Hello friends and welcome to a new month of movies.
This month I only have eight recommendations for you instead of the usual ten, because I’m guessing few films wanted to compete with the release of “The Avengers” and I can’t say I blame them.
BUT there are some potentially awesome movies coming out this month, so let’s get to it.
1. Moonrise Kingdom (Drama…Comedy…something)- Wes Anderson’s new film that I have been waiting months for. It has a lot of his usual cast, but some different faces as well (like Edward Norton!). If you haven’t seen any of his films before, I recommend starting with Royal Tenenbaums and then just watching all of his films. Forever.
2. The Intouchables (Dramaish)- I recently started hearing a lot about this film but I didn’t see the trailer until today, and it looks amazing. I’m very excited for this movie.
3. The Avengers (Action)- Okay, now I’m about 90% sure this film is just going to be entertaining. It’s going to be fight scenes and cool characters kicking ass and looking good while doing it. It’s not going to be artistic or thought provoking or complicated. And many of you are going to see it. But for those of you shaking your heads at this action-packed-comic-porn, I have ONE reason above all reasons to see this movie. Jeremy Renner. Now you could argue that Robert Downey Jr. is also worth watching, but Renner is one of the most captivating actors of the past few years. He’s not quirky or tag-lined, he’s just solid. He embodies the characters he plays, he gets your attention and you believe him. He has a career worth following.
4. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Rom-Com)- Maggie Smith saying sarcastic things. Sold.
5. Men in Black III (Comedy/Science Fiction)- Nostalgia.
6. Hysteria (Rom-Com)- Hugh, Maggie and Felicity. Great cast. About the invention of the vibrator. Sold.
7. Hick (Dramedy, I guess) - This movie is 50/50. It could be awful. But Chloe from Kick-Ass is in it and Blake Lively, so it might be worth seeing. Maybe.
8. First Position (Documentary) - I have a hard time watching anything about ballet dancing because while it’s beautiful, there is an undeniable pain some people/children are going through to obtain this ideal and I think that’s unhealthy. So I wouldn’t be able to watch this documentary, but it looks really well done so I recommend seeing it.
There aren’t many family films coming out this month, unless you count Dark Shadows but I just think it’s painful. Tim Burton, why?
Also, if you see the film LOL you shouldn’t be reading my blog.
If you see Battleship for any reason other than to laugh at it, you shouldn’t be reading my blog.
If you see The Dictator… really? REALLY?
Lastly, there are only two horror films on the imdb list for this month and neither of them seem like strong narratives, but if you’re just looking for blood and “scares” then see Chernobyl Diaries, and Mother’s Day if it comes out near you.
And just a note, next month has a TON of movies coming out. Yay summer.
Every year there are only a handful of movies that I get really excited for, and this is one of them. I also appreciate a good trailer and this one is on par with the first “Like Crazy” trailer.
Enjoy.
Alright, a new month means new movies. And this month has quite a few “big hype” films, and by big hype I mean they’ve been promoted the crap out of. So let’s talk about those first…
- American Reunion (This movie makes me sad. Most of the actors in it are pretty washed-up. And none of them are cute anymore.)
- The Three Stooges (I loved this show when I was a kid but this seems like another depressing remake. My only hope is that the kids who watch it will want to watch the show…ugh)
- The Raven (REALLY? John Cusak as Edgar Allen Poe? Poe investigates crimes and shoots people and doesn’t hate himself? REALLY?)
- Titanic 3D (The people are actually jumping right AT you to their untimely deaths. This movie was really well made, and I do love Kate Winslet, and a big shout out to whoever converted the film to 3D, but I feel like the only reason it was made is for MONEY. Which sucks. So I won’t pay to see it.)
Alright, enough of that. Let’s talk about ten movies that might actually be worth your time and money this month.
