His Eyes Were Watching Movies

Rio (2011)

2011-08-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

After being a little more than pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Kung Fu Panda, and then adoring last year's How to Train Your Dragon even more than critically lauded Toy Story 3, it goes without saying that in my mind, Dreamworks has gone from being a factory of second-rate animated fare to a studio that could someday rival even the Grand Deity of Animation itself in terms of consistent quality (the "Grand Deity of Animation" being Pixar, of course). Dreamworks' latest effort, Rio, hasn't quite taken them to that point yet, but it's still a ridiculously enjoyable and lusciously vibrant romp.

The film follows Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), a rare blue macaw who lives in Minnesota with his owner,

Linda (Leslie Mann). When Blu is taken by ornithologist Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) to Rio de Janeiro in order to mate with the fierce and independent Jewel (Anne Hathaway), he is promptly kidnapped by a group of bird smugglers. Thus, with the help of the other birds of Rio, Blu and Jewel must go on an adventure through the streets of Carnaval in order to escape and return to Linda and Tulio.

From the very first scene (an exhilarating musical number), the film takes full advantage of the resources that are at their disposal automatically from the plot - those being the gorgeous colors and delectable beats of Rio and of Carnaval. The score, helmed by John Powell (one of my favorite underrated film composers), is, needless to say, amazing - and the use of classic bossa nova is intelligent and perfect. And then there's the visual spectacle on display, one of reds, blues, oranges and yellows, put on display most effectively in the climax of the film, which takes place in a Carnaval Parade. It's in this aesthetic care that the film gets its most success.

Also, it's important to mention the quality of the voice acting on display. Though perhaps Rodrigo Santoro takes it too over the top, the rest of the cast is splendid. I'm a shameless Jesse Eisenberg fan, and I loved him here - he was neurotic, funny, and adorable. Anne Hathaway is, well, Anne Hathaway and what's better than that? And then there's Jemaine Clement, whose deliciously evil work as bad bird Nigel is made even better by a musical number that could have come straight out of "Flight of the Conchords".

As much as I wish awesome voice-overs and great aesthetics are enough to make a film succeed completely, they're not. Unfortunately, Rio suffers from an unspectacular screenplay. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it; it flows well, it's funny, and there are unexpected touches of heart here and there. But, it lacks the sparkle that everything else about the movie has, preventing the film as a whole from reaching the heights that it could have.

However, it's impossible not to enjoy Rio. It's cute, adorable, vibrant and totally entertaining. It may not have taken Dreamworks to a Pixar level (and it's certainly no How to Train Your Dragon) but it's still great fun for any age.

See it: if you like any of the actors involved, if you think Dreamworks has potential, if you like bossa nova, if you kind of want to feel like a kid again, if you've ever seen Black Orpheus.

Skip it: if you didn't like How to Train Your Dragon, if Jesse Eisenberg does nothing for you, if you're imperative to cuteness.

8/10

Mini Review 4-Pack!

2011-08-18T12:52:00.000-07:00

Guess what guys? Today you get an extra special treat, which is that I am going to review in short a few movies. It'll be fun!

The Help - The narrative is very clunky, but the spot-on performances from every single member of the cast and the visually appealing aesthetic more than make up for it, and I'll be darned if I wasn't a teary mess by the end. Emma Stone is great, but this is Viola Davis's movie and she runs away with it, giving a performance of sensitivity and gravitas. However, best in show goes to Sissy Spacek, who somehow manages to turn the word "napkins" into one of the funniest moments in the movie. (7)

Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Cliche time - I admired this movie more than I enjoyed it. Considering this could have been a total joyride made for money's sake only, it was surprisingly artistic and intelligent. It tackles themes like animal testing and human evil in ways that are, while not always subtle, usually successful - not an easy task. Plus, the CGI was UN BE LIEVABLE. Bonus points for the cinematography. (7)

30 Minutes or Less - In short, the movie is as enjoyable and funny as it could have hoped to be but it's nothing really special - and for 83 minutes, it somehow seems to drag. Aziz Ansari and Jesse Eisenberg make a really great tag team though, with Ansari being wildly hysterical and Eisenberg providing a unsurprisingly powerful amount of real acting in a role that could have come off as hysterical and incoherent. (6)

Crazy, Stupid, Love - This one was tough for me. I think that I'm confusing how much I wanted to like this movie with how much I actually did. That being said though, despite being imperfect and falling prey to some minor cliches, it's definitely one of the best big-studio romantic comedies in a LONG time, thanks almost completely to the remarkably talented cast, none of whom can really be singled out because they were all just so good. I will say though, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling were simply superb, and the amount of chemistry they exuded was irresistible. (7 - but a super high seven. Like, almost an 8. I'd have to see it again.)

And just for fun (and because I love lists), my top 10 performances from this quartet, in no order:

Viola Davis, The Help
Sissy Spacek, The Help
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Jessica Chastain, The Help (um, range much? this was completely different from Tree of Life)
Jesse Eisenberg, 30 Minutes or Less
Aziz Ansari, 30 Minutes or Less
John Lithgow, Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Ryan Gosling, Crazy Stupid Love
Marisa Tomei, Crazy Stupid Love
Liza Lapira, Crazy Stupid Love

So, which of these movies or performances was your favorite? As always, your opinions, be they affirmative or negative, are always welcome below

"I don't really know what kind of girl I am."

