Friday, February 25, 2005
E.K. Nation Oscar Predictions Gasoline Fire
So we have seen everything that was nominated in the Picture, Directing and Acting categories except The Aviator, which we will see on Saturday; Finding Neverland, which we will see on Sunday; Maria Full of Grace, which we Netflixed and will fit in at some point this weekend, and Kinsey, which I am guessing we will not see in time. Here are the fearless predictions for how the Oscar night will go down on Sunday:
PICTURE: Million Dollar Baby. This thing is gaining steam, and the controversy that surrounds it will help; we think the Academy will at least partially with their vote send a message that it's okay to have controversial topics in your movies. If you don't know what we're talking about, see the movie already. UPSET POTENTIAL: Sideways.
DIRECTOR: Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby. We were thinking that the Academy would honor Martin Scorsese, finally, but I'm not so sure the Academy is willing to hand out a sort of pseudo-lifetime-achievement Oscar to a director as fast as they would to an actor. UPSET POTENTIAL:None. It's either Eastwood or Scorsese, no matter what.
ACTOR: Jamie Foxx in Ray. We saw it last night, and while the movie isn't necessarily spectacular, Foxx's performance is. UPSET POTENTIAL: Eastwood. Depends on how the voting for the director category goes. We don't think Eastwood will get both Actor and Director.
ACTRESS: Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby. UPSET POTENTIAL: Imelda Staunton in Vera Drake. We don't think enough people will have liked Being Julia enough for Annette Bening to get the win.
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Morgan Freeman in Million Dollar Baby. Like we said before, the world's greatest living actor will finally get a statuette. UPSET POTENTIAL: Clive Owen in Closer. What makes us think it won't happen though is that none of the four major characters is likeable in that movie.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Cate Blanchett in The Aviator. We've been going back and forth between Virginia Madsen and Blanchett, but we just get the feeling it's a year that two people will win Oscars for playing famous people, and an Oscar-winner in Blanchett's case (Katharine Hepburn). UPSET POTENTIAL: The other three nominees. This is, after all, Best Supporting Actress. Marisa Tomei, anyone?
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Come on, Barry. Hit 53 Home Runs This Year
We here at E.K. Nation have tickets to the last three games of the season, a weekend tilt at SBC Park against Arizona. It is entirely possible that Barry Bonds will go into that weekend with a chance to break Hank Aaron's all-time home run record. He will need 53 to do it this year. How awesome would it be to be in the building for that. With Moises Alou hitting behind him, he will likely get at least a few more at-bats than he did last year, which means he could hit more than his 2004 total of 45 homers. Come on, Barry, swing, swing, swing! And stay healthy!
Thursday, February 10, 2005
To Men: Boycott Valentine's Day
You're dreading it, aren't you? Those of you with wives or girlfriends?
Well, I just thought I'd let you know there are some men who refuse to participate in Valentine's Day and get away with it.
Ten years ago, my then-girlfriend said, in a whiny tone, "You better get me something good for Valentine's Day!" I was a fucking pussy back then when it came to girls, and I said, "I know, I know, I will." I got her a yellow rose (her favorite color) in an expensive vase, and I also made her a mix tape, and gave her a card. I thought I did okay for a young chap who'd had a girlfriend for two months (a whole two months!!)
Know what I got? A card.
Fuck that shit.
Men don't buy women gifts and take them out to dinner on V-Day because they want to. It's because they want to stay out of the doghouse. That's pathetic.
Guys, are you waiting for the day when you don't feel obligated to do anything? Are you wondering if women are ever going to let men off the hook? Well, we should not wait for women to take us off the hook. We should take OURSELVES off the hook. I did, and I feel no pain. WE have the power, not them.
Until women truly realize how much most men hate this fucking "holiday", they will continue in their madness. And the only way we can do that is to STOP. And yes, I have a girlfriend. We've been together for over two years and through three February 14ths. She's gotten presents and such from me. But never on February 14. And she is still with me. Do things for your woman when you want to and never when you don't. If she leaves you because of it, you'll know she was in it for the presents, and you're better off. And if she stays, you'll know she truly loves you, and you're better off.
It's an undeniable win/win.
Let's end this shit.
Well, I just thought I'd let you know there are some men who refuse to participate in Valentine's Day and get away with it.
Ten years ago, my then-girlfriend said, in a whiny tone, "You better get me something good for Valentine's Day!" I was a fucking pussy back then when it came to girls, and I said, "I know, I know, I will." I got her a yellow rose (her favorite color) in an expensive vase, and I also made her a mix tape, and gave her a card. I thought I did okay for a young chap who'd had a girlfriend for two months (a whole two months!!)
Know what I got? A card.
Fuck that shit.
Men don't buy women gifts and take them out to dinner on V-Day because they want to. It's because they want to stay out of the doghouse. That's pathetic.
Guys, are you waiting for the day when you don't feel obligated to do anything? Are you wondering if women are ever going to let men off the hook? Well, we should not wait for women to take us off the hook. We should take OURSELVES off the hook. I did, and I feel no pain. WE have the power, not them.
Until women truly realize how much most men hate this fucking "holiday", they will continue in their madness. And the only way we can do that is to STOP. And yes, I have a girlfriend. We've been together for over two years and through three February 14ths. She's gotten presents and such from me. But never on February 14. And she is still with me. Do things for your woman when you want to and never when you don't. If she leaves you because of it, you'll know she was in it for the presents, and you're better off. And if she stays, you'll know she truly loves you, and you're better off.
It's an undeniable win/win.
Let's end this shit.
Friday, February 4, 2005
E.K. Nation Super Bowl Prediction Jubilee
It's time for us at E.K. Nation to divulge what definitely will not happen during Sunday's Super Bowl.
Philly will definitely not run the opening kickoff back for a touchdown or extend the lead to 10-0 with a field goal. New England will assuredly not come back with two touchdowns of its own to take a 14-10 lead, and the Eagles won't get one more field goal to close to within 14-13 at half.
New England will then most certainly not run the second-half kickoff back for a touchdown, and then Donovan McNabb will almost positively not execute three straight touchdown-scoring drives in a row, all in the span of eight minutes, to give Philadelphia a 33-21 lead. Another field goal won't give the Eagles a comfortable 36-21 lead, and a Patriot touchdown late in the game will not make the final score Philadelphia 36, New England 28.
Guaranteed, will not happen!
Philly will definitely not run the opening kickoff back for a touchdown or extend the lead to 10-0 with a field goal. New England will assuredly not come back with two touchdowns of its own to take a 14-10 lead, and the Eagles won't get one more field goal to close to within 14-13 at half.
New England will then most certainly not run the second-half kickoff back for a touchdown, and then Donovan McNabb will almost positively not execute three straight touchdown-scoring drives in a row, all in the span of eight minutes, to give Philadelphia a 33-21 lead. Another field goal won't give the Eagles a comfortable 36-21 lead, and a Patriot touchdown late in the game will not make the final score Philadelphia 36, New England 28.
Guaranteed, will not happen!
