Last year, it was the glorious What’s Your Scott and Jean event – in which several geeky bloggers got together to talk about their geek sacred cow. Now, the good folks at Alert Nerd are back with another Mega-Blog Crossover Event. And this year, the theme is…..True Geek Confessions:

The Background: Unpopular opinions: we all have them. Sometimes you stand alone in loving a super niche-y run of a popular comic book series (like Sarah and her Tefe Holland thing). Sometimes you’re the only person on the entire planet to ’ship a certain ’ship. Sometimes you simply Do Not Get a movie the rest of your geeky brethren is falling all over themselves about. And because a lot of fandom is about sharing loves and hates and communing with your fellow geeks, this can feel awfully lonely. But perhaps if we confess our most unpopular opinions for all the internet to see…well, we’ll feel just a little bit better.

Here’s what you do: On February 17, write up a blog post with your own True Geek Confession. Send your link to sarah AT alertnerd DOT com. We will add you to our master list blog post and you can link back to said post. It will be exciting and wonderful and will hopefully not provoke too many “die in a fire” type arguments.

Of course, we Smugglers could not let the opportunity pass for another geek-out session in which we are to share our deepest, darkest, geekiest secrets ever. It is not going to be pretty, but with the Powers of Greyskull guiding us, we shall bare our souls to you! **NOTE: We are posting our entry a day early because of a scheduling conflict! So all you folks have an extra day to come up with your own Geek Confessions, should the mood strike!**

Ana

I will just go ahead and say it:

There. I said it. And I will not be ashamed of it.

I loved the Ewoks for years before I came to love Star Wars and, I didn’t even know this was an unpopular opinion until a few years ago when I finally watched the movies. Come to think of it, maybe my True Geek Confession should have been: I didn’t watch the original Start Wars trilogy until 1999 when I decided to get ready for the Phantom Menace ( I have no reason, no excuse for that I am afraid. I was lame, that is all. I hang my head in shame, please do not revoke my geek card?).

But anyways. Ewoks. I grew up watching the dudes. One of my favorite movies when I was a child was Caravan of Courage – that movie with the family stranded in Endor with the cute little sister befriending the Ewoks and the Ewoks helping them retuning with their parents?

It seemed to be on TV all the time and I watched it every single time. It is one of my fondest childhood memories and I can’t think of it without having a severe case of the sniffles.

I haven’t watched the movie in ages and I am not sure it will stand the test of times. But I am not sure I even want to know.

But then there was also the cartoon which was one of my favorites.

It was on in the mornings in the same children’s program that aired Dungeons and Dragons and Thundercats. Whenever I was able to stay home from school or when on holidays, I always tried to watch these!

So to me the Ewoks evoke childhood, the memories of watching television in the afternoon after doing homework, drinking milk with cookies. I associate it with good things, always. So when I finally watched The Return of the Jedi in a special session at the movies (pre Phantom Menace) with a bunch of friends who were Star Wars fanatics and I saw the Ewoks and I was like, “OMG the Ewoks, I love them” and my friends looked at me positively horrified and tried to explain to the newbie how the Ewoks destroyed the Return of the Jedi with their cuteness or some such bullshit I was just like “Yeah, yeah, whatever, talk to the hand.”

I love the Ewoks. That is my True Geek Confession. Who else is with me?

Thea:

First off, Ana, I am with you. I first saw Star Wars when I was a young girl of six, and I immediately loved Jawas, all the different droids, and, yeah, Ewoks. I still have my DVD of Caravan of Courage. *pumps fist in the air with Ana*

But that’s not my True Geek Confession.

My Official Confession is…

Seriously, I adore this movie. Why, you ask? It’s a Geek’s Wet Dream. Let me count the ways.

