When Harry Met Sally
When Sally Met Harry
Welcome Sally - the newest member of our family - isn't she cute??!!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
When Harry Met Sally
When Harry Met SallyWhen Sally Met HarryWelcome Sally - the newest member of our family - isn't she cute??!!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Harry the Bunny
We have had Harry, our bunny, for almost a year now and it has arguably been one of the best years of our lives -- we attribute a lot of the joy in our lives to this little bun. I rarely post about him, because I assume that most everyone hears enough about him from me without my blogging about him. However, the blog does warrant at least one video of our favorite little guy.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Disney Shot Kennedy
The trailer is done (for this movie that I am editing, Disney Shot Kennedy).
3 weeks of my life (well, more than that, but it has robbed me of the most sleep in the past 3 weeks) ... Enjoy!
3 weeks of my life (well, more than that, but it has robbed me of the most sleep in the past 3 weeks) ... Enjoy!
Monday, October 12, 2009
No, No, No, No, No, No, NO!
Personally, I was (and am) a huge fan of the X-Men series - read the comic books, played the video game, loved the (first 2) movies. X-Men fans everywhere recognize that the 3rd movie was a horrendous disappointment. I do not understand why a director (Bryan Singer) would abandon a trilogy at the last minute to go direct another piece of crap movie (Superman, which - I admit - I did not see because I refused to support Bryan Singer's betrayal). Where is the creative integrity in that decision??? The first and second X-Men movies are two of the best superhero movies of all time, in my humble opinion. And then the third movie was so bad that it ruined the potential for any future film. Brett Ratner, who directed the third movie, certainly wasn't going to get another chance at the series after The Last Stand crashed and burned.
But X-Men: the Last Stand came out in 2006, so why am I bringing this up now? Because apparently Bryan Singer wants to return to the franchise and make more X-Men movies.
And so I rant - No, No, No, No, No, No, NO!!!! Having turned his back on his fans, Bryan Singer should not be given another chance.
However, I will own up to my own hypocrisy. Because Scream 4 is in production and I couldn't be more thrilled. The Scream trilogy is one of my favorites. I was nervous at first, because 4th installments are rarely good, quality films. However, once Wes Craven, Kevin Williamson, Courtney Cox Arquette, David Arquette AND Neve Campbell were all locked in to this project, my nerves were abated. In case you don't know the background of the Scream trilogy, this is hypocritical on my part, because Kevin Williamson did not write Scream 3 (having penned the first 2) because he left the trilogy to write Teaching Mrs. Tingle (piece of crap).
Why am I able to forgive Kevin Williamson and welcome him back to the franchise with open arms, while I flatly refuse to see X-4, should it be directed by Bryan Singer?
It's because I didn't hate Scream 3. I actually kind of liked it. It's not as good as the first 2, that's for sure. But, like the Godfather: Part III, Scream 3 may not be as good as the first 2, but it's still better than the average movie in theaters. I will be glad to see Kevin Williamson restore the writing to it's original stature, but it didn't fall too far for my taste.
X-Men: The Last Stand, on the other hand, was truly awful.
But X-Men: the Last Stand came out in 2006, so why am I bringing this up now? Because apparently Bryan Singer wants to return to the franchise and make more X-Men movies.
And so I rant - No, No, No, No, No, No, NO!!!! Having turned his back on his fans, Bryan Singer should not be given another chance.
However, I will own up to my own hypocrisy. Because Scream 4 is in production and I couldn't be more thrilled. The Scream trilogy is one of my favorites. I was nervous at first, because 4th installments are rarely good, quality films. However, once Wes Craven, Kevin Williamson, Courtney Cox Arquette, David Arquette AND Neve Campbell were all locked in to this project, my nerves were abated. In case you don't know the background of the Scream trilogy, this is hypocritical on my part, because Kevin Williamson did not write Scream 3 (having penned the first 2) because he left the trilogy to write Teaching Mrs. Tingle (piece of crap).
Why am I able to forgive Kevin Williamson and welcome him back to the franchise with open arms, while I flatly refuse to see X-4, should it be directed by Bryan Singer?
It's because I didn't hate Scream 3. I actually kind of liked it. It's not as good as the first 2, that's for sure. But, like the Godfather: Part III, Scream 3 may not be as good as the first 2, but it's still better than the average movie in theaters. I will be glad to see Kevin Williamson restore the writing to it's original stature, but it didn't fall too far for my taste.
X-Men: The Last Stand, on the other hand, was truly awful.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
trailers
New favorite trailers of the moment: Blind Date, The Blind Side (noticing a theme yet?), The Boys are Back, Whip It, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Where the Wild Things Are, and, of course, New Moon (I don't think the trailer is that good, but who am I kidding, I'll be at the midnight screening with my girlfriends by my side).
The trailers for The Blind Side and The Boys are Back give me goosebumps and almost make me tear up every time I watch them. Good sign? Bad sign?
I'm also a little intrigued by The Box. I'm curious to see what reviews say closer to the release date.
As for Peter and Vandy, I'm curious if this will be different than (500) Days of Summer. It doesn't seem to have the wit of Summer, but who knows ...
And this featurette for The Fantastic Mr. Fox is delightful. Wes Anderson meets Roald Dahl. Why didn't anyone think of that before?
The trailers for The Blind Side and The Boys are Back give me goosebumps and almost make me tear up every time I watch them. Good sign? Bad sign?
I'm also a little intrigued by The Box. I'm curious to see what reviews say closer to the release date.
As for Peter and Vandy, I'm curious if this will be different than (500) Days of Summer. It doesn't seem to have the wit of Summer, but who knows ...
And this featurette for The Fantastic Mr. Fox is delightful. Wes Anderson meets Roald Dahl. Why didn't anyone think of that before?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
FAME! (the music video)
In EW.com's informal poll, 68 percent of PopWatch readers voted that the film should be no more than 30 percent actual dialogue. Thank you, informal poll, for restoring some of my faith in the movie-going public and/or those that read EW.com.
Mandi Bierly at EW.com (yes, I still know my favorite critics/columnist by name - it's lame, I know) has been blogging about her waning desire to see Fame. Basically, the more they release trailers and music videos without showing anything new, the less excited Mandi and I are about Fame's impending release. Don't get me wrong -- I'll be there opening weekend with bells on. But I am more trepidatious than I was two months ago about this particular remake.
That being said, a small part of me did squeee when a dancer jumped up onto one of the cars in the street (check out the trailer).
