Top 10 Favorite TV shows of the Decade

Everyone's getting in on the best of the decade...so why not?

My selection of 24 as number 1 is for many reasons...one is the creativity and concept of the show, followed by the creativity that keeps it going, although some seasons are certainly weaker than others.

Additionally, and I could certain expound on this as well, but the way that 24's storyline has in many ways told the story of America and the War on Terror this decade is fascinating, the show has adapted as our thoughts, fears, and political rules of engagement have changed. Keep in mind the first season was written prior to the September 11 attacks in 2001, pre-War on terror.

Beyond that the list expresses my preferences and level of personal enjoyment, inclusions like Alton Brown's food network show isn't necessarily saying it's technical the most influential or inventive show, but my own enjoyment of a show that combines basic cooking with science is absolutely fascinating and enjoyable.

My Top 10 TV Shows Of the Decade

1. 24 (Fox, 7 seasons, 2001 - present)

2. Arrested Development (Fox, 3 seasons, 2003-2006)

3. Lost (ABC, 5 seasons, 2004-present)

4. House (Fox, 5 seasons, 2004-present)
5. Gilmore Girls (WB/CW, 7 seasons, 2000-2007)

6. Mad Men (AMC, 3 seasons, 2007-present)

7. Alias (ABC, 5 seasons, 2001-2006)

8. Scrubs (NBC then ABC, 9 seasons, 2001-present)

9. Good Eats (Food Network, over 200 episodes, 1999-present)

10. Heroes [**season 1 only] (NBC, 4 seasons, 2006-present)

The Cove - An Intriguing Must See

I remember back in elementary school when every kid was doing their "research papers" on whales and dolphins.

For some reason there was a fascination, and this resulted in kids photocopying lots of pictures of bottle nose dolphins and humpback whales to glue to a poster board.

Everyone wanted to be a marine biologist.

I think in my mind it was the elementary-aged love affair with the dolphin that kept my interest love in the acclaimed documentary of the year, The Cove.

This is not the oceanic-dolphin-environmental-hold-your hands-sing-kumbaya type of film I expected.

In fact, it's far more like a spy thriller of unlikely activist. A film where DNA experts, deep sea divers, live concert roadie, military ops professionals, and Industrial Light and Magic play a hand in something bigger than Danny Ocean and his gang could ever pull off.

As this assembled team of specialist get together the film creates a true sense of suspense that many film fail to create, and in The Cove the suspense is magnified, because it is real, and has real consequences.

And while I was most surprised and entertained by the spy-intrigue this film melds together other unique, moving, informative and entertaining qualities.

You have a handful of conspiracy's revealed, within the multi-country governance of International Whaling Commission (IWC), as well as the Japanese food and health industry.

Beyond that you have the sentimental story of Flipper trainer Ric O'Barry, who's story is surprisingly touching and captivating.

And finally, you do have the majestic images of these beautiful sea mammals.

With all the other stories, interviews, high-skilled sneakery going on in this film, all with exceptionally documented footage, it's hard to not recommend this film. It's mixture of elements all formed around impactful story telling make it clearly one of this year's best films.

The Cove is surely on the path to an Academy Award nomination, if not a win in the feature length documentary category.

Avatar: pre-thoughts

I haven't really given much attention to the film Avatar on my blog.

I'm not sure exactly why I haven't had much to say, but here are some top guesses:

1. Some people are so excited for this movie that I felt like I couldn't say anything about this film. The comic-con crowd was covering it to death.

2. Some people have been tracking this project since 1994 when James Cameron first started talking about it.

3. The details of this story seemed to be coming out more and more as the year went on and I didn't want to wrap myself into the storyline ahead of time.

4. With a budget well over $200 million, I'd hate to get excited about a bust.

5. Blue people?

...anyways, this film is coming out this weekend and I'm starting to get excited and very interested to see how this film is received. It'll need some big fan-boys and strong word of mouth to get above it's budget and transition into "profit" zone.

I've been excited to see this film get award recognition, particularly the drama and director nominations from the Golden Globes and Broadcast Film Critics Association.

This tells me this is more than just a sci-fi IMAX explosion, but that this film could be something special, and that Cameron's 15 year labor of love, might be a cinematic gift.

Nomination Morning: 67th Golden Globes Nominations

I lived in three different time zones this decade and so the time I need to wake up for Globe and Oscar nomination mornings has differed.

