My Amy Adams Complex

I love me some Amy Adams. It's very apparent that I do. I love how she brings so much optimism in every character she portrays and how those characters make me smile for two hours. This is why I'm afraid when she's in talks to star in a David O. Russell (oh gawd) film called 'The Fighter' with Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. Is this the gritty edge Adams is trying to reach to break the stereotype that got her two Oscar nominations? I applaud and encourage range from my performing artists so let's hope this casting decision works. (Variety)

My Celebrity Crush of the Month (v.6.29.9)

January: Rebecca Hall, for being the heart as Vicky and the longed for as Varya.

February: Will Chase, for being Thomas Weaver in another short-lived musical.

March: Joseph Cotten, for a screen presence that's still vibrant after all these years.

April: Nora Arnezeder, for making my jaw drop with her angelic voice.

May: Ellie Frederickson, for capturing my heart in the mere minutes she was onscreen.

June: Roger Federer, because I cried as much as he did when he won the French Open.

My Saturday in 39 Seconds

That's me in the chair on the right.

My Amelia Trailer

Talk about an underwhelming trailer. Everytime Hilary Swank goes out of her way to give an uber-performance, both she and film fall flat ('Affair of a Necklace'). She should stick to smaller, character roles she excels at. I hope she can prove me wrong though because I want to like an Ewan McGregor movie for a change.

My Purple Poo

I parked under a tree last night and when I got to my car and sat down, I couldn't help but notice a bird poop stain next to me on the window. After driving a few blocks to run some much needed errands I've delayed due to my break, I couldn't help but notice how the bird poop is purple. Now, home.. I still don't know how it became purple. Too much grapes in that bird's diet perhaps.

My Ten Best Pictures

In a bold move, the Academy of Motion Pictures of Arts and Science has announced there will be TEN Best Pictures nominees starting next year at the Academy Awards next year. While I understand the reasons behind the move (increase ratings by inserting more films for the fans), my reservation tells me not to mess with tradition despite the fact the Oscars started with ten nominees back in 1929. Who knows, my favorite film at the end of the year might benefit from this move- much like how 'The Dark Knight' fanatics wished this ruling came a year earlier. (Variety)

My Break From Breaking

The last two jobs nearly killed me. So after a week of rest from being on set, I'm ready to get back to the swing of things instead of catching up on television via Youtube. This weekend... shooting a couple of acts of 'Julius Caesar' with a few television and stage stars- finally, something of merit.

My Return To High School

Added a new entry to BK Southie about my return to Midwood High School. You know what? It wasn't as painful as I thought it was going to be. Go check it out.

My Zack Attack

For the kid in me who watched 'Saved By The Class' every Saturday, this was a riot. Kudos to Mark-Paul Gosselaar for playing along so well.

My Brooklyn Nets Arena

With the announcement of the Nets playing at what is currently the Atlantic Yards, Brooklyn is given a chance to make a huge mark architecturally in the world. So when developers Forest City Ratner scrapped a promising design that will no doubt advance the skyline of downtown Brooklyn in favor of something much more traditional, it's to no one's surprise that both the public and government officials are puzzled how exactly this decision will fulfilled the excitement and advancement in arts as promised when the project was being pitched. For goodness sakes, the thing looks like a second-rate college basketball gym. Is it too late to take back my pseudo-enthusiasm? (NYT)

My Initial iPhone 3GS Reaction

Of course I want it, but as much as I want to get my hands on it, I know most of the features I want will be available FOR FREE as part of the operating system upgrade. The major thing urging me to buy the new gadget in 11 days? The ability to video edit on a mobile device! Geez, that would seriously make my job easier. Hmm.... well, I am going to tax deduct it anyway....

My Tonys Recap

Best Tony host I've seen since Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris (and his pleather suit) rocked throughout the evening with comedic quips, timing gags and a rockin' solo closing number to boot. The story though has to be the 10-minute opening montage of some of this past season's productions highlighted by the finale of 'Let The Sun Shine' collaboration with just about everybody ranging from Elton John to Dolly Parton, Liza Minnelli to the cast of 'West Side Story'. The lowlight besides the Bret Michaels literal headbanging moment? The constant microphone issues... 

As for the ceremony itself, 'Next To Normal' continues to track curiosity from both Broadway enthusiasts and casual viewers alike, while Billy didn't need one word (but oodles of footsteps) to bring down the house. I had a personal best of 12 for 16 this year... I definitely need to go catch up more so than I have already.

My Search For a New Roommate

After all the recent drama with our last roommate, we decided to take a month off to recover before searching and releasing our third room out to rent. So here it goes, it's a bargain! If you're searching for a play to live in the NYC area (south Brooklyn, in particular) or you want lower your rent per month, now is your chance to join the club of having the 11214 zip code on your mail. 

