Filmography of a Movie Lover

And Baby Makes Three

2011-12-13T18:18:00.002-05:00

Long time no see... Er hear from? Uhm blog?

Yes, I’ve been MIA but for very good reason and here he is…

My pride and joy. Born in March, this little guy quickly became the center of my world and many of my non-mommy activities fell to the wayside. But now, having mastered (in my mind) the art of balanced motherhood I am back.

And boy do I have some great posts in my mental rolodex, movies to review and of course Award season is quick approaching which brings all manner of topics for discussion. But first things first…

In honor of my return and the reason for my departure, here are some sweet and fun films about children and parenting.

Three Men and a Baby (1987)
Look Who’s Talking (1989)
Look Who’s Talking Too (1990)
Parenthood (1989)
Baby Boom (1987)

“Don’t give me attitude, I’m a mother!” ~Heart and Souls (1993)

What's Next?!?!

2010-07-22T22:52:00.003-04:00

Summer, AKA blockbuster season is winding down and Fall movie season usually brings romance and Oscar contenders. Judging from these finds it looks like this Fall will not disappoint.

Eat Pray Love(Aug. 13th)

Julia, Julia, Julia... need I say more.

Check out the trailer.

The Town (Sept. 10th)

Ben Affleck continues to impress.

Writing, acting, directing... good on ya Benny.

Do me a favor, watch the trailer.

Love Ranch(Sept. 16th)

Helen Mirren (LOVE HER). This one looks like Casino meets Best Little Whorehouse in Texas minus the singing and dancing but add in a little On the Ropes without the... oh forget it just watch the trailer.

Stone (Oct. 8th)

You got your Edward Norton,

you got your DeNiro..

you got a yourself a movie.

Here's the trailer.

Nowhere Boy (Oct. 8th)
It's John Lennon's story and how the Beatles came to be.
I love a good biopic.
Watch the trailer... trust me.

RED (Oct. 15th)

Just looks like fun to me.

See what you get from the trailer.

Welcome to the Riley's (Nov. 5th)
Big on emotion, tugging at the heartstrings and maybe a tearjerker too but who couldnt' use a good cry every now and again. Take a look at the trailer.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Nov. 19th)

Ever since I read the last word of this 759 page tome (by the way, it took me 3 days cover to cover - thank you very much) I have waited for this day to come. Let's not cheapen it with words... trailer.

Happy watching movie lovers!

There'll be spectacle, there'll be fantasy.
There'll be daring do and stuff like you would never see. Hey a Movie!
~ The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
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Let's Review: The Last Airbender

2010-07-07T21:39:00.004-04:00

Happy belated 4th of July!!!

I have been on a movie watching frenzy as of late, some new, some old, and some in preparation for postings in the coming weeks and months. One of the new films husband and I ventured out to see was The Last Airbender. In case I've not mentioned this before, my brothers are movie snobs. I mention this because due to their snobbery I ofttimes shrug off their movie predictions which was the case with Airbender. Had I but known my friends, had I but known.

But shoulda, coulda, woulda. On Friday afternoon, husband and I ventured over to the new Studio Movie Grill to catch a midday movie. Apparently everyone else in Atlanta had the same idea because practically every showing of every movie was sold out. So we purchased tickets to the 10:05 pm show and set off to kill about 7 hours. Upon our return, I can't speak for hubby but, I was excited. 3D glasses in hand, overpriced appetizers and dessert items ordered, I waited anxiously to see what M. Night had in store for us this time.

Needless to say, it was... not good. You pretty much got the gist of where the story was going via voice over at the beginning of the film. There are essentially four nations each represented by an element (Water, Earth, Fire and Air). Within these nations there are few that have the power to control that particular element - they are known as "benders". From what I gather, the Air nation has been eradicated by the Fire Nation who wants to rule over all of the Nations. Aang, a small boy, is the last of the Air Nation, a bender, and is the Avatar to boot. The Avatar is the one person/being who has the power to bend all of the elements and therein the only one who could potentially bring an end to the Fire Nation's tyranny.

With all sincerity the story was good unfortunately, they fell short in the execution. In the day's since I've seen the film I still can't decide whether it was bad dialogue, bad directing, bad acting or a combination of all of three. I think the filmmaker did not have enough confidence in or maybe even respect for the audience. There was way too much exposition, too much on-the-nose dialogue, and it came off "cartoony". There were lines of dialogue that were so easily inferred or even referenced something earlier in the film but as opposed to letting us catch the reference there would a line of dialogue pointing out the reference.

But in the spirit of "if you can't say anything nice", I will say the cinematography was beautiful and the action sequences were good too (albeit a little repetitive).

This may be a seem a bit harsh and it is, I'll cop to it. But I'm a little disappointed in M. Night. We know he can do better so to me it's like an student bringing home an "F" in their strongest subject. No Excuse.

My name is Hal Weidmann. The film you're about to see is Time Over Time, or is it? The details are unimportant. Simplyput... the script was s**t. l tossed it.
~ America's Sweethearts (2001)
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Let's Review: Knight and Day

2010-06-25T23:59:00.001-04:00

Husband and I took in a mid-week Yours, Mine, Ours movie. No, I'm not referring to the 1968 Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda classic (j'adore) and definitely not the 2005 remake which I refuse to see for fear it would taint the original which I still view on occasion on VHS (yes, V.H.S.).

