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Many a sane person will know there is a broad line between fantasy and reality.  There are times, however, when this line is a positive blur between that which we know is real and that which we believe to be real.  For example, many people believe in the concept of Alien abduction while others believe it to be an elaborate hoax.  A little extreme, perhaps, but it has nothing to do with my point.

Our weekly viewing of TiVo'd shows is always rampant with the dichotomy that rules the household, those shows that Grace TiVos and the shows that I have on season pass.  Upon a viewing of one of Grace's shows (of which I shall not name) there was an interview with a very well-known, yet unknown celebrity.  This celebrity was the performer Kevin Clash, whom some of you might know better as the voice of a most popular of muppets, Elmo.  Here's where the line starts to blur.

First off, he comes out with Elmo on his arm, in full view for everyone, including the host, to see.  First thing you notice is how comfortable he is performing as Elmo.  Most startlingly, the second thing you notice, is how engaged with the muppet itself the host is.  The further the interview goes, the host noticeably gets confused as who she should really be talking too, the red sock on Mr. Clash's right arm, or Mr. Clash himself.  Astonishingly, this is not a surprise in any case.

There are many stories of a similar vein where people are enthralled by these characters.  Is it a testament to the talent of the performer or is it a holdover from our childhood memory of Sesame Street and the Muppet Show?  Where does this propensity for utter belief begin?  

It's an interesting case really, because logic indicates that there is a person in that Big Bird costume and there are many hands manipulating the sea of felt and fur we all have come to know from our youth, but there is still a belief that all of these characters' unique personalities indicate an almost otherworldly faith that they live and breathe on their own.  It's the power of performance and imagination right in front of your very eyes.

This is why the Jim Henson Company continues to thrive today.  Although there are many effects houses responsible for stunning artistry, they remain a favorite when it comes to fabricating believable and practical three-dimensional creations.  As an engineer, it's a dream of mine to be able to develop such stunning technical inventions.  As an artist, it's a more powerful dream to inspire and be inspired at the same time. This was the dream of Jim Henson himself and no doubt he's smiling down upon this legacy.

Pasadena's Green Monster

5 Feet of Green
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

Here's a picture of me and the five foot tall designer Qee painted by one Mr. Tim Biskup taken in Pasadena over the weekend. There were a few of these commissioned actually, one by Mr. Biskup, another by Gary Baseman, and another by Frank Kozik. These three have been at the forefront of the burgeoning designer toy industry, but are they the pioneers, or merely the hot talent that has been expanding this new trend?

Not being too familiar with the very young and early underground scene of urban vinyl, my knowledge is somewhat limited. You will find out a lot though, just by reading this particular article concerning the beginnings of what some consider a passing fad. I've heard it compared to the like of Beanie Babies, Cabbage Patch Kids, and even comic book collecting to an extent. Some of these comparisons are disheartening, but it's not the lost investment that concerns me, it's the dismissive attitude I see coming from many collectors who really consider themselves to be hardcore. Dismissive of those without outside knowledge, dismissive of the mainstream acceptance of the trend itself, and dismissive of those that choose to make a mighty profit off the bastion of internet community barterism we call eBay.

Thing is, when I hear the bile fly across the internets, I tend to question the great promise of the interactive community. The anonymity grants those with many opinions great power, how important is it to them to represent their own image of these toys online as an image of themselves? I tend to see that most people wish these toys to stay underground, stay urban, buck the mainstream, and stay affordable. Unfortunately, with most things that are innately unique and appealing, the mainstream will take notice.

Is it a funny thing that I like these little tchotchkes for their art? The aformentioned artists (Baseman, Biskup, and Kozik) happen to be some of the biggest and most prolific names in the business, but it doesn't end there. International superstar designer Takashi Murakami has taken part in designing his own works as well as contributing to the ostentatiously designated Kid Robot event The Munny Show. A prime example of the latest currency-maddened auction on the ol' eBay, his particular design ended up selling for well over $9000. Unheard of in this day and age.

What I enjoy the most these days are the up-and-coming artists many are just starting to discover. The works of Thomas Han, Tara MacPherson, and Joe Ledbetter grace the latest set of toys distributed by Kid Robot and are getting raves for their blistering application of their own aesthetic to vinyl. Myself, I can only imagine finishing the project I'm working on, and use their own particular style as inspiration.

