The 83rd annual Academy Awards

The complete list of nominations, along with my picks:

15 correct - 9 wrong... terrible! Next time, I should see the movies.

Best picture

• "Black Swan"

• "The Fighter"

• "Inception"

• "The Kids Are All Right"

• ("The King’s Speech")✔
  

• "127 Hours"

• "The Social Network"

• "Toy Story 3"

• "True Grit"

• "Winter’s Bone"

Actor

• Javier Bardem, "Biutiful"

• Jeff Bridges, "True Grit"

• Jesse Eisenberg, "The Social Network"

• (Colin Firth, "The King's Speech")✔
  

• James Franco, "127 Hours"

Actress

• Annette Bening, "The Kids Are All Right"

• Nicole Kidman, "Rabbit Hole"

• Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone"

• (Natalie Portman, "Black Swan")✔
  

• Michelle Williams, "Blue Valentine"

Supporting actor

• (Christian Bale, "The Fighter")✔
  

• John Hawkes, "Winter's Bone"

• Jeremy Renner, "The Town"

• Mark Ruffalo, "The Kids Are All Right"

• Geoffrey Rush, "The King's Speech"

Supporting actress

• (Amy Adams, "The Fighter") X
  

• Helena Bonham Carter, "The King's Speech"

• Melissa Leo, "The Fighter"✔
  

• Hailee Steinfeld, "True Grit"

• Jacki Weaver, "Animal Kingdom"

Director

• Darren Aronofsky, "Black Swan"

• David O. Russell, "The Fighter"

• Tom Hooper, "The King's Speech"✔
  

• (David Fincher, "The Social Network") X
  

• Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "True Grit"

Animated feature

• "How to Train Your Dragon"

• "The Illusionist"

• ("Toy Story 3")✔
  

Adapted screenplay

• "127 Hours"

• ("The Social Network") ✔
  

• "Toy Story 3"

• "True Grit"

• "Winter’s Bone"

Original screenplay

• "Another Year"

• "The Fighter"

• "Inception"
  

• "The Kids Are All Right"

• ("The King’s Speech")✔
  

Foreign language film

• ("Biutiful") X
  

• "Dogtooth"

• "In a Better world"✔
  

• "Incendies"

• "Outside the Law"

Art direction

• ("Alice in Wonderland") ✔
  

• "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I"

• "Inception"

• "The King's Speech"

• "True Grit"

Cinematography

• “Black Swan”

• “Inception”✔
  

• (“The King's Speech”) X
  

• “The Social Network”

• “True Grit”
  

Costume design

• "Alice in Wonderland"✔
  

• "I Am Love"

• "The King's Speech"
  

• "The Tempest"

• ("True Grit") X
  

Documentary feature

• ("Exit Through the Gift Shop") X
  

• "Gasland"

• "Inside Job"✔
  

• "Restrepo"

• "Waste Land"

Documentary short

• "Killing in the Name"

• ("Poster Girl") X
  

• "Strangers No More"✔
  

• "Sun Come Up"

• "The Warriors of Qiugang"

Film editing

• ("Black Swan") X
  

• "The Fighter"

• "The King's Speech"

• "127 Hours"

• "The Social Network"✔
  

Makeup

• “Barney's Version”

• “The Way Back”

• (“The Wolfman”) ✔
  

Sound mixing

• (“Inception”) ✔
  

• “The King's Speech”

• “Salt”

• “The Social Network”

• “True Grit”

Original score

• “How to Train Your Dragon”

• “Inception”

• “The King's Speech”

• “127 Hours”

• (“The Social Network”) ✔
  

Visual effects

• “Alice in Wonderland”

• “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1”

• “Hereafter”

• (“Inception”) ✔
  

• “Iron Man 2”

Original song

• “Coming Home” from “Country Strong”

• “I See the Light” from “Tangled”

• “If I Rise” from “127 Hours”

• (“We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3") ✔
  

Sound editing

• "Inception" ✔
  

• ("Toy Story 3") X
  

• "Tron: Legacy"

• "True Grit"

• "Unstoppable"

Animated short film

• "Day & Night"

• "The Gruffalo"

• "Let's Pollute"

• ("The Lost Thing") ✔
  

• "Madagascar, carnet de voyage"

Live action short film

• "The Confession"

• ("The Crush") X
  

• "God of Love" ✔
  

• "Na Wewe"

• "Wish 143"

One Moment

Last night, I was having a discussion, when suddenly(!) I reminded myself of something. It was a moment in time, frozen and cherished, forever.

