Golden Globe Predictions-Film

Hello Family,
Falcon and Dove hope that you are having a wonderful New Year! Well, the Golden Globes are tomorrow, and if you listened to our podcast, you have an idea of how we are going to vote for our favorites, and how we think the Hollywood Foreign Press did. We didn't cover everything there, though, so without further ado...

Falcon and Dove Golden Globe Predictions 2009

Best Motion Picture-Drama
This is a tough category, but we are going to stick to our favorite here and go with Slumdog Millionaire. The others, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (a high contender and this one may walk away with it), Frost/Nixon, The Reader, and Revolutionary Road are all excellent films with some of our favorite actors in them, but we think Danny Boyle outdid himself this year, and should be rewarded for it. Kate Winslet did a superb job in the last two mentioned, and should be an Oscar nom, no problem.

Best Motion Picture-Comedy
This was a challenging category because the performances in all of these films were so out-of-the-box. It was a tie for us between In Bruges and Burn After Reading. Happy Go-Lucky, Vicki Christina Barcelona and Mamma Mia all had endearing qualities and plenty of laughs...and VCB may actually take this category, but the ensemble casts of our two choices were just too cool, and we think one of them will walk away with the top prize.

Best Actor-Drama
This was an impossible category, but our two choices are Brad Pitt and Sean Penn for Benjamin Button and Milk, respectively. Falcon cannot adequately explain in words how strong all of these men were in their roles this year. Leonardo DiCaprio in Revolutionary Road was outstanding. Frank Langella brought out the balance in the historically complex character that is Richard M. Nixon, (Frost/Nixon) and Mickey Rourke was unbelievably good in The Wrestler. This may be one of the best 5 performances in nomination for the Golden Globes in this category, ever.

Best Actress-Drama
In another extremely competitive category...a tough decision, but we are going with Kristin Scott Thomas in I've Loved You So Long (English title). This was a dynamic, complex character to bring to life on the screen, and Falcon and Dove both hope we see more roles like this for actresses in the future. We think that Anne Hathaway is about to break out and get all the attention she so deserves, and Meryl Streep did a strong, dynamic job in Doubt. We think Angelina is diversifying her resume well with Changeling, and as previously mentioned, Kate Winslet is going to get an Oscar nom this year, we hope. We went with what we thought was the best performance overall, but believe me, it was tough.

Actor-Comedy or Musical
All of these great actors are rarely known for their comedy (except maybe Brendan Gleeson), so this was a tough call, especially since some were in the same films...but we are going for handsome Irishman Colin Farrel in In Bruges. James Franco could easily get this one, but more because of what he did in Milk, than in Pineapple Express. A Best Supporting Actor nomination from the Academy should be coming. Javier Bardem can do anything and nearly does in Vicky Christina Barcelona. I love Dustin Hoffman, and this is a great role for him. He is fearless. IF you can, see all of these films.

Actress-Comedy or Musical
We are going with a probable long shot, but she did such a great job, and does in nearly every film she is in...home-town girl Frances McDormand in Burn After Reading gets our nod. We know that Sally Hawkins or Rebecca Hall are probably going to get this one...but part of Falcon really wishes Emma Thompson would in Last Chance Harvey because I cannot recall a time or a film I have not enjoyed with her presence.

Best Supporting Actor
Okay, we admit it. When we heard the nominations for this category we burst out laughing. We did. All these actors rock, but pitting Robert Downey, Jr. against Ralph Fiennes in the same category didn't seem quite right somehow. So here it is: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight, hands down. We have one for Ralph Fiennes later in teh Television categories. Philip Seymour Hoffman would have won this if Heath had not delivered his last acting performance this year. PSH: Your Oscar is coming, my friend. Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder? Come on, he was better in Legend.

