Screaming at the Screen

Horrible Bosses

2011-07-12T09:29:00.008-05:00

Some will either think that this is freakin' hilarious or really dumb, or maybe both. I am one who thought it was freakin' hilarious. I will admit that some parts of the script that I think I was supposed to laugh at, I did not. But for the most part I laughed my ass off.

They play the trailer on TV all the time, but in case you rarely watch TV or do not own one (which either means you are a hippie or just have not gotten around to discovering the wonders of it), here is the plot. Three guys, Dale (Charlie Day), Nick (Jason Bateman), and Kurt (Jason Sudeikus) all work for assholes. Dale works as a dental assistant for a sex craved bitch, Dr. Julia Harris (Jennifer Aniston). She is threatening that if he doesn't sleep with her she will tell his fiance the he did. Nick has worked his ass off for eight years for a promotion, but because his boss, Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey), is a narcissistic prick, he probably won't get it. Kurt liked his job, until he boss (David Sutherland) dies of a heart attack and his selfish coke-head jerk son, Bobby Pellitt (Colin Farrell), takes over. So eventually all of there jobs turn into a living hell and they just can't take it anymore.

Every single one of these actors takes their role spot on. Charlie Day is one of the most under recognized comedians. He is a genius as Charlie in the awesome show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which I am obsessed with. I am not a fan of the recent movies Jason Batemen has done, but his older roles say he can be great, he was definitely not my favorite out of the three. I have always judged Jason Sudeikus by his performances on Saturday Night Live, but I realized it was just that the writers of the show did not given a clever script. When he is given one, he nails it.

Jennifer Aniston is, in my opinion, the most entertaining of the bosses. If anyone was to capture Harkens character it would and is Kevin Spacey. Spacey is brilliant at playing characters that are total assholes, which is exactly what his character is. The only boss I was not impressed with was the unrecognizable Colin Farrell. It wasn't his performance, it was that the lines he was given were rarely funny. But he took the what he was given and ran with it.

Like I said in the beginning, I found it freakin' hilarious.

Super 8

2011-07-03T17:02:00.008-05:00

J.J. Abrhams, who is the director, is one of the best sci-fy screenwriters today. And being produced by Stephen Speilberg, it has an odd similarity to E.T. Now there is a lot of over done action scenes, CGF or whatever it is called. That did not necessarily ruin the feel of the action, but after a while you just wanted that scene to end. This is one of the ongoing flaws of Hollywood productions today, so I will not criticize it harshly.

While filming a scene for a homade zombie movie, a group of friends witness a bizzare train wreck. Set in the summer of 1979, things start happening in their small town of Lilian, Ohio. Joe Lamb's (Joel Courtney) father, Jack Lamb (Kyle Chandler, is the deputy of the town and quickly becomes overwhelmed by the numerous strange incidents. So Joe and his gang of friends, head out to investigate for themselves.

When I refer to gang I mean, Joe (Joel Courtney), the focus of the story. Charles (Riley Griffiths), the bossy, and a little overweight, director, and a trust-worthy friend. Cary (Ryan Lee), a kid obsessed with fire and blowing things up, a typical imature boy. One of those boys you suspect has some type of hyperactive disorder, but you are not really sure. Martin (Gabriel Brasso), the dork. And Preston (Zach Mills), a wimp who thinks over every situation until he finds some way that it might go wrong. It is an amazingly realistic portrayle of middle-school imaturity and spot on everyday interaction with eachother. I knew every one of those boys in my middle-school. To the inth degree J.J. Abrhams has made those characters at point that they were no longer characters but people. Boys who could be sitting next to you at the theater.

Joel Courtney is incredible for a child actor of his generation. I can say the same about his costar, Riley Griffiths, who plays Charles. I type this with shaking hands, because I would have never known this if I had not looked it up. This is the first time acting, for both of them. For most of the boys in fact. Elle Fanning, Dakota Fanning's little sister, who obviously takes after her in the way of talent, plays Alice Dainard. Her act does not go unnoticed. Even though Alice is for the most part important to the film and storyline, I found myself wanting to see more of Joe's character. Of course a major film can not get produced with out some sort of romance, so figure it out yourselves.

I think that this movie could have been split. One plot, a family drama, and the other, a sci-fi comedy. But the plots do come together very easily towards the end, although I do not think it neccesary. This ease is not very common which is also a way this movie works.

Something that bothers me though is the rating. It is rated PG-13. To me it seems like it should be rated R. There is a lot of blood and cussing. Thank god I did not take my little sister to see it, which I was going to. 10 and up is my recommended age.

I have seen this movie three times. You should at least see it once.

The King's Speech

2011-03-16T14:50:00.003-05:00

I consider this to be the "feel-good" movie of 2010. 'Feel-good' in the way of triumphant intelligence. We judge of the high honors people receive, but we do not always know the reason they are honored, just trust that it was something important or advised. Sometimes, eccentricity can cure the eccentric.
Based on the process of King George IV, played by magnificent Colin Firth, overcoming his speech impediment and fear of public speaking as he is lead toward the thrown. After trying multiple physicians with no improvement King George has given up. His wife, Queen Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), is still determined to find someone who can help her husband. She comes across a slightly different speech therapist, Lionel Louge (Geoffry Rush), who doesn't exactly use the 'normal' methods of therapy. King George is at first stubborn, but gives in for the sake of his wife. Lionel and King George's are vastly different but, they soon develop an odd trustful friendship.
Colin Firth is amazing in the way he handles any character he plays. Helena Bonham Carter is a doll, and dearly close to my heart (acting wise). Nothing need by said of the great Geoffry Rush. In my opinion both Firth and Rush are some of the best actors of their generations. Tom Hopper, the director, mastered this period piece and I hope continues to do many more. This is by far one of the best historic films I have seen, in my lifetime (of 14 years). Every element captures the time period perfectly. Simply a masterpiece.

83rd Academy Award Winners

2011-03-14T14:30:00.003-05:00

It seems like every year the feel good film wins best picture. Except of course for the 2008 Oscar which went to No Country For Old Men. I am not saying that The King's Speech did not get its well deserved attention, but Black Swan seemed to be shockingly pushed aside. The King's Speech, good screenplay, good cinematography, good art direction, but overall Black Swan was a better movie and more worthy of the spotlight.
(And another well deserved win in costuming to Colleen Atwood!)

Best Picture
The King's Speech
who should have won: Black Swan

Best Directing
Tom Hooper - The King's Speech
who should have won: Darron Aaronofsky - Black Swan

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Colin Firth - The King's Speech

Best Actress In a Leading Role
Natalie Portman - Black Swan

Best Actor In a Supporting Role
Christian Bale - The Fighter
who should have won: Geoffry Rush - The King's Speech

Best Actress In a Supporting Role
Melissa Leo - The Fighter
who should have won: Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit

Best Art Direction
Alice In Wornderland - Production Design: Robert Stromberg, Set Decoration: Karen O'Hara

Best Cinematography
Inception - Wally Pfister
who should have one: Black Swan - Matthew Libatique

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
The King's Speech - David Seidler

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
The Social Network - Aaron Sorkin

Music (Original Score)
The Social Network - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

Music (Original Song)
We Belong Together, by Music & Lyric by Randy Newman - Toy Story 3

Costume Design
Alice In Wonderland - Colleen Atwood

Makeup
The Wolfman - Rick Baker & Dave Elsey

Best Animated Feature
Toy Story 3

Best Documentary (Feature)
Inside Job - Charles Ferguson & Audrey Marrs
who should have won: Exit Through The Gift Shop - Banksy & Jamie D'Cruz

Best Documentary (Short Subject)
Strangers No More - Karen Goodman & Kirk Simon
who should have won: Killing In The Name - Jed Rothstein

Foreign Language Film
In A Better World (Denmark)

