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So, if you live under a rock or weren’t on Twitter last night, you wouldn’t know that the Oscars happened. Well they did, and what an Oscars they were – there were a few records set! By hosting standards, Alec and Steve were okay. They weren’t great though. A lot of their stuff was very forced and not very funny and Alec developed a seriously annoying habit of clapping into his mic at the very start.

Firstly, Neil Patrick Harris’ opener was good, but not as good as Hugh Jackman’s last year. The acceptance speeches this year were pretty succinct, and quite pleasing to hear which makes a change. There wasn’t too many cringe worthy acceptance moments. Sandra Bullock’s acceptance speech for her Best Actress award for The Blind Side was particularly good. She didn’t stay very long on stage, made a joke at the end and didn’t blubber into the mic like an idiot for the whole time (see Halle Berry c. 2001). However one of the worst was Sandy Powell, who won Best Costume Design for The Young Victoria, who gave a very narcissistic, conceited speech, bragging “I already have two of these.”

Meryl Streep took all of the gibes in good spirits, which was good to see, and Avatar didn’t win any major awards, which was even better to see. Avatar is all sparkle, no substance and has made more money than God. Let that comfort Jim on a cold night when Katherine is cuddled up with all her little gold men.

Which brings me to The Hurt Locker, the stand out above everything winner of this year. It won both Best Picture and Best Director for Katherine Bigelow, who became the only woman to have ever won an Academy Award for Best Director. It also won another 4 awards, bringing it to a total of 6 of its 9 nominations.

The tributes were cringe worthy, which was in-keeping with Oscar tradition. And there will also be backlash for the dead-list, which included Michael Jackson not well known for his acting, and left off Farrah Fawcett, only known for her acting. Oh, and her hair. James Taylor sang the tribute song over the montage which wasn’t moving at all, as it was a bad song sung badly. The worst part of the night was the montage of selected pieces of the nominations from the Best Original Score category. A dance troupe did interpretive dancing to the pieces and they couldn’t have got it more wrong. It was more like a rejects dance from Britain’s Got Talent. Don’t get me wrong, the dancing was good, it was the interpretation that needed a lot of work.

The big wins of the night were as follows:

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker

Best Director: Katherine Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Waltz, Inglorious Basterds

Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Best Original Screenplay: The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal

Best Adapted Screenplay: Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, Geoffrey Fletcher

Best Animated Feature: Up, Pete Docter

Overall, common sense prevailed at this year’s awards ceremony (looking at you, Avatar) and the night continued without any major glitches. It lasted a very respectable 3hrs 37mins. And Pop Culture Monster would like to extend our congratulations to Katherine Bigelow.

Just as a disclaimer: I love social networking. I am an advocate of it. I practice it a lot, and have done for several years. But this is really interesting to think about.

Facebook? Twitter? Omegle? I am almost positive that you’ve heard of at least one of these sites, if not them all. One is the biggest social networking site online, one is fast becoming the biggest social networking site online, is the last a place where you can chat anoynmously to absolute strangers. Yes, there is the whole problem of, you know, complete pervs on there and that it is completely unsafe for children. But, having said that, the possibilities on this site are endless.

On the internet, we create a utopian society made up of people we like. But without a hetrogenous society, we create difficulties. Cass Sunstein asks us “Is the Internet a wonderful development for democracy?”. He believes it is in many ways, but there is downsides to this wonderful invention, however. He continues, “in the midst of the celebration, I want to raise a note of caution. I do so by emphasizing [sic] one of the most striking powers provided by emerging technologies: the growing power of consumers to "filter" what they see. As a result of the Internet and other technological developments, many people are increasingly engaged in a process of "personalization" [sic] that limits their exposure to topics and points of view of their own choosing.” So in this respect, social networks are very fine examples of how to show this idea in practice.

We can choose who to add as friends, reject or accept those who do, follow who we choose, speak to whom we wish to speak – and all these people are generally who we have things in common with, otherwise we wouldn’t interact with them would we? Essentially, we isolate ourselves. This is where we are more comfortable or assured, and we practice what’s known as group polarisation. We aren’t exposed to points of view which necessarily differ from our own and therefore we are never challenged. And in this sense, the internet produces narrowness, as opposed to breadth. We have a dramatic increase in choice and control, and a decrease in the power of things where we don’t choose that are in say newspapers for example.