But I digress - I am referring to the rare yet perfect formula that takes elements from girl movies and guy movies to create the ultimate date night movie. This particular cinematic wonder was Knight and Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.

Truth be told I had a fear that this was one of those movies where all of the good scenes were in the trailer. I can't tell you how pleased I was that the trailer was just the tip of the iceberg.

Here's the rundown:

June (Diaz) is returning home from a scrap searching excursion, she restores classic cars, when she bumps into Roy (Cruise), a special agent on a rogue mission. Due to their multiple interactions at the airport, June is suspected to be working with Roy and becomes a target of his enemies. Roy, feels responsible for June's position and works to keep her safe while attempting to uncover a dirty agent in his organization.

When it comes to action, Tom Cruise usually brings the goods and he does not disappoint here - 1 for the guys. He and Cameron Diaz have great chemistry and there is, of course, a romance that smolders throughout the movie - 1 for the girls. Cruise plays Roy straight and earnest, so much so that it heightens the comedy. Allow me to explain...

The audience is on this ride with June. What is absurd, unbelievable, and strange to us (including June) is just another day at the office to Roy. And his casual and calm attitude against her frantic and tense responses to the situations they find themselves in makes for great comedy.

As husband and I are both movie lovers I am on constant watch for Yours, Mine, Ours movies and Knight and Day will definitely be an addition to that library. But until it makes is way to DVD, here are are a few others to enjoy:

What Happens in Vegas (2008)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
The Italian Job (2003)
True Lies (1994)
The Quiet Man (1952)

June: How did I get in the bikini?
Roy: June, I've been trained to dismantle a bomb in the pitch black with nothing but a safety pin and a junior mint. I think I can get you in and out of some clothes without looking. I'm not saying that's what I did but...
~ Knight and Day (2010)
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Females are Fabulous

2010-06-24T19:12:00.029-04:00

The other day while channel surfing, I stumbled on The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) and was quite taken by Rene Russo's portrayal of an insurance company investigator. It made me think about other films portraying fabulous women handling their business.

There are hundreds, probably thousands of films portraying fabulous female characters but I've compiled a list of my favorite fabulous females that possess that rare combination of strength, vulnerability, and femininity while staying on top of their game be it in the business world or running a home. And of course, that certain something that just makes us say "Wow".

The first is the fore mentioned Catherine Banning portrayed by Rene Russo in The Thomas Crown Affair (1999).

How fabulous is this woman?!? From the moment she first appears on screen she oozes confidence, holding her own against the male dominated NYPD. She's a tough-as-nails business women with a taste for the finer things but she shows a softer side when she gets a little too close to her very worthy adversary.

Lisette Lineres portrayed by Lauren Valez in I Like it Like That (1994).

Kind of an obscure movie but one of my classic "Girl Power" movies. Lisette is a young wife and mother who struggles to keep her family afloat after her husband's half-baked idea to loot during a blackout lands him in jail. With no income, little education and few options Lisette takes a job against hubby's wishes. She steps out of her comfort zone and comes into her own - realizing her self worth and discovering her own strength.

Jane Smith portrayed by Angelina Jolie in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005).

Angelina is a given, she is the queen of strong, powerful women in movies. But this is by far my favorite roll. Why? So glad you asked - though Angie does strong and in control like no body's business but love and vulnerability is not usually on the same bill. This was a fully formed character, a women on top of her game who has to struggle with the choice of doing her job and following her heart. A no-brainer addition to the girl power movie library.

Leslie Benedict portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor in Giant (1956).

I am and have been a strong proponent of the ideal a lover of cinema cannot have just one favorite movie. There are far too many variables such as viewers mood, time of life (i.e. what was your favorite at 13 is different than your fave at 30), and genre to name a few. That being said, this has been one of my long time go-to favorite films. Ms. Leslie Benedict - truly a woman before her time. She is her own person, able to assert herself and her beliefs without belittling others. Classy, unapologetic, and wise with a kind soul and a strong mind. This woman could very well be my on-screen hero.

Margaret Tate portrayed by Sandra Bullock in The Proposal (2009).

Again, a fully formed character with secrets and flaws and all. I loved Margaret's command of the room and situation particularly when she fired Frank and I so appreciated the follow up where she shared how his comments during that scene affected her. She hit all the marks in my Fabulous Female criteria but Margaret's personal growth throughout the film put her on this list for me.

Honorable Mentions:

~ Hildy Johnson portrayed by Rosalind Russell in His Girl Friday (1940)

~ Tracy Lord portrayed by Katherine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story (1940)

~ Judy Benjamin portrayed by Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin (1980)

Thus completing my current list of fabulous females in film. What would be on your list?

"You have a good mind, a pretty face, a disciplines body that does what you tell it. You have everything it takes to make a lovely women except the one essential. An understanding heat. Without that, you might as well be made of bronze."

~The Philadelphia Story (1940)

You don't call, you don't write...

2010-05-28T09:33:00.004-04:00

But you gave me another movie so... all is fogiven. It's been two years and FINALLY the girls are back and oh, how I missed them. Mom and I went to see Sex and the City 2 yesterday and it was fabulous.
.

When I watch SATC movie or show, I am looking for fashion, style, female comradery and I got it in spades. All that and more, there was a wedding, travel, Liza Minelli and classic movies. What could be bad? I'm afraid to share as I don't want to spill spoilers. I will say I adore how we continue to see the evolution of these women and their relationships with each other and their significant others. They continue to grow and learn about themselves about life. They are each so beautifully flawed, I think that is one of the reasons the show was so accepted... they make mistakes, they have unrealistic expectations, they get their priorities screwed up but throughout it all, they have each other.

