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Showing posts with label film. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

long-winded movie reviews: playing severe catch-up

movies i have seen recently that i have a few cents about...

king's speech

before you write this off cause it's rated R, the "family friendly" PG-13 version should be available if it isn't already. though, i don't know that it is all that necessary as long as you are adults- there is a scene of swearing, and it is vital to the story... outside of that, sheer brilliance. i get now why this one all of those oscars - not to mention - best picture! Colin Firth plays the king and he captures the role and the history so well. Helena Bonham Carter shows very well as his wife too. I know- you are trying to picture her in a semi-normal character role... well, she is- and it is tasty.

in my humble, yet correct, opinion: 5/5 - at least rent it... i might even need to own it...

social network

fascinating to watch. i knew this one would win awards for screenplay- that is definitely what shines in this one- the way it evolves is too fun that you almost miss some really great acting jobs in there... i think that half the fun of watching the film though is just knowing how much this one kid has influenced the world as we know it now- what would we do if we didn't have a place to spatter all of the meaningless details of our lives to each other just so we have something to do at 2am? {i will answer: i would go crazy- now that i am up 2-3 times a night for at least 20 minutes without anywhere to go, it is my saving grace.}

in my humble, yet correct opinion: 4.5/5 - also a renter...

unstoppable

classic case of denzel the hero just doing what he does in all of his movies.... but it isn't any less entertaining i guess cause they keep making em. again the fun is that this story is based on true events. i thought it got kind of slow in the middle... it does sort of feel like you are mindlessly watching the news after a while. but it was a decently entertaining action film. not one you need to own though.

in my humble, yet correct opinion: 2.5/5 - rent it.

unknown

we went to see this one in the theater a few weeks ago just before we had the baby... like a babymoon- since we know we won't get to see current movies for a long while. thank heaven for netflix i guess. so this is another fun action one that actually surprised me. usually i guess the plot in the first little bit and tick of my husband by doing so... but this one turned and i liked the surprise factor. the characters don't gel perfectly for me, but the story is fun and drove me crazy not to know what was going on the whole time! liam puts out a great performance, and that one chick has a pretty decent accent, but other than that- i would call it an average man flick.

in my humble, yet correct opinion: 3/5 - can't really watch it more than once.

RED

for the all-star cast that was in this movie, i am sad to say that it was not the sheer entertainment that i thought it would be. it has moments, and it helps that all of the actors are great- but the story itself seems patchy. it has an over-the-top/borderline campy action vibe to it that is fun as long as you know to expect it, but to have such an expensive cast, i would have paid my writers and editors to figure out how to keep some more depth to the characters.... you will enjoy it though- light-hearted man flick. sensing a pattern in movie choices lately?

in my humble, yet correct opinion: 3.5/5

life as we know it

look at the cover. yep - that's exactly how it goes. there are few surprises here, but its not that you need many in romantic comedies... its charming though, and we enjoyed watching all of the baby humor now that it is so close to home. even when it was over, i couldn't tell if i thought the casting choices would have been my top picks for this one- but it works enough. cute chick movie- girls' night kind.

in my humble, yet correct opinion: 4/5
{ps- i try to rate chick flix as compared only to other chick flix...}

i hope you are watching good movies too!!

Monday, February 28, 2011

what you missed @ the oscars

{and if you were wondering, it wasn't the hosts.}

it was, as my brother tweeted,

"like the time i watched titantic with my mom in Jr. High:

really slow and awkward during that one part."

@jacobmoffat

the best part was the "musicals:"

watch, and then pee.

he doesn't own a shirt.

in case you were wondering.

yes, the best presenter of the night was billy crystal,

yes, he should have hosted.

though i have heard many others say that next year should be

reese witherspoon, or sandra bullock, or robert downy, i would take kevin spacey...

please, oscar, spare me from anne hathaway in the future.

she just tries too hard.

{though i admit she did pull off quite a few stunning looks in her 22 costume/hair changes}

here was the opening with the hosts:

proof that they need a director to work it out.
it is mildly humorous,

but i wont go straight to funny...

and congrats to social network and inception

for coming away with some of the technical wins...

well deserved, and i just didn't want king's speech to win all of them unecessarily.

my predictions for wins were pretty darn close-

check em out here if you wanted to know...

Monday, January 17, 2011

i heart award shows

slash love to find the hits and misses.

here is the brief recap...

angelina = hit, always.

great color, great era, and yes, she can even pull off the shoulder pads...

carrie underwood = stunning.

anne hathaway = shoulder pads?

just because it's giorgio armani, doesn't mean it's a hit. and what the skin-fabric on the back?

jimmy fallon = hilarious

the host was ricky gervais.

the opener was rough. for all of us...

it was a roast, minus the laughing...

