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A Penny for Your Thoughts
The Nominees for The 1st Annual Clark Kent Super Moment at the 2013 Oscars are:
Tommy Lee Jones finally laughing!
The on-stage musical number from “Les Misérables”
A montage of Seth MacFarlane’s best jokes
The Grey Poupon commercial
Adele’s win for Best Original Song for the movie “Skyfall”
Daniel Day-Lewis’ acceptance speech for Best Lead Actor in “Lincoln”
Sally Field and Jennifer Lawrence in general
Grant Heslov: “I know what you’re thinking: the three sexiest producers alive!”
Ben Affleck’s speech for “Argo” for its Best Picture win (including the funny and inadvertent quip about his wife and Iran)
and The Clark Kent goes to…
“I just want to thank…”
The 85th Academy Awards are this Sunday night. There are some powerful nominees this year, albeit with the absence of “The Dark Knight Rises.” Understanding its dark cloud, it is still odd that not even its soundtrack/sound was acknowledged. Fans know the quality of the film, which is perhaps most important.
Anyways, here are a few of the most popular questions being asked before this year’s ceremony:
Will Daniel Day-Lewis be the first former Republican President to receive a standing ovation in Hollywood?
Did Sally Field prove that she is not only still one of the finest actresses in Tinseltown, but literally the best from this past year…for the third time!?
Will Argo take home the Oscar for Best Picture? If so, will Ben Affleck be the primary speaker? What tone will he strike?
Does Seth MacFarlane become a household name or remain a comedy writer and producer within his already existent niche market?
What is Hollywood’s real opinion regarding the true story of tracking down and killing Osama bin Laden? The Navy Seal who shot bin Laden said Jessica Chastain’s portrayal of Maya was, “awesome.” He added, “They made her a tough woman, which she is,” he said. Will his endorsement of sorts mean anything?
And quite possibly the most important question pondered each year: Will the best individuals and films actually win?
Regardless of the names listed inside the golden envelopes, below is a video reminding these very actors, directors, editors, etc. of something very important to consider before they give their respective speeches:
“How does somebody know what they want if they’ve never even seen it?”
Steve Jobs changed the world forever with his innovative products, released as if they were all continuously moving along an assembly line for him to pick up at his leisure. His business savvy has also been celebrated and assuredly studied by aspiring businessmen, businesswomen and big thinking dreamers in their basements and even parent’s garages. The iMac computer is not owned solely by Americans, but by adults and children all around the world. And not just this Apple product either. Terms like iPod, iPhone, iPad, iMac and Macbook Pro are household names. Techies and millions of fawning fans alike listened to his every word whenever he casually strolled onto that plain stage in northern California with a wall-sized projection screen behind, clothed in his trademarked look: blue jeans, New Balance sneakers and his low-key black turtleneck. In hand was his next big device to make its grand premiere, ready for an exhilarating public test run.
Rightly so, he is admired. In this age of increasing globalization, it was nice to say when he was alive that, ‘he’s one of ours….he’s an American innovator.’ It’s still nice to say. Walter Isaacson’s Behemoth of a book, “Steve Jobs,” details his life and includes just about any bit of information anyone would like to know about the man and technological icon. A movie is set to be adapted from this book by famed screenwriter Aaron Sorkin for a movie called, “Steve Jobs.” For those who are drawn to Jobs’ life and career, love dramatic stories as portrayed in cinema but can’t wait for this film to be released sometime down the road, they are in luck.
Lights. Camera. Genius.
“That ’70s Show,” “My Boss’s Daughter” and the cult classic “Dude, Where’s My Car?” offer a snapshot of the portfolio of the man chosen to fill the soles of some of the most famous New Balance shoes in history. Ashton Kutcher, the director, writers and cast are preparing to premiere the major motion picture, “jOBS” at the Sundance Film Festival tonight (Nationwide April 19th on Apple’s 37th Anniversary). Many may scoff at the idea of Michael Kelso portraying such a serious and beloved figure. However, before passing judgement, first take a look at a side-by-side comparison:
(www.sellcell.com)
Now come the vital questions that will surely be asked before and after the premiere: did director Joshua Michael Stern present the right details, milestones and key decisions to appropriately define the gigantic life of Steve Jobs through his multiple decades of leading Apple onto the top-shelf of the technological world? What overall theme and events did they decide to drive the story with? Is it accurate?
