After a couple of roles where I kind of got turned off of Paul Giamatti, I'd like to thank him for his performance in The Illusionist. I thought he was terrific. And I quite liked the movie, too.
And speaking of illusionists, those who are into being deceived and misdirected and befuddled, and who know how to find things on torrent sites, well, you should download search out "Derren Brown: Something Wicked This Way Comes". It's a taped performance of his most recent stage show. It's quite enjoyable, and the ending should really impress. Thanks, by the way, to DaveM for turning me on to Derren Brown.
(See how I misdirected you there? I started off by talking about Paul Giamatti in the movie The Illusionist, but I ended up selling you a pitch for a video. Sorry, no links in this post)
Friday, January 5
The Illusionist
The Illusionist
After a couple of roles where I kind of got turned off of Paul Giamatti, I'd like to thank him for his performance in The Illusionist. I thought he was terrific. And I quite liked the movie, too.
And speaking of illusionists, those who are into being deceived and misdirected and befuddled, and who know how to find things on torrent sites, well, you should download search out "Derren Brown: Something Wicked This Way Comes". It's a taped performance of his most recent stage show. It's quite enjoyable, and the ending should really impress. Thanks, by the way, to DaveM for turning me on to Derren Brown.
(See how I misdirected you there? I started off by talking about Paul Giamatti in the movie The Illusionist, but I ended up selling you a pitch for a video. Sorry, no links in this post)
Thursday, January 4
SAG Nominations - Television & My Picks
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Thomas Haden Church / BROKEN TRAIL
Robert Duvall / BROKEN TRAIL
Jeremy Irons / ELIZABETH I
William H. Macy / NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES
Matthew Perry / THE RON CLARK STORY
Annekenstein Pick: Robert Duvall
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Annette Bening / MRS. HARRIS
Shirley Jones / HIDDEN PLACES
Cloris Leachman / MRS. HARRIS
Helen Mirren / ELIZABETH I
Greta Scacchi / BROKEN TRAIL
Annekenstein Pick: Annette Bening
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
James Gandolfini / THE SOPRANOS
Michael C. Hall / DEXTER
Hugh Laurie / HOUSE
James Spader / BOSTON LEGAL
Kiefer Sutherland / 24
Annekenstein Pick: (tough category) Hugh Laurie (personal fave: Michael C. Hall)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Patricia Arquette / MEDIUM
Edie Falco / THE SOPRANOS
Mariska Hargitay / LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
Kyra Sedgwick / THE CLOSER
Chandra Wilson / GREY’S ANATOMY
Annekestein Pick: Edie Falco
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin / 30 ROCK
Steve Carell / THE OFFICE
Jason Lee / MY NAME IS EARL
Jeremy Piven / ENTOURAGE
Tony Shalhoub / MONK
Annekenstein Pick: Steve Carell
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
America Ferrera / UGLY BETTY
Felicity Huffman / DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
Julia Louis-Dreyfus / THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE
Megan Mullally / WILL & GRACE
Mary-Louise Parker / WEEDS
Jaime Pressly / MY NAME IS EARL
Annekenstein Pick: Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
24 - FOX
BOSTON LEGAL - ABC
DEADWOOD - HBO
GREY’S ANATOMY - ABC
THE SOPRANOS - HBO
Annekenstein Pick: Deadwood
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES - ABC
ENTOURAGE - HBO
THE OFFICE - NBC
UGLY BETTY - ABC
WEEDS - SHOWTIME
Annekenstein Pick: The Office
SAG Nominations - Television & My Picks
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Thomas Haden Church / BROKEN TRAIL
Robert Duvall / BROKEN TRAIL
Jeremy Irons / ELIZABETH I
William H. Macy / NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES
Matthew Perry / THE RON CLARK STORY
Annekenstein Pick: Robert Duvall
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Annette Bening / MRS. HARRIS
Shirley Jones / HIDDEN PLACES
Cloris Leachman / MRS. HARRIS
Helen Mirren / ELIZABETH I
Greta Scacchi / BROKEN TRAIL
Annekenstein Pick: Annette Bening
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
James Gandolfini / THE SOPRANOS
Michael C. Hall / DEXTER
Hugh Laurie / HOUSE
James Spader / BOSTON LEGAL
Kiefer Sutherland / 24
Annekenstein Pick: (tough category) Hugh Laurie (personal fave: Michael C. Hall)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Patricia Arquette / MEDIUM
Edie Falco / THE SOPRANOS