[from an article in tv examiner:]

"Ricky Gervais came out swinging, and here are just a few targets of his jokes:

Charlie Sheen - Gervais made fun of his drinking ... and his love for adult film stars.
"The Tourist" - Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie probably didn't like Ricky trashing the quality of their film, that's for sure.
Hugh Hefner: Well, he may have had it coming for marrying someone sixty years younger.
Mel Gibson: Yes, he wasn't done yet.
Tom Cruise / John Travolta: It's hard to say which one Gervais was referring to, but he did insinuate that someone was gay."

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Golden Globes 2011: Ricky Gervais destroys Charlie Sheen, Mel Gibson (photos) - National TV | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/tv-in-national/golden-globes-2011-ricky-gervais-destroys-charlie-sheen-mel-gibson-photos#ixzz1BJmkY5mg

scarlett johanssen - miss.

i think the hair puts it over the top, and the color is a bit wrong for her. some can pull off the "i look like i was made for a different time period"- look, and some look like they are trying to hard....

best supporting actor in a comedy or musical =

chris colfer {kurt} from glee.

i have to say i was excited for the guy.
and he was cute up there,

"I think I just dropped my heart between Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore,
so if anyone sees that, please give that back to me..."
-chris

but i would have gone with eric stonestreet {cam} from modern family.

thanks for not making a huge political statement either, we all appreciate it.

ricky gervais = a bit of a miss, poor guy.

turns out making hilarious mean fun of people isn't all that hilarious...

though many of his roasts are true,

there are too many in the crowd that take themselves too seriously to laugh....

{making fun of 40-year girlfriend gaps is one thing, telling great actors that no one cared about their film and they suck is another thing entirely}

personally, i thought hans zimmer should have won the best original score for inception, but alas, the social network wins out again...

best animated feature - toy story 3.

which i loved, whole-heartedly, and made me cry,

but i don't know if it beat despicable me...

best actress in a mini-series

claire danes {temple grandin}

who was a hit for me, btw. one of my favs - simple and elegant.

ps: i want to see that!

i keep hearing how moving it is

tiny fey/steve carrell as presenters

make me happy.

{why didn't they host the GG's!!}

screenplay = social network...

i would have said inception, but oh well...

supporting actress in tv show

jane lynch {glee}

the dress isn't a hit for me, but i think that is more her body-shape's fault. she almost could have done a pant suit and i would have liked it better...

"i am nothing if not falsely humble..."

-jane

best comedy or musical tv show

glee

lea michele = huge hit

i love that she just goes big. and sells it completely. she made me wish i was in that gown.

halle berry = hit. hello!

yikes, is she always hot or what? who really has that body and skin 100% of life?

best actor in a movie

paul giamatti

{barney's version}

didn't see it, but he's bril,

and maybe depp had 2 chances in this one...

best actress in a movie {drama}

natalie portman

{black swan}

natalie portman = hit. and prego, no less.

she is adorable and charming. always.

sandra bullock = hit.

minus the bangs.

her look is a lot sadder than last year though- when she stole the show. she obviously didn't want to be too noticed. and considering her life this year, i guess that's understandable.

best actor in a movie {drama}

colin firth {king's speech}

that i keep hearing is a serious must-see...

julia stiles - hit

she pulls off this cut so well, and her hair is classy. i dig.

olivia wilde - hit


she is just sassy, love that she just went with the full fluffy dress. stunning.

helena bonham carter- i think she tries hard to miss. and wins.

just disgusting.

and the other prego of note- jane krakowski {30 rock}
hit for me!

lets be honest, only movie starts can rock the prego bod this well.

till next time...

the full list of nominations/winners...

Monday, March 22, 2010

soul suckers... in movie adaptation form

i have been in the need of a good,
escape from stress and "educationy" literature...

and i found this book on one of my employees' desk.

a roommate had read this and i always wanted too,
but just never "had time"

so i made a pouty face, and she let me take it home.

i love to read good writing again.
it almost makes me sad.
like i should have done more in life so far.
like tried to learn to write, or even just travel more.
i have never made it out of the country,
despite my love of food and travelling thus far.

i am not done reading,
so i may yet comment again, but here...