This hobby itself is inspiring in its dedication not just to design, but also for its dedication to character. Perhaps this is why the market has been gaining the increased amount of attention as of late. Perhaps this is also why I keep coming back for more.

For any more information, be sure to check out Vinyl Pulse, the previously noted Kid Robot, and any of the artists' websites mentioned above. Oh, and don't forget that which started it all for myself, the manufacturer of all things Kubrick, Medicom.

Survey Says...!

Since I'm too lazy to post anything notable, I submit the following that I've stolen from random blogs of late.  Anyone else want a go?

8 jobs I have had
1. Brookstone salesperson of ill repute
2. Law Library book shuffler
3. Polo-shirted Blockbuster CSR
4. Temporary Manual File-o-fax
5. Pool Boy
6. Reading skills facilitator
7. Inginiero
8. Lover, not a fighter

8 movies I can watch over and over
1. Rushmore
2. Fight Club
3. Batman Begins
4. The Incredibles
5. Castle in the Sky
6. Spider-Man
7. The Big Lebowski
8. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

8 current TV shows I love to watch
1. SCRUBS
2. LOST
3. 24
4. SCRUBS
5. Justice League Unlimited
6. The Office
7. ER
8. Did I mention SCRUBS?

8 places I have lived
1. Huntington Beach
2. Stanford
3. West Covina
4. Hermosa Beach (kinda...)
5. Hawthorne
6. California
7. USA
8. EARTH

8 places I've vacationed
1. Japan
2. Vancouver
3. Park City
4. West Palm Beach
5. Arizona/New Mexico
6. Las Vegas
7. Napa
8. Santa Barbara

8 places I would rather be right now
1. Disneyland
2. At the table, drawing
3. In bed, with the TV on
4. Japan
5. Spain
6. Mammoth
7. Traveling about Europe by train
8. Snowboarding

8 of my favorite dishes
1. Cheese enchiladas
2. Miso glazed Chilean sea bass
3. Ribeye steak
4. Scallops
5. Sushi
6. Tacos from El Toro Bravo
7. Carnitas
8. Home-fried potatoes

Rumble in the City of Angels

Crash.

It's been discussed, dissected, and now nominated.  The movie about Los Angeles that most of us don't know and a movie about race relations many of us probably only think about.  I finally got to see it this weekend (the coldest and rainiest of weekends we've had in a while) and now I finally have the ability to discuss and dissect.  I'll have to wait until the Academy waives that whole union requirement before I can nominate, though.

Set in a 36-hour period around our fine city of Los Angeles, Crash is what director Paul Haggis describes as a "passion piece" directed at the things many of us might think, but dare not say.  The action follows not just one direct storyline, but a tree of separate branches from the same trunk.  Not a family in the genetic sense, but a group of people fed up with themselves, with their lives, and with the social elements they all face.  A reputable work of the last year, it actually fits in nicely with a few themes I've seen in the last couple of days.

First off, and foremost, is the most blunt of themes thrown in our face, nay, shoved in our noses, of race relations.  You know, race these days is such a relative term, so bear with me while I attempt to discuss.  There are few times in my life when I can really say I've experienced racism, but this picture really ups the ante with so many more diatribes and incidents than I can safely relate.  Mr. Haggis says that it's supposed to make us question how we view this fact of life in our own experiences: how do we perceive race, are we really unprejudiced, and how does it effect us?  In a sense, it does make you think, but the movie really bludgeons the horse a few more times than I would have liked.  I suppose, however, if it had been more subtle, the message may have been lost.

What I take away from it actually is more in line with what Mr. Haggis' intention is.  There's a point at which Don Cheadle makes a remark about another character and it really made me think, "Why is it OK for me to point out things about my own ethnicity, but when others do, it's not OK?"  I've thought about times when my friends and I are joking around.  A few derogatory terms are thrown about here and there and I've even heard the word "wetback" a few times.  It's all in jest of course, but it doest mean it stings any less.  I even once had lunch with a person who used the word "beaner" right in my presence.  Perhaps this is my own fault for being unidentifiably Mexican ( look here for an example), but then again, is it my own fault if I don't make it point enough to disclose my discomfort?

