Got My To-Do List

The Golden Globe nominations came out at 5:30 this morning. (No, I'm crazy enough to get up and see them actually announced.) I'm always happy when they come out because it gives me a list of movies to go and see.

My goal this year, like always, is to see every movie nominated for a Golden Globe.

When the list comes out it always includes a few movies that haven't been released yet but I'll see as soon as they come out -- "Match Point", "King Kong" and "The Producers" for instance.

It includes lots of movies I've already seen like "The Constant Gardener" and "A History of Violence."

There are movies that have come and gone without me seeing them and now I have to try and find on DVD like "Hustle and Flow."

And then there are movies that I didn't see when they first came out but they are still playing somewhere -- so I go out into the Southland to see them. For instance, tonight I went to the dreary Landmark Theater at the Westside Pavilion (yes, this is less than a mile from my office -- but it's a dumpy, tiny multiplex) to see "Paradise Now" -- a Palestinian film nominated for Best Foreign Language Film.

I wasn't really thrilled to see a movie about what makes terrorists tick (literally). But it's on the list, so off I went. It's a pretty depressing film. It left me with the impression that peace in the Middle East will only be achieved when they've all killed each other. Now there's a cheery message for the holidays.

But at least I got another checkmark on my list out of seeing it.