The room itself is pretty decent size. In fact, I took two pictures and still couldn't get the entire room to fit. It has 3 large windows with plenty of sunlight, 2 full size closets and additional storage space above them. See? Even Larissa stores her things here while she's on her European Adventure. 

You would share a huge living room, a pretty big kitchen space, 1 and a half bath AND a private roof where we occasionally have barbecues and dinners with a view of the top of the Verrazano Bridge.

 

As for the low cost I was talking about? For the time being your rent would be just $440 a month not including utilities. We currently have gas, electric and internet bills to pay, which would normally divide up to a little less than $80 per month for each person. We don't have television right now, but that can always be reinstated. There's  small possibility of the rent jumping in July or August to $500 per month if the landlord decides to raise it.

Some last notes, when we say south Brooklyn.. we mean south Brooklyn. Not Park Slope or Sunset Park. We're in the Bath Beach/ Bensonhurst area. Approximately 40 minutes from Midtown on the D Train (which is 3 blocks away). To give those gentrified residents a sense of where we are, here's a quick map:

So you think you're ready to snatch this great deal? We're hoping to get someone by July 1st. You can even move in earlier since the room is currently only occupied on occasion by Cody (pictured dog on the left bar). If you're interested call me (347)-403-0175 and leave a message (I don't pick up strange numbers) or email me. 

This could be you. 

My Tony Awards Prediction

Tonight, the 2009 Tony Awards will be given out to the best Broadway has to offer from the past season. Here's my quickie predictions:

Best Musical- Billy Elliot: The Musical

The only spoiler here would be 'Next To Normal', but given the steam Billy had since its premiere over at The West End, it's unlikely the beloved musical can derail the giant this time.

Best Play- God of Carnage

Throw in four stars to a comedic and successful play and you're almost guaranteed the gold. 

Best Revival of a Musical- Hair

Yes, I'll be pulling for 'West Side Story' for the upset but the love for the latest reincarnation of the hippie love musical is too big to ignore.

Best Revival of a Play- The Norman Conquests

There's really only one reason why a 7-hour play is playing at the Great White Way...

Best Director of a Musical- Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot: The Musical

Diane Paulus might pull an upset for the loved 'Hair', but it's really Daldry's to lose.

Best Director of a Play- Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests

The man directed 3 plays, the last time that happened Jack O'Brien won.

Best Leading Actor in a Musical- David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish, Billy Elliot: The Musical

I, for one, cannot wait from the speech for the Billys.... unless local favorite Gavin Creel wins.

Best Leading Actress in a Musical- Alice Ripley, Next To Normal

One of the surest things of the night.

Best Leading Actor in a Play- Geoffrey Rush, Exit The King

There's always that prestige to winning actor in a play, but I'm pulling for Raul Esparza for having to deal with that Jeremy Piven fiasco.

Best Leading Actress in a Play- Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage

Small competition from Jane Fonda and spoiler Janet McTeer, but I'm sticking with the more colorful role.

Best Featured Actor in a Musical- Will Swensen, Hair

I'll take the hippie over the Billy guys. I mean, 'Hair' can't get shut out performance-wise, can it?

Best Featured Actress in a Musical- Karen Olivo, West Side Story

This role has won Tonys, Oscar and Emmys... it's tailored made for a supporting performance.

Best Featured Actor in a Play- Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Still think if David Starthairn stuck with his role in 'Waiting For Godot', this race would be a lot closer.

Best Featured Actress in a Play- Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit

It's effing Angela Lansbury... you don't mess with that.

Best Book of a Musical- Next To Normal

Only because I want it to pick up some more prizes though a [title of show] victory would be nothing but delightful.

Best Score- Billy Elliot: The Musical

ELECTRICITY!

My Fourteenth Grand Slam

After losing in four consecutive French Open finals to Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer finally gets his record tying 14th Grand Slam victory (and his first at Roland Garros) by beating Robin Soderling, who never really stood a chance. Following Federer since his first Grand Slam victory in Wimbledon in 2003 when he beat Pete Sampras, this victory was such an emotional payoff. I mean, when he cried... I kinda teared up. Now, let's go get this number 15.

My Ten Best Performances of This TV Season

Inspired by both Rant of a Diva and Oscar Tracker's Top 25 Performances of the TV Season lists, I went ahead and did my own- only scaled down to a top 10. Also, my love for rankings couldn't resist making a list. So here it goes: 

10. 

Jane Krakowski (30 Rock)

Immensely underused, but steals every scene she's in.

9.

Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live)

The declining show's MVP for the third season in a row.

8.

Stark Sands (Generation Kill)

Moral dilemmas on the battlefields never looked so good.

7.

Drew Barrymore (Grey Gardens)

Career best gracefully exceeded everyone's expectations.

6.

Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreations)

Storms out of the gate with heart and hilarity.

5.