I guess this goes back to yesterday's post about perception, self-perception and the like.  How many of us in this city really know each other enough to have that level of comfort?  How many of us really know what that level is to begin with and is it that distance between Manhattan Beach and Pomona that makes the line indistinguishable?  Really, being the sheltered uncommon coconut many see me as from Orange County, I have not experienced as much aggression, hatred, and derision as a recent Mexican immigrant, and having those four generations behind me really helps in that sense, but does that make it OK for me to perceive certain anti-immigrant testimony with indifference?  On the other hand, do I really know what it's like to have gone through that experience and is it enough to know what my grandparents and great-grandparents went through for me to be here?  It's all up to my own perception at this point, anything past that has to be an education. 

Don Cheadle's character says it at the beginning of the movie, 

It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something.

It's not the literal crash he speaks of, but the crash of culture, of conscience, and maybe even of a little self-righteousness.  Do we all really know enough about each other to do and say the appropriate things and should it even matter if we do or not?  It's not hatred that's prevalent in our city, but perhaps there is a bit of ignorance that I am not totally aware of myself. 

This really has been a loaded post that got away from me.  Ultimately, this is what the movie strives to do and this inspired discussion is a testament to the movie's message.  I'm not sure if I've really straddled the line at objectivity, but I do pray that it inspires it's own discussion at some point.  Fine performances, fine direction, and maybe a little too blunt, it worked for me.

Final Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Johari Knows You

Lots of people have been posting this around the 'net for the last week or so and since it comes with handy-dandy HTML, why shouldn't I? Click here to contribute. Commentary to follow:

Arena (known to self and others) observant, patient, reflective	Blind Spot (known only to others) accepting, calm, caring, cheerful, complex, confident, dependable, friendly, happy, idealistic, intelligent, kind, logical, quiet, relaxed, searching, self-conscious, sensible, trustworthy, warm, witty
Façade (known only to self) giving, helpful, shy	Unknown (known to nobody) able, adaptable, bold, brave, clever, dignified, energetic, extroverted, independent, ingenious, introverted, knowledgeable, loving, mature, modest, nervous, organised, powerful, proud, religious, responsive, self-assertive, sentimental, silly, spontaneous, sympathetic, tense, wise

All Percentages

able (0%) accepting (14%) adaptable (0%) bold (0%) brave (0%) calm (28%) caring (28%) cheerful (28%) clever (0%) complex (28%) confident (14%) dependable (28%) dignified (0%) energetic (0%) extroverted (0%) friendly (42%) giving (0%) happy (14%) helpful (0%) idealistic (14%) independent (0%) ingenious (0%) intelligent (42%) introverted (0%) kind (14%) knowledgeable (0%) logical (14%) loving (0%) mature (0%) modest (0%) nervous (0%) observant (14%) organised (0%) patient (42%) powerful (0%) proud (0%) quiet (14%) reflective (28%) relaxed (14%) religious (0%) responsive (0%) searching (28%) self-assertive (0%) self-conscious (14%) sensible (14%) sentimental (0%) shy (0%) silly (0%) spontaneous (0%) sympathetic (0%) tense (0%) trustworthy (14%) warm (14%) wise (0%) witty (42%)

Created by the Interactive Johari Window on 20.2.2006, using data from 7 respondents.
You can make your own Johari Window, or view kardinalsin's full data.

What's interesting to note is how this delineates self-perception and how other's perceive you. Myself, I think it's fairly accurate. What's missing, however, are the negative ways in which we see ourselves. Perhaps some of these words we use in this survey have negative connotations? Self-conscious, shy, modest; do some people see these aspects as weakness?

Personally, I find it intriguing, especially in this day and age when we are apt to publish our most personal thoughts for all to see. There was another survey I saw recently which asked the question, "Do you keep a journal?" Are blogs really journals? They have become so much more than that, especially in recent light. Perhaps that is why this test is tailored to those with blogs. I tend to think that the perception of people can be somewhat biased based on their interaction with you. Are there people you only talk to online? Are there people you see on a regular basis? Are there people whose only interaction with you is to read that which you post? In that sense, the sample size definitely has something to do with it.

