While I have been unpacking my boxes and organizing my life again, I have also been spending my time thinking about the Oscars. I was all ready to wake up at 5 am to watch Kathy Bates announce the nominees. But I was seriously so busy unpacking boxes and hanging up pictures that I completely forgot about them. I didn't really remember until my very good pal from the Haight street store called me to remind me. In case you missed them, here they are... It is a bit weird that the year I decide to move back to Hollywood is the year of the writers strike. I am of course on the side of the writers still. But it is getting a bit harder to still be on their side after all this time. I know it is selfish. But I am still growing my beard out for them at least. I have not shaved it yet.  I just really want to watch the Oscars. But I also feel really bad for the nominees. They already missed out on the trashier version of the Oscars that is the golden globes. It was really embarrassing to just have a press conference. They of course picked the most annoying people in entertainment news to host the conference. I almost cried while watching them but was too busy laughing at the hosts trying to make jokes while discussing films that they had obviously not even seen. I saw Viggo Mortensen walk into Amoeba a couple days ago as I was leaving the store. I really wanted to congratulate him on his Oscar nomination. I also wanted to apologize to him for not picking him in my nomination predictions for best actor. I at least listed his name as an alternate. He really can't be that mad at me. I also wanted to know if he was sad that he might have to watch the Oscars as a press conference from his couch instead of actually being at a real show. I do have some faith that they will work it all out. They can't really do this to me on my first year back in Hollywood. And in case you were wondering, I am almost caught up on watching all the Oscar nominated films. I think of it as homework every year. My goal is to always see the 5 best picture nominations before they are announced. I had planned on seeing Michael Clayton and Juno before then. But I am going to use that moving excuse again. I was just too busy packing up my life to go see every movie.

But I did see Juno after being in Hollywood for a couple days. And I just saw Michael Clayton this week after work. I really think that I would have enjoyed Juno more if I had not really heard anything about it. I was expecting a bit more after its Oscar nomination. It was extremely cute and great and hilarious. Ellen Page was really fantastic. But I just don't think it was a better film than 3:10 to Yuma, American Gangster,  I'm Not There, or Away From Her. I don't even think it was as good as Superbad or Knocked Up. I did enjoy it. But I was really expecting more.

Michael Clayton was so much better than I thought it would be. Not near as many people will go see it or have seen it. But it was just one of those perfectly crafted suspenseful dramas. George Clooney was not really the best Batman but he really is redeeming his earlier work with his last couple movies. I have always really liked Tilda Swinton and it was nice to see her in a bigger sort of more mainstream film. For some reason I have always been sort of drawn to George Clooney. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I sort of feel like I grew up with him on TV. He appeared on an episode of the Golden Girls as an undercover cop staking out the neighbors. Blanche of course had a crush on him. He also showed up as Jackie's boss and boyfriend, "Booker,"  on Roseanne. But he is most memorable for his role on the final seasons of The Facts of Life. I think I might have been the only person to still watch this show at this point. And I still don't really remember what he did on the show. Did he have something to do with that weird shop that they all worked at that sold candy and plastic pink flamingos?? He was also on the beginning years of E.R. back when it was still good. Seriously though, Michael Clayton is fantastic.

So I might just keep growing my beard through the entire month of February. But I really do hope they make some sort of decision. I am really good with mediation.  So I am still available if you guys want my help to resolve these issues. Without writers we would have nothing to laugh or cry about. Life would really be sort of miserable without these writers back and employed. I am really very happy that Lost is back on the air. But we really need more from these writers. The movies and TV episodes are going to start to run out very soon. After all the great movies that came out at the end of last year and the beginning of this year...there is nothing left. Seriously, I just checked the next couple of weeks and there is nothing good coming out in theaters. I just heard a rumor that the strike might be ending this Saturday. I am ready. I hope it really will be over. I was worried that the bloggers were going to have to start writing screenplays. Is there a bloggers union?