THE 79TH ACADAMY AWARDS POSTER

This is the type of thing I really like. I wasn't so fussed with previous years posters and designs. I remember last year being so incredibly underwhelmed by the lack of stage design. It was like a stage. A massive Oscar statue. And that's it. No massive stairs. No big, extravagant set piece. When you're outdone in production quality by the Golden Globes, you know it's a bad year. But I think we all know the 2005 Oscars turned out to be terrible anyway, with King Kong winning for Best Visual Effects... and Crash winning Best Picture... and don't even get me started on Three 6 Mafia.

The poster is impossible to read here, because Blogspot is being such a bitch about me uploading the really large image, so just check it out here.
It's one of those thing you can peruse for about half an hour. The only thing I would say is: Jerry Maguire should not get mentioned twice, when something like Star Wars or The Wizard of Oz get puny little mentions. Also, some of these quotes are just so damn obscure.

The commemorative poster features words and phrases that have become part of society's colloquial speech. "They are the unforgettable lines that you hear in everyday conversations, in meetings, at parties, or walking down the street," said Sid Ganis, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Sorry, but I've never heard anyone repeat the phrase "Von Trapp children don't play, they march!" ever before. Especially not while walking down the street. I might start injecting it into conversation, and see how people react.

PETER BOYLE

I hate Everybody Loves Raymond, and I thought his obnoxious grandpa on the show was just too much of a fucking grouch. I never really get into the whole 'dysfunctional families are so uber funny' scene. Raymond's family was basically the demented cookie-cutter of American sitcom dysfunction. I hated how the grandfather just blurts things out because of the most insignificant of actions. For example, let's say Raymond changes the channel while they are watching 'sports' on Thanksgiving, which seems to be held in EVERY EPISODE! The grandfather will shout "Hey, you don't like sports? What are you some kind of pansie????"
Or if Raymond's son chooses to eat a cupcake over a donut. "Oh my god, don't take cupcake! Cupcakes are for PANSIES! What are you some kind of PANSIE!?!"

I was so unsurprised when I heard that he had died. He had looked dead for ages. I mean, look at the above picture. He looked SO unwell at the Emmy's and so heavily medicated. He bumbled around the red carpet, and was actually muttering jibberish to himself as two women escorted him. I can remember Guliani Dipandi striking up an interview with him, asking about how he felt about life after Raymond and he was like "ohhhh. was. Good?" and Guliani was like "Ohhkay... well, enjoy yourself tonight then..." and then the women shuffled him off.

Good memories.

MY OLD BLOG

It was called The Hollywood Slump. *sigh*

It died in December 2005. I revived it in August 2006. It died again sometime after November 9th.
I was such a fool. I wasn't ready for the responsibility... and it's gone now.

Visit its legacy. Actually, don't. It's not very good and most of the movies I talk about are shit as. Glad to leave it behind me, to be honest.

STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - ULTIMATE COLLECTION

Just in case you were as curious as I was, this is the Star Trek: Next Generation Ultimate Collection. It comes out 4 days before Christmas if anyone's interested, and as I think I've already established, people are. Retail price is $279.83. Steep. But don't take my word for it.

I give you the EzyDVD online sales pitch:

"Space... The final frontier... These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: To explore strange new worlds... To seek out new life; new civilisations... To boldly go where no one has gone before!" It's Star Trek, but not as we know it! STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION on DVD and with completely NEW packaging.

EXCLUSIVE Star Trek Ultimate Collection! Limited, Numbered & Embossed Star Trek Case Only at EzyDVD! Includes a genuine Certificate of Authenticity! Boldly going where no retailer has gone before, EzyDVD is EXCLUSIVELY offering the limited edition Ultimate Star Trek - The Next Generation Collection including ALL 7 seasons of this stellar series on 48 discs! LIMITED to just 4000 units worldwide, each collectible and embossed Star Trek case is uniquely numbered and features a superb brushed metal finish and deluxe felt-lined interior to house all 7 of your new re-packaged Next Generation Box Sets! Don't be the only Star Trek fan in the galaxy without one, pre-order NOW while stocks last!

From EzyDVD's Ultimate Collection Promotion Page
and EzyDVD.com.au Ultimate Collection product listing.

Well it's good to know that the boxes are embossed with metal and felt now, as I'm sure your other ones are all worn and soup-stained out. And gee, a certificate of authenticity. The perfect means of confirming the fact you just spent 280 smackers ON STAR TREK!!!
Honestly, if I could label the worst possible Christmas gift someone could get me this year, I'm pretty sure nothing would even come close to the disappointment and horror I would experience upon tearing away the giftwrap to reveal this monstrosity. Peace out.

THIS WEEK'S EZYDVD CHARTS

Charts from EzyDVD.com.au

No wonder whenever I think of EzyDVD customers, I always think of morbidly obese middle aged women on commision income picking up the latest season of Stargate: Atlantis for the hubby, who is obviously a big fan and never misses an episode. And while she's there she probably thinks "I may as well buy myself a little something as a treat. After all, I deserve it." and that little something just happens to be a 10% deposit on the Ultimate Collection of Star Trek: The Next Generation and a couple of box sets of Charmed to go with. Glad my tax money could come in handy, enjoy those, won't you.

Furthermore, I have no idea who is buying A Big Night With Darren Hayes??

CANDICE

Candice just got voted out of Survivor: Season 13 - Cook Islands.
Ew, I hated her even before she pashed the giant-mouthed, ghastly Adam. Good riddance, I hope she enjoys melding into the collection of a hundred or so other Survivor contestants that look, act and sound pretty much exactly like her. This time next year, I'll remember Cao Boi, but I will not remember you Candice!

Candice = Dead.

NED PARKER

What a shit of a character. What a shit of a man. But, oh, what a man.
I'm still reeling from Toadie being shot in the Neighbours 2006 season finale, and I'm left to wonder, why try and kill Toadie when Ned is trudging around Lassiters with no storylines for him in sight. He aimlessly wanders around the grounds talking to characters that also have not much of a storyline. But what is so pathetic about Ned is that he hasn't had a storyline for most of this YEAR.

In one of the last eps of the year, the writers so subtlely placed in a cue to get him half naked by forcing him to wear an elf outfit designed for a midget. The tights fit, but he was practically shirtless.
Male nudity, I can handle. I have absolutely no problem with it, but Ned Parker nudity of any kind is a different story. His body makes me get a sick feeling, and the fact he so half assedly resists getting his clothes off amplifies this.

O'Connor has made his acting debut in the Australian television soap opera, Neighbours. He plays the role of Ned Parker. In one particular scene, he was pictured half-naked with a towel around his waist. "I actually thought I had to be completely naked," he explained when he was told he had to drop the towel. "Ever since that scene, I've had a lot of people who want me to take my shirt off!" Now there is much talk about O'Connor's new status as a sex symbol.

Dan O'Conner's Wiki Page.

I have a couple of things to add to that. First, whoever wrote this Wiki article obviously has an affinity with Dan O'Connor. 'Now there is much talk...?' I fucking hate you.
Secondly, if Ned was such a sexy character, then pray tell, why did the writer's evict him from the new 'Sexy Twenty-Somethings' house? Because Ned is a fugly putz with bad clothes and equally bad hair.