My favourite fictional couples

In honour of the holiday of love: Valentine’s Day today, I thought I’d write a special entry about the fictional couples that I live vicariously through. Be they star-crossed lovers, on and off romantic partners or started off disliking each other only to fall madly in love, these six couples from TV, novel and film have kept me watching or turning the page, wishing I was their lady, and dreaming of the day I would find my own vampire with a soul or poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks with a heart of gold.

Buffy Summers and Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer): Forget Twilight’s Bella and Edward, Buffy and Angel were the original vampire and human romance. I didn’t think there could be anything more poignantly romantic (or as Giles said poetic) as a vampire falling in love with his mortal enemy, the Vampire Slayer, and turning his back on his very nature. Their star-crossed love was doomed from the start and their path filled with obstacles. On the night of Buffy’s 17th birthday, Angel lost his soul from one moment of true happiness and Buffy was forced to send her now evil boyfriend to Hell. After his miraculous return, they knew it was too dangerous for them to stay together and Angel left Sunnydale for L.A and his own spin-off.

Jim Halpert and Pam Beasley (The Office): The most adorable and dorky (adorkable) couple on TV right now (Take that Derek and Meredith!). The romance between these two was the reason I watched The Office. Cutie paper salesman Jim Halpert fell in love with his best friend and co-worker Pam, something I can totally relate to. Everything about their slow-burn courtship from friendship to something more — the shy peeks through office blinds, the inside jokes, that hot first kiss — seemed so real that it was hard not to blush right along with the characters. When Jim faked proposed I nearly passed out from cheering and grinning like an idiot, imagine when he proposes for real?

Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy (Pride and Prejudice): They were named the greatest couple in English litrature for good reason. They are the perfect example of two individuals who couldn’t stand each other at first and prolonged exposure made them see just how perfectly they fit together. She's unimpressed by his wealth and he's not intimidated by her smarts. They spend most of the book bickering, trading insults and witty rebuttals, and avoiding each other until Mr. Darcy's explosive confession of love. There's a shimmering lust and tension in the air with them at all times, especially when they're dancing at the ball in the beginning. It makes you want to fan yourself. What I wouldn't give to be called Mrs. Darcy. Sigh!

Paul Montague and Henrietta Carbury (The Way We Live Now): Paul is a young, financially-challenged engineer hoping to build the first railway connection from California to Mexico who falls madly in love with Henrietta, a girl of good standing with very little money. It’s love at first sight for both of them when they meet at her cousin's estate. When they share a dance at Melmotte’s ball, the electricity between them is sweet and innocent yet you can totally sense it. Her family wants her to marry her cousin because of his wealth. Paul has none until he sees a profit from his railway and her family refuse for them to marry and leave her destitute so I couldn’t help smiling when the two love birds finally wed in the end, because happiness trumps money.

Rose DeWitt Bukater and Jack Dawson (Titanic): Who hadn’t wanted to be Rose back in 1997? Rose and Jack’s way to short romance aboard the doomed ship was the dream of every young girl who went to watch the movie in theatres. A poor boy raised on the tougher, rougher side of life meets and falls in love with a rich, British socialite who’s already engaged to an arrogant prick. The most iconic image of the entire movie besides the "I'm the King of the World" whoop of victory is the two of them at the front of the ship sharing the most passionate, longing-filled kiss. Only death could seperate them in the end and my sad, sad heart smiled wide when Rose used his last name as hers when she was rescued, proving that their love transcended death and disaster.

Noah Calhoun and Allie Hamilton (The Notebook): The most romantic movie of 2004 that made grown women fall in love Ryan Gosling. And him and Rachel McAdams became a real-life couple! He's from the wrong side of the tracks, she's from the right side, but they make a go of it, only to be separated when her parents take her away. Time passes; he hardens to the ways of the world after the war when she doesn't write back. But fate intervenes and she comes to her senses on the eve of her wedding. It's all the things we hoped our relationship would be but know would never happen. The ending and the realization that the old amenisiac woman being told the story is Allie made me bawl like a baby. That is enduring, eternal love folks.

