Oscar Nominations for 2012

As I did last year, I'd like to recognize the 2012 Academy Nominees, the most prestigious awards in Film. I've only seen a couple of these movies, so won't try and predict any favorites, yet look forward to watching the rest. The 84th Academy Award ceremony will take place on February 26th, and regardless of the winner, each of these movies have now become classics.


Best Picture

The Artist
The Descendents
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse



Best Director

Michael Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Alexander Payne (The Descendents)
Martin Scorsese (Hugo)
Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)

 Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life)


Best Actor

Demian Bichir (A Better Life)
George Clooney (The Descendents)
Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
Brad Pitt (Moneyball)


Best Actress

Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs)
Viola Davis (The Help)
Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn)

Best Supporting Actor

Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn)
Jonah Hill (Moneyball)
Nick Nolte (Warrior)
Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud & Incredible Close)


Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo (The Artist)
Jessica Chastain (The Help)
Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)
Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs)
Octavia Spencer (The Help)


Total Film Nominations

Hugo (11)
The Artist (10)
Moneyball (6)
Warhorse (6)
The Descendents (5)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (6)
The Help (4)
Midnight in Paris (4)
Albert Nobbs (3)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II (3)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (3)
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (3)
The Tree of Life (3)
A Seperation (2)
Bridesmaids (2)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2)
The Iron Lady (2)
My Week with Marilyn (2)

A Study of Astronomy: The Wonders of Space

In this busy life, we are so consumed by our own affairs and the affairs of others, that we rarely get a chance to appreciate what is around us. Our bodies and minds are constantly in motion; from school, work, running errands, exercising, socializing, and even our own personal leisure time. It sometimes seems that our lives here on this earth are all that really matter. Yet if you stop for a moment to appreciate what is around you, you may think otherwise. To look up into the night sky, you may begin to realize that we are merely specs in a vast and mysterious universe. For this reason there is nothing that can quite compare to the immense beauty and wonders of space.

The Solar System

Long ago it was believed that Earth was the center of the universe, until Copernicus changed the way we comprehend space. He began a controversial Scientific Revolution, against religious beliefs, that essentially put the sun at the center of the universe. Copernicus discovered the heliocentric model, in which the Earth and several other planets revolve around a stationary sun. There are four inner planets consisting of rocky compositions; Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Then there are the four outer planets, consisting of gas compositions; Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Each planet has it's own distinctive characteristics, such as it's color, temperature, moons, gravity, rings, storms, and overall composition. There is only one however, that is the perfect distance from the sun to inhabit life, and that is of course our "goldi-locks" planet of Earth.

Galaxies

This belief that the sun was the center of the universe lasted until 1920, when the astronomer, Edwin Hubble, discovered the existences of galaxies. He was able to prove that the sun was merely a star belonging to a greater galaxy, a grouping of stars, known as the Milky Way. He also confirmed that there were many other galaxies that existed in the universe. This was a monumental discovery that once again changed the perspective of space, especially the scale of it.

With the discovery of galaxies, came a whole new and larger perspective on space. Scientists had to introduce a new way of measuring distance through a system of time known as light-years (6 trillion miles) and parsecs (3.26 light years). Many of these galaxies are millions of light years away from Earth, which means we may be seeing stars that could no longer even exist. Galaxies come in all shapes and sizes, elliptical to spirals, ranging from ten million to a hundred trillion stars. To try and comprehend that size, consider that one of these stars could be home to a planetary system such as our own Solar System. And today there are believed to be over 170 billion galaxies, in our observable universe. There is simply no word great enough to describe this size, and the universe continues expanding every moment.

Nebula

One of the most beautiful things in space, are the interstellar clouds of a nebula. These clouds are often formed after the collapse of one star, and the birth of another. They consist of dust, hydrogen, helium, and other gases. Our own solar system was formed by a giant nebula, that underwent a gravitational collapse and eventually formed our sun and planets.
Today there are many observable star-forming regions that come in all sorts of unique colors, shapes, and compositions. Incredible regions such as the Eagle Nebula, Crab Nebula, Orion Nebula, the Butterfly Nebula and many others. These nebulae represent an important transition in space-matter, and are a heavenly visual wonder.