Mariska Hargitay / LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
Kyra Sedgwick / THE CLOSER
Chandra Wilson / GREY’S ANATOMY
Annekestein Pick: Edie Falco
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin / 30 ROCK
Steve Carell / THE OFFICE
Jason Lee / MY NAME IS EARL
Jeremy Piven / ENTOURAGE
Tony Shalhoub / MONK
Annekenstein Pick: Steve Carell
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
America Ferrera / UGLY BETTY
Felicity Huffman / DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
Julia Louis-Dreyfus / THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE
Megan Mullally / WILL & GRACE
Mary-Louise Parker / WEEDS
Jaime Pressly / MY NAME IS EARL
Annekenstein Pick: Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
24 - FOX
BOSTON LEGAL - ABC
DEADWOOD - HBO
GREY’S ANATOMY - ABC
THE SOPRANOS - HBO
Annekenstein Pick: Deadwood
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES - ABC
ENTOURAGE - HBO
THE OFFICE - NBC
UGLY BETTY - ABC
WEEDS - SHOWTIME
Annekenstein Pick: The Office
SAG Nominations: Film & My Pick
Outstanding Performance by a Male 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
Annekenstein Pick: Leonardo DiCaprio
Penelope Cruz - Volver
Judi Dench - Notes On A Scandal
Helen Mirren - The Queen
Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet - Little Children
Annekenstein Pick: Helen Mirren
Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Departed
Jackie Earle Haley - Little Children
Djimon Hounsou - Blood Diamond
Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls
Annekenstein Pick: Leonardo DiCaprio
Adriana Barraza - Babel
Cate Blanchett - Notes on a Scandal
Abigail Breslin – Little Miss Sunshine
Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi - Babel
Annekenstein Pick: Rinko Kikuchi
Babel, Bobby, The Departed, Dreamgirls, Little Miss Sunshine
Annekenstein Pick: The Departed
SAG Nominations: Film & My Pick
Outstanding Performance by a Male 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
Annekenstein Pick: Leonardo DiCaprio
Penelope Cruz - Volver
Judi Dench - Notes On A Scandal
Helen Mirren - The Queen
Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet - Little Children
Annekenstein Pick: Helen Mirren
Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Departed
Jackie Earle Haley - Little Children
Djimon Hounsou - Blood Diamond
Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls
Annekenstein Pick: Leonardo DiCaprio
Adriana Barraza - Babel
Cate Blanchett - Notes on a Scandal
Abigail Breslin – Little Miss Sunshine
Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi - Babel
Annekenstein Pick: Rinko Kikuchi
Babel, Bobby, The Departed, Dreamgirls, Little Miss Sunshine
Annekenstein Pick: The Departed
Wednesday, January 3
Tuesday, January 2
Television
So, watching football on CBS this past weekend, and they were really pushing the advertising for a new "reality" show they have scheduled. Cops & Stars or something like that. Where "real stars" try to become "real cops". It looks awful, and I'll not be checking it out.
Over on the History Channel, they're promoting a show they have. I forget the name of it, but it's gotta be one of the dullest premises for a show I've ever heard. It's all about Canadian historical family trees? I think that's what it's about. Anyone ever see this program? The commercial tries to make it all seem so exciting, but, man, I gotta imagine it's dull, dull, dull. Is it as dull as I imagine it to be?
Television
So, watching football on CBS this past weekend, and they were really pushing the advertising for a new "reality" show they have scheduled. Cops & Stars or something like that. Where "real stars" try to become "real cops". It looks awful, and I'll not be checking it out.
Over on the History Channel, they're promoting a show they have. I forget the name of it, but it's gotta be one of the dullest premises for a show I've ever heard. It's all about Canadian historical family trees? I think that's what it's about. Anyone ever see this program? The commercial tries to make it all seem so exciting, but, man, I gotta imagine it's dull, dull, dull. Is it as dull as I imagine it to be?
Rob's Top Five Goals To Strive For...
5. I will strive to not view the Saddam Hussein Gets Hanged (or Hung) video(s). I've never seen E.T., and I'll be damned if I watch this. Further to this, I will also strive to continue my life-long goal of actively eradicating most celebrity gossip and "news" from my life. (My friend, DaveS, vows to force me to watch E.T. when I'm old and infirm. I swear to god, I'll fight it.)
