World Cup, or: How I learned to stop being fixated and love the game

Anyone else tired of constantly hearing people say "chokers" about The South African national cricket team? It is mind boggling to see all the articles start popping out about previous "chocking" incidents – you know what? That is simply insulting and moreover – pathetic.

Up until the semi finals South Africa has played the best cricket in the tournament - the best all-round cricket, which is exactly what Twenty20 is all about. Anyone who knows the SA team knows that this kind of cricket was invented for the likes of them.

It is unfortunate that a statistic caused the team who played better to not move on to the next stage, and that is exactly what it is – a statistic. Your best way of getting a high net run rate is by batting first, and besides the fact that that is mainly up to piece of silver, when selecting to field or to bat first you are usually thinking of the best way to win the current match, rather than a statistic at the end of a group round.

This stigma has gone on for long enough. Did South Africa choke when they chased over 400 to win not only a match but a series? Did they choke when they won the ICC Champions trophy? Did Australia choke by loosing two matches in the tournament including one to Zimbabwe? After all they are the best in the world and the bar should be higher for them. Did India choke two weeks ago when they lost an entire ODI series in one match, or was it perhaps a couple of wrong decisions by one of the world fines umpires? How many teams have lost a series that could have had a different result based on one event in the game? How many matches appear to have been changed by a run out, a dropped catch, a wrong decision from an umpire or for that matter a right one?

Did any of the other 11 teams who are or were in the tournament choke by losing one match or more? Why is it that South Africa's loss is the one that is labeled with that awful term? A regular answer would be that it was because it was an important match – well aren't they all? Sri Lanka's losses are just as important, after all they had the same result: an exit from the cup. What about England? They played a terrible tournament. And West Indies? They didn't even make it to the second stage…

The fact remains, is that there are many components that create a match, and even more that create a tournament. Going on about chocking simply sounds lame. In one article I read the writer described how you could almost see the word "chockers" in everybody's thoughts and on everybody's lips. Well I'll tell you what – I can see all these people who are waiting to say the word, mouth watering and keys typing – those people can't appreciate the positives of a match and a tournament, those people don’t see cricket for what it is, those people don't see Twenty20 for what it is, perhaps they aren't really looking. As for the 2003 world cup: It's very easy for people to go on about how could the South Africans make such a mistake calculating the necessary runs needed to win according to the Duckworth/Lewis method, but at the end of the day how many people who go on about it actually understand this ridicules system? It is so absurd that calling it a formula is an insult to maths. I for one think that a national team deserves a little more respect. I, for example, am not the biggest Australian fan – but I certainly acknowledge their team's and individual's quality of cricket.

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Leonardo DiCaprio in “Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)

Ryan Gosling in “Half Nelson” (THINKFilm)

Peter O’Toole in “Venus” (Miramax, Filmfour and UK Film Council)

Will Smith in “The Pursuit of Happyness” (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland” (Fox Searchlight)


Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Alan Arkin in “Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)

Jackie Earle Haley in “Little Children” (New Line)

Djimon Hounsou in “Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)

Eddie Murphy in “Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)

Mark Wahlberg in “The Departed” (Warner Bros.)


Performance by an actress in a leading role

Penélope Cruz in “Volver” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Judi Dench in “Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)

Helen Mirren in “The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)

Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” (20th Century Fox)

Kate Winslet in “Little Children” (New Line)


Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Adriana Barraza in “Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)

Cate Blanchett in “Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)

Abigail Breslin in “Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)

Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)

Rinko Kikuchi in “Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)


Best animated feature film of the year

“Cars” (Buena Vista) John Lasseter

“Happy Feet” (Warner Bros.) George Miller

“Monster House” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Gil Kenan


Achievement in art direction

“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount) Art Direction: John Myhre Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh

“The Good Shepherd” (Universal) Art Direction: Jeannine OppewallSet Decoration: Gretchen Rau and Leslie E. Rollins

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Art Direction: Eugenio CaballeroSet Decoration: Pilar Revuelta

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)Art Direction: Rick HeinrichsSet Decoration: Cheryl Carasik

“The Prestige” (Buena Vista)Art Direction: Nathan CrowleySet Decoration: Julie Ochipinti


Achievement in cinematography

“The Black Dahlia” (Universal) Vilmos Zsigmond

“Children of Men” (Universal) Emmanuel Lubezki

“The Illusionist” (Yari Film Group) Dick Pope

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Guillermo Navarro

“The Prestige” (Buena Vista) Wally Pfister


Achievement in costume design

“Curse of the Golden Flower” (Sony Pictures Classics) Yee Chung Man

“The Devil Wears Prada” (20th Century Fox) Patricia Field

“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount) Sharen Davis

“Marie Antoinette” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Milena Canonero

“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Consolata Boyle


Achievement in directing

“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Alejandro González Iñárritu

“The Departed” (Warner Bros.) Martin Scorsese

“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood

“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Stephen Frears

“United 93” (Universal and StudioCanal) Paul Greengrass


Best documentary feature

“Deliver Us from Evil” (Lionsgate)A Disarming Films Production Amy Berg and Frank Donner

