First of all, hello again! I’ve never neglected this blog for so long before, and apologize for doing so. It’s good to be back, and I appreciate your patience.

In bold below were my Oscar picks, which I published last month; the actual winners are in parenthesis, and I got 10 out of 15 correct! Overall, I really enjoyed the ceremony and am overjoyed that Winslet and Penn walked away with the statues.

BEST PICTURE

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Frost/Nixon
• Milk
• The Reader
• Slumdog Millionaire (winner)
  

BEST DIRECTOR

• David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
• Gus Van Sant, Milk
  
• Stephen Daldry, The Reader
• Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire (winner)
  

BEST ACTRESS

• Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
  
• Angelina Jolie, Changeling
  
• Melissa Leo, Frozen River
  
• Meryl Streep, Doubt
  
• Kate Winslet, The Reader (winner)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Amy Adams, Doubt
  
• Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona (winner)
  
• Viola Davis, Doubt
  
• Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  
• Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

BEST ACTOR

• Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
  
• Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
  
• Sean Penn, Milk (winner)
  
• Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  
• Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Josh Brolin, Milk
  
• Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
  
• Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
  
• Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight (winner)
  
• Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

ANIMATED FILM

• Bolt
• Kung Fu Panda
• Wall E (winner)
  

ART DIRECTION

• Changeling
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (winner)
  
• The Dark Knight
• The Duchess
• Revolutionary Road

CINEMATOGRAPHY

• Changeling
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• The Dark Knight
• The Reader
  
• Slumdog Millionaire (winner)
  

COSTUME DESIGN

• Australia
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• The Duchess (winner)
• Milk
• Revolutionary Road

FILM EDITING

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• The Dark Knight
• Frost/Nixon
• Milk
• Slumdog Millionaire (winner)
  

MAKEUP

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (winner)
  
• The Dark Knight
• Hellboy II: The Golden Army

ORIGINAL SCORE

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  
• Defiance
  
• Milk
  
• Slumdog Millionaire (winner)
  
• Wall E
  

ORIGINAL SONG

• Down to Earth, Wall E
  
• Jai Ho, Slumdog Millionaire (winner)
  
• O Saya, Slumdog Millionaire
  

VISUAL EFFECTS

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (winner)
  
• The Dark Knight
• Iron Man

So what did you think of the show and the victories (or omissions, losses, etc.)?

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I have been absent and a shell of a blogger. Apologies.

Tomorrow we leave for Hawaii, and I have plans to post a few entries…when I’m not on the beach, at the pool, on the zip line or enjoying ridiculously fruity/girly cocktails.

We will be in Maui until next Sunday, and then in Oahu for a few days. We are primarily going to Oahu to take the all-day LOST tour. Seriously, and of course.

I have not had enough time to catch up on all of my TiVO’d shows, but here is a very quick report card:

• 30 Rock: A-
• Bones: B-
• Damages: B+
• Friday Night Lights: A-
• Grey’s: B+ (HUGE improvement)
• Heroes: A- (HUGE improvement)
• House: B
• Flight of the Conchords: B
• Lost: A
• Nip/Tuck: C
• The Office: B-
• Private Practice: B
• The United States of Tara: A-

Thank you for your patience and for checking in on occasion. You still complete me.

p.s. If you’re at all interested in our (mis)adventures in the 808, feel free to follow me on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/jopinionated.

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See, I warned you about my lack of posts here once Lost started up again. I’m certainly not complaining, but watching every new episode 2- 3 times and then writing several entries about each per week is quite time-consuming (and is more than likely the culprit for this lingering headache I’m nursing).

In addition to Lost, I am also watching the following shows every week:

1. 30 Rock
2. Bones
3. Brothers & Sisters
4. Damages
5. Flight of the Conchords
6. Friday Night Lights
7. Fringe
8. Grey’s Anatomy
9. House
10. Life on Mars
11. Nip/Tuck
12. The Office
13. Private Practice
14. Scrubs
15. Top Chef
16. The United States of Tara

…on top of catching up with Season 1 of How I Met Your Mother on DVD and Season 1 of Breaking Bad on my iPod, and attempting to finish last season’s Survivor online.

I’ve given up on The L Word and Ugly Betty. But in the next few weeks I will be adding these to my collection: The Amazing Race, Dollhouse, Heroes, Life, Medium and Samantha Who.

Why do I list these out and why should you care? Because I’m an over-sharer and like to keep you in the loop. I would also like to know which shows you’d like me to write about; I’m much more likely to discuss YOUR favorite series…if only I knew what they were. Do tell.

In the interest of over-disclosure/overexposure, I also wanted to let you know that I will be out of town next week on business and then in Hawaii for 10 days on vacation. Don’t hate me. So you may not hear as much from me in February, except for occasional pop culture related reports (i.e. after our 8 hour private Lost tour on Oahu)!

Keep watching, keep reading and keep in touch.

Love you, mean it.

- Jo

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Besides Lost, I have to say that my two favorite new shows right now are The United States of Tara and Breaking Bad. Toni Collette and John Corbett are are very enjoyable and entertaining in Tara, the new dark comedy about multiple personalities on Showtime. And I am catching up with the first season of Breaking Bad before Season 2 begins in March; I highly recommend that you do the same because the series completely deserves the critical acclaim. Bryan Cranston is nothing short of fantastic. 

