We are wrapping up 2008 and it is time for reflection and looking forward to what is to come.
With TRUE BLOOD and TWILIGHT burning up the tube and the silver screen respectively, 2008 was definitely the Year of the Vampire.Sookie and Bella captured our imaginations and Bill and Edward stole our hearts.
With 2009 rapidly approaching, I would like to make a prediction (and/or state the obvious for those who are in the know): 2009 is going to be the Year of the Wolf.
UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS
Beginning with UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS which marks the third in the trilogy of films (releasing January 23, 2009) which – according to IMDB – is the prequel story that traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. Set in the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian (played by Michael Sheen) emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them.
And no, it is not a comedy.
X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
But that is only the beginning… Speaking of origins, the next wolfy flick to hit theatres in ’09 is X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE starring People Magazine’s 2008 Sexiest Man Alive, Hugh Jackman roaring into theatres on May 1, 2009. Also starring Liev Schreiber as the man who will be Sabertooth, WOLVERINE chronicles the popular Marvel hero’s origins and training in the Weapon X program.
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine
And this just in – the latest trailer to hit the internet. This is what we previewed at Comic-Con in San Diego in July when Mr. Jackman himself made a guest appearance:
Grrrr!!!
THE WOLF MAN
And that brings us to the classic Wolf Man story with THE WOLF MAN starring the wolf-tasticBenicio Del Toro.
Benicio Del Toro is The Wolf Man
Opening November 6, 2009, IMDB has posted the following synopsis for the film: “Lawrence Talbot (Del Toro), a haunted nobleman, is lured back to his family estate after his brother vanishes. Reunited with his estranged father (Anthony Hopkins), Talbot sets out to find his brother… and discovers a horrifying destiny for himself….”
Del Toro after Rick Baker makeup magic!
“Talbot’s childhood ended the night his mother died. After he left the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor, he spent decades recovering and trying to forget. But when his brother’s fiancée, Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt), tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers, and that a suspicious Scotland Yard inspector named Aberline has come to investigate.” Looks classically SCARY!!
NEW MOON
And last, but certainly not least, is NEW MOON – the much anticipated follow-up story to this year’s surprise hit TWILIGHT based on the popular series by Stephenie Meyer. For fans of the series, NEW MOON marks the birth of what would forever be known as TEAM JACOB.
In theatres on November 20, IMDB has the following synopsis for NEW MOON (now to be directed by Chris Weitz ):
“After Bella (Stewart) recovers from the vampire attack that almost claimed her life, she looks to celebrate her birthday with Edward (Pattinson) and his family. However, a minor accident during the festivities results in Bella’s blood being shed, a sight that proves too intense for the Cullens, who decide to leave the town of Forks, Washington for Bella and Edward’s sake. Initially heartbroken, Bella finds a form of comfort in reckless living, as well as an even-closer friendship with Jacob Black. Danger in different forms awaits …
Interestingly, in the TWILIGHT series, Jacob Black is part of the Quileute Indian Tribe which exists today in the Pacific Northwest…and legendarily believe that they are descendants of WOLVES! Check out more information here: Quileute Indian Tribe History.
* * *
Oh yes, it is time to ring in the New Year and bring on the wolves!!
The Grammy Award nominations were announced on December 3, 2008 and I thought that I would weigh in on my projected winner picks for the genres that I am most familiar.
Having worked with some of these artists and/or fallen in love with their music, I am more excited this year than in recent history to see who takes home the statue…. If there is any justice in the world, COLDPLAY is going to win big when the show airs on CBS on February 8, 2009!
SO without further ado, here are my pics (by Category) highlighted in bold red for the 2009 Grammy Awards:
Record Of The Year (Award to the Artist and to the Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s) and/or Mixer(s), if other than the artist.)
Chasing Pavements Adele
Viva La Vida Coldplay Bleeding Love Leona Lewis
Paper Planes M.I.A
Please Read The Letter Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Album Of The Year (Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s)/Mixer(s) & Mastering Engineer(s), if other than the artist.)
Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends Coldplay Tha Carter III Lil Wayne
Year Of The Gentleman Ne-Yo
Raising Sand Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
In Rainbows, Radiohead
Song Of The Year (A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)
American Boy William Adams, Keith Harris, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, John Stephens, Estelle Swaray & Kanye West, songwriters (Estelle Featuring Kanye West)
Love Song Sara Bareilles, songwriter (Sara Bareilles)
Viva La Vida Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters (Coldplay)
Best New Artist (For a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist.)
Adele
Duffy
Jonas Brothers
Lady Antebellum
Jazmine Sullivan
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)
Chasing Pavements Adele
Love Song Sara Bareilles
Mercy Duffy
Bleeding Love Leona Lewis
[J Records/SYCO Music]
I Kissed A Girl Katy Perry
So What Pink
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)
All Summer Long Kid Rock
Say John Mayer
That Was Me Paul McCartney
I’m Yours Jason Mraz
Closer Ne-Yo Wichita Lineman James Taylor
Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (For established duos or groups, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)
Viva La Vida Coldplay
Waiting In The Weeds Eagles
Going On Gnarls Barkley
Won’t Go Home Without You Maroon 5
Apologize OneRepublic
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals (For a collaborative performance, with vocals, by artists who do not normally perform together. Singles or Tracks only.)
