For all you movie buffs out there, you'll be happy to know that the 67th Golden Globe nominations were announced by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association December 15 for the year ending December 31, 2009. They will be handed out in a live television broadcast on January 17, 2010. The Golden Globes is telecast in 150 countries worldwide and is the third most watched awards show of the year next to The Oscars and The Grammy's. The Golden Globes are the pre-cursor to the much anticipated Oscar nominations which will be announced on February 2, 2010. Typically, many major winners at the Globes, go on to win an Oscar. Last year's Slumdog Millionaire won the Globe for Best Drama and then went on to win Best Picture at the Oscar's.

I will have my picks for you before the year is out. What about you? Who do you think the winners will be?  

2009 Golden Globe Nominations:

1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. AVATAR
b. THE HURT LOCKER
c. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
d. PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
e. UP IN THE AIR


2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. EMILY BLUNT, in THE YOUNG VICTORIA
b. SANDRA BULLOCK, in THE BLIND SIDE
c. HELEN MIRREN, in THE LAST STATION
d. CAREY MULLIGAN, in AN EDUCATION
e. GABOUREY SIDIBE, in PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL
PUSH BY SAPPHIRE


3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. JEFF BRIDGES, in CRAZY HEART
b. GEORGE CLOONEY, in UP IN THE AIR
c. COLIN FIRTH, in A SINGLE MAN
d. MORGAN FREEMAN, in INVICTUS
e. TOBEY MAGUIRE, in BROTHERS


4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
b. THE HANGOVER
c. IT’S COMPLICATED
d. JULIE & JULIA
e. NINE


5. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. SANDRA BULLOCK,  THE PROPOSAL
b. MARION COTILLARD,  NINE
c. JULIA ROBERTS,  DUPLICITY
d. MERYL STREEP,  IT’S COMPLICATED
e. MERYL STREEP,  JULIE & JULIA


6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY
OR MUSICAL
a. MATT DAMON,  THE INFORMANT!
b. DANIEL DAY-LEWIS,  NINE
c. ROBERT DOWNEY JR.,  SHERLOCK HOLMES
d. JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT,  (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
e. MICHAEL STUHLBARG,  A SERIOUS MAN


7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
a. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS
b. CORALINE
c. FANTASTIC MR. FOX
d. THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
e. UP


8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
a. BAARIA (ITALY)
b. BROKEN EMBRACES (SPAIN)
c. THE MAID (CHILE)
d. A PROPHET (FRANCE)
e. THE WHITE RIBBON (GERMANY)
(DAS WEISSE BAND – EINE DEUTSCHE KINDERGESCHICHTE)


9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
MOTION PICTURE
a. PENÉLOPE CRUZ,  NINE
b. VERA FARMIGA,  UP IN THE AIR
c. ANNA KENDRICK,  UP IN THE AIR
d. MO’NIQUE,  PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL
PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
e. JULIANNE MOORE A SINGLE MAN


10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A
MOTION PICTURE
a. MATT DAMON,  INVICTUS
b. WOODY HARRELSON,  THE MESSENGER
c. CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER,  THE LAST STATION
d. STANLEY TUCCI,  THE LOVELY BONES
e. CHRISTOPH WALTZ,  INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS


11.BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
a. KATHRYN BIGELOW,  THE HURT LOCKER
b. JAMES CAMERON,  AVATAR
c. CLINT EASTWOOD,  INVICTUS
d. JASON REITMAN,  UP IN THE AIR
e. QUENTIN TARANTINO,  INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS


12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
a. NEILL BLOMKAMP, DISTRICT 9
TERRI TATCHELL
b. MARK BOAL,  THE HURT LOCKER
c. NANCY MEYERS,  IT'S COMPLICATED
d. JASON REITMAN, UP IN THE AIR
SHELDON TURNER
e. QUENTIN TARANTINO,  INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS


13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
a. MICHAEL GIACCHINO,  UP
b. MARVIN HAMLISCH,  THE INFORMANT
c. JAMES HORNER,  AVATAR
d. ABEL KORZENIOWSKI,  A SINGLE MAN
e. KAREN O,
CARTER BURWELL,  WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE


14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
a. “CINEMA ITALIANO” — NINE
Music & Lyrics by: Maury Yeston
b. “I WANT TO COME HOME” — EVERYBODY'S FINE
Music & Lyrics by: Paul McCartney
c. “I WILL SEE YOU” — AVATAR
Music by: James Horner, Simon Franglen
Lyrics by: James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell
d. “THE WEARY KIND (THEME FROM CRAZY HEART)” — CRAZY
HEART
Music & Lyrics by: Ryan Bingham, T Bone Burnett
e. “WINTER” — BROTHERS
Music by: U2
Lyrics by: Bono 

The most anticipated surfing competition of the 2009 year was held December 9 at Waimea Bay, Hawaii. The Eddie Aikau contest was named after the legendary big wave surfer (he was ranked 12th in the world in 1977) and first official lifeguard at Waimea Bay. Besides free-falling down 40 foot waves and surfing up to eight hours at a time with no breaks, Aikau was also known to have saved countless lives as a lifeguard. But sadly, after what was to be his final rescue attempt, he lost his his life on March 16, 1978. Aikau had been part of a crew that sailed on Hawaii's traditional double-hull canoe called the Hokule'a. The Hokule'a set sail from Hawaii to Tahiti in March 1978 for a 30 day 2,500 mile trip across the pacific. In strong winds and heavy seas, Hokula'a capsized after developing a leak in one of the hulls. While the crew barely hung on through the night, Aikau decided he would try and go for help by swimming to the island of Lana'i – 19 miles away. Later on that same day, the crew was spotted by a passing plane and were rescued but Aikau was never see again.