In other news…

George Clooney will appear on series finale of ER

I haven’t watched the show since he left, so I suppose I’ll tune it when that episode airs.

Get LOST with JOpinionated named one of the Top 100 Sci-Fi Blogs (in the TV category)

A very pleasant surprise; I am very honored to have made this list!

Mad Man Jon Hamm to appear on 30 Rock

Sweet, but will it be as funny as Jon Hamm’s John Ham?

Actor/director/screenwriter Mike White to compete on The Amazing Race

Among his other credits, White wrote and appeared in the films Chuck & Buck, Orange County, The Good Girl, The School of Rock, Nacho Libre and Year of the Dog. I am so tuning in to see him race around the world with his dad.

Supersize episode of The Office after Sunday’s Superbowl

This show went from being almost canceled to an essential staple for NBC. Impressive slot after the big game. Without a doubt, I will be watching.

ABC relocates Ugly Betty beginning next month; replaced by Samantha Who on Thursday nights

I am actually quite pleased with this move, given my recent loss of interest in Ugly Betty and great love for Christina Applegate, Jean Smart and Jennifer Esposito on Samantha Who.

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Let’s face it, I am a film failure this year. I have only seen 3 in the Best Picture (B Button, Milk & Slumdog) category, and I do not feel prepared for the Academy Awards. And shame on me; I have not seen any of the foreign film or documentary nominees either. But given my travel schedule in the next month, it is unlikely that I will see many more movies before the ceremony.

Overall, I am pleasantly surprised by most of the nominations; here are my initial thoughts about some of the major categories…

BEST PICTURE

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Frost/Nixon
• Milk
• The Reader
• Slumdog Millionaire

They share little to nothing in common, but I love Milk and Slumdog equally. I predict that Milk takes the golden statue in an upset over Millionaire. To be quite frank, I found Benjamin Button to be overrated. There was a lack of emotional resonance; to me, that is the most important characteristic for best film of the year, and one which both Milk and Slumdog achieved with great ease.

BEST DIRECTOR

• David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
• Gus Van Sant, Milk
  
• Stephen Daldry, The Reader
• Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

I really want to give this to Fincher, but more for an amazing career and body of work. My vote this year is for Boyle, however.

BEST ACTRESS

• Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
  
• Angelina Jolie, Changeling
  
• Melissa Leo, Frozen River
  
• Meryl Streep, Doubt
  
• Kate Winslet, The Reader
  

Sadly, I have only seen Changeling in this category. However, my love of and hope for Winslet is no secret.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Amy Adams, Doubt
  
• Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
  
• Viola Davis, Doubt
  
• Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  
• Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

Tomei is the sentimental choice, given the years between this performance and her last Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (1992). However, she also roamed nude through Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead in 2007, so I’m not sure what the fuss is about. I’m rooting for Davis, but have a feeling that Cruz will take it.

BEST ACTOR

• Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
  
• Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
  
• Sean Penn, Milk
  
• Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  
• Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Penn, without a doubt. Rourke was playing his life story; Penn transformed entirely into Harvey Milk (the man, politician, the hero to so many). If you really want to see Frank Langella at his very best, rent Starting Out in the Evening.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Josh Brolin, Milk
  
• Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
  
• Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
  
• Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
  
• Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

Although I seriously doubt that Michelle Williams would attend on behalf of their daughter, last year I wrote exactly how Heath’s victory should unfold next month. If it were any other year, I would root for Brolin.

ANIMATED FILM

• Bolt
• Kung Fu Panda
• Wall E

Wall E, please. I’ve never been so touched by an animated film.

ART DIRECTION

• Changeling
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• The Dark Knight
• The Duchess
• Revolutionary Road

I will definitely give this one to Button.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

• Changeling
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• The Dark Knight
• The Reader
  
• Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog, hands down. It was uniquely and beautifully filmed.

COSTUME DESIGN

• Australia
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• The Duchess
• Milk
• Revolutionary Road

Given the popularity of Mad Men, I believe Revolutionary Road will win.

FILM EDITING

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• The Dark Knight
• Frost/Nixon
• Milk
• Slumdog Millionaire

Another vote for Slumdog, although Milk is just as deserving.

MAKEUP

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• The Dark Knight
• Hellboy II: The Golden Army

I realize that Button is the obvious favorite, but I was actually distracted by the makeup that was used for the aging process of both Pitt and Blanchett. So The Dark Knight it is.

ORIGINAL SCORE

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Alexandre Desplat)
  
• Defiance (James Newton Howard)
  
• Milk (Danny Elfman)
  
• Slumdog Millionaire (AR Rahman)
  
• Wall E (Thomas Newman)

Yes, I am a broken record: Slumdog.

ORIGINAL SONG

• Down to Earth (Wall E), Peter Gabriel
• Jai Ho (Slumdog Millionaire), AR Rahman
• O Saya (Slumdog Millionaire), AR Rahman

See above. LOVE this soundtrack.

VISUAL EFFECTS

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  
• The Dark Knight
• Iron Man

I’m on board for Iron Man over Benjamin Button.

—

Okay, bring it on! Strongly disagree or agree with me if you like. And someone, anyone…please tell me why you enjoyed Button. If your argument in favor of the film is strong enough, I promise to go see it again and give it a second shot.

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