Although I know there are probably people with at least 30 responses to a Johari window, I'm happy only having a small group of people doing this survey. That begs the question, is it better to have a small group of close friends or a large group of acquaintances? How large will a social circle grow until people stop really getting to know one another? I expect this will lead into another post about something else tomorrow, but for now, I like to think of this as a grand social experiment in which there is little total control.

So I suppose we go along with our lives in the knowledge we're living that which we are happy with. The most I can say is, it's best to just be yourself and not worry about "fixing" yourself. Being happy with who you are really is the best medicine and maybe this test is a validation of that for some people.

Haiku A-go-go

A friend of mine sends me the following haiku in response for a verb request:

Lonely donut hole,
Weep behind your cellophane. 
Nobody likes you

What more does one need to ask for?  Do any of us like Donut holes more than the donut itself?  Anyway, on with the verb show:

A pleasant scratch on
Dog's hind leg. No growl, nor bite,
but a kick kick kick.

A special bonus, the adjective show:

Saddened, sloppy swine.
Your slippery, staunch stoutness
Is sav'ry sausage.

Perhaps I go too far?  Hrm...

Frenetic Phoenetic Rhetoric

Random limerick of the day: 

A fav'rite flagella commis'rates,
While fun, fuzzy flagellate flagit'rates,
"My fanny indeed
Its stench I oft heed
For its pontific, wonton flatulates."

You all have Dollar Bill to thank for this one.  It makes no sense, but since when am I known to make any? Quite frankly, these are not that easy to compose.  I find it a challenge and a welcome one at that.  Any requests?  Perhaps I should go back to the old Haiku?

The Obligatory Valentine's Day Post

Many say it's a greeting card day.  Others liken it to a bane on the existence of all single people.  There are a small few, however, who actually seem to enjoy today for the simplicity of the idea.  Myself, I take it as a celebration of one of the most powerful emotions we will ever experience.

Love itself comes in many forms to deceive us, bewitch us, change us, embolden us, and confound us.  Rarely is it that it is uncomplicated, neat, and tidy.  Maybe this is why it is such a polarizing emotion.  At any one moment, love can turn to hate and vice versa.

Myself, I like to think that Love evolves as one gets older.  Your ideas of what it is, how it effects you, and how you treat it changes with maturity.  Doesn't that seem most appropriate?  Who could imagine loving someone and acting the way one did when you were 16?  I know I certainly did some stupid things and even when a few years older yet, stupid things still happened!  Was it because of love, or was it more a fault of not recognizing what love really is? 

So I say give this day your fullest attention, not for your hatred of what could be the most negative of times, but for a celebration of the love you have, the love you've had, or the love you've yet to know.

Snow-cap Recap

The Mammoth expedition went entirely as planned.  Got in a full day of the slopes on Friday, another day on Saturday, and also spent some time in Bishop on Sunday.  Two full days is a lot for myself, but coming out less pained than the past couple years is a good sign. 

We took in the Greens all day Friday on the main side and then I was able to move on to some more difficult runs on the Canyon side.  Blues are very manageable, but I really need to learn to get off a couple more turns on the Blue-blacks than my requisite one turn.  I almost felt like I was just starting off when coming down the more difficult runs, but did manage to hold my own and not fall all over the place.  I actually fell more just trying to get to a lift than when being on a run.  For that, I have to thank for the pain in my left hip.  Thank you...

There were some items of note for the weekend.  First off, Arbor makes some awesome snowboards.  I switched out my loaner with a friend's and it made such a difference, my board felt like cement shoes by the time I'd switched back.  I also learned that having a shell is indeed a good idea.  The weather being in the 50s for most of the weekend and sunny as heck made coming down the mountain almost unbearable with a few layers on underneath my heavier jacket.  It's also very notable that there are no really good restaurants in Mammoth, but there is good pizza at Giovanni's. 

