Did Zach Braff watch Buffy?

I decided to give myself a break from Buffy. I watch it every night – it helps me fall asleep – from Season 1 to 7 and then back again. So, it’s been about 2 months since I’ve watched any and decided to go right into Season 7. Upon watching the episode “Him“, I stumbled upon a revelation!

Him” aired in America on 5 November 2002. The episode featured The Shins’ “New Slang” and Coldplay’s, “Warning Sign“.

Garden State was reviewed at Sundance on  16 January, 2004 – and interestingly enough, featured “New Slang” in one of its pivotal scenes. Furthermore, Zach Braff’s, Last Kiss (released in 2006)  featured “Warning Sign“, whilst Garden State used “Don’t Panic“.

While this may not stand up in a court of law – I think this is pretty concrete evidence that Zach Braff watched Buffy! He truly is – the perfect man.

Sean Penn so deserved it.

Ok, at the time of the Oscars, I was truly rooting for Mickey Rourke for both his triumphant return to Hollywood, his ownership of Chihuahuas and above all, his heart-warming/wrenching performance in The Wrestler.

This week, I caught Milk. (Yes, I know, I’m way behind)

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Sean Penn deserved his win beyond the shadow of a doubt. After the first 15 minutes, he was Harvey Milk and ceased to be Sean Penn, which to me, is the ultimate way of knowing someone’s aptitude as a character actor. I am personally not a fan of over-feminising homosexuals as well as selling them as a heavily promiscuous group – so I didn’t really agree with that part of the portrayal – unless it was the intention of the movie to also showcase people’s homophobia – and their belief that all homosexuals as horny, sex addicted queens.

I loved the commitment that everyone gave to this movie – an insight to an AIDS-free San Francisco, on the brink of developing into the gay-friendly city it is now.

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Sean Penn’s Oscar acceptance speech was weird though. I thought he would be slightly more respectful but I guess, at the end of the day, he’s just an actor.

I would have been just as happy if Rourke won.

Breakup Songs.

So, I’ve been thinking about breakup songs  and the gross imbalance there is between (for lack of better descriptors) dumper and dumpee songs. Of course, there are a crapload of songs for being dumped. However, for the dumper songs, they are almost always limited to being cheated on, abused, abandoned or neglected. The songs for irreconcilable differences are few and far between.

  • It’s Too Late – Carole King
    “And it’s too late, baby, now it’s too late, though we really did try to make it. Something inside has died and I can’t hide, and I just can’t fake it”
  • With Every Heartbeat – Robyn
    “We could keep trying but things will never change”
  • Neither One Of Us – Gladys Knight & The Pips
    “It’s sad to think, we’re not gonna make it, and it’s gotten to the point where we just can’t fake it”
  • It’s Over – Level 42
    “You gave me everything, and I’m now I’m breaking your heart”

Oh, the (VH1) 90’s!

I was glued to MTV’s VH1 Top 100 Hits of the 90’s last night – I was literally sitting up in bed, exclaiming to myself at every song that came on. I almost died recollecting Rico Suave, The Breeders, The Cranberries. I dug up the list online and here it is. I bolded the ones I completely agreed it or have something to say. What the hell is Britney and Backstreet Boys doing on there? Destiny’s Child? They may have squeezed in at the 90’s – but next to EMF, “Unbelievable”, they couldn’t be more misfit.

 

1. Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (No way does Nirvana sneak over U2.)

2. U2 – “One” (It’s called “One”! It should have been number one!)

3. Backstreet Boys – “I Want It That Way” (Naah…)

4. Whitney Houston – “I Will Always Love You” (This song always reminds me of my nutty sister who could lip synch this song perfectly)

5. Madonna – “Vogue” (Danced to this song for school performance)

6. Sir Mix-A-Lot – “Baby Got Back” (I cannot lie.)

7. Britney Spears – “…Baby One More Time” (Hell no)

8. TLC – “Waterfalls” (I always preferred “Creep”)

9. R.E.M. – “Losing My Religion” (For shizzle)

10. Sinéad O’Connor – “Nothing Compares 2 U”

11. Pearl Jam – “Jeremy” (Too biased. Incredible song, incredible video but give me “Black” anyday)

12. Alanis Morissette – “You Oughta Know” (With my cousin Ryan, driving in Farmy’s car)

13. Dr. Dre (featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) – “Nuthin’ but a “G” Thang”

14. Mariah Carey – “Vision of Love”

15. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Under the Bridge”

16. MC Hammer – “U Can’t Touch This” (Nuff said.)

17. Destiny’s Child – “Say My Name”

18. Metallica – “Enter Sandman” (This should be way up there in the Top 5. It’s epic)

19. Beastie Boys – “Sabotage”

20. Hanson – “MMMBop”

21. Celine Dion – “My Heart Will Go On”

22. Beck – “Loser” (Oh, the time of Beck!)

23. Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue – “Whatta Man”

24. House of Pain – “Jump Around”

25. Soundgarden – “Black Hole Sun” (Too biased but “Spoonman” wins every time for me)

26. Eminem – “My Name Is”

27. Counting Crows – “Mr. Jones” (I always preferred “Long December”)

28. Ricky Martin – “Livin’ la Vida Loca” (No point lying about it now, we all danced to this song like loons)

29. Vanilla Ice – “Ice Ice Baby”

30. *NSYNC – “Tearin’ Up My Heart” (Please.)