Supernovas

The sudden death of a star, results in a massive luminous explosion, known as a supernova. This explosion occurs when the atom of a star ceases to generate energy. This sudden burst radiates more energy than the entire lifespan of the sun, and for a moment will outshine an entire galaxy. It sends a shock wave that travels at 10% the speed of light, and of course would destroy anything in it's path.

Sometimes these energetic explosions send out flashes of gamma rays. These gamma ray bursts can last from up to ten milliseconds to several minutes and are the most luminous event to occur in the universe. The result of a supernova will eventually become a neutron star or a black hole. As terrifying as a supernova may be, they play an important role in the cycle of space. The star dust of a supernova is essential in enriching the galaxy with chemical elements, that result in the formation of new stars.

Historical Look: The Rise of Italian Fascism

The Ideology of Fascism

Now-a-days the word Fascism is considered a political horror and insult, referring to the terrible dictatorships of WWII; most notably Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. Yet the movement itself actually started in Italy shortly after WWI. I've always been interested in politics, and am quite fascinated by how this terrible ideology actually took shape, and what exactly it consists of. This is a general look at the start of Fascism in Italy.

The roots of Fascism began during World War I and merged the political concepts of Socialism and Nationalism, with the utmost emphasis on a united-state. It distanced itself from Communism, by putting the nation first instead of class. The economic ideology was considered a "Third Way" approach to the spectrum of Free Markets and Controlled Markets. Italy was the first country to model this Fascist government, and was followed shortly after by Germany, Spain, Brazil, and several others. The government was an authoritarian, single-party state, run by a supreme leader known as the dictator. This dictator would then forced it's ideology, through propaganda, education, ruthless violence, and total militarism. This radical ideology sprung quite suddenly throughout Europe, yet also came to an abrupt end.

Italian Nationalism

Following the unification of Italy in 1861, a patriotic movement quickly began to spread throughout the Kingdom of Italy. Inspired by their Roman descendants, this social movement called for a nationalized Italian culture and economy. During WWI, Italy had an alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary yet remained neutral. In 1915 however, King Victor Emmanuel III, decided to break off their alliance with the central powers and enter the war on the side of the British allies. At the end of the war, Italian pride began to soar throughout the country, yet their demands were not granted which frustrated many Italians.


Benito Mussolini

In his early career, Benito Mussolini began as a teacher and a journalist. He was a member of the Italian Socialist party, yet unlike his political peers he opposed egalitarianism and was anti-Christian. With the outbreak of WWI, Mussolini began to change his views and eventually supported the war. This angered the Socialist party who kicked him out, causing Mussolini to start his own movement. He began to push his ideology through newspapers, claiming it was both a revolutionary and traditionalist movement and not a class-war! Yet the key to Mussolini's success in spreading his Fascist Ideology was no doubt thanks to his secret force of Blackshirts.

The Blackshirts

This armed force, made up of nationalists, landowners, and army officers, became the political muscle of Benito Mussolini. Dressed in black these men took the streets, and used violent tactics to clash with political opponents; communists, socialists, and anarchists. The government did not interfere with this underground political war, because it did not want a Communist Revolution to occur as it did in Russia. These blackshirts were thus very effective in purging the streets from opponents, and should be credited with the formation of the National Fascist Party in 1922. During the March on Rome, Mussolini lead a coup d'etat against King Emmanuel III, with nearly 30,000 Blackshirts. He had the support of the military, the business classes, and the right wing, and thus began his totalitarian state.

The Italian Dictatorship

By 1923 Mussolini became supreme leader of Italy, known as Il Duce, and quickly established a violent police-state to solidify his control. He used heavy propaganda, education, and youth organizations to make sure everyone was on board with this new reformation. He also laid out a new nationalized economic policy of infrastructure, through construction and agricultural programs, and took over the banks and big businesses.