Best Supporting Actress
This is a tough category, but we are going with Kate Winslet in The Reader.
She plays an extremely emotionally wrenching character and she pulls it off well. Amy Adams and Viola Davis are both in Doubt and do very good jobs. Penelope Cruz rocks in Vicky Christina Barcelona, and Marisa Tomei, is an actress I love, and she is in her element in The Wrestler.

Best Director
This is such a tough category every year, and this year is no exception. I love all of these guys (I wish there were some women) but, in the end...we can choose only one. Falcon and Dove go with Scottish director Danny Boyle for a mind-blowing nearly speechless outstanding job on Slumdog Millionaire. Every human being who can et to a movie theatre should see this film. Falcon doesn't say this lightly. In my adult life, I have only given a couple of films perfect grade "A". That is, films that I thought in every way were flawless from beginning to end. David Fincher did an excellent job on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. This is a strong contender. Ron Howard is always an Oscar favorite, I just don't know if he will win it here at the Golden Globes. Sam Mendes has done a truly strong period piece in "Revolutionary Road", and I hope he gets one Oscar noms as well.

Best Screenplay
Eric Roth gets high props for Benjamin Button. Adapting this F. Scott Fitzgerald story for a three hours film was tremendous. He is our choice for Best Screenplay, but of course, Slumdog Millionaire's Simon Beaufoy is another possibility. Peter Morgan did a fantastic job on Frost/Nixon. John Patrick Shanley took the play of Doubt and put in on the screen well.

Best Foreign Language Film
I've Loved You So Long is our choice for the winner. Waltz With Bashir is also a strong film from Israel. Gomorrah from Italy is impressive. Everlasting Moments from Sweden is incredible. Check this one out. The Baader Meinhof Comlex from Germany we have not seen, but has received excellent reviews.

Best Animated Feature
We are picking Bolt, over Kung-Fu Panda and WALL-E.. All of these were well done, but Bolt has the best spirit and organic angles of the three.

Original Score
This is a tough category. We are going with Alexandre Desplat, for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, , but seriously, all of these noms are excellent contenders. James Newton Howard for Defiance, in particular.

Original Song
Falcon is picking a song from a film that isn't nominated elsewhere, but is really cool: Once in a Lifetime from the film, Cadillac Records. For music lovers, this film rocks, and has some history you may have missed. See it if you can.

We will post the Television division shortly.
Peace,
Falcon and Dove

TFATD: Holiday Movie Review and New Year's Show

- Holiday Movies that are Golden Globe Contenders
- Falcon and Dove’s top movie picks of 2008
- The Chronicles of Disney
- New Year’s Resolutions


The Chronicles of Disney

Disney makes a premature exit on the financing of the film series based on the C.S. Lewis books, “The Chronicles of Narnia”. Walden Media will probably have to seek more financing as “Dawn Treader” is supposed to be in production. Disney (in our humble opinion) has no one to blame but themselves as far as “Prince Caspian” sales went. They did not market it well at all, even though it was much better than the first installment of the film series, “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe”. They released it at the wrong time of year, with lots of competition and a screen shortage. Dumb. It would have done better in the winter season, but probably at the time of consideration, they were concerned about the Harry Potter franchise and their “Half-Blood Prince” release originally scheduled for Nov. 2008, now pushed back to July 17, 2009. Prince Caspian would have been a nice compliment and would have done well with HBP…which was moved anyway. They could have ruled the Holiday Season this year along with “Marley and Me”. They probably weren’t going to make all of them anyway…why bail now? Oh, well…

Golden Globe Contenders in the Holiday Movie Marketplace

Milk

Although we mention in the show that Milk covers 1968-78…it doesn’t. It actually starts in 1970. We have seen this film and it really is an Oscar contender, and should do well at the Golden Globes. Both Sean Penn and James Franco fill their characters' shoes, as does the ensemble cast. The documentary-film inputs add a needed reference from those too young to realize how important this man was to politics and civil rights for gays.