1. Sky High is essentially a young superhero story, in a sort of New Mutants/Teen Titans sensibility. You’ve got a universe where superheroes are commonly known and accepted, and kids with superpowers attend Sky High – a high school in the sky (that constantly moves location for the kids’ safety from super villains and the like). The movie follows Will Stronghold, son of superstar superheroes The Commander (gifted with super strength and invulnerability, played by Kurt Russell) and Jetstream (gifted with the power of flight, played by Kelley Preston), on his first day as a freshman at Sky High. All the freshman have to go through “Power Placement” – that is, they show Coach Boomer (a hilarious Bruce Campbell – who, incidentally, is the perfect I-take-myself-waaaaaaay-too-seriously Gym Coach) their superpower, and he determines whether they go on the Hero track, or the Sidekick track. That is, depending on how badass the kid’s superpower, he or she is relegated to a life of High School popularity and career prosperity….or nerdy mediocrity. Will has a LOT to live up to, as the son of two very famous superheroes, and he’s got a big problem: his superpower hasn’t manifested yet. It might not manifest at all. And he, along with his friends, are relegated to sidekick duty.

Of course, there’s a diabolical plan from an unlikely super villain (recruiting other young villains, world domination, etc). AND even better, romance, high school drama, best friends, the whole gamut. What is NOT to love about this awesome geekiness?

2. CASTING. Where else are you going to see Lynda Carter (aka Wonder Woman), Bruce Campbell (aka Ash), Kurt Russell (aka Snake, aka R.J. MacReady, aka Captain freakin’ Ron), Dave Foley (hey, Kids in the the Hall!), Kevin McDonald (hey, Kids in the Hall again!), Cloris Leachman (aka Phillys Lindstrom), and Kevin Hefferman (aka Farva) together in cheesy abandon?

And these are just the adults! The kids are fantastic too – I love the guy that plays hero Will, Michael Angarano (whom you may recently have seen in Gentlemen Broncos or The Forbidden Kingdom). Layla, played by Danielle Panabaker (of the crappy Friday the 13th remake) is awesome, as is Steven Strait (10,000 B.C., The Covenant, Stop-Loss). Made of WIN.

3. The kitschy names: Will Stronghold. Warren Peace. Gwen Greyson (for Gwen Stacy of Spidey fame and Dick Grayson of Batman fame). Principal Powers. Mr. Boy. Mr. Medulla. Royal Pain. You get the idea.

4. Little touches like the costumes/wardrobe and music. Each character has a specific color scheme: Will (and his mom and dad) only wears red, white, and blue. Layla, the hippie-ish girl with Poison Ivy caliber super powers over plants, only wears green. Magenta, surly girl that shapeshifts into a guinea pig, purple. Gwen Grayson, smart, popular, class president, wears pink. Etc, etc, etc.

All the boys in the film wear converse all stars for the entire film, in the color of their wardrobe (an homage to The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, a Disney film from the 1960s starring Kurt Russell).

All the music is from the ’80s but recorded by new artists. It’s the little things that really stick out and make Sky High so much fun.

5. The high school movie awesomeness. There’s an unrequited love story, the pressure of living up to your parents’ legacy, the ever-present dichotomy between “cool kids” and “geeks,” high school nemeses, bullies, crazy teachers…you name it.

So there you have it. My love affair with Sky High is one that I am no longer ashamed to share! Yeah, it’s cheesy, yeah it’s Disney – but damn, it’s good. I watched it in the theater with my baby sister when it first came out and was hooked.

So there you have it! Our very own True Geek Confessions. Anyone that wants to make something of it, or share your own confession, we invite you to comment away. Remember, you can join in the posting fun – just write up your own True Geek Confession post and then shoot the link over to Alert Nerd.

As for us, we’ll be around. Now, excuse us while we watch our Caravan of Courage and Sky High dvds…

It’s Alert Nerd Day at The Book Smugglers! Today we take a look at Alert Nerd Press – an independent digital publisher dedicated to making geek-centric fiction and nonfiction for the discriminating nerd, both online and in print.

Title: Unconventional

Author: Matt Springer

Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Geek-lit

Publisher: Alert Nerd Press
Publication Date: April 2007 (Originally Published Feb 2003)
Paperback: 141 pages

Stand alone or series: Stand alone novella

How did we get this book: Review copy from the author

Why did we read this book: We love the geektastic blog that is Alert Nerd, having been introduced to the folks over there earlier this year for their “That’s My Scott and Jean” bonanza. So, when bloggers/authors Matt Springer and Sarah Kuhn contacted us with an opportunity to read and review their novellas, we eagerly accepted!

