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Rich

Cinema offers viewers the ability to visit different landscapes, different worlds, different universes; however, these journeys are usually kept within the confines of a constructed reality, a world that exists on the reels of film and perhaps in our minds, but not in our ‘world.’ Documentaries still create this barrier, but the realism of the genre is at worst an examination of a world that many of us are unaware of and are, at best, a portrayal of some truth that all great films can reach. I have not, and likely will not, travel to Afghanistan in my lifetime, nor do I plan on fighting in any literal wars, so Restrepo‘s portrait in to life during wartime in one of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones makes an attempt at capturing the spirit of men tied together by a desire for combat.

Much like2009′s The Hurt Locker the film explores, at times, the notion of these men experiencing highs, being lured by the thrill of combat, by the excitement of battle. I will not pretend to know what this experience is like, so perhaps the film accurately captured the feelings of these men, certainly it did well in establishing the dangers of war, but as the groups trudged along from camp to village I felt a large disconnect. In setting up the emotional pull of the film, the death of Restrepo and the establishment of a camp in his name, we see some footage of the man, and this opening minute is one of the most entertaining in the film, but his presence is lost the more the film advances. He becomes a name, war becomes dull, and the whole film becomes depressing. What is at the heart of the film, it seems, are the ties that bind individuals. The scenes in the camp where the men are clowning around are fun to watch, but that simply makes for overdone juxtaposition without much effect.

As expected in a National Geographic production we have high quality camera work, but the film simply lacks any sort of emotional or narrative pull, it exists in a bubble. Perhaps like war itself, maybe we are meant to feel alienated. The problem that seems prevalent throughout the film is that it never asks the viewer to consider these actions on a larger scale. We should sympathize with the excitement of these men as they talk about killing other humans, but we should feel bad when they are injured? We are supposed to wonder how they will live outside of war, but we rarely seem them out of this context. I do not mean to diminish the effort of these men in relation to my own freedom, but the film does not ask questions. Effective documentaries do not simply document, they explore, which is where Restrepo stumbles.

As a series of vignettes, each documenting a reality many are unaware of, the film succeeds. But a successful documentary needs more than vignettes, it needs the camera needs to become the subject, it needs that camera to discovery. Otherwise the film becomes more like Restrepo, a casual, mostly dull, journey to an unfamiliar world. These trips may not be without interest, they may not be without value, but they do seem to be without purpose. Restrepo has enough portions to make the film entertaining, but hollow entertainment is not the purpose of a documentary, it’s not even the purpose of film.

Rich

Comments are encouraged and, for anyone with a literary mind, I encourage checking out my poetry blog filled with all original works for your reading pleasure.

Also I am on the old Twitter thing so I guess you can follow me at twitter.com/FLYmeatwad or twitter.com/ProcessedGrass.

Yesterday morning the Oscar nominees were announced, each and every category. Like most years there were surprises and disappointments, probably not as many as other years, but we are not here to talk about quality or these disappointments (not directly anyway, we’ll get there friends), we are here to make knee jerk predictions based on my knowledge of the system. As the time of the show comes closer I will do a follow up post in list only form, but I think the fun here is still in making educated guesses. You know what people love? People love nice lists we can check down, so here are some of the methods that result in my madness:

1. The King’s Speech leads all nominees with 12 nominations
2. Toy Story 3 is nominated for Best Animated Film and Best Picture
3. True Grit is the surprise second leading nominee getter
4. Christopher Nolan, Mila Kunis, and Andrew Garfield/The Social Network’s supporting cast seem to be the people snubbed
5. The Town seems to be the film supplanted by Winter’s Bone

Checklist made. Films screened. Islands shuttered. All systems are go!Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

“127 Hours” Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
“The Social Network” Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
“Toy Story 3” Screenplay by Michael Arndt; Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
“True Grit” Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
“Winter’s Bone” Adapted for the screen by Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini

This category is, for the most part, incredibly strong, both in terms of quality and potential winners. While I would love to see True Grit or Winter’s Bone grab a win here I have called up my bookie who resides by the docks and told him to put it all on The Social Network.

Sound Mixing

“Inception” Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo and Ed Novick
“The King’s Speech” Paul Hamblin, Martin Jensen and John Midgley
“Salt” Jeffrey J. Haboush, Greg P. Russell, Scott Millan and William Sarokin
“The Social Network” Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick and Mark Weingarten
“True Grit” Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff and Peter F. Kurland

Let’s get this out of the way right now, I have not seen Salt. I have had success picking this category in the past, so the millions, literally millions, of dollars that are flying about the underbelly of New Jersey are being funneled toward one of many technical awards for Inception.

Side note: True Grit should win this category.

Sound Editing

“Inception” Richard King
“Toy Story 3” Tom Myers and Michael Silvers
“Tron: Legacy” Gwendolyn Yates Whittle and Addison Teague
“True Grit” Skip Lievsay and Craig Berkey
“Unstoppable” Mark P. Stoeckinger

You don’t know how much I want to say Unstoppable. Because these predictions, they are unstoppable. I almost ended up in a river last year when I made blind guesses in categories I do not know a difference between. Mixing must be the creation of sound while editing is the splicing of sound. Inception will win this, and I won’t be in the river.

Documentary (Short Subject)

“Killing in the Name” Nominees to be determined
“Poster Girl” Nominees to be determined
“Strangers No More” Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon
“Sun Come Up” Jennifer Redfearn and Tim Metzger
“The Warriors of Qiugang” Ruby Yang and Thomas Lennon

Here we go, this is where I find my odds. I don’t know what the odds, all I know is that I will take them. My logic here is that some of these nominees are still to be determined, so we can either cut them or pick between them. Sometimes I need to trust my instincts, which are mostly recovered from what the debt collectors did around this time last year, and my instincts tell me to select, most astutely, Strangers No More.