So if you are a SATC fan, stop by and see the girls. You won't be dissapointed.

"We made a deal ages ago: men, babies, doesn't matter... we're soul mates".
~ Sex and the City 2 (2010)
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Childhood Revisited

2010-05-23T14:53:00.002-04:00

It never ceases to amaze me how one can watch a movie as an adult that they adored as a child and see it in a completely different way. Some are corny "I can't believe I found this entertaining", some are moving "*sniff* I never saw it that way before", and some can even be a little risqué' "OMG, did you catch that?!"

What brought on this bout of film nostalgia was a recent viewing of The Neverending Story (1984). Husband and I were throwing around lines from the the exploits of young Bastian, Atreyu and the no-name Empress and decided to track it down. While watching I kept thinking how great it was to see the film and at the same time, "Wow, there is some serious overacting going on here". Not to disparage the film because it remains a favorite. As if on autopilot, this film makes me think of The Phantom Tollbooth (1970), an obscure Chuck Jones live action/animated movie starring Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster). If you've not seen it... find it for your kids. Maybe it's just the memories talking but it was so much fun and sneaky learning. All about math and words and still my brothers and I watched it, OFTEN.

The Muppet Movie (1979), has been on my mind too... actually all of the Muppet movies. I love how in many of them they are so aware a movie is being made, the tongue in cheek humor and of course, the songs. Speaking of songs, don't even get me started on Disney. This is a subject deserving of its own posting. But I digress.

New or old, nothing beats an animated or "kids" movie for light viewing and just plain fun. I'm telling you folks, they're not just for kids anymore.

Kermit: Piggy? Piggy, you're overacting.
Miss Piggy: What?
Kermit: You're overacting. You're hamming it up!
Miss Piggy: I am not! I am trying to save this movie.
~ The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
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Plucked From Obscurity

2010-05-13T19:25:00.002-04:00

There is something to be said about revisiting the classics. Thanks to my new friend, Netflix watch instantly, I have stumbled upon a treasure trove of classic films that I've either:
A. Always wanted to see or
B. Never heard of

One of my find's from category B is titled A Letter to Three Wives (1949) starring Jeanne Cain, Linda Darnell and Ann Sothern. What a fantabulous movie! I found it reminicent of George Cukor's The Women (1939) which I also adore.

Back to the three wives, here's the premise:
Four women are scheduled to meet at the dock to take a boatful of local orphans out to a camping area for a day of fun. Three of the women are married and the third (Addie Ross) is single. After waiting and waiting the three marrieds decide Addie isn't going to show, as they board the boat a telegram is delievered. They shove off and together read the message wherein Addie shares the news that she's leaving town and taking one of their husbands with her. The camera focuses on a payphone at the dock as they float away.

COULD YOU DIE!!! This is the first 5 minutes of the movie, I was hooked. The thing is, not only had I never heard of the movie but save for Anne Sothern I had never heard of any of the leading women. It's funny what you stumble upon when you broaden your cinematic scope and try something new.

Why is it that sooner or later no matter what we talk about... we wind up talking about Addie Ross?
Addie: [voice over] Maybe it's because if you girls didn't talk about me you wouldn't talk at all.
~ A Letter to Three Wives (1949)
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Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-10T08:33:00.003-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mothers out there. Yes, it's a day late but I have perfect excuse, I was with my mothers! In the morning, husband and I cooked breakfast for his mother and the evening Dad and I cooked dinner for my mother and I finished off the night watching the ultimate stage mom... Mama Rose Hovick portrayed by the incomprable Rosalind Russell in Gypsy. It came on so late but I had to hear "Everything's Coming Up Roses" before I allowed myself to drift into the land of nod.

I love Mother's Day... and Father's Day come to that. I love the fact that I am blessed with parents who truly value family and the thought behind the thing vs. the price behind the thing. It would be wonderful to be able to wisk my mother away to say New York and indulge in yummy services at a posh spa then off to Bloomies for a shopping spree before dinner then off to the Theater before retiring to a 5 star hotel where she can be waited on hand and foot.

But by only giving her a day to do whatever she wants without disturbance, sitting down to a family dinner filled with laughter and lots of storytelling from her childhood and ours she made us all feel as though that fantasy New York trip would pale in comparison.

I love you Mom!

You'll be swell, you'll be great. Gonna have the whole world on a plate. Starting here, starting now... everything's coming up roses.
~ Gyspy (1962)
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May = Movie Month

2010-04-25T11:41:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday all. I've been an absentee blogger as I've been in a Netflix watch instantly via Wii haze. Unfortuntly, I've not been to the movies lately but then again, there's not much I'm really in a tizzy to see... yet. All my must see's are coming in May, like...

Iron Man 2 with Robert Downey Jr and Don Cheadle releasing on May 7th.

Just Wright with Queen Latifah and Common releasing on May 14th.

Sex and the City 2 with the girls (need I say more) releasing May 27th.

Sure there are other good movies in the pipeline but none that wiggin' out to see right now. I remain optimistc and will just take that as my cue to visit Apple Trailers to expand my must-see list. What movies are you waiting for?

The suspense is terrible... I hope it'll last.
~ Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
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Wiiiiii!!!

2010-04-13T22:13:00.001-04:00

GUESS!!!! what came in the mail today?