Our stop in Bishop is notable if only for our stop at the local eatery, Erick Shat's Bakkery.  Oh, and there was the stop at Value Sports as well (with their incredible deals, it was hard to resist not buying anything).  The bakery is a genuine diamond out in the middle of nowhere with some tasty freshly made sandwiches and even more amazing fresh baked bread.  Awful crowded, I enjoyed a fine hot pastrami sandwich and even sampled their chili-cheese bread.  Whenever we go back up this season, we're making it a point to stop in Bishop again.

A good weekend.  Improvements were made, much food was eaten, and most of all, lots of fun was had.  My legs are tired, I got way too much sleep, and Mammoth is as much fun as it was the first time around.  If there's another big snowfall within the next month and a half, we're going to have to make it out there again. 

Snow-ward Bound

It's off to Mammoth this weekend for some grinding through the firm-packed powder wasteland of the California mountains.  Normally, things would be perfect about this time of year.  Since the rainfall and weather hasn't at all matched the torrential downpours we experienced last year, we're being treated to the wrath of La Niña.  Dry and warm, June-like conditions aren't necessarily a blessing for powder enthusiasts, but then again, I'm not much of an expert snow-boarder to be complaining that much.

Conditions are Machine Groomed and firm with a 10-12' base (that's about 3-3.7 meters for any metric readers out there).  The board is waxed and ready to go, so I'm praying my body will not be in pain.  Blues this time around?  Let's hope that happens too. 

But I Digress...

Got to take in some Coldplay and Fiona Apple last night at the most Orange County of arena venues, the Arrowhead Pond, last night.  Coldplay dominates my blog in some ways, so I won't expense with the usual pleasantries (although they were tremendous).  They did mention it would be their last performance in Cali-Caliente for a few years, so I guess it's a good thing we caught the concert.  Fiona was compelling as well, but something tells me she's been hitting a few more packs a day than she should.  Either that or she's on the same whiskey bottle as Janis Joplin.

No way am I going to expunge on the usual concert-driven mania I've been blathering on and on about for the last couple of weeks, so I'll try something a bit different and go with a time-honored tradition since the days of the "Trash Heap" (that's an old, old school shout out for anyone who read the ancient beginnings of this blog of mine).  The theme for today is creativity and of course, what better time to discuss creativity than the greeting-card holiday that is Valentine's.

I personally don't mind the holiday-lite material we are confronted with on Valentine's, what I do mind are the incessant implications that a man must buy and do certain things on this least sacred of holidays.  Although I tend to get wrapped up in the gift-giving and the like myself, I think there's more to it than just doling out flowers and Hallmark envelopes.  Such is romance though, isn't it?  Subjectivity is the name of the game.

That's where we get into the subject of art, something many consider to be the epitome of creativity.  Some would say art only exists in museums, concert halls, theaters, etc. but there are others that demand even the lowest of lowbrow creative outlets get some form of artistic respect.  Where does one draw the line?  We come again to subjectivity.  Is this blog creative enough to be considered art?  Not to my knowledge, but from time to time I'd like to think the random story insertion to break up the monotony of the everyday post is a personal elevation.  That's probably self-indulgent, but in any case, it's what it is to whoever thinks it so.

Perhaps this brings about a point of sorts.  Not that every post needs a point, but where some people like to blather on about how fresh their kicks are, how stupid dope their dance moves are, or the fabulousness of their personality, I hope that each post here injects some sense of difference not just to my life, but maybe to anyone else reading it. 

There's that self-indulgence rearing it's head again. 

As it may be, romance is what you make of it.  Creativity in itself is what you make of it.  Art is what you make of it.  This blog is what I make of it and lately I'm finding it to be much more useful of late.

Watch this space.  This is a notice that creativity and productivity will see an increase in the months to come...

Musical Checkpoints

Here's a couple of notes so far for the below post.  So far, I've checked out the Editors and HARD-Fi, with both coming out to be intriguing enough to check out in the near future.  Minus the Bear and Los Amigos Invisibles also sound fairly interesting enough to check out.  One band, though, that had been suggested to me and that wasn't on the list happened to be the Arctic Monkeys.  They shred.  Hard.