A few months ago, I was walking down Post Street, in Union Square. I was just looking for a diner. It was was early; about 5 am. Yes, early. I had woke up, after a worthless sleep, and, was trying to find a SF equivalent to Waffle House.
I came to an intersection, and, noticed a couple arguing. Apparently, she was done with this guy, and, he was continuously begging for forgiveness. Who knows why; It doesn't matter...

Anyway, she was getting fed-up with his begging, and as I was crossing the street, toward them, she exploded.
"This isn't working! You're an ass!" she yelled.
Everyone, myself included, kept an eye on them.

Then, out of the blue, a homeless man approached them. He got within five feet of them, and (with a really good voice) broke into, "Unchained Melody."
"Oooohh, my love, myyyy daaaaaaarling......"
I, and other passers-by, busted out laughing. It was too funny!

I never broke stride, so, I found myself out of earshot quickly. Now, I wish I had stopped, to get this couple's reaction. I know that the girl gave a quick chuckle, but, I'm unsure of anything beyond that. I do know that the homeless man kept singing. He was at the top of his lungs, and could easily be heard three blocks away.

So far, this is my favorite, "Street Moment," in San Francisco. It was a nice change of pace. Usually, I'm just getting asked for cigarettes, or spare change...

A Rant, on the New Huckleberry Finn

I'm a reader. I enjoy the idea of a novel. Also, I've read them all (not literally), from the great, to the experimental, to the terrible.... Certain works really do stand apart. War and Peace is exceptional for it's detail, Jane Eyre is the definitive first-person narrative, and, Huckleberry Finn captures a region, at an important time. Among many classic works, these novels will always be around. They each capture a niche, that one of any modern reader would want to latch onto. These particular classics maintain, too, the essential devices that make reading (and, writing, too) great. You are looking into particular moments within a character's life, where they are totally out of their element. It's hardship. It's a struggle. It's also the world around, which doesn't always use happy language.

When I heard of a publisher removing, "Nigger," and, "Injun," from Huckleberry Finn, I was immediately offended. The importance (and, the reason it has hung around) of this novel is not the language, or any racism, but instead, the coming-of-age, and acceptance, of Huck Finn. The language is vital to this novel, because it's important to know just how far Huck comes, over a couple dozen chapters. Without the bigotry, where is Huck's heroism? What, then, is the point of the book?

Obviously, this publisher doesn't understand an, "Artist's Intent." Even as rarely as I write, I understand that it isn't the first draft, that gets published. A writer alters. Changes are always required. Mark Twain didn't write Huckleberry Finn on a napkin! I forget the exact number, but, I think, "Nigger," is mentioned 129 times. Probably 129 times by design. Did Twain have a child born on December 9th? Nevermind, that's over analyzing!

I was going to stay in a fit of rage, over this, but, I found a calming force. At this moment, I'd like to thank Neil Gaiman, for wasting his time to answer my dumb question. I guess my grip on Artistic Integrity, blinded me from the Public Domain aspect. I'd also like to thank you, Neil Gaiman, for the idea of Klingon Huck. Very amusing!

What I've learned, is that fury won't get me anywhere. Huck Finn is a Klingon at heart (No wonder Star Trek TNG visited Mark Twain).

All I need to do, to preserve American Literature, is never buy a copy of the neutered Huckleberry Finn....

Transfer Complete?

Horaay!

I think I've got this, "Re-directing," thing down... From now on, instead of danielpatrickjones.com leading to a worthless self-built site, that I'll never develop; it'll lead here, to a worthless pre-built site, that I'll never update. It's pure sweetness!