MK's Oscar Picks 2016

The show will start soon. I just know y'all are waiting to hear which movies I would pick. Let me be quick:

Best Supporting Actor - This category was tough for me, because all the actors in the four movies that I saw did a great job. It would be just like The Academy to award the prize to Sylvestor Stallone, but I maintain that he is not the most deserving. I'm going with Mark Ruffalo in Spotlight.

Best Actor - My pick is Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl. I'm thinking Leo is going to win for The Revenant, only because he's been nominated many times and has never won. There's a reason why he's never won...he's just not that good...but The Academy is into pity honors. (See Best Supporting Actor above.)

Best Supporting Actress - This one is another challenging category. All the actresses in the four movies I saw did a great job. I didn't watch The Hateful Eight to see Jennifer Jason Leigh's performance, but I pick Alicia Vikander in The Danish Girl.

Best Actress - The buzz is that Brie Larson is going to win, but I pick Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years.

Best Picture - I really wish they'd quit nominating more than five films for this award, but no one asked me. Mad Mad: Fury Road and Brooklyn were weak nominations in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I really liked Brooklyn, but Oscar-worthy? No. My pick goes to Spotlight.

I'm ready now...me and my knitting...

MK out.

Saturday at the Movies

The Oscars show is tomorrow People!!!

Sorry about the lack of Movie Mondays (and other features) lately. I have movies to talk about, but I haven't taken the time to sit down and collect my thoughts. Since I've been out living my dash, I've been neglecting some areas of my life. Sadly, online endeavors have been taking the biggest hit. I hope the three of you who read my blog have been out living your respective dashes and haven't minded too much...

I had a pleasant surprise. Trumbo was released to On Demand Movies last week; so, I was able to see it. Bryan Cranston plays Dalton Trumbo, one of the Hollywood Ten who refused to testify before Congress during the Communist witch hunt of the 40s and 50s. It was a good movie and Cranston did  a fine job of acting. I liked it.

Spotlight, starring Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci and more, is the name of the  Boston Globe's investigative unit. The film centers around the group's investigation of widespread sexual abuse of children by several Roman Catholic priests and the church's attempt to cover up the matter. It was very, very good.

In Room, Brie Larson plays a young woman who was abducted and locked away for years. Her captor indulged in sexual encounters with her that resulted in an adorable and precocious little boy. The mother and child live out their days in a one room structure. The child has never been outside of this room and is ignorant of the world beyond it. They do escape and life outside of Room is challenging for both of them. The actor who plays this little boy is phenomenal and I think he should have been nominated for an Academy Award. I really liked this movie.

Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay give bang-up performances in 45 Years. The movie focuses on the week between a startling revelation from the husband's past to their lavish 45th wedding anniversary party. In that week, the wife reconsiders everything she thought she knew about her marriage. It was harrowing. At first, I thought the issue shouldn't matter, as it had happened prior to their meeting. Then I realized, it wasn't about me. It was about her and her feeling of betrayal and I was able to relate to her anguish. Although the pace was slow, it was a good story and the film was beautifully shot. I like it.

I saw Mustang (in Turkish with English sub-titles), one of the movies nominated for Best Foreign Film, and I'm glad I did. The film is set in a small Turkish village. Five orphaned sisters are being raised by their grandmother and uncle. On the way home from school one day, they join up with classmates on the beach and play a game of chicken with some of the boys. When they get home, the gossip of their "inappropriate" behavior precedes them and they are punished. The girls are not allowed to leave the house for any reason. Of course, they don't take this judgment lying down. It was very, very good.

This year, I was able to see the Best Animated Short Films. They are: 
Bear Story - a bear makes a mechanical diorama of a bear who wants to return to his family.
Prologue - a little girl witnesses a battle to the death between two Athenian and two Spartan warriors. Sanjay's Super Team - an Indian-American boy comes to find the wisdom in his father's daily prayers in his own way.
We Can't Live Without Cosmos - two best friends train to become cosmonauts.
World of Tomorrow - little Emily gets a sneak peak of her future.

MK out.

FO Friday - 2/26/2016

May I present the latest FO:

Pattern

Yarn: SweetGeorgia Yarns Bulletproof Sock in Riptide. This base is so yummy - a blend of merino, cashmere, silk and mohair.