But I have to wake up and seee what type of surprises will show up and what confirmations we also see. Of course when the nominations come out in most categories we think "of course, I expected that" but today's the first day to get some strong confirmation of what buzz is going to start translating into awards.

Best Motion Picture - Drama

Avatar

The Hurt Locker

Inglourious Basterds

Precious

Up In The Air

Surprised Inglorious finds it's spot here, I think the nomination of Avatar & Inglourious here both bodes well for it's best picture chances. Notable exclusions include The Lovely Bones, AN Education and Invictus.

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

(500) Days of Summer

The Hangover

It's Complicated

Julie & Julia

Nine

Not quite a precursor, but fun for it being a different category. Nine will keep on showing up, as will Meryl from Julie, but otherwise this show is these other films glory moment.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

George Clooney, Up in the Air

Colin Firth, A Single Man

Morgan Freeman, Invictus

Tobey Maguire, Brothers

I suppise Maguire is the surprise here -- I would assume he will have to give up his spot to Daniel Day-Lewis (Nine) for the Oscars, Day-Lewis shows up in the musical/comedy category for the globes. Notable exclusion include Viggo Mortesen (The Road) and Jeremy Renner (Hurt Locker).

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Matt Damon, The Informant!

Daniel Day-Lewis, Nine

Robert Downey Jr, Sherlock Holmes

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, (500) Days of Summer

Michael Stuhlbarg, A Serious Man

I was a little surprised that they went for Stuhlbarg just for his lack of fame, but each of these 5 were in my list, with Stuhbarg in the 8th spot.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama

Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria

Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side

Helen Mirren, The Last Station

Carey Mulligan, An Education

Gabourney Sidibe, Precious

No big surprise here, although with one or two uncertain spots in the expected Academy Awards list this type of exposure is key for actresses like Blunt, Mirren, and Bullock. With Mulligan not picking up the precursor like I've expected, I hope she win's hear, although almost any of these women could walk across the stage on January 17 at the Globe award show.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Sandra Bullock, The Proposal

Marion Cotillard, Nine

Julia Roberts, Duplicity

Meryl Streep, It's Complicated

Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

Sandra picks up her 2nd nod in the category and Streep has two in this single category. These two women are dominating Hollywood this year. Globes didn't have very many choices here, and I'm sure there will be some complaints about Roberts inclusion, especially in place of Zoey Deschanel. All these 5 made my possibilities list, but Roberts was at the bottom of the 10.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture

Matt Damon, Invictus

Woody Harrelson, The Messenger

Christopher Plummer, The Last Station

Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones

Christopher Waltz, Inglorious Basterds

This looks like a popular list these days, the Oscars list could be identical.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture

Penelope Cruz, Nine

Vera Farmiga, Up in The Air

Anna Kendrick, Up in The Air

Mo'Nique, Precious

Julianne Moore, A Single Man

I thought the globes might surprise her with some with star power like Mariah Carey in Precious, but clearly they liked Up In The Air and the double Up in The Air nod could carry through award season with Kendrick and Farmiga alongside eachother.

Best Director - Motion Picture

Kathry Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

James Cameron, Avatar

Clint Eastwood, Invictus

Jason Reitman, Up in the Air

Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds

Former spouses compete (Bigelow vs. Cameron) and Clint Eastwood competes here without a best picture nomination. Lee Daniels director of Precious is excluded.

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture

District 9, Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell

The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal

Inglourious Basterds, Quintin Tarantino

It's Complicated, Nancy Meyers

Up in the Air, Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Surprise for District 9, showing up only here and Quinnntin Tarantino has to be feeling good this morning.

Best Original Song - Motion Picture

Crazy Heart: "The Weary Kind" (T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham)

Everybody's Fine: "(I want to) Come Home" (Paul McCartney)

Nine: "Cinema Italiano" (Maury Yeston)

Brothers: "Winter"

Avatar: "I See You"

No Princess & The Frog - and this is the first mention I've heard of the song from Brothers. Avatar is picking up awards everywhere. The hype might be real?

Best Original Score - Motion Picture

The Informant! (Marvin Hamlisch)

Up (Michael Giacchino)

Where the Wild Things Are (Carter Burwell, Karen Orzolek)

Avatar (James Horner)

A Signle Man (Abel Korzeniowski)

Globes usually do a better job here in this category than Oscar does. Congrats to the nominees.

Best Animated Film

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Coraline

Fantastic Mr. Fox

The Princess and the Frog

Up

No surprises, easily the Oscar nods.