Best Short (Live Action)
God Of Love - Luke Matheny

Best Short (Animated)
The Lost Thing - Shaun Tan & Andrew Ruhemann

Visual Effects
Inception

Film Editing
The Social Network

Sound Editing
Inception

Sound Mixing
Inception

Black Swan

2011-02-18T16:01:00.004-06:00

As a film critic, I find it much more difficult to right a review praising a film than a disapproving one. The dictionary definition of a critic: a person who often finds fault and criticizes. I suppose I know more adjectives that define imperfect than perfect. But I cannot use those imperfect words because this film was the exact opposite, it was perfect.
You could vaguely describe it as beautiful. That is not doing any justice to this stunningly intricate film. Natalie Portman is intriguing in her performance as Nina, who is obsessed with perfecting her ballet performance as Odette in 'Swan Lake'. She is beginning to find confidence, but that is shattered when a free-spirited dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), steels the attention. Nina slowly breaks down, becoming more like the black swan, Odette's evil sister, Odil. Now Nina wants her 'turn'...
David Aronofsky is simply an ingenious artist. The camera angles, the eerie music, the persistent symbolism. Nina's emphasized breath gives the film a haunting element, and yours eventually becomes as heavy as hers. I eventually realized, that when the film had ended, my mouth was wide open. I did not move the entire film, and all of the credits (with my mouth still open). Go to this film, and you will witness art. Images you will never forget.

83rd Oscar Acadamy Award Nominations

2011-02-12T21:03:00.008-06:00

The Golden Globes were a joke, but the Oscars are a little more tasteful...

Best Picture
Black Swan
The Fighter
The Kids Are Alright
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

Best Directing
Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan
David O. Russell - The Fighter
Tom Hooper - The King's Speech
David Fincher - The Social Network
Joel & Ethan Coen - True Grit

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem - Biutiful
Jeff Briges - True Grit
Jesse Eisenburg - The Social Network
Colin Firth - The King's Speech
James Franco - 127 Hours

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Benning - The Kids Are Alright
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Christian Bale - The Fighter
John Hawkes - Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner - The Town
Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are Alright
Geoffry Rush - The King's Speech

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams - The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech
Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom

Best Art Direction
Alice In Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollow Part 1
Inception
The King's Speech
True Grit

Best Cinematography
Black Swan
Inception
The King's Speech
The Social Network
True Grit

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
Mike Leigh - Another Year
Screenplay by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson; Story by Keith Dorrington, Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson- The Fighter
Christopher Nolan - Inception
Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg - The Kids Are Alright
David Seidler - The King's Speech

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Danny Boyle & Simon Baeufoy - 127 Hours
Aaron Sorkin - The Social Network
Screenplay by Michael Arndt; Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, & Lee Unkrich - Toy Story 3
Joel & Ethan Coen - True Grit
Debra Granik & Anne Rosillini - Winter's Bone

Music (Original Score)
John Powell - How To Train Your Dragon
Hans Zimmer - Inception
Alexandre Desplat - The King's Speech
A.R. Rahman - 127 Hours
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - The Social Network

Music (Original Song)
Music & Lyrics by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges, & Hillary Lindsey - "Comin' Home" (Country Strong)
Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Glenn Slater - "I See The Light" (Tangled)
Music by A.R. Rahman; Lyrics by Dido & Rollo Armstrong - "If I Rise" (127 Hours)
Music & Lyrics by Randy Newman - "We Belong Together" (Toy Story 3)

Costume Design
Alice In Wonderland
I Am Love
The King's Speech
The Tempest
True Grit

Makeup
Barney's Version
The Way Back
The Wolfman

Best Animated Feature
How To Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Toy Story 3

Documentary (Feature)
Exit Through The Gift Shop
Gasland
Inside Job
Restrepo
Waste Land

Documentary (Short)
Killing In The Name
Poster Girl
Strangers No More
Sun Come Up
The Warriors of Qiugang

Foreign Language Film
Biutiful (Mexico)
Dog Tooth (Greece)
In A Better World (Denmark)
Incendies (Canada)
Outside The Law (Hors-la-loi) (Algeria)

Short (Animated)
Day & Night
The Gruffalo
Let's Pollute
The Lost Thing
Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, A Journey Diary)

Short (Live Action)
The Confession
The Crush
God of Love
Na Wewe
Wish 143

Visual Effects
Alice In Wonderland
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows Part 1
Hereafter
Inception
Iron Man 2

Film Editing
Black Swan
The Fighter
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network

Sound Editing
Inception
Toy Story 3
Tron: Legacy
True Grit
Unstoppable

Sound Mixing
Inception
The King's Speech
Salt
The Social Network
True Grit

2011 Golden Globe Winners

2011-02-10T15:30:00.008-06:00

I know, the Golden Globes were quite a while ago, but I have just been so busy (high school stuff)! Better late then never!

----------

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Winner: The Social Network
Who should of won: Black Swan

Best Director - Motion Picture
Winner: David Fincher - The Social Network
Who should of won: Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Colin Firth - The King's Speech

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Natalie Portman - Black Swan

Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical
The Kids Are Alright

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical
Paul Giamatti - Barney's Version

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical
Annette Benning - The Kids Are Alright

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Winner: Christian Bale - The Fighter
Who should of won: Geoffry Rush - The King's Speech

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Winner: Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Who should have won: Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Arron Sorkin - The Social Network

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Winner: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - The Social Network
Who should have won & nominated: Clint Mansell - Black Swan

Best Animated Feature Film
Winner: Toy Story 3
Who should of won: The Illusionist

Best Foreign Language Film
In A Better World (Denmark)

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
Winner: "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" - Burlesque
Music & Lyrics by Diane Warren
Who should have won: NONE!

----------

Best Television Series - Drama
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
Steve Buscemi - Boardwalk Empire (AMC)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
Winner: Katey Sagal - Sons of Anarchy (FX)
Who should have won: Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer (TNT)

Best Television Series - Comedy/Musical
Winner: Glee (NBC)
Who should have won: 30 Rock (NBC)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy/Musical
Winner: Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory (CBS) <-----(good for him!) Who should have won: Steve Carrel - The Office (NBC) Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy/Musical
Winner: Laura Linney - The Big C (Showtime)
Who should have won: Tina Fey - 30 Rock (NBC)

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Carlos (SUNDANCE)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Al Pacino - You Don't Know Jack (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Claire Danes - Temple Grandin (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Winner: Chris Colfer - Glee (FOX)
Who should have won & been nominated: Jack McBrayer - 30 Rock (NBC)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jane Lynch - Glee (FOX)

The Tourist

2011-01-25T15:20:00.004-06:00

As I was walking out of the theater after the movie the thought that came into my head was, "Why? Why and how was this movie even considered for a Golden Globe nomination?" What did they see in this movie? Was it the twist at the end that was supposed to be surprising.
Johnny Depp plays a terrible sexy math teacher, Frank Tupelo. He is so self conscience about his fame, that it makes him seem ignorant and that effects his acting and character. It makes his character awkward when he is supposed to be charming, and makes his character seem stupid when he is supposed to be comedic. Angelina Jolie, on the other hand, is always sexy. But this role is nothing new for her. Elise Clifton-Ward slowly struting around in designer dresses in a foreign country doing something important. Not any characters that you have not seen before.
Frank Tupelo (Johnny Depp) is a high school math teacher visiting Italy. Something about his love life fell apart, blah, blah, blah... Elise Clifton-Ward is some sort of spy or something, it wasn't really clear what kind. They first meet on a train (thats an unusual place to meet a love interest in a mystery movie). Elise is trying to protect the man she loves (guess who), he did something bad and now the FBI is after him (original). She trys to distract the agents with Frank, complicating things.
Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes said it best. "It was a big year for 3D movies, Toy Story, Despicable Me, Tron. Seems like everything this year was 3-dimensional. Except the characters in The Tourist. Um, I feel bad about that joke. I, no I’ll tell you what. I’m jumping on the bandwagon cause I haven’t even seen The Tourist. Who has? But no, it must be good cause its nominated so shut up, okay. And I’d like to crush this ridiculous rumor going around that the only reason The Tourist was nominated was so that the Hollywood foreign press could hang out with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. That is, that is rubbish. That is not the only reason, they also accepted bribes."