Documentary (Feature)

“Exit through the Gift Shop” Banksy and Jaimie D’Cruz
“Gasland” Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic
“Inside Job” Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
“Restrepo” Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
“Waste Land” Lucy Walker and Angus Aynsley

I am oddly much more familiar with these nominations than I have any right to be given the paltry amount of docs watched on my current list. I was not as enamored with Gift Shop as many were, and my inside sources tell me that the inability of Academy voters to realize it is not real helps its chances. I think the allure of seeing who accepts if it wins would be enough to give it my vote. Restrepo will probably win because it was billed as similar to The Hurt Locker, so that’s where my dwindling funds are being placed.

Writing (Original Screenplay)

“Another Year” Written by Mike Leigh
“The Fighter” Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson;
Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
“Inception” Written by Christopher Nolan
“The Kids Are All Right” Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg
“The King’s Speech” Screenplay by David Seidler

Mike Leigh’s ability to consistently get nominated in this category is rivaled only by my own ability to consistently forget about his films while they are in theaters. That won’t happen this year though, as Another Year is currently on my slate for this weekend. If these picks go wrong I may only have a few left. You know what also won’t happen though? The King’s Speech won’t lose this award.

Visual Effects

“Alice in Wonderland” Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1” Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi
“Hereafter” Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojanski and Joe Farrell
“Inception” Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb
“Iron Man 2” Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick

Black Swan should be nominated here. I now have nine toes because Black Swan is not nominated. Let us not make it eight. Let me forget those memories. Let it be Alice in Wonderland.

Short Film (Live Action)

“The Confession” Tanel Toom
“The Crush” Michael Creagh
“God of Love” Luke Matheny
“Na Wewe” Ivan Goldschmidt
“Wish 143” Ian Barnes and Samantha Waite

I am not going to lie to you, my most beloved friend. I have not seen these films, I am not putting any of my funds or appendages on this category. However, I just received an email telling me I have inherited a fortune from Africa, so I’m putting half of that large sum on The Crush.

Short Film (Animated)

“Day & Night” Teddy Newton
“The Gruffalo” Jakob Schuh and Max Lang
“Let’s Pollute” Geefwee Boedoe
“The Lost Thing” Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann
“Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary)” Bastien Dubois

I have seen one of these films, if Day & Night was not so mainstream I would pick it based on recognition alone. However, this fortune only cost me some personal information! I can take chances! Put it all on Let’s Pollute because of that short film about consumerism that won and I have forgotten about a year later.

Music (Original Score)

“How to Train Your Dragon” John Powell
“Inception” Hans Zimmer
“The King’s Speech” Alexandre Desplat
“127 Hours” A.R. Rahman
“The Social Network” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Arguing against Hans Zimmer here is tough based on how recognizable he made that score. Arguing against Hans Zimmer in real life is even tougher. The past tells me that There Will Be Blood, also scored by notable musicians, was not even nominated. However, I have specifically trained myself to repress the past entirely. So we are going to go with The Social Network.

Music (Original Song)

“Coming Home” from “Country Strong” Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey
“I See the Light” from “Tangled” Music by Alan Menken Lyric by Glenn Slater
“If I Rise” from “127 Hours” Music by A.R. Rahman Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong
“We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3″ Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

This category is boring this year, and mostly bad. I should have saved some of that fortune. People like Paltrow, I think, but people also like Newman. Toy Story 3 is the more recognizable film though, so I’ll go with that one.

Makeup

“Barney’s Version” Adrien Morot
“The Way Back” Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
“The Wolfman” Rick Baker and Dave Elsey

Guess there was not a lot of great make up this year, huh Academy? That is unfortunate because after last year I needed a professional make up artist for about two months so that the cops would stop asking questions. My inclination is to always go with what is likely the worst film in this category, so I’ll go with The Wolfman!

Art Direction

“Alice in Wonderland”
Production Design: Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1”
Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
“Inception”
Production Design: Guy Hendrix Dyas; Set Decoration: Larry Dias and Doug Mowat
“The King’s Speech”
Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Judy Farr
“True Grit”
Production Design: Jess Gonchor; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh

I think that Alice will probably win one of the art categories. Since I picked it for the other, I will pick The King’s Speech for this one.

Costume Design

“Alice in Wonderland” Colleen Atwood
“I Am Love” Antonella Cannarozzi
“The King’s Speech” Jenny Beavan
“The Tempest” Sandy Powell
“True Grit” Mary Zophres

Once again, Alice has the flash. As does The Tempest, maybe, but I have not seen that film. However, each year this category goes to a period piece. I Am Love should win this award, but when you have a period piece competing for Best Picture The King’s Speech should walk away with this award easily.

Foreign Language Film

“Biutiful” Mexico
“Dogtooth” Greece
“In a Better World” Denmark
“Incendies” Canada
“Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi)” Algeria

I have tried something new, which has been placing bets offshore. These collectors can’t track me down. Probably. I now know about all of these films, and because Babel had fans I guess Biutiful is the obvious choice, but I hear that film is not all that great. Dogtooth probably won’t win because Haneke did not win. The only film I know nothing about is Outside the Law, so I’m literally putting all my money on that one to win.

Film Editing

“Black Swan” Andrew Weisblum
“The Fighter” Pamela Martin
“The King’s Speech” Tariq Anwar
“127 Hours” Jon Harris
“The Social Network” Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter

Black Swan has to win something, so I will go against the grain and go, hesitantly, with Black Swan.

Cinematography

“Black Swan” Matthew Libatique
“Inception” Wally Pfister
“The King’s Speech” Danny Cohen
“The Social Network” Jeff Cronenweth
“True Grit” Roger Deakins

The Academy loves montages like I love trashy Euro-pop. I am willing to stake my entire collection of Girls Aloud albums on Roger Deakins finally taking home an Oscar for his wonderful work, though hardly his best work, in True Grit.

Animated Feature Film

“How to Train Your Dragon” Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
“The Illusionist” Sylvain Chomet
“Toy Story 3” Lee Unkrich

A sad thing has happened to The Illusionist, but let us not dwell on the film that shan’t win. Toy Story 3 is the lock of the night.

Actor in a Supporting Role

Christian Bale in “The Fighter”
John Hawkes in “Winter’s Bone”
Jeremy Renner in “The Town”
Mark Ruffalo in “The Kids Are All Right”
Geoffrey Rush in “The King’s Speech”

One time I went deep in the hole on Pro Bass Fishing bets and found myself locked in a trunk. I don’t know if it was a car trunk or a luggage trunk. I woke up in an airport’s parking lot. I think I was in Boston. I also think Christian Bale in The Fighter is a lock.