The first Eddie Aikau surfing contest was held in the winter of 1985; it was sponsored by Quicksilver (surfwear company) to honor Aikau. The competition has always been unique in the surf world in that it has only be held eight times since its inception – the last time was December 15, 2004. There is one requirement which must always be met in order for the contest to take place: waves must reach a minimum of 20 feet (in wave face height that's over 30 feet). In addition, just 28 big-wave riders are invited to participate in two rounds of competition.

This year, on exactly 25 years to the day that Aikau died, waves reached a record 50 feet at Waimea Bay. According to the National Weather Service, the waves were powered by two storms north by northwest of Hawaii.

Not surprisingly, high surf warnings were issued and people were strongly advised not go into the ocean in high-surf areas. Maui surfer Buzzy Kerbox likened the waves to “being thrown into a gorilla cage, and the gorilla does whatever he wants with you until you get out."

When all was said and done, the final results at the Eddie Aikau Invitational were:

• FIRST PLACE: Greg Long $55,000
• SECOND PLACE: Kelly Slatter $10,000
• THIRD PLACE: Sunny Garcia $ 5,000
• FOURTH PLACE: Bruce Irons $ 3,000
• FIFTH PLACE: Ramon Navarro $ 2,000




If you want to check out some live footage go to :

• 
  Raw Video: Big Wave Surfers compete in North Shore Hawaii
• Day before the Eddie Aikau competition, Waimea 12-07-2009
• Jaws 50 feet Surf! December 7 - 2009
• Epic Big Wave Tow-in Surfing at Jaws, Maui December 7 - 2009
• Laird Hamilton at Peahi, Maui December 7th and 8th 2009

Mike was an unknown in the motocross world even though in 1999 he won the silver medal at the first Freestyle event held at the X Games; Travis Pastrana just edged Cinqmars out of first place. When MTV started filming their “Senseless Acts of Video,” showing Mike in Apple Valley, California jumping over his two-story house, suddenly the mainstream public started taking notice of this wild, but talented athlete. Following the house jump, Mike continued to pull off insane stunts for the MTV cameras, including a jump where he launched (in Cancun, Mexico) over a 100 feet off of a stationary dock and landed on the sand.

In an interview in 1999, Cinqmars was clear about where he stood with competitive riding over his much cooler stunts; he said riding for fun instead of competing was his preference. "Films sit in people's homes forever, and people watch them all the time. "Contests are cool, but I'd rather go shoot a vid. In contests, sometimes you do well, sometimes you don't. [Your talent] doesn't always show. And there's a lot of pressure, and I'm kind of over that. I want to just go ride and have fun." Ironically, it was filming that essentially ended Cinqmars' Freestyle motocross career. While finishing his film “35/01 My Trip,” he broke his back while flying his bike 35 feet up in the air. He later said that while he was coming down, he threw his bike away and “splatted on the back of the landing.” His back snapped, and because he recalls moving his toes while laying there, he knew he wasn't paralysed. According to Cinqmars, he had successfully attained all the goals he had set out for himself, the main one being to make money. Despite the many ups and downs that marked his career, Cinqmars was happy with all he had accomplished. With the money he earned, he just wanted to be able to have a nice house, with nice things – and he did. R.I.P. Mike.

Cool video featuring Mike

/Shelley Vassall

“I'm dreaming of a white Christmas just like the ones I used to know, where the treetops glisten and children listen, to hear sleigh bells in the snow.” The Irving Berlin 1940 classic “White Christmas” as sung by Bing Crosby, reminds us that the time-honored tradition is right around the corner. As is the case, what better way to get into the spirit than by checking out some classic Christmas movies.

Given the current state of the economy, more and more people are looking for frugal ways to enjoy themselves without spending a lot of money doing it. Fortunately, those that are budget-conscious have options like Ameibo in which they can choose from an abundance of movies to download. At this time of the year, downloading movies themed around Christmas is an enjoyable way to be entertained without the expense of those big bucks spent on blockbusters at the local theater.

So what are you waiting for? Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, God Jul och Gott Nytt År - let the downloading begin!

/Shelley Vassall

Martial Arts has always been a fascination to the western world. It incorporates a variety of styles, including Kickboxing, Karate, Taekwondo, Traditional Chinese Wrestling, Judo, and Capoeira, to name a few. Its history dates back as far as 480 BC where martial art strategies and philosophies began to emerge.

Hundreds of movies have been made in which some form of martial arts have been featured. These films are so popular in fact, they are considered a genre on their own. If you happen to be a fan of the genre (and even if you're not) the name Bruce Lee likely means something to you. He is considered by some to be the most influential martial artist of the 20th century. His films were responsible for catapulting martial arts to a popularity they still enjoy today. He is best known for his roles in five films: The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Way of the Dragon, Enter the Dragon, and The Game of Death.

Since Lee, a number of actors have skyrocketed to popularity based on their roles in martial arts films including, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Like Bruce Lee, all these actors have trained in some form of martial arts and some went on to championship level fighting.

Ameibo.com offers 166 movies in the martial arts genre. From feature length films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, to instructional movies like Winners Edge – Training to Win in the Martial Arts, there is something for everyone. Whether it's the fluid movement, the eye-popping fight scenes, or the amazing execution, martial arts films are an adrenalin ride all on their own.

/Shelley Vassall