Summary: (from AlertNerdPress.com)
A tale of sex, booze and geeks at Chicago’s fictional UnCon, Unconventional follows three friends as they love, laugh, and dare I say learn in a loving-yet-irreverent look at fans and fandom (oh, and one of them gets laid. Twice). From founding Alert Nerd Matt Springer, Unconventional is the first book (of millions!) from AN Press.

REVIEW:

First Impressions:

Thea: When we were offered a chance to review Unconventional, I was pretty frakking excited. With a tagline like “A tale of sex, booze, and geeks” how could I be anything but excited? And, for the most part, Matt Springer delivers. Unconventional is an inside glimpse of a group of friends as they tackle UnConvention (Northern Illinois’ top SF convention). It’s a tale about friendships, about growing up, and, yeah, about geeks getting their rocks off to The Phantom Menace bashing and the awesomeness of Leonard Nimoy’s prosthetic ears from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Though it’s an uneven ride, Unconventional gets its message across with some touching and revealing interactions between its trio of characters. And, though it’s a bit dated, I did enjoy the honest, at times cringeworthy look at the unwashed, basement-dwelling male geek stereotype, up close and personal. Though it didn’t particularly resonate with me as a reader, it’s certainly entertaining and it has its moments.

Ana: I basically had a similar reaction to Thea when we were offered a review copy. Alert Nerd is one of my favourite sites these days and upon reading the tagline “A tale of sex, booze, and geeks” , I knew I was in for a bromance- like read and braced myself for just that. And you know. Unconventional totally resonated with me as a reader, maybe because I am geekier than I thought but most probably because I like reading about male characters’ and their struggles – it is always like having glimpses of completely alien minds. But here, they are alien not only because they are men but because they take geekdom to a different dimension (aha) , one that is far away from my own. And I loved this insight into the world of Conventions – to the point where I one day hope to be able attend one. Right now, to attend Comic Con is a matter of honour.

On the Plot:

Unconventional is the story of three friends – a “Trilogy” that has been together since bonding over the Return of the Jedi novelization back in the fourth grade. Now in their mid-twenties, Ham, Marty, and Ron are reunited and headed out to UnConvention, the year’s best SF con, where they’ll drink far too much, find and lose lovers, and get into some heated discussions about the nature of geekdom, their futures, and their friendships.

Thea: In terms of structure, Unconventional is a nice package. Alternating between a present timeline of leadup & three days spent at UnCon, and pivotal flashbacks in each character’s past, this novella is a nicely rounded and decently paced read. Initially, the story drags a bit, injecting a lot of popgeekery references and metaphors without really accomplishing anything to advance the story. That said, once the book kicks into gear at the convention and readers get to know the characters more intimately in terms of their thoughts and emotions, everything clicks.

I did have a few jarring reservations whilst reading Unconventional that do bode mentioning – the first dealing with the dated nature of the material. The novella was originally written in 2001, and as such, many of the references feel a bit tired – the annoyances of Jar Jar Binks, the cash cow milking that was The Phantom Menace, the Gollum references that were cool when The Fellowship of the Ring first came out, a lengthy metaphor about taking the red pill versus the blue pill, just to name a few. When I started Unconventional, I was under the impression that it would be a bit more current, so it was a jarring experience. That said, now knowing the time frame when it was written, I can deal. The difference between 2001 and 2009 is just an unfortunate nether-realm – the references aren’t quite old enough to be “retro” nor are they recent enough to be cool.

The good, more important thing to remember though is that Unconventional is more than a string of empty pop-geek references. Yeah, Unconventional verges on sitcom-y/stereotypical geek movie, but there are some surprisingly touching moments in this slim book, coming together nicely by the last few chapters. Though there’s a lot of the requisite aforementioned Star Wars/Star Trek/SF referencing as well as some good humored, sardonic fun poked at conventions (i.e. dudes who really should not be wearing spandex batsuits doing so onstage), this isn’t so much a book about conventions and fanboy geekdom than it is about friends dealing with their own baggage…friends who happen to be, well, huge fanboy geeks. And that’s cool. I can get on board with that.