“An Inconvenient Truth” (Paramount Classics and Participant Productions)A Lawrence Bender/Laurie David ProductionDavis Guggenheim

“Iraq in Fragments” (Typecast Releasing in association with HBO Documentary Films)A Typecast Pictures/Daylight Factory Production James Longley and John Sinno

“Jesus Camp” (Magnolia Pictures)A Loki Films ProductionHeidi Ewing and Rachel Grady

“My Country, My Country” (Zeitgeist Films)A Praxis Films Production Laura Poitras and Jocelyn Glatzer


Best foreign language film of the year

“After the Wedding” A Zentropa Entertainments 16 ProductionDenmark

“Days of Glory (Indigènes)” A Tessalit ProductionAlgeria

“The Lives of Others” A Wiedemann & Berg ProductionGermany

“Pan’s Labyrinth” A Tequila Gang/Esperanto Filmoj/Estudios Picasso Production Mexico

“Water” A Hamilton-Mehta Production Canada


Achievement in makeup

“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista) Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano

“Click” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Kazuhiro Tsuji and Bill Corso

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) David Martí and Montse Ribé


Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Gustavo Santaolalla

“The Good German” (Warner Bros.) Thomas Newman

“Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight) Philip Glass

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Javier Navarrete

“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Alexandre Desplat


Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

“I Need to Wake Up” from “An Inconvenient Truth”(Paramount Classics and Participant Productions) Music and Lyric by Melissa Etheridge

“Listen” from “Dreamgirls”(DreamWorks and Paramount) Music by Henry Krieger and Scott CutlerLyric by Anne Preven

“Love You I Do” from “Dreamgirls”(DreamWorks and Paramount) Music by Henry KriegerLyric by Siedah Garrett

“Our Town” from “Cars”(Buena Vista)Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

“Patience” from “Dreamgirls”(DreamWorks and Paramount)Music by Henry KriegerLyric by Willie Reale


Best motion picture of the year

“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) An Anonymous Content/Zeta Film/Central Films ProductionAlejandro González Iñárritu, Jon Kilik and Steve Golin, Producers

“The Departed” (Warner Bros.)A Warner Bros. Pictures Production Graham King, Producer

“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)A DreamWorks Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures ProductionClint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg and Robert Lorenz, Producers

“Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)A Big Beach/Bona Fide ProductionDavid T. Friendly, Peter Saraf and Marc Turtletaub, Producers

“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)A Granada ProductionAndy Harries, Christine Langan and Tracey Seaward, Producers


Achievement in visual effects

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and Allen Hall

“Poseidon” (Warner Bros.)Boyd Shermis, Kim Libreri, Chas Jarrett and John Frazier

“Superman Returns” (Warner Bros.)Mark Stetson, Neil Corbould, Richard R. Hoover and Jon Thum


Adapted screenplay

“Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” (20th Century Fox) Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Peter Baynham & Dan MazerStory by Sacha Baron Cohen & Peter Baynham & Anthony Hines & Todd Phillips

“Children of Men” (Universal)Screenplay by Alfonso Cuarón & Timothy J. Sexton and David Arata and Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby

“The Departed” (Warner Bros.) Screenplay by William Monahan

“Little Children” (New Line) Screenplay by Todd Field & Tom Perrotta

“Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight) Screenplay by Patrick Marber


Original screenplay

“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)Written by Guillermo Arriaga

“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)Screenplay by Iris YamashitaStory by Iris Yamashita & Paul Haggis

“Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)Written by Michael Arndt

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse)Written by Guillermo del Toro

“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)Written by Peter Morgan


Right well while it is a predictable year in most catagories (even though I haven't gambled predictably), the best picture is wide open, who knows..? The Queen is my guess to be consistant with what I've said all along. Babel is the biggest, Little Miss Sunshine is wonderful and popular, and my favorite, The Departed is full of hype over the last few weeks which is a great indicator and after seeing Letters from Iwo Jima last night I loved it, it would probably win if it was in English. Actress was over long ago, Helen Mirren has competition from Judi Dnech only as far as I'm concerned, and so is Forrest Whittaker with competition only from Peter O'toole, and come on Marty!

Golden Globes 2007

Best motion picture, drama:
While I haven't seen it yet, I think the Queen will win, which will start off a different perspective for The Academy Awards race.

Best motion picture, comedy:
There is certainly competition here also, but I have to go with my favorite, Little Miss Sunshine.

Actor, drama:
No doubt, the wonderful Forrest Whitaker – without having seen the movie.

Actress, drama:
Helen Mirren only has competition from Judi Dench, but she will still win – I haven't seen either.

Actor, comedy:
I guess that Sacha Baron Cohen will be a surprise win.

Actress, comedy:
The best – Meryl Streep

Supporting actor:
Jack Nicholson is my prediction, although I really appreciated Brad Pitt's subtle portrayal of a role that he could have easily over-acted in, however you can't really give an award because someone wasn't as bad as they could have been.