Needles: 2.0mm - done TAAT on two circulars.

They were made to fulfill the sock assignment for Loopy Academy and for the Sock A Month challenge for the Bags By Awesome Grannie group on Ravelry.

Have a great weekend!

MK out.

WIP Wednesday - 2/17/2016

Sorry for the less than stellar photo, but in the interest of keeping up a blog, it's all I've got.

I am humming along on the Zig Zagular socks. I'm almost to the heel flap, and that makes me happy. I'm having a good experience. I love the yarn - Bulletproof Sock by SweetGeorgia Yarns.  It's got a little silk and mohair in it. It's quite lovely.

What's on your needles?

MK out.

Movie Monday - 2/15/2016

I have seen all the movies for what I consider the top five awards that I am going to see. Creed and Trumbo left the area before I had a chance to see them. I'm making the choice not to see The Hateful Eight. I just don't think I want to spend three hours of my life watching a gross movie, especially since I doubt that Jennifer Jason Leigh will win Best Supporting Actress. She's got tough competition.

Having said that, I am going to try to watch a few of the films nominated in other categories and I'll tell you about them as I go along. In the meantime, here's a couple of the last of the top five nominees:

Even without seeing Trumbo, I can narrow the field down to two actors and my vote leans toward Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl. I think the Academy is going to give it to Leo as a make-up win for all the times he's been nominated and deservedly (in my opinion) never won. Anyway, the film is set in the 1920s and is based on a true story about a Danish man who became one of the first people to undergo sex reassignment surgery. Redmayne did a magnificent job of portraying the psychological torture such individuals must face, especially in those days. Alicia Vikander was great as the spouse who tries to stay supportive. The costuming and the sets are beautiful. I liked this movie.

In Carol, Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett give wonderful performances as two women who find love with one another. The movie is set in 1950s New York City. It is based on the semi-autobiographical novel called The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith. Blanchett plays Carol, a rich socialite going through a rough divorce. Mara plays Therese, a young shopgirl. The two meet by chance and are embark on a friendship that soon leads to more. The movie was beautifully shot and the costuming was magnificent. The pacing of the film might be considered slow, but it was beautiful to watch. I really liked it.

Until next time...

MK out.

Happy Valentine's Day 2016

Hello my friends! I hope that all of you had a wonderful Valentine's Day. I sure did.

My Valentine took me to a romantic dinner tonight...but before that, I spent some time in my studio and had a grand time.

I decided today was the day to start my fabric Loopy's Monthly Mixer for February:

I've had the Cloud Nine Good Night Moon FQ collection since February 2014. I bought the yellow, teal and gray fabrics to put it all together. The prompt was to make something that's spent the shortest amount of time on my "must make/use this someday" list. I had seen a cute quilt tutorial the day or two before the assignment came out that I thought would be great for the fat quarters; so, I was thrilled that I'd be using them sooner rather than later!

Most of the fabrics in this collection are directional.  

It's only a big deal for me because I'm a little fussy that way.

I got everything all cut out.

I even did a little piecing after we got home from dinner.

I think I'll go round out the perfect VD by watching Downton Abbey now.

MK out.

FO Friday - 2/12/2016

Remember I told you guys about the Loopy Monthly Mixers? In January, the prompt was P is for Pluto. The assignment was to make something whose color, yarn, fabric or pattern name begins with a P.

I made the Peipponen Shawl, using Wollmeise Pure in a purple-ish color called Magnolie Dark. It's a P trifecta!

Y'all know I had to sew something too. What says P better than pillowcases? And there poinsettias on most of them!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and a great Valentine's Day.

MK out.

FO Friday - 2/5/2016

Hello Poppets! I have two things to show y'all today.

I finished the Copilot Cowl: 

Pattern.
Yarn - Alisha Goes Around Marmalade (of Ponies) in a pink-red-purple colorway.
Modifications - I bound off after two pattern repeats because I was running out of yarn. It's pretty long though - easily wound around the neck twice.
I like it.

The Peipponen Shawl is done (yet, still blocking):

Pattern.
Yarn - Wollmeise Pure in the color way Magnolie Dark.
Modifications - none.
Of note - This project was my offering for Loopy/ January Mixer. 
Love it!,

MK out.