Best Pop Vocal Album (For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
Detours Sheryl Crow
Rockferry Duffy
Long Road Out Of Eden Eagles
Spirit Leona Lewis
Covers James Taylor
Best Dance Recording (For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances. Vocal or Instrumental. Singles or tracks only.)
Harder Better Faster Stronger Daft Punk
Ready For The Floor Hot Chip
Just Dance Lady Gaga & Colby O’Donis
Give It 2 Me Madonna
Disturbia Rihanna
Black & Gold Sam Sparro
Best Electronic/Dance Album (For vocal or instrumental albums. Albums only.)
New York City Brazilian Girls
Alive 2007 Daft Punk
Bring Ya To The Brink Cyndi Lauper
X Kylie Minogue
Last Night Moby
Robyn Robyn
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
Still Unforgettable Natalie Cole
The Sinatra Project Michael Feinstein
Noël Josh Groban
In The Swing Of Christmas Barry Manilow
Rufus Does Judy At Carnegie Hall Rufus Wainwright
Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance (For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)
Gravity John Mayer
I Saw Her Standing There Paul McCartney
Girls In Their Summer Clothes Bruce Springsteen
Rise Eddie Vedder
No Hidden Path Neil Young
Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (For duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)
Rock N Roll Train AC/DC
Violet Hill Coldplay
Long Road Out Of Eden Eagles
Sex On Fire Kings Of Leon
House Of Cards Radiohead
Best Metal Performance (For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)
Heroes Of Our Time DragonForce
Nostradamus Judas Priest
My Apocalypse Metallica
Under My Thumb Ministry
Psychosocial Slipknot
Best Rock Instrumental Performance (For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, without vocals. Includes Rock, Hard Rock and Metal. Singles or Tracks only.)
Castellorizon David Gilmour
Suicide & Redemption Metallica
34 Ghosts I-IV Nine Inch Nails
Hope (Live For The Art Of Peace) Rush
Peaches En Regalia Zappa Plays Zappa
Best Rock Song (A Songwriter(s) Award. Includes Rock, Hard Rock & Metal songs. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)
Girls In Their Summer Clothes Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)
House Of Cards Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Philip Selway & Thom Yorke, songwriters (Radiohead)
I Will Possess Your Heart Benjamin Gibbard, Nicholas Harmer, Jason McGerr & Christopher Walla, songwriters (Death Cab For Cutie)
Sex On Fire Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill & Nathan Followill, songwriters (Kings Of Leon)
Violet Hill Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters (Coldplay)
Best Rock Album (Vocal or Instrumental. Includes Hard Rock and Metal.)
Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends Coldplay
Rock N Roll Jesus Kid Rock
Only By The Night Kings Of Leon
Death Magnetic Metallica
Consolers Of The Lonely The Raconteurs
Best Alternative Music Album (Vocal or Instrumental.)
Modern Guilt Beck
Narrow Stairs Death Cab For Cutie
The Odd Couple Gnarls Barkley
Evil Urges My Morning Jacket
In Rainbows Radiohead
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)
Me, Myself And I Beyoncé
Heaven Sent Keyshia Cole
Spotlight Jennifer Hudson
Superwoman Alicia Keys
Need U Bad Jazmine Sullivan
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (For a solo vocal performance. Singles or Tracks only.)
You’re The Only One Eric Benét
Take You Down Chris Brown
Miss Independent Ne-Yo
Can’t Help But Wait Trey Songz
Here I Stand Usher
Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (For duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)
Ribbon In The Sky Boyz II Men
Words Anthony David Featuring India.Arie
Stay With Me (By The Sea) Al Green Featuring John Legend
I’m His Only Woman Jennifer Hudson Featuring Fantasia
Never Give You Up Raphael Saadiq Featuring Stevie Wonder & CJ Hilton
Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance (For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances, with vocals. Singles or Tracks only.)
A Change Is Gonna Come Wayne Brady
You’ve Got The Love I Need Al Green Featuring Anthony Hamilton
Baby I Know (Linda Jones) With Helen Bruner & Terry Jones
Love That Girl Raphael Saadiq
In Love With Another Man Jazmine Sullivan
Best R&B Song (A Songwriter(s) Award. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)
Bust Your Windows Salaam Remi & Jazmine Sullivan, songwriters (Deandre Way, songwriter) (Jazmine Sullivan)
Customer I. Barias, Raheem DeVaughn, C. Haggins, K. Oliver & J. Smith, songwriters (Raheem DeVaughn)
Heaven Sent Keyshia Cole, Jason Farmer & Alex Francis, songwriters (Keyshia Cole)
Miss Independent M.S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen & S. Smith, songwriters (Ne-Yo)
Spotlight Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen & Shaffer Smith, songwriters (Jennifer Hudson)
Best R&B Album (For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
Love & Life Eric Benét
Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA Boyz II Men
Lay It Down Al Green
Jennifer Hudson Jennifer Hudson
The Way I See It Raphael Saadiq
Best Contemporary R&B Album (For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)
Growing Pains Mary J. Blige
Back Of My Lac’ J. Holiday
First Love Karina
Year Of The Gentleman Ne-Yo
Fearless Jazmine Sullivan
Best Musical Album For Children (For albums consisting of predominantly music or song vs. spoken word.)
