And the Oscar Goes To

IT LOOKS LIKE the 'Pubs nominee for Mrs. Wholesome America, Sarah Palin, has some 'splainin' to do. After openly chastizing her former, future son-in-law, Levi Johnston for being "too Hollywood", here was Alaska's "I quit" Gov. with her uber-wholesome...cough...daughter Bristol sliding into Tinsel Town in the middle of Oscar Week. Not a biggie you say; they can go anywhere and if they're in LA when the Oscars are being presented, so what?

Well they did go anywhere; to three pre-Oscar bashes (including loading up on freebies from several gifting suites; according to witnesses, like an impolite, starving child wolfing their way through the all-you-can-eat at Chuck-a-Rama). That was of course, in between the Queen of Crib Notes and Survivor producer Mark Burnett taking several Hollywood meetings, shopping a reality show for the "so not Hollywood" hockey mom, while her not-so poster child of conservative values daughter was taping a guest spot on "The Secret Life of the American Teenager". Yeah, Levi is the one who has become too Hollywood.

You know, the neocon talking heads think the libs are afraid Palin will run for the Oval in 2012. I'm neither a neo, or a con, or a lib for that matter, but at some point each and every day, I do say a prayer that she will throw her newly gifted designer chappeau in the ring. It'll be 18 months of incredible comedy and our current CIC will get another four years to try and finish the job of AGAIN correcting the mistakes of yet another failed Bushie admin...

BETTER THAN OSCAR in the last ten years is the a debate of the Top Ten movies of all time. I love this discussion partly because my list is constantly changing, depending on my mood, and partly because I always hear at least one title I have never heard of or wouldn't have considered, which sends me surrying off (yes, I scurry) to Walkers (the local rental here in IF) to give it a try. AFI of course always puts Citizen Kane atop the list, and for filmmakers I undestand why. But as one of the regular folk who don't give two hoots about the technical aspects of a flick, I might put it in the top 15. For this time around, here, in order, are my Top 10 (and I'd love to hear yours): 10. Pride of the Yankees 9. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance 8. Dead Poets Society 7. Patton 6. Field of Dreams 5. The Sting 4. The Ten Commandemnts 3. Braveheart 2. 12 Angry Men 1. On Golden Pond. And if you're wondering, I just realized that my top two both star Henry Fonda. Complete coincidence I assure you, but hardly surprising. We miss ya Hank...

ANTI-TRUST DEPT: We are a family of big movie watchers and so we go through two of the 24-bag boxes of micro-wave pop corn a week. Looking to trim a buck (and cholesterol point) or two, I suggested we go back to the air popper. Figuring I could snag one for a good price, I headed over to the local Wal-mart and found...nothing. Nada. Zip. The first two W-M associates I asked for help had never even heard of such a thing. Knowing the highest profit margins come from their grocery aisles, I wonder...would they really go so far as to not offer an inexpensive air popper just to hike up the sales of Orville's nuked product? Oh, the things we give up in the name of capitalism. If anyone knows where I can find a good Hamilton Beach...

DEATH OF A SALESMAN: Hazzahs to James Cameron for his groundbreaking work with Avatar, however, seeing that the next two summer blockbusters (including the next Harry Potter installment) will be released in 3D to capitalize on the phenomenon, I fear this is the beginning of the end of the movie going experience as we have come to know it. At the Edwards theater here in IF, the non-3D version of Avatar is going for $7.50 a pop, with the 3D ducats hiked up to $11.50. Now add to that $13 for popcorn, soda and the obligatory box of Red Vines and you're talking $25 per person. $50 bucks for a movie date and that's not counting dinner beforehand. Remember the days when a guy could take his gal to dinner, a movie and hit Inspiration Point for less than 20 smackers. Well ok, 21, considering the smack she gave you at the Point...

WHO SAYS GOOD parenting is going out of style? Overheard at a local movie house last week. Boy: Well, can't I even put my arm around you? Girl: No, my parents are sitting in the back row. Boy: No they aren't. Girl: Yes, they are! You think they'd let me go on a date with you by myself? I'm only 16! Sure enough, at the end of the movie, the boy and girl head up for the doors and meet up with the girl's parents and leave the theater together. I sure hope my daughter Caroline, who turns 16 in June wants to go see the Matt Damon movie this summer...

A SURVEY FROM Good Housekeeping states that 87% of all diets or weight reduction programs begin on January 1st. So is it just bad marketing or utter cruelty towards the masses that causes the Girl Scouts to hold their annual cookie onslaught less than 2 months later? Can't you imagine how many more boxes of tagalongs they;'d sell if they did this in October? Personally, I smell a conspiracy with the people at Jenny Craig and think Congress should investigate. Nah, they have enough on their hands already. I'll just wait for the movie...