any of these actress' win (Cate Blanchet notwithstanding - she already won for 'The Aviator'), I'd be a very happy person. I'm not convinced Abigal Breslin will get nominated because she hasn't had much precursor love. Her spot may be filled by Catherine O'Hara (For Your Consideration).....but it's an improv, Guest film which isn't really Oscar friendly. Although Rinko did amazing, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE Adriana (Babel) to take home the gold. Her performance as the Nanny/illegal immigrant was stunning, breathtaking, and inspiring. On another note, I have not yet seen 'Dreamgirls' but if an ex-American Idol runner-up could take home an ACADEMY AWARD, I'd be thrilled....plus, I've heard she's amazing.

+Edit: She is amazing! Scene stealer + The clear lead in the film + spectacular voice = Oscar nod (and maybe the win)

Finally, A REAL POST!

Sun, 10 Dec 2006 20:53:18 GMT

Finally! I have time to sit down and write a real entry. I tell you, this semester has been busy ASS! I mean, I have literally been non-stop which explains why it flew by, right? Not that I didn't enjoy myself, I felt like I accomplished a lot. I shot the majority of my senior film and now I'm about to piece it together so it looks like a real movie. Jim and I sent out Park Bench to a slew of festivals (Sedona, Phoenix, San Fransisco International, Tribeca, etc), and we're just waiting to hear back. The beginning stages of Romeo and Juliet are finished and now we just need to shoot it and figure out how we're projecting it on stage. I've started Stories that Soar, a theatre company shown to Elementary Schools, and it has been fun. But as you know, the most prominent mission this semester has been good ole' grad schools. I finally finished AFI and NYU. And now I wait. Wait to die. Wait to live. Wait for an absolution that will never come. Seriously though, it's a waiting game and I just have to hope for the best. If I don't get into grad school, I'll move to LA and find a job. And perhaps I'll apply the following year. Or I'll just come to terms that Grad School wasn't meant to be and not for me. On another note, I'm very happy I joined DLP. I have been inducted and elected as Brotherhood Director. This is a very happy development. My second semester, I'll be involved in the Frat. Also, I've loved every person in this Fraternity. Everyone is completely different, and bring all sorts of personalities to the table. I think this was a very good choice on my part. Expensive. Yes. Time consuming. Oh yeah. Worth it. Definitely.

I've also survived living at the Perk (what we call our house). Jessi, Mon Mon, and Sarah have been amazing. We all have our glitches, but we've excepted them. So I leave shoes in the family room alongside all my other crap and don't pick it up for an entire week. It's who I am, you can't change it. But I compensate in other ways. There's a lot of push/pull in roommate relationships. It's all about compromise. I'm sad Sarah is leaving to LA to become famous. But on a bittersweet, happy note....LISA'S MOVING IN! I cannot wait. It's gonna be an interesting change of pace.

Recently, I have been extremely exausted. Not in a bad way. I mean, I'm completely finished with finals. But I've been going out and getting drunk lately. Although I've been good at not getting wasted and not getting a hangover, I've had very little sleep. Wednesday, I went to IBTs in light of dead day. Thursday was the BFA wrap party where I had 5 cosmopolitans. Friday was Kim's birthday where she practically forced me to take shots. And yesterday was the DLP Banquet, where I didn't really drink, but my week caught up with me. So tonight, I'm gonna take it easy. Clean my room, thank God! And watch a Christmas movie and wrap presents. I need to SLEEP!

I'm also trying to get another job at either Banana Republic or Bath and Bodyworks. I am in a financial rut, but it's alright. As soon as the Holidays are over, I think I'll be okay. I'm excited for next semester. I'm only taking 3 classes (12 units). I'm taking my advance post production class, Producing II, and History of Musical Theatre. And then.....I'm GRADUATING! Can you believe it has gone by that fast??? I certainly can't. I remember the good 'ole' days where we would get wasted in the Coronado Dorms. Ahh, how I miss those years.

Well, I'm looking forward to this Christmas break. I need it BADLY! Although I'm working through most of it, I'm looking forward to putting aside all my stresses and school work, and just breath. I hope everyone has a very Merry break and Happy New Year.

Sat, 09 Dec 2006 04:46:35 GMT

Dear Livejournal God,
Please help me get an interview with Grad schools.
Love,
Eli

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 16:00:39 GMT

A great filmmaker has passed away. Robert Altman, who has directed such amazing films as Gosford Park, MASH, Nashville, and The Player died Monday night with no cause of death yet given. He was 81 and an amazing filmmaker.

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 03:03:25 GMT

I've been feeling weird lately. I guess it's that time of month. But I've been watching some of my favorite films and I'm starting to doubt myself in this field once again. It comes and goes, but what if I won't be able to create movies as exceptional and powerful like some of the best. I know, i won't know until I try. And I've never failed any of my goals thus far, I'm sure as hell not gonna start now. But it helps to write it.

Other than that, things are chill. I can NOT wait till Thanksgiving break. I want to go home!!!!!!! I want to see my family. Hang out with my sis. Go to a movie with Noelle and Jennifer and just talk! Go to a suns game with Kim! Eat some fuckin' Turkey! I can't WAIT!

P.S. Hell Fuckin' Yeah! NO ON PROP 107 BITCHES!

UCLA APPLICATION.........CHECK!

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 04:54:40 GMT

I AM SO ECSTATIC! I finally finished my UCLA application!! It's sealed in the envelope ready to be mailed tomorrow. I don't think you all understand the blood and sweat I put into this f'ing application. I started working on this at the beginning of the summer. The personal statement itself went through 20+ revisions, I saw EVERY ONE of my professors for feedback, my treatment was reworked dozens of times, I asked for the letter of recommendations 2 months in advanced, including my intern supervisors from the summer, etc etc. So to finally have it done and ready to go is such a weight lifted off of me. I just hope it wasn't for nothin'. I hope it was all worth it. Please send me good thoughts if you're reading this. This is so important to me and I'll be biting my nails until I hear back from them. Okay, that's all I had to say. I'm off to do actual homework which I've put off until tonight.

P.S. I start on AFI and NYU application this week. This never ends.