Supporting actress:
I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Rinko Kikuchi from Babel win here, and she is my guess, although there is stron competition, especially by Adriana Barraza and Cate Blanchett.

Director:
Martin Scorsese, with competition from Stephen Frears.

Screenplay:
The Queen.

Animation:
Cars

Season of sunshine, in the winter

The award season is on, and nothing is more exciting at the moment. While I've seen movies that are in contention, like V for Vendetta, The World's Fastest Indian (I'm not sure if it's this season or not) and even Children of Men a couple of nights ago, the season really starts for me in a couple of hours, when I watch the movie I have been waiting for the most: Little Miss Sunshine. I am very excited to see the movie, and especially Steve Carell and young Abigail Breslin.

The next movie I am very much waiting for is The Last King of Scotland. I got to know who Forest Whitaker is in the 5th season of The Shield, where he was breathtaking. It's exciting that he is on track to getting much praise for his role as Idi Amin. James McAvoy is probably in the running as well as the director of the movie.

Of course there are many more movies, including Bobby with an entire cast of stars, The Queen starring Helen Mirren in what seems to be an Oscar winning role, Gambit with Ben Kingsley, Flags of our Fathers, The Departed - Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nickolsen in particular, Copying Beethoven - Ed Harris and Running with Scissors which is widely anticipated.

No one told me

I must have missed the memo, when a cease fire was established by China and Brazil, calling America, Britain and the rest of 'em to pull out of Iraq...

Racism

The Israeli national cricket team is in Scotland currently in order to participate in The European Cricket Championships. However, up to now, their participation has been prohibited by hatred. The first match that was scheduled was cancelled. Demonstrations have been a big threat, along with more conventional threats specifically made at the Israeli players.

It is deeply saddening to see such hatred aimed at innocent people. What on earth, do these players have to do with what is going on in The Middle East? What if these players are in fact against the war? My advice, and I will preach here, to certain protesters against a war (some protests are peaceful - not doubt), start bringing peace into your own lives, into your own hearts, and then move on to other people and places. I will refer here to the protests in Britain against PM Tony Blair's stand on the issue: PM Blair represents what the majority of the country feels, yes including about The Middle East. After the war in Iraq was deemed a disaster, after weapons of mass destruction were declared to not exist (anymore at least) in Iraq, the general public voted him in again, for a third term, when they had a very real alternative.

So, besides for the safety of these players, who I know personally, I fear for everybody in the world. This is nothing new, it is just a reminder that there is hatred out there, and your fellow people are out there, ready to harm you, for no reason but their own hatred.

I will not refer to these violent acts anti-Semitism. While that term is fitting, I feel that in order to make my point I need to use a word that is used when the same hatred - exactly the same is demonstrated against other religions or groups: Racism.

Recommendation: Watch the recent movie Munich.

Links:
Article published on the 3rd of August
Article published on the 4th of August
Article published on the 5th of August

Good Night, and Good Luck.

I have just watched the amazing "Good Night, and Good Luck." again.

I will compliment George Clooney and his colleagues, by over analyzing and comparing what I took from this movie to what I've taken from George Orwell. I feel, that in Animal Farm and in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Orwell pointed out the lack of freedom of some, and the taking of that freedom by others, by showing that situation and criticizing it, rather than criticizing the certain societies who apply it, which is often brought up in conversation. I don't find that George Orwell took any political stand on the world stage, but rather a stand against the lack of politics – the lack of democracy, and the lack of freedom. The strongest point in the film in my opinion was made by Ed Murrow who was played by David Strathairn: Murrow had said that they have to do what they were doing – the terror was right in that room. That is my take on what Clooney did here, and although if I am correct, it probably runs a lot deeper, I greatly appreciate what was done here, and of course – the movie.

In Good Night, and Good Luck. George Clooney shows us, points out to us, that even in these modern times, even when more than 15 years have passed since The Cold War ended, the threat of being incarcerated is always there. The threat of our freedom being taken away from us, or never even being given to us, is always there. The threat of us taking freedom away, is always there. We must watch ourselves, and each other – for no one else will. Here comes to mind a second point that Murrow made in the movie: we are to blame for our lack of freedom.

The way the movie was made is inventive. There were basically only two locations – the studio, and the (archive) footage in the studio. It resembles a documentary somewhat. More than anything though, this movie is about journalism, and for that it is great.

I had selected this as the second best and probably my second favorite movie of 2005 – although there are more to watch, for there are always more to watch I definitely still feel this way.

George Clooney is right up there, with Orson Wells, Clint Eastwood and other great actors/directors. He didn't get what he deserved, not even in the other awards. Nominations and Supporting Actor awards for other movies are not good enough for this man, but then again he's better than the awards, all of them.

Links:
Good Night, and Good Luck. on IMDB
George Clooney on Larry King Live 1
George Clooney on Larry King Live 2

What I wrote about the Academy Awards this year:
Pre-awards
Post-awards