Cyrus

2010-12-31T14:07:00.004-06:00

Cyrus is an interesting movie, I will say that. The actors are great. The cinematography, great. Plot line, great. Script, great. The thing that threw me off was its sense of humor, if that is what it was...
John, played by John C. Reilly, is recently divorced (recently meaning two years). Not yet over his soon to be married ex-wife, he lives alone, lonely. But his ex convinces him to get out of the house and go to a party. There he meets a lady named Molly (Marisa Tomei). It is an instant connection. But she has a son, a 21-year-old son, named Cyrus (Jonah Hill), who lives at home. Unwilling to share his mother's love with someone else, he does everything in his power to scare off John.
Overall it is a good movie, but the humor? The humor? I just don't get it! Throughout the movie I was thinking "is that supposed to be funny?" There are points in the movie where you laugh your ass off. But there are also parts when the character says something with such a bland demeanor that you do not know if you are either supposed to laugh out loud or sit still. Is the seriousness part of the humor? I still do not know...

I Love You, Phillip Morris - Trailer

2010-12-18T14:01:00.001-06:00

2011 Golden Globe Nominations

2010-12-14T20:09:00.009-06:00

The Golden Globes have never been reliable for having good taste or being well judged critics, so the choices are not surprising... Keep in mind that I have not seen all of the films that have been nominated. I am basing my approval and disapproval on what I have seen, heard, and read...
deserves: +

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Black Swan +
The King's Speech +
The Social Network
The Fighter
Inception

Best Director - Motion Picture
Derek Aronofsky - Black Swan +
David Fincher - The Social Network
Tom Hooper - The King's Speech +
Christopher Nolan - Inception
David O. Russell - The Fighter

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network +
Colin Firth - The King's Speech +
Ryan Gosling - Blue Valentine +
James Franco - 127 Hours
Mark Wahlberg - The Fighter

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Halle Berry - Frankie and Alice
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole +
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone +
Natalie Portman - Black Swan +
Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine +

Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Alice in Wonderland
Burlesque
The Kids Are Alright +
Red
The Tourist

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Johnny Depp - Alice in Wonderland
Johnny Depp - The Tourist
Paul Giamatti - Barney's Version +
Jake Gyllenhaal - Love and Other Drugs
Kevin Spacey - Casino Jack +

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Annette Benning - The Kids Are Alright +
Anne Hathaway - Love and Other Drugs +
Angelina Jolie - The Tourist
Julianne Moore - The Kids Are Alright
Emma Stone - Easy A +

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Christian Bale - The Fighter +
Michael Douglas - Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Andrew Garfield - The Social Network
Jermey Renner - The Town +
Geoffry Rush - The King's Speech +

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams - The Fighter +
Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech +
Mila Kunas - Black Swan +
Melissa Leo - The Fighter
Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom

Best Animated Feature
Despicable Me +
How To Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist +
Tangled
Toy Story 3

Best Foreign Language Film
Biutiful (Mexico, Spain)
The Concert (France)
The Edge (Russia)
I Am Love (Italy)
In A Better World (Denmark)

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Simon Beaufoy, Danny Boyle - 127 Hours
Christopher Nolan - Inception
Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko - The Kids Are Alright +
David Seilder - The King's Speech +
Aaron Sorkin - The Social Network +

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
"Bound To You" - Burlesque
Music By: Samuel Dixon
Lyrics By: Christina Aguilera and Sia Furler
"Coming Home" - Country Song
Music & Lyrics By: Bob DiPiero, Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey and Troy Verges
"I See The Light" - Tangled
Music By: Alan Menken
Lyrics By: Glenn Slater
"There's A Place For Us" - Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader
Music & Lyrics By: Hillary Lindsey, Carrie Underwood and David Hodges
"You Haven't Seen The Last Of Me" - Burlesque
Music & Lyrics By: Diane Warren

----------

Best Television Series - Drama
Boardwalk Empire (HBO) +
Dexter (SHOWTIME)
The Good Wife (CBS)
Mad Men (AMC) + The Walking Dead (AMC)

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama
Steve Buscemi – Boardwalk Empire (HBO) +
Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad (AMC) +
Michael C. Hall – Dexter (SHOWTIME) +
Jon Hamm – Mad Men (AMC) +
Hugh Laurie – House (FOX)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama
Julianna Margulies – The Good Wife (CBS)
Elisabeth Moss – Mad Men (AMC)
Piper Perabo – Covert Affairs (USA)
Katey Sagal - Sons of Anarchy (FX)
Kyra Sedgwick – The Closer (TNT) +

Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical
30 Rock (NBC) +
The Big Bang Theory (CBS) +
The Big C (SHOWTIME)
Glee (FOX)
Modern Family (ABC) +
Nurse Jackie (SHOWTIME)

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Comedy or Musical
Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock (NBC) +
Steve Carell - The Office (NBC) +
Thomas Jane - Hung (HBO) +
Matthew Morrison - Glee (FOX)
Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory (CBS) +

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Comedy or Musical
Toni Collette - United States of Tara (SHOWTIME)
Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie (SHOWTIME)
Tina Fey - 30 Rock (NBC) +
Laura Linney - The Big C (SHOWTIME)
Lea Michele - Glee (FOX)

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television
Carlos (SUNDACE C) +
The Pacific (HBO)
Pillars Of The Earth (STARZ) +
Temple Grandin (HBO)
You Don't Know Jack (HBO) +

Best Performance by an Actor In A Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television
Idris Elba – Luther
Ian McShane - Pillars Of The Earth (STARZ) +
Al Pacino – You Don't Know Jack (HBO) +
Dennis Quaid – The Special Relationship
Edgar Ramirez – Carlos (SUNDANCE C) +

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television
Hayley Atwell – Pillars Of The Earth (STARZ)
Claire Danes – Temple Grandin (HBO)
Judi Dench – Return To Cranford +
Romola Garai – Emma
Jennifer Love Hewitt – The Client List

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, Or Motion Picture Made For Television
Scott Caan – Hawaii Five-O (CBS)
Chris Colfer – Glee (FOX)
Chris Noth – The Good Wife (CBS)
Eric Stonestreet – Modern Family (ABC)
David Strathairn – Temple Grandin (HBO)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, Or Motion Picture Made For Television
Hope Davis – The Special Relationship
Jane Lynch – Glee (FOX) +
Kelly MacDonald – Boardwalk Empire (HBO) +
Julia Stiles – Dexter (SHOWTIME)
Sofia Vergara – Modern Family (ABC)

This is Spinal Tap

2010-11-21T11:37:00.003-06:00

The ridiculous 'rockumentary' about an up and coming parody rock band, Spinal Tap, in the '80s. Getting their start in Britain, these unintelligent "musicians" are blind to the fact that they have no talent and no following, except for a small audience of potheads and relating idiots.
Their well thought out songs of stupidity are not that bad in my opinion. The eccentric lyrics are well thought out and are catchy, in a 'we're gonna make you laugh your ass off' way. They do not have bad voices and they are pretty bad ass at electric guitar.
Their antics off stage are even more wacky then on stage.
To sum up the movie, in four words. Comical sex, drugs, and rock n' roll.