The reason I write this blog post now is I recently discovered Omegle, and it got me thinking about the idea of choice and power. I was told, “you are now chatting with a stranger. Say hi!” and then, if I didn’t like that stranger, I could simply disconnect and move on. At first I found myself giving these “strangers” a lot more of my time than I should have, I was reluctant to just disconnect on someone for fear of offending them. Then I started to think, hey they haven’t got a clue who I am, and this conversation does not reflect badly on me nor them so, what if I disconnect? What if I’m an asshole to this person? So I disconnected within the first couple of seconds if they didn’t grab me with anything interesting (on a side note, hi asl? is not interesting. Ever.) I have to say I have had the most random, funny and altogether disturbing conversations with absolute strangers. You wouldn’t have such conversations as you do on here in real life for fear of being judged, or offending. So why do we do it on the Internet? ‘Cus it’s fun.

Cass Sunstein's article "The Daily We" which inspired this blog post is available here.

Dollhouse, Joss Whedon and why TV is doomed...

Jim Morrison. Heath Ledger. TV series by Joss Whedon: What are “Things that were snuffed out before their time”? Correct.

Apparently in the age of Big Brother, The Apprentice and The X Factor there is no place in this world for intelligent and well crafted programming and no man knows this better than Whedon; his latest casualty being Dollhouse.

For some time now it has been clear that smart, sexy sci-fi does not sit well with network executives. With reality shows being a license to print money, properly funded and well-written television often falls by the wayside. But what was it in particular that brought about the fall of Dollhouse?

Several factors contributed to the show’s demise; the first being the timeslot. The “Friday Night Death Slot”, as it has been dubbed, is where TV shows are sent to die. So it says so much about Fox’s opinion of the Mutant Enemy penned series that it started off in the graveyard slot. It says even more that despite the show proving strong in the DVR ratings that, rather than try to relocate it (as Sci-Fi did with an ailing Battlestar Galactica), the network’s knee-jerk reaction was to cancel the season midway through its second season.

The second reason for the untimely demise seems to have been the complex subject matter. On the surface Dollhouse is a sci-fi series about superhuman, programmable people, with all of the prerequisites thereof: fighting, explosions, slick technology. Although, it’s not quite that simple. The real concepts with which Dollhouse deals are relationships, the morality of power and the notion of the soul. One of the core threads of the series is the idea that while the Dolls’ personalities are continuously erased and reloaded, there is an aspect of their humanity that cannot be erased, a part of them that cannot be removed. Additionally the series frequently makes reference to the idea that the Dollhouse is a kind of brothel, with actives being deployed on romantic engagements as well as action-packed assignments. The consideration of these subjects are extremely ambitious for such a series and may have proved too much for some viewers, who prefer their morals black-and-white and their sci-fi candescent.

The show’s Mutant Enemy writing staff – with major new input from Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon – addressed mature and complex subjects skillfully and subtly. The cast lacked a weak link and every one brought depth and likeability to their characters.

Which brings me to my conclusion: Television is doomed. If smart, well produced programming is to be written off at the first sign of trouble then it can’t be long before Simon Cowell is master of the universe and people have to perform on talent shows for the right to survive. If you think it would make a good post-apocalyptic-Logan’s-Run-esque sci-fi series, don’t bother. Fox would only cancel it anyway.

There’s always a lot of talk of who will be the next big thing, so I’m jumping on the bandwagon so to speak and collecting my tips, and my favourite artists for 2010. Forget your Justin Bieber, blubble-gum pop, it might give you cool points with your friends to know who these people are. Especially this early in their careers. So, with that said, in no particular order, here are my tips for “Who to Watch in 2010”.

Cocknbullkid

The stage name of one Anita Blay, a very cool and very intriguing artist who is recording her debut album at the moment. Two singles were released last year, and the videos are available on youtube. Her music is essentially pop, but it has a darker more edgy sound, and often biting lyric. The production is sythy and dance orientated and should remix well should anyone do it *HINT*. An interview with Anita will be posted soon on the blog so keep checking back for details.

For the win: I’m Not Sorry – very catchy, edgy, synthpop.