2011-08-16T21:16:00.001-07:00

As a movie viewer, reviewer, and critical watcher, I find myself so often confronted with the problem of expectations, assumptions, and outcomes when going in to see a film, an issue I've talked about on this blog before, most notably in my post regarding my conflicting feelings for I Am Love. However, the problem here isn't so much a purposeful act of contrarianism, but self-imposed limitations in the range of films that I watch, and that I want to watch.

For example, when I see a trailer for a big-budget superhero movie or a goofy family film, I'm not nearly as excited or intrigued as when I see a trailer for a foreign artsy drama or a quirky indie comedy, mentally proclaiming that the former "are just not my kinds of movies".

The thing is though, when movies like the aforementioned I Am Love and other films I less than loved such as Precious and Up in the Air (all of which I was really excited for) fall flat in my estimation, while movies like Kung Fu Panda and Thor end up being highly entertaining and enjoyable, I can't help but question my own presumed taste (even if the formula does work the other way around, with many movies that I knew I would hate absolutely living up to their expectation).

The most recent example, and the one that prompted me to reflect on this topic, is Jurassic Park, which I finally saw for the first time only a couple of days ago. I was expecting to enjoy it, sure (it's not so popular for nothing, right?) but I wasn't expecting at all to love it as much as I did. I thought that there was no way that a movie about dinosaurs on an island could be that good and thus I was rather surprised when I found myself absolutely falling head over heels for it.

It's a problem that I'm not sure really has any solution, besides perhaps toning down my own snobbery and keeping an open mind to even the most unappealing of movies. That's not to say that anyone should go see everything because it "might be good" - I mean, that would be impossible! But, that perhaps good cinema can exist in many different realms and by widening our horizons you can get the best of everything.

Of course, I'm still young, and my tastes are still developing. What I find entertaining now I may find detestable later on - who knows what my cinematic tastes will be like in one, five, ten, twenty years - but I hope I can always examine myself and that I don't get in the way of my own moviegoing experiences.

P.S. This post obviously has nothing to do with the ever polarizing Juno, but the quote seemed appropriate.

Do you find yourself surprised by your own tastes and expectations? Are your tastes still developing? Love Jurassic Park? Hate Juno? Sound off below!

A Quick List of Anticipated Movies

2011-07-25T17:05:00.000-07:00

I'll be honest with you all - I've been a bad moviegoer this year. I've seen not more than ten films, and I've missed out on a lot of movies I've wanted to see. Plus, besides The Tree of Life, I've not been floored by any of the year's output (though almost everything has been pleasantly and surprisingly enjoyable).

However, there are quite a few upcoming releases that I just can't wait to get my hands on - so without further ado, a quick look at my top ten most anticipated releases for the rest of 2011.

10. Shame - This would be higher based on the Fassbender/Mulligan factor (both actors I love) if there was just a bit more information about it. For now though, I'm content with my curiosity.

9. A Dangerous Method - Cronenberg is a fascinating director, and with Fassbender as one of the leads, this is a must see. Also, after Keira Knightley's surprisingly powerful work last year in "Never Let Me Go", I'm looking forward to see what she can do with what looks like strong material.

8. Crazy, Stupid, Love - The cast is impeccable. Julianne Moore and Emma Stone? Ryan Gosling AND Marisa Tomei? It's coming out this weekend so thankfully the wait isn't that long!

7. The Artist - It looks so quirky and interesting - the silent film aspect is intriguing and I look forward to something so different and unique.

6. The Skin That I Inhabit - It seems like Almodovar has been trying to make something frightening for the past few years, what with "Volver" and "Broken Embraces" having dark elements. Thus, this all out horror film is extremely exciting - plus, remember what happened last year when an auteur made a shameless horror movie? Brilliance, that's what.

5. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - I love the book, and though I was underwhelmed by the original, the trailer looks like Fincher's going to blow us all away. I can guarantee that I'll be midnight screening this one.

4. We Need to Talk About Kevin - I read the source material, which was unbelievably dark and disturbing, and it's a perfect role for Tilda. Honestly, Tilda's one of those actresses who I would watch reading the phonebook.

3. Contagion - OH MY GOD THIS CAST. I love every single member of this cast and the trailer looks frightening and thrilling.

2. The Future - I've not seen Miranda July's debut feature, but I'm a big fan of her writing (if you haven't read her short story collection, "No One Belongs Here More Than You", you absolutely should), and the trailer showed a lot of promise.

1. Melancholia - Um, did you guys see the trailer? There is absolutely nothing about this that I don't want, right now.

A Good Year for Westerns!

2011-07-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

So, remember that big announcement I made the other day? Well, the first episode of Amir and my new series "A Good Year" is up over at his blog Amiresque. GO CHECK IT OUT!

Super Exciting Announcement!

2011-07-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

So I have a cool announcement. Yay! Amir, from one of my favorite blogs, Amiresque, and I are starting a new series entitled "A Good Year" in which we discuss a particular...cinematic entity (actor, director, genre, etc.) that had particular success in a given year. The first episode of this awesome project will be up this weekend and I hope you all can join us - I think you'll like what we have in store.