Foreign Language Film, TV-Drama, TV-Comedy, TV Mini-series, TV Actor & TV Actress (Drama, Comedy, Miniseries/TV Movie) can all be seen here.

Today's big winners seem like Up in the Air, Bullock, Avatar, Meryl Streep, Quinton Tarantino.

10 Initial Thoughts on The Messenger

1. The Messenger tells a profound and simple story of two different US Army men who have the responsibility of notifying the next of kin of the death of Army soldiers within a short period of time after their death. The moment of telling families of death is something that has appeared in other films, but I've never seen a film with this central plot concept.

2. This film, while warranting some discussion about politics and the current war in Iraq and Afghanistan is not an overly politicized message film that speaks for-or-against our current war in any strong ways that I would expect people to find offensive. The story is too personal in it's scope to let those bigger polarizing ideas taint this film.

3. Ben Foster's performance is subtle, and while at first I wasn't sure if it was worth the hype as you get into the film his performance as Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery only improves.

4. The praise for Woody Harrelson in the role of Captain Tony Stone is absolutely warranted. He was incredible, convincing, and moving in a realistic way.

5. I am a fan of Samantha Morton, and think she's one of the best actresses working today. Her performance in this film is good, it warrants what is asked. I don't think she will be showered with awards for this performance, more because of the scope of the role, not the way the role is handled.

6. There's a wedding party scene that rivals the anxiety that is felt by the similar scene in Rachel Getting Married.

7. There's a couple sex scenes in the film that while could arguably have a purpose in describing the character and emotional connection to certain people, but I personally would have enjoyed the movie more if these scenes were tamed down.

8. I didn't know about the Steve Buscemi's role in the film, it's small, but well played. The role was perfect for Buscemi.

9. You can imagine that every experience that these men have telling people about the death of their next of kin is unique, and waiting to see what emotion will be exhibited by the families and next of kin is powerful in it's own ways. In this regard the film tells a very human story.

10. If this film has any sort of popular or critical success I think this might be the start of director/screenwriter Oren Moverman's name representing someone who needs to be on the radar for his future projects...if he keeps telling simple and powerful stories like this people will pay attention.

Related post: The Messenger & Contemporary War Films (Nov 26, 2009)

Funny Actors: What Choices Do the Globes Have?

The Golden Globe nominee's come out in less than 48 hours and they will nominate 5 actors as best actors in a comedy or a musical.

While not bursting at the seems, this field has far more possibilities than the comedy/musical actress category.

1. Daniel Day Lewis, Nine

2. George Clooney, Up in The Air

3. Matt Damon, The Informant!

4. Ryan Reynolds, The Proposal

5. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, (500) Days of Summer

6. Sacha Baron Cohen, Brüno

7. Robert Downey Jr, Sherlock Holmes

8. Michael Stuhlbarg, A Serious Man

9. Adam Sandler, Funny People

10. Woody Harrelson, Zombie Land

11. Bradley Cooper, The Hangover

12. Ricky Gervais, The Invention of Lying

I could see the Hollywood Foreign Press considering an inclusion of Steve Martin or Alec Baldwin here if they want to get really excited about It's Complicated, but chances are they will determine those to be supporting performances.

And there could be some An Education play in this category as well if it is determined that this drama is light enough to wedge into this category.

Sullivan's Travels & The Lack of Comedy in 2009

The other I discussing the weak selection of comedy actress performances in 2009. I mentioned my shock at Hollywood not producing more comedic fare in a time of a less-than-jubilant-society.

In the film Sullivan's Travels (1941), John Sullivan (Joel McCrea) is a financially successful film director who wants to move away from comedic film successes (like "Ants in the Plants") and instead do sometime more significant.

He wants to direct a great depression film called O, Brother Where Art Thou? that will be a"commentary on modern conditions, stark realism, the problems that confront the average man."

As Sullivan goes about his journey in the film he discovers value in comedy, especially in the midst of hardship.

Preston Sturges' film captures a truth that I think everyone understands which is that there is a immense value in comedy.

I don't think film studios are afraid of comedy, they here comedy and they think of films that are cheap to produce with respectable profit margins. Hence we see films like Old Dogs (starring John Travolta & Robin Williams) hit theaters and despite dismal reviews the film gets wide distribution and makes it's production budget of $35 million dollars within the first 14 days of release.

Slapping the word "comedy" on a film doesn't make it funny and valuable. There doesn't seem to be a high value on comedy and I can't think of many director's who are considered "quality directors" who are in the comedic film industry.