Actress in a Supporting Role

Amy Adams in “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter in “The King’s Speech”
Melissa Leo in “The Fighter”
Hailee Steinfeld in “True Grit”
Jacki Weaver in “Animal Kingdom”

This category is tough because of the stock The King’s Speech holds and because Carter has never won, also they mispronounced her name at the nominations. Leo seems to be the front runner while Weaver gives a much better, similar, performance in a better film. But, as my Best Lead Performances post told you, Hailee Steinfeld is a force, a mislabeled force, but still a force, so True Grit wins.

Actor in a Leading Role

Javier Bardem in “Biutiful”
Jeff Bridges in “True Grit”
Jesse Eisenberg in “The Social Network”
Colin Firth in “The King’s Speech”
James Franco in “127 Hours”

Colin Firth was, arguably (I would not take this side), better than Jeff Bridges last year. Jeff Bridges is, easily, better than Firth this year. James Franco is probably better than everyone. The King’s Speech has my money, even with 1:1000 odds.

Actress in a Leading Role

Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right”
Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence in “Winter’s Bone”
Natalie Portman in “Black Swan”
Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine”

When I used to have hair that was my own and not the kind the grass the mob put on my head I had it cut like Annette Bening. She ha a chance here, but I will ride the Portman wave and give the advantage to the great film, Black Swan.

Directing

“Black Swan” Darren Aronofsky
“The Fighter” David O. Russell
“The King’s Speech” Tom Hooper
“The Social Network” David Fincher
“True Grit” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

I keep telling myself this will be the year that the real best director wins, but let’s be realistic, Aronofsky does not have a chance, nor do the Coens, because Black Swan won’t win Best Picture and the Coens have just won a few years ago. Fincher is going to win for The Social Network, but the fact that Fincher, Hooper, and Russel are being considered for Best Director is more pathetic than my winning percentage.

Best Picture

“Black Swan” Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
“The Fighter” David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
“Inception” Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
“The Kids Are All Right” Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
“The King’s Speech” Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
“127 Hours” Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
“The Social Network” Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
“Toy Story 3” Darla K. Anderson, Producer
“True Grit” Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
“Winter’s Bone” Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers

There has been a push for The King’s Speech and as of late that safe, and boring, film has taken the lead. Oddly, half of the nominees this year are at least good films. Three are mediocre. Two are bad. I am still putting the remaining coins I have on what is not the best film, but is certainly a great film: The Social Network.

These picks are lock, literally locks. I don’t need to see everything in those little categories to get all 24 categories correct, my knowledge of Entertainment Tonight mixed with my source at that discount barber shop have steered me wrong only minimal times in the past. If you want a full recap then feel free to click here for just the picks without the text.

Note: These guesses are locks, you can take them to the bank, but I cannot legally encourage any activity. I also will take no responsibility if you do not apply my system correctly.

Rich

Comments are encouraged and, for anyone with a literary mind, I encourage checking out my poetry blog filled with all original works for your reading pleasure.

Also I am on the old Twitter thing so I guess you can follow me at twitter.com/FLYmeatwad or twitter.com/ProcessedGrass.

Sound Mixing: Inception

Sound Editing: Inception

Documentary (Short Subject): Strangers No More

Documentary (Feature): Restrepo

Writing (Original Screenplay): The King’s Speech

Visual Effects: Alice in Wonderland

Short Film (Live Action): The Crush

Short Film (Animated): Let’s Pollute

Music (Original Score): The Social Network

Music (Original Song): Toy Story 3

Makeup: The Wolfman

Art Direction: The King’s Speech

Costume Design: The King’s Speech

Foreign Language Film: Outside the Law

Film Editing: Black Swan

Cinematography: True Grit

Animated Feature Film: Toy Story 3

Actor in a Supporting Role: Christian Bale

Actress in a Supporting Role: Hailee Steinfeild

Actor in a Leading Role: Colin Firth

Actress in a Leading Role: Natalie Portman

Directing: David Fincher (The Social Network)

Best Picture: The Social Network

The Illusionist (Chomet, 2010)

The previous year was an incredibly strong year for animated films the world over. Japan delivered the strongest showing with Summer Wars, Ireland brought the fantastic The Secret of Kells, and France yielded the joyous display of absurdity known as A Town Called Panic. And once again we find ourselves in France for Sylvain Chomet’s adaptation of Jaques Tati’s script for The Illusionist. While Chomet plays his comedy in a broad sense, likely a departure from Tati’s signature style, the pull of the film is located in its ability to balance strong emotional scenes with the tension of an ever changing world.

The Illusionist magnificently creates a picture of a world in flux, leaving the vaudeville spectrum behind in exchange for a more modern entertainment. Record players are replaced by jukeboxes, stages are replaced with movie theaters, and magicians are replaced with the Britoons, a cartoonish version of The Beatles. These art forms are lost, television is invading homes, the world is changing and our central figure, the titular Illusionist, searches for a place where he can still survive, if not thrive. Chomet enhances this theme by taking advantage of traditional animation, an art form that itself has seemingly taken its final breath, to mirror the themes are the center of the narrative. The world and the characters are perfectly captured by the animators as Chomet’s vision drips off the screen. Each frame is so lovingly rendered, each movement so carefully planned an executed, all advancing that central idea, all setting a beautifully somber tone.

Chomet sets this tone by keeping a focus on a fairly standard relationship that, for much of the film, straddles the line between endearing and creepy. By placing two characters alongside each other for much of the film, the old illusionist and the young Alice, Chomet is able to add a human element that keeps the film from solely existing as a vehicle to enhance a message. The two are given their own arcs that are both connected by a sense of loss and concealment, a desire to hold on, but the truth that the world cannot stand still.

