Oscar Night

Every year I watch the Oscars. What can I say i'm a fan of cinema.  Whether its a clever independant film, of a big budget over the top fantasy flick, i'm there.  Well this year a buddy of mine and I thought we would try something different, and I recommend you give it a go yourself.  The goal is to watch the past 83 Oscar winning films before the 84th annual Oscars next year which take place on February 26th 2012. Thats 83 movies that you may or may not have seen!  Obviously start with the ones that you have seen and mark them off the list (or rewatch!) and then bread down the list from there.  Who knows you may see a gem that you possibly missed.

With a deep appreciation for film, it just seems right to pay homage to the past winners.  If you like them, or don't like them, it doesn't matter, these are films that stood out every year, and should be appreciated for what they were.  I've posted the list here, so hopefully if you decide to participate, you can print your own list and see how far you can get.



2010. The King's Speech(2010)
2009. The Hurt Locker (2009)
2008. Slumdog Millionaire(2008)
2007. No Country For Old Men (2007)
2006. The Departed (2006)
2005. Crash (2005)
2004. Million Dollar Baby(2004)
2003. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King(2003)
2002. Chicago (2002)
2001. A Beautiful Mind (2001)
2000. Gladiator (2000)
1999. American Beauty(1999)
1998. Shakespeare In Love(1998)
1997. Titanic (1997)
1996. The English Patient(1996)
1995. Braveheart (1995)
1994. Forrest Gump (1994)
1993. Schindler's List (1993)
1992. Unforgiven (1992)
1991. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
1990. Dances With Wolves(1990)
1989. Driving Miss Daisy(1989)
1988. Rain Man (1988)
1987. The Last Emperor(1987)
1986. Platoon (1986)
1985. Out of Africa (1985)
1984. Amadeus (1984)
1983. Terms of Endearment(1983)
1982. Gandhi (1982)
1981. Chariots of Fire (1981)
1980. Ordinary People (1980)
1979. Kramer Vs. Kramer(1979)
1978. The Deer Hunter (1978)
1977. Annie Hall (1977)
1976. Rocky (1976)
1975. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
1974. The Godfather, Part II(1974)
1973. The Sting (1973)
1972. The Godfather (1972)
1971. The French Connection(1971)
1970. Patton (1970)
1969. Midnight Cowboy (1969)
1968. Oliver! (1968)
1967. In the Heat of the Night(1967)
1966. A Man For All Seasons(1966)
1965. The Sound of Music(1965)
1964. My Fair Lady (1964)
1963. Tom Jones (1963)
1962. Lawrence of Arabia(1962)
1961. West Side Story (1961)
1960. The Apartment (1960)
1959. Ben-Hur (1959)
1958. Gigi (1958)
1957. The Bridge On the River Kwai (1957)
1956. Around the World In 80 Days (1956)
1955. Marty (1955)
1954. On the Waterfront(1954)
1953. From Here To Eternity(1953)
1952. The Greatest Show On Earth (1952)
1951. An American In Paris(1951)
1950. All About Eve (1950)
1949. All the King's Men(1949)
1948. Hamlet (1948)
1947. Gentleman's Agreement (1947)
1946. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
1945. The Lost Weekend(1945)
1944. Going My Way (1944)
1943. Casablanca (1942)
1942. Mrs. Miniver (1942)
1941. How Green Was My Valley (1941)
1940. Rebecca (1940)
1939. Gone With the Wind(1939)
1938. You Can't Take It With You (1938)
1937. The Life of Emile Zola(1937)
1936. The Great Ziegfeld(1936)
1935. Mutiny On the Bounty(1935)
1934. It Happened One Night(1934)
1932-33. Cavalcade (1933)
1931-32. Grand Hotel (1932)
1930-31. Cimarron (1931)
1929-30. All Quiet On the Western Front (1930)
1928-29. The Broadway Melody(1929)
1927-28. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
1927-28. Wings (1927)

"Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life" ~ Steve Jobs

For a while now i've been trying to figure out something that I want to write about on this blog.  Well tonight something happened that has moved me, and I could think of nowhere else to put my thoughts, so I will write them here.

Steve Jobs passed away today, and since I heard the announcement i've felt like i've lost something.  I never knew him personally, but I feel that he knew me.  It's amazing how someone you've never met can shape your past, your present, and your future.

I lost an Inspiration today.  I remember when I had my first experience with a Macintosh computer in my computer lab way back in Elementary school, it was that defining moment that I knew I wanted to work with technology, that this was my calling.  I fell in love with technology and would do everything in my power to be a part of it.  No matter the manufacturer or OS I wanted to experience it, and see what was "The next big thing". I've worked hard for years, and finally in a position that I am very happy with, but I refuse to end here and be content.  I want to leave behind a legacy like he did, to be remembered not by how much I am worth, but what impact I made while I was alive.  He built a company out of a garage, surely I can do the same from my home office.

I lost a Mentor today.  Jobs instilled a work ethic within me when he said "the only way to do great work, is to love what you do" and I do love what I do.  Jobs showed me passion, and how to push the boundaries of technology.  He showed me to never settle and always strive to be the best.  These lessons will live with me for the rest of my life, and I hope that one day I will share these lessons with my children.

I lost a Hero today.  Steve Jobs created the iPhone I hold in my hand, and from the moment I first got it, I came to expect more out of technology.  As I held it in my hand, and looked at it's polished features I saw the new standards that technology would have to live up to, the bar had been raised.  Apple devices are a cut above the rest, and the vision Steve Jobs had, changed the face of the industry today.  I, of course balked at apple when they were releasing the iDevices.  Really, could they be that great? Are they really that big of a deal? The answer is yes.  Even if you don't care for Apple as a company, you have to respect Steve Jobs for being a the tech pioneer of our generation.  He changed the face of technology. Thousands of new companies are built on a daily basis because of his software, his platform, and his devices. He did all of this, and he was humble about it.

The world has lost what some would call the Thomas Edison of our time.  One of the greatest inventors, pioneers, and visionaries this world has seen.  I want to wish my condolences to his friends and family, and I also want to say thank you.  Steve Jobs has touched this world, and it's an emptier place without him, he will be missed.

I will do everything in my power to Meet Chris Metzen this year at Blizzcon 2011 (my personal hero) and every year around this time I start posting this video. I hope he speaks at the opening ceremony this year, and gives us a powerful speech such as "Geek Is..." from last year.