Slumdog Millionaire

This is one of the contenders for Best Picture, and it should be. We loved this film, and so will you. Don’t let the synopsis fool you; this film will change your world. Everything from the cinematography to the breathtaking music is beautiful, and worth multiple viewings!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Another serious Best Picture contender. Brad Pitt may have found the role of his career. The entire cast was extremely competent and moving. There should be a lot of Globe winners from this group and Oscar nominees.

Seven Pounds

Will Smith’s latest will leave you breathless. This is a very intimate film, not shot in the usual Hollywood style, but more like an independent film. Rosario Dawson is touching…and so is her character’s dog, Duke. This film is subtle and doesn’t hit you over the head with anything, so pay very close attention. It is worth it. It is tragically beautiful.

The Tale of Despereaux

Three years of animation work went into this delightful children’s film that certainly deserves some attention. It is soft and organic; take the whole family. It is genuinely entertaining, and no entendres of adult jokes to spoil the mood. It's easy on the eyes with a nice, complex story. This is how all animated films should be like. Big props to all who worked on this film!

Doubt

Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman are brilliant! Period. If you saw the play, see the movie. If you didn’t, see this one. The entire cast is perfect. It is going to be a touch year for decisions on great films.

More are in the podcast…give a listen.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

Falcon and Dove discuss which will be on our list, and suggestions of what could be on the world’s list. We keep it simple.

Download or listen to our Holiday Movie Review and New Year's Show here! (Right-click, Save Target As) (Length: 1 hour, 23 minutes; Size: 154 MB, sorry about the large file size!)

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays From Falcon and Dove-One Wish

Hello World Family,

Falcon and Dove wish you all the best of holiday seasons and a prosperous New Year! Be happy, healthy and generous of heart in 2009. Don't wait to share your love with friends and family. 2008 has demonstrated that things can change very quickly in the world, so don't hold your affections hostage to doubt, past wrongs, and misgivings; share and watch the magic happen! People can be transformed by the slightest gesture of kindness. If we all do our part, the world will benefit from our collective sharing.

Use your words to heal, not harm. We don't mean be nice in the face of atrocities; those should be handled with direct, forceful language. We should speak sternly and follow up with action that denotes our unwillingness to tolerate the intolerable. However, be careful of what you say, and know that your words may mean more than you think they do.

We mean don't use language that is petty or otherwise attempts to diminish the spirit of others. Speak the truth, and yes, there is one. There is an expression running around that has disturbed Falcon and Dove: Perception is reality. Well, no it isn't, it's perception.

What we perceive can be slight of hand; our senses can fool us. It is foolish to think that what we see as individuals or societies makes or truly perceives reality...it is simply what we can grasp at the time, but let's not kid ourselves into thinking that is 'real'.

Indeed, most of what we thank of as reality is truly illusionary. For example...the straight line. In reality, there are no straight lines in nature; everything has a bow to it. The strongest form in nature is an arch. Let's bridge-build with each other in ways that make us all stronger. Let's acknowledge that 'truth' is still elusive for us, and that what we perceive has some truth in it perhaps, but our perceptions are not reality; they are walking dreamtime...until we awaken to a greater truth, then the reality shifts.

Let's strive to live the highest, greatest ideals of our faiths: let's love each other and ourselves. Let's show an aptitude for gratitude. Let us be thankful for the blessings and for the trials, because we learn a great deal from both. Let's thrive... in the greatest sense of our spirit and our faith...and helps others to do so.

We hope that you have love and faith in your hearts...with an open hand to others, and not a closed fist. Embrace opportunities for growth and experience that will give you more to give to others. Don't allow anyone to limit your spirit. You have a lot to offer; let your sharing with others reveal how sacred you are.

That is our one wish for you this holiday season: that you see how truly beautiful you are.

Peace...good will to all,
Falcon and Dove

Fun this weekend!

