Every year around this time I tend to bemoan many of the major award nominations, and the 2008 Golden Globe nods are no exception. I find the separation of the film and acting categories (drama and comedy or musical) to be odd and unnecessary.

I have not had the opportunity to see many of the films yet, as most have only debuted in limited release. Those with an asterisk denote my personal choice in each category; who I want to win vs. who I think will win.

FILM

Not only is the hysterical HBO series Flight of the Conchords returning for a second season on January 18, now is your chance to enter their Lip Dub Fantasterpiece contest.  Create an original video of yourself lip syncing to the Conchords’ song ‘Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros,’ and upload it on that site; the winning video will air on HBO.

Christmas has arrived early this year in the JOpinionated household! A lovely new Wii and Wii Fit were delivered on Hanukkah Harry’s handlebars (my version of a sled w/reindeer), even though that holiday doesn’t begin for a few weeks either.

We’ve named the new system Wiibert. She is interactive and far cheaper than a gym membership…although I strongly disagree with her assessment of my body mass index.  So far I am enjoying the balance, strengthening and yoga exercises, and my very competitive better half is mastering all sports games and just about everything else.

I made a deal with the Wii (what? she’s my personal trainer) – I will work out one time for every blog entry I post from here on out, alternating between the couch and the balance board. That sounds fair, right?

By the way, if you have any recommendations for games, please let me know!

Last night I had the opportunity to see Milk at the historic Castro Theatre in San Francisco; what a phenomenal film and an unbelievably moving experience. It was quite surreal to be sitting in the very theatre that features so prominently on screen, in the exact location where the movie was filmed and where Harvey Milk lived and worked.

The Castro Theatre is a San Francisco landmark, the most iconic locale in the Castro district. As shown in the photo above, they were showing a montage of Milk photos before the screening, accompanied by an organist on a Wurlitzer (a tradition since 1979). I can’t imagine seeing Milk in any other theater in the world, and feel fortunate to have done so among those who either lived during that politically turbulent time or recognize and respect the significance that Milk has had on their city.

On a personal note…in 1996, my first apartment in SF was a short walking block from this theatre, and the film’s neighborhood accuracies produced many goosebumps and smiles of recognition.

Milk is the most socially relevant film in recent memory, an educational and heartbreaking look back at the political rise of SF Supervisor Harvey Milk in the 1970′s. To be frank, it should have been released before November 4; I truly believe that this movie could have altered the outcome of Proposition 8 in California. The parallels to Proposition 6 thirty years ago are uncanny, and Milk’s leadership to help defeat that measure illuminates the fact that we do not have the powerful voice and direction of such a person today.

Sean Penn is absolutely astounding and accurate in his portrayal of Milk. He embodies the spirit and personality of the man with great ease and joy. We’re all familiar with Penn’s intensity, anger and passion on screen, but as Milk…it was unusual to witness such mirth in his eyes and performance. Before you jump to remind me about or defend Fast Times at Ridgemont High, know that it does not count or compare in my book; it was only Penn’s second film and before he developed into one of our finest actors.

To me, Penn as Milk is on par with Ledger as The Joker. Those two actors in those two roles may prove to be among the most impressive in cinematic history (or at least for 2008).

Josh Brolin, James Franco, Victor Garber and Emile Hirsch round out a very strong supporting cast, and I was amused by out actor Denis O’Hare’s role as conservative state senator John Briggs.

I have always appreciated Gus Van Sant’s style and films, but until now my favorites have been To Die For (1995) and Good Will Hunting (1997). His direction of Milk was brilliant, seamlessly intermingling archival footage with the new. It was as if we were watching a mesmerizing documentary, narrated by the ghost of Harvey Milk.

Do I recommend Milk? In a heartbeat. It is not a ‘gay’ film or a message movie; Milk is a touching historical biography that every teenager and adult in every small town and major city needs to see.

Click here for a behind-the-scenes look at Nurse Jackie, narrated by and featuring Falco.

Edie Falco first caught my eye when she was a corrections officer on HBO’s Oz during the late 1990′s; it was obvious prior to her many intense confrontations with Tony Soprano that she could more than hold her own among and against the tough guys.

Falco deserves every accolade and award earned as Carmela Soprano (3 Emmys, 2 Golden Globes, 3 SAG Awards), and was the first actress to receive all three of those major television awards for Best Actress in a Drama Series back in 2000.

In addition to being one of television’s top talents, Falco battled and recovered from breast cancer four years ago. Her courage and strength on screen and off is inspiring. I will always tune in to whatever project she’s attached to, and look forward to seeing her again every week.