P.S. Here's a hint: The above gif has NOTHING to do with our series. It just looked relevant to the whole "excitement" theme of this post. Haha!

2011 So Far: Performances, Part II

2011-07-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

We previously discussed this year's men - now let's take a look at the lovely ladies who have made the first half of 2011 joyous. (Pardon the delay on this, some things came up - also, pardon the lack of pictures, blogger is being an annoying little poopyhead as usual!)

Marion Cotillard in Midnight in Paris

In a very general sense, Cotillard plays the muse in Midnight. I recently read an article where Cotillard was interviewed, and asked how she defined a muse. She filled up about half a page discussing the implications of being a muse - the artistic and emotional openness required, the trust, and so much more. Cotillard's complex knowledge of her potentially simple character shows in her irresistible work in Woody Allen's latest, as she turns her fantasy muse into a fascinating mix of complex emotion, motive and mysterious beauty - all while making it look effortless.

Vera Farmiga in Source Code

Speaking of silently complex performances, here we have another that fits into that category. On paper, the character of Goodwin is little more than a cipher to the audience - an expositional plot device. Of course, though, Vera Farmiga would never let her character be ONLY that. Even though the movie skirts around the philosophical questions it wants to ask, Vera is not afraid to question them herself with her performance, as she expresses every doubt, every insecurity and every bit of inner pain through her eyes, while the rest of her physical composure shields it all in a way her character must have been building up for years. It's a perfectly structured and ever-surprising piece of work.

Jennifer Lawrence in X-Men: First Class

There is a lot of good acting in First Class (we already spoke about Fassbender and McAvoy) but Lawrence stands out above the rest. In the first movie I've seen her in since her impressive work in Winter's Bone, Lawrence proves that she's an actress with a bright future ahead of her. Her Mystique is, in a word, organic - everything she does feels totally natural. Even when she's spouting lines as clunky as "mutant and proud", Lawrence comes across with conviction. She's not afraid to show fear, something that's far too sparse in superhero films, and when she's scared, it's a fear from the bottom of her soul. When you consider how much of this performance was done through the guise of CGI, it is truly impressive.

Elle Fanning in Super 8

I've never been a huge fan of Dakota, but I'm starting to find a real affinity for her sister, who does such great work in Super 8. Shedding all signs of child-star pretention, Fanning turns her love interest role into an interesting piece of actorly characterization. It's hard to believe that she is, in reality, the youngest of the entire cast! Her "acting" scene at the train station alone is enough to offer commendation - in that one scene, we see a girl with talent, a sad talent that will probably never be cultivated because of her family life.

Jessica Chastain in The Tree of Life

As the mother figure in The Tree of Life, the soon-to-be-ubiquitous Jessica Chastain has a lot of different roles to fill - matron, fantasy, ideal, and human. She rises to each of these challenges masterfully. Like her costars, Chastain feels real in every frame, and in her beautiful characterization, pulls the audience in from the beginning. Watch as she contrasts a playful chase through the house with her sons to a frightened and angry flee from the kitchen after one of her husband's meltdowns - it's powerful stuff, and of all the stunning elements of The Tree of Life, Chastain is easily the most memorable.

2011 So Far: Performances, Part I

2011-06-26T06:04:00.000-07:00

I haven't been the most faithful moviegoer in 2011 - out of all the movies I've wanted to see (I still haven't seen Insidious, Bridesmaids, Kung Fu Panda 2, Rio, Meek's Cutoff, and Incendies, among others), I've only caught a meager 11. However, it's been over half a year and I've seen enough good to do a little tribute to some of the performances. In part 2 we'll talk about the ladies, but let's start with the men (and in some cases, boys).

Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy in X-Men: First Class

As the power duo at the forefront of First Class, Fassbender and McAvoy work wonders with the only average material. Their chemistry is immaculate, thus making the moments of tension in their relationship so much more effective. Seeing two such interesting actors in a context as surprising as a superhero movie is rife with possibility and these two took advantage of this opportunity to the fullest.

Brad Pitt in The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life isn't really about the acting. It's not really about the cinematography either, or the screenplay, or any other individual element. It's about everything coming together in perfect symmetry to bring Terrence Malick's vision to the screen. That doesn't mean each element isn't perfect though, and Brad Pitt's quiet and subtle performance in the film is no exception. Pitt is one of the most famous actors of our time yet he sheds all fame for this role as a troubled father. His opening mourning scene is one of the best of his career and though we don't really get a lot of information about his character's backstory, Pitt seems to know it all. it's truly moving work that proves that Brad Pitt is just as respectable an actor as he is a figure of pop culture.

Hunter McCracken in The Tree of Life

If there's a "lead" role in The Tree of Life, it's newcomer Hunter McCracken's role as Jack. Not only does McCracken synergize perfectly with his older counterpart Sean Penn, but he carries every single moment of his screentime with uncanny naturalism. Where most child acting is characterized by over the top theatrics, McCracken gives as close to "de glam" as possible. It's hard to believe that this kid is actually NOT the character in the movie, and it's a shame that McCracken will probably not be in awards discussion later on this year. If only he was a little girl!