As the film approaches its conclusion a sense of sadness sweeps over the screen, one that would not be possible without the choice to keep the film mostly silent. We do not have subtitles, we have people talking, but for the most part what they say is irrelevant. This forces the viewer to pay attention to each movement, to each interaction, it makes the animators do most of the heavy lifting, and through this attention we can begin seeing these characters not as cartoons, but as people. And from there the film rises from a very good examination of entertainment to a great, emotionally charged picture of human growth. Chomet’s latest film is not flawless, but the film works on nearly every technical and thematic level to make for one of the most fully realized pictures of 2010, animated or otherwise.

Rich

Comments are encouraged and, for anyone with a literary mind, I encourage checking out my poetry blog filled with all original works for your reading pleasure.

Also I am on the old Twitter thing so I guess you can follow me at twitter.com/FLYmeatwad or twitter.com/ProcessedGrass.

11. Bioshock 2

The sequel to the original, and rightfully beloved, Bioshock seemed to stir up a lot of criticism even before the game was released. Why do we need to go back to Rapture? I won’t be surprised, I’m too smart now. Multiplayer? This is stupid. While the controls may not be explained as well as a tutorial should, the game is a huge improvement mechanically over the first game, and from a storytelling standpoint the formula that made the first a success still weaves a tale full of intrigue that builds toward one of the most enjoyable and unexpected final sequences of the year. The multiplayer is enjoyable, inconsequential, but enjoyable enough; however, Bioshock 2 creates a thrilling environment laced with a more personalized story than the first, and sometimes that is enough.

10. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

At times the simplest stories can be the most engaging, and luckily for Enslaved it’s decision to take a classic tale from Chinese history and attempt to modernize it creates one of the most unique adventures of the year. What floored me about this adventure game, despite the shoddy gameplay mechanics, was the character interaction. Brought to life by a well rounded script and voice acting, what separates the three characters at the heart of this game can be found in the movements, mostly the fantastic work of former Gollum Andy Serkis, and the detail to characters’ faces. Uncanny valley is located in the eyes. In Enslaved we do not look into shells, we see the window to these characters’ souls, and that accomplishment is simply stunning.

9. God of War III

Here we are, at the end of Kratos’s bloody assault on the Gods of Greek mythology. This game had lofty expectations to live up to, and for the most part is rolls on all cylinders. The combat system is still complex, the scale of encounters is still present, and the game is challenging enough to make it enjoyable and rewarding. The game does not reinvent what has made the previous entries so enjoyable, so the heavy lifting comes from the environments and the story, luckily the Ghost of Sparta rips, slices, and claws his way to a more than satisfying conclusion. Wherever Kratos goes from here, this saga is certainly over, and the conclusion proves fully satisfying.

8. Rock Band 3

Many critics are heralding this game as the swan song of the music and rhythm genre. With the recent sale of Harmonix, though the retention of the Rock Band name, this may be the case. It seems difficult to believe that the company can go anywhere from here. If you have the right equipment you can learn how to really play keyboard, guitar, bass, and drums. The song list is massive if you export, the disc tracks are excellent, what more needs to be said? If this is how we die, let the winds carry our spirit.

7. Deadly Premonition

Zach, these seeds are everywhere, all I see is red, like in that film from our favorite director: S. Spielberg. Those were good times, the older times. Times when survival horror games were simple, were clunky, were balls to the wall insane. When we had save points, when games were simple. Well, Zach, those times were good. So was Twin Peaks. But is anything better than the creation known as Agent Francis York Morgan? No. And this game should not be this low on the list because the way Swery plays with this genre, the way he creates this town, the way it present so much value, so much intrigue, so much wonder, is astounding. It’s conventionally unconventional, or unconventionally conventional. Side note: I don’t like Steven Spielberg.

6. Fallout: New Vegas

For the past two or three years a game of this ilk has, by default, taken my number one slot. This game should occupy that slot as well, but maybe I am simply rebelling against myself. Perhaps I am rewarding execution and ambition, not the incredibly solid and realized experience New Vegas delivers. The writing is sharp, the world is unique, and despite it feeling slightly worn the game never loses steam and always remains engaging. The way the game is crafted encourages multiple playstyles and playthroughs, it may not present a world that ever changes drastically, but it presents a world you live in and a game that gives weight to your choices in the short and long term. Technical issues aside, Fallout: New Vegas may be smaller than its predecessor, but the game makes up for size with its complexity.

5. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood

I knew nothing of this game before its release aside from the rumblings at E3, which means I was expecting a full on multiplayer experience with a single player that prepared you for whatever unique take Ubisoft brought to the game’s online. And Brotherhood does boast one of the most compelling multiplayer modes of the year, thanks in large part by how directly it is tied in to the game’s fiction. That fiction that drives a compelling single player that picks up right after the second entry, advancing both Ezio’s and Desmond’s story right up until the thrilling conclusion. There have been many IPs created this generation, but none are of the caliber of the Assassin’s Creed series, and Brotherhood is not only the best game mechanically, it does not only boast the best setting while being confined to a single city, it is the best game in the series, last year’s biggest surprise, and one of 2010′s best games.

4. Picross 3D

I have sunk more hours in to Picross 3D than any other game in 2010. In fact, perhaps more than any other game since Picross DS. The number puzzle game does not have the same charm that was found in the level design of its predecessor, but the challenge of the game is still there in full force and the extra dimensions make the puzzles feel even more complete. Add in the robust puzzles able to be downloaded free of charge and the best puzzle series only gets better. The game does not have the graphics or the narrative of my other entries, but sometimes all you need is enjoyment and challenge, and this DS title has them both in spades, or rather in cubes.

3. Heavy Rain

Few games come with as much ambition as this PS3 exclusive. Heavy Rain was touted prior to the console’s launch as a title that showcased the system’s power, capable of rendering perfect recreations of humans. Straddling the line between cinema and game, delivering each player a unique experience. Actually, creator David Cage suggests the game only be played once by each person so that they experience the way they should be experience it and then it sits and grows internally. I have not picked the game up since launch, I plan to do so at some point, but Cage delivers on most of his promises. I do not have the problem with the voice acting others do, but even that complaint is minor is what is otherwise a gripping, compelling, and truly unique experience.