Mandi Bierly at EW.com (yes, I still know my favorite critics/columnist by name - it's lame, I know) has been blogging about her waning desire to see Fame. Basically, the more they release trailers and music videos without showing anything new, the less excited Mandi and I are about Fame's impending release. Don't get me wrong -- I'll be there opening weekend with bells on. But I am more trepidatious than I was two months ago about this particular remake.
That being said, a small part of me did squeee when a dancer jumped up onto one of the cars in the street (check out the trailer).
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
Margaret and Helen
My boss MK introduced my office to Margaret and Helen a few weeks ago. I subscribed to them on my Google reader and read through a great deal of their blog and laughed and laughed and laughed.
Politics aside, the fiestiness of these women is endearing and hysterical. Margaret doesn't like Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and Michelle Bachmann, but most of all she doesn't like stupid (her definition, of course) and she's willing to call out almost anyone she thinks is acting stupid.
Margaret, who writes less often than Helen, posted this in July after Walter Cronkite died: "Helen, dear, we can certainly agree on one thing for sure. Walter Cronkite was a very sexy man. I tell you, he was the Anderson Cooper of his day. He could melt my butter each and every evening. He could toast my bread on both sides. He could float my boat, row it out to sea, and wait for it to return with the tide any day of the week. Although, I’m not quite sure what that means, I do know that Walter Cronkite was a real man. And, my dear Helen, that’s the way it is…"
My co-workers and I were almost literally on the floor laughing about that one. I thought one of us might literally bust a gut.
But then Margaret and Helen were silent for 3 weeks.
And then they posted again and I was again reminded of their brilliant humor when I saw this picture again after an absence of almost a month.
When I am 80 years old, I hope that I can still get in my hoveround and take a cruise with my best girlfriends. "I mean it. Really."
Politics aside, the fiestiness of these women is endearing and hysterical. Margaret doesn't like Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and Michelle Bachmann, but most of all she doesn't like stupid (her definition, of course) and she's willing to call out almost anyone she thinks is acting stupid.
Margaret, who writes less often than Helen, posted this in July after Walter Cronkite died: "Helen, dear, we can certainly agree on one thing for sure. Walter Cronkite was a very sexy man. I tell you, he was the Anderson Cooper of his day. He could melt my butter each and every evening. He could toast my bread on both sides. He could float my boat, row it out to sea, and wait for it to return with the tide any day of the week. Although, I’m not quite sure what that means, I do know that Walter Cronkite was a real man. And, my dear Helen, that’s the way it is…"
My co-workers and I were almost literally on the floor laughing about that one. I thought one of us might literally bust a gut.
But then Margaret and Helen were silent for 3 weeks.
And then they posted again and I was again reminded of their brilliant humor when I saw this picture again after an absence of almost a month.
When I am 80 years old, I hope that I can still get in my hoveround and take a cruise with my best girlfriends. "I mean it. Really."
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Why I love Congressman Anthony Weiner aka A Public Option
Finally someone who doesn't mince words and speaks to the heart of the matter. I love this man:
Rep. Anthony Weiner on MSNBC's Morning Joe
listening to Joe Scarborough talk makes my ears bleed, but that's beside the point because he barely speaks in this interview. Either because he A) is just "so dumbfounded by [his] question" or B) he doesn't have a (expletive deleted) answer because private healthcare companies provide absolutely nothing to our society.
and then there was that time that Rep. Weiner took on Ms. Bartiromo on MSNBC
Rep. Anthony Weiner on MSNBC's Morning Joe
listening to Joe Scarborough talk makes my ears bleed, but that's beside the point because he barely speaks in this interview. Either because he A) is just "so dumbfounded by [his] question" or B) he doesn't have a (expletive deleted) answer because private healthcare companies provide absolutely nothing to our society.
and then there was that time that Rep. Weiner took on Ms. Bartiromo on MSNBC
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Movie Review Compilation
In a surprising feat of filmgoing dexterity, I have seen 4 movies in the theaters in the past 10 days. The Hangover. The Ugly Truth. Julie & Julia. (500) Days of Summer. Four movies that couldn't be more different if they tried. Four movies that were all pretty good (well, except for The Ugly Truth which wasn't good but was much better than expected).
Arriving a little late to the party, my friends and I finally saw The Hangover in theatres. I had resigned myself to not seeing it until it made its way to the top of my Netflix queue. But lo! a visit from a college friend and the desire to drink in a movie theatre (thank you, MovieTavern) precipitated our seeing it on Friday night. The casting director deserves major kudos. This movie certainly launched the three male leads into another stratosphere of their carer. I have never really had the desire to go to Vegas before and now I do (that probably wasn't the message of the movie).
As I said The Ugly Truth wasn't good, but it didn't deserve the 0 stars it received in its review from Rolling Stone Magazine. It was your standard romantic comedy and it followed your standard romantic comedy trajectory. No surprises. Nothing unexpected. But for what it was (and for the record, it was an excuse for a bunch of girlfriends to get together and watch a movie), it did a good job.
NB: Flo Rida's "Right Round" played during the credits of both The Hangover and The Ugly Truth. I found that particularly strange and still do. I don't have anything particularly profound to say about it, but I felt it was worth pointing out.
Julie & Julia was fantastic! I tend to be ahead of the curve in hearing about films in production starring Amy Adams. So I have been waiting for this film to hit theaters for a long time. Thankfully, Jay was as excited to see it as I was (although honestly can't think of anyone to whom this film wouldn't appeal). This is not a chick flick. It is a bona fide foodie flick. This is a flick for anyone who knows deep down in their heart that butter makes any food better. I could ramble on and on about how impressive Meryl Streeps performance was and how, unfortunately, Julie's (Amy Adam's) story paled in comparison to that of Julia Child. I think, however, the experience of watching this movie is best summed up by my best friend Amy who turned to me during the credits and said "She, [Meryl], deserves an award. She should win The Julia Child Award for ... being Julia Child!" And she does.
Last, but not least, (500) Days of Summer. The trailer and reviews looked good enough to warrant a trip to Hampton to see it. I love my home, but I do not love that we rarely get independent films at our local theater. This movie was well worth the trip. Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were wonderful together. It was a wonderful deconstruction of the romantic comedy genre. The constant shifts in time (always within the 500 days allotted to the timeline of this film) were somewhat confusing. It was frustrating not to remember the different days on which different events happened. However, I would posture that it was ultimately unimportant. I love romantic comedies at the same time that I hate them. They perpetuate stereotypes and cliches that drive me nuts, while also spoon-feeding us all warm, fuzzy feelings. In my opinion (500) Days of Summer did for romantic comedies what Scream did for horror movies - use the genre to tell a legitimate story in its own right, while also turning the genre on its head. To be sure, Scream was far less subtle and significantly more brilliant, but (500) Days of Summer receives credit where credit is due.