"I walk up the stairs to my fourth-floor apartment, all alone. I let myself into my tiny little studio, all alone. I shut the door behind me. Another solitary bedtime in Rome. Another long night's sleep ahead of me, with nobody and nothing in my bed except a pile of Italian phrasebooks and dictionaries.

I am alone, I am all alone, I am completely alone.

Grasping this reality, I let go of my bag, drop to my knees and press my forehead against the floor. There, I offer up to the universe a fervent prayer of thanks.

First in English.

Then in Italian.

And then—just to get the point across—in Sanskrit."
-elizabeth gilbert (eat pray love)

italy would thrill me completely.
some day, i will allow that beautiful land
to consummate my passport's life.

i just hope i am able to stay long enough
to rent a scooter and ride everywhere i wanna go with cc
in that city of love and carbs

and i think i will take my mother to see this on her birthday:
(julia roberts? not sure yet, but could be fantastic)

and, thanks to netflix,
we just watched this movie:

cc enjoyed it,
i wept through it.
happy tears, mostly sad ones.

fabulous flick with some stunning performances.
that young dakota is really quite fun to watch emote.
admittedly, you must come prepared/be in the mood,
but when you are, it is worth it.

oh, and the movie was formerly this novel here:

one i may attempt to read again soon.
but the movie left a sweet taste,
maybe we'll just keep it at that.

so,
what do i read next??

[and no, it doesn't necessarily have to become/have a movie that goes with it]

Sunday, March 7, 2010

long-winded oscar nite review

my thoughts:
[which prove that this blog is way more about my need to write than your need to read...]

#1-- who cares about the twilight kid- could he even act?

did neil patrick harris really just sing that really lame song?
that. just. happened.

alec baldwin and steve martin- great match-up
i am loving the roasting of all of the actors...

but why is george clooney so ticked at life?
what a jerkface.

{some confused non-english speaking chick that he pretends to like for the cameras...}

miley cirus... can't you just stand up straight...?!

UP wins for best animated feature.

surprised?
shouldn't be.

then we have an homage to 80s films including
that macaulay culkin kid whose face blew up.

didn't know he could get uglier.
guess so.

ben stiller in the blue avatar make-up
equals pretty great.

best supporting actress...
that one chick form the precious movie...
"thanks for awarding a good performance and not politics..."
um....well...

ew... i so don't care about the twilight peeps-
she. can't. act.
or announce for that matter....
sorry, i know many of you like them...
but that kid looks like a white kid injected with monkey and asian...

saundra bullock-
looks stunning.

james taylor mo to tribute the dead.
i heart that.

oh- and a pretty rad dance
to tribute to the scores.
and i cried to the UP part...
and it won.
[for it's fab score. duh]

george clooney is a huge bass.
who knew he was so arrogant?

jeff bridges wins best actor for crazy horse
after a great tribute about being such a great family man, husband, and father.
i do like that kind of positive PR.
married 33 years, 3 kids.
gotta love it.

i think the best actor/actresses are like the prom king/queen
of the oscars...

and george clooney, the arrogant bass, is ticked.

sandra bullock wins her first oscar for blind side
a delightful upset.

"did i really earn this, or did i just wear you all down?"
[me... crying watching one of my favorites]
she thanks her mom for making her practice
and her "lover" meryl streep.
i love her realness and her charm

{meryl streeep, by the way, was fashionably wearing her robe and curlers...}

first woman to win best director....

and then best picture for hurt locker.
a movie i will probably need to see soon.

what an enjoyable evening...
i can't believe you read all of that.

go get a life... and go to bed.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

long-winded movie review: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

harry potter and the half blood prince

i would like to begin by expressing how much

cc whined to see this flick. this makes me happy. he is, however,
the type that has to see the movie first, or it would ruin the book. right.

i normally do not agree with this,

but i was glad to have forgotten much of the book until i saw it
because it all comes rushing back

and it's so fun to watch

why this one was my favorite HPs of the 6 so far:

the best edit we've seen of the books.
whoever was the exec editor deserves a standing O.
they finally figured out how to keep the fun details that add to the plot
and lose the ones that don't.
so it moves fast and you can keep up.
and it was, in my opinion, the most true to the book of any...

the acting/directing is so much tighter.
the kids have grown up, sure, but they are better,
and so was the directing.
timing was better, and the flow was more succinct.
the relationships could really pop.

screenplay.
speaks for itself.
much wittier and quicker.
add a few fun actors
and you have a show.

in my humble, yet correct opinion: 5/5
own it or rent it: own it.

(cause it would be stupid to not have 6
when i know you already have the rest!)