2. Red Dead Redemption

Year after year Rockstar Games seems to pump out these great open world games. However, with the release of Red Dead Redemption the company has crafted what is the company’s second best game next to Bully. The world here breathes, not in the way Bully does, which holds it back from perfection, but it sets up such a well realized and well executed landscape. It weaves a thrilling tale. It offers a reason to play to completion. And that is all before the stellar Undead Nightmare DLC add on. But what really sells me on RDR is not the story as a whole, the world, the gameplay, or the characters. No, the game fascinates me because it handles the final act in a way that games do not operate. Rockstar commits, they pioneer, and they evolve, and damn does RDR showcase these successes.

1. Super Meat Boy

PC or 360, it does not matter (I played the 360 version first, and more, but it really does not matter). Move over Mario because SMB has been reclaimed by Team Meat’s masocore masterpiece. I know this relationship is not good for me, I know I am going to get hurt, and get hurt, and get hurt, and I’ll keep coming back, I’ll keep trying, and I’ll keep getting roughed up. When the gameplay is this demanding but this precise I know it’s my fault, SMB knows what’s best for me, I’m just not good enough and I need the tough love to grow. You don’t understand what we have, but it is beautiful, it is deep, it is simple, it is complex, it is Super Meat Boy, and it is, quite easily, the best game released in 2010.

Many great games just missed the cut. I only played a couple of truly bad games this year. I imagine the only list that may be more difficult for me to compile over the next few weeks will be my Top 10 Films. All of the games from 1-7 could probably be my number 1 game. They are all so fantastic, so enjoyable, and simply experiences that all fans of the artform should undertake while we wait for the first great game of 2011 to drop.

Rich

Comments are encouraged and, for anyone with a literary mind, I encourage checking out my poetry blog filled with all original works for your reading pleasure.

Also I am on the old Twitter thing so I guess you can follow me at twitter.com/FLYmeatwad or twitter.com/ProcessedGrass.

I am not sure what the time table Disney has, but my guess is that within the next year the Mouse House will not have only lost Miley, but fellow icon Selena Gomez as well with Wizards of Waverly Place (as second part of the Disney trifecta I refer to as the Big Three) in its final season, meaning the most talented cast of any of the sitcoms, boasting Jennifer Stone, David DeLuise, Jake Austin, and the insanely talented, and incredibly versatile, David Henrie, will have also been lost. Along with the cast being lost so are the writers, a group who have strung together a series of pronounced mini-arcs within a mostly cohesive whole throughout a four season series, a quality that demonstrates an ambition for the show that few, if any, other like minded series possessed and a respect for its audience. Additionally, this season of The Suite Life On Deck marks the end of the Sprouse twins’s six year run with Disney, spanning two original series, and taking away a remarkable chemistry as well as the best sustained comedic writing Disney has seen in quite some time.

So where does that leave us?

I am not entirely sure. JONAS L.A. demonstrated a unique venue for Disney, essentially relaunching and reskinning a failed sitcom formula for a more mature, yet still fairly goofy, show more akin to a soap opera or drama than any other program put out, but the ages of each of the Jonas Brothers leave doubts that the show will return, or even retain the identity it experimented with in its second season. Demi Lovato is, as far as I can tell, the most talented member of the Disney cast period (slightly edging out Selena and Henrie), but her recent personal struggles have left her show, at least partially, going on without her and falling apart in the process. I have said before that I wish all the best for Demi, she is not at fault for anything, but as an amateur analyst I need to take everything in to account, and it seems unlikely that the Sonny break will bode well for Disney in this time of flux. So let us count that show as a wash for right now.

That means, after the Big Three have all ended, we are left with Phineas and Ferb, Fish Hooks, Good Luck Charlie, and Shake it Up. The hollow, aimlessly self referential and painfully self aware Phineas and Ferb can ride its popularity to commercial success, but the show is the epitome of lazy writing, a Family Guy for the Disney crowd. And if Phineas and Ferb is the Family Guy then I suppose its animated companion Fish Hooks exists as The Cleveland Show of the Mouse House. As far as live action goes, Bridget Mendler is a captivating lead in Good Luck Charlie, fantastic turns from episode to episode that are a great follow up to her role on Wizards, but the show’s humor is as generic as the serialized sitcom formula it follows. All the lessons learned from the Big Three have apparently vanished with this show’s construction. Disney may be prepped to go from a wonderland to a wasteland faster than many other television stations.

Or perhaps not, because there is a glimmer of hope. Chemistry, laughs, potential for arcs, talent. They are all being developed, ever so slowly, from week to week, on Shake it Up. Now the show has about a decathalon’s way to go before it can even hope to achieve status of even the Big Three’s weakest (Hannah), but the sparks between leads Bella Thorne and Zendaya are apparent, each bringing an energy to each scene. However, I must stress the use of the word glimmer, because in front of this chemistry and charm are still cheap laughs, tired tropes, and marks of throwaway entertainment. Still, if there is a horse in the Disney stable to bet on it seems, of the main contenders, Shake it Up gives the best chance for profit.

Oddly, where the most notable successes have been found are on Disney’s embryonic station Disney XD. Shows are willing to strip away the laugh track and let the actors and writers work, found in Zeke and Luther. While Ryan Newman, and probably the two leads Hutch Dano and especially Adam Hicks, shines the most in the role of the Zeke’s younger sister, but even supporters like Daniel Lee Curtis make the most of their screen time. The writing does not support the actors the way it does in Disney’s most successful programs, but the willingness to drop the laugh track, a smart move also apparent in the Jonas series, is a massive step in the right direction. The station is still cluttered with blunders like Kick Butowski and I’m in the Band, but Pair of Kings has emerged as a nice compliment to Zeke and Luther, featuring another excellent duo headlining in the form of the underrated Doc Shaw and the under-appreciated Mitchel Musso. The show suffers from the same problems as Zeke and Luther and Shake it Up, along with the inclusion of the laugh track, but the potential is also present. All of these shows can easily fall in to obscurity, but in part a chance exists that they can, with time, come in to their own and make for good, if not great, entertainment.

