Reading break was like a godsend this year! After finishing up co-organizing and hosting the fantastic and very well received Canadian Culinary Imaginations Symposium last weekend with Dr. Shelley Boyd, all of my attention turned to grading, catching up on sleep, and generally recharging. I was also happy to get to many of the films I had been saving to watch ahead of the Academy Awards tonight (Room was FANTASTIC and I highly recommend both the Amy documentary (about Amy Winehouse) and Cartel Land). With all of the controversy surrounding this year's awards, I am once again reminding students in my film studies classes about the history of such moments in the Academy. The Oscars have long reflected all that is loved and despised about Hollywood and its many unspoken codes and rules (I chose the Chaplin image above with these controversies in mind). Of course I wonder along with everyone else how host Chris Rock will deal with the tensions this year-- I have a feeling there will be lots to reflect on in the days to come. For now, enjoy (or hate-watch) the show if you are tuning it, and enjoy my round up of links too. Cheers and happy Sunday night!