Joel Courtney in Super 8

Joel Courtney's work in Super 8 is almost the polar opposite of his similarly aged colleague Hunter McCracken's previously mentioned work, but it is still worthy of commendation. Courtney is as unpretentious as possible, embodying the ideal child that every audience member can relate to. He can go from being hysterically funny to completely sympathetic within seconds, and his blaring innocence works perfectly for his role. It should be interesting to see where he goes next.

Chris Hemsworth in Thor

Okay, okay, I know what you're thinking, and sure, Hemsworth's work in Thor is not even close to being on the same level as, say, Brad Pitt's aforementioned performance. Yet, I still felt a need to mention him here - in a role that is characterized by steely masculinity and almost nothing else, Hemsworth manages to add a level of charisma and charm that was unexpected and truly welcome. The fact that he's taking the film seriously - but not too seriously - is a big part of why his performance works. He allows himself to be funny, passionate and even at times ridiculous, all to the benefit of the overall film, which would have been a lot less fun to watch had he not been doing so well in the lead.

So there you have it - a few of my favorite performances so far. What were yours? Disagree or agree with anyone on the list? Comment below!

The Tree of Life (2011)

2011-06-24T13:05:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the most interesting part of my experience watching "The Tree of Life" (besides the movie itself) was the utter quietness that fell upon the crowd after the credits began to roll. The previously boisterous group was now whispering, if not completely silent. I personally didn't want to say anything after seeing the movie, I just wanted to continue reflecting inward - because that's what this movie does. Malick's gorgeously shot meditation on the transience and insignificance of human life is on such a high level of cerebral and emotional comprehension that instead of merely throwing ideas at the viewer and hoping they stick, it pulls the things it wants to say out of the very soul of the viewer, allowing its philosophies to float and eventually take root. Though one could argue that the film is borderline gratuitous in its spiritual self-importance, the meticulous beauty of every single shot allows the film to never drift into languishing boredom. In a movie so structured around conversations with God, Malick has become God himself - he has created a timeless universe that despite its period implications, exists in its own realm, and has allowed his fascinating characters to simply exist. In short, it's a piece of art, the catalyst for important philosophical discussion, and a masterpiece.

10/10

Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011)

2011-06-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

Of all the penguin movies out there, this may just be the worst. It's certainly not offensively bad by any means, but it is almost intolerably annoying, due largely in part to Jim Carrey's performance as the title character. I truly like Carrey's acting in even some of his worst movies, but here he's a mess - the screenplay is basically a series of fragmented ideas and jokes and in what can only be interpreted as a desperate attempt to make these fragments work, Carrey overacts to the point of idiocy. At one point, Carla Gugino's character sincerely states "you're a complicated man, Mr. Popper", a factoid both Carrey and the screenwriters clearly forgot to explore, despite the latter's desperate attempts at fleshing out the character with daddy and ex-wife issues. What is perhaps even more troubling is the confusing morality at play - the Penguin Expert, who is truly just doing what he can to help the penguins, is portrayed as evil, whereas Mr. Popper, a man who egregiously concludes that his New York apartment is a suitable place for Antarctic life is portrayed as a hero who can bend the law at will.

Of course, it's not all terrible. Carla Gugino actually makes good of her meager character and a few of the gags are actually extremely successful (especially the Guggenheim scene, which was just the right amount of ridiculous). In addition, the CGI penguins were undeniably adorable and surprisingly convincing. However, even though my target-audience-younger-siblings liked it, I do find myself worrying for the state of family cinema. If this kind of mindless, shallow filmmaking is what children are becoming used to seeing, more interesting family films are going to be come increasingly unaccessable.

4/10

Note: I have not read the book, but I have a hard time believing that a Roald Dahl novel could have been this vapid.

Sorry, sorry!

2011-06-16T22:24:00.000-07:00

I hate apologizing for not posting but seeing as I haven't done so in a couple of weeks I thought I'd let you all know that I'm fine - I've been feeling a particularly lazy streak, coupled with transitioning into summer + my newfound obsession with watching the show "Damages" on Netflix. Which, I love. If any of you are fans of the show, please sound off below - Glenn Close and Rose Byrne are so fantastic! Anyway, look out for reviewish type things of "Super 8" and "X-Men" soon, along with another addition to the Catherine O'Hara project. Carry on!

A quick question about X-Men.

2011-06-04T20:53:00.000-07:00

I have a question for all of my amazing readers. I'm desperately looking for a movie to see this weekend, and since I'm back at home in the middle of Florida my options are kind of limited. The cast of "X-Men: First Class" is very appealing and I think it looks like it could be a fun movie to see.

The problem is, I haven't seen any of the other X-Men films.

So my question for you guys, who have seen the films or have a bit more knowledge than I of the franchise - do you think it would be acceptable to see "First Class" without having seen the other three movies? Responses below!

A Perfect Trio

2011-05-31T21:02:00.001-07:00

The Oscars rarely have a category that is 100% perfect - but last year's Animated Film category has been on my mind lately and I can't help but consider it an anomalous example of this occurrence.