And so we have the potential successors to the Big Three: Shake it Up, Pair of Kings, and Zeke and Luther.

I feel discouraged, I attempt to remain hopeful, but I feel discouraged. It takes the space of two networks to even possibly fill in a fraction of the space left by Hannah Montana, The Suite Life On Deck, and Wizards of Waverly Place. Perhaps the stars were simply aligned. I will continue to hold out hope that Disney can pull everything together, despite the scramble they appear to be making in order to find the next replacement. However, regardless of how the search ends. Regardless of whether or not these new shows live up to their potential. In the end I am glad that the Big Three have provided so much quality entertainment, have attempted to elevate the shows beyond the general form of dismissal that so many are ready to give to Disney’s original programming. These shows mark an era that should be celebrated. As a motion picture studio Disney has had tremendous runs of success, from the initial release of Snow White that marked the Golden Age of Disney, to the release of The Little Mermaid ushering in the Disney Renaissance. And from 2006 until, potentially, 2011, Disney has experienced a third Renaissance, even if few were there to notice.

Rich

Comments are encouraged and, for anyone with a literary mind, I encourage checking out my poetry blog filled with all original works for your reading pleasure.

Also I am on the old Twitter thing so I guess you can follow me at twitter.com/FLYmeatwad or twitter.com/ProcessedGrass.

The Green Hornet (Gondry, 2011)

I had a chance to catch an advanced 3-D screening of Michel Gondry’s latest film, The Green Hornet, last night, so I am taking a bit of a break from my 2010 coverage to venture in to the present. Never early enough to get a jump on the current year, especially when that jump involves the director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Be Kind Rewind, and others. Not to mention a script from the men who penned Superbad, an Asian pop star taking up acting, and one of the more compelling comedians working today. So with all this talent involved this cannot possibly go wrong, right?

With The Green Hornet we have a film that is about identity. Academy Award Winner Christoph Waltz, filling the obligatory villain role that every superhero film needs to have to keep the plot moving, attempts to find a more edgy persona at the expense of the aspects that made him a crime lord to begin with, while Seth Rogen’s Britt seemingly has little identity at the onset of the film and attempts to find the human aspects of his personality under the guise of the titular quasi-hero. Unfortunately, the film struggles with its own identity, indecisive as to whether or not it wants to be an action film or a comedy. Now Gondry has experience blending genre in the past, and there are some moments where the script, the visuals, and the actors fire on all cylinders, having the genres spill over and mix brilliantly.

The film does have some really well directed action sequences, both fights and car chases. The comedy tends to hit most of the time as well, thanks in no small part to Rogen’s presence on screen. However, when the film tries to blend the two, most notably in a fight sequence between Britt and Kato, his sidekick played by Jay Chou, the laughs slowly taper off and the film becomes uncomfortable. For me Gondry has always had a unique style, but he lives and dies by the script. Eternal Sunshine has a mostly enjoyable script, and Gondry’s visuals add to the script, making for a pretty alright film, while here we have a fairly generic script, in terms of the story being told not the actual dialogue, that is enhanced by Gondry’s visuals. Even the up-converted 3-D works well to establish depth that highlights the rifts between the characters. However, this technical prowess and the mostly enjoyable writing and performances cannot save what is, essentially, a fairly sloppily told origin story.

When the film does ask questions though, such as the struggles for identity and the interesting parallels that exist between Waltz, playing an enjoyable spin on Hans Landa-lite, and Rogen, but because their two worlds are so disconnected the tension between the two is difficult to convey when the showdown eventually occurs. The film attempts to link all the story aspects together in a hokey, crazy comic book absurd logic of yesteryear’s films (as opposed to the more serious ones in theaters today), and while that portion of the film is humorous and does work, many of these more over the top aspects found in the film’s conclusion seem to go against the serious elements established early on. The film does such a nice job of making death matter, establishing and following up with the reality and risk of each situation, but then these elements are played more for laughs at the end. The laughs work, they just do not make much sense.

Ultimately, The Green Hornet is not really the squandered potential that was apparent in the overall feeling of Be Kind, Rewind, but while that film had an interesting premise that had writing which did not play well to the potential of the concept, this film falls prey to the opposite, leaving the writing and interaction in limbo because of the generic origin tale. Still, The Green Hornet is an interesting and mostly enjoyable film to watch, it just fails to follow through some of the more ambitious aspects of the script.

Comments are encouraged and, for anyone with a literary mind, I encourage checking out my poetry blog filled with all original works for your reading pleasure.

Also I am on the old Twitter thing so I guess you can follow me at twitter.com/FLYmeatwad or twitter.com/ProcessedGrass.

Top 5 Lead Performances (Male)

5. Shia LaBoeuf – Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

In many ways Shia’s spot on this Top 5 is as much recognition for his career as a whole thus far as it is for his turn in the latest Oliver Stone film. But in actuality I really feel as if the performance as the lead in Money Never Sleeps does represent Shia nearly at his finest. I have heard many complaints against the screen presence of LaBoeuf, but the way he carries himself through the high stakes world of this film, with a powerful competence capable of standing up with the biggest dealers while still displaying those moments of vulnerability and childlike wonder, mixed with a touch of naivety. I suppose a case can be made that much of this has to do with the writing, but LaBoeuf sells it perfectly.

4. Jeff Bridges – True Grit

I debated whether or not I should put Bridges here for his role in True Grit or for his digitized update on The Dude in TRON: Legacyand I decided to go with his portrayal of Rooster in the Coen’s latest. The role allows Bridges to transform once more, perfectly delivering the Coen’s dialog in a nearly incomprehensable manner, with just enough grizzled enunciation to understand without harming the tattered past of the character. Bridges is a delight to watch on screen and this performance may be one of my favorites from the actor.

3. Michael Cera – Youth in Revolt

I will make no attempt to hide my admiration for just about every choice that Michael Cera makes whenever he is on a screen. While his turn in Youth in Revolt is not the brilliant display of meta-acting that he displayed when he was in Paper Heart, nor does it match the comedic prowess of his other work, but this year Michael Cera, between his two films, was probably given some of the best dialog to deliver, and the way he became Nick Twisp was mighty impressive. However, where Cera shines is in the role of Nick’s alternate personality, Francoise Dillinger. It is a role that allows Cera to try different things, to become a completely different screen presence, and to interact with himself (side note: Armie Hammer should have probably been on my Best Supporting Actor List) allow him to demonstrate his talent.