Anyhow, it was noted that I tend to spend a lot of time going over this stuff and this year's been somewhat unusual as I'm devoting more time to it than before.  Maybe it's become my "thing" to obsess over concerts and the like, but I really enjoy discovering new music and there's really a lot to appreciate about the live experience as opposed to sitting at home with your buds firmly planted.  Sometimes, it's a disappointment. When the performance transcends that which has been set down in the studio though, it's truly a special thing.

Surely, this was a phenomena began in the high school years.  Orange County itself has a unique local music scene, but definitely not for the meek.  Taking an inventory of many old shows experienced, I've lost contacts, my friend has had shirts torn, I've hung upside down, crowd surfed, been punched in the ribs, and loved every minute of it.  There's something to be said of concerts once you're a bit older, you tend not to want to get beaten on the one hand but on the other hand, the same thing I still take away from any concert is the energy you share with the performance and the crowd. 

I'm still delving into the list in my spare time. There are tons of bands yet to go through, tons of music to experience, and plenty of time to get familiar before the big weekend approaches.  Musically, I anticipate it to be one heck of a year and I find it's a good primer to try out something new.

Final, Offical: The Coachella Lineup

Lineup 2006
Originally uploaded by kardinalsin.

This year's lineup is not without its controversy and conjecture. With people saying The Strokes and the Smashing Pumpkins (!) would be making an appearance, suspense was high. Now that the lineup has been completed and submitted for public perusal, some are crying out in disappointment. A shame really, because I think it looks quite promising. For a closer look, click on the photo and see links embedded galore.

I know, I know, I have way too much time on my hands. If that's not your style, you can always click through the band list below. An assignment for any of you reading the post: click on any of the bands not highlighted in this post and let me know your thoughts and assessments. Will be a big help towards the final decision of who to see and who to disregard. Solid times are ahead of us.

Saturday, April 29
Depeche Mode
Daft Punk
Franz Ferdinand
Sigur Ros
Damien Marley
Common
Atmosphere
Carl Cox
My Morning Jacket
TV on the Radio
Ladytron
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Tosca
Cat Power
Animal Collective
HARD-Fi
Derrick Carter
Devendra Banhart
She Wants Revenge
The Walkmen
The Juan Maclean
Imogen Heap
Audio Bullys
Lady Soveriegn
Deerhoof
The Duke Spirit
Eagles of Death Metal
Lyrics Born
Matt Costa
The New Amsterdams
The Zutons
Platinum Pied Pipers
White Rose movement
Christ Liberator
Colette
Joey Beltram
Hybrid
Wolf Mother
Celebration
The Like
Living Things
Nine Black Alps
The Section Quartet
Shy FX and T Power
Infusion

Sunday, April 30
Tool
Yeah Yeah yeahs
Bloc Party
Paul Oakenfold
Scissor Sisstors
Matisyahu
James Blunt
Sleater-Kinney
Mogwai
Coheed and Cambria
Wolf Parade
Coldcut
Phoenix
Digable Planets
Amadou et Mariam
Little Louie Vega
Mylo (DJ Set)
Seu Jorge
Gnarls Barkley
The Go! Team
Kaskade
Metric
The Editors
Art Brut
Dungen
The Dears
Jamie Liddell
The Magic Numbers
The Amigos Invisibles
Jazzanova
stellastarr*
Michael Mayer
Murs
Mates of State
Gilles Peterson
Infadels
Gabriel and Dresden
The Subways
One Republic
Minus the Bear
Be Your Own Pet
Youth Group
Giant Drag
Kristina Sky
The Octopus Project

Seth Fisher, R.I.P.

I would be remiss not to mention the untimely death of a true gemstone amongst illustrators, Seth Fisher.  Being familiar with his work and a big fan of the vision and quirkiness of a truly unique artist, I'm saddened to hear that he's moved on from this mortal coil.  Many comic sites and artists have been lamenting this terrible news, but it's most heartening to see an outpouring of support on the Barbelith Forums in this thread right here.  If you have a chance, please check his personal website noted in the above link.  The linework is truly inspiring in its creativity, its complexity, its devotion to incredulous detail, and its obstinate weirdness and stands as an everlasting testament to a burgeoning career cut down well before its time.