Unless I see the 6th Harry Potter movie in the coming weeks, I don't expect to have more movies to write about. However, the one-two punch of figs given to me by my boss Tim and a pie cookbook loaned to me by my boss MK warrants an attempt at a fig and marscapone cream pie. More to come on that soon ...
Arriving a little late to the party, my friends and I finally saw The Hangover in theatres. I had resigned myself to not seeing it until it made its way to the top of my Netflix queue. But lo! a visit from a college friend and the desire to drink in a movie theatre (thank you, MovieTavern) precipitated our seeing it on Friday night. The casting director deserves major kudos. This movie certainly launched the three male leads into another stratosphere of their carer. I have never really had the desire to go to Vegas before and now I do (that probably wasn't the message of the movie).
As I said The Ugly Truth wasn't good, but it didn't deserve the 0 stars it received in its review from Rolling Stone Magazine. It was your standard romantic comedy and it followed your standard romantic comedy trajectory. No surprises. Nothing unexpected. But for what it was (and for the record, it was an excuse for a bunch of girlfriends to get together and watch a movie), it did a good job.
NB: Flo Rida's "Right Round" played during the credits of both The Hangover and The Ugly Truth. I found that particularly strange and still do. I don't have anything particularly profound to say about it, but I felt it was worth pointing out.
Julie & Julia was fantastic! I tend to be ahead of the curve in hearing about films in production starring Amy Adams. So I have been waiting for this film to hit theaters for a long time. Thankfully, Jay was as excited to see it as I was (although honestly can't think of anyone to whom this film wouldn't appeal). This is not a chick flick. It is a bona fide foodie flick. This is a flick for anyone who knows deep down in their heart that butter makes any food better. I could ramble on and on about how impressive Meryl Streeps performance was and how, unfortunately, Julie's (Amy Adam's) story paled in comparison to that of Julia Child. I think, however, the experience of watching this movie is best summed up by my best friend Amy who turned to me during the credits and said "She, [Meryl], deserves an award. She should win The Julia Child Award for ... being Julia Child!" And she does.
Last, but not least, (500) Days of Summer. The trailer and reviews looked good enough to warrant a trip to Hampton to see it. I love my home, but I do not love that we rarely get independent films at our local theater. This movie was well worth the trip. Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were wonderful together. It was a wonderful deconstruction of the romantic comedy genre. The constant shifts in time (always within the 500 days allotted to the timeline of this film) were somewhat confusing. It was frustrating not to remember the different days on which different events happened. However, I would posture that it was ultimately unimportant. I love romantic comedies at the same time that I hate them. They perpetuate stereotypes and cliches that drive me nuts, while also spoon-feeding us all warm, fuzzy feelings. In my opinion (500) Days of Summer did for romantic comedies what Scream did for horror movies - use the genre to tell a legitimate story in its own right, while also turning the genre on its head. To be sure, Scream was far less subtle and significantly more brilliant, but (500) Days of Summer receives credit where credit is due.
Unless I see the 6th Harry Potter movie in the coming weeks, I don't expect to have more movies to write about. However, the one-two punch of figs given to me by my boss Tim and a pie cookbook loaned to me by my boss MK warrants an attempt at a fig and marscapone cream pie. More to come on that soon ...
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Curtains!
MK and I made curtains for the new townhouse. Thank goodness for MK, without whom this project would not have been possible (or nearly so successful). They turned out exactly as I had imagined! I love the sheer fabric - with a slightly puckered texture - and the way it looks in the space (the rabbit likes it too). The fabric was v. slippery to work with when sewing, so I consider it quite a feat that I didn't butcher the final product. It was extremely helpful for me to have a second pair of hands. MK made the curtain on the right and I made the curtain on the left (with some help). We don't have curtains in any of the other rooms, so another sewing project is around the bend.
The Great Pie Crust Success of 2009
Amy and I successfully made the foolproof pie crust for Shabbat dinner. The pie itself (a combination of tart cherries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries) was a little tart! However, the pie crust was flaky and delicious.
I have borrowed The Pie and Pastry Bible from my boss, MK and now have an arsenal full of pie recipes which I am excited to make. Now that I have successfully made one pie crust, I feel drunk with success - like I could make any of the pies in the book. That may or may not be true, but you are sure to see the results of those labors in the future!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Inglorious Bastards/Basterds
In light of the soon-to-be-released Quentin Tarantino movie, Inglorious Basterds, the husband got the 1978 movie on which Tarantino based his remake. All of 99 minutes long, it still took us two separate days to watch it. My overwhelming sentiment is that I can't even begin to imagine why anyone would remake this movie. If I had to create a tagline for the 1978 version, I guess I'd say "Imagine The Great Escape, but with a cast of characters that you really care little about and a 'love story' that is too contrived to even be enjoyable. The special effects are neither good enough to be impressive nor bad enough to be laughable."
That being said, based on the trailer, Mr. Tarantino took significant liberties in adapting this film. I don't think the remake will bear that much resemblance to the original. I don't necessarily mean that as a compliment. The original was awful, disjointed, and incoherent. The remake looks down-right unwatchable. As a tagline "You've never seen war until you've seen it through the eyes of Tarantino" is not going to convince me to see this movie. I thoroughly appreciate Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. The latter ranks among my favorite movies of all time. However, I am almost entirely convinced that I appreciate those movies in spite of, not because of Tarantino.
Tarantino still owes me for the 4 hours of my life that I wasted watching Kill Bill Vol 1. and 2 (don't ask me why I saw the second one, I can't give you a satisfying answer). I'm not going to waste any more time watching Inglorious Basterds. Not after I already lost 100 precious minutes watching the original.
That being said, based on the trailer, Mr. Tarantino took significant liberties in adapting this film. I don't think the remake will bear that much resemblance to the original. I don't necessarily mean that as a compliment. The original was awful, disjointed, and incoherent. The remake looks down-right unwatchable. As a tagline "You've never seen war until you've seen it through the eyes of Tarantino" is not going to convince me to see this movie. I thoroughly appreciate Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. The latter ranks among my favorite movies of all time. However, I am almost entirely convinced that I appreciate those movies in spite of, not because of Tarantino.
Tarantino still owes me for the 4 hours of my life that I wasted watching Kill Bill Vol 1. and 2 (don't ask me why I saw the second one, I can't give you a satisfying answer). I'm not going to waste any more time watching Inglorious Basterds. Not after I already lost 100 precious minutes watching the original.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
He's Chevy Chase, and I'm glad I'm not
Caddyshack was on TV today and as I am sick, I decided I would watch it. I have never seen Caddyshack and assumed I was missing out, based on all the pop culture surrounding it. After watching it, I've decided I wasn't missing anything after all.