Ana: Lord help me for I loved each and every geeky reference and even the dated nature of the novel. Actually scrap that, I wouldn’t even use the word “dated” for this since the issues raised that COULD be seen as dated feel so relevant to me. Every time they mentioned Gollum I giggled; the blue pill versus the red pill speech was totally cool and I completely understand the frustration about the Phantom Menace.

But as Thea says Unconventional is more than that – it is almost a Coming of Age story for each of the character but not quite, because of the ultimate outcome. I liked the format of the novel with each character going on its separate journey during the convention, each at some point or the other meeting another character who became an Obi Wan Kenobi them, giving life advice. It is a book about friendship and about growing up; touching on issues such as: do growing up mean growing away from being a geek? Each of the characters reaches a point where this question is raised and each relates to it in a different manner. It is, about all, a novella about identity. They all depart hoping to have mindless fun at the convention but the journey ends up being completely different from what they expected.

That are many, many Star Wars/Star Trek references and other relevant references to what geeks love and that may be jarring for those readers that do not relate so in that case, this book is certainly not a book for everyone. I also need to mention that I had a couple of problems with the episodic nature of the novel and I am sure I have seen one or two continuity mistakes (there is one scene where one of the guys asks about another character, saying that he hadn’t seen him the “whole morning”. But how could he? It was only 10am and he had just woken up. Yeah, I know. Nitpicking). But since the choppy, episodic feel of the novella is due to the choice of having each character on his own journey, this may be a moot point but still, I could have done with a smoother connection between each sequence.

On the Characters:

Thea: Here’s where Unconventional really shines – because its characters are wonderfully detailed and flawed. Any time a character makes you react strongly, it’s usually a good thing – it means the author is doing his or her job. And certainly, Unconventional had some characters that had me reacting in a strong way. Each of the three protagonists of Marty, Ham and Ron, are dudes with issues. Easily, Marty is my favorite of the lot – earnest, driven, emotional and intelligent, Marty’s an aspiring science fiction author who struggles with the decision to pursue his dream of writing, or stay on the safer career path that will keep him fed. Then there’s Ham (actual name Theo – Ham is short for Hammerhead, a minor character from the Star Wars films) – nervous, dramatic, impassioned Ham, with his convention crushes and his own share of disappointments. And finally, there’s Ron. Asshole, arrogant, selfish Ron, who gives me the urge to blindside tackle him and start eyegouging. The geek of the group who grew into a young Harrison Ford looking guy, suave with the ladies, and who honestly doesn’t give a shit about anyone but himself.

Each of these characters goes through a lot in Unconventional, coming to grips with their own shortcomings, fears and hopes. And each of them has at least one moment of genuine reflection as the book progresses, taking them beyond a caricaturish rendering and making them real, flesh and blood people. Even asshole Ron has one such moment! Now that’s saying something. The dynamic between these three friends, strained as it may be at times, is what makes the book. Even if I didn’t particularly love certain aspects of these men, I can appreciate how real they are.

Ana: I am with Thea on this one – the characters are wonderful. Marty, Ham and Ron are flawed and interesting geeks, my favourite also being Marty.

These three are total, complete losers.

But given the nature of the novella, it is important to make it clear that they are not losers because they are geeks – they are losers because they are confined by this “geek” label and they do not do anything above and beyond that. As with someone says in the book, keeping life and real relationships at bay is what makes you a loser.

Ham for example is the one who is the most stereotypically geek– living in his parents’ basement, apparently satisfied with the life he leads, with the fact that he gets to spend his money with his geek stuff. This satisfaction however, may prove to be superficial and there is an amazing scene towards the ending and a breakdown that actually made me cry a little bit.