You all already know my adoration for How to Train Your Dragon, which was my pick for the winner last year (not that it had any chance). I rewatched it today, and while I was expecting it to drop in my estimation, I actually enjoyed it even more, especially John Powell's marvelous score.

Toy Story 3 was a wonderful winner, the perfect ending to a masterful trilogy. Really, it could not have been a more perfect ending to the long running series and somehow it manages to pack such poignance and emotion into an action adventure movie about toys. Pixar does it again.

And finally, there was The Illusionist, which I finally caught on DVD this past week. Had I seen it before I made my top 10 list, it surely would have grasped a spot on there and I'm even tempted I now prefer it to the other two for the win. What Triplets of Belleville lacked in emotional resonance, it made up for with sly humor - the opposite is true of The Illusionist. Though it doesn't sport the mocking humor of Chomet's previous work, it is instead full of beautiful animation and emotional resonance that carries through the entire film. Truly a beautiful piece of work.

So anyway, this is a rather random post but I had to pay homage to this great trinity of films. The Oscars are not always perfect but the past two years of animated films (don't even get me started on 2010) really have been worthy contenders.

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011)

2011-05-30T21:58:00.000-07:00

Yes, I did see this. Disclaimer: I watched it because my sister basically forced me too. At the same time, I went in willingly as I was actually kind of curious about the movie - and, not being truly familiar with Mr. Bieber or his music, I thought it would be at least fair to give the kid a chance. Color me pleasantly surprised - it turns out that Justin Bieber is actually extremely talented! Behind all the frighteningly obsessed fans and the glamorous production value, Justin is just a regular Canadian kid who worked really hard and got really lucky. The story is interesting enough, but as far as filmmaking goes the movie is acceptable at best. For its target audience I think it's obviously is a 10/10 - the director completely caters to the fanbase and that's fine. But for the rest of us it's a bit of sensory overload. Though the film touches on the more serious (and more interesting) aspects of Justin Bieber's career (such as the loss of childhood that all prodigies face or the pressures from fans) it never delves into the depth that it could, and that would create legitimately compelling cinema (not that it was going for that in the first place). It's no masterpiece, and I haven't been quite caught Bieber fever (*heh*) but it was interesting enough and its 1.3 on IMDb really is uncalled for.

5/10

Noooooooooooo!

2011-05-27T07:27:00.001-07:00

This can't be happening!

My feelings on this news can be summarized with the following GIF:

A moment of mourning for "United States of Tara", the third season of which is really going marvelously (last week's episode? Brilliance. Rosemarie DeWitt's reaction to the revelation of Bryce was fantastic). It will be missed.

Midnight in Paris (2011)

2011-05-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

Woody Allen's record hasn't exactly been spotless lately. For example, though I basically enjoyed his effort last year, I was certainly in the minority, and his other recent films "Whatever Works" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", though with their admirers, are certainly not up to par with Allen's earlier filmography. That's why "Midnight in Paris" had so much promise - with many at Cannes calling it a return to form for Allen. And though the film does deliver in many ways (especially in the charm that it's been repeatedly said to exude), it also fall short from being as good as classic Allen.

Owen Wilson plays Gil Pender, a screenwriter who is on a vacation in Paris with his fiancee, Inez (Rachel McAdams), and who is also working on a novel which he hopes will solidify him as a legitimate writer - not just the shallow corporatized one he feels he has become in Hollywood. Feeling disillusioned by his modern life and with his fiancee's rich parents (Mimi Kennedy and Kurt Fuller) and pedantic friend Paul (Michael Sheen), Pender yearns for what he considers the golden age of Paris - the roaring 20's. Gil soon gets his wish when a mysterious car comes to pick him up at the stroke of midnight, and transports him directly back to the time period for which he yearns, throwing him into the midst of great authors and artists like F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston) and Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll) along with an enigmatic beauty, Adriana (Marion Cotillard), with whom he soon falls in love.

As a continuation of Allen's cinematic love affairs with European cities (Barcelona in "Barcelona", London in "Tall Dark Stranger"), "Paris" is completely successful. Sure, it treats Paris like an unrealistic utopia, but that's acceptable considering that most Americans see it in that way. Plus, Allen never forgets the fact that the film is in essence a love letter to Paris, filling the screenplay with monologues about its beauty and even making the movie's first three minutes a montage of Parisian streets. For someone who's never been to Paris (like myself) this adoration of the city is perfectly welcome.

Also completely welcome is the lack of a narrator. This allows the film to work on its own behalf for the most part - a refreshing change from the plodding narration in other recent Allen films.

Though Wilson is given a few solo talking-to-himself monologues that could be effectively interpreted as narration, he sells them, and despite the fact that it doesn't quite allow the film to speak for itself as much as it could, compared to a bored sounding male reciting how excited a particular character was about architecture, it's tolerable and, occasionally, even a bit endearing.

What's absolutely not endearing about the film, however, is its complete lack of complex characters. Though it does make sense for the famous authors and artists of the past to be somewhat "fake", there's no excuse for real life characters like Inez and Paul, both of whom (among others) are devoid of any shades of interesting characterization. Problems like this make many of the plot points of the film more like plot nubs (because they're pointless -- ha ha, get it?).