Yet Mussolini's ultimate collapse was due to his aggressive expansionism, in trying to create an Italian Empire. He did this by conquering Ethiopia and Libya and lending support to Franco's Spanish national army. Mussolini was greatly undermined by the rising military power of Hitler's Nazi Germany, and had to bow down to it's will. The two countries became allies during the Second World War, yet Italy's military proved to be very ineffective. Throughout WWII, Mussolini was constantly humiliated by his military defeats and German rescues, and eventually lost grip of his power by 1942. He tried to form a Social Republic yet was eventually captured and murdered by Communists in 1945. His body was hung upside down in a town square, for all to witness the fall of Fascism.

Current Film Review: War Horse

This being a Steven Spielberg epic set during WWI, I knew I'd have to experience it in the theaters. Mostly for a historical perspective, to perhaps better understand the Great War. It's funny how Hollywood has given us numerous WWII classics, yet hardly any classics concerning the second worst war in human history. The film is based off a children's novel written by Michael Morpurgo. I just went this past weekend with Philip, and walked out with some mixed reviews, perhaps because my expectations were too high.

The Plot 

The film War Horse begins in the county of Devon, England where a farmboy named Albert develops a close bond with the family's new horse named Joey. Joey is a wild and strong horse from the start, yet Albert is able to control him, and together they are able to plow the farm, and save the family's land. At the start of the war however a storm destroys the family's crops, and Albert's father sells the horse out of frustration. This of course angers Albert, who vows to one day reunite with his horse Joey.

The second act of the film, then turns to Joey and his many adventures throughout the war. He is first drafted as a valiant stead for a British Captain. Yet the Captain is killed in a charge, and Joey is captured by the German army. In the German Army he is assigned to pull an ambulance wagon, and makes good friends with a black horse named, Topthorn. One night two German boys use the horses to desert from the war, and are later captured and executed. The horses are hidden in a French farm. In the French farm a young girl and her grandfather, hide the horses from the Germans. The girl falls in love with the two horses, and tries to teach them how to jump. The two horses are later captured again by the German Army.

The story then shifts over to 1918, the final months of the war where Albert has now enlisted in the British Army, with several of his friends from Devon. In the Battle of the Somme, Albert engages in a suicide charge through no-man's land and miraculous makes it through. Meanwhile on the German side, Joey and Topthorn are being used to pull heavy artillery, which eventually causes Topthorn to die of exhaustion. A few moments later, perhaps out of sheer frustration, Joey escapes from the Germans in the midst of a battle, and eventually gets caught in barb-wire. This is perhaps the most thrilling scene of the movie! He is later rescued by both an English and German soldier, who barter over it's ownership. The horse is then taken to a British hospital, where it is miraculously reunited with Albert, who is recovering from a gas bomb. After some dispute over the horse's ownership Albert is finally able to reclaim Joey, and return to his family in Devon.

Final Review


The movie may have been rated PG-13, yet at times seemed more like a family film full of far too many cliches. Unlike the gory film of Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg took an entirely different route and showed minimal blood by using artistic shots and editing. Yet even though it may have lacked a little bit of realism, the story was still quite unique, and created a detailed perspective on WWI. The film definitely succeeded in creating a historical period with amazing landscapes. For example the opening green pastures of Devon County are breathtaking, and perfect for introducing the protagonist of Joey.

This film is a typical Hollywood epic, with good acting, special effects, costumes, storyline, and also the music. Film Composer, John Williams, comes through once again with another powerful score. Yet in my opinion it's the direction that deserves most recognition. Steven Spielberg delivers several exhilarating and dramatic moments in this film, that capture both the brilliance of this horse and the magnitude of the war. From the beginning to the end you are rooting for the horse Joey, with scenes such as the field plowing, the British charge, the pulling of the German cavalry, and Joey's glorious escape through no-man's land. Spielberg's greatest achievement in this film is that he is able to establish a horse as the heroic protagonist and driving force of the movie. This is truly original direction, that deserves some Academy recognition.

A Study of Cosmology: The Origins of Everything

The Universe is a mysterious thing, an endless abyss of space and matter, that is far beyond our comprehension. I myself have always been fascinated with the night sky, from astrology, constellations, science fiction, and anything to do with space. I suppose I have been longing for a reason to really try and understand it all. Well a few weeks ago I stumbled upon a very interesting documentary called "Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking" that instantly inspired me, and threw me into a phase of cosmology interest.