Dramatically different is Ron, he is the geek who is ashamed to be a geek and he found a way out with the fact that he is cool with the ladies – but he is stuck in the same machine over and over again and is unable to let go. He is the MAJOR loser of the book because he is an asshole to women and even to his friends. A total douchebag, it also makes him very human though.

Marty on the other hand, is the one that is able to break the vicious circle by not only embracing the inner geek but also opening up to the real world. Marty is the proof that is possible to have both.

And that is my Pearl of Wisdom for today. You can call me Obi Wan Kenobi now.

Final Thoughts, Observations and Rating:

Thea: Unconventional is a book that has its moments, both high and low. It’s much more of a dude-centric, bromancy kind of story that didn’t particularly resonate with me, a female member of the geek contingent, but I enjoyed reading it, and I do look forward to more from Matt Springer.

Ana: This novella has its heart in the right place. Since I am a major fan of bromance, dude-centric stories, I loved it. If Alert Nerd keeps publishing novels like that, I predict I will read every single one of them.

Notable Quotes/Parts:

For those who have ever been to a science fiction convention, no explanation is necessary. Those who regularly attend cons understand the unique vibe one encounters when several hundred sci-fi fans gather in one place for three days of inane chatters, outrageous spending, and casual sex – or alternately three days of no sunlight, little sleep and full-on submission to total geekdom.

For those who never been, no explanation will suffice. To those who are con virgins – or “mundanes” , as non-fans are often known to con goers – attending a con might seem, in many crucial ways, like stepping into another world. A quick scan around the lobby of Schaumburg’s Hyatt Regency on the UnConvention’s opening day would do nothing to relieve that feeling. The real trick would be trying to figure out just which world you’d wandered into by mistake.

On a bank of couches, a passable Doctor Who (the fourth Doctor, by all appearances) chatted amiably with an oversized woman in a full renaissance maiden costume, her long hair braided and hanging over her ample (and amply exposed) breasts. Four guys in near-matching black t-shirts have staked out a spot near the concierge desk and were engaging in a fierce session of Magic: The Gathering on the lobby floor. In the expansive atrium area, a small crowd had gathered to watch two jedi engage in an impromptu lightsaber battle.

Everyone had their own particular quirk to flaunt, be it a costume, an allegiance to a particular subclass of fans, or even just a tiny button with the catchphrase “My friend went to the Hellmouth and all I got was this lousy pin” emblazoned upon it. In other words, it was your typical con crowd, and there’s no doubt that any mundanes stumbling upon the proceedings might start searching for the first available shuttle back to Planet Normal.

But for the UnCon community, banded together for three days each year then scattered back into the harsh winds of the “real world”, the Hyatt felt like home.

Additional Thoughts: You can purchase Unconventional online, OR you can download the novella for free in its entirety in an online PDF. The power is yours!

Rating:

Thea: 6 – Good, Recommended

Ana: 6 – Good, and leaning towards a 7

Reading Next: One Con Glory by Sarah Kuhn

January means the return of all good things–and LOST is back tonight!!!!!!!!

Tonight at 9/8 central is a two-hour premiere (not counting that stupid clip show, which begins at 8/7c if you’re interested) with episodes titled “Because You Left” and “The Lie”.

Here’s the official release from ABC (spoiler free):

THE REMAINING SURVIVORS START TO FEEL THE EFFECTS CAUSED BY THE ISLAND BEING MOVED, AND JACK AND BEN BEGIN THEIR QUEST TO REUNITE THE OCEANIC 6 – ALONG WITH LOCKE’S BODY – IN ORDER TO RETURN TO THE ISLAND, ON THE SEASON PREMIERE OF ABC’S “LOST”

After Oceanic Air flight 815 tore apart in mid-air and crashed on a Pacific island, its survivors were forced to find inner strength they never knew they had in order to survive. But they discovered that the island holds many secrets, including a mysterious smoke monster, polar bears, housing and hatches with electricity and hot & cold running water, a group of island residents known as “The Others,” and a mysterious man named Jacob. The survivors have also found signs of those who came to the island before them, including a 19th century sailing ship called The Black Rock, a downed Beechcraft plane from a failed drug run, the remains of an ancient statue, as well as bunkers belonging to the Dharma Initiative — a group of scientific researchers who inhabited the island in the recent past. They also encountered a freighter stationed off the island that some thought would lead to their rescue, but ultimately almost caused their extinction.