1. The Hunter- Willem Dafoe is one of the only characters in this film, and he’s hunting a tiger. Awesome. (Action/Thriller)
2. The Lady- This might be super cheesy, but it’s a woman kicking political ass, and I think it’s based on a true story. So maybe. (Drama)
3. Chimpanzee- MONKIES! (Doc)
4. The Five-Year Engagement- Jason Segal and Emily Blunt. All you really need to know. (Rom Com)
5. Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope- I like watching footage of Comic-Con, it’s really fun. And who doesn’t want to have fun? (Doc)
6. Darling Companion- Might suck complete ass but Kevin Kline is in it and I’d watch him tie his shoes for two hours. (Rom Com)
7. To the Arctic 3D- Meryl Streep talks to you about POLAR BEARS. YAY. (Doc)
8. Sound of My Voice- Creepy cult movie with Brit Marling (who is an up-and-coming actress that was in Another Earth…she’s pretty awesome) (Horror/Thriller)
9. The Giant Mechanical Man- This wasn’t on the imdb list for movies this month, but it says it’s coming out April 27th and I think it looks really cute… (Rom Com)
10. The Moth Diaries- I wanted to put another horror on here, even though I don’t really watch them. But I definitely want to know what happens in this movie. It seems cliche, but I can’t quite figure out what angle it’s taking…so I’m intrigued… it’s a maybe. (Horror)
Also out this month…
- Girl in Progress (might be good…might be really bad…it’s a coin toss)
- Damsels in Distress (Greta Gerwig is in it…and she’s really cool…but the movie might not be)
- Lockout (it’s like Taken in space…with Guy Pearce)
- The Lucky One (Nicholas Sparks movies have become so formulated and the trailers show you the whole freakin’ movie and it drives me crazy. But Zac Efron is a handsome man. So I won’t blame anyone for seeing it.)
Alright, and that’s it for the month. Anything I didn’t mention I either haven’t heard of or do not condone seeing in any capacity.
Now you have to take this review as being from someone who read the book, but who also saw it with someone who didn’t. So I feel like I at least got a grasp of the perspective of someone coming into the film fresh.
So I want to review the film using both perspectives, because there is one big thing that shifts between the two. But before I get to that, let’s talk about the film overall.
First. Do not. DO NOT compare this to Twilight. I keep seeing Hunger Games vs. Twilight reviews all over the internet and I’m not really going to do that, know why? Because Jennifer Lawrence is a fucking AMAZING actress who was nominated for an OSCAR for an awesome movie called WINTER’S BONE. Kristen Stewart is like a stale loaf of bread.
Take that as you will.
So, going with that last somewhat overreaction, Jennifer Lawrence is about 70% of why this movie is worth seeing multiple times. She takes a character who is completely introverted and she SHOWS all of her emotions flawlessly. Just in her face. She is beautiful, talented, and she kicks ass, man. She is perfect for this role, and honestly some of the dialogue is corny, but she makes it work.
The cast is just great in general. I could go on for awhile about that, but I don’t want to ruin anything for those who haven’t seen it.
The costume and set design in the film are also really well done. Especially once you reach the city of Panem, it’s really cool. I mean the budget for this film must have been HUGE and they spent it wisely. It’s actually kind of gritty without being overdone. Especially the cinematography, it’s very real and pulls you in, like a documentary…sort of. I can see how it might be a bit jarring for some people, to have so much camera movement, but I get motion sick running on a treadmill and the film style didn’t affect me.
Now the writing in the film was a lot like the writing in the book. The action is really great. The dialogue is…not. I have to constantly remind myself that these characters are not supposed to be very well educated…and they are supposed to be young. So maybe that is how they would actually talk and I shouldn’t let it get to me. Right? Right.
Here’s the one problem I have with the film, and I wouldn’t have even really known that it was a problem had I not seen the film with someone who hadn’t read the book.
When the film ended my friend looked at me and said something like “Peeta is a pussy. I hate him.”
Possibly spoilers beyond this point….beware….
Friends with Kids.
So, I never saw “Kissing Jessica Stein”, which Jennifer Westfeldt wrote and starred in, but today I saw her directorial debut “Friends with Kids”, which she also wrote and starred in. And it was okay.
The cast is pretty stellar, you have Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Maya Rudolph, Jon Hamm, Chris O’Dowd and Westfeldt, who is actually a pretty decent actress. The acting in this film is great, I have very few complaints about the acting. Most of the cast is actually from Bridesmaids, and since Westfeldt is Jon Hamm’s partner (of like 14 years), it makes sense how the film acquired such a good cast.
But the problem with this film, for me, was in the writing. Now, there are positives, so let’s delve into those first.
The banter is very clever. It’s worth seeing just for the moments of conversation happening between the characters. Almost every one of them is very well developed and you can tell so much about them through their interactions. The conversations are strong and definitely hold your attention, deservingly. However, Kristen Wiig’s character is the weakest. And I love her.
Anyway, this is where the film went wrong for me. The “dramatic” moments in this film are overdone. They are over the top and drawn out. It’s a shame because there are moments of dialogue that are really strong, but they are almost completely drowned out by other lines of dialogue that just don’t feel real.
The film feels like a run-on sentence. I understand what it’s trying to say, but it could have been said better.
Stop reading now to avoid spoilers…
Yesterday I listed the actors over 70, so today I’m listening the actresses over 70. This list was more difficult because most of the actresses I love are just under 70 (Like Helen Mirren). But I made a list with a few to spare, although I’ve seen a lot less of the films from most of these actresses than I care to admit…but here I am admitting it. Anyway, here we go.
1. Shirley MacLaine (77)
Films: The Apartment, Terms of Endearment, Carolina
It was impossible to pick just one photo of her.
2. Judi Dench (77)
Films: Jane Eyre, Notes on a Scandal, Chocolat
3. Maggie Smith (77)
Films: Harry Potter, Hook, (series) Downton Abbey
4. Julie Andrews (76)
Films: The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, The Princess Diaries
5. Olympia Dukakis (80)
Films: Look Who’s Talking, Moonstruck, Steel Magnolias
Youngest photo I could find.
6. Ellen Burstyn (79)
Films: Requiem for a Dream, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, The Exorcist
Had to use a photo in color. She’s a beautiful older woman.
7. Fionnula Flanagan (70)
Films: The Others, Waking Ned Devine, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
8. Cloris Leachman (85)
Films: Young Frankenstein, (series) Raising Hope, Now and Then
9. Gena Rowlands (81)
Films: A Woman Under the Influence, The Notebook, Persepolis
10. Vanessa Redgrave (75)
Films: Evening, Atonement, Mission: Impossible
I almost didn’t put her on here, but I had to when I saw the pictures of her.
And some other honorable mentions…
That is all. Hopefully I didn’t forget anyone.
Top Ten Men Over 70
(Only living actors, because if we delve into who WOULD have been over 70 we’ll all just become depressed…but they can be retired or doing shitty movies now…my blog my rules, bitches)
If I forget any films or any old men feel free to add to the list.
1. Sir Anthony Hopkins (74)
(Three) Noteworthy films: Silence of the Lambs, The World’s Fastest Indian, Meet Joe Black
I love to see them when they were young.
2. Sean Connery (81)
Films: James Bond (pick one), A League of Extraordinary Gentleman, Finding Forrester
I should really stop encouraging men to smoke on here…but I can’t help it
3. Christopher Plummer (82)
Films: Beginners, The Sound of Music, The Last Station
4. Ian McKellen (72_
Films: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, X2
5. Jack Nicholson (74)
Films: The Shining, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, As Good as It Gets
*note to anyone posting recent pictures of him in a bathing suit: stop taking and/or posting photos of topless 74 year old men on the internet. it’s not surprising. get used to it. we’re human. our skin will sag someday. and he’s JACK NICHOLSON.
6. Morgan Freeman (74)
Films: Se7en, Kiss the Girls, The Shawshank Redemption
(I hope that’s actually him…it was hard to find photos of him when he was young)
7. Gene Hackman (82)
Films: The Royal Tenenbaums. Absolute Power, Hoosiers
I really love Gene Hackman. I’m sad that he retired.
8. Alan Arkin (78)
Films: Little Miss Sunshine, Sunshine Cleaning, Edward Scissorhands
I added an extra photo for the muppets…
9. Harvey Keitel (72)
Films: The Piano, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction
and
and
and finally
I got a little carried away there…but he has a lot of pictures…and he’s a handsome man.
10. Michael Caine (79) His birthday was the 14th, Happy Belated Mr. Caine!
Films: The Dark Knight, Secondhand Lions, The Cider House Rules
hard to pass that picture up.
and just for old times sake…
Okay…so that’s the top 10….but I’m throwing in a few more old photos of some others just for the hell of it…
One of the many reasons I want the man I’m married to when I’m young to be the same man when I’m old, is that I want to be able to look at him in our old age and remember the way we were when we were young together. That’s where these photos bring me. It would be nice.
I want to do this with actresses too. Maybe when I’m procrastinating tomorrow I will.
Till then. Goodnight.
* I forgot Robert Duvall, and I love him dearly. So I had to add him.
I haven’t made a list in awhile, and since I’m watching Shrek I thought I’d make a computer animated movie list. It’s not a difficult list to make since they’ve only had computer animated films since the 90’s, but there are so many great ones that it wasn’t easy to cut it down to ten. But I did. And here we go.
1. Shrek
This movie is so clever. It’s a great mix of adult and kid humor. Also, watching now I realize how much of my music still consists of songs from the Shrek soundtrack…
2. Toy Story
This movie is my childhood.
3. How to Train Your Dragon
When I saw this movie I thought it would just be another typical kids movie, but it’s so good!
4. Finding Nemo
I feel like this list is so obvious. But while this isn’t my all-time favorite, it’s still really sweet.
5. Ice Age
Hehehe
6. Monsters Inc.
This movie is so clever. And just look at that face. Big eyes.
7. Wall-E
Wall-E is so well done. It’s one of the best from Pixar.
8. Despicable Me
I was torn between this and another one, but I just had to. If anything because of the line “it’s so fluffy I want to die”
9. Up
This movie melts my heart. It’s so wonderful. Few live action films are done as well.
10. Toy Story 3
I saved this movie for last because I love this one so much. Not only is it a great movie and a great end to the series, but it reminds me of how much I loved my own toys and how much I loved the first movie.
Other noteworthy movies are: Horton Hears a Who, Ratatouille, Monster House and The Polar Express.
Now I want to make a cartoon list…maybe later.
That’s all for now.
It’s already March. So strange. This year has flown by. And now I’m on a new computer. Oscars came and went (and I was pretty close in my predictions), and now a new crop of movies is coming out. Huzzah! Let’s go over the top ten movies coming out this month, shall we?
1. Being Flynn- Robert DeNiro hasn’t been getting the best roles lately, but I absolutely adore Paul Dano. He’s an amazing actor and the story is interesting, so it may end up being good. You never know.
2. The Snowtown Murders- I’m not sure how the movie will be, but I looked up the actual murders and the story is so bizarre and scary. I probably won’t ever be able to watch the movie, but if they recreate the events well enough it could be worth seeing.
3. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen- I’m a sap.
4. Footnote- This was nominated for an oscar (foreign film) but it hadn’t been released here yet. It seems witty.
5. Detachment- Adrien Brody.
6. The Kid with a Bike- This was nominated for a Golden Globe. It looks really sweet and sad. Bittersweet.
7. THE HUNGER GAMES- I am so excited. I felt like I was 16 again when I read the books, but man the story is good and I’m so so so excited to see how they portray it, I’m sure it’ll be great. Jennifer Lawrence is in it too and Josh Hutcherson.
8. Bully- This is a documentary about bullying and I’m surprised it took so long for someone to make this since bullying has been such a big topic over the past couple years. But it is a problem and it’s good that there’s a doc coming out to shed more light on it.