Skeletons - Trailer

2010-10-23T20:32:00.002-05:00

Rushmore

2010-10-11T15:47:00.002-05:00

As you know, or do not know (depending if you have read my blog before), I am in love with the director, Wes Anderson (his movies, that is). Rushmore is just another to add to that wonderful list.
Rushmore, filmed in Houston, Texas (yeah!), is the story of a fifteen-year-old high school student named Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman). He is an exeptionally smart playwrite and lives for the private school, Rushmore, that he attends. He is pretty much in charge of every club and extracurricular activity created in the school. But he finds himself spending to much time involved in hobbies and not enough time involved with acedemics, causing him to fail. This is the last straw, he is sentenced to 'acedemic probation'. Devistated, he has to endure public school. But he spends many days visiting Rushmore, uninvited.
He meets a young elementary school teacher, Miss Cross (Olivia Williams). And guess what, he falls in love. He also developes a close friendship with Herman Blume (Bill Murray), a business man who's two jerk sons attend Rushmore. He also finds himself becoming attracted to Miss Cross. The whole thing becomes an oddly entertaining, and heartwarming/breaking love triangle.
Of course, I have never had the grave experience of watching a bad Wes Anderson film. I think it is impossible that he could even dream of making a flop. So I guess that is all I have to say, since you have probably already guess that I would highly recomend this movie.

The New Tenants - Trailer

2010-09-26T12:56:00.003-05:00

The New Tenants trailer from Det Danske Filminstitut on Vimeo.

Youth in Revolt

2010-08-20T18:44:00.001-05:00

An original, unusual take on a teenage romance. It it cute, funny, poetic, dramatic, sharp, and weird at times. It is catagorized as a comedy, but I find it more of a dramatic romance.
Directed by Miguel Arteta, Nick Twist (Michael Cera), is a mama's boy, high school nerd, and virgin. He doesn't have any experience with relationships. He longs to escape from home, his mom (Jean Smart) I am sorry to say, is kind of a slut. She divorced his father, George (Steve Buscemi), and is now dating a gross hick, who has developed a rivalry with Nick.
On a trip to his mom's boyfriend's trailor, he meets a girl, Sheeni (Portia Doubleday), walking in the trailor park. He falls in love. The problem is she has a boyfriend (of course). He comes up with a plan to elope with her. She just doesn't want to date a goody-two-shoes.
So he devolpes a "bad-ass" alter-ego, named Francois Dillinger. And when he doesn't know what to do, he uses Francois as a sort of guide and mentor.
I think the ending was my favorite part of the movie. It was not quite what you expected, but at the same time it was. It is bitter-sweet, but I would say more sweet than bitter! :)

The Hurt Locker

2010-08-09T22:45:00.002-05:00

Wow! This film is amazing! Everything about it is amazing! The cinematography, acting, art direction, and directing! You truly feel like you are there, standing in front of a bomb about to explode! It gets your heart racing!
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, this movie is a bit of everything. Sergeant First Class William James (played by the talented Jeremy Renner) is addicted to war. As the leader of an Army bomb squad, he will put everything below the addrenaline rush. Even if it means endangering his team, Sergeant JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldiridge (Brian Geraghty). They struggle with their emotions as they are on a journey where every one is a potential enemy.
It fully deserved the Oscar for Best Motion Picture. Like I said before, amazing!

Tenure

2010-08-01T16:38:00.005-05:00

This movie was fun to watch. It was a sarcastic drama that you could just pop in the DVD player. It was good, except that it had absolutely no conclusion of important details. One of the most annoying and unnecessary things was the flash back in the beginning, no point to it at all.
Luke Wilson starring as Charlie Thurber, an English college professor struggling with a mid-life crisis. Charlie is determined to get tenure, a permanent job of a teacher until retirement, by sucking up to Dean Leakey (played by William Bogert). He soon finds himself in a competition against Elaine Grasso (Gretchen Mol), a high status professor from Harvard. His friend, Jay Hadley (David Koechner), a corky anthropology professor, and founder of the Sasquatch Club, tries to "help" him, by sabotaging Grasso's reputation. But she develops feelings for Charlie instead.
Like I said before, it would be a cute funny film, if there was any romantic chemistry between Wilson and Mol. David and Luke, on the other hand, seemed to naturally work very well together.
An example of a detail that was left unanswered was the fact that Charlie kept seeing Sasquatch, more like a man dressed like him. I was waiting for him to glance and see the face of Dean Leakey or Jay behind the mask, but it ended up ignored and never being addressed. There are certainly many other things left unanswered.
But it is just a relaxed movie that you can watch, if you're having a bad day. It is funny. I would recommend it, just for the hell of it.

Ali G Indahouse

2010-07-08T20:11:00.006-05:00

A scripted plot based on the original british TV show Da Ali G Show featuring Sacha Baron Cohen. It is nothing like the show, which is made-up of improvisational interviews Cohen's alteregos (Ali G, and occasionly Borat, also made into an Oscar winning movie) with seemingly oblivious people. Sex, drugs (mainly pot), sexism, cussing (basically in every sentence), homosexual jokes, and more! It is not as funny and spontainious as the show. This is definitely one of the worst movies I have ever seen. But if you are into downright stupid comedy, then you will love it, if you are a absolutely no fun at all and cannot take a joke, then you will hate it. With that said...I LOVED IT!

7 Classic Disney Movies Based On R-Rated Stories

2010-07-07T11:53:00.001-05:00

"This is sorta creepy...actually a lot creepy..."

We can understand watering down a story to make it child-appropriate, but Disney didn't have any business adapting these tales in the first place.

View >>

Lars and the Real Girl

2010-06-21T19:02:00.003-05:00

A heartbreakingly, heartwarming journey that bends your definition of real love.
This story, directed by Craig Gillespie, follows a sweet-natured, socially isolated man, named Lars (Ryan Gosling), who finds love in a life-size sex doll, named Bianca. He is completely content, in a delusional way, with his plastic lover. But finds he is delveloping feelings for a co-worker Margo.
This is a sweet, not to mention unique, story about discovering the limits of true love, and what is held back. You find yourself knowing what these characters are feeling, no matter how weird their relationships become, thanks to the quirky, well-written script by Nancy Oliver.
Although odd, this is a movie about love, yes real love.

Splice :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews

2010-06-04T11:50:00.001-05:00

Maybe it is not the usually si-fi movie it is advertised as...

Splice :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews

3D or Idiocracy

2010-05-29T14:53:00.001-05:00

Is it just me or do the film production companies seem to be pumping out 3D films like free Target gift-cards? Do they think we are too stupid to enjoy the substance of a movie so they need to keep us "occupied" with things flying at our faces through the screen? What will be next, dramas, foreign films, documentaries?...

9

2010-05-20T18:08:00.005-05:00

Visually, pretty cool (most likely if you have an HD TV). Too bad the movie is lame...
9 is about the future, a future of machines that have destroyed humanity. The thirst for technology that they have created has turned against them. All that is left to stop them are the numbered dolls, created by a mastermind. The characters all have different personalities (if you could call them that) and purposes. It sounds like it could have been a good si-fi movie, but the flatness of the 'dolls' 'personalities ruines it.
No emotion, no matter how hard they actors tried, which obviously was not very much. Almost NONE of the voices seemed to fit their characters. There were stabs at comedy here and there, I guess to show that they were some what human, but it did NOT work...at all.
The only character that seemed to do anything for the movie was #5, voiced by John C. Reilly. He had a voice that fit his character. He was the only one who had any emotion in his voice.
This movie is not worth seeing, unless you have a 3D Imax theatre in your home. To sum up this movie in one word it would be flat...just flat.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

2010-05-17T16:20:00.004-05:00

Classic Wes Anderson, people! The signature comedy, the one color theme (in this case orange, red, and gold), the long pauses, the lasting close-ups. You are aware of the clearcut personalities of the characters, almost imediatly. Sure some of the pauses are little too long, but somehow that makes it more unique, more appealing...to me at least.
A whole world is created by the detailed animation and recognizable characatures.
Cocky, handsome [Fantastic] Mr. Fox (voiced by the smooth, George Clooney) is nearing the end of his salad days. He has a family to look after and care for. His son, Ash (voiced by the awkward, Jason Schwartzman), is desperate to impress his father. But his father seems to be focused more on Kristofferson (voiced by Eric Chase Anderson), a cousin who has come to stay with them. It seems that Mr. Fox has replaced Kristofferson as his son. Mrs. Fox (voiced by the always original, Meryl Streep) is a sweet, dedicated housewife, who is worried for her husband's safety.
Mr. Fox longs to be the daring guy he used to be. But he, and his whole family, end up in trouble when he starts to get back into his old habits.
Anderson's comedy may be a little mature for children, although silly sometimes. And the plot may also be a little too slow and complicated for them. My 7 year old sister was not that impressed. I did enjoy watching it with my family.

