What Are Your Top Oscar Moments?

Here are some of mine:

1) When Jon Stewart brought Marketa Irglova (Best Song, Falling Slowly) back to the stage to complete her abruptly cut acceptance speech.




"The fact that we're standing here tonight, the fact that we're able to hold this, it's just proof that no matter how far out your dreams are, it's possible," Irglova said during take two. "And, you know, fair play to those who dare to dream, and don't give up. This song was written from the perspective of hope, and hope, at the end of the day, connects us all, no matter how different we are."

Well worth it, don't you think?


2) Marion Cotillard Winning Best Actress

Because everybody predicted that Julie Christie would get it, and because it is Cotillard who deserved it.



3) Charlie Chaplin and Cary Grant Montage Moment

One of the things I always look forward to in the Oscars are the montages. The sight of so many screen legends -- shining their brightest, or regal in their twilight of years -- always gets to me and I get a lump in my throat. This year's slices of an elderly, tearful Cary Grant and Chaplin, emotional after his exile and homecoming to an honorary Oscar were the money shots.



4) The Superbad Face-Off

"No, I like Dame Judi Dench. I think she's great. I just always felt that I gave more off a Halle Berry vibe."





5) Periscope and Binoculars Montage

As my friend Pawee would say, "It's just Silly Fun."


6) Javier Bardem's Acceptance Speech

The heartfelt one to his mom in Spanish. I don't know what he said, but it sure sounded eloquent.

ScarJo Versus Natalie P. Round 2

I think this is the photo Mundi was referring to in her comment on my previous post on Multiply. High Class fasyonista versus High School Prom Prinsesa. Haha.





I rest my case.

ScarJo Versus Natalie P.

Hollywood starlets face off! Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman are both starring in the movie, The Other Boleyn Girl -- about scheming sisters Anne and Mary, who pursue the King of England for power and love, respectively.



(A tabloid's caption of the two actresses goes like this -- Scarlett, Natalie and the Johanssons)

This promises to be a very entertaining movie for me, on so many different levels. Hahaha. I'm trying to decide though, who I like better between the two. The Harvard grad or the Hollywood harlot?

I'm biased. I like Natalie because she's beautiful AND intelligent, AND she seems like a sweet, self-possessed girl, AND she can speak five languages.

What else does Scarlett have to offer? I mean aside from her very perky set of "Johanssons"?

Psycho Killer For Real?

I was at Janine's send-off party last Friday at La Cabane -- this lounge-y, resto-bar in Makati. So we were hanging with Chad and Anne and Janine, talking about Juno and Cloverfield when I received this text, from my dad, my sister and my neighbor.

"Psycho-serial killer-rapist on the loose in Rizal. Dennis Garcia is a former marine who knocks on victim's doors, forces entry and then kills and rapes them. He is doing this as vengeance for what happened to his murdered daughter. He looks like Julius Babao. Please be careful"


Of course what we commented on was the phrasing ("Isn't that kind of judgmental, to assume that he's psychotic? What if he's sociopath and not a psycho?") and the fact that he apparently looks like Julius Babao.

Can Comm majors not focus on the issue? There's a killer on the loose in our area. I actually saw his photos posted near our subdivision's gates.


Could it be true? A real serial killer in the Philippines?

Waiting for Atonement

When asked what he wanted moviegoers to feel after watching Atonement, James McAvoy, who stars as Robbie Turner said,

"I want them to feel devastated."

And if they did the movie right -- if it's successful in capturing even half of what the novel is, then people should expect to feel nothing less.

Dizzy

Why Women Aren't Funny

There is an article (Why Women Aren't Funny) in the new Vanity Fair that discusses what I have known for a long time.

I think, it's not that they're not funny -- women are funniest when they don't mean to be? Like what I blogged about -- when my grandma asks these rude questions point black without realizing she's being offensive.

When women try to be funny -- it's the stupidest, crassest humor on earth. I've met a lot of the kindest, goodnatured, loveable women, who are also the unfunniest people on earth.

Me-->Stephen-->The Strokes

How could I not know that I am related to someone who knows The Strokes? Who interviewed The Strokes?




We had dinner at my tito's house yesterday, and I was introduced to Steven -- my 26-year old second cousin who is half-Pinoy and half-Jew.

We talked about writing and journalism, since he used to work for a publication in Manhattan.

And if I hadn't asked, he wouldn't have bothered to mention that the magazine is actually SPIN magazine, and that he worked there in 2003 -- the year that The Strokes was named BAND OF THE YEAR.

I was getting a mild heart attack. First-hand anecdotes about Nick Valensi and Julian Casablancas.

"So. Are they nice?" my question came out like a squeak.

Intelligent. Well-read. Could go on and on about their favorite books and movies. Steven said that he didn't get to talk to them about their music much, concerned as he was, less with being a journalist, but more with being their friend.

And then Steven goes, "I'm surprised. You're the first person in the Philippines I've talked to that knows them. So what other music do you listen to?"

Off the top of my head, and because I've been listening to them the past couple of days, I said "Moldy Peaches."

He almost choked, "The Moldy Peaches? The duo that sing just like they're talking? The Moldy Peaches?"

I go why?

"They're obscure even for New York"

Hah. Hipster. Hehehe.

He told me that Kimya Dawson, one-half of the Moldy Peaches duo, used to be his friend's baby sitter. Weird hair and all.

From Davos To You

Bono, co-founder of (RED); Bill Gates, founder and Chairman of Microsoft; and Michael Dell, founder and Chairman of Dell; together at the World Economic Forum announce that Dell and Microsoft are joining (RED) to help fight AIDS in Africa, with the introduction of a series of Dell (PRODUCT) RED personal computers powered by Windows Vista Ultimate (PRODUCT) RED.

from http://www.joinred.com/