Once good shows that need to get off my TV

With the news that Ugly Betty might be getting canned soon; it was pulled from TV unexpectedly and cast members are leaving the show, I thought back to some of my favourite TV shows that started off brilliantly but so completely lost their way I had to stop watching. Some of these shows are still on the air and some were, mercifully, pulled from their prime-time line-up.

Grey’s Anatomy: Grey’s is a prime example of a once good show that slowly needs to die. Early episodes made me laugh and cry in the same scenes, made me care about the original interns and didn’t rely on over-the-top medical cases all the time to impress me. Then Isaiah Washington was fired, Kate Walsh left the show, they replaced them with about 5 new cast members, Meredith drowned and was revived, Izzie fell in love with George, Denny wouldn’t die and became a ghost/hallucination and Callie became a lesbian. The show turned into a night-time soap opera and that’s around the time I pulled the plug on this barely breathing show.

Prison Break: Prison Break was finally cancelled this year, two seasons past its expiration date. The concept of a genius architect who gets sent to prison to break out his innocent brother was good for one maybe two seasons but never four. The first season was a gritty, intense and smart prison drama with a conspiracy twist. The second season had the brothers on the run from the FBI. It was a decent season and should have ended with Michael and Sara sailing off into the sunset. But instead Michael was sent to another prison. From then it became silly, farfetched and implausible. By the fourth season, they weren’t even in prison anymore and the conspiracy was so convoluted not even the writers knew where it was going. Let’s hope that spin-off in a women’s prison never sees the light of day.

Bones: I have to include this one here. I used to watch Bones regularly for the past 3 years. The allure of David Boreanaz in a lead role drew me to the series at first but my love for procedurals, the supporting cast, the perfect balance of light and dark, the will-they-won’t-they relationship of Booth and Brennan and the interesting murder cases kept me in. What eventually killed the show for me was what they did to Zac’s character. In season 3 we were introduced to the Gormogon, a cannibalistic serial killer that was terrorizing the FBI and Jeffersionian. When it was revealed the Gormogon had an apprentice doing his dirty work, no one, not even the fans, thought it would be Zac. Zac was sent to prison and conveniently forgotten, safe for helping out his team on a consulting basis once in a blue moon. The gimmick of having a new grad student every week got annoying fast, because it was obvious no one could replace Zac. If one day they release him from his jail cell, I might give it another chance.

House: Same here. While I love Hugh Laurie and his portrayal of House, the show lost me when he fired Chase and both Cameron and Foreman resigned at the end of season 3. I know most of you watch House to see Wilson and House interaction and you couldn’t care less about his team, but I did! Plus if I’m allowed to be shallow Chase was my eye candy and he was replaced by...Taub? 2/3 of the cast were reduced to 2 minute cameos in every episode. I still don’t know why their names are still in the opening credits at this point. Plus, his new team gets on my nerves, especially 13 who’s getting way too much screen time (and who looks eerily like Cameron.) Cuddy used to be this smart, tough, independent woman who tried to stop House every chance she got, this season they turned her into this silly, baby-crazed hormone bomb and ever since Amber died Wilson's been too mopey, it’s depressing.

Dishonourable mention; Dexter: The first two seasons were brilliant and I still re-watch them from time to time. This is a show that has a serial killer as the protagonist yet still makes us sympathize with him and wish he could outsmart the police all the time. Past seasons were darkly humorous, witty, bloody and intense, but this year’s was a major letdown. We were subjugated to Dexter getting domesticated by getting engaged to Rita and becoming a father. His friendship with district attorney Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits) took up way too much time that could have been better invested in the main case of the season, the Skinner. In the end, the finale didn’t pack the same punch because Dexter couldn’t care less about the Skinner. The only glimmer of hope for next year is Debra finding out the secret of Dexter’s biological mother. Dexter doesn’t deserve to die just yet, but another season as ho-hum as season 3 and America’s favourite serial killer might just have to turn himself in.