With only 34 original hours left until the final episode airs in 2010, Jack, Kate, Hurley, Sayid, Sun and Claire’s son, Aaron – otherwise known as the Oceanic 6 – have been rescued and continue to try and pick up the pieces of the lives they knew before the crash and to perpetuate the lie concocted to hide the truth of what really happened. But Jack and Ben must convince all of them to return to the island in order to save those left behind. This will prove quite a feat since Jack is still wrestling with his addictions, Kate won’t speak to him, Hurley is in a mental institution, Sayid is an assassin and Sun blames Jack for Jin’s death when the freighter exploded. Adding to their worries is the fact that they also have to take the body of Jeremy Bentham – aka Locke — with them in order to make things right with the island. But locating the island may prove even more difficult since Ben moved it. It’s not just a question of where it went, but when. Back on the island, the survivors who were left behind begin to play out the surprising events that inevitably lead to Locke’s death.

In the first part of the season premiere, entitled “Because You Left,” the remaining island survivors start to feel the effects of the aftermath of moving the island, and Jack and Ben begin their quest to reunite the Oceanic 6 in order to return to the island with Locke’s body in an attempt to save their former fellow castaways. In the second part, entitled “The Lie,” Hurley and Sayid are on the run from the cops after stumbling into trouble at the safehouse; the island survivors come under attack by unknown forces; and an old friend offers some shocking advice to Kate in order to ensure that “the lie” remain a secret.

“Lost” stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond, Jeremy Davies as Daniel Faraday, Michael Emerson as Ben, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet and Terry O’Quinn as Locke.

Guest starring in “Because You Left” are L. Scott Caldwell as Rose, Sam Anderson as Bernard, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, William Mapother as Ethan Rom, Francois Chau as Dr. Marvin Candle, Sonya Walger as Penelope “Penny” Widmore, Alan Dale as Charles Widmore, Rebecca Mader as Charlotte Lewis, William Blanchett as Aaron, Sean Whalen as Neil Frogurt, Tom Irwin as Dan Norton, Michael Dempsey as foreman, Stephanie Smart as ticket agent, Leslie Ishii as woman, Cindy Paliracio as TV anchor, Brad Berryhill as anxious guy, Sven Lindstrom as crew member, Chantal Boomla as counter girl and Jeremy Colvin as security guard.

Guest starring in “The Lie” are Michelle Rodriguez as Ana Lucia, L. Scott Caldwell as Rose, Sam Anderson as Bernard, Sonya Walger as Penelope “Penny” Widmore, Rebecca Mader as Charlotte Lewis, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Lillian Hurst as Carmen Reyes, Cheech Marin as David Reyes, William Blanchett as Aaron, Sean Whalen as Neil Frogurt, Tom Connolly as Jones, Mary Mara as Jill, Dana Sorman as Darlene, James Jeremiah as police officer, Stephanie Conching as nurse, Matthew Allan as Cunningham and Todd Bryant as Mattingly.

“Because You Left” was written by Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse and directed by Stephen Williams.

“The Lie” was written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz and directed by Jack Bender.

(Press release courtesy of ABC Media Net)

Here are a few official promotional photos for the premiere tonight (more images available at Lost-Media.com:

And two official sneak peeks for tonight:

Want more? Check out the always reliable Dark UFO (aka Andy)’s collection of spoilers in his Season 5 Episode Guide. Who else is excited?!?!?!?!

**********

On another fangirl squeeee! note, Battlestar Galactica also is back as of last week! How about poor Dualla (even though I never liked her)? Or that mindfrak with Starbuck?! Or, of course, the reveal of the fifth?!? Gods, I love this show!

