With the Oscars only three days away, the relatively unknown Brazilian director who made "City of God," Fernando Meirelles, has no Versace-like designer to sponsor him.

Meirelles admits he is unprepared thus far.

"I'm going to have to get (a tuxedo). I don't have one yet," Meirelles said.

But with "City of God's" four nominations: cinematography, film editing, writing (adapted screen play) and directing, it's essential he get his act together. [Read article]

Mason Jennings is a no-gimmick, unique talent in the world of acoustic music. His voice is unforgettable, and despite all the makings of a superstar - including a host of female fans - he remains a down-to-earth friendly and thoughtful guy. He has just released his fourth album called Use Your Voice and is heading out on tour.

Wildcat: Can you tell us about the title of your new album, Use Your Voice? [Read article]

Heidi Hesse's show "Exporting Liberty," now on exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art, is anything but subtle. The most powerful piece, which is in a sense the core of the exhibit, is a full-scale model of a humvee made out of gum balls called, "Sugar Coated."

"The show is largely about trying to get people to re-engage with notions of citizenship," said Anne-Marie Russell, curator and executive director of MOCA, 191 E. Toole Ave. [Read article]

Mark Sussman and Nathan Tafoya:
Atheist Jew and devout Christian

Plot:

Sussman: So, most of you know what this whole "Jesus dies and then gets resurrected" thing is all about.

Tafoya: The movie begins 2,004 years ago in the Garden of Gethsemane, with Jesus asking His Father to remove his foreseen death from happening.

Sussman: But God, still in wrathful Old Testament mode, demures, and Jesus receives his first severe beating after Judas tips off some old, holy-looking Jews as to his whereabouts. The Jews want him dead, but the Romans aren't so sure. So they beat him some more. Like really, really beat him good. Then the Jews say, "Not good enough. Crucify that heathen." [Read article]

After graduating from Denison University in Ohio more than 20 years ago, fiction writer Pam Houston rode across Canada and down to Eugene, Ore., for the sake of adding to her repertoire of experiences. When she arrives in Tucson, however, it will be by plane and with tons of experience.

As a guest for the UA's Visiting Poets and Writer Reading Series, Houston will be reading from her new novel, "Sighthound," Wednesday in the Modern Languages auditorium. [Read article]

Dear Broken Lizard: If it's not too much trouble, I'd like my soul back. You remember my soul, right? Your monotonous, wretch-inducing and just plain fucking stupid movie, "Club Dread," made it wither into a pit that now rattles around my shell of a body. This rattling now serves as a mocking, permanent reminder of the 103 minutes of my life that I will never get back.

K.I.T.

Elizabeth Thompson [Read article]

In the past few weeks, WNTDIT has really been taking some cheap shots at other people and having fun at their expense; well, this week I got mine. My parents were coming into town to visit me, and in between taking them to Mount Lemmon and the Center for Creative Photography I decided to do something a little bit more colorful, and proposed that we go to the Bunny Ranch - the all-nude, 18-and-over strip club on Speedway and Alvernon. I asked a little sheepishly and I never thought she would go for it, but my mother was totally down. [Read article]

Best Picture

"Lost in Translation"

One word: karaoke. No other movie that's up for Best Picture had a karaoke scene. Therefore, it cannot be as great. As much as I wanted to be unpredictable, I have to choose this movie.

Best Director

Peter Jackson

The man needs his props for making the longest movie ever and somehow making it entertaining. Frequent shots of Frodo's face and 800 endings aside, Jackson did a phenomenal job. [Read article]

The Wrens will rock no matter what you do. And they will never stop rocking. Just check their bio.

The members range in age from 35 to 40 and started the band in 1989. After releasing Seacaucus in 1996 to critical acclaim, they battled with a handful of labels. They got real jobs, lived together in New Jersey and recorded all the time. They finally released The Meadowlands in 2003, also to critical acclaim. (Rome wasn't built in a day, after all.) [Read article]

Today

Poetry Lecture - Tucson-Pima Public Library, 101 N. Stone Ave. Laura Tohne's lecture "In the Process of Becoming" will examine Dine poets of the Southwest. 4 p.m. 626-3765

The Wrens - Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. Playing with La Cerca. 8 p.m. $6. 622-8848

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe - Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. 8 p.m. $15. 798-3333

"Evidence into Narrative: A Writer Responds to a Crime Album" - Center for Creative Photography auditorium. Eugenia Parry's slide lecture on forensic photography and evidence photos from early 20th century Paris. 5:30 p.m. 621-7992 [Read article]