The much anticipated (by my household) Netflix watch instantly disk for the Wii. I cannot tell you how excited I am. Husband and I just watched The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 courtesy of our new toy and now the Big Lebowski. When I think of the size of the movie library now at my fingertips it's enough...

to...

make me…

...

Sorry, I think I blacked out for a second there. The excitement you know.

Oh dear, Oh dear, where are my smelling salts? I think I shall faint.
~ Gone with the Wind (1939)
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Foodie Movies

2010-03-23T18:00:00.000-04:00

As Ricky Ricardo once solemnly declared,

"The time has come"... for the The Foodie Movie list.

My love of movies can only be equaled, if not slightly surpassed, by my adoration of cooking. Most of the blogs I follow focus on cooking and entertaining and I just cannot get enough. I am a Food Network watching, Williams-Sonoma recipe card swiping, Bon Appetite reading, specialty class taking (soon I hope), cook book collecting aspiring foodie.

I am currently under a self imposed embargo on buying cookery books as my obsession had gotten a bit out of hand with more books dedicated to most any single ingredient one may ever want to build a meal around. I have since whittled down to my must haves and just recently added Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from my Home to Yours as my crown jewel of baking books (J’adore dahling, j’adore). Don’t look at me that way, I didn’t buy it – it was a gift.

Anyhoo back to the movie /cooking connection. A couple of Christmas’ ago my wonderful parents gifted one of those under the counter TV/DVD player thingies to my husband and I. At first, mostly musicals and I Love Lucy DVD’s kept me company as I cooked. One night, I had no idea what to prepare for dinner and absently popped in a movie that revolved around food as I rummaged around the cupboards and refrigerator looking for… something, anything.

Cooking my new never-to-be duplicated (because I have no idea what was in it) yet delicious meal alongside my virtual accompanying chef who was creating their own epicurean delight was fun and yes a little inspiring. From there I began bringing in my cooking movies into the kitchen more and more often. The food looks delicious and the cooks/chefs are those that love food and cooking and treat it as an art and science. As they instinctually add a pinch of this or a dash or that and fan the rising steam to inhale the delicious bouquet of whatever is bubbling in the pot, I’ll admit - I step my game up a bit.

So without further ado I present my favorite cooking movies. As with watching while you work - be sure to watch the movie first so you aren’t so engrossed in the film that you aren’t paying attention to your own cooking. OR for a fun evening with friends create a meal inspired by the movie and watch while you enjoy the dish. Here are some suggestions:

Chocolat (2000)
Dessert definitely. Or, I really want to try some of the savory dishes they created for Armade’s birthday using chocolate but thus far, dessert is what results from bringing this movie into the kitchen. What kind you ask? Why anything avec Chocolat, bien sur.

Ratatouille (2007)

OK yes, it’s animated but you cannot deny it's a good movie. Check out the special features to see how they used Thomas Keller’s French Laundry as the model for the kitchen. In fact, Chef Keller created the signature dish that was recreated via animation on screen. Try soups or pastas with this film. There’s something about all of the chopping, stirring, pinches and dashes that goes into making these kinds of dishes that makes you feel very chefly.

Last Holiday (2006)
Go nuts, this movie celebrates life so try something completely different. Get in your books and pull out something you always wanted to try. Or look through the cupboard and refrigerator and just go for it. I think this was the film that started this whole movie /cooking thing for me.

Julie and Julia (2009)

Julia demands something classic.
If French isn’t your thing, just why not a twist on 50’s Americana referencing the time period Julia and Paul Child were in France. A beautifully roasted herb chicken with smashed red skinned potatoes, haricot vert (s’il vous plait), and for dessert a yummy chocolate soufflé. I’m sure Julia would approve.

Big Night (1996)
It simply must be Italian, for those feeling brave try to duplicate the timpano recipe featured in this film. Husband and I tried it once and are still tweaking the crust but I’ve stumbled upon a recipe that I think will be “the one”. Once perfected, we will be inviting over the family for an Italian feast of Antipasti, Timpano, and Spumoni with pizelle for dessert.

These didn’t make my big 5 but when I see them they do make me want to get in the kitchen and see what I can whip up. Some of the subject matter here is a bit more dramatic.

Soul Food (1997)
Tortilla Soup (2001)
Waitress (2007)

As I'm always looking for additions to my collection please share your favorite foodie movies.

Bon Appetite!

"You know what I love about cooking?"
"What's that?"
"I love that after a day when nothing is sure, and when I say "nothing" I mean nothing, you can come home and absolutely know that if you add egg yolks to chocolate and sugar and milk, it will get thick. It's such a comfort."
~ Julia and Julia (2009)
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What the?!

2010-03-22T21:29:00.002-04:00

OK. Here's the deal. I've wanted to post about movies to cook by since I started this blog. But whenever I proudly rattled off my list of cooking flicks someone would say, "Oh, what about Like Water for Chocolate?" Or "Don't forget Like Water for Chocolate." Needless to say, I'd never seen Like Water for Chocolate.

After all the raves I thought, "I simply must see this movie! My goodness, this could be the ultimate addition to my collection of cooking movies".

I Netflixed it a few weeks ago and there it sat after a long line democratically queued movies (1 husband movie, 1 wife movie, 1 husband movie, 1 wife movie, etc.) until my brother informed me that it was available on Hulu (hooray!). So, this weekend I hunkered down to take in what was certain to be my newest cooking inspirational film.

Right?