However, that is not to say that the acting is poor, as the cast works very well despite the script's shortcomings. Wilson is probably giving his best performance to date (it helps his character is actually kind of interesting) and works perfectly as a stand-in for Woody. Mimi Kennedy, Adrian Brody and Alison Pill all shine in brief roles, and Marion Cotillard gives her potentially stock character the most interesting shades of humanity (not that this should come as any surprise - it seems like Marion is always doing more than the script's bare minimum). And even Rachel McAdams and Michael Sheen do well considering what they're given to work with.

But despite the movie's fundamental problems, it still manages to be irresistibly

charming and utterly adorable. I couldn't stop smiling throughout - it's funny, it has clever dialogue, and the ending is almost perfect.

It's not necessarily the Woody Allen comeback some are claiming it is, but we're definitely getting closer. If Woody can mix the charm and fantasy of this film with the complex characters of his earlier work - perhaps we'll then have a new masterpiece. For now though, we can at least enjoy what he's giving us.

See it: If you have a yearning desire to go to Paris, if you like seeing a cast at its best, if you are a Woody Allen die hard, or if you've always thought that Owen Wilson could be taken seriously as an actor but he just never got the right role.

Skip it: If you like complex characters, or if you've seen "I Spy" and know that Owen Wilson can never be forgiven for that movie.

8/10

Thor (2011)

2011-05-15T20:06:00.000-07:00

The problem with a movie exceeding expectations is that it then warps your critique of that movie. Did I enjoy "Thor" as much as I did because it was a legitimately good movie, or was it just because it exceeded rather drastically my remarkably low expectations? Perhaps a bit of both. For me the most surprising aspect of the film was actually Chris Hemsworth's performance as Thor. The character Thor could have been so easily turned into a muscular lump of grunts and growls but Hemsworth nuances his performance with emotional ups and downs that turn Thor into one of the more interesting superheroes of recent memory. However, best in show easily goes to Kat Dennings who steals every scene she's in. The biggest problem I had with the movie was that it was far too reliant on CGI, which made it feel a bit artificial - for example, Asgard was not anywhere near as awe inspiring as it aspired to be because it felt so phony. Anyway, "Thor" is surprising - not brilliant or timeless cinema by any means but as a piece of entertainment it totally succeeds.

7/10

(It's tough for me to decide between a 6 and a 7. Hm)

Hit Me With Your Best Shot - "Matador"

2011-05-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

The following post (which contains some minor spoilers) is for Nethaniel's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" series at The Film Experience. Head over there to check it out!

Perhaps the most prevalent theme in Pedro Almodovar's film Matador is the relationship between the masculine and feminine side within each person. In fact, much of the action of the film relies on this relationship, through the parallel that Almodovar creates between gender and violence - a parallel that is brought to life through the strange love affair between the characters Diego (Nacho Martinez) and Maria (Assumpta Serna).

Thus, even though Matador is a visual feast, and there are many shots that can be singled out for praise, there was one that I kept going back to.

In this shot, we see Maria carefully applying lipstick while sitting in her car. At this point, Maria has already been established as both a murderer and as sporting a rather "masculine" public persona. Her short hair and her stark black and white business outfit are cold, emotionless, and unsentimental. In the film, mirrors are used numerous times as symbols of introspection and internal reflection and thus gaining such an intimate view (notice the closeup) of an indelibly feminine aspect of Maria feels almost voyeuristic. However, we're not the only ones looking...

Diego is spying on Maria as well, and again, through a mirror. It's interesting that the first time in the film that Maria sets her eye on Diego, whom she has idolized for years, it's through his secondhand reflection - there's already this disconnection between these two hopeless people on the path to destroying one another (literally).

And then, perhaps my favorite moment of this shot - Maria drops her lipstick onto her lap, shocked after realizing she was being spied on. The lipstick leaves a small, bright scarlet mark on her skirt. It's a fleeting moment, but so important - even though she's abandoning her briefly vulnerable femininity through dropping the lipstick, Diego has already exposed something hidden in her, and that small little mark is proof. Plus, this is an Almodovar film - the color red is obviously important.

The shot is short but it sets up the entire remaining duration of the movie perfectly. In fact, the trajectory of this introduction to Maria and Diego's relationship doesn't quite come full circle until towards the end, when Maria reveals her obsession with Diego to him.

It's a frightening and sinister moment, and it completes the arc that began with their first meeting, setting new events into action. Matador may not be Almodovar's most brilliant film but it is still a fascinating and daring piece of work that captivates its audience in a macabre manner, making us not so much different than the "despicable" characters onscreen.

A Life in Movies

2011-05-08T07:05:00.000-07:00

Andy over at Fandango Groovers is hosting a blogathon in which we compile a list of movies - one from each year since we were born. It was a ridiculously fun task and I tried to include movies that "affected" me in some way or another - go here to check out the other entries and read on for my life in movies!

1992: Porco Rosso - Looking over a list of notable movies that came out in my birth year, I was shocked to see that I have missed out on almost every single one - nope, I still haven't seen "Reservoir Dogs" or "Unforgiven", or even "Lorenzo's Oil". It's bad, I know. However, as many of you know, I have quite an affinity for Hayao Miyazaki and thus it comes as no surprise that I have seen his 1992 release, "Porco Rosso". As a whole, I've often thought of Porco as the lowest point in his filmography (even if the lowest point is miles above most other filmmakers high points) but the scene where Porco dreams of a legion of the spirits of deceased pilots is perhaps one of the most beautiful Miyazaki has ever put to film.

1993: Super Mario Bros. - Though it's infamous for its alleged horribleness, I'll be the first to admit that I actually did not hate Super Mario Bros. I've always been a bit of a video game fanatic, and so when I watched Bros. for the first time I was too busy geeking out about seeing the Italian plumber in the flesh to really worry about how terrible the movie was. Truthfully, it's not even a faithful adaptation of the game (perennially cute green Yoshis being portrayed as freaky looking dinosaurs, for example), but as a symbol of the 90's I think it will last the test of time.

1994: The Lion King - I'm proud to say that The Lion Kingwas the first film whose poster I had hanging up on my wall. It's also the first movie whose t-shirt I sported. Needless to say, calling it a "part of my childhood" is a bit of an understatement. In fact, it wasn't until I recently went and saw the musical adaptation that I completely comprehended what kind of impact it had on me - during the opening scene, I began sobbing, waves of nostalgia and beauty overwhelming me. It's a little bit sappy, I know, but it's the truth.

1995: Se7en - I saw Se7en about a year ago, but still, it often creeps its way into my thoughts, especially whenever I catch a glimpse of a modern day crime-investigation show that inadvertently pays homage to David Fincher's darkly frightening masterpiece. Brad Pitt usually satisfies, but in Se7en he's particularly sensitive, along with a surprisingly memorable Gwyneth Paltrow, both pawns in the film's sinister plot.

1996: Waiting for Guffman -You all probably already know that Catherine O'Hara is one of, if not my absolute favorite actress. What you probably don't know is the very moment I fell in love with her, which was during her 'minimalist acting' monologue in "Waiting for Guffman". Catherine is brilliance throughout, but this is also the movie where I fell in love with Parker I'll-Always-Have-A-Place-At-The-Dairy-Queen Posey, and Christopher Guest's acting and directing.

1997: Life is Beautiful -I suppose you could say that my seeing this was a major step forward in my development as a film buff, since it was the first foreign film I ever watched. As a middle-schooler I remember feeling like I needed to watch this film because if I did I would seem so smart and alternative. No, "Life" is a beautiful film and though it's been ages since I've watched it it was definitely a turning point for me.

1998: The Parent Trap -Whenever I see poor Lindsay Lohan being berated by the media, I always feel a pang of sympathy for her, no doubt instilled by my love for "Parent Trap". To say this movie was a staple in my childhood is an understatement - I watched it constantly and listened to the soundtrack nonstop. The movie even holds up to my more discerning eye, since I rewatched it recently, and it's hard to deny the acting chops that Lohan possesses. Not to mention a simply lovely performance from Natasha Richardson that makes her recent passing so much more saddening.

1999: Mystery Men - This cult classic is a favorite in my family since we used to watch it on every road trip we took. I just watched this a week or so ago and the hilarity is not fleeting. And the cast is AMAZING - this is the first film where I saw Geoffrey Rush, and William H. Macy, and Greg Kinnear (who does perhaps his career best work here, no joke) a hysterical Hank Azaria, and a spicy Janeane Garofalo. If you haven't seen it, go rent it now - it's awesome.

2000: Dancer in the Dark - Bjork is one of my favorite musicians, and the soundtrack to this film introduced me to her. Besides the fact that this is probably the saddest, most emotionally draining movie I have ever seen, Bjork is brilliant and for that reason I cannot thank this film enough.

2001: Spirited Away - I don't think my mind was quite the same after I watched this movie. It's not that "Spirited Away" is one of the most revolutionary or shocking or groundbreaking films ever - it's simply that, at the time I watched it, I had never witnessed anything so complexly beautiful and gorgeous before. Miyazaki suddenly became my favorite director and "Spirited Away" became what I called (and still call) my absolute favorite film. I've watched it countless times and I will never grow tired of it.

2002: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - I had to fit an installment of the Harry Potter series in here somewhere, since I have and always will be a huge HP geek. By the way, I'm totally a Hufflepuff.

2003: Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King -Really, what can be said about the epicness that is LOTR? I cannot even describe the emotions in words.

2004: Napoleon Dynamite - My twelve-year-old self was not quite prepared for the indie brilliance that "Napoleon Dynamite" brought to the table. Perhaps one of the most polarizing films of my seventh grade life, my classmates either loved it or hated it - personally I was on the love side of the spectrum. It's just so unbelievably quirky and yet, completely endearing. GOSH!

2005: Good Night, and Good Luck -When people are arguing over whether they're Team Crash or Team Brokeback, I'll always stand behind the fact that I'm team Good Night and Good Luck. When I first watched this film, I thought I was so cool because it was a Best Picture nominee, and it was in black and white, and it had jazz music in it. Even though I didn't really understand the political history behind it. Fastforward a couple of years and I realized how exquisite this film really is - it's marvelously directed and acted with a simply phenomenal soundtrack.