2. James Franco – 127 Hours

I have not seen the unofficial companion piece to this film, Buried, so I do not know how Ryan Reynolds shoulders a film all on his own, but the way James Franco shoulders nearly the entire weight of a film on his more than competent shoulders are what really make 127 Hours a film worth watching. Franco is asked to tread a thin line between sanity and insanity, and he is able to rise to the challenge. The man brings an incredible amount of energy to the screen that not only allows the audience to care about the situation he finds himself in, but to also reach for higher truths. Also, the way he talks to the camera is awesome, and sometimes that is all you need.

1. Joaquin Phoenix – I’m Still Here

Going in to this film I was unsure what I was to expect. I know that the whole film was seemingly a hoax, so I did know that Phoenix was playing a role, and in that regard I do not think any actor had quite as great a challenge placed at his feet. What I’m Still Here then allows is for a brilliant examination of the acting process, method taken to its insane conclusion. An attempt to question the media’s role in shaping perception and reality. And at the center of this is Phoenix, a startlingly compelling performance that allows him a chance to demonstrate his talent in ways that I have rarely seen. There are aspects that I am still wrestling with in regard to the legitimacy of the supporting turns in the film and how that effects the performance overall, but I suppose if individuals like Diddy and the fans were not staged, as I believe to be the case, I think that makes Phoenix’s transformation all the more incredible.

Honorable Mentions

Robert Pattinson – Remember Me

Zac Efron – Charlie St. Cloud

Jesse Eisenberg – The Social Network

Russel Brand – Get Him to the Greek

Top Five Lead Performances (Female)

5. Natalie Portman – Black Swan

This fifth spot was tough to determine, but when it comes down to it I think of all the performers competing for the spot it was Portman’s manic display of Nina in Black Swan that has stuck with me the most. She plays extremes in the film, and it would be easy to focus on her brilliant turn in the final twenty minutes or so of the film to serve as evidence to her talent, but I was impressed when Portman had to exist in those moments of the middle. The reluctance to change, the hesitancy to engage. These moments are what add to the character and solidify Portman as one of the year’s best actresses.

4. Hye-ja Kim – Mother

The performance of Hye-ja Kim in Bong Joon-ho’s latest Mother is mezmerizing, both because of the calculated way in which the woman moves and because of the lengths to which she takes an already extreme character. On screen she is a rock, a ballast holding together the few shreads of hope that we have, and as the film progresses that quiet confidence in Kim’s face begins to falter, but it never breaks. Her performance is so well delivered and realized, a masterclass of becoming a character.

3. Jennifer Lawrence – Winter’s Bone

While I was exiting Winter’s Bone I can still remember being floored by the performance of Jennifer Lawrence. She acts as child and matriarch all at once, a product of her environment and a glimmer of hope amid a view of desolation. Lawrence never needs to play just one idea, one emotion, at any given time. She needs to convey the weight of the world, and from scene to scene she effectively portrays this foundation. The maturity in her performance, it astounds me.

2. Tilda Swinton – I Am Love

I am going to not detail Tilda Swinton’s fantastic, incredibly professional and actorly performance, nor will I discuss why her dedication to the role, going so far as to learn two different languages over however many years, floors me. How the subtlety in each scene, how the mood and the joys and the highs and the lows are brilliantly communicated through her face and her motions, and are only further enhanced when she speaks. No, I will briefly write that I am shocked at what I am currently writing. I have never been enamored with Swinton the way others have, I think her lauded performances are too sterile and dull, so when I saw her in I Am Love I was absolutely shocked at how well she played her character. I am also shocked that I am not listing her in my number one slot, because even in the preliminary stages of making this list she was number one. She was number one up until the point I started typing. I have nothing bad to say about this performance, it is a masterclass of acting.

1. Haillee Steinfeld- True Grit

In this list so far I have detailed some of the finest screen presences of the year. These previous four women are all unmistakable presences on screen, displays of individuals reaching the top of their craft. There are unmistakable presences on screen and then there are forces on screen. These forces are rare, they command attention every second, they make the actors around them better, they surprise and wow, but the surprise is always outweighed by the admiration and the impressive manner in which these forces occur. Each line of dialog is fully realized, delivered to perfection. Each move is calculated, but natural. There may be, for me, a few of these types of performances in a year. Sometimes we have to wait. Haillee Steinfeld is not a presence in True Grit, Haillee Steinfeld is a force.

Honorable Mentions

Katie Jarvis – FISH TANK

Jullianne Moore – The Kids Are All Right

Prior to designing this list I was not sure how strong the leads were this year, and I still think there is a significant drop off from the top ten in each to the rest, especially when compared to the supporting players of 2010. Still, these top five performances in each category are so fantastic. Perhaps even the best performance of the year is found in a lead role (perhaps not, wait until I do a comprehensive blowout). Thank you to all of those actors and actresses who entertained throughout all of 2010, and here is hoping to making 2011 an equally strong, and perhaps even stronger, year.

So, any omissions? Agree or disagree? Let me know below.

Next Up: Directors!

Rich

Comments are encouraged and, for anyone with a literary mind, I encourage checking out my poetry blog filled with all original works for your reading pleasure.

Also I am on the old Twitter thing so I guess you can follow me at twitter.com/FLYmeatwad or twitter.com/ProcessedGrass.

Top 5 Supporting Male Performances

5. John Hawkes – Winter’s Bone

I have cooled off slightly on Winter’s Bone since seeing it over the summer, but what has stuck with me about the film are the incredible performances that litter the desolate landscape. While praise has been heaped upon Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes’ startlingly reserved performance as Teardrop is magnificent. Aside from his gaunt physical characteristics Hawkes captures a pain and torment in his eyes that balances with the quiet power found in the way he carries himself. I find it difficult to fathom that this is the same man from Eastbound and Down. Few supporting characters feel as thoroughly realized as Teardrop, and that is thanks, in no small part, to the way Hawkes brings life to the character.