Babies :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews

2010-05-07T22:43:00.001-05:00

Babies :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews

The Brothers Bloom

2010-04-15T17:09:00.008-05:00

Have you ever watched a movie, there is good acting, good cinematography, good directing, a good score, and a good script, but there were so many twists you were just ready for it to end. That is what is wrong with this movie.
Directed and written by Rian Johnson, The Brothers Bloom is about two brothers that become con-men. The younger brother, Bloom (Adrian Brody), is longing for a real life, an "unwritten" one. The older brother, Stephen (Mark Ruffalo), is still obsessed with the thrill of the con. With their "sidekick" (in a sense), Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), they devise the most radical and imaginative cons, all written by Stephen, and pull them off, or possibly smooth talk their way out of it! But when the try to rip-off Penelope (Rachel Weisz), a lonely, single, heiress from New Jersey, it does not quite go as planed.
The problem is the brothers (and the writing) con you, and the audience, too much. The first two twists are intriguing and unexpected, but when you get to the 3rd (at the least), it sort of loses its thrill. Not that the movie was not good and fun to watch. It has a bit of everything, adventure/action/romance/comedy/drama, ect.
Adrien Brody gives a wonderful performance, and so does Mark Ruffalo. Like always Robbie Coltrane (The Curator), does a fantastic job. Rinko Kikuchi, whom I had never heard of before this film, is amazing, and I hope to see more of her in American, or British, movies! Rachel Weisz on the other hand...I do not like as much. Her character is a big part of the movie and she did not really seem to capture it well. I can see how it would be a hard role to play, an eccentric, lonely, hopeful, heiress, longing for adventure. But it just does not work, it seems like she is pushing too hard. Not to generalize, but I have never really liked her movies, or acting.
Yes, I would recommend this movie. Although you may get exhausted at times, its fun.

And personally I think Adrien Brody is handsome, although everyone seems to disagree. I guess I have a thing for tall, thin, jewish looking guys. Oh well, just felt like mentioning that.

Whatever Works

2010-03-15T12:31:00.004-05:00

Boris Yellnikoff (Larry David from Curb Your Enthusiasm) hates people. The human race is a "failed" species, according to him. They are all "microbes" compared to his Nobel Prize intelligence. He would rather be isolated from the world than have a social interaction. Long story short, lets just say he is an extreme pessimist.
On his way home, from visiting the few friends he has, he meets a happy-go-lucky runaway named Melody St. Ann Celestine (Evan Rachel Wood). He takes her in and figures out, although she is not the smartest person in the world, she is not so bad. She opens his heart to the not so bad things in life and, for once, he is happy.
Woody Allen directs this sarcastic film about a guy who learns to love, despite how stupid.
I have to say I did not expect much of this movie. I thought it was going to be another story about a not so likable guy who finally discovers the meaning of life, or something like that. But I was pleasantly surprised. They were a lot of laughs, which I did not expect either. It was a feel good movie with a guy who learned what feel good was.

And the Winners Are...

2010-03-13T15:38:00.008-06:00

Shame on the Academy for awarding Sandra Bullock the Best Actress award. Uhh, I am very ashamed of what the main stream film business has come too. People's taste these days...

http://oscar.go.com/oscar-night/winners

*copy link and paste onto little search link thingy...

The Cove

2010-03-03T15:58:00.077-06:00

This is the heartbreaking, yet at times heartwarming, journey through a cove in Taji, Japan where the unbelievably cruel act of the annual slaughter of dolphins takes place. Ric O'Barry, the trainer of the dolphin, Kathy, that appeared on the popular TV show Flipper. When Kathy died from depression in his arm, he decided he would try and stop the capture of dolphins for entertainment, which he feels he has created. And the mental, and physical, abuse that comes with captivity.
He rounds up a team of people that are willing to try and stop this horrific act at all cost. The Cove is off limits...but of coarse that does not matter to them. It is hardly any chance of getting into it, it is blocked by rails, steep slopes/mountains, fences, and even electric fences. They maneuver around all of these challenges though, they are extremely brave, talented, determined, and passionate activists.
These are the type of people who deserved to be looked up to, and I certainly do. The film crew, oh my god the film crew, they are willing to risk it all, along with everyone else. Could you imagine what it would be like to follow these people around, having to go through almost all of the same things, carrying a film camera on your shoulder? How brave!
This film is disturbing, depressing (and I mean "I wanna kill myself" depressing), and there is a possibility that you may lose all possible hope in humanity. But don't, I am not saying you will not cry, or the images on the screen will not snap your heart in half, I am simply saying there is hope. There is hope because of the people who are willing to risk it all, the very people that you are watching on the TV screen.

The Nominees Are...

2010-02-14T12:45:00.007-06:00

italic - should win, bold - will win, * - bullshit

Best Picture

Avatar - James Cameron & Jon Landau

The Blind Side - Gil Netter, Andrew A. Kosove, & Broderick Johnson*

District 9 - Peter Jackson & Carolynne Cunningham

An Education - Finola Dwyer & Amanda Posey

The Hurt Locker - Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier, & Greg Shapiro

Inglorious Bastards - Lawrence Bender

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire - Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, & Gary Magness

A Serious Man - Joel Coen & Ethan Coen

Up - Jonas Rivera

Up in the Air - Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman, & Jason Reitman

Best Actor

Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart

George Clooney - Up in the Air

Colin Firth - A Single Man

Morgan Freeman - Invictus

Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side*

Helen Mirren - The Last Station

Carey Mulligan - An Education

Gabourey Sidibe - Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia*

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Matt Damon - Invictus

Woody Harrelson - The Messenger

Christopher Plummer - The Last Station

Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones

Christopher Waltz - Inglorious Bastards

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Penelope Cruz - Nine

Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air

Maggie Gyllenhaal - Crazy Heart

Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air

Mo'Nique - Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

Best Animated Feature

Coraline - Henry Selick

Fantastic Mr. Fox - Wes Anderson

The Princess and the Frog - John Musker & Ron Clements*

The Secret Kells - Tomm Moore

Up - Peter Docter

Best Documentary Feature

Berma VJ - Anders Ostergaard & Lise Lense-Moller

The Cove - Louie Psihoyos & Fisher Stevens

Food Inc. - Robert Kenner & Elise Pearlstein

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers - Judith Ehrlich & Rick Goldsmith

Which Way Home - Rebecca Cammisa

Best Documentary Short

China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province - Jon Alpert & Matthew O'Neill

The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner - Daniel Junge & Henry Ansbacher

The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant - Steven Bognar & Julia Reichert

Music by Prudince - Roger Ross Williams & Elinor Burkett

Rabbit a la Berlin - Bartek Konopka & Anna Wydra

Best Foreign Language Film

Ajami - Isreal - Directed by Scandar Copti & Yaron Shani

The Milk of Sorrow (La Teta Asustada) - Peru - Directed by Claudia Llosa

A Prophete (Un Prophete) - France - Directed by Jacques Audiard

The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos) - Argentina - Directed by Juan José Campanella

The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band) - Germany - Directed by Michael Haneke

Best Directing

Avatar - James Cameron

The Hurt Locker - Kathryn Bigelow

Inglorious Bastards - Quentin Tarantino

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire - Lee Daniels

Up in the Air - Jason Reitman

Best Cinematography

Avatar - Mauro Fiore

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Bruno Delbonnel
The Hurt Locker - Barry Ackroyd

Inglorious Bastards - Robert Richardson

The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band) - Christian Berger

Best Art Direction

Avatar - Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg (Art Direction); Kim Sinclair (Set Decoration)

Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro (Art Direction); Caroline Smith (Set Decoration)