 In the series, the brilliant physicist Stephen Hawking attempts to explain everything in the universe; the origin of space, time, matter, life, and many other hypothetical theories. The series was very thought-provoking, and left me with some unanswered questions, which I will attempt to address later on in this post. I have continued to further my study on this topic with other Netflix TV series such as "The Universe" and "How the Universe Works" and have also purchased some books. In this post I want to give a general timeline of the Universe; the origins of everything, from the known to the unknown and perhaps the meaning of it all.


Timeline of our Universe

The Big Bang Theory, seems to be a very rational explanation as to the beginning of our universe. It is believed that 13.7 billions years ago, there was a sudden unification and explosion of energy. The four fundamental forces; electromoganetism, gravity, weak force, and strong force all came together in one moment and resulted in a sudden expansion of space, time, and matter. This sudden explosion and expansion of the universe took place in 10^–43 seconds, known as the Plank epoch.

Following the Big Bang, the Universe began to expand, filled with gases, plasmas, radiation, and numerous particles. Over the years these gases and particles begin to cool, unite, and form into matter with the effect of gravitational collapse. In this process, light helium becomes heavy helium, and the formation of a star occurs, also known as nebula. As the volume of stars began to rise, they are grouped into galaxies, that come in all shapes and sizes. The formation of galaxies is a very curious thing, a compressed cluster of stars, surrounded by dark energy, with hydrogen in the middle.


Of the many galaxies in the universe came our own Milky Way, a spiral galaxy composed of approximately 400 million stars and nearly 13.2 billions years old. At the center of the spiral is believed to be a supermassive black hole, of which the galaxy revolves around. From within the Milky Way came our own Solar System, 4.56 billions years ago, starting with the formation of the sun. This formation occurred when a molecular cloud experienced a gravitational collapse, that collected mass in the center and formed the sun. The remainder of this mass, became planets, moons, and asteroids that orbited the sun in a protoplanetary disk.

Of the planets that formed in our solar system, there was one, only one, that was the exact distance from the Sun of which water, oxygen, and eventually life could occur. In the early development of our planet, it is believed that this water came from frozen asteroids and comets, turned into clouds, and eventually became oceans. With the establishment of water and later oxygen the planet Earth was ready for life. But where and how did this life begin, is the utmost mystery. Science speculates the origins of life with two possibilities; a merging of organic compounds such as amino acids, that either came from asteroids, or came from Earth. This is then where the theory of evolution comes into play, beginning with bacteria, and eventually branching off into plants, fungi, insects, fish, mammals, dinosaurs, monkeys, and eventually humans. This is another very interesting topic, introduced by Charles Darwin, that I'll save it for some other time.

Unanswered Questions

The study of the universe is a vast topic to comprehend, with countless mysteries. It gets even more complicated when quantum physics, wormholes, general relativity, and parallel universes come into discussion. However at least this scientific timeline has given us a plausible structure to the origins of the universe. To try and understand something as old as 13.7 billion years, or as vast as 93 billion light years is near impossible. Science has done a great job at explaining these mysteries and must be commended. However with that said, I'm afraid these scientists are ultimately overlooking the deeper meaning of it all.

In summary these physicists claim the whole origins of everything was a giant coincidence beginning with an exploding atom, an expanding universe, merging gases, a "goldi-locks" planet, and a theory of evolution. This idea seems quite far-fetched and extremely irrational. Here are the three biggest problems I have with this scientific theory of creation.

1. What came before the Big Bang?
2. The Unlikely Probability of a Goldi-Locks Planet forming at the perfect distance from the sun, with just the right elements
3. The Origins of Life


The ultimate question is whether something came from nothing, and that brings us to this final connection to a super-being. There should be no doubts as to why religion has existed since the beginning of humanity. Religion is faith to the unanswered questions, the meaning of life and death, that not even science can explain. Some physicists may try to theorize that perhaps there are multiple universes colliding in a dark abyss, and that perhaps it was only a matter of time until such a scenario as this occurred, yet that is the stuff of science fiction. The only plausible explanation is to believe in a God, as the creator of the heavens and the earth, and that there is a purpose to this life.