Hugh Jackman (The 81st Annual Academy Awards)

Redefining hosting criteria while not hogging all the attention.

4.

Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother)

Nearly impossible to take your eyes off his charismatic charm.

3.

Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights)

Never resorting to the easier desperate housewife route.

2.

Jim Parson (The Big Bang Theory)

Humanizing an inhuman with impeccable comedic timing.

1.

Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men)

Brewing the perfect storm for Draper's ultimate nemesis. 

My Serbian Statues

Oh you crazy Serbs. In the past 4 years, Serbian government allowed the public to vote on which statues they should erect to symbolize the fight against ethnic violence, repelling bad luck and peace & tolerance. According to the results, the public decided Bruce Lee(!) should represent the fight against ethnic violence, fictional Rocky Balboa(!) to fight off the bad luck and Bob Marley(!) to symbolize peace and tolerance. There you have, there's a bronze statue of Bruce Lee hanging out somewhere in the town square of a Serbian town. While those three wouldn't be my personal choice for their respective honors, I'd say it's a bit of an amusing choice. I wonder how many people have already ran the Rocky steps next to the Serbian Rocky... (Bloomberg)

My Super Mario Galaxy

Since the first installment of Super Mario Galaxy for the Nintendo Wii is probably still the best game for the console, it was a no-brain for the folks over at Nintendo to greenlit a second installment. As much fun and inventive as the concept of changing the traditional "worlds" gamers have been used to from Mario and company in the past to "galaxies" the first time around, the recently released trailer for the sequel shows no signs of that creative gene fading away. I can't wait to literally wiggle Mario (and apparently Yoshi as well) through cartoony dangers once again. 

My ABC Promo

How fun is this little clip for ABC's fall shows? I even get to see Courteney Cox Arquette's homage to Monica Gellar. Sigh, I miss 'Friends'. 

My Soccer Meltdown

Let's just face it. It was a horrible game. When you don't have a shot on goal by half time and your opponent already has two AND home country advantage, things just don't look too good in your favor. After a miserable 3-0 loss to Costa Rica for their first World Cup qualifier defeat, the US Soccer faces a lot of questions that will need to be answered by Saturday's match against Honduras. Where was the offense? Where was the defense? What happens now when Michael Bradley is ineligible for Saturday with his second yellow card last night? 

Geez, and now for my one major bone to pick with FIFA, how in the world was that field FIFA approved? It looked like green asphalt. The ball literally picks up gravel when it rolls 10 feet. Anyway, let's hope the game in Chicago this weekend goes better- because it won't get any worse. Surprisingly, even after last night's debacle, the US National Team moved up in world rankings to 14th. 

My Scream Reboot

I've always had a thing for the 'Scream' trilogy and now Kevin Williamson is in talks to bring the series back with original stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette. The films are ridiculously cheesy but part of the fun has always been trying to figure out who the killer is because there's simply no logic to it- they can die and still be the killer ::ahem::Roman::ahem::! I can't wait to see Sydney Prescott get haunted once more... (EW)

My Mad Men Teaser

It's almost enough for me to pay for TV again.

My Rafael Nadal Defeat

You didn't think I was not going to mention Nadal's first loss on Roland Garros clay, did you? With Nadal out, Djokovic out and Roddick out, Roger Federer and his fans has got to be breathing a little bit easier going into the second week of the French Open. Can Fed finally capture that 14th Grand Slam title and tie Pete Sampras? Or will Juan Del Potro and the surging Andy Murray (ugh) get their first? Either way, I'm just glad Nadal's reign on French clay is over. 

My 'Frog Cooker'

It's astonishing to me that Hong Kong's chief executive, Donald Tsang, would denounced Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989 as "something that happened a long time ago", it's best forget about it and this view "represents most of the Hong Kong people." Not only does the ever-growing negative communist influence my birth city is taking from China make me sick to my stomach, the idea of banning something that happened just 20 years(!) ago in media and education systems while everyone knows it undoubtedly occurred is so mind-boggling I wonder if what Tsang said about the Hong Kong people is true. I mean, I still remembering holding my parents' hands during demonstration marches that followed the incidents. 

Perhaps Martin Lee, the founder of the Hong Kong Democratic Party said it best- "If you throw a frog into boiling water, it will jump out right away. But if you put the frog in warm water and cook it slowly, it doesn't jump. We are being slowly cooked in Hong Kong, but hardly anyone is noticing it." (NYT)

My US Soccer Fans

FIFA released a report saying outside of the host nation of South Africa, the United States has purchased the most individual match tickets to next year's World Cup Tournament- overbuying countries like Spain, Brazil, Holland and Germany. I know we were a rare breed in this country and while there is no doubt there are more soccer fans for other nations here in American soil, this latest report is encouraging and explains the lobsided sales. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for my application for tickets to be processed to see whether or not I'll be going to South Africa next year and be part of Sam's Army.