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak (“The Woz”) recently shared his reaction of the first released clip of “jOBS” as seen below to the website Gizmodo. “Not close…we never had such interaction and roles…I’m not even sure what it’s getting at…personalities are very wrong although mine is closer…don’t forget that my purpose was inspired by the values of the Homebrew Computer Club along with ideas of the value of such machines and Steve J. wasn’t around and didn’t attend the club so he was the one learning about such social impact of the future,” Wozniak said.
Here is the aforementioned clip:
One thing that can be agreed upon is that the final retort from Kutcher/Jobs excitedly foreshadows the empire the two of them would soon begin to build. It’s probably safe to say that this clip alone will generate a significant buzz of curiosity about the movie.
Interestingly, Alexis Kleinman of The Huffington Post recently noted something very insightful about the clip. “With the premiere of the Steve Jobs biopic “jOBS” quickly approaching this month, its creators are doing something Apple never would: Pumping up excitement by offering a sneak-peak.” It’s certainly something to ponder…
Without seeing this movie in its entirety, it’s impossible to declare whether or not the script is misleading throughout or simply taking a little bit of artistic licensing, which does happen in Hollywood, for better and for worse. This could be the only hiccup or it could be first drip in a waterfall of inaccuracies. Until the lights go down and the movie is premiered, no fan/critic will know. The question is with his true life so fascinating and inspiring, why has such a step been taken for this important one minute scene? A few fortunate people will likely discover that truth tonight.
I suppose that like any Apple product though, there will be the occasional bug. Maybe “jOBS” is just life imitating art?
Come April 19th, will you give it a Friday night?
Sometimes, Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Justin Bieber is in a high speed car chase with paparazzi. Someone obscene on a “Real Housewives” show yells something obscene to a fellow housewife who usually acts obscene. News breaks that Kim Kardashian is walking and talking at the same time! On any given day, this very well could qualify as “news” from Hollywood. It’s sad. Let’s not forget about the lowest forms of humanity: the cast of “The Jersey Shore.” While having never seen the show (& quite Proud of that), I’ve unfortunately been exposed to about five seconds of it on television in one way or another. That was far too much. What has happened to people in front of cameras?
Whether it is the afternoon, early evening or during television’s primetime, there is a constant barrage of cursing bleeps and childish fighting by adults (‘adults’ qualified by age alone). Certainly not all apply, but it seems as if most reality shows promoted for ‘entertainment’ purposes are revealing a depressing reality. Manners, courtesy, respectfulness, intelligence and being all-around good role models are foreign characteristics to the people who are featured on “Real Housewives” of wherever, “Jersey Shore” plus any other MTV production or dating shows in the wild. This generation of kids are too often exposed to the people on the reality shows mentioned above that are reported on daily, as if to give them a societal stamp of approval. Where are their role models?
Earlier this week, a few photos were leaked. Assuming where this was going, I shrugged my shoulders and exhaled in expected disappointment. However, the pictures weren’t partially blurred for censorship, but instead fully exposed. They didn’t make you cringe, but rather smile because it was a confirmation of good. The pictures leaked were of Christian Bale, today’s Batman.
“Words cannot express the horror that I feel. I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them” –Christian Bale
A couple of days ago, he and his wife took it upon themselves to personally visit, with no press alert, the victims and first responders of the horror that transpired in the shooting at a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” in Aurora, Colorado last Friday morning. Pictures got out because if someone has a phone, they likely have a camera and with social media outlets galore to choose from, people want to share their excitement of seeing and meeting Batman himself. What’s more is he didn’t have to visit, he chose to visit.
Bale and his wife spent quite a bit of time in Aurora, including the memorial directly across from the Century 16 movie theater to pay their respects.
Credit: Joshua Lott/Getty Images
According to denverpost.com, “Hospital interim president Bill Voloch said Bale spent about 2½ hours at the hospital, where he met with five people being treated for their injuries. Two others came from Swedish Medical Center to meet Bale, who stars as Batman/Bruce Wayne.”
Christian Bale poses with Aurora, Colo. shooting victim Carey Rottman. (Credit: Carey Rottman/Facebook)
People who admire and are fans of Christian Bale’s interpretation of Batman were willing to lose sleep to watch the trilogy’s epic conclusion. Devastatingly for a group of fans in suburban Denver, their viewing coincided with an unthinkable tragedy. The movie is called, “The Dark Knight Rises,” and for the people of Aurora, Colorado, that title has taken on a slightly new meaning.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 