Hello Everyone!
Falcon here. Are you wondering what you might do this weekend besides stress out on holiday shopping? Falcon and Dove have some suggestions:

PSO Holiday Concerts this weekend!
Check out the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and their Holiday Pops concerts. They start at just $20/ticket! It will be beautiful, fun, and you will walk away from the performance with some great songs in your head, ready for the upcoming holiday weeks.

Solstice Celebration at the Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center, 4pm

If you live near Pittsburgh or are visiting north of Pittsburgh near Dorseyville, PA, why not break up the holiday doldrums and come play some drums, sing, and celebrate the arrival of Winter on Saturday at 4pm at the Singing Winds Site of the American Indian Center, 200 Charles St. in Dorseyville. Special note: Coming to tho event will be easy' leaving a little challenging because of the Festival of Lights at Hartwood Acres, just a mile away. If you would like to attend the festival after the celebration, that would be great, and the traffic won't be a problem. If you would like to miss the traffic, turn LEFT when leaving the site, and make a right at Route 910. That will take you to Route 28 or the PA Turnpike and away from the line-up into Hartwood. By the way...it is FREE! The Rite-Aid Festival of Lights is $12 per car donation. Load up the car, come have some fun with your indigenous Brothers and Sisters, and see some pretty LED (going green this year) lights around the property on the three mile drive at Hartwood Acres. This will re-energize your focus on the Season of Light: Hanukah, Christmas, Yule, Kwaanza, and the New Year.

Christmas Carols
Okay, this is only for those who can sing...it is great to get together with friends and family and irritate your neighbors with your joyous song! A splendid time will be had by all, and take some pictures and put them on your FACEBOOK or MYSPACE page to show everyone your holiday spirit!

Make a Gingerbread House
So...maybe your aren't a baker. Here's a fun alternative. Use graham crackers and icing for house glue! Perhaps get a gingerbread house kit. They run about $7.99. You may be able to find a kit for less than that at a dollar store. Candy is much better on the house you won't eat than always in the children's stomach, so got for it! It will be fun...I know, you are thinking that the house won't stand. It will. Falcon will now reveal one of the secrets of the universe!
Guess what?! Your kids really don't care how much you spend on Christmas gifts; they just want to spend time with you. It the house stands, great. Making a mess with your child regardless of age (well, from around 3 and up) is priceless! If you can spare some time from work and holiday planning, your children or grandchildren will thank you for doing something zany with them.


Be a Secret Santa
Note: not a stalker, a Secret Santa. Give a present to a person who is shut-in, or a senior in a care home, or a child in a hospital (with the parents' permission, of course). You will feel better, and they will feel much better.

Pray
This is a great time to drop all the materialistic stuff and give yourself some prayerful downtime. That is what the season is all about, eh? Go to church at a session you normally may not attend, meditate, take a yoga class, or visit a friend's church for something new and fun. You may make some new friends, and get some new insights about your current situation. Falcon finds that when she needs enlightenment or guidance, it comes from everywhere, and visiting your church, temple, synagogue, or a place of worship is a great place to start.

Most importantly, whatever you do this weekend or holiday season, don't drink and drive. Ever. Falcon lost a great friend many years ago (okay, lover) in a car accident after he was killed by a drunk driver. Just take a cab...or call a friend...or ask another sober party-goer for a ride home. Get creative, but don't get behind the wheel. Please. Falcon and Dove love our World Family, and we want you around to email and call us for years to come. As Indiana, PA native Jimmy Stewart found out, it is a 'wonderful life', and we would miss you.

Have a great weekend, World Family. By the way, Seven Pounds, Tales of Desperaux, YES Man, and The Wrestler open this weekend, so enjoy those new offerings as well.

Next week, Falcon and Dove will talk Golden Globes (lots of our movie recommendations made the nominations, and we are very happy about that!), things to do that honor the holiday spirit, and the year in review (sort of).

Stay safe, and stay strong.
Peace,
Falcon and Dove

Gizmo is Missing!!! Can you help?