I think the audience is interested in some quality comedy. Sure critics might be apprehensive. Award bodies may deem the product to light-weight. Talented actors might shy away for the chance to play award baity parts of prostitutes, drunks, and literary figures.

I believe audiences are open to embarrassing a comedy that can stand up the classic comedies of the past, they're just waiting for someone to remember that they're the ones who are sitting in the seats.

Hepburn, Loralia & Baby

I've mentioned before on this blog how I was skeptical towards the WB's television series Gilmore Girls, but after giving it a fair shake determined that it was really a great television show.

One of the unique qualities of the show, and particularly the writing and Lorelai Gilmore's character (and Lauren Grahams acting) is that this modern television show used the screw-ball comedy devices of the 1930s. Where Katherine Hepburn nailed these roles in the 1930s in her Howard Harks/Carey Grant films, Lauren Graham also succeeded.

I think it's easy on first view to here the fast-talk of the Gilmore's or the silly talk we see in characters like Susan Vance (Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby) or Linda Senton (Hepburn in Holiday), but once you "give in" to the insanity, there's something magical about that type of dialogue. Perhaps it is that same cynicism to witty-fast-talk that also made some love (and some not-so-love) the Diablo Cody's writing in Juno ("That ain't no Etch-A-Sketch. This is one doodle that can't be un-did, Homeskillet").

I remember watching Bringing Up Baby, and at every turn, when I give myself into Katherine Hepburn's antics, whether it's being so relentless forgiving to her dog while being so oblivious to David's (Carey Grant) uptightness and inconvenience, or walking around with a broken high heel in the county jail, I think to myself...this is comedy genius and Hepburn at center stage is lovely and entertaining.

So with that I present you a favorite clip from Bringing Up Baby that will get me singing out of tune for days...



This post is part of the Katherine Hepburn blog-a-thon at Encore Entertainment.

Funny Actresses: What Choices Do the Globes Have?

I think it's too bad in a year when people are sort of "down" about things, the economy is slumping, job decline is rampant, and good news is hard to come by, I would think comedy would be thriving, but some how Hollywood isn't entertaining people with enthusiastic comedy.

So when the Golden Globe nominees are announced next week, I have to wonder, "What Choices Do the Globes Have in the category Best Actress in a Comedy or a Musical"

I've stretched hard to find 10...the first five are my predictions.

Nine is included her because the film's a musical, and the category combines musical and comedy.

And yes, I think Meryl will have two of the five nominations in this category. And yes, I think they will consider Julie & Julia a comedy, even though it's really not.

1. Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

2. Meryl Streep, It's Complicated

3. Marion Cotillard, Nine

4. Sandra Bullock, The Proposal

5. Zoey Deschanel, (500) Days of Summer

6. Katherine Heigl, The Ugly Truth

7. Amy Adams, Julie & Julia

8. Sarah Jessica Parker, Did You Hear About the Morgans?

9. Renée Zellweger, My One and Only

10. Julia Roberts, Duplicity

I have left Carey Mulligan off the list for the film An Education, because the film is not a comedy or a musical, but the film could be "light enough" relative the rest of the scene that she is thrown in this category. We'll see soon.

Living In Emergency

Recently I discussed the documentary Under our Skin. This documentary about Lyme Disease and American medicine, while featuring interviews and stories of patients and doctors, has the central character of a controversial disease.

Where Under our Skin is about a disease, the documentary Living in Emergency is about doctors.

Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders, has such a perfect title. The documentary shows a selection of doctors who go on mission with the non-profit organization Médecins Sans Frontières. Founded in 1971, this Nobel Peace Prize winning organization provides medical care in war torn countries all around the world.

The doctors in this film come from a variety of countries, some are well seasoned and used to working with MSF, while others are experiencing this for the first time.

While the organization has doctors in various places in the world, this film focuses on doctors in the African counties of Liberia and Congo as both these countries are in the midst of their own horrific wars.

Where the telegraph compared Living In Emergency as a cross between Gregory House and Hawkeye Piere of M*A*S*H...I personally found this story to be more similar to that our say...Scrubs.

No, Zach Braff doesn't make an appearance, but rather in the early seasons of the television show these newbies are experiencing medicine in a whole new way, they are loosing sleep, getting stressed, and having to deal with harsh realities of death and disease without the glamour they may have dreamed of.

Living in Emergency, is just that...only more real, more on the edge, and well...not quite as funny.

