My Oscar Predictions

Just for fun, my Oscar predictions.

Actor lead
Mickey Rourke
2nd guess: Brad Pitt

Actor supporting
Heath Ledger
2nd guess Michael Shannon

Actress leading
Kate Winslet
2nd guess Melissa Leo

Actress Supporting
Taraji P. Henson
2nd guess: Marisa Tomei

Animated
Wall-e (no contest here, really)

Art Direction
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2nd guess: The Duchess

Cinematography
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2nd guess: Slumdog Millionaire

Costume Design
Australia
2nd guess: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Directing
The Reader
2nd case: Slumdog Millionaire

Documentary Feature
Trouble the Water
2nd guess: The Betrayal

Documentary Short
The Conscience of Nhem En
2nd guess: Smile Pinki

Film Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2nd guess: The Dark Knight

Foreign Lang. Film
Departures
2nd guess: The Class

Makeup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2nd guess: The Dark Knight

Music (score)
Wall-e
2nd guess: Defiance

Music (song)
Slumdog Millionaire (either one that's nominated)

Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2nd case: Slumdog Millionaire

Short Film (Animated)
La Maison En Petits Cubes
2nd Guess: Presto

Short Film (Live Action)
Oh, man this is a hard for me to decide. I'll go with:
Auf Der Strecke
2nd guess: The Pig

Sound Editing:
Wall-e
2nd guess: The Dark Knight

Sound Mixing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2nd guess: Wall-e

Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight

Writing (adapted)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2nd guess: The Reader

Writing (original)
Wall-e
2nd guess: Happy-go-lucky

Children's Picture Books Review

Now since I'm an elementary education major (emphasis in Communication Arts/Reading/writing/yadayda) as well as an avid reader, I will occasionally review books (children, teen, fiction, etc.) from time to time.

Today, I went to my local library, picked up two books I had on hold (I will most likely talk about those in a later entry, after I have read them of course) and then I went the kids picture book section and just grabbed a bunch of random picture books.

I grabbed about 7 or 8 hardback picture books but I only truly enjoyed four of them. The others that didn't make the cut were either boring, a little bit too weird, or had a not so very interesting or satisfying ending. I won't be reviewing the ones I didn't like :P



Blue Burt and Wiggles by Derek Anderson.

I grabbed this book because the cover looked kind of like it could be a dvd cover for a Pixar movie. On an interesting side note, the author/illustrator is from Minnesota (my state!)

The art and perspective is awesome in this book, I just love the artwork. I sometimes believe that the artwork can really make or break a picture book. A lot of the stories in kids' books are sometimes quite simplistic (obviously) about ordinary stuff, told in the same way as it's been told dozens upon dozens of times before.

While this story is about a friend moving away, it's told in a very creative, fun, new way.

This is a story about a bird (Burt) and his friend, Wiggles (worm). Winter is coming soon and Burt needs to fly away. They both scheme up a plan to make summer stay so therefore, Burt can stay and hang out with Wiggles. The way they scheme and plot and how the other animals in the forest unintentionally wreck havoc onto their plans is hilarious.

This is a very contemporary book and even the story would make a good Pixar short.

More picture book reviews later!