While watching it, I realized that I couldn't think of a single Chevy Chase movie that I had ever seen. I went to IMDB.com to confirm this. Apparently, the only other movie I have ever seen with Chevy Chase was Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird (seriously). However, I learned something even more interesting from IMDB.com: Chevy Chase has made some dumb career moves! Among them:
1. He left SNL after just one year
2. He turned down the role of Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters
3. He turned down the role of Buzz Lightyear
4. He turned down the male lead in American Beauty, for which Kevin Spacey won an Oscar
5. He joked about Cary Grant being gay, for which Grant sued him
whoa! how did this guy get such an ego all things considered?
While watching it, I realized that I couldn't think of a single Chevy Chase movie that I had ever seen. I went to IMDB.com to confirm this. Apparently, the only other movie I have ever seen with Chevy Chase was Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird (seriously). However, I learned something even more interesting from IMDB.com: Chevy Chase has made some dumb career moves! Among them:
1. He left SNL after just one year
2. He turned down the role of Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters
3. He turned down the role of Buzz Lightyear
4. He turned down the male lead in American Beauty, for which Kevin Spacey won an Oscar
5. He joked about Cary Grant being gay, for which Grant sued him
whoa! how did this guy get such an ego all things considered?
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Up (and down)
I would have written about the movie Up earlier, but it's taken me a couple of weeks to be able to think, talk, write about it at length without bursting in to tears (only a slight exaggeration). RE: my post about EW's Summer Movie Preview, I previously would have followed Pixar wherever they might lead me. I have agreed with the premise of each and every movie they've released: toys should be well-loved and never discarded; monster's should incorporate; robots and their pet cockroaches need love too. I cried during Toy Story 2, Jay cried during Meet the Robinsons, I cried again during Wall-e. It was a "good cry" and did not detract from our love of these movies. I own them all and have watched them multiple times. They are among my favorite of the Pixar films.
Then there was Up. I went to see Up with my husband and two of our guy friends. All three men bawled their way through most of the movie. I, myself, got so tired of crying that I just took off my 3-D glasses and sighed my way through the rest of the movie. If my belief system didn't prevent me from leaving a movie theatre half-way through a movie, I would have left. SPOILER ALERT. In the first 10 minutes of the movie, Carl (voiced by the wonderful Ed Asner) befriends a quirky young girl when they are both small children, shares with her the same childhood hero, grows up, marries her, finds out that they can't have children of their own, and then she dies from cancer. ARE YOU KIDDING ME, PIXAR???? Why beat me over the head with how much they loved each other and what a wonderful couple they were just to kill her off 7 minutes into the movie??? And that was just the tip of the iceberg. Their childhood hero, Charles Muntz turns out to be a mass-murdering psychopath. Russell, a young boy scout who inadvertently joins Carl on his trip to South America, has an indominable spirit --- did I mention that his father is a dead-beat and Charles Muntz tries to kill Russell multiple times in multiple ways?? Oh, and the happy ending? A photo montage of all the adorable things that Carl and Russell do together once they return from South America. Too little, too late.
As for the message of life after death, all the advetures that a widower can have once his wife is dead, I'll take "fish are friends, not food" over this crap any day. This premise was far worse than let's have a bunch of rats cooking in a French kitchen.
In the future, Pixar, I'll be more extensively reading the reviews before blindly assuming that this movie will be another home run.
All that being said, this is the sweetest movie screening story that I have ever heard. It confirms that Pixar is still my ideal employer.
Then there was Up. I went to see Up with my husband and two of our guy friends. All three men bawled their way through most of the movie. I, myself, got so tired of crying that I just took off my 3-D glasses and sighed my way through the rest of the movie. If my belief system didn't prevent me from leaving a movie theatre half-way through a movie, I would have left. SPOILER ALERT. In the first 10 minutes of the movie, Carl (voiced by the wonderful Ed Asner) befriends a quirky young girl when they are both small children, shares with her the same childhood hero, grows up, marries her, finds out that they can't have children of their own, and then she dies from cancer. ARE YOU KIDDING ME, PIXAR???? Why beat me over the head with how much they loved each other and what a wonderful couple they were just to kill her off 7 minutes into the movie??? And that was just the tip of the iceberg. Their childhood hero, Charles Muntz turns out to be a mass-murdering psychopath. Russell, a young boy scout who inadvertently joins Carl on his trip to South America, has an indominable spirit --- did I mention that his father is a dead-beat and Charles Muntz tries to kill Russell multiple times in multiple ways?? Oh, and the happy ending? A photo montage of all the adorable things that Carl and Russell do together once they return from South America. Too little, too late.
As for the message of life after death, all the advetures that a widower can have once his wife is dead, I'll take "fish are friends, not food" over this crap any day. This premise was far worse than let's have a bunch of rats cooking in a French kitchen.
In the future, Pixar, I'll be more extensively reading the reviews before blindly assuming that this movie will be another home run.
All that being said, this is the sweetest movie screening story that I have ever heard. It confirms that Pixar is still my ideal employer.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Sunshine Cleaning
Anyone who knows me know that my respect and admiration for Amy Adams runs deep. So it is perhaps unsurprising that I adored Sunshine Cleaning. However, before you assume that I'm just a fan girl with no critical eye, let's examine the criticism leveled against this film.
A.O. Scott (who, for once, I totally disagree with) writes, "I’m thinking of a movie. Wait, don’t tell me, it’s on the tip of my tongue. It takes place in Albuquerque. There’s a beat-up old van, a lot of family dysfunction, a cute kid, a get-rich-quick scheme that doesn’t quite work out as planned. Alan Arkin is the grandpa. The title? Something about 'Sunshine.' No, not that one. 'Little Miss Sunshine' came out in 2006. Why on earth would I be reviewing it now? I’m wondering that myself. A better title for the movie I am supposed to review — for the record, it’s 'Sunshine Cleaning,' directed by Christine Jeffs from a script by Megan Holley — would be 'Sundance Recycling,' since the picture is less a free-standing independent film than a scrap-metal robot built after a shopping spree at the Park City Indie Parts and Salvage Warehouse."
First, there are many movies out there that recycle BAD scripts and BAD actors and yet continue to draw large audiences and fans. I'm thinking specifically of movies made by the Wayans Brothers or Aaron Seltzer (Scary Movie 1 through 3289673, Date Movie, Epic Movie, Dance Movie, etc, etc...). I would much rather we recycle Sunshine than crap.