Wrong.

To say it was not what I expected is an understatement. As the credits rolled one thought popped up and promptly escaped my lips - that being, "What the?!"

It wasn't a bad movie, mind you. And there was food. And there was a love story. But oh my goodness how frustrating!

The story of Tita and Paulo offered different take on courtly / forbidden love but as the story wore on I found myself becoming increasingly angry,

with the mother (Dona Elena) for her selfishness and hypocrisy – even to the point of wishing for her on-screen death.
with Paulo and his misguided plan to ensure a place in Tita's life.
with Tita's passive behavior especially after her older sister Gertrudis broke free from her mother's rule.

I would have loved to see her (Tita) be more strong that "good" and he (Paulo) more in control than tortured. If you've seen it and have different thoughts please share.

I am planning on watching it again - as it was so off from what I expected I am open to the possibility that it may have affected my first viewing. Whatever the outcome of the second viewing it's pretty safe to say, Like Water for Chocolate will not be a part of my cooking reel.

I don't like when somebody comes up to me the next day and says, "Hey, man, I saw your play. It touched me; I cried." I like it when a guy comes up to me a week later and says, "Hey, man, I saw your play... what happened?"
~ Tootsie (1984)
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Oscar Wrap up

2010-03-09T20:58:00.006-05:00

It's officially over - my Oscar 2010 experience officially ended last night at 11pm as the credits rolled on E!'s Fashion Police. Though I don't always agree with the panel I love to hear their take and catch all of the fashions I missed channel hopping from ABC to E! during the red carpet arrivals.

As to my predictions, I finished with 14.5 correct out of 24 categories (I counted Christoph Waltz's win) and was kicking myself on the Sound Editing and Sound Mixing categories as I changed my vote right before my predictions post from The Hurt Locker to Avatar *FOLLOW YOUR FIRST MIND*. Oh well.

As to the show itself (yes, I stayed up until midnight to watch the whole thing) here is my take -

The Red Carpet:
By far, the best red carpet moment for me was Gabourey Sidibe with Ryan on E!. That girl is just effervescent she owned her look and exuded such confidence, sass and charm. I loved here line of "If fashion was porn this dress is the money shot." Too much. Perhaps it's just me but, all three of the hosts for the ABC red carpet seemed awkward, as did their interviewees when they were with them.

The Opener:
A little forced but there was some funny. To be honest I was a little disappointed that Alec and Steve didn't do some grand opening it seemed a bit of a cop out that they went with Neil Patrick Harris.

Alec and Steve:
Again, some funny but overall came off like a prolonged SNL opener. The timing was off on some of the banter and jokes which caused some of the potentially witty repartee to fall flat. I really, really wanted to LOVE this but when you stack it up against past hosts they were just "eh."

The Big Dance Number:
As a So You Think You Can Dance fan, I was excited to see Travis as one of the dancers and with Adam Shenkman directing I knew there would be a dance number but it was a little "B" boy heavy. I wanted to see more of the contemporary dancers but that's a personal preference. Don't get me wrong - they did great but about halfway through... enough of the head spinning and flips already.

Presenters:
Hands down the best presenters of the night were Tina Fey and Robert Downey Jr. SO FUNNY. So well executed. Ben Stiller was chuckle worthy though I feel like he did a similar bit on another awards show and most awkward award goes to... Miley (STAND UP STRAIGHT GIRL) Cyrus and Anna Seyfried.

The Speeches:
What was up with girlie bogarting the mic and interrupting the producer/director's speech for Documentary Short? Awkward. Both Sandra's and Jeff Bridges' speeches were lovely, I so prefer it when they are in the moment vs. reading of a list of credits the likes of which we all walk to at the theater. But I did the hand-on-your-heart-head-cocked-to-the-side and "aw" for Ray Bingham's sentiment to his wife stating" I love you more than rainbows baby" for his win for Best Original Song "The Weary Kind (theme from Crazy Heart)".

Other wonderful parts:
Loved homage to John Hughes! Oh my goodness, with every clip I relived a bit of my pre-teendom. Farmer Ted, Duckey, Bueller... Bueller, The Breakfast Club -- *sigh*, I had such a crush on Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles.

Now for the fun part...The Fashion:

Here are some of my faves –

Divine.

Lovely.

Sexy but tasteful.

Simple but elegant.

Here are some women that didn't necessarily follow the trend but while being true to themselves did their thing.

And these were... let's just say not my favorites:

Just too much of everything.

Too many ruffles.

This just overpowered her small frame.

STAND UP STRAIGHT!

So that's that. But you know, whether the show is good, bad or just OK I always enjoy watching the Academy Awards, if for no other reason than it gives me a batch of movies to see.

Happy Watching everyone.

"You're still here? It's over. Go home. Go"
~ Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
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This... is my superbowl

2010-03-06T09:46:00.002-05:00

Final tally:

Of the 11 movies sought out I saw nine. Not bad considering, all told I watched 14 films, ten of them were all of the best picture nominees. What gets me is that I saw some I really didn't want to see but the two I really were curious about could not be found.

Ah well, I did better than years past so for me, it's a personal victory thank you very much. And of course there's always next year - perhaps then I'll finally throw the ultimate Oscar Party but that's a post for another time.

Ahem. Down to business, I have completed my ballot allow me to share my selections and reasoning...

Leading Actor: Jeff Bridges
Of the five nominated actors I saw four of the performances and though all did well in their roles Jeff's role in Crazy Heart provided more of a departure of his norm.

Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer
OK, I didn't see The Last Station but the Academy loves a comeback story and Plummer has been out of the mainstream for a while. I must mention that I love my Matty (Matt Damon) and he was fantastic as always but I just don't think this is his Oscar winning role. Of the performances I did see Christoph Waltz was the best and could win it... and if he does - I will count it.

Leading Actress: Sandra Bullock
Did you see The Blind Side AKA her best role to date? 'nuff said.

Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique
She was FANTASTIC in her role in Precious; I could not forgive my self if I selected anyone else for this one.

Animated Feature: Up
This was a delightful film and as it was nominated for best picture I selected it as best Animated Feature.

Art Direction: The Young Victoria
There is a method to this for me - Art Direction is essentially set design, period pieces and/or films in special or unusual settings usually win this one.

Cinematography: Avatar
This category is all about the picture, was it visually appealing. Whether people love or hate Avatar, it was a beautifully photographed movie.

Costume Design: The Young Victoria
Like Art Direction, costume design usually goes to period pieces or those movies with complicated attire.

Directing: The Hurt Locker
Loved this movie and to play a little politics there is the "first female director" historical angle.

Documentary Feature: Food, Inc.
Total guess

Documentary Short: China's Unnatural Disaster
Again, total guess

Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Essentially it was the last scene of the movie that locked this one for me - it was such a dead on transition that I actually said "Good editing" as I watched it.

Foreign Language Film: The Milk of Sorrow
Total guess

Makeup: Star Trek
Typically sci fi movies or those with lots of use of face or body altering grab this one so I went with that logic.

Original Score: Avatar
I liked the score

Original Song: The Weary Kind (theme from Crazy Heart)
Typically Disney snatches up this award but usually if you've heard the song on the radio a lot it's a lock.

Short Film Animated: Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty
Total guess

Short Film Live Action: The New Tenants
Total guess

Sound Editing: Avatar
This movie was so technologically advanced, though I'm unsure as to the exact method of its creation from what I've seen from "making of" specials as to how they merged the actors performances to the computerized characters this movie is the perfect choice for this and the following category.

Sound Mixing: Avatar
See sound editing

Screenplay Adapted: Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
This movie was beautifully written to say nothing of the performances.

Screenplay Original: The Messenger
Again, beautifully written. This movie is a must see, so moving.

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Historically Best Director and Best Picture are one and the same. To that end, The Hurt Locker is my selection.

So that's that, come Sunday evening I'll be hunkering down with husband to see how I've done and to see who's wearing what. Game on!

"Now what?"
"We wait.
"Okay!
~ Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
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Pick your faves

2010-03-03T21:08:00.002-05:00

Check out this link to print your oscar ballot courtesy of oscar.go.com. Happy voting all!

''May l have the envelope, please?''
~ America's Sweethearts (2006)
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Weekend watching and other diversions

2010-02-28T16:00:00.003-05:00

I am down to my last two films and still on the hunt for The Last Station and A Single Man. As they are indie films they are very hard to find but I shall not be defeated (and if I am it won't be for lack of trying). The Lovely Bones took it out of me, as I suspected it would. The subject matter was way too heavy for a Saturday afternoon so I cleansed with lighter viewing of the small screen variety. Anyone seen Leverage? Thanks to Netflix I am now caught up on the first season. Very addictive... so much so it consumed my weekend, that and a little culinary experimentation.

Through the magic of cooking - flour, water, oil and yeast is tranformed from this:

into this:

The dough was easier than I thought here is the recipe, courtesy of Food Network Magazine. I took a few liberties, such as substituting regular olive oil for rosemary infused olive oil, also added a sprinkling of garlic powder and Italian seasonings over the crust after brushing the crust with olive oil and before the tomato sauce. Finally, as I didn't have a pizza peel I used an inverted 9" round cake pan covered with aluminum foil like so:

The instructions said bake until golden, about 7 - 15 dependant on pizza size. The dough makes two large pizzas or four small. For the last few minutes I transferred the pizza directly to the rack for a crispier crust.

After the Oscars let's talk cooking movies I've got a great line up. Until then, I will be posting my Academy Awards ballot next week, hopefully after seeing the final two films on my list. Fingers crossed.

"No, no no! We do not quit! We keep going! Go, again, again!"

~ The Pink Panther (2006)

Let's Review: Valentine's Day

2010-02-25T19:11:00.000-05:00

I took a break from my Oscar-a-thon this past weekend. Husband was away doing husband-y things so I indulged in a girly movie. The selection was Valentine's Day, as you may recall I mentioned this film in an earlier post, hoping it might be an oasis in the desert of "blah" movies that usually release during awards season. Despite my high hopes for the film, Valentine's Day fell flat. This from the ULTIMATE sappy, mushy, romantic comedy, romantic drama, hopeless romantic movie lover.

The cast was star studded, Ashton Kutcher, George Lopez, Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Queen Latifah, Shirley Maclaine, Hector Elazondo, Topher Grace, Julia Roberts, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Jamie Foxx, Kathy Bates, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Taylor Lautner, and Taylor Swift... to name a few. But perhaps this was their downfall - too many stars, well that and not enough story development.

The stories were intertwined a-la- Love Actually (love, love, love that movie) but predictable. Viewers were led down the path with entirely too many on-the-nose clues as to who ends up with whom; in fact, by the middle of the movie I could predict the end. To be honest, there was a surprise or two in the story but not enough to prevent a glance or two at my watch throughtout the film... never a good sign.