Beethoven’s Wig 4: Dance Along Symphonies Beethoven’s Wig
Big Round World Trout Fishing In America
Here Come The 123s They Might Be Giants
Here Comes Brady Rymer And The Little Band That Could Brady Rymer And The Little Band That Could
The Shoe Bird Gerard Schwarz Conducting The Seattle Symphony
Best Musical Show Album (Award to the Album Producer(s), and to the Lyricist(s) & Composer(s) of 51% or more of a new score. (Artist, Lyricist & Composer names appear in parentheses.))
Gypsy Robert Sher, producer (Jule Styne, composer; Stephen Sondheim, lyricist) (2008 Broadway Cast With Patti LuPone & Others)
In The Heights Kurt Deutsch, Alex Lacamoire, Andrés Levin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Joel Moss & Bill Sherman, producers; Lin-Manuel Miranda, composer/lyricist (Original Broadway Cast With Lin-Manuel Miranda And Others)
The Little Mermaid Bruce Botnick, Michael Kosarin, Alan Menken & Chris Montan, producers; Alan Menken, composer; Glenn Slater, lyricist (Howard Ashman, lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast With Sierra Boggess, Tituss Burgess & Others)
South Pacific David Caddick, David Lai & Ted Sperling, producers (Richard Rodgers, composer; Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist) (New Broadway Cast With Kelli O’Hara, Paulo Szot & Others)
Young Frankenstein; The Musical Doug Besterman, producer; Mel Brooks, composer/lyricist (Original Broadway Cast With Roger Bart, Megan Mullally, Sutton Foster & Others)
Category 82
Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media (Award to the Artist(s) and/or Producer(s) of a majority of the tracks on the album, or to the individual(s) actively responsible for the concept and musical direction and for the selection of artists, songs and producers, as applicable.)
American Gangster (Various Artists)
August Rush (Various Artists)
Juno (Various Artists)
Mamma Mia! Meryl Streep (& Various Artists)
Sweeney Todd — The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (Various Artists)
Best Score Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media (Award to Composer(s) for an original score created specifically for, or as a companion to, a current legitimate motion picture, television show or series or other visual media.)
The Dark Knight James Newton Howard & Hans Zimmer, composers
Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull John Williams, composer
Iron Man Ramin Djawadi, composer
There Will Be Blood Jonny Greenwood, composer
Wall-E Thomas Newman, composer
Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media (A Songwriter(s) award. For a song (melody & lyrics) written specifically for a motion picture, television or other visual media, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)
Down To Earth (From Wall-E) Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman, songwriters (Peter Gabriel)
Ever Ever After (From Enchanted) Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Track from: Enchanted
Say (From The Bucket List) John Mayer, songwriter (John Mayer)
That’s How You Know (From Enchanted) Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz, songwriters (Amy Adams)
Walk Hard (From Walk Hard — The Dewey Cox Story) Judd Apatow, Marshall Crenshaw, Jake Kasdan & John C. Reilly, songwriters (John C. Reilly)
Category 93
Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical (A Producer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses.))
Danger Mouse
Attack & Release (The Black Keys) (A)
Modern Guilt (Beck) (A)
The Odd Couple (Gnarls Barkley) (A)
Nigel Godrich
In Rainbows (Radiohead) (A)
Johnny Karkazis (Johnny K)
Big Bad World (Plain White T’s) (A)
The Illusion Of Progress (Staind) (A)
Light From Above (Black Tide) (A)
3 Doors Down (3 Doors Down) (A)
Rick Rubin
Death Magnetic (Metallica) (A)
Home Before Dark (Neil Diamond) (A)
Mercy (Dancing For The Death Of An Imaginary Enemy) (Ours) (A)
Here is a sneak peek of LOST Season 5 thanks to Deadline Hollywood Daily!
One of the most expensive television shows airing today (due primarily to the elaborate staging and large cast), LOST will commence with the Fifth Season of the series on January 21, 2009 with a three hour special including a clip show and two back-to-back new episodes.
As fans know, the series was given a “final season” target of 2010, this next season will surely be one that will be filled with answers and, of course, even more questions.
ABC stated the following about the next few seasons and the finale:
“The episodes will air uninterrupted over three seasons (16 episodes each season), with the series concluding in 2009-10 with a highly anticipated and shocking finale.”
Try as I may to resist it, I am already anticipating a LOST addiction as part of my repertoire of pop culture geekiness in 2009.
Calliope in Outer Space 