Twitter @cocknbullkid

Cocknbullkid’s Myspace, Youtube.

Amasis

Probably the most eclectic mix of people I have seen in a band for a long time. But it works so well. You have African influences from the lead singers Nofe and Felix Liberty and that mixed with the sheer genius of Les Stapleton and Fergal Toohey as the songwriters, guitarists, keyboards and producers has produced an award winning mix. Possibly the only cool Pop/HipHop Irish band ever, which makes a change from the cringe inducing stuff you normally hear. This band is set for the big time, with a Meteor Award already under their belt for Most Promising Act you must watch this space. An interview with Amasis will be coming soon right here so keep your eyes peeled.

For the win: Never Yours – catchy and you can dance to it: a total club TUNE!

Twitter @amasismusic

Amasis on Facebook, Myspace, website, Youtube.

Marina and the Diamonds

Despite the name, it’s actually the brainchild of one Marina Diamandis: Welsh beauty, with a stunning voice and catchy songs to boot. She writes Pop songs, and mixes them with synthy beats and a layered backing sound, which has such an impressive sound. All that and a biting tongue, a cheeky wit, and a flair for melody? Yep, so this songstress is all set to go far. She just released her debut ablum, The Family Jewels, last week and it got the Monster treatment here. A total must see live, she’s playing Dublin in May tickets @ ticketmaster.ie.

For the win: Oh No! – HAS to be a single: a catchy, fun and cheeky track.

Twitter @MarinasDiamonds

Marina and the Diamonds on Myspace, Facebook, website, Youtube.

Yes, Giantess

Jan Rosenfeld, Zach Fried, Chase Nicholl and Joey Sulkowski, better known as Yes, Giantess are, what I would describe as, a Synth-Pop/Rock band hailing from Boston. They’ve got some really catchy stuff and play well live, and interact with their audience which is always a plus. They played the NME Radar tour in 2009 and they were one of the highlights at the night in KOKO Camden. I also managed to get my hands on a hand-made copy of the Tour EP, which has been on constant repeat on the aul iTunes since. Boo yeah! Their debut single, The Ruins is out on Neon Gold Records.

For the win: You Were Young – like MGMT, but good.

Twitter @yesgiantess

Yes, Giantess on MySpace, website, Youtube.

Two Door Cinema Club

Alex Trimble, Kev Baird and Sam Halliday make up this Northern Irish Indie/Electronica Rock band. They have a semi-original sound, due to the Electronica influences. They’re going to have a hit this year, for sure. They play The Button Factory this Saturday. Their debut album Tourist History is available on iTunes and Amazon.

For the win: Undercover Martyn – just listen.

Twitter @TDCinemaClub

Two Door Cinema Club on MySpace, Facebook, website.

Bombay Bicycle Club

With an NME Award for Best New Band, Bombay Bicycle Club are sure to do well this year. An Indie Rock band comprised of Jack Steadman, Jamie MacColl, Ed Nash and Suren de Saram. They have a sort of Artic Monkeys meets Paulo Nutini sound and their debut album was released last July to great critical, but very little commercial success.

For the win: Empty – A “get up, and get ready to go out” song. Perfect for morning train or bus journeys.

Twitter @BombayBicycle

Bombay Bicycle Club on Myspace, website.

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly

Yes, that is his name. Well, his real name is Sam Duckworth, but this Electroacoustic self-confessed Emo is better known by his stage name. Working with, and calling the likes of Kate Nash friends, the boy’s got a good backing already. His sound is different with every song. If I didn’t know better, I would say it is a collective of people writing and singing/producing every song. The airwaves have copped on to his sound and he’s getting quite a bit of airplay recently in the UK. Although more is needed on this side of the pond.

For the win: The Chronicals Part One - a self-relective song, about songs.

Twitter @forgetcape

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly’s MySpace.

Starting out as your average acoustic singer-songwriter, Ellie Goulding has evolved into a synth-pop, BBC Sound of 2010 and BRIT Critics’ Choice Award winner. But her debut album, Lights, is less than impressive for an artist of such critical backing. It falls short of a electro-synthpop gem, and is far too over produced to be a folk treasure.