Second, nothing about Sunshine Cleaning was forced or manipulated. There is a joy in the way the girls manage to stand up for themselves while learning to trust others. Case in point, two main characters (whose names I will not disclose to avoid writing "SPOILER ALERT") aren't romantically linked at the end of the movie. I was pleasantly surprised with how simply and naturally the story unfolded. Sunshine Cleaning lacks a lot of the intentional quirkiness of Little Miss Sunshine in favor of the mundane. The van in Sunshine Cleaning doesn't break down or cause any hilarious antics, it's just a run-down crappy van that Rose is forced to drive for her business. But the van does play an important role in the Lorkowski's life nonetheless, as cars are want to do.
Finally, a shout out to the Kimball Theatre for bringing Sunshine Cleaning to Williamsburg. I thought I would have to wait until it's DVD release. So glad that I didn't have to.
A.O. Scott (who, for once, I totally disagree with) writes, "I’m thinking of a movie. Wait, don’t tell me, it’s on the tip of my tongue. It takes place in Albuquerque. There’s a beat-up old van, a lot of family dysfunction, a cute kid, a get-rich-quick scheme that doesn’t quite work out as planned. Alan Arkin is the grandpa. The title? Something about 'Sunshine.' No, not that one. 'Little Miss Sunshine' came out in 2006. Why on earth would I be reviewing it now? I’m wondering that myself. A better title for the movie I am supposed to review — for the record, it’s 'Sunshine Cleaning,' directed by Christine Jeffs from a script by Megan Holley — would be 'Sundance Recycling,' since the picture is less a free-standing independent film than a scrap-metal robot built after a shopping spree at the Park City Indie Parts and Salvage Warehouse."
First, there are many movies out there that recycle BAD scripts and BAD actors and yet continue to draw large audiences and fans. I'm thinking specifically of movies made by the Wayans Brothers or Aaron Seltzer (Scary Movie 1 through 3289673, Date Movie, Epic Movie, Dance Movie, etc, etc...). I would much rather we recycle Sunshine than crap.
Second, nothing about Sunshine Cleaning was forced or manipulated. There is a joy in the way the girls manage to stand up for themselves while learning to trust others. Case in point, two main characters (whose names I will not disclose to avoid writing "SPOILER ALERT") aren't romantically linked at the end of the movie. I was pleasantly surprised with how simply and naturally the story unfolded. Sunshine Cleaning lacks a lot of the intentional quirkiness of Little Miss Sunshine in favor of the mundane. The van in Sunshine Cleaning doesn't break down or cause any hilarious antics, it's just a run-down crappy van that Rose is forced to drive for her business. But the van does play an important role in the Lorkowski's life nonetheless, as cars are want to do.
Finally, a shout out to the Kimball Theatre for bringing Sunshine Cleaning to Williamsburg. I thought I would have to wait until it's DVD release. So glad that I didn't have to.
Angels & Demons
For all of those DaVinci Code haters out there, let me offer a brief disclaimer: when it comes to The DaVinci Code, my personal opinion is that the book was just okay and the movie was not. Dan Brown writes good Scooby Doo-esque art mystery novels - a race across Paris! a race across Rome! What is there not to love about that? Unfortunately, he sprinkles in a bit of his pseudo-religious, pseudo-academic, fiction meets fact craziness. The DaVinci Code film adaptation reminds me of the 4th Indiana Jones movie - both made me think, "who thought that plot sounded sane?" Audrey Tatou as the last descendant of Christ? Really? The saving grace of the movie is that they were allowed to film in the Louvre. That's pretty cool! However, Jumper got permission to film at the Coliseum and that didn't stop the movie from being total crap. I fear that The DaVinci Code likewise wasted what was a golden opportunity. And finally, what was going on with Tom Hanks' hair?!? Who thought that was a good look?
In Angels and Demons, Hanks' Robert Langdon gets a hair cut. Director Ron Howard also cuts out the fat from Dan Brown's novel. The novel of Angels and Demons is roughly 400 pages: 300 pages of Robert Langdon's cheesy genius as he searches for the four altars across (a cross) Rome. The last 100 pages, however, taking a running leap off the deep end of the pool. In the case of Angels and Demons, Ron Howard adapted the novel to film in almost the opposite style as his adaptation of The DaVinci Code. In The DaVinci Code, Ron Howard cut a lot of the cheesy art drama in favor of ramping up the religiosity. In Angels and Demons, he scaled back the craziness of the last 100 pages and the character of the Carmelengo had fewer layers to explore (who knew that was a good thing!). Ron Howard, I thank you. As a result of those decisions, Angels and Demons was fun! It's not going to shake anyone's faith in science or G-d and it clearly wasn't meant to. The pacing was solid and the characters were compelling. And, thanks in no small part to that hair cut, the character of Robert Langdon was truly a-dork-able.
A.O. Scott (who, let's face it, I almost always agree with) summed it up best when he said, "The utter silliness of 'Angels & Demons' is either its fatal flaw or its saving grace, and in the spirit of compassion I suppose I’d be inclined to go with the second option. The movie all but begs for such treatment. 'When you write about us,' an erstwhile nemesis says to Langdon near the end, 'and you will write about us, do so gently.' It was as if he were looking right into my soul. And how could I refuse such a humble, earnest petition? Go in peace."
Yes, indeed.
In Angels and Demons, Hanks' Robert Langdon gets a hair cut. Director Ron Howard also cuts out the fat from Dan Brown's novel. The novel of Angels and Demons is roughly 400 pages: 300 pages of Robert Langdon's cheesy genius as he searches for the four altars across (a cross) Rome. The last 100 pages, however, taking a running leap off the deep end of the pool. In the case of Angels and Demons, Ron Howard adapted the novel to film in almost the opposite style as his adaptation of The DaVinci Code. In The DaVinci Code, Ron Howard cut a lot of the cheesy art drama in favor of ramping up the religiosity. In Angels and Demons, he scaled back the craziness of the last 100 pages and the character of the Carmelengo had fewer layers to explore (who knew that was a good thing!). Ron Howard, I thank you. As a result of those decisions, Angels and Demons was fun! It's not going to shake anyone's faith in science or G-d and it clearly wasn't meant to. The pacing was solid and the characters were compelling. And, thanks in no small part to that hair cut, the character of Robert Langdon was truly a-dork-able.
A.O. Scott (who, let's face it, I almost always agree with) summed it up best when he said, "The utter silliness of 'Angels & Demons' is either its fatal flaw or its saving grace, and in the spirit of compassion I suppose I’d be inclined to go with the second option. The movie all but begs for such treatment. 'When you write about us,' an erstwhile nemesis says to Langdon near the end, 'and you will write about us, do so gently.' It was as if he were looking right into my soul. And how could I refuse such a humble, earnest petition? Go in peace."