Oscar Picks 2009: The deserving and the less so part 3

Best Supporting Actor

Prediction and might have edge: Heath Ledger

With the Golden Globe, Critic’s Choice Award, AFI and SAG awards snatched, he has all but the Oscar locked up. Not since Peter Fincher, who won for his work in Network, as a late actor won a posthumous Oscar. He obliterated Jack Nicholson’s Joker in the first six minute of the prologue and The Academy should recognize his immense talent in this year’s biggest box office hit and second highest grossing film of all time, if only because they ignored his quietly intense Innis del Mar in Brokeback Mountain. Here’s to Michelle Williams and their daughter Mathilda accepting his award on February 22.

Who got snubbed: James Franco

Sean Penn and Josh Brolin both got nods this year for their turns as Harvey Milk and opposing politician Dan White respectively, yet Franco got snubbed in the Best Supporting Actor category. Franco, who plays boyfriend to gay politician Harvey Milk, is warmly funny, touching and quiet, rather letting the other actors shine. Yet it's him with that beautiful, disharming smile that our hearts go to.

Best Supporting Actress

Prediction: Penelope Cruz

Since Kate Winslet is not competing in the category this year, it’s the closest and tightest race for Best Supporting Actress to date. As far as it goes, The Academy could hand it out to any one of these fine ladies but ultimately they’ll hand it to Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona. As Maria Elena, Juan Antonio’s unstable former wife, Cruz is a fireball full of emotions. She smoulders on screen, all wild and erotic, and extremely funny going from Spanish to English trading one-liners with Javier Bardem. Having been denied an Oscar for Revolver, she deserves to win this time.

Might have edge: Marisa Tomei

Marisa Tomei, like Mickey Rourke, is having somewhat of a career renaissance, with well-received roles in last year's Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead and this year’s The Wrestler where she plays a down and out stripper who befriends Randy. The two are very much alike, both working in an industry where body image and performance are everything and gets tougher as they get older. She is superb and brings a subtle warmth to the emotionally-hardened Cassidy. For that she deserves an Oscar win.

Who got snubbed: Rosemarie DeWitt

With all the critical praise showered on Anne Hathaway's fearless performance in Rachel Getting Married, it seems The Academy forgot there were other actresses in the film. Rosemarie DeWitt is so good as Hathaway's sympathetic older sister. Here, DeWitt manages to capture both sibling rivalry and sisterly compassion, petty jealousy and rough-hewn forgiveness for Hathaway's unstable, junkie Kym. But in a competitive field this year she was left out of consideration and that's too bad.

Oscar Picks 2009: The deserving and the less so part 2

Following my pick of the Best Picture earlier today here are my picks for Best Actor and Best Actress. Stay tuned for my coverage on Best Supporting Actor and Actress.

Best Actor

Prediction: Mickey Rourke

This is the perfect Hollywood redemption story. People in the industry had written off Mickey Rourke’s film career long ago and then came his intense, rousing performance as Randy “The Ram” Robinson, an aging, injured wrestler trying to get back in the game in the aptly named The Wrestler. The Academy loves a good redemption story that parallels an actor’s real life. Rourke really embodied the struggle and loneliness a man 20 years past his prime, disconnected with his life outside the ring. Rourke won the Golden Globe this year but lost to Sean Penn at the SAG awards, which may give Penn the edge.

Might have edge: Sean Penn

The Academy’s critical darling just won the SAG award for Best Actor the other night and Penn may have the edge if the sting of the passing of Proposition 8 is still felt by the Academy voters. For once, Penn didn’t chew the scenery like he did in his other charismatic politician movie All the King’s Men. Penn's turn as California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, has all the stuff voters go for -- a straight actor playing a gay role, a real-life drama and a tragic ending. Penn disappears into the role in a thrilling performance, strikingly different from anything he's ever done.