With Starsmith’s production and with his reputation as the remixer du jour, you’re almost guaranteed a good record, which this is, but it’s just not great. Maybe it’s because Ellie’s not quite comfortable with the genre, or maybe she just needs to grow a little as an artist first. It just seems to me that the record is a little premature.

The singles, Under The Sheets and Starry Eyed are possibly the best pop/dance tracks on the record. The piano driven ballad The Writer is beautiful, and has a glossy feel to it and a good remix would really make it shine. Wish I Stayed and Everytime You Go are in my opinion the best tracks on the record. I’m sure Ellie’s music will feature on Grey’s Anatomy at some stage through the season, it feels like it will lend itself well to a Grey’s Anatomy sad moment.

Ellie’s voice fits nicely into the dainty, puckish sound of the likes of Joanna Newsom. But her voice, unfortunately, cannot carry the weight of this record alone. It’s no Lungs or The Family Jewels, but we’ll see what the future holds for her, she is still very young.

5.) Barry Burton - Resident Evil

"Hope this is not... Chris's blood"

Barry Burton. Where to begin? The man is responsible for most, if not all, of the worst lines of videogame dialogue ever. From the outset, Barry guarantees RE's laughs as will be as memorable as its scares.

"Jill, here's a lockpick. It might be handy if you, the Master of Unlocking, take it with you"

Unfortunately his hilarity was obviously an oversight on Capcom's part as the remake sees the removal of this and other sidesplitters. Don't worry Barry, you can always come around to mine for some Jill Sandwiches.

4.) Gilgamesh - Final Fantasy V

"Enough expository banter! Now we fight like men! And ladies! And ladies who dress like men! For Gilgamesh...it is morphing time!"

At number 4, we have everybody's favourite anti-villain; Gilgamesh. Appearing in no less than ten games of the SquareEnix series, he is the most featured character in the FF universe. In fact, he has proved so popular that Dawn of Souls was updated to include him. That being said his standout appearance is in FFV as Exdeath's lackey. The many-armed-man brings with him the best laughs in the game, and even the series.

" I was wrong, I cannot fight four people... [casts Haste, Shell and Safe on himself, then jumps] ... HA! Did you really believe me?"

After a brief departure from comedy he returns to form in FFXII, pleasing die-hard fans by producing swords belonging to the heroes of the past few installments and running about the Lhusu Mines, cackling maniacally.

3.) Redmond - Whiplash

"AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

Okay, so nobody thought all that much of Whiplash. The gameplay maybe be repetitive 3D platform all the way, but I defy you to say that you didn't laugh the first time you shoved Redmond into a grinder. Or used him as a flail. Or a grappling hook. Or set him on fire... and used him as a flail. Puerile cruelty at it's finest.

2.) Guybrush Threepwood - Monkey Island Series

"Oh there's a monkey in my pocket, and he's stealing all my change..."

Of all of the game protagonists over the past few decades, no one of them has captured hearts like Gorbrush Thiftweed. The loveable pirate with the impossible name turns 20 this year but Monkey Island's writing hasn't aged a day. From the first outing in The Secret of Monkey Island to the recent Tales of Monkey Island (being released episodically on Windows, Wii and Mac),

the lanky blonde rogue has never failed to satisfy.

Haggis McMutton: Me given name is 'Heart-Liver-And-Kidneys-Boiled-In-The-Stomach-Of-The-Animal McMutton.'

Guybrush Threepwood: Oh, so your parents were expecting a girl, then.

God bless him and all who sail in him.

1.) GLaDOS - Portal

"Cake, followed by grief counseling, will be available at the end of the testing period. "

Finally, at number 1: She's psychotic, she's evil, she is a stroke of comedic genius. It is the one and only GLaDOS. Yes, the sadistic Apperture Science Mainframe is the crowning glory in the videogame comedy crown. She's a manipulative liar with a penchant for incineration and baked goods, but you can't help but love her. Every line is designed to lull you into the most transparent sense of security as you make your way through the Enrichment Centre to the promised Cake. If she were human she'd invariably have a top hat and twirly moustache.

"Have I lied to you... I mean, in this room?"

So, with that I'll let the lady (?) herself sing us out of the Top 5 Funniest Videogame Characters.

Spoiler warning: