Blood in the Meadowlark

Elia Kazan directed some of my absolute favorite old films such as : A Streetcar Named Desire, East of Eden, On the Waterfront and Baby Doll. He was blacklisted in the industry for testifying for the House Un-American Activities Committee and ratting out some of his fellow industry pals. One might argue that he didn't have a ton of choice in the matter. Either way it was this exile that allowed for his friendship with play-write Tennessee Williams to bloom, leading to some of his best work. He was a huge supporter of method acting and was known as an "actor's director" you can thank him for sharing the genius of Marlon Brando with the world.
I am rambling.

I was stoked to discover that Zoe Kazan, my new actress crush, was his granddaughter.  You may remember her from her short bit (nude scene) in Revolutionary Road. She is also in the tv show that I have been dieing to watch, Bored to Death. Im going home to download The Exploding Girl asap.

Snow can wait, I forgot my mittens

Lately I've been feeling as though I have little to look forward to, particularly in a film realm. None of the releases lately have managed to illicit even an eyebrow raise from me. Today I decided that enough is enough and perused the apple trailers for some gooduns. I sorted through all the crap and came out with a few gems that tickled my fancy.
In no particular order...
Jane Eyre- March 2011

I really enjoyed reading Jane Eyre and I thought I was going to be bored out of my mind. Without giving too much away, I enjoyed the creepiness of the book. Essentially I'm referring to the "eeriness" of Mr. Rochester's house and his situation. I also rather like Mia Wishaiodahfoafaosfwhatsherface from Alice in Wonderland(though i detested that movie). I think she may turn out to be somewhat brilliant at acting. Dame Judi Dench is always a treat and I've loved Jamie Bell ever since Billy Elliott.

All Good Things- Dec 3
My life has been seriously lacking in Kirsten Dunst these past few years and I'm sure many will agree. The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette are two films I adore and watch regularly to get my Dunst on. Also included would be Strike (Alternately titled All I Wanna Do, Interview with the Vampire and Eternal Sunshine). (and when I'm feeling super 13 again, Bring It On and Crazy/Beautiful). Pair this snaggle toothed honey with the ever puppy dog eyed Ryan Gosling and you have yourself a intrigued and slightly aroused Gillian. All perversions aside, this coupling should be just as awesome as the Levitt/Deschanel duo earlier in the year. This movie looks well filmed and riveting. It had me at "Based on true events".

Tron-Dec 17
I don't think I need to explain this one. It's not so much that I WANT to see it, I feel as though I HAVE TO. Too many hours spent watching Tron in high school getting squiffy to not give this next round a go.

Sucker Punch- March 2011

I'm a total sucker for these gritty overly gray HD nerd baiters. You're never quite sure if the depiction of women is supposed to be empowering or completely exploitative, though your always sort of leaning towards the latter. (and when you're really honest with yourself you kinda just don't care). My favorite part of Sin City was the team of badass hookers so I imagine this film sort of being a veritable "Badass Team of Hookers Big Day Out" sort of flick. I also saw copious amounts of dragons, swords, samurais, bewbs, fishnets, guns, explosions, fire and fighter planes so I feel as though my hands are somewhat tied on this one. I'm in, I'm in, I'm so freaking innnnnnnnnnnnnnn.

Biutiful

Another movie from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who is kind of a big deal, having directed and produced 21 Grams, Amores Perros and Babel. I can't really explain what makes me want to see this movie, other than my undying love for Javier Bardem (I'm a sucker for a roman nose). I feel like the synopsis on IMDB is sort vague "This is a story of a man in free fall. On the road to redemption, darkness lights his way. Connected with the afterlife, Uxbal is a tragic hero and father of two who's sensing the danger of death. He struggles with a tainted reality and a fate that works against him in order to forgive, for love, and forever." as is the trailer but in all the right ways that make me want to see it. I love those multiple seemingly disconnected plot lines  and I'm especially stoked when they all come together in the end. (Crash 2004, amiright?)


Blue Valentine

I've been eagerly awaiting this movie since it was the talk of Sundance a million years ago (I am prone to exaggeration). Michelle Williams has come a long way since her days on Dawson's Creek, as has Ryan Gosling since his stints on Breaker High and Hercules. (Now if only Jimmy would hit it big) These two have been busting their little acting chops for a while now and they both seem to favor the smaller indie flicks over the blockbusters; I appreciate the actors who don't just choose the path of least resistance.

This is probably the movie I'm most excited for so I wish they would stop teasing me with the freaking COMING SOON at the end of the trailer. WHEN BLUE VALENTINE?? WHEN?!?!?!?

Restless
I love Gus Van Sant. Sometimes he has a tendency to drag on a scene to the point of pretentiousness (Eff yew Last Days) but My Own Private Idaho, Drugstore Cowboy, Good Will Hunting, Elephant and Milk are some of my absolute favorite movies. I didn't love Paranoid Park but I did love this scene of skating the fullpipe.

Anyways, Mia Witiahsiodwhatsherface really is on a role this year, this film looks really awesome, sort of sad and oddly coherent for a van sant movie.


Black Swan

I'm really just sort of interested in seeing Natalie Portman go batshit crazy. It looks confusing, crazy and a little sexy?

Never Let Me Go
I'm not entirely sure what this is about but my cousin Erika told me to watch and I do what she tells me because she is freaking rad. Also I really love Carey Mulligan.

Also Mark Romanek directed One Hour Photo and that film was pretty oddball and awesome so I'm psyched.
Anyways, there you have it. I feel like my life has purpose again.

Favorite Halloween Movies

-Lost Boys
-Casper
-28 Days Later

-Pet Semetary 1&2
-Bram Stokers Dracula
-Halloween
-Nightmare on Elm Street

-Sleepaway Camp
-Psycho
-Buffy the Vampire Slayer

-Near Dark
-Evil Dead
-Army of Darkness

-Shawn of the Dead
-Hocus Pocus
-Addam's Family and Addam's Family Values

-Beetlejuice

WHATS YERS?!

An eye for an ear, right?

I went to see "Let Me In", for a review of this movie please refer to my earlier review of "Let the Right One In" since they are EXACTLY the same.
http://cquilty.blogspot.com/2009/02/let-right-one-in.html
The original is still far superior but they did a damn fine job of copy and pasting the entire film, though somehow in the process some of the atmosphere was still lost.
I was sad to see the cat scene go, and I didn't like the c.g'd Abbey climbing and jumping, she just looked like Gollum.


I've also been checking out the film series that runs every Wednesday night. I usually had to miss these movies due to class but I am a liberated girl now so I piled in with all of Chilliwack's senior citizens to catch the weekly movies. Last week was "The Kids Are All Right". I will watch anything with Julianne Moore so I was down to watch her as 1/2 of lesbian couple rearing two children who are curious about their sperm donor dad (played by the always dreamy, Mark Ruffalo). This movie was especially naughty with lots of cussing and lesbian encounters so I was pretty tickled to see the haughty Chilliwack society slowly exiting the film. Lesbians, BOO!
The movie was actually pretty funny and charming. The cast was astounding but I did have a few issues with the plot. Some of the consequences just didn't match with the acts themselves, things went from light to downright depressing pretty quick and I felt mostly confused. Julianne Moore's North Carolina accent seemed to be slipping in quite a bit making her even more adorable than usual. I never have seen such an impressive cluster of mouth breathers in one film either. Close your damn mouth people! (I'm looking at you Ruffalo!)

Legends are now and forever

Here is a movie one should procure immediately, legally or otherwise. People are always listing Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal as their favorite childhood movies but those films can go pound sand because Ridley Scott puts Jim Henson to shame. Legend has it all: goblins, unicorns, dwarfs, elves, fairies, tom cruise (pre-dental work) in a mowgli-esque loin dress, Tim curry, devils, love, death, magic.
Mia Sara is Princess Lili, you may remember her as Ferris Bueller's hot girlfriend Sloane. She looks quite a bit like Jennifer Connelly's Sarah from Labyrinth but that old stick in the mud Sarah never wears anything this scandalous.

That dress is practically showing her belly button! But you have to work it when you want to impress the gigantic Lord of Darkness played by Tim Curry (who is a way more unsettling Tranny than Bowie could ever be)
Don't be fooled by how unusually jovial he looks in that picture, he is not a friendly fella. He is pretty much pure bad and wants to take over everything good and pure and make it evil. (Hence Princess Lili in that skanky dress)
This movie is super pretty and ethereal while at the same time super scary and creepy. The super 80's soundtrack originally recorded by Tangerine Dream is also a real treat, prepare for lots of synth.

monologue! gunshots! car chase! monologue! revenge!

I've gone to see two films in the last forever, one I seriously enjoyed and the other bored me to tears.
Good news first...
I was simply tickled by the teen movie "Easy A". I love high school movies, they are basic, attractive and generally enjoyable.
I would attribute a large part of the success of this film to Emma Stone. She is attractive, charming and funny. She's not unrealistically attractive or witty which makes her more accessible. It would have been tragic to see a Megan Fox type in this role. She's essentially a modern day Molly Ringwald (gotta love the gingers). Speaking of old Molly, John Hughs references abound in this movie, which is probably why I liked it so much. The plot is not terribly controversial, it pretty much debunks the whole "any publicity is good publicity" notion and supports the whole "gossip is bad" concept. Not really life changing stuff but provides fodder for an entertaining hour and a half. One really should watch this film in appreciation of Amanda Bynes extensive film career as she has since announced her retirement (via Twitter) from the film industry at the ripe old age of 24.



The Town could have used some of Emma Stone's adorable gingery lispiness because Ben Affleck's broody Boston schtick is getting olllllld. This film has all the elements of a good heist flick, car chases, shoot outs, close calls, explosions, but it has so much of these bank heist cliches that no moment feels climactic and it comes across like a pizza with way too many toppings that just slides off and burns your chin leaving you with nothing more than a humiliating facial wound. Also Blake Lively shouldn't be so hasty trying to get out of her "Gossip Girl" commitments because no one has told her that real acting is more than pouting, runny makeup and cleavage. Jeremy Renner pretty much played the same character he played in "The Hurt Locker", maniacal. I really didn't care about Affleck's whole wounded little boy story and when he went into a soul bearing monologue i found myself painfully aware of the fact that he was ACTING.
This movie was definitely NOT worth the 10.25 I paid to see it at our local ANCIENT theater, the nibs were tops though...

Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien

After a long dark period of avoiding the summer blockbusters, I decided Christopher Nolan's "Inception" was intriguing enough to venture out to the local cinema. After a few false starts I settled into my crooked seat at the "vintage" theater that is located 1 kilometer from my home. I was skeptical of the psychological action flick but I figured at the very least I could satiate myself gazing at the ever so steamy Joseph Gordon Levitt (droooooools).
I guess my verdict on the flick would be that it was a very good action movie but only a half decent psycho drama. I found the dreamscapes within which 90 percent of the film takes place to be entirely too sturdy. Anyone who has ever dreamed before can vouch that dreams tend to have a frustratingly evasive and transient nature. I was expecting something a little more along the lines of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" with tumbling through doors and coming out windows. I did like the continual references to what film dorks like to call "Mise en Abyme" which refers to a dream within a dream but is physically the act of looking into a mirror reflected in another mirror, both the literal and metaphoric interpretations take place in the film. As the daughter of an architect I appreciated the elaboration on the psychological work that goes into design and the film kept invoking memories of the mindfuck Escher pictures my parents had all over the house.

Despite these minor references to major concepts, the film read like a cliff notes version of a Psych 101 textbook. Essentially it doesn't take a genius to figure out that guilt and remorse are at the bottom of everything. You also get a brief lesson in Philosophy 101 too, What's "real" anyway?! Deep stuff...
Moving right along
There was some really awesome action scenes. Everyone loves a good detailed slow-mo explosion and this film had those in spades. There was some anti-gravity battles and even a scene that was painfully "Call Of Duty". Oh, and TONS of shoot outs. I couldn't easily detect any C.G and I have eyes like a HAWK so that's saying something.
I didn't feel like this was DiCaprio's best work, he was just good. Joseph Gordon Levitt was smoldering, stylish and enjoyable as usual. It was nice to see Ellen Page not play a snide teenager but man I wish she would grow some hips, she is NOT convincing as a University student. Marion Cotillard is insanely stunning and it tickled me that throughout the film they play "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" by Edith Piaff, who she won an Oscar for portraying in "La Vie En Rose". I don't think it was an accident that the translation of the song is "No, I Regret Nothing".
I believe I will finish this post with a few of my favorite dream films.

It's a totally different head

As the sun begins to peak out at me I scurry indoors to avoid mowing the lawn or playing with my dog to put in a shameless plug for my beloved store CDPlus. Recently the genius company that I work for decided to put a bunch of old television shows on two for thirty dollars. Shows such as "News Radio", "T.J Hooker", "Different Strokes" and "Silver Spoons" but the crowning glory of this sale is definitely "Square Pegs". Before Sarah Jessica Parker made "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" or adopted her "SATC" Carrie Bradshaw persona she was Patty Greene, a bright eyed freshman at Weemawee Highschool. Patty and her best friend Lauren are hopelessly dorky and determined to be a part of the popular crowd. Other major players in the show are blank eyed "valley girl" Jennifer DeNuccio and her beauty but boneheaded boyfriend Vinnie Pasetta and their token black (to the max) friend LaDonna Fredericks. Patty and Lauren become fast friends with aspiring comic Marshall Blechtman and his quirky "new wave" cohort Johnny Ulasewicz a.k.a Johnny Slash. The show was obviously created before political correctness was a big deal as LaDonna embodies almost every cliched stereotype of black women in popular culture; the school's mascot is also an "Indian" and they throw around native stereotypes like its going out of style (I'm pretty sure I heard the word Squaw more than once). Despite these P.C setbacks the show is freaking hilarious. As Johnny tries to dream up names for his "New Wave" band that's been virtually created overnight and Patty and Lauren try and weasel their way into the good books of the popular crowd (though they continually fall flat on their asses). There are also lots of guest appearances from bands such as The Waitresses ("I Know What Boys Like") and Devo and today I was completely titillated when Bill Murray walked in as a substitute teacher! Anyways, if you want proof that Sarah Jessica Parker wasn't always a dried up old hag and you want to watch some television in the vein of "Freaks and Geeks", "Degrassi" and "My So Called Life" then you should go buy this show so I can have someone to discuss with.

I'll give you blogifide lovin!

My life has been filled with sadness and misery since my beloved computer went to sleep and never woke up again. I attempted to update from my iphone but to no avail. When my computer decided to go toe up I had just watched "Kickass" and was super stoked to review my latest theater adventure. In that month long technologically challenged period I actually saw almost nothing noteworthy but I thought I would try and round up a couple of my thoughts on what sweet little pop culture exposures I did have.
mmmmmmmk brain, do your worst!

Kickass
Firstly, the comic was WAYYYY better. But fortunately the film managed to capture at least an iota of the awesome making it one of the better movies I have watched in a while. My only complaints were:
-Aaron Johnson is wayyyyyy to dreamy to play Dave Lizewski.
Johnson looks like this:

While Lizewski is supposed to look like this:

uhhh yeah, i think you get my point. But Johnson did manage to capture the "essence" of the character despite his glaring hotness while masking his British accent masterfully.
-They gave many of the characters redemption that should have been left as the loserly sell outs they were revealed to be in the comic. Oh Hollywood, you do it every time.
-The jet pack. Seriously, it was overkill.

Other than those few details, I was completely enthralled with the movie. It's nice to see a superhero movie/comic where the hero takes as many beatings as he hands out, if not more.

Sex and the City 2
Dear god, don't watch this movie. Ever. I spent the last half of the TWO AND A HALF HOURS writhing in my seat with my sweater pulled over my head. I really liked the show so for me watching this movie was like having all the shitty superficial aspects of the show barfed in my face (especially the eyes, oh the burning) for a ridiculously long period of time. The clothes were terrible and that was supposed to be the saving grace, I foolishly thought that at least there would be some fashionable eye candy but no, these ladies were dressed like a bunch of gaudy old hoes from Miami. Also they pretty much heckled Muslim religion and customs throughout the whole film without actually taking any sort of political stance. Their only qualm with the whole burqa was how stupid a woman looks eating fries. I would rather be bound, gagged, put in a sack and dropped to the bottom of an icy cold river filled with super sharks and piranhas than lay eyes on this abomination ever again.
DO NOT WANT!!!!!!!!!!

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Have ya, grab ya til your sore

Today I went to see "The Runaways" with my crony Stacey. We conquered the wind and rain along the treacherous highway to worship at the shrine of K-Stew and D-Fanning. I am a long time admirer of the Fanning, I think she has some hardcore talent and will actually end up having a lifelong career as a successful actress. I appreciate that she has paid her dues doing controversial flicks *Hounddog* because the box office doesn't tend to favor films with America's sweetheart getting raped and generally shat upon. "The Runaways" is another such film that wont appeal to the "I am Sam" or "War of the Worlds" fans of Fanning's work. The film features Fanning as Runaways frontwoman Cheri Currie,being crass and vulgar while she writhes, wriggles, menstruates and glitters. Many wont be ready to see the 16 year old (then 15) engage in casual and not so casual drug use, scandalous behavior and a little girl on girl action.

I on the other hand was more than ready. I was psyched to see Dakota put on her big girl pants and play a total trainwreck of a woman, and she did, and it was awesome. The film should have really been called "The Rise and Fall of Cheri Currie" because the film completely centered around Fanning's character. K-Stew as Joan Jett was such a minor character, maybe it reflects how she took a backseat in her own band. It's fitting that she played second fiddle because her acting abilities just don't measure up to those of the great D-Fanning. K-Stew was a perfect choice and she fit the role of Jett perfectly but the character wasn't any different from her previous hair cut. She was essentially Bella from Twilight with a bad mullet and a backbone who was totally in love with rock and roll instead of Edward. They both have an unhealthy attraction to glitter.
The plot of the film was actually a lot slower than I thought it would be. I found it dragged in a lot of spots and there was not a ton of moments that really grabbed the audience. It was sort of a ramble of a film, but it was beautifully shot. Which figures because it was written and directed by Floria Sigismondi. This is Sigismondi's first feature film, her day job is as a photographer and short film/music video director. This being the first film she's written would explain why the plot lags a little and why the film is more beautiful than it is stimulating.

She has directed amazing music videos for artists such as The White Stripes and The Cure. Her website is definitely worth checking out: www.floriasigismondi.com
I definitely overall enjoyed this film and will be for sure buying it (previously viewed) and watching it again. Ultimately the film's story is very important as it details the experiences of women trying to make it in what is ultimately a mans industry, figures that it would have a female director.

Another film that I discovered researching this film is "Ladies and Gentlemen The Fabulous Stains"

This film was also written by a woman, who used a man's name in the production because she was not pleased with the final product. The film features a young Diane Lane and Laura Dern who are a couple of restless teenage girls who start a punk rock band to get out of their boring town/lives. Like "The Runaways" both films tackle the struggles early female groups faced in trying to promote their sexuality without selling it. Both films ultimately bring the concept of "putting out" into question.
I'm going to finish this blog with one of my favorite Sigismondi videos and the trailer for "Fabulous Stains".

Dear Oscars, I don't think this is going to work out

I thought I didn't care much for this years Oscars going in. There weren't any films that I felt especially strongly about. But as the night progressed and Hurt Locker won award after award I began to realize just how much I wanted Precious to win. I enjoyed Hurt Locker and I thought Jeremy Renner was especially good; it just didn't have the impact on me that Precious had. I feel like for the whopper of a film Hurt Locker is supposed to be it still played it very safe with the material it was presenting, which Precious did not. Precious played with the juxtaposition of different scenes, sometimes jumping into outrageous fantasy scenarios which I found to be amazing and totally audacious. I'm glad that Avatar didn't sweep the Oscars because it illustrated that The Academy Awards still know what truly great film making is.
But then Sandra Bullock won for Best Actress...
I am one of the few that still adore Sandra's quirky characters (that does not mean I will be watching All About Steve) but in what sort of world does she stand victorious up against her contenders. I guess I'm just going to have to watch this film before I start printing off petitions to have her award reneged.

Some other highlights of the evening for me were:

Jeff Bridges winning Best Actor. I would have been happy with Jeremy Renner but I absolutely adore Bridges and I enjoyed him in this film. Michelle Pfeiffer's speech to him was really touching and his reaction to his win was sweet.

I thought that Martin and Baldwin were totally lacking as hosts, I prefer Jackman's song and dance and I didn't even really enjoy that.

I liked Sandra's acceptance speech, I really do think she is funny. It was also really touching...if your a sappy cheeseball which I am not OBVIOUSLY.

Mo'nique winning best supporting actress, she seriously deserved this. One just needs to see the film to see what I mean but she busted it out for Precious.

Christoph Waltz winning best supporting male actor, I thought he was one of the best characters of all time. He worked it, well deserved win.

Inglorious Basterds should have one best original screenplay, the Hurt Locker was no where near as innovative as this film. The dialogue was undeniably great, big fail Oscars.

Sarah Jessica Parker looked like she just got off a elderly tourist bus from Miami. She's inviting everyone to join her and Broderick after the show for some parcheesi in the lounge, maybe some lawn bowling.


I was so glad when Precious won for best adapted screenplay but the screenplay writer didn't even thank the books author, no one from Precious did. With a film title that long "Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire" you think they'd remember to give her a nod or throw her some cred.

I could have done without the dancers. The Up soundtrack bit was cute but it's like the Oscars are running out of cash for a REAL production and so they hire some hack hosts and go "America likes dancing!" because of the popularity of dance themed television and they decide that in a film awards show they will feature people popping and locking to long assed boring soundtrack scores.

Carey Mulligan and Maggie G were stunnnnnnnning. I totally hate to admit it but Kstew looked pretty good too.

I also personally believe that dresses that you cannot move in should NOT be worn on the red carpet (FARMIGA)



I am totally crushing <3

82nd Annual Academy Awards / The Oscars

It’s one of my favorite times of year, right up there with my birthday and Kwanza, Oscar season. This Sunday, March 7th, all the Hollywood bigwigs are going to put on their Sunday best and paint the town red (clichés much?!). The Oscar awards are where Hollywood glitz and politics come to hump and produce often predictable but sometimes elating babes. I’ve been planning this blog for weeks but I didn’t want to throw things off by actually updating in a timely fashion so here I am, at 10:48pm on Wednesday night, blurting my thoughts on this year’s award show.

So this year they decided to “cast their nets wider” (whatever that means) and have 10 best picture nominations instead of 5. This makes my life more complicated as I try and watch all the best picture nominations before the big day and I also like to try and guess who’s going to win, naturally. This year I have pretty much spent most of my time trying to figure out who the 5 nominees would have been if they didn’t have 10. My guess is: Precious, Hurt Locker, Up in the Air, Avatar and Inglorious Bastards. Blind Side is automatically out because I don’t even understand why it was in, the rest are worthy contenders but I don’t think they really measure up to the five previously listed.
Here is where I cover my thoughts on the best picture nominations:

Avatar: As I have stated in my previous review, this film was totally amazing. BUT I don’t think it has all the qualities of a best picture. For me a best picture should be aces in script, acting, directing, cinematography etc. I just don’t think Avatar had all these in spades like some of the other films did. It’s sort of the same reason why I don’t think Titanic should have won best picture back in ’97.


The Blind Side: I didn’t watch this movie, I know that’s me being a snob in the most unforgiving way but I laughed my ass off in the preview. I just don’t understand why something that should have been a TV miniseries on a bad religious network is nominated for best picture. I probably will watch this (without paying for it obvs) and I will eat these words if I’m wrong....which I’m 99% positive I’m not.


District 9: I really enjoyed this film, especially when the dude jumps in the super suit and kicks some ass. That being said, is it really best picture material? I feel like if this movie actually changed anyone’s life then they must have been pretty sheltered prior to exposure to the film. Yes...apartheid IS bad. Points for cute baby aliens though, I could have cuddled the shit outta that little shrimp.


An Education: This movie was so relevant to me personally that it’s hard to remain unbiased. I liked the story and I thought the movie was amazing. Carey Mulligan definitely earned her nomination for best actress; it’s too bad she will wither in the shadow of Gabourey Sidibe in Precious. But considering this is one of her first big roles she’s not doing too bad for herself.


The Hurt Locker: I think this will win for Best Picture, and not because I loved it a ton because for the majority it’s really not my kind of film but because it has all those aforementioned elements AND it’s relevant to the average contemporary North American. Jeremy Renner was a very excellent mild-sociopath and he also is very sexy (can you believe he’s 39?!)


Inglourious Basterds: I believe this film has all those best picture qualities as well but I think that some of the questionable material and themes Quentin was working with will divert him from being a serious contender. I cannot see the Academy coming together unanimously on this one. I enjoyed this film more than Hurt Locker and District 9 and just as much as Avatar but for completely different reasons.


Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire: This is the film I believe should win for best picture. The producer of the Hurt Locker got caught campaigning for his independent film to win because it deserves to more than a “500 million dollar film”. I share the guy’s sentiments, but his film is not the indie flick I would choose. Precious has my vote. The acting is superb, Sidibe came out of nowhere to play Precious and she blew my mind. I would never have guessed that Mo’Nique had the acting chops she displayed in the film. The film was visually stimulating and at times experimental and the plot will definitely slap you in the face.

A Serious Man: I loved this movie but it was not funnier than Lebowski nor was it darker than No Country for Old Men, as I was promised. I was surprised this was nominated for best picture but I was glad to see it on the roster. I guess I would expect the Academy to overlook this sort of gem, I guess that’s the perks of 10 best picture nominations. This film was a delicious spread of oddness, hilariousness, Jewishness, grossness, tediousness and epic mundaness to the point of insanity.

Up: I can see why Wall-E was nominated for Best Picture but while I loved Up, I don’t think it should be nominated for best picture. Any film with talking dogs should not be nominated for best picture, no matter how adorably awesome they are.

Up in the Air: I didn’t see this but I want to so bad....maybe it will change my feelings completely about the best picture nominee but how will I ever know?!?!

"Nobody wants to be here and nobody wants to leave"

Words cannot explain how much I love post-apocalyptic tales of distopian worlds. I love how humans spend so much time thinking of all the creative ways we are eventually going to fuck ourselves over.
I loved reading Cormac McCarthy's "The Road". It plodded along only offering little tidbits of information and before I knew it I was completely engorged and totally in love with the boy and the man who continue to travel down the road despite the ever increasing sense that all hope is lost. I read the book in a hurry so I could catch the upcoming film release.
The movie was the longest film of my entire life. Naturally I'm exaggerating but the book just didn't translate to film very well at all. The characters looked exactly like I would expect them to and they acted their roles perfectly. The landscape looked as bleak and dismal as I had imagined. The book had an element of surprise that the film just couldn't seem to master. I enjoy film adaptations of novels because I like to see what they add or take out. In the case of this film they didn't do enough of either. I appreciate the loyalty to McCarthy's text but for the audiences sake they could have pumped a little more action into that limp plot. ;)
Needless to say, my compadre Jae and I were fidgeting and bouncing around in our seats for about the last 45 minutes of the film. I wished they would just die already and give up, I was already contemplating suicide myself.

It was my boyfriend Chris who was filled with anticipation for "Book of Eli" so I surrendered my Sunday to the cause. Book of Eli made up in spades for what "The Road" lacked in plot and as a result it also lacked some of "The Road"s poignancy. They were surprisingly similar in that the world has long since been burned, there is little food or water, people have become cannibals and criminals to survive, for the most case humanity has been destroyed. They both deal with themes of faith and survival. I came across a few issues in the film though:

This seems to me to be a realistic depiction of what your post-apocalyptic family would look like in a world of minimal shelter and sustenance. You can practically see stink lines coming off this sad father son duo. Viggo Mortensen was the perfectly choice for this physically because he naturally rocks the crack fiend malnourished look.

This is the guy at the OSCARS! I'm not going to lie, if I saw this guy in the grocery store I'd put my hand over my wallet. And I would definitely purell after any sort of interaction.
Now lets compare these grubby little gaffers to Denzel.

Aside from his blatant hygiene which they sort of address in the film, his clothes look only slightly weather if not brand new. He looks like he stopped off at Eddie Bauer before taking a hike up Tea Pot hill. I don't understand how a man on such a one track minded mission manages to maintain a nice beard and perfectly quaffed do. Not to mention

There is no way there is ANYTHING this nice looking in the post apocalyptic world!
I'm glad that in a future with little to no water, chap stick, food or anything of value that there is still: hairbrushes, eyebrow shaping tools, concealer, and mascara. Then again, maybe "The Road" would have been slightly more entertaining if they had brought this little muffin along for the ride.

All in all, I hate to admit that I would way rather watch "The Book of Eli" than "The Road". I would actually probably watch "Eli" again. It was badass while not being entirely cheesy and Gary Oldman is awesome as usual (that guy has some of the best spazz outs in film history). I appreciate that they didn't have any banging going on between the male and female lead which made their relationship more believable and as a result her character way less expendable. I like Denzel, I always like Denzel. He doesn't have a ton of range in his acting ability but the earnestness of his characters makes him very easy and enjoyable to watch.