9. Jeff Who Lives at Home- I don’t think this movie looks very good, but I want it to be good because Jason Segal and Ed Helms are in it.
10. Friends with Kids- Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, and Jon Hamm. If they weren’t in it I probably wouldn’t see it.
Actors play a big part in why I see certain movies…if you couldn’t tell…but really, The Hunger Games is coming out and it could be really awesome…or bad… but I’m banking on it being a great movie.
Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow!!! The oscars are tomorrow, if you didn’t know, and if you couldn’t already tell, I love them. Even if the nominations this year suck, I love oscar.
So, since it’s tomorrow, I thought I would give my own will win/should win/shouldn’t be there list!
Best Picture
Will Win: The Artist
Should Win: The Artist or The Tree of Life
Shouldn’t Be There: Midnight in Paris (Shame or Drive should be there instead)
Best Actress
Will Win: Meryl Streep (although Viola Davis could get it)
Should Win: Michelle Williams. because I love her. and it’s about damn time she got it.
Shouldn’t Be There: I like them all this year.
Best Actor
Will Win: George Clooney (he’s been campaigning hard for it)
Should Win: Jean Dujardin
Shouldn’t Be There: Brad Pitt (Michael Fassbender or Ryan Gosling)
Supporting Actress
Will Win: Octavia Spencer
Should Win: Jessica Chastain, who was even better in Tree of Life
Shouldn’t Be There: Melissa McCarthy (I like her, but Carey Mulligan deserved that spot)
Supporting Actor
Will Win: Christopher Plummer
Should Win: Christopher Plummer (Beginners is a great movie)
Shouldn’t Be There: Jonah Hill (sorry, Jonah. Albert Brooks deserved the nomination)
Best Director
Will Win: Michel Hazanivicius
Should Win: Terrance Malick (although I won’t be disappointed if Michel wins)
Shouldn’t Be There: Woody Allen (I know I’m hating on him a lot, but I just didn’t like the movie. Nicholas Refn, for Drive, deserved the nomination)
Best Original Screenplay
Will Win: Woody Allen
Should Win: (because I haven’t seen A Separation yet) Michel Hazanivicius
Shouldn’t Win: Woody Allen.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Will Win: The Descendants
Should Win: I haven’t seen The Ides of March yet…maybe that deserves to be there
Shouldn’t Be There: Most of them.
Best Foreign Film
Will Win: A Separation
Should Win: Haven’t seen them.
Best Animated Feature
Will Win: Rango (I feel like there’s been a lot of campaigning for it)
* I haven’t seen any of them so I can’t judge
Art Direction
Will Win: Harry or Hugo
Should Win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2 (give Hogwarts something, please)
Shouldn’t Be There: All of them should be. Even Midnight in Paris.
Cinematography
Will Win: War Horse (this may not even win, but I feel like it’s gunning for it)
Should Win: The Tree of Life OR The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Shouldn’t Be There: All of them deserve it.
Costume Design
Will Win: The Artist
Should Win: Jane Eyre (it’s such a great movie with so little recognition)
Shouldn’t Be There: Anonymous or W.E
Documentary Feature
Will Win: Pina
Should Win: Haven’t seem them.
Film Editing
Will Win: The Artist
Should Win: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Makeup
Will Win: The Iron lady
Should Win: Harry Potter
Music (Original Score)
Will Win: The Artist
Should Win: Hugo
Music (Original Song)
Will Win: Man or Muppet
Should Win: Man or Muppet <3
Sound Editing
Will Win: War Horse (maybe)
Should Win: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Visual Effects
Will Win: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Should Win: Harry Potter
Some of this are really long-shot guesses on my part, based on how popular “The Artist” has become. Rightfully so. But I’d have to watch all the movies again to really pick the winner for editing. Although those categories tend to be more legitimate and less political.
We’ll see if I was right about anything tomorrow. Going to try and watch “A Separation” and “My Week with Marilyn” tonight.