Nine - John Myhre (Art Direction); Gordon Sim (Set Decoration)

Sherlock Holmes - Sarah Greenwood (Art Direction); Katie Spencer (Set Decoration)

The Young Victoria - Patrice Vermette (Art Direction); Maggie Gray (Set Decoration)

Best Costume Design

Bright Star - Janet Patterson

Coco Before Chanel - Katherine Leterrier

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - Monique Prudhomme

Nine - Colleen Atwood

The Young Victoria - Sandy Powell

Best Film Editing

Avatar - Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua, & James Cameron

District 9 - Julian Clarke

The Hurt Locker - Bob Murawski & Chris Innis

Inglorious Bastards - Sally Menke

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire - Joe Klotz

Best Makeup

II Divo - Aldo Signoretti & Vittorio Sodano

Star Trek - Barney Burman, Mindy Hall, & Joel Harlow

The Young Victoria - Jon Henry Gordon & Jenny Shircore

Best Sound Editing

Avatar - Christopher Boyes & Gwendolyn Yates Whittle

The Hurt Locker - Paul N.J. Ottosson

Inglorious Bastards - Wylie Stateman

Star Trek - Mark Stoeckinger & Alan Rankin

Up - Micheal Silvers & Tom Myers

Best Sound Mixing

Avatar - Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson, & Tony Johnson

The Hurt Locker - Paul N.J. Ottosson & Ray Beckett

Inglorious Bastards - Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti, & Mark Ulano

Star Trek - Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson, & Peter J. Devlin

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, & Geoffrey Patterson

Best Visual Effects

Avatar - Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, & Andrew R. Jones

District 9 - Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros, & Matt Aitken

Star Trek - Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, & Burt Dalton

Best Short Film (Animated)

French Roast - Fabrice O. Joubert

Granny O'Grimms Sleeping Beauty - Nicky Phelan and Darragh O'Connell

The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerta) - Javier Recio Gracia

Logorama - Nicolas Schmerkin

A Matter of Loaf and Death - Nick Park

Best Short Film (Live Action)

The Door - Juanita Wilson & James Flynn

Instead of Abracadabra - Patrik Eklund & Mathias Fjellström

Kavi - Gregg Heveley

Miracle Fish - Luke Doolan & Drew Bailey

The New Tenents - Joachim Back & Tivi Magnusson

Best Music (Original Score)

Avatar - James Horner

Fantastic Mr. Fox - Alexandre Desplat

The Hurt Locker - Marco Beltrami & Buck Sanders

Sherlock Holmes - Hans Zimmer

Up - Michael Giacchino

Best Music (Original Song)

The Princess and the Frog - "Almost There" - Music and Lyric by Randy Newman*

The Princess and the Frog - "Down in New Orleans" - Music and Lyric by Randy Newman*

Paris 36 - "Loin De Paname" - Music by Reinhardt Wagner and Lyric by Frank Thomas

Nine - "Take It All" - Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston

Crazy Heart - "The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart) - Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham & T Bone Burnett

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

The Hurt Locker - Written by Mark Boal

Inglorious Bastards - Written by Quentin Tarantino

The Messenger - Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman

A Serious Man - Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen

Up - Screenplay by Bob Peterson & Pete Docter. Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, & Tom McCarthy

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

District 9 - Written by Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell

An Education - Screenplay by Nick Hornby

In the Loop - Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, & Tony Roche

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire - Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher

Up in the Air - Screenplay by Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner

*Remember I cannot predict the future!*

Zombieland

2010-02-14T10:41:00.006-06:00

An outbreak of mad cow disease is infecting people and turning them into...ZOMBIES!!! A dorky teen, called Columbus, meets up with a country hard ass, called Tallahassee, and two girls who have trust issues. They are the only ones who have seemed to survive the zombie apocalypse. All of them are headed towards a land that is hopefully untouched by this bizarre tragedy.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, this has the ideal script for a 15 year old adolescent boy and the amount of blood that you might find in a slaughterhouse. The zombies look freakin' awesome, the makeup artist is pretty damn good (at the least).
Woody Harrelson, (Tallahassee), does an amazing job at being a bad ass! And Abigail Breslin does a pretty good job, (veering off from her usual goody-goody roles).

I guess if I had to sum up this movie in one sentence it would be:
Kick ass as fuck!!!!!

To Be Or Not To Be?

2010-01-29T17:31:00.004-06:00

Do not be so gruesomely pessimistic, but do not be obliviously optimistic. Do not be so quick to judge, but do not be so quick to trust. Do not generalize, but do not think all people are leaders.

Golden Globe Winners of 2010

2010-01-19T17:57:00.005-06:00

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Avatar

Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical
The Hangover

Best Director
Avatar

Best Actress - Drama
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side

Best Actor - Drama
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart

Best Actress - Comedy/Musical
Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia

Best Actor - Comedy/Musical
Robert Downey Jr. - Sherlock Holmes

Best Supporting Actress
Mo'nique - Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire

Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Waltz - Inglorious Bastards

Best Animated Feature Film
Up

Best Screenplay
Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner - Up In The Air

Best Original Score
Up

Best Original Song
The Weary Kind - Crazy Heart (theme)

Best Foreign Film
The White Ribbon

Best TV Series - Drama
Mad Men

Best TV Series - Comedy/Musical
Glee

Best Actress in a TV Series - Drama
Julianna Marguiles - The Good Wife

Best Actor in a TV Series - Drama
Michael C. Hall - Dexter

Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy/Musical
Toni Collette - United States of Tara

Best Actor in a TV Series - Comedy/Musical
Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series
Chloe Sevigny - Big Love

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series
John Lithgal - Dexter

The Lovely Bones

2010-01-19T17:21:00.004-06:00

Good story, good acting, good movie (for the most part)...except it was ruined! The sad thing is that only a couple of things ruined the entire movie.
A 14 year old suburban girl, Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan), kidnapped, raped, and murdered by a disturbed serial killer, George Harvey (Stanley Tucci), who rapes then murders young girls. When she realizes that she has died she goes to a sort of in between world, not reality and not heaven. Her father, Jack Salmon (Mark Wahlberg), is determined to find her killer, with Suzy guiding him from beyond. Susan Sarandon plays Grandma Lynn, who is a sarcastic alcoholic, brings some comedy to this dark story.
It did not stay true to the book, it was too watered down, the director, Peter Jackson, narrowed the character's personalities too much. Especially the murders character, I guess her thought that Stanley Tucci could not handle it, but I dare to disagree. Stanley Tucci is a phenomenal actor when he wants to be and I think he wanted to be this character. I also think he thought that the audience could not handle the characters gruesome mentality.
The thing that slaughtered the film is the in between world. I guess the word for it would be over-done. There were as many special effects as an action movie. This movie was definitely produced for adolescent girls.
I am extremely disappointed in this movie. It could have been well done. I don't blame anyone but the director.

A Letter to Rush Limbaugh :: rogerebert.com :: Opinion

2010-01-17T13:14:00.001-06:00

READ THIS!!!! YOU GO ROGER, YOU ARE NOW ONE OF MY TOP TWO HEROES!!!! GOD DAMN YOU RUSH LIMBAUGH, dang I have wanted to say that for a loooooong time!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Letter to Rush Limbaugh :: rogerebert.com :: Opinion

Kathryn Bigelow: Best Director

2010-01-16T14:35:00.004-06:00

Kathryn Bigelow was the first woman director last night at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards to win Best Director! She is the director of The Hurt Locker, probably one of the best films of the decade. The Hurt Locker also won Best Picture.
This maybe cliche, but I hope to be standing on the exact spot on stage she was. Her presence will linger on that stage. She has set a high standard for women directors, which is exactly what we need, to make a our mark on a genre overpowered by men. My heart is full of nothing but love for her. I am unbelievably proud.