The acting was adequate save for a few performances - the characters were caricatures of love story stereotypes there was the "obnoxious lip locked teen couple", the "awkward teen couple", the "good guy", the "good girl", the "bad girl with a heart of gold", the "player", the "bitter girl", the "sage married couple(s)" and so on. But I've seen plenty of movies with similar characterization so I'm unsure if it was overacting or if the dialogue was just too cutsey.

It pains me to say this because, as I've said, I adore Gary Marshall but this film was not one of his best. Silver lining: there were some memorable line's I'll store away in my mental file for future use.

Break over and I'm back to the nominee screenings, 4 movies left and 10 days to watch them. I am having the hardest time finding The Last Station and A Single Man if anyone knows where to find these in the Atlanta area please share.

"There you have it, folks. Young love. Full of promise, full of hope, ignorant of reality."
~ Valentine's Day (2010)
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Moving right along

2010-02-14T12:47:00.003-05:00

Three Oscar nominee's down, thus far I've seen District 9, Nine, and Up in the Air.

Truth be told I was not all that excited to see District 9 but was pleasantly surprised. Though there were some shudder-worthy scenes that I could have done without but overall it was a great film. Good story, good acting.

Nine was a bit of a disappointment to me. I LOVE musicals and so wanted to see this one when it was on the stage but felt this one fell short on the screen. But let's remember this one was for best supporting actress, not picture and Penelope was good, a small role but well played.

Up in the Air. I really enjoyed this movie and found the story - hopeful. There was no "Pat" ending which I preferred actually. Like life everything isn't always wrapped up in a pretty little bow but one leaves feeling satisfied and oddly optimistic.

I'm just nine movies away from my goal! Next I hope to tackle An Education.

"You gotta have a goal. Do you have a goal ?"
~ Pretty Woman (1990)
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Oscar Challenge: This is the year!

2010-02-03T22:14:00.006-05:00

I completely forgot about the oscar nominations! Every year I vow to watch all of the nominated films for the major categories (best picture, actor, actress, director, supporting actor and actress) so that I can make informed and supported decisions as to who the winners should be and every year, not so much.

It's a modest goal I admit, but I don't care. And this year I've already seen 5 of the 10 best picture nominations so I'm halfway there. Here are the nominee's...

Best Picture:                              Best Director:
Avatar                                        James Cameron, Avatar
The Hurt Locker                          Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Precious                                     Lee Daniels, Precious
Up in the Air                               Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Inglorious Basterds                       Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds
The Blind Side
A Serious Man
Up
An Education
District 9

Best Actor:                                    Best Actress:
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart                 Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
George Clooney, Up in the Air          Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Colin Firth, A Single Man                  Carey Mulligan, An Education
Morgan Freeman, Invictus                 Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker       Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

Best Supporting Actor:                          Best Supporting Actress:
Matt Damon, Invictus                               Vera Famiga, Up in the Air
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger             Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station     Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones              Mo'Nique, Precious
Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Bastards         Penolope Cruz, Nine

So sifting out the movies I've already seen my watch list includes:
District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, A Serious Man, Up in the Air, The Messenger, The Last Station, The Lovely Bones, A Single Man, Crazy Heart, Nine

I think the major challenge here is there are some movies here that I really didn't want to see due to lack of interest in the subject or the fact that I thought it may be kind of depressing (The Lovely Bones anyone? - Though I absolutly adore Stanley Tucci so maybe it'll be OK). My second issue is: What the crap with the 10!!!!! best picture nominees?
I will not be deterred! I am determined to have my ballot ready before the stars hit the carpet, exactly 31 days to watch 11 movies.  As I share my thoughts on the nominees and how they stack up agains one another I have but one request: let's keep it in perspective people. It's ok to disagree but keep it clean and respectful. Films are a matter of taste and personal preference so what I love you may not and vice versa and that's OK.

That being said, I have a task, a deadline and the will to succeed! (too much?)
Away I go.

"'I love deadlines, I love the sound they make as they go whooshing past' Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy"
~ Julie and Julia (2009)
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Good things come to those who wait

2010-01-26T22:40:00.001-05:00

It's awards season which usually means there's nothing to see at the movies. So let us turn our attention to what's to come. Here are a few movies to look forward to.

Knight and Day stars Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. It's "an action-comedy centered on a fugitive couple (Cruise and Diaz) on a glamorous and sometimes deadly adventure where nothing and one - even themselves - are what they seem" (courtesy of 20th Century Fox).

From the trailer Diaz looks to be in her element playing comic foil to Cruises charming straight , though occasionally witty, man. Click on the poster to check it out.

For nostalgia sake I must mention The A-Team. This big screen adaptation of the popular 80's show stars Liam Neeson as Hannibal, Sharloto Copley as Merdock, Bradley Cooper and Face, Quinton Jackson as BA Baracus complete with mohawk a-la Mr. T. Click on the pic to view the trailer.

Last but not least, the girls are back!!! Check out the new Sex and the City 2 trailer.

Granted, these movies are a few months away so if you're in need of something to hold you give Valentine's Day a try. Gary Marshall is back in all of his romantic comedy glory with a star studded cast to include Jamie Fox, Jennifer Gardner (love her), Hector Elizondao, Patrick Dempsy (so dreamy), Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway (delightful), Ashton Kutcher, Eric Dane, Queen Latifah (fabulous), Shirley Maclain, Julia Roberts, and on, and on, and on. I, for one, can't wait - here's the trailer.

