Watched a few 2009 "Oscar hopefuls" over the long weekend:

1. The Wrestler - A lot of buzz around this movie but it just failed to deliver for me. I expected a great performance from Mickey Rourke from all the reviews yet he failed to get me interested in the story. However, I have to agree that Marisa Tomei was great as supporting actress.

2. Seven Pounds - Great story and great movie overall and you can bet that Will Smith will get his third nod in the Best Actor category.

3. Defiance - captivating movie based on a true story. I didn't expect much from it simply because I don't like Daniel Craig since Layer Cake (his Bond movies are sub-par IMO). However, the powerful story draws you in and doesn't let you go until the credits roll.

4. The Courious Case of Benjamin Button - best movie out of the lot and although long (2 hours and 40 minutes) the story doesn't drag. Best way to depict this movie was from a review I read that goes something like "This is a great movie a'la Forrest Gump without the mentally handicapped guy".

Now I need to watch is Gran Turino and Doubt...

A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials. ~Chinese Proverb

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. ~Jon Hammond