Critics' Choice Movie Awards

2010-01-16T12:51:00.005-06:00

There were triumphant moments and shockingly horrible moments at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards. The first woman director, Kathryn Bigelow, won Best Director! The Cove won best documentary! The best actress award was a TIE! The most devastating and undeserving tie I have ever seen on an award show...
Meryl Streep & Sandra Bullock, two of the most undeserving nominees in the Best Actress category! I am sure they at least did a decant job acting in those movies, from what I have heard, Meryl Streep did. She had a small challenge playing Julia Child, with the accent and all, but... All of the other nominees deserved to win over those two!
Do not get me wrong, I am not dissing Sandra Bullock or anything, actually let me take that back... The Blind Side was probably the best acting she has done in a long time, if not ever, but I mean look at her movie career...it is not the best track record I have ever seen. She has the same character personality in most, if not all, of her "films", just in a different sticky situation. Predictable romantic comedies/chick flicks. The girl and the guy who do not really like each other or do not really want to fall in love, but always end up doing it anyway... This film was a big jump for her, and from what I have heard, she handled it pretty well for her acting abilities.
All I can say is...disappointing...for the most part...

Golden Globe Awards 2010

2010-01-10T20:33:00.011-06:00

I haven't seen all of the films or TV shows nominated but I am predicting the winners from what I have seen, what I have heard, and what I have read. Remember I can not predict the future.

who's going to win in bold
who should win in italics
* who has a chance
~ what I have seen
^ who should not be nominated

Best Drama - Film

Avatar ~
The Hurt Locker *
Inglorious Bastards *
Precious: Based On The Novel By Sapphire ~ *
Up In The Air

Should Be Nominated - Best Drama - Film

Public Enemies

Best Actress - Drama - Film

Emily Blunt - The Young Victoria
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side ^
Helen Mirren - The Last Station
Carey Mulligan - An Education
Gabourey Sidibe - Precious: Based On The Novel By Sapphire ~ *

Best Actor - Drama - Film

Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
George Clooney - Up In The Air
Colin Firth - A Single Man
Morgan Freeman - Invictus *
Tobey Maguire - Brothers *

Should Be Nominated - Best Actor - Drama - Film

Johnny Depp - Public Enemies

Best Comedy/Musical - Film

(500) Days Of Summer ~ * -for comedy
The Hangover ~
It's Complicated
Julie & Julia ^
Nine * -for musical

Should Be Nominated - Best Comedy/Musical - Film

Away We Go

Best Actress - Comedy/Musical - Film

Sandra Bullock - The Proposal ^
Marion Cotillard - Nine *
Julia Roberts - Duplicity
Meryl Streep - It's Complicated
Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia

Best Actor - Comedy/Musical - Film

Matt Damon - The Informant! -for comedy
Daniel Day-Lewis - Nine -for musical
Robert Downey Jr. - Sherlock Holmes *
Joseph Gordon-Levitt - (500) Days Of Summer ~ *
Michael Stuhlbarg - A Serious Man

Best Supporting Actress - Film

Penelope Cruz - Nine *
Vera Farmiga - Up In The Air *
Anna Kendrick - Up In The Air *
Mo'nique - Precious: Based On The Novel By Sapphire ~
Julianne Moore - A Single Man

Best Supporting Actor - Film

Matt Damon - Invictus
Woody Harrelson - The Messenger *
Christopher Plummer - The Last Station *
Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones *
Christopher Waltz - Inglorious Bastard

Best Animated Film

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs ^
Coraline * ~
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess And Frog ^
Up * ~

Best Director - Drama - Film

Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker *
James Cameron - Avatar
Clint Eastwood - Invictus *
Jason Reitman - Up In The Air
Quentin Tarantino - Inglorious Bastards *

Best TV Series - Drama

Big Love (HBO) *
Dexter (SHOWTIME) *
House (FOX) ~
Mad Men (AMC) ~
True Blood (HBO) * ~

Best Actress - TV - Drama

Glenn Close - Damages (FX) *
January Jones - Mad Men (AMC) ~
Julianna Margulies - The Good Wife (CBS)
Anna Paquin - True Blood (HBO) * ~
Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer (TNT) * ~

Best Actor - TV -Drama

Simon Baker - The Mentalist (CBS) ^ ~
Michael C. Hall - Dexter (SHOWTIME) *
Jon Hamm - Mad Men (AMC) ~
Hugh Laurie - House (FOX) ~
Bill Paxton - Big Love (HBO)

Best TV Series - Comedy/Musical

30 Rock (NBC) ~
Entourage (HBO) *
Glee (FOX) ^
Modern Family (ABC) ~
The Office (NBC) ~

Should Be Nominated - Best TV Series - Comedy/Musical

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
How I Met Your Mother
The Big Bang Theory

Best Actress - TV - Comedy/Musical

Toni Collette - United States Of Tara (SHOWTIME)
Courtney Cox - Cougar Town (ABC) ^
Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie (SHOWTIME)
Tina Fay - 30 Rock (NBC) ~
Lea Michele - Glee (FOX) ^

Best Actor - TV - Comedy/Musical

Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock (NBC) ~
Steve Carell - The Office (NBC) * ~
David Duchovny - Californication (SHOWTIME) *
Thomas Jane - Hung (HBO)
Matthew Morrison - Glee (FOX) ^

Should Be Nominated - Best Actor - TV - Comedy/Musical

Danny Devito - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother

Sunday, January 17th
NBC
7:00 central
Ricky Jervais is hosting

Paper Heart

2010-01-02T16:55:00.006-06:00

A corky documentary, directed by Nicholas Jasenovec, about love. I wonder why nobody has thought of this before. Love is usually thought of as either simple or overly complicated. It is certainly stereotyped, but this film dives deep into the concept of the word...love.
Charlyne Yi, comedian and actress, does not believe in love. She decides to go on a journey to figure out if love is real or not. On her journey she meets Michael Cera (from Juno). Ironically, they make an instant connection, and as the movie progresses, they fall in love. But Charlyne refuses to except this.
Their relationship seems real, but I could not quite figure out if it was part of the plot of the movie, or just a coincidence, they would be a good couple though.
Personally, I did not like Charlyne. I thought that she was to immature, so much so that she seemed like a 12 year old. She was too quiet, now if she was shy that would be a different story, but she just did not follow through when she spoke and did not make it clear why she was even speaking. But I am certain that she would be lovable to a lot of people.
The best scenes in the film were little puppet shows, which acted out moments when the couples being interviewed truly fell in love.
This was not the best documentary I have seen, but it did change my perspective on love.

*I would recommend this film.

The Hangover

2009-12-30T15:58:00.003-06:00

It's freakin' hilarious!

*plus the soundtrack is awesome!

Avatar

2009-12-30T15:20:00.005-06:00

Directed by James Cameron, this film is part of the line of what can be imagined and still apply to reality.
The movie is more or less about connecting, or becoming one, with the earth/environment. Deciphering good from bad, right from wrong. When to take sides and why. Seeking the truth. A beautiful race of people, beautiful creatures, a beautiful language, a beautiful environment...but we come into their lives with greed, want, and anger, which ultimately leads to the destruction of beauty and everything pure. Sound familiar...trust me if nothing happens to our planet, it will.
The creatures in this movie move with lifelike grace, it is amazing really. In the beginning of the film the people/creatures were a bit jerky, but as the movie moved along the movements became more clear...and rarely can you make weird, animated sex hot. The art direction and animation were amazing, the setting, the spirits, the environment.
The movie was sort of lame beginning, but as it developed you got into it and wanted to find out what was going to happen next. The plot was a little predictable, but the way it was directed equaled it out.
This is a great excuse for a political movie, because it appeals to a large audience, kids, teens (like me), and adults, and it stills sends a message. It slips the message into your conciseness, without you really realizing it, but it will be there.