Are you one of those people who are online (via cell or computer) during most waking hours? Do you ever wonder what some of your friends and family are up to, or where they are, but don’t feel like calling or emailing to find out?  If so, I highly recommend that you either sign up for a free Twitter account or find out which of your loved ones and buddies already use the service so you can follow them.

I casually refer to Twitter as ‘cyber-stalking with permission,’ but in reality it is a quick social networking message system. When you have an account, you have up to 140 characters to answer the question, “What are you doing?” in real-time, as often as you like. Some people offer very specific and personal details, while others are purposefully mysterious or controversial. You also have the option to reply to someone’s update, often resulting in a tweetversation.

Here are just a few favorites from the hundreds I follow:

Whitney Matheson: USA Today columnist (Pop Candy)
Greg Grunberg & Brea Grant: Heroes actors
J.R. Orci: writer/producer, Fringe
Jesse Alexander: writer/producer, Alias/Lost/Heroes
Mo Ryan: Chicago Tribune columnist (The Watcher)
TheODI, DocArzt & DarkUFO & Ryan from The Transmission: Lost scoop
DuckyDoesTV, GiveMeMyRemote, Ramblings of a TV Whore, theTVaddict: TV bloggers
SlashFilm, FirstShowing, Cinematical, AintItCool: movie news, interviews
Brill, Hanh, Rick, Andy, Sarah, Ryan, Korbi:  Zap2It TV team

You have the option to link Twitter to your Facebook status updates, but I’m not a fan of that particular option for my page (I update far less on Facebook). On my iPhone, I use the free application Twitteriffic to catch up and post new updates on the go. 

If you’re interested in following me, feel free to bookmark my Twitter profile: http://twitter.com/jopinionated. If you already have an account or create a new one, make sure to click ‘follow’ under my LOST icon (and I will follow you in return).

When in doubt, exercise caution before drunk-tweeting or sharing specific work and life details via Twitter. Before I post anything, I keep in mind that my mom follows me; it can be a tad disconcerting to receive calls from her with a specific question about or statement regarding something I forgot that I had posted on Twitter…but it is one of the many ways for her to keep in touch and involved from across the country.

So…do you tweet, and if so – who do you enjoy following on Twitter?

I have seen every episode of Heroes thus far, and while I enjoyed the first episode of this third season – I’m not in love with the current story lines. That being said, I stand by my initial assessment of the first season…that it was one of the most stellar and compelling debuts in recent television history. 

Before creating the fan favorite series Heroes, the Emmy-nominated Kring (Outstanding Drama Series; Heroes in 2007, Chicago Hope in 1997) created, produced and wrote for Crossing Jordan.  Prior to that, Kring wrote and produced episodes of Providence and Chicago Hope.  Kring’s first foray into writing for series television, however, was an episode of the original Knight Rider in 1982, followed by several made-for-TV movies. Entertaining career note: in 1987, he and former Heroes/Lost producer Jeph Loeb co-wrote the film Teen Wolf Too (the sequel with Jason Bateman replacing Michael J. Fox).

When the interview begins, we are introduced to Kring’s office space on the studio lot. In addition to a smattering of awards statues around the room, there is original art from Heroes artist Tim Sale framed along the walls. [Personal aside: I had the opportunity to meet Sale earlier this year in person, and he sketched a custom print of cheerleader Claire for me in 10 minutes; it was a very cool pop culture moment, and he was quietly polite and charming while I secretly geeked out.]

Kring discusses both his film influences and film school experience, as well as his work behind the scenes in TV production before becoming a writer. He elaborates about the development of plot vs. characters, and the collaboration in the writers room that is essential in serialized television.

I was particularly interested to hear Kring’s response to interviewer Jeff Berman’s question about whether or not Heroes has an ‘end game.’  And, of course, his thoughts about how Lost paved the way for a show like Heroes to achieve success (large ensemble cast, more questions than answers, etc.).

For all of the recent controversy surrounding Kring’s statements about the Heroes audience (followed by his published apology), I will say this for the man…he genuinely cares about the relationship between the show and those who are dedicated to watching and writing about it.  Kring really seems to appreciate the cross-pollination that occurs between the series and the fans. While the audience may not dictate the final direction of the show, I truly believe that Kring listens to the voices of both discord and delight.

I still have great faith in Heroes, even though I remain puzzled by the dismissal of Loeb and Jesse Alexander.  Why, you might ask? Because of the passion displayed at the Heroes panel at Comic-Con a few months ago and also during Kring’s interview on this DVD, and because I look forward to being baffled and entertained every Monday night by a cast of characters that I’ve grown attached to. Not convinced? Get a copy of this DVD for yourself, and let me know what you think.

I hope you all enjoyed a nice holiday and weekend. Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for my previews of The Write Environment interviews with Doug Ellin (Entourage) and Sam Simon (The Simpsons)!