Yes, indeed.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Foreign Relations Film Festival
Two bloggers for Foreign Policy, Stephen Walt and Daniel Drezner, drew up lists of what they regard as the best movies ever made about international relations. Let me tell you it's barely worth looking at the original two lists when you could read this insightful response instead.
In case you do actually want to read the original lists, here they are: Walt's and Drezner's.
My favorite part of the original lists is when Walt gives an honorable mention credit to The Interpreter saying, "The Interpreter (not that good a movie, but how many films take place at the UN?)" That's my kind of logic, buddy. My husband, James, is a big fan of the UN with many Model UN conferences under his belt and the only other UN-related movie that he could think of was Winning London (Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen at a Model UN conference that makes The Interpreter look like Citizen Kane of UN movies). That being said, The Interpreter was not a good movie ...
In case you do actually want to read the original lists, here they are: Walt's and Drezner's.
My favorite part of the original lists is when Walt gives an honorable mention credit to The Interpreter saying, "The Interpreter (not that good a movie, but how many films take place at the UN?)" That's my kind of logic, buddy. My husband, James, is a big fan of the UN with many Model UN conferences under his belt and the only other UN-related movie that he could think of was Winning London (Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen at a Model UN conference that makes The Interpreter look like Citizen Kane of UN movies). That being said, The Interpreter was not a good movie ...
Monday, April 20, 2009
The Lovely Ms. Adrienne Shelly
As a fan of Ms. Shelly from way way back, I - along with millions of others - was horrified and deeply saddened by her death in November of 2006. Aside from being a great loss to her family and friends, it was an abrupt end to what would have been a fantastic career. Waitress is one of my favorite movies and it is bittersweet that she did not get to experience the success of her film.
I have been following her husband's movements following her death - the creation of The Adrienne Shelly Foundation and the production of a completed script (one of many) that she left behind. And so it is with great excitement that I anticipate the response to Serious Moonlight at this week's Tribeca Film Festival. From all reports it should be wonderful! With any luck they'll find a distributor who will bring the film to Williamsburg.
I have been following her husband's movements following her death - the creation of The Adrienne Shelly Foundation and the production of a completed script (one of many) that she left behind. And so it is with great excitement that I anticipate the response to Serious Moonlight at this week's Tribeca Film Festival. From all reports it should be wonderful! With any luck they'll find a distributor who will bring the film to Williamsburg.
Friday, April 17, 2009
EW's Summer Movie Preview!!
While experiencing a brief reprieve from April showers, I flipped through the Entertainment Weekly's Summer Movie Preview issue. In February, I realized that there was a movie coming out every weekend that I wanted to see through July (with the exception of only 3 weeks when a movie wasn't coming out that I was interested in seeing).
My Favorites:
Up ... I will follow Pixar wherever they lead.
Angels & Demons ... I may be seeing this film alone. This was my favorite of Dan Brown's books; I read it when traveling through Italy. I don't have high hopes for the finished product, but I will be there opening weekend anyway. I'm nothing if not loyal.
Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian ... I will follow Amy Adams wherever she leads. If seeing Ms. Adams as Amelia Earhart wasn't enough of the draw, then the trailer hooked me. This sequel looks better than the first movie. This is the same motivation for my wanting to see Julie & Julia
Easy Virtue ... I will follow Noel Coward wherever he leads.
My Least Favorites:
Star Trek ... I can't get over Zachary Quinto as Spock. Heroes has ruined Mr. Quinto for me; he will always be Sylar. Even Simon Pegg as Scotty can't get me amped for this movie.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen ... I watched quite a bit of The Transformers cartoon and did not think the first movie was any good. Watching Megan Fox show a lot of skin while avoiding multiple explosions is just not my cup of tea.
My Maybes:
X-Men Origins: Wolverine ... I loved the first and second X-Men movies, but was burned by X-Men: The Last Stand (and have still not forgiven Bryan Singer for abandoning the series to make Superman, blech). The jury is out on whether or not I will see this prequel in the theaters or wait to see it on DVD. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past ... It looks cheesy and predictable. That being said, there hasn't been a good chick semi-mindless flick in theaters in a while and I'm excited for this one, but also for ...
The Proposal ... I love me some Ryan Reynolds (I'm a devotee since the Two Guys, A Girl, and a Pizza Place days) and I'm also a fan of Sandra Bullock (she had me at While You Were Sleeping). And honestly, I enjoy the "Guy hates Girl, Girl hates Guy, until Guy falls in love with Girl and Girl falls in love with Guy" formula more than the "Guy has Girl, Guy loses Girl, Guy gets Girl Back" storyline.
Land of the Lost ... Will Ferrell and Danny McBride in a feature adaptation of the popular Saturday morning television show from my childhood. Will it be good, will it be crap, or will it be craptastic???
Then there are countless small(er)-budget films being released this Summer that may or may not come to Williamsburg, VA. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high just in case I have to wait another year before these are released on DVD. But if they come to the local cinema, I will be going to see: My Sister's Keeper, The Hangover, Cheri, (500) Days of Summer, Hide and Seek, The Boat that Rocked, and Paper Heart.
There are quite a few films that I'm leaving out because it's a Friday and there's no time to list them all. Let's just say, it's going to be a good summer.
My Favorites:
Up ... I will follow Pixar wherever they lead.
Angels & Demons ... I may be seeing this film alone. This was my favorite of Dan Brown's books; I read it when traveling through Italy. I don't have high hopes for the finished product, but I will be there opening weekend anyway. I'm nothing if not loyal.
Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian ... I will follow Amy Adams wherever she leads. If seeing Ms. Adams as Amelia Earhart wasn't enough of the draw, then the trailer hooked me. This sequel looks better than the first movie. This is the same motivation for my wanting to see Julie & Julia
Easy Virtue ... I will follow Noel Coward wherever he leads.
My Least Favorites:
Star Trek ... I can't get over Zachary Quinto as Spock. Heroes has ruined Mr. Quinto for me; he will always be Sylar. Even Simon Pegg as Scotty can't get me amped for this movie.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen ... I watched quite a bit of The Transformers cartoon and did not think the first movie was any good. Watching Megan Fox show a lot of skin while avoiding multiple explosions is just not my cup of tea.
My Maybes:
X-Men Origins: Wolverine ... I loved the first and second X-Men movies, but was burned by X-Men: The Last Stand (and have still not forgiven Bryan Singer for abandoning the series to make Superman, blech). The jury is out on whether or not I will see this prequel in the theaters or wait to see it on DVD. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past ... It looks cheesy and predictable. That being said, there hasn't been a good chick semi-mindless flick in theaters in a while and I'm excited for this one, but also for ...