4. I will strive to contribute at least one post a day to this blog. I've gone blog-soft in the past couple of months. it's not that I no longer have anything to say (not that I ever did), it's just that lately, any time I think about posting, it's followed by an "ah, why bother?". It's time to either bother again, or never bother. Before I never bother, I think I should try to bother. One post a day. At least. How hard can that be?
3. I will strive to become more fit. I know I'm not a "go to the gym" guy (but I'm not ruling out that I may, someday, be that kind of guy), but I can sure do more than I'm doing now, which is nothing. I will try to develop and maintain a regimen of daily activity, even if the activity amounts to nothing more than a half-hour walk. From fat acorns mighty oaks lose weight. (I've been contemplating making a wild resolution where I vow to not eat KFC for a whole year. But I'm smart enough to know that there's no hope of me keeping that one)
2. I will strive to spend less time on the computer. This may be counter-productive to goal number 4, but would most likely be of benefit to goal number 3. Too much of too many days is spent idly surfing through the internets. I realize that less time on the computer may result in more time watching TV (and may increase the difficulty of achieving goal number 5), so, as a sub-strive I vow to keep my television viewing habits in reign.
1. I will strive to engage more people in conversation this year. I will also strive to be more engaging when people try to begin conversations with me. Over the past couple of years, I've succumbed to a social-anxiety disorder, mired in an ever-empowered dread of social situations. I have been letting my ultra-shyness beat me into a corner. I need to begin to engage the world more (this one, by the way, will be even more difficult than not eating KFC for a whole year).
Rob's Top Five Goals To Strive For...
5. I will strive to not view the Saddam Hussein Gets Hanged (or Hung) video(s). I've never seen E.T., and I'll be damned if I watch this. Further to this, I will also strive to continue my life-long goal of actively eradicating most celebrity gossip and "news" from my life. (My friend, DaveS, vows to force me to watch E.T. when I'm old and infirm. I swear to god, I'll fight it.)
4. I will strive to contribute at least one post a day to this blog. I've gone blog-soft in the past couple of months. it's not that I no longer have anything to say (not that I ever did), it's just that lately, any time I think about posting, it's followed by an "ah, why bother?". It's time to either bother again, or never bother. Before I never bother, I think I should try to bother. One post a day. At least. How hard can that be?
3. I will strive to become more fit. I know I'm not a "go to the gym" guy (but I'm not ruling out that I may, someday, be that kind of guy), but I can sure do more than I'm doing now, which is nothing. I will try to develop and maintain a regimen of daily activity, even if the activity amounts to nothing more than a half-hour walk. From fat acorns mighty oaks lose weight. (I've been contemplating making a wild resolution where I vow to not eat KFC for a whole year. But I'm smart enough to know that there's no hope of me keeping that one)
2. I will strive to spend less time on the computer. This may be counter-productive to goal number 4, but would most likely be of benefit to goal number 3. Too much of too many days is spent idly surfing through the internets. I realize that less time on the computer may result in more time watching TV (and may increase the difficulty of achieving goal number 5), so, as a sub-strive I vow to keep my television viewing habits in reign.
1. I will strive to engage more people in conversation this year. I will also strive to be more engaging when people try to begin conversations with me. Over the past couple of years, I've succumbed to a social-anxiety disorder, mired in an ever-empowered dread of social situations. I have been letting my ultra-shyness beat me into a corner. I need to begin to engage the world more (this one, by the way, will be even more difficult than not eating KFC for a whole year).
Sunday, December 31
Boo! To The Guardian
The provincial newspaper, The Guardian, had a Sally Cole penned write-up on the theatrical year in review. Not one word was given to The Guild, which had a pretty busy year, theatrically speaking.
We all know that any article that even mentions theatre is a rarity for The Guardian (especially since Laurie Murphy has moved away), so perhaps I shouldn't complain. ( I can only assume that the fax that had some bantam-A Souris hockey scores didn't get received, so they had some extra room). But to have an article allege itself to be a year-end wrap-up of the theatrical year, and then to not even mention the Guild, well, that's pretty shoddy.
Either that, or the piece was only supposed to honour those who advertise more in The Guardian than those who do not. Honestly, I don't know if Anne & Gilbert or Victoria Playhouse did much Guardian advertising, or even if the Guild did, so that may be a totally unjustified assertion on my part.
Anyway, for next summer's Sketch22 show, I'm going to write a sketch that contains a hockey game, played on stage. Maybe that way, the Guardian will pay attention to the fact that actual theatre actually happens at the Guild.
And Jack McAndrew, don't even think about stealing this little blog piece and passing it off as your own.