The style of this documentary is very voyeuristic. Mark N. Hopkin's style as a director of this film is raw and unrefined. As a viewer, you watch this film as though you are spying on something going on, you are literally seeing these doctors squeezed into new circumstances moment after moment.

Many documentaries are crafted in away to generate an emotion or calculated response. That was not this film. It would seem this film's primary purpose is to show what it is truly like to be a doctor with this organization.

These doctors are not all portrayed as model heroes, the way these doctors exhibit and release there stress sometimes captures them in their own vulnerabilities. These doctors often voice frustration with the organization, other NGOs, and each other.

There in lies the charm of this film. Watching it opens up discussion. Watching it helps you think about things outside of the realm of our own isolation. Watching it challenges our thoughts on aid, service, and most importantly humanity.

Opportunity to See This Film with Live Panel Discussion: December 14, 2009

This film, one of the 15 films that has been short listed for an Academy Award for best picture and many people will have the unique opportunity to watch this film in theaters this upcoming Monday December 14.

On the evening of December 14, over 400 movie theaters will show this film followed by a live panel discussion lead by Elizabeth Vargas of ABC's 20/20. The panel discussion will feature doctors who appear in the film along with the director.

To see theaters where the film is being shown and to buy tickets to this unique one night event you can go to the Fathom website.

In Honor of the DVD Release: A Visit to Julia Child's Kitchen

In honor of the DVD Release of Julie & Julia, a movie based on two memoirs (one based on a blog) and a cookbook, I thought I would share the joys of visiting Julia Child's Kitchen as presented by the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington DC.

I wanted to pretend I flew out to DC over the weekend just to get these, shots. But, these are from a couple months ago when earlier in the fall my wife and I visited DC. While there, we had the chance to see Julia Child's kitchen.

Julia's kitchen has it's own life and history. If you read My Life in France by Julia Child, you find that Julia's obsession and dedication to fool proof French cooking led her down an interesting path of kitchen gadgetry. This led to some bizarre tools, giant pestles and expensive copper cookware.

Paul Child, who to me is just as interesting to me as Julia herself, helped design and organize the various kitchen's that the couple lived in, particularly in helping Julia have access and organization to her many tools.

By the time they retired in Santa Barbara, California, Paul was able to design Julia's dream kitchen with high counters and spot for every knife, cookbook, and skillet.

One of pop culture events that define this past decade is the stories of Julie Powell and Julia Child, individually and intertwined in this film.

Nora Ephron's film adaptation has reintroduced people to the first television chef, a crazy tall American woman who's love of French food convinced her that she wanted to figure out how to make and teach the craft, with American ingredients and measurements. Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci's portrayal of this crazy couple was comedic and pleasurable.

And perhaps Julie Powell's story (and Amy Adams) portrayl was less positive, perhaps because Powell is her own modern foul-mouthed woman with a less sophisticated life, as some continue to find out in her affair detailing follow-up to Julie & Julia, titled Cleaving, which in addition to telling the story of her attempts to learn about buthcery also details the failings of her own marriage with Eric.

But whether it's video's of Julia Child cooking, the cookbook, the movie, or the biography, some how Julia Child has left her mark and found her way back into American homes and kitchens.

With all this rediscover, having a chance to see her actual kitchen on display was a real treasure.

And no, I didn't leave any butter as a memorial to her.

NBR Awards & Best Supporting Actor Predictions

The National Board of Review kicked off award season with a shout out to their favorite stars, namely Clint Eastwood who's Invictus earned him Best Director, along with George Clooney who tied with Morgan Freeman for best Actor. (Note: Up In The Air, won best film)

The NBR award's didn't really tell us too much about this award season that we didn't already assume, but they're choice for Best Supporting Actor was a name that hasn't really been tossed around, which is is Woody Harrelson for The Messenger.

The last time the supporting actor was nominated was Phillip Seymour Hoffman who won in 1999 for his work in Magnolia and the Talented Mr. Ripley...but of course, the Academy has since "made good." So with that I present some updated supporting actor predictions.