Who got snubbed: Leonardo DiCaprio

He should have gotten the nod for his role as depressed suburban husband Frank Wheeler in Revolutionary Road instead of Richard Jenkins for The Visitor. The success of the movie resides in the power-house performance of DiCaprio. Many critics have called it his best performance to date yet come Oscar time they left him off the list and Revolutionary Road was shut out of all categories as well.

Best Actress

Prediction and might have edge: Kate Winslet

This category has tough competition with very deserving, multi-nominated women. This year there comes a little controversy about Kate Winslet who is nominated for The Reader for Best Actress yet won for the same film at the Golden Globes and SAG awards in the Supporting Actress category, confused? So where critics. Winslet is the bridesmaid of the Oscars, never the bride. She’s a five time Oscar loser and this year is the year the Academy will reward her and give her due and she deserves it.

Who got snubbed: Sally Hawkins

She won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy at this year’s Golden Globe but got left off the list of nominees for the Oscars only because the Academy doesn’t favour comedic performances as much as dramatic ones. But Hawkins' performance as the sunny protagonist in Happy Go Lucky was likable, warm and natural. Seeing her crack a huge, toothy smile in the face of pain (both physical and emotional), violence and sadness embodied the sort of reassuring optimism we could all use more of these days.

Oscar Picks 2009: The deserving and the less so

Every year the list of Oscar nominees is full of obvious, sure choices (Meryl Streep, Sean Penn, Clint Eastwood), a few eyebrow raisers (Crash for Best Picture really? ) and snubs and upsets so frustrating that fans have cried foul and done some snubbing of their own (Jimmy Stewart never winning for Vertigo, Pulp Fiction losing to Forest Gump).

This year’s list was more of the same.

We got Meryl Streep battling it out for Best Actress in Doubt, Sean Penn for Best Actor in Milk, though shockingly Eastwood was completely left off the list this year. Surprisingly Revolutionary Road, which seemed to have everything going for it, was also shut out of every major category. Instead Kate Winslet’s other darling project The Reader got all the glory and stole the last spot in the Best Picture category. Mickey Rourke, whose career had been written off long ago, got his first nomination ever for portraying an aging wrestler trying for one last shot at fame in The Wrestler and (un)surprisingly, depending on who you are, The Dark Knight was excluded from Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, but got nods in all the “who cares” technical categories. It doesn’t make up for it, Academy.

Here are my predictions for this year’s 81st Academy Awards.

Best Picture

Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire

This low-budget, indie movie about a teen from Mumbai who goes on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire to win the girl of his dreams has swept the audience off its feet and won over the critics as well, which is a rare thing nowadays. Fresh off its Golden Globe and SAG wins, it’s almost a sure shot for Oscar gold. It’s a mix of classic Hollywood narrative with just a hint of Bollywood to make it wholly original, engaging and charming. Slumdog Millionaire is essentially an eastern fairytale of searching for lost love, and as such a feel-good ending that it will have you believing in happily ever after again.

Might have edge: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

If the Academy wants to play by the cards, they’ll give the Oscar to Benjamin Button. It has an award winning cast led by Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt, both at the top of their game, and superb direction from David Fincher (nominated for Best Director). Button is a whimsical tale of a man born old, who grows younger and to finally die an infant, adapted from Scott F. Fitzgerald’s short story. It’s a three hour long beautiful, melancholic epic of life, love and death, and the moments in between. Both Slumdog and Button have the same resonating story of searching for lost love. But one thing that can hurt its chances is its unseemly comparisons to previous Oscar winner - Forrest Gump.

Who got snubbed: The Dark Knight

It had everything going for it: an excellent ensemble cast with respected, veteran actors, a smart, finely-tuned script, a film noir-ish cinematography and complex themes of heroism and the duality of good and evil, yet it had two things going against it; first it was a summer tent-pole, comic book movie. The Academy rarely looks past the action/superhero genre to see beyond the special effects and explosions. Secondly, its bleak, murky conclusion and subtle anti-government/political slant may have turned away some of the voters as well.