The Proposal ... I love me some Ryan Reynolds (I'm a devotee since the Two Guys, A Girl, and a Pizza Place days) and I'm also a fan of Sandra Bullock (she had me at While You Were Sleeping). And honestly, I enjoy the "Guy hates Girl, Girl hates Guy, until Guy falls in love with Girl and Girl falls in love with Guy" formula more than the "Guy has Girl, Guy loses Girl, Guy gets Girl Back" storyline.
Land of the Lost ... Will Ferrell and Danny McBride in a feature adaptation of the popular Saturday morning television show from my childhood. Will it be good, will it be crap, or will it be craptastic???
Then there are countless small(er)-budget films being released this Summer that may or may not come to Williamsburg, VA. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high just in case I have to wait another year before these are released on DVD. But if they come to the local cinema, I will be going to see: My Sister's Keeper, The Hangover, Cheri, (500) Days of Summer, Hide and Seek, The Boat that Rocked, and Paper Heart.
There are quite a few films that I'm leaving out because it's a Friday and there's no time to list them all. Let's just say, it's going to be a good summer.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Google Reader + Sally Hawkins + Kiera Knightly rant
As I was scrolling through my Google Reader feed this morning, imagine my surprise to see this headline "Sally Hawkins lands role in 'Never Let Me Go': Is she destined for big things" I just watched Happy-Go-Lucky last week and have been contemplating why I didn't love the movie and/or Ms. Hawkins' acting as much as I had expected.
That being said, I always love it when a critical darling becomes successful. So I have checked out Kazuo Ishiguro's book from the library and am eagerly awaiting the release of Never Let Me Go. I don't think I have ever eagerly anticipated a movie starring Kiera Knightly before, but there's a first time for everything.
On a side note, why does Kiera Knightly always star with such fantastic supporting characters (Johnny Depp, Jack Davenport, Orlando Bloom, Mickey Rourke, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, James MacAvoy, etc.)? You'd think they would cast her opposite another mediocre actor who would make her seem more talented by comparison. And now apparently, Kiera Knightly is being considered for the role of Eliza Doolittle in the remake of My Fair Lady. Ew!
TANGENT (I promise this will help me make my point): While watching parts of the Easter movie trifecta this weekend - Mary Poppins, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and Sound of Music (thank you, ABC Family Channel) - I got in a discussion with my mom about how Doris Day was originally offered the role of Maria Von Trapp. What a travesty that would have been! Imagine a world where Julie Andrews did not play Maria Von Trapp and - I can only assume - what is one of the greatest movie musicals (if not movies) of all time would have been merely a flash in the pan success with no real staying power. Instead, Julie Andrews did get the part and did a phenomenal job. She has had a mind-boggling career playing some of the greatest roles in movies and on the stage (Mary Poppins, Maria Von Trapp, Cinderella, Eliza Doolittle, and the Nanny from Eloise, just to name a few of my favorites). Julie Andrews played the role of Eliza Doolittle on Broadway opposite Rex Harrison, but she did not get to play Eliza Doolittle in the film adaptation of My Fair Lady. Audrey Hepburn snagged the part, but did not get to do her own singing.
And now back to my rant about Kiera Knightly. Why? WHY?! She gets tons of fun roles and great parts, but from what I have seen she can't act her way out of a paper bag. Joe Wright who directed Ms. Knightly in the most recent adaptation of Pride and Prejudice slams her acting ability in the director's commentary of the film. And yet she's being considered for a role that not even the great Julie Andrews was worthy enough to play on film. Kiera Knightly butchered my image of Elizabeth Bennett and I will not allow her to do the same to poor Eliza. This will be one remake that I avoid altogether.
That being said, I always love it when a critical darling becomes successful. So I have checked out Kazuo Ishiguro's book from the library and am eagerly awaiting the release of Never Let Me Go. I don't think I have ever eagerly anticipated a movie starring Kiera Knightly before, but there's a first time for everything.
On a side note, why does Kiera Knightly always star with such fantastic supporting characters (Johnny Depp, Jack Davenport, Orlando Bloom, Mickey Rourke, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, James MacAvoy, etc.)? You'd think they would cast her opposite another mediocre actor who would make her seem more talented by comparison. And now apparently, Kiera Knightly is being considered for the role of Eliza Doolittle in the remake of My Fair Lady. Ew!
TANGENT (I promise this will help me make my point): While watching parts of the Easter movie trifecta this weekend - Mary Poppins, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and Sound of Music (thank you, ABC Family Channel) - I got in a discussion with my mom about how Doris Day was originally offered the role of Maria Von Trapp. What a travesty that would have been! Imagine a world where Julie Andrews did not play Maria Von Trapp and - I can only assume - what is one of the greatest movie musicals (if not movies) of all time would have been merely a flash in the pan success with no real staying power. Instead, Julie Andrews did get the part and did a phenomenal job. She has had a mind-boggling career playing some of the greatest roles in movies and on the stage (Mary Poppins, Maria Von Trapp, Cinderella, Eliza Doolittle, and the Nanny from Eloise, just to name a few of my favorites). Julie Andrews played the role of Eliza Doolittle on Broadway opposite Rex Harrison, but she did not get to play Eliza Doolittle in the film adaptation of My Fair Lady. Audrey Hepburn snagged the part, but did not get to do her own singing.
And now back to my rant about Kiera Knightly. Why? WHY?! She gets tons of fun roles and great parts, but from what I have seen she can't act her way out of a paper bag. Joe Wright who directed Ms. Knightly in the most recent adaptation of Pride and Prejudice slams her acting ability in the director's commentary of the film. And yet she's being considered for a role that not even the great Julie Andrews was worthy enough to play on film. Kiera Knightly butchered my image of Elizabeth Bennett and I will not allow her to do the same to poor Eliza. This will be one remake that I avoid altogether.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Happy-Go-Lucky
As nerdy as it is to admit, I pay pretty close attention to things like sound mixing and sound levels when I'm watching movies. Either I've developed a "critical eye" or I'm officially a film nerd. Regardless of when I became so critical, the sound mixing in Happy-Go-Lucky drove me nuts. I firmly believe that once I start watching a movie, I shouldn't have to have the remote on hand to constantly adjust the volume. The fact that the sound levels were all over the place is my greatest criticism of this film and something that I had a hard time getting beyond.