Tier 1, Predicted 5

1. Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
2. Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
3. Alfred Molina, An Education
4. Woody Harrelson, The Messenger *New*
5. Christopher Plummer, The Last Station

Tier 2, On the Edge

6. Matt Damon, Invictus ▼
7. Anthony Mackie, The Hurt Locker
8. Alec Baldwin, It's Complicated
9. Stanley Tucci, Julie & Julia ▲
10. Peter Sargaard, An Education

Tier 3, Perhaps Possible

11. Kodi Smit-McPee, The Road ▼
12. Paul Giamatti, The Last Station *New*
13. Christian McKay, Me and Orson Wells *New*
14. Jude Law, Sherlock Holmes *New*
15. Robert Duvall, The Road ▼

Off the list: Richard Kind, A Serious Man; Jeff Bridges, The Men Who Stare at Goats; Tobey Maguire, Brothers; Paul Schneider, Bright Star

Most Recent Predictions: Best Actor ( 11/27/09); Best Actress (11/28/09); Best Supporting Actress (10/25/09)

Under Our Skin - A Surprisingly Interesting Film About Lyme Disease

I recently had the chance to watch the documentary Under Our Skin. This compelling film was recently shortlisted as one of 15 potential Academy Award nomination for best feature length documentary.

The film is about Lyme disease. Prior to watching the film my thoughts on Lyme disease was the knowledge that it was a disease the people always say you can get from ticks and that I think this disease has been listed for a diagnosis on the medical diagnosis show House.

My wife and love House, and one of the things we surprisingly enjoy is the complexity of test, symptoms, and and challenges associates with mysterious diseases. The disease itself is practicly a character.

The picutre above is a syphilis spirochete, similar in appearance to the Lyme disease bacteria. In this film the bacteria is it's own character in this unique story.

I must admit, I was a little skeptical prior to screening this film. I think there is a tendency for documentary film makers to be Michael-Moore-like and try to expose something in an emotionally explosive way, and I was fearful this would be another "Sicko." Yet, while this film has a clear message about exposing misunderstanding and manipulation for monetary gain, this film isn't about pointing fingers. It's a film introducing viewers to the less-than-clear picture of this unique disease.

Watching this film is 104 minutes well spent, but it's not just informative, it's interesting. The film making is of the highest quality, not using gimmicks, but in telling tight stories in a clear and interesting way.

The film tells the stories of individuals and families fighting through the battles of chronic Lyme disease, one of the primary stories is that of Mandy Hughes, a sea world trainer in Orlando who records her deteriation and antibiotic treatment with a specialist from North Carolina.

But more than the stories of the patients, I found myself more intrigued by the perspectives and the stories of the doctors. These doctors treating an unknown disease and taking risk in their practices, especially with changing tides in the insurance and medical community bring some unique controversies and challenges to light.

One of the most unique mysteries this film discusses is the connection between Lyme disease and other more "spotlighted mysterious diseases" like Parkinson's, Muscular Sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), and Alzheimer's.

And I can't help but wonder, what would Dr. House and his staff think? (Or rather, other experts, if Foreman, Cameron, & Chase are unavailable to comment).

I certainly would have no qualms seeing this film directed by Andy Abrahams Wilson receive an Academy Award nomination, I think that the more people who meet these patients, doctors and the bacteria through this film, the better. An Oscar nomination could help. There is plenty of room for discussion and this film creates the opportunity.

My Friend's Favorite Christmas CDs

It's crazy to me what a wide genre we have in "Holiday Music." So many artists have released Christmas albums.

It's as though once you have enough "fan base" to release four or five albums, you are positioned to release a Christmas album. And you no what - we buy them. And for one month of the year many people listen to hardly anything but songs of the season.

I recently asked on Facebook my personal friends there favorite Christmas albums, and here's the albums they mentioned.

Here's what my friends mentioned:

Diana Krall Christmas Songs by Diana Krall and Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
Christmas by Rebecca St. James
The Holiday Collection by Kenny G
Merry Christmas by Johnny Mathis
Home for Christmas by 'N Sync
Let It Snow Baby... Let It Reindeer by Relient K
Christmas Eve and Other Stories by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Barenaked for the Holidays by Barenaked Ladies
Peace on Earth by Casting Crowns
Glory in the Highest: Christmas Songs by Chris Tomlin
Christmas Favorites by Bing Crosby
White Christmas by Rosemary Clooney
Complete Columbia Christmas Recordings by Gene Autry
Best of All: KVIL Christmas 1998 by Various Artist
White Christmas by Bing Crosby
Christmas Collection by the Carpenters
Merry Christmas by Mariah Carey
Santa's Playlist by Sister Hazel
The Season for Romance by Lee Ann Womack
Harry for the Holidays by Harry Connick Jr.
Christmas by Alabama
Noel by Josh Groban
Elf: Music From The Major Motion Picture by Various Arists

What are your favorites? What essential Christmas albums are missing?