"Patience is a virtue"
"Not right now it isn't"
~The Mummy (1999)
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Watching while you work

2010-01-24T00:16:00.001-05:00

What a day! With the chilly weather outside I decided to keep to the warm confines of the home. It was a day of de-cluttering and what better way to keep the keep-donate-sell momentum going than with an 80's movie extravaganza!

I hold onto things forever but every once in a blue moon something triggers the thought, "Why do I still have this, I haven't used it for years?" Which is the starting bell of a cleaning frenzy the likes of which you've never seen.

So as I gathered storage bins and emptied closets, Romancing the Stone with Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas kept me on task. Arthur 1 and 2 got me through the long and tedious task of sifting through the piles of this and that. Thank you Liza and Dudley. Finally, the clean up, Jerome joined me about this time and we went for a familiar favorite with lots of funny: The Princess Bride.

It's so satisfying to meander though my newly cleaned and clutter free home. I highly reccomend using movies to get through a day of house work, especially if you're stuck in one room for a prolonged period of time. It's just enough distraction to help the time fly, but be sure to choose movies you've seen before so you're not focusing on the movie rather than the task at hand.

"For every job that must be done, there is an element of fun."
~ Mary Poppins (1964)
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Let's Review: It's Complicated

2010-01-18T19:51:00.000-05:00

I know it's been in theaters for a few weeks now but, I finally saw It's Complicated with Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. Here's a quick, non-spoiler recap for those that missed the trailers.

Meryl plays Jane, a divorced mother of three who is preparing for her middle child's college graduation while her youngest is leaving home. Now all alone she decides to feather her empty nest by creating her dream kitchen. Did I mention that Jane is a chef? In one scene, she made chocolate croissants from scratch that had me craving the pastry for days after the movie. As you will learn, I have a deep and abiding love of all things culinary.

But I digress, Jane and her ex-husband Jake, Alec Baldwin, reconnect at the graduation and after an evening of reminiscing over a bottle or four of wine they end up... well , you know. Jake takes this as a sign that he and Jane are meant to be together. Enter Adam, the fly in the ointment and the third point to the love triangle. Adam, portrayed by Steve Martin, is Jane's romantically awkward, newly divorced architect. Oh did I mention that Jake is married to his younger former mistress. So I guess that wold make it a love... square?

I adored this movie as a fun and mature look at relationships and Jane's journey was so relatable. We see a lot of coming of age movies centered on a young ingenue discovering her bliss. But in this instance, with an older women, it illustrates the fact that we never stop growing, changing and learning about ourselves. And that sometimes it's good to shake it up and see where things land.

My husband and I saw It's Complicated together and it rates as a great date movie providing enough comedic scenes to keep the guy from thinking "Total chick flick", but I would really recommend the film for a girl's night out.

Here are some suggestions to help you get into the comfort-zone-breaking / coming-into-her-own mood. Feel free to comment on your favorite girl power movie.

The Holiday (2006)
Last Holiday (2006)
The Mirror has Two Faces (1996)
Working Girl (1988)
Private Benjamin (1980)

P.S.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention John Krasinskey, Jim from NBC's The Office, providing a charming and chuckleworthy performance as Jane's son-in-law-to-be. Happy watching.

"Excuse me, Meryl Streep can play batman and be the right choice. She's perfection, whether she's divorcing Kramer, whether she's wearing Prada, don't even get me started with Sophie's Choice."
~ Modern Family (season 1, episode 2)
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Wouldn't it be loverly?

2010-01-13T22:12:00.000-05:00

It is COLD in Georgia. The silver lining to this ridiculous weather is that it makes for a perfect day of indulgence. For me, it's a putting on comfy lounge wear, cooking a yummy breakfast with my husband and curling up with a blanket, the fore mentioned husband, and a stack of great movies.

As I'm coming off of a pretty serious Audrey-a-thon, here is a delightful and divine collection of Ms. Hepburn's movies.

~ Delightful ~

Sabrina (1954)

Funny Face (1957)

Roman Holiday (1953)

My Fair Lady (1964)

~ Divine ~

Charade (1963)

Two for the Road (1967)

How to Steal a Million (1966)

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

"Delightful" are mostly from Audrey's early years, light, bubbly, and utterly charming. Where "Divine" offers a great mix of drama, wit, and fabulous fashion. What more could a girl ask for in a lazy weekend afternoon?!

"All I want is a room somewhere, far away from the cold night air. With one enormous chair,aow wouldn't it be loverly?"

~ My Fair Lady (1964)
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Life's Like a Movie

2010-01-10T23:12:00.000-05:00

I'm of a family that enjoys movies. Enjoy may be too mild a word, we LOVE movies. My father was in the military and as we moved from place-to-place our constant was family and entertainment. As a result, my parents produced three of the most cinema-centric children this side of Hollywood. We quote movie lines, quiz each other on trivia, critique story, performance, and continuity... and that's just over Thanksgiving appetizers.

Oh yes kids, my love for movies runs deep. In fact, it is my belief that just as music can be a soundtrack to one's life, so to can movies. To that end, I will be sharing thoughts and recommendations on some old and new offerings to add to your filmography.

So grab some popcorn and milk duds (yum) and in the words of Daddy Warbucks, "Let's all go to the movies!"

"Life's like a movie, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending."
~ The Muppet Movie (1979)
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