Garden State

2009-12-13T20:27:00.012-06:00

A journey of broken relationships. Life, love, want, drugs, and blame. Written and directed by Zach Braff, this film is about growing up. Zach Braff plays Andrew who is a wannabe actor still trying to figure out what to do with his life. He has absolutely no connection to anyone, he is numb. Natalie Portman plays Samantha (Sam) who is an original, outgoing liar with epilepsy.
Andrew ends up back in his hometown, which he has been trying to avoid, due to his mothers death. He runs in to some old high school "friends" and he briefly relives his high school years. Samantha and Andrew run into each other in a neurological clinic and...she opens his eyes.
All of them slowly become a dysfunctional family. They all want something in their lives to be fixed for them, but they realizes that they have to fix it themselves.
It is hard for me to write movie reviews for these types of films. I get so caught up in the thought of the movie, how I can relate to it. I think we all have something in out lives that is dysfunctional, that we want to be fixed, but eventually we are going to have to fix it ourselves.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

2009-12-05T18:58:00.004-06:00

This film is a glimpse inside the imagination of a middle aged man, played by Mathieu Amalric, who has had a stroke. A look at his reality. The film is directed, by Julian Schnabel, and written, by Ronald Harwood, as a steady stream of conciseness and images, therefor I am going to write this movie review as an ongoing thought. This is not going to be edited*, for the reason I just explained.

Images, beautiful images, drifting in and out of life, of reality...his reality, humor and grief, sadness, disappointment, through the known and unknown, dreams and nightmares, life and death, the life he didn't want- doesn't want, memories, human, inhuman, alienation, humiliation, longing, peace, disgrace, beauty, understanding, misunderstanding, distraction, denial, unwilling, constant, fear, love, acceptance, sympathy, existence, nothing and everything, home, thought, departure, lose, process, something more, split, passage, release, resurrection, darkness, light, journey...

His reality.

*spelling was edited
**based on a true story

Precious

2009-11-22T19:48:00.007-06:00

Hm. Beautiful...beautiful. Cinematography, directing, acting, everything. Mo'Nique and Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe probably give the best performances. Their characters are both abused in a way. Gabby's character, Precious, physically and sexually, and Mo'Nique's character, Mary, mentally...jealousy. Mariah Carey, a social worker, surprisingly also gives a good performance (for once).
This movie is about recognizing who we are, what we can do, what we can accomplish, and why we have to push ourselves. There is nothing that can describe this film but the film itself. Go see it.

Precious. She is beautiful. She is precious.

Winter Films 2009

2009-11-15T12:37:00.004-06:00

These are a list of films that I recommend this winter, and films that I highly don't recommend.

Recommended:

Precious
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Pirate Radio
The Road
Broken Embraces
Brothers
The Imaginariam of Doctor Parnassus
Sherlock Holmes
Avatar
Salt
Fix
The Fourth Kind

Not Recommended:

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squekuel
The Men Who Stare at Goats
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Planet 51
Old Dogs
The Princess and the Frog

Antichrist :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews

2009-10-23T17:28:00.001-05:00

Antichrist :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews

Ponyo

2009-09-07T14:01:00.006-05:00

One of Hayao Miyazaki's most charming films, along with My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service. Ponyo is a goldfish child who "falls in love" with a little boy, named Sosuke, they go on a heartfelt journey to try and keep her from turning back into a fish.
Obviously Miyazaki's imagination is endlessly extraordinary. He is capable of creating the most captivating stories and characters over and over. The characters in this movie are realistic, especially Lisa, Sosuke's mother, voiced by Tina Fey. Mothers can relate to her. The film has a pleasant, warm feel to it. The comedy is whimsical and down-to-earth.
If I had to choose only one word to describe this film it would be fun. My whole family enjoyed seeing this movie. If you need something to do go see this movie just for the heck of it. I guarantee that you will leave the theater with a smile on your face.

P.S. If you enjoyed this movie then you should watch these films from Studio Ghibli as well: Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro (1988), and The Cat Returns

The Cove - Trailer

2009-08-06T16:10:00.009-05:00

Please go see this movie, for the sake of understanding and reaching out to help. This film may be painful to watch at times, but the world needs to know the tragedies that are hidden behind these mountains.

Shrink

2009-08-05T21:44:00.005-05:00

I actually liked this movie, until I went over it in my head on the drive home. Kevin Spacey plays a Hollywood psychiatrist who is a drug addict. He has a young client who is from "the ghetto". In the story all, or most, of his clients are some how connected with one another.
As you already know, the acting is a huge part of a film, and that is why this movie is not good. I did like a large portion of the acting though. Kevin Spacey, Jesse Plemons, Dallas Roberts, Robin Williams, and Jack Huston are wonderful (but not magnificent). I am very surprised about Robin Williams performance, he usually doesn't do anything worth seeing, I am glad we can see that he has that ability to be a real actor.
The aspects that made the movie stick together (besides the actors above) are the cinematography and the score. Both are beautifully done. The script was O.K.. I actually think that this could have been a good movie.
I am not saying you should not see this movie, in fact I think you should see this movie. If it is on sale at Blockbuster of Target I would recommend you buy it. At times it can be slow but sit through it and chances are there will be a decent scene ahead.

"Stupidly"?

2009-07-29T15:45:00.007-05:00

I was astounded when I heard that some people were criticizing President Obama for saying "stupidly" to describe how police officers acted when arresting a black man, who was supposedly breaking into his OWN home, even though he showed proof that he lived there!
I looked up the word to make sure that I wasn't mistaken, and I wasn't. You wouldn't say, "they acted stupid." That even sounds incorrect (at least to intelligent beings)! The President said it correctly, "they acted stupidly."
All I am going to say now is, look it up!

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

2009-07-24T21:48:00.005-05:00

Usually the first movie in a trilogy is the best, and that is also the case for this one. I guess I set the bar a little too high. I liked the first one, never saw the second one, but this one was just bad.
I guess I shouldn't be too hard on it since it is a kids movie, but it should be enjoyable for adults too. The only reason I went is because my little sister wanted to see it. And she didn't even like, which is just plain sad.
What shocked me was there were inappropriate jokes. Jokes about coming out and "privates". Kids are being exposed to much more than they should these days. And it's weird because I don't think that most of them even got the jokes, so why even put something like that in there.
Although, there was an occasional laugh, I did not enjoy it.

Public Enemies

2009-07-14T22:04:00.011-05:00

Johnny Depp, plays the corrupt gangster, John Dillinger, in this criminal drama. Depp gives a stunning performance, possibly Oscar worthy. So does the beautiful Marion Cotillard. They have amazing chemistry, a, should I say, flow. Not much I have read is mentioned about Christian Bale, but he of course does well deserved recognition.
The film follows the federal hunt, lead by Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), for the notorious American gangster, John Dillinger (Johnny Depp). Along with Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham) and Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum), all of whom were infamous in the 1930's crime wave. The plot follows the events of his romance with Billie Frechette (Marion Colltiard) and Dillinger's desperate escape from the the thing he loved, the adrenaline rush of bank robbery .
Surprisingly, this film did not stray from the actuality of the true events, which is incredibly rare for a movie such as this. All of the actors remained genuinely relatable to the real people.
There was a sort of aura that was uncomfortable for me, but I cannot really figure it out. It maybe that the movie is not meant to be comforting, it is blatantly real.
This is a summer movie you will not regret seeing.

Bruno

2009-07-14T19:51:00.004-05:00

Bruno, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, is a gay Austrian fashion reporter who will do anything for fame. Sacha Baron Cohen puts him self in real life situations with real life people that are often quite awkward. Anything goes.
Let me just give you a little advice up front, be prepared. This movie is not for the squeamish. Seriously, do NOT go see the movie if you are not prepared for what it is going to dish out. You will either be laughing your ass off or staring at the screen with your mouth wide open in disgust and shock. I was frequently both through out.
It is supposed to expose how anti-homosexual America is. Sometimes it is right on, but other times it is off and offensive to the gay community. But there are mixed feelings through out the gay community.
The R rating is there for a very good reason. I am not trying to give anything away but there is anal sex, blow jobs, swingers, and a great amount of in your face, close-up, "private parts."
Either you should definitely go see this movie or you should steer very clear of it. It is up to you.