NICOLE CATÁ (New York, New York)
In what is certainly the worthiest story to appear before the jump, BOTO heartily congratulates Columbia’s hottest alumnus in the current news cycle for wooing the requisite number of delegates to secure the Democratic nomination to become the next President of the United States, making history by becoming the first African American nominee to head a major party ticket, delivering a poetic and captivating speech last night… the works. We say “the works” because Senator Barack Obama’s accomplishments should be considered “all in a day’s work” for a graduate of Columbia University. Let’s be honest: he has the likes of Alexander Hamilton, First Chief Justice of the United States John Jay, and President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves to live up to. Contrast this legacy with the likes of Wellesley and Yale Law School, and BOTO will go the route of Mr. Obama: we will officially refrain from aiming ad hominem attacks against another candidate (or, as of today, former candidate) or other institutions, respectful in our knowledge that ours are far superior. Now onto the United States Naval Academy and the Republican Attack Machine…
You’ll notice that BOTO is conveniently choosing to ignore Senator Obama’s Harvard Law education for the purposes of this post. Devon would probably have you know that the Illinois senator is a Punahou School alum, though. Furthermore, and in all seriousness, BOTO respects Senators Clinton, McCain, and Obama immensely, and urges its readership to vote in the general election on November 4, 2008 and refrain from purchasing the hoodie depicted in the graphic.
A review of what may be the year’s most visually stunning and well-crafted film, as well as a breakdown of the highlights and low points of yesterday’s game at AT&T Park, after the jump:
Nicole would like to begin her gushing review of Tarsem Singh’s new film, The Fall, by reminding the readership that, unlike her co-writer, she is not a potential film major; with this in mind, do not expect any highfalutin film jargon from this humble take on the movie. All the same, with a screenplay that took Dan Gilroy, Nico Soultanakis, and Tarsem Singh 14 years to write, Nicole had relatively high expectations for this film, expectations that were promptly blown out of the proverbial water of her imagination. The first aspect of the film that stood out was the cinematography: filmed on location in 18 countries, the vibrant colors and sweeping landscapes succeeded in capturing the respective individualized drudgery and grandeur of a 1915 Los Angeles hospital and an array of landscapes, from India to South Africa. Without revealing essential plot elements, Nicole will merely move on to say that Catinca Untaru, who plays the film’s five-year-old patient, and Lee Pace, who portrays the suicidal man she befriends, deserve myriad awards for their acting abilities. The film industry would do well to make up awards to give these actors, although that shouldn’t be necessary. Add to these efforts the deft incorporation of symbolic elements (from the more obvious use of a heart locket to the more subtle inclusion of death-defying trains and the layers of meaning behind the bottle of pills), the cohesiveness of the film’s visual components (as when the opening and closing sequences of the movie parallel each other, and when Roy Walker’s two stories share the backdrop of a desert), and a rather stirring score of classical music, and you have a film that was worth the $12.00 admission fee at AMC Theatres on Times Square. Once Devon has seen The Fall, Nicole will push for it to earn the BOTO Pick for Best Movie of 2008.
So… Pedro Martinez has recovered. The beloved pitcher returned to play some baseball with the Mets on Tuesday night. To contain her excitement and drive home for you (if the readership will pardon the horrendous pun) how exciting this game was, Nicole will review the events of the New York Mets-San Francisco Giants matchup in the form of a pros and cons list.
Good Things About the Game:
- The Mets scored eight runs in the fifth inning, which represents the most runs in one inning for the team throughout the season thus far. Pedro Martinez hit an RBI single and Damion Easley scored a three-run double. How can this articulate blogger react, except to say, “Nice” (aside from performing eight consecutive Snoopy dances)?
- With the return of Pedro Martinez, the Mets regained an emotional leader, and Carlos Delgado was beaming throughout the game. Boosting the morale of teammates is important for any team, in any sport, but it’s particularly essential for the Mets, whose members are known for channeling their emotions into their play, as they begin to function as a cohesive team again.
- Carlos Beltran hit an RBI double. This half of BOTO swoons. The room spins.
- Closer Billy Wagner pitched a scoreless ninth inning. Enter Sandman, indeed.
Bad Things About the Game:
- I couldn’t watch it because some yabbos had coopted the television before the game started.
Well, that’s all for tonight’s scintillating coverage of the world at large. Stay tuned for Devon’s last post from Argentina!
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one comment so far...
Pedro brings a different and more positive energy to the Mets than any player I can remember since Mike Piazza was in his prime.
Also, The Fall is a film major’s wet dream, with its unbelievable imagery and layered storytelling - the interplay between the child’s imagination and reality, and how they blend. I also love how many meaings the title can have when you really think about it. I only wish this was released during Oscar season.
Yes, I will become a regular commenter, don’t you worry.
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