31. Radiohead – “Creep”

32. BLACKstreet – “No Diggity” (You don’t get more 90’s than Blackstreet and Mohd. Sultan)

33. Spice Girls – “Wannabe”

34. Third Eye Blind – “Semi-Charmed Life” (Loved the whole album more than this song alone)

35. Oasis – “Wonderwall”

36. C+C Music Factory – “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”

37. Green Day – “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”

38. Christina Aguilera – “Genie In A Bottle”

39. Goo Goo Dolls – “Iris”

40. Color Me Badd – “I Wanna Sex You Up”

41. Spin Doctors – “Two Princes”

42. Collective Soul – “Shine”

43. En Vogue – “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)”

44. The Fugees – “Killing Me Softly With His Song”

45. Hootie & the Blowfish – “Only Wanna Be With You”

46. Shania Twain – “You’re Still the One”

47. Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch – “Good Vibrations” (Marky Mark, you have my heart, from then till now)

48. Matchbox Twenty – “3 A.M.”

49. Jewel – “Who Will Save Your Soul” (First song I ever learnt on guitar)

50. Alice in Chains – “Man in the Box” (Too biased)

51. 2Pac  – “California Love” (My Nan, dancing to this song on my 21st birthday)

52. Sugar Ray – “Fly” (Always preferred “RPM”, but now I feel like listening to “Fly”)

53. Naughty by Nature – “O.P.P.”

54. Joan Osborne – “One of Us”

55. Fiona Apple – “Criminal” (Loved “Tidal” – all of it)

56. L.L. Cool J – “Mama Said Knock You Out” (Don’t call it a comeback)

57. Jay-Z featuring Amil and Ja Rule – “Can I Get A…”

58. Sophie B. Hawkins – “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover” (Kelly and Dylan making out in 90210)

59. Weezer – “Buddy Holly”

60. Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison”

61. Sheryl Crow – “All I Wanna Do”

62. Live – “I Alone” (Too biased, I loved Live for a long time)

63. The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Mase & Puff Daddy – “Mo Money Mo Problems” (Wait, you can get more 90’s than Blackstreet and Mohd. Sultan)

64. The Presidents of the United States of America – “Peaches” (One word. Barry)

65. Digital Underground – “The Humpty Dance”

66. Edwin McCain – “I’ll Be”

67. Deee-Lite – “Groove Is In The Heart”

68. Will Smith – “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”

69. Korn – “Freak on a Leash” (How does “Freak on a Leash” make it and not “Blind”?)

70. Jamiroquai – “Virtual Insanity”

71. Arrested Development – “Tennessee”

72. Barenaked Ladies – “One Week”

73. Marcy Playground – “Sex and Candy”

74. Cher – “Believe”

75. Kris Kross – “Jump”

76. Blues Traveler – “Run-around”

77. Ice Cube – “It Was a Good Day”

78. Lenny Kravitz – “Are You Gonna Go My Way” (First song I ever learnt on drums. Cindy Blackman kicks ass)

79. Meredith Brooks – “Bitch”

80. Right Said Fred – “I’m Too Sexy”

81. Paula Cole – “I Don’t Want to Wait”

82. Geto Boys – “Mind Playing Tricks on Me”

83. The Breeders – “Cannonball”

84. Snow – “Informer”

85. Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain”

86. The Cranberries – “Linger” (A girlfriend in school singing, “You know I’m searching food for you…”)

87. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Achy Breaky Heart”

88. Duncan Sheik – “Barely Breathing”

89. Liz Phair – “Never Said”

90. New Radicals – “You Get What You Give”

91. Sarah McLachlan – “Building a Mystery”

92. Public Enemy – “911 Is a Joke”

93. Lisa Loeb – “Stay (I Missed You)” (Loved the movie, loved the soundtrack)

94. Fastball – “The Way”

95. Montell Jordan – “This Is How We Do It” (Always gets me on the dancefloor till now)

96. Nelson – “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection” (Good God, the video and that hair! It needs a picture!)

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97. Prince & The New Power Generation – “Gett Off”

98. EMF – “Unbelievable”

99. Missy Elliott – “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”

100. Gerardo – “Rico Suave”

Rachel Getting Married.

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Ok, so I know it’s a little late in the game – the movie came and went, the Oscars came and went and I’m only watching it now. But I’m glad that I did.

When I was younger (from about 15 to 3 years ago), I dreamt of having the typical princess fairy-tale wedding. And now, I know fairy tales don’t exist, Santa Claus doesn’t take the HDB lift up and how you expected your life to turn out, doesn’t really go that way (for better or for worse – pun intended).

At this point, if I ever get married, I want this wedding. The wedding of this movie should have been nominated for a supporting role Oscar. It was wonderfully warm, personal and from the heart. It didn’t happen in a hotel ballroom – it happened in a backyard. It didn’t have a slick, fancy menu – it had a barbeque served by the bride and groom. It didn’t have a tube wedding dress with extra large hoop – it had saris and a simple, short white dress later.

The only party I’ve seen in the movies reminiscent of this feel was The Anniversary Party – a brilliant film written by and starring Alan Cumming and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Everyone should watch this movie (although I think Anne Hathaway got the Oscar nod for playing a part diverse to her others) – the casting is really good and I almost missed my train stop watching it.

Trailer below.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wDDgSwEo1s]