4. Mark Ruffalo – The Kids Are All Right

While this year’s indie film that could, The Kids Are All Right, turned out far too bland for my taste it does house one of the year’s finest turns in the form of Mark Ruffalo. It would be rather easy for Ruffalo to phone in this role, all he really needs to do is be a laid back new-age business man, but Ruffalo turns the character sympathetic. The character itself may have an underwhelming arc, but even with an unsatisfying exit Ruffalo remains a lightning rod on the screen.

3. Jonah Hill – Cyrus

Doubling as one of the year’s more surprising performances, Jonah Hill’s turn as Cyrus in the film of the same name shatters the comedian’s status as a smaller version of Seth Rogen and, for those concerned with that aspect, demonstrates a shocking range. The character plays to many of Hill’s strengths, the quiet whisper and the boisterous explosion, but where Hill shines is in his ability to transform from creepy to touching at the drop of a hat. While all the actors in the film do heavy lifting, Jonah needs to sell his presence as both a reality, without going overboard, and menacing, while still remaining human. Not the easiest combination to pull off, but Hill nails it.

2. Zach Galifianakis – It’s Kind of a Funny Story

In the past I have not been a fan of Zach Galifianakis, though I suppose I could understand his appeal. While I was most surprised by Galifianakis’s ability to sell his comedic parts to me, what shines past the comedy is the way he sells the dramatic moments. Galifianakis’s character has seen the worst in life. It would be easy to boil down the character a simple nature and nurture debate, but what is truly important is his determination to press on despite all of the trouble. In many ways Galifianakis transcends performance and begins to showcase humanity, which solidifies him as one of the year’s best actors.

1. Kieran Culkin – Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

As of late the eldest of the Culkin clan (at least I hope this is the case) has been on a bit of a roll. While he shocked me in last year’s Lymelife, I thought I was prepared for his turn as Wallace in Scott Pilgrim, but to say that he stole the show may be a bit of an understatement. Bringing huge laughs to every scene he found himself in, Culkin played the role of Scott’s moral compass perfectly without losing the edge and charm that the character demands. With a film like Scott Pilgrim, one packed with talent and bursting with laughs, it is hard for an actor to rise to the top, but Culkin adds another bright layer to Edgar Wright’s latest opus.

Honorable Mentions

Banksy – Exit Through the Gift Shop

Josh Brolin – True Grit

Kevin Smith – 4.3.2.1

Top 5 Supporting Female Performances

5.  Emma Roberts – Collective Works

I will be the first to admit that this inclusion is probably a cheat. Last year’s Best Supporting Actress did not have a stand out role like she did in Lymelife, but in 2010 Emma Roberts as a whole was absolutely on fire. Roberts could be typecast quite easily, filling the role of girl next door love interest, but even when given these roles, as she played in Twelve and Valentine’s Day, Roberts still brings humanity to the characters and makes them individuals, not hollow persons. If I had to pick a role to award Roberts this slot I would probably give it to her for the ultra-surprising 4.3.2.1, though her turn in It’s Kind of a Funny Story is also equal parts charming and equal parts impressive. Another terrific year from one of the most talented actresses working today, and I have not even seen all of her films from the past year!

4. Helena Bonham Carter – Alice in Wonderland

Come Oscar season I expect Bonham Carter will get a ton of talk for her work as a well known queen, unfortunately those rumblings will be rewarding her for the portrayal of the wrong queen. As the Queen of Hearts in Tim Burton’s take on Alice in Wonderland Bonham Carter is a force to be reckoned with on the screen. From the shrill calls for heads to the uptight huffs and puffs, Bonham Carter’s Queen is a display of theatrical acting at its finest. She strikes a wonderful balance between theatrics and believability, a combination that was not always present in Burton’s latest film, but a stylized take on the tale that needed more focus like Bonham Carter’s.

3. Keira Knightley – Never Let Me Go

Continuing the trend of talented actors and actresses being found in underwhelming films, Knightley’s turn as the quasi-human is the highlight of the movie. While many of the other actors occasionally go too big, and others go too confused, Knightley displays a masterful balance between confusion, conformity, and cruelty. As she hurtles to her heartbreaking conclusion Knightley never loses sight of her character’s motivations, still constantly grappling with the world around her while coming to terms with other aspects. She will likely get passed over this season, but the performance is one that should not be missed and demonstrates the woman’s talent.

2. Delphine Chanéac – Splice

Delphine Chaneac’s performance as the creature in Splice flew completely under my radar for the majority of the year, and without a last minute recommendation I would have never watched the film. Chaneac is asked to run the gamut in her role, balancing recognizable human traits with a savage intensity along with a childlike curiosity along with a yearning for freedom and discovery. If that sounds like a mouthful that is because it is, and behind all the makeup Chaneac turns in one of the most exciting, terrifying, sympathetic, and all around interesting performances of the year.

1. Elle Fanning – Somewhere

I fear that Elle Fanning, even more than Knightley, is going to get lost in the shuffle this year, partially because of her age and partially because of Somewhere‘s incredibly limited release and mild critical reception. The way her energy and freedom is placed alongside such a mature sense of self awareness that I could swear she has been acting for years. Few performers are quite as mesmerizing while on screen as Fanning. A brilliant display of maturity and sincerity marks what I consider both the best supporting performance and, possibly, the best overall turn of the year.

Honorable Mentions

Taylor Swift – Valentine’s Day

Diane Weist – Rabbit Hole

Rebecca Hall – The Town

All in all I feel this year was incredibly strong from supporting actors and actresses, maybe even more than it was for leading roles. Let me know if comments what you think about the choices and who I left out.

Next up: Lead Performances

Rich

Comments are encouraged and, for anyone with a literary mind, I encourage checking out my poetry blog filled with all original works for your reading pleasure.

Also I am on the old Twitter thing so I guess you can follow me at twitter.com/FLYmeatwad or twitter.com/ProcessedGrass.