Only 9 more episodes to go before the end… Here’s the preview for this Friday’s episode, “A Disquiet Follows My Soul”:

Ahh, the holidays. The time of frantic, scrambling blind panic for gifts, hearty eating, heavy drinking, and most of all–MOVIEGOING!

In the month of December, moviehouses play their best hands, releasing the films they hope will secure golden trophies, either of the Globe or Oscar variety. Needless to say, this is one of our favorite times of the movie going year.

Already in theaters there are the following superb films:

Gran Torino
Starring Clint Eastwood

I saw this film last weekend, and cannot say enough good things about it. It is Clint Eastwood at his oldest and his best–dryly comedic (there were parts that had the theater rolling in laughter), growly, embodying all his older roles into one hardened old man named Walt Kowalski. The Man With No Name is in his saunter and squint, Dirty Harry in his badass-ness. In her New York Times review, Manohla Dargis says that Gran Torino is Clint Eastwood’s mea culpa for Dirty Harry–and she couldn’t have been more right. Any fan of Clint Eastwood’s, any fan of true, golden cinema should watch this film. It is simply one of the best performances of Clint Eastwood’s illustrious career.

The Wrestler
Starring Mickey Rourke and Marissa Tomei

Mickey Rourke’s performance here has garnered much buzz, as he has already been nominated for a Best Actor (film, drama) Golden Globe. Really, who better to play a washed up ’80s star than Mickey Rourke? The last thing I saw him in was Sin City–where he did a fabulous, steal-the-show job as Marv (as Frank Miller himself said, he was born to play this part). The Wrestler has been called the new generation’s Rocky–and as Rocky (I-IV, sometimes VI but NEVER V) are some of my favorite movies, and being the sports nut that I am, I cannot wait to watch this film.

Milk
Starring Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin and James Franco

Milk tells the story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office, and the lives of the people he energized and inspired. This is being billed as a new American classic film, the performances of Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, and James Franco being applauded as brilliant (indeed, Sean Penn is–yet again–in the Best Actor race). In this day and age–what with the passing of the disgustingly bigoted Prop. 8 in California–this is an incredibly relevant film, and one I cannot wait to see.

Doubt
Starring Meryl Streep, Amy Adams and Philip Seymour Hoffman

Based on the award winning Broadway play of the same title, Doubt is about…well, Doubt. La Meryl (will that stick? She deserves a title) is in it, which is pretty much enough for me. She’s nominated for two Best Actress Globes–one for this film, and the other (comedy/musical) for Mamma Mia! I want to see this film, but it might be one that I will wait forgo for the DVD release.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett

Is that not one of the most awesome trailers ever? I saw this preview back during the summer, and could not wait for the film. Benjamin Button is a baby born with a curious defect–while everyone grows older, he is born old and grows younger. Add to this some stunning cinematography, the Brad Pitt Best Actor nod, the beautiful and oh-so-talented Cate Blanchett…it is a clear no-brainer. I will be seeing this on Christmas Day.

Revolutionary Road
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet

Leo and Kate, together again! No, seriously, these two are acting powerhouses. Kate’s already earned serious praise for her role in The Reader (depressing book, by the way–which is probably why I won’t watch that film or mention it here) this year, but her role in Revolutionary Road has earned her a Best Actress Globe nomination–and a Best Actor for Leo.

Valkyrie
Starring Tom Cruise

Ok so Tom Cruise looks good in an eyepatch…but he’s still Tom Cruise. I probably won’t see this one, since it just seems very strange that Tom Cruise is playing a German in a WWII flick. He’s so…Tom Cruise. (Though I do adore Bryan Singer)

So that’s whats out in theaters this Christmas! Which, if any, do you plan on watching? Any other films you are looking forward to?

Thanks to DarkUfo, we found this brand new look at the upcoming season of Lost!

Isn’t it great? I love it. Love the “Destiny Calls” line, the fact that in the island side of the photo Sawyer is at the center of the picture and Faraday is alive!!! No sign of Jin though, they will probably keep his fate under wraps for a while (I heard we learn whether he is alive or dead in episode 4?)

Can you feel it in the air, Thea? It’s The Obsession ressurecting!