Oscar Predictions, 2006

Here's some uneducated guesses at the noms and the winners for the 2006 Academy Awards.  I'll post this right now and after having watched a couple more of the nominated flicks, there will be an update. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener" or Michelle Williams, "Brokeback Mountain"  Rachel's the safe bet, but Michelle Williams gave one heck of a performance. She had me at "Jack Nasty."

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - George Clooney, "Syriana"  Jake Gyllenhaal's too young to win just yet and it seems to be Clooney's year.  I wouldn't be surprised if Paul Giamatti pulled one out with Cinderella Man this year.  He's a fine, fine actor.

BEST ACTRESS - Felicity Huffman, "Transamerica" or Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line"  Felicity and Reese both won the award, but I pick Reese with her charming portrayal of a much-loved June Carter-Cash.

BEST ACTOR - Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote"  As much as I loved Heath Ledger's performance in "Brokeback," PHS will battle this one out with Joaquin Phoenix for best biographic portrayal of the year.  Capote, being the much larger-than-life character than the Man in Black takes it.

BEST DIRECTOR - Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain"  Spielberg is a perennial favorite, but the understated direction of "Brokeback" deserves this honor.  Anyone want to see "Munich" with me?

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY - Woody Allen, "Match Point"  I'm going to say the Academy gives Woody the award, even though he won't be there.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY - Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, "Brokeback Mountain"  There are moments in this film where you wonder how anyone could capture such intensity and tragedy from a fictional story.  "Syriana" is very complex, but along with "Munich," too controversial to get the nod.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM - "Paradise Now" (Palestine)  I'm going to chump out and go with the Golden Globe winner.  Haven't seen any of them, so it's a safe bet.

BEST ANIMATED FILM - "Howl's Moving Castle," Hayao Miyazaki  As much as I love Aardman, Studio Ghibli is the best there is at the art form.

BEST PICTURE - I'm going to reserve this one for when I see more of these pictures.  "Munich" is still on my list of movies to see.

BEST ART DIRECTION - "Memoirs of a Geisha," Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gretchen Rau.  There wasn't a movie that was more theatrical than this one.  "Goblet of Fire" was almost as lush as Pride and Prejudice, but Memoirs achieved a classic feel to pre and post World War II Japan.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - "Brokeback Mountain," Rodrigo Prietort Elswit or "Memoirs of a Geisha," Dion Beebe.  Two of the prettiest movies of the last year.  "Memoirs" edges this one out since there are some scenes in "Brokeback" that I felt were too staged to appear natural.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN - "Memoirs of a Geisha," Colleen Atwood.  Again, I might change my answer if I ever catch Pride and Prejudice, but there's some stunning work done on this film.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE - "March of the Penguins," Luc Jacquet and Yves Darondeau.  The most compelling and most talked about documentary of the last year.  I believe it's one of a new crop that's really rejuvenated the long form doc.

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT - "God Sleeps in Rwanda," Kimberlee Acquaro and Stacy Sherman.  Going with the international subject here.  I don't know much about the movie, but it's a safe bet.

BEST FILM EDITING - "The Constant Gardener," Claire Simpson.  I have yet to see it, but have great faith it will win more than one Academy Award.  People love the international epic.

BEST MAKEUP - "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," Howard Berger and Tami Lane.  Star Wars has already won a bunch, but what I've seen from this film looks astounding.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - "Memoirs of a Geisha," John Williams.  Mr. Williams wins again.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG - Having not heard any of these songs or seen any of the movies, there's no way I can form a decent opinion.

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM - "9," Shane Acker.  Sounds Artsy, doesn't the Academy like artsy?

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM - Second verse, same as the first.

BEST SOUND EDITING - "King Kong," Mike Hopkins and Ethan Van der Ryn.  "Kong's" got to win something and my bet's on most of the technical awards.

BEST SOUND MIXING - "King Kong," Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges and Hammond Peek.  Same as the last assumption, you really have to see this movie to appreciate the technicality of it all.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS - "King Kong," Joe Letteri, Brian Van't Hul, Christian Rivers and Richard Taylor.  WETA does it again with their home film.  Although they worked on "Narnia" as well, this one's chock-full of the most seamless effects I've seen all year.

Once I get a few more Netflix or stop by the super saver, I'll have a much more thorough run-down.