Brian & Lizz's Adventures in Lobster Thermidor

"The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a 'What the hell?' attitude"

                                                                                                                    - Julia Child

Lizz and I have been wanting to make Julia Child's Lobster Thermidor forever. After putting it off so many times, we decided that when she was coming down this month that it would finally get done. Lobsters are such ugly creatures......... but they are so tasty!! I really can't remember the last time I had one. I rarely eat seafood except for my family's pre-Christmas party, so I was really excited for this to happen.

Thanks Twitter! (and Maple Pictures!)

So after my whole big hate on Twitter way back before I signed up for Humber, I've taken my enjoyment of it to an amazing level after recently discovered an awesome new way to use it: WIN FREE STUFF! I know, its sounds sketchy, like something I would never endorse (hey Brian, you're sending this stranger your mailing address and (s)he is going to send you an exciting package!...hypocrite).

Anyways, in the past two weeks I have won a short-film trilogy from the National Film Board of Canada, Season One of Nurse Jackie, AND a copy of the Academy award-winning film Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire!! Which is really exciting since it was one of my favorite movies of the year.

I haven't watched any of the NFB ones yet, but I rewatched Precious and started Nurse Jackie. I would highly recommend both. Precious will probably ruin your day because it is so devastating, but its totally worth it. Mo'Nique absolutely deserved every award she picked up. Also, Gabourey Sidibe was really the breakout actor of the year in my opinion. Anyways, if you haven't seen it yet, DO IT!

Nurse Jackie was something I had never really thought about watching. Thanks to Maple Pictures' sweet Twitter contest though, I'm hooked. The show is really creative. Think about all the shitty things you hate about other hospital shows and take them out. Although I've only seen 3 episodes so far, there are no ridiculous relationship stories (yes people are dating/cheating/whatever, but no one has been revealed to be their partner's old roommate's former neighbour's cousin-in-law's penpal's transsexual husband or whatever), or crazy unrealistic storylines (no bomb threats, terrorist attacks, plane crashes into the hospital). It's just a really well written show with real characters, a great theme about drug addiction and honest performances.  I definitely want to see where the show is going and catch up in time for season 2 (which starts really soon...).


So if it weren't for things like Twitter, I wouldn't have gotten some cute little cartoons, one of the year's best movies, and an awesome new show. At this time last year, when I was using it to pimp out bagels and coffee for Cogro, I would have told you Twitter was this completely useless idea. But now not only am I using it to communicate, I'm winning free shit (I know that's not the point.... )and discovering things that I wouldn't have put that much time into.

Have a good night! I'm gonna try and squeeze in one more episode of Jackie!
-Brian.

Oscar's Tomorrow!

The Academy Awards are announced tomorrow morning! So excited. Here's how I would like for them to stack up:

Best Picture:

1) Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
2) The Hurt Locker
3) Inglourious Basterds
4) The Fantastic Mr. Fox (might happen?)
5) An Education
6) Antichrist (no way in hell)
7) Away We Go (not going to happen)
8) Bright Star (doubtful)
9) (500) Days of Summer (maybe)
10) Up in The Air

* I think my 5 sketchy ones will be replaced by Invictus, Up, Avatar (sadly), District 9, and Crazy Heart

Why "The Hurt Locker Matters"

Kathryn Bigelow made history Saturday night. She became the first woman to ever win the Director’s Guild Award for Outstanding Direction in a Feature Film. Her movie The Hurt Locker has been dominating the awards circuit for the past few weeks. Although Bigelow has been a critic’s awards favourite, James Cameron was expected to take the win for directing Avatar.

Her win for The Hurt Locker is important for several reasons. It breaks the feeling that directing is a ‘boys club’. Bigelow hasn’t made her career out of directing flimsy romances or period dramas. She has chosen to direct tougher fare- suspense thrillers and action movies, genres which traditionally are done by male directors. The Hurt Locker shows that she knows how to play their game and do it much better than most of them.

Director Kathryn Bigelow

It is worth mentioning that The Hurt Locker is an Iraq war film. This makes her win even more substantial. Out of the dozens of Iraq related films that have come out in the last decade, The Hurt Locker is the only one to have achieved any real critical and popular success (by which I don’t mean commercial, rather that audiences have responded well to it).

The Hurt Locker is also the lowest=grossing film of all the movies receiving major awards attention. It was given a poor limited release by Summit Entertainment over the summer. Most people are now discovering it on DVD due to excellent word of mouth. While Avatar has made nearly US$2 billion worldwide, Bigelow’s film has made about US$15 million.

The Academy Awards will be announced Tuesday. Bigelow is once again the frontrunner.

Back At It!

Hi Everyone!!

So I have resurrected the blog as part of an assignment for the social media class that I am taking while at Humber.

Feel free to take a creep from time to time.

-Brian.