Oscar Ballot 2010

Best Picture

• Avatar [ ]
  
• The Blind Side [ ]
  
• District 9 [ ]
  
• An Education [ ]
  
• The Hurt Locker [ ]
  
• Inglourious Basterds [ ]
  
• Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire [ ]
  
• A Serious Man [ ]
  
• Up in the Air [ ]
  
• Up [ ]

Best Actor in a Leading Role

• Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart [ ]
  
• George Clooney, Up in the Air [ ]
  
• Colin Firth, A Single Man [ ]
  
• Morgan Freeman, Invictus [ ]
  
• Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker [ ]
  

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

• Matt Damon, Invictus [ ]
  
• Woody Harrelson, The Messenger [ ]
  
• Christopher Plummer, The Last Station [ ]
• Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones [ ]
  
• Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds [ ]
  

Best Actress in a Leading Role

• Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side [ ]
  
• Helen Mirren, The Last Station [ ]
• Carey Mulligan, An Education [ ]
  
• Gabourey Sidibe, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire [ ]
  
• Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia [ ]
  

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Penelope Cruz, Nine [ ]
  
• Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air [ ]
  
• Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart [ ]
  
• Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air [ ]
• Mo'Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
  

Animated Feature Film

• Coraline [ ]
  
• Fantastic Mr. Fox [ ]
  
• The Princess and the Frog [ ]
  
• The Secret of Kells [ ]
  
• Up [ ]
  

Cinematography

• Avatar [ ]
  
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince [ ]
  
• The Hurt Locker [ ]
  
• Inglorious Basterds [ ]
• The White Ribbon [ ]
  

Best Directing

• James Cameron, Avatar [ ]
  
• Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker [ ]
  
• Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds [ ]
  
• Lee Daniels, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire [ ]
  
• Jason Reitman, Up in the Air [ ]
  

Best Original Score

• Avatar
  
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
  
• The Hurt Locker
  
• Sherlock Holmes
  
• Up
  

Best Original Song

• 'Almost There', Princess and the Frog [ ]
  
• 'Down in New Orleans', The Princess and the Frog [ ]
  
• 'Lion de Paname', Paris 36 [ ]
  
• 'Take it All', Nine [ ]
  
• 'The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)', Crazy Heart [ ]
  

Visual Effects

• Avatar [ ]
  
• District 9 [ ]
• Star Trek [ ]
  

Best Adapted Screenplay

• District 9 [ ]
  
• An Education [ ]
  
• In the Loop [ ]
  
• Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire [ ]
  
• Up in the Air [ ]
  

Best Original Screenplay

• The Hurt Locker [ ]
  
• Inglourious Basterds [ ]
  
• The Messenger [ ]
  
• A Serious Man [ ]
• Up [ ]
  

Casa Mila

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Casa_mila_ag1.jpg

<i>Casa Mila</i>

1905-07

Art Nouveau

Architecture

Antoni Gaudi

 

The Casa Mila is an apartment complex designed by Antoni Gaudi that sits in the middle of downtown Barcelona, Spain. It is distinguishable because it doesn't appear to have any sharp edges, choosing instead to round off all the edges. This makes it stand out from all the buildings surrounding it. Its gray color makes it seem like it's carved out of stone or clay, which is pretty cool, and would appear that none of the edges are the same. According to the book the interior of the building is as spontaneous as the exterior, with rooms and hallways seamlessly and spontaneously merge with one another. There are also the spires on top to consider, they seem to not match the rest of the building, which implies individuality and goes to the over-arching theme of spontaneity and uniqueness that I believe Gaudi was going for.

This appeals to me for many reasons. Firstly, I believe that architecture should stand out from everything else on the block, and <i>Casa Mila </i> achieves this greatly. In the picture in the book, you can clearly see where it ends and the neighboring buildings begin. If you look closely, you can see that every balcony railing is uniquely designed, and every additional floor seems to expand outward over the floor below it. The latter is only a photographic trick, but it is still pretty cool. The roof, which is appears to be mosaic tile, contrasts nicely against the flat rock that is the dominant feature of the rest of the building. The buildings tan or gray color makes it look like a sand castle, which are fun to make.

I would say, overall, that this is a successful work. <i>Casa Mila </i> works as a statement on the diversity and spontaneity of the everyday world, which I believe was Gaudi's intention when he drew it up.

William G. Low House

William G. Low House

1886-87

Architecture

McKim, Mead & White

 

This is a great house. It is nearly perfectly symmetrical, featuring the four bay windows looking out over the impressive hillside from which the picture was taken. The interior of the house contains six bedrooms, and 9 other rooms, not including the servant's quarters, of which it has four. What separates the Low House from other houses, however, is the roofing. It forms a wide angle making the house itself appear to be much smaller than it is in reality, almost smooshing the rest of the house underneath it. When the large roof is combined with the tall trees to the right of the bay windows and the expansive shrubbery in front of the house, we are deceived into believing that this mansion is either a small restaurant or perhaps a seasonal hotel. The small windows at the top directly in the center of the house also seem to be eyes looking down the hill at the photographer, which gives the house an intimidating vibe. In addition, the location of this house on top of a hill, overlooking the Atlantic, provides breathtaking views from any side, and also provides anyone inside it with a sense of security

I was initially drawn to this house because it reminded me of the Overlook Hotel in Kubrick's the Shining. Upon closer inspection, however, I can see that it is an expansive home requiring two full chimneys, with a porch that runs the length of the east side of the house. The windows on top and the two sets of bay windows combine to make a sort of face at the photographer, making it seems like the house is a separate entity of itself.

Over all, the William G Low house is a great piece of American architecture from the later part of the 19^th century, that would stand out solidly and be able to hold its own against many of the unique houses being built today, if it hadn't been torn down and demolished in the 60's.