Hello PIttsburgh Family!
Falcon here. Jimmy Krenn, a familiar face and brother here at WDVE 102.5 FM has a missing family member...his Rat Terrier, GIZMO.

He ran off yesterday, (Tuesday) after being attacked by two other dogs and went into the woods in Banksville Park, Crane Ave... GIZMO did have his sweater on, but it has been cold, so let's find him quick!

He has a face like a small Doberman; black with brown markings and large, upright ears. His body is mostly white. He has an Animal Friends tag.

If you see Gizmo, or find him, please call Animal Friends at 412-847-7000. Thank you!!!

Peace dear Family,
Falcon and Dove

UPDATE: GIZMO IS FOUND!!!! Very late Wednesday evening! Jimmy says thank so much to everyone who got the word out and who help search for Gizmo.

Falcon: One holiday prayer comes true. Now, on to that World Peace one I wish for every year...

Middle-earth Cooking at Borders Books Dec.3

Hello Everyone,
Falcon here! Dove and I hope you have had a chance to listen to our holiday podcast, and want to remind food fans that Emerald Took will be doing a cooking demonstration and book signing at Borders East Side (East Liberty) in Pittsburgh Dec. 3 from 6:30-8:30pm. There will be Vegetarian food, as well as dairy-free hot chocolate (there really should be a law, as good as this is!) and bison for carnivores. Come out and find our about holiday ideas that are inexpensive and easy, sustainable farming, winter urban gardening, etc. as well as any pressing questions you hard core Lord of the Rings fans may have. There are only a limited number of cookbooks available at this book signing, so if you want a copy for a holiday event or birthday before Christmas, come early!

See you there!

ALSO: Falcon and Dove encourage our World Family to support your local non-profit organizations during this season of giving. There are more people than ever in need this year, so anything you can spare, please give.

Peace,
Falcon and Dove

TFATD: Thanksgiving Show - Part 2 - Equus, Films, and Middle-earth

Part Two of The Falcon and the Dove's Thanksgiving podcast! This part is for more mature audiences than the first part (no swearing, however). Parents are advised to use discretion.

- We saw Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths in the Peter Shaffer Broadway revival play of Equus! We give our detailed (but spoiler-free) review of the play and the actors' performances as well as compare it to the original 1973 production (which Falcon also saw). Preview: it's more than worth the price of admission! Tickets are still available! The play's run continues up to February 5th, 2009.

- We review more adult films, including Doubt (with Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymour Hoffman), The Betrayal (a 23-year long documentary), The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (the Holocaust from a child's perspective), Zack and Miri Make a Porno (a comedy that is bound to be hysterical), and more!

- Parents may want to listen to our recommendations and cautions before seeing these films with your tweens, 13 and under. There is more than meets the eye for some of these titles.

- Emerald Took, author of the Lord of the Rings cookbook, 'Regional Cooking From Middle-earth: Recipes of the Third Age', will bring her Middle-earth treats to the East Side Borders bookstore in Pittsburgh, PA, on December 3rd from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. There will be samplings the adults can appreciate like bison stew (with a wee bit o' Guinness), hot chocolate that would defeat the Ringwraiths, and a veggie delightful paella that Barliman would certainly serve in Bree at the Prancing Pony, among other treats.

- There will also be a discussion of how to fix a Middle-earth feast for your guests, cookbook signing by the author herself, and winter gardening tips. Bring an appetite and pick up this special gift for the Elven chef on your list!

- Emerald Took will also be announcing her next book, a must-have for any parent with a college-age son or daughter!

- There will be another book signing by Emerald Took on December 17th at the East Side Borders in Pittsburgh from 6:30pm to 8:30pm!

- You can also order 'Regional Cooking From Middle-earth: Recipes of the Third Age' via Amazon here!

Download Part 2 of our Thanksgiving Show! (Right-click and Save Target As) (Length: 49 minutes; Size: 91 MB)