Sound mixing aside, Sally Hawkins, who plays Poppy, the lead in Happy-Go-Lucky, is basically unknown to me, except for her small role in The Painted Veil (sigh). I wish I had another performance of hers to compare with this one. The performance, at times seems over the top, and at other times seems endearing. It's hard to take her performance seriously when she appears in such stark contrast to her overly-cantankerous driving instructor and overly-emotional flamenco instructor. But over the course of the movie, she and her laugh gradually seem more realistic and less of a caricature.
I spent most of the movie trying to decide if Poppy had an amazing spirit or an annoying disregard for her own safety and her driving instructor's feelings. Ultimately my confusion distracted me from what could have otherwise been the feel-good movie advertised on the back of the DVD.
Sound mixing aside, Sally Hawkins, who plays Poppy, the lead in Happy-Go-Lucky, is basically unknown to me, except for her small role in The Painted Veil (sigh). I wish I had another performance of hers to compare with this one. The performance, at times seems over the top, and at other times seems endearing. It's hard to take her performance seriously when she appears in such stark contrast to her overly-cantankerous driving instructor and overly-emotional flamenco instructor. But over the course of the movie, she and her laugh gradually seem more realistic and less of a caricature.
I spent most of the movie trying to decide if Poppy had an amazing spirit or an annoying disregard for her own safety and her driving instructor's feelings. Ultimately my confusion distracted me from what could have otherwise been the feel-good movie advertised on the back of the DVD.
Mulit-multi-cam sitcoms in development
In the great debate of single camera vs. multi-cam sitcoms, the fact remains that multi-cam operations are cheaper. So it's not much of a surprise that out of 33 sitcoms in development at the broadcast networks, 19 of them are multi-cam. Check out the long, but great, article about it from the L.A. Times.
The multi-cam sitcom, such as legendary hits “I Love Lucy” and “Cheers,” was once the dominant format in which to televise comedies, as much for conveying a theater-like intimacy to home audiences as for its relatively cheap production costs. But within the last decade, multi-cam sitcoms began to disappear, while single-camera comedies like “30 Rock” and “The Office,” with its movie-like freedom, started to rise in prominence.
“The industry had been moving away from multi-cameras out of a sense that other formats offer more creative freedom,” said Jamie Erlicht, president of programming at Sony Pictures Television. “But there’s room for both and there’s a real appetite in these economic times for the tried and true multi-camera format.”
Monday, April 6, 2009
To 3D or Not to 3D
Disclaimer: I did not see Monsters vs. Aliens in 3D. I, personally, do not enjoy seeing movies in 3D. Who likes wearing those red and green glasses for 90+ minutes? Who wants to spend an entire film watching objects bizarrely fly at them? It strikes me as jarring and unnatural. I realize that 3D technology has come a long way since the 3D movies that I used to watch at Busch Gardens. I need to give this new 3D a chance (if for no other reason than the fact that EVERY animated movie coming out this year is going to be made for 3D). But I am not yet ready to fork over the extra 2 bucks to see a movie in 3D, when I'd rather be stodgy and stuck in my ways. SO, my review may be missing something based on it's single dimensionality.
First, wow! What a cast! Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogan, Hugh Laurie, Paul Rudd, Will Arnett, Kiefer Sutherland, and Stephen Colbert. Among these are some of my favorite actors of all time. That point aside, pause for a minute and try to imagine all of these actors ever being in the same room with each other. I realize that in the world of animation the actors are most likely never to see each other until the premiere, but still, wow! Seth Rogan stole every scene that he was in, but Stephen Colbert stole the whole show.
Unfortunate that the male actors stole the show, when the story centers around the female lead and her realization that self-confidence, friends, and a sense of purpose are more important than a spot in the shadow of a powerful man. It was a surprising moral for a story named "Monsters vs. Aliens" that was seemingly targeting young boys [insert criticism for buying into gender cliches here].
All in all, it was cute, with some great performances, some great jokes, some originality, and definitely a movie that I would take my young daughter to see. It was not, however, a movie that I would buy and watch over and over again. I might just go on youtube.com and watch clips of Stephen Colbert as the President.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The (perhaps overdue) Watchmen Critique
The opening credits and the Comedian's death were amazing; for me the first hour of the movie was solid. Also, Zack Snyder's attention to every last detail of the GN was quite impressive. Let it be said that I dislike Zach Snyder (I hated the 300). Constant slow motion shots took me out of the film (which is really my dislike of Snyder's style). Random acts of violence that were added into the film were gratuitous and confusing in light of the fact that Snyder tried so hard to recreate the GN. I felt that the prison fight scene in particular was Zach Snyder acting out his need for gratuitous violence. I really thought most of that sequence was unnecessary. Ultimately, I was thankful that he toned down his "style" so much for Watchmen. I guess I shouldn't count "toning it down" as a success, but I sort of did.
The sex scene between Nite Owl and Jupiter unnecessarily slowed down the pace of the movie - the song choice was horrible and the whole thing just went on for a painfully long time. Did it really need to be that long? (Speaking of music: I loved "The Times They are A-Changin" for the opening montage - that was my favorite song choice. I either loved the music choices or hated them - but none were as bad as that Hallelujah-love sequence song choice. PLUS, it needs to be said that the sound mixing was incredible).
Most of the actors were v. convincing - Sally Jupiter wasn't my favorite, but she didn't ruin it for me, like she did for some people. In my opinion, she could have flicked her hair around less, but some of the guys I saw Watchmen with apparently really dug her hair swishing.
But I think the characterization of Veidt was my least favorite part of the movie. I think they missed the point. He was supposed to be a Captain America-type and instead he came off kind of small and sniveling. *SPOILER ALERT* I really wish that Snyder emphasized Veidt's moral reasoning for his mass murder. The film seemed to overlook his obsession with Alex the Great. Also, a friend of a friend noted that the film suggested that Veidt seemed to gain from the mass murder financially, which was not his motivation at all. I think they missed the fact that he really believed in his cause. He really believed that the ends justified the means and that killing millions to save billions was the right thing to do. That's part of why he kills his lynx, because he is willing to sacrifice everything for this (they included that moment but I don't think they captured the reasoning behind why he did that). They made him out to be the villain, when really, he's just another hero with an arguably f'ed up way of looking at the world and morality.
Altogether, I still enjoyed the movie. I was sold after the first hour. But my friend Philip summed it up best when he said "the Watchmen film worked as a strict recreation on celluloid, but didn't quite hit the necessary notes to make it a good film." It doesn't stand on its own. But as a compliment to the novel, it's worth seeing.
Friday, February 27, 2009
the velveteen rabbit
The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.
"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"
"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
"I suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive.
But the Skin Horse only smiled.
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