2006: Little Miss Sunshine - Though 2004's entry is also partially to thank for this, I give "Little Miss Sunshine" credit for getting me into indie cinema. Sure, it's kind of crossover between indie and mainstream, but it made for a perfect transition. Full of great performances and perfectly loveable writing, LMS became a personal favorite after I watched it.

2007: Ratatouille - I always knew Pixar was great, especially after "The Incredibles", but "Ratatouille" was where I first really fell in love. It helps that the film was followed with the amazing "Wall-E" and the heart wrenching "Up" but I really cannot describe how much I love the little cooking rodent. Michael Giacchino's soundtrack over the lush visuals of Paris make me swoon every time I watch it.

2008: Slumdog Millionaire - As far as firsts go, this is the first Best Picture winner that I ever saw in the theaters. It was rather a monumental occasion for me - it was a prestige movie and I watched it in a packed theater, excited because it had won BP about a week earlier. I know this isn't one of the most unanimously loved winners of the big prize in the past few years, but I personally find it to be the perfect celebration of why we go to the movies in the first place.

2009: Inglourious Basterds - I hope I don't make myself sound too stupid when I say that for about the first two chapters of my favorite film of 2009 I thought, who knows why, that it was based on a true story. Of course, I figured out that it was fiction but that misconception may have just made this movie ten times better for me. This is, probably, the movie that influenced me to become a blogger though - after watching it, I was obsessed and I began to read movie blogs, and well, the rest is history.

2010: Scott Pilgrim Vs the World - What better way to end a retrospective on the movies of my life than my recent number one film of 2010. It was simply a film made for me - countless video game and other nerd-friendly references, a fun rock-inspired soundtrack, and a hilariously brilliant cast full of powerful actressing. It wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but to say that I love it is an understatement.

So there you have it! I got a little long winded but it's hard not to when you're being nostalgic. Check out everyone else's posts as well and comment below on which of these movies you love too!

"Martha Marcy May Marlene" Trailer

2011-05-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

(via Awards Daily)

I've had a wary eye on this movie ever since it started getting early buzz for actress Elizabeth Olsen (sister to Mary-Kate and Ashley), and this trailer did not disappoint. It looks like this film will have that extra punch of grittiness and unsettlingness that I wish had been more prevalent in the impossible-not-to-compare-to "Winter's Bone". John Hawkes's presence is very reassuring (he looks sufficiently creepy but lovable) and as a proponent of the elder Olsens, it should be fascinating to see what their sister does in what looks to be a very actressy vehicle.

How about you? Are you yay or nay on this Sundance drama? Comments below!

I cannot wait for this

2011-05-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

What're You Reading?

2011-04-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

It's common sense that the movie blog world is full of people with good taste in film. But what I've also found out is that it's also full of people with great taste in books as well, and it's interesting to see what everyone has read and enjoyed as of late!

Personally, I recently finished both the "Millenium" and "Hunger Games" trilogies, both whose movie adaptations have been getting some attention lately, and both of which I enjoyed immensely. As far as "The Hunger Games" goes, I'm really excited about the movie. I could be biased since I already knew about Jennifer Lawrence's casting before I started reading, but I think she'd be the perfect Katniss. I've now just started "Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All" which is so far very charming and humorous.

So how about you guys? What have you been reading lately? And any recommendations for me? The comments are open to all!

Source Code (2011)

2011-04-26T07:12:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure if it was the train-centric opening credits, the Herrmann-ian score by Chris Bacon, the enigmatic female performances from Vera Farmiga and Michelle Monaghan, or something else entirely; but while watching Duncan Jones's "Source Code" I could not help but be reminded of an Alfred Hitchcock film. "Source Code" is not really on the same level as most of Hitchock's filmography, but it wouldn't be difficult to imagine the king of suspense making a movie rather similar to it if he was still alive. Needless to say, the film is smartly, stylishly, and suspensefully put together (helped greatly by its brilliant minimalist structure) and makes for an extremely entertaining hour and a half. However, beyond that hour and a half, the film isn't particularly memorable, perhaps because it skirts around the philosophical questions that it seems to want to ask and never really asserts itself visually. The most lasting aspect of the film is, unsurprisingly, Farmiga's performance - unbelievably complex, gorgeously layered and quietly powerful, her eyes say everything the overall film fails to.

7/10

Consider...

2011-04-23T10:17:00.001-07:00

As most of you probably know, I'm a proud member of the Large Association of Movie Blogs, AKA the LAMB. Anyway, every year they do their own member-voted awards for movie blogs. This is my first year in the running, so I'd appreciate it if you guys could go over here and read about the process and vote for me (if you think I deserve it, of course)!

Also, I'd also really appreciate it if you guys looked over to my right sidebar and browsed through all of the blogs over there. Most of them are also members of the LAMB and all are fantastic blogs who are super deserving of your attention and votes during the LAMMYs.

Good luck everyone!

In the Classroom

2011-04-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

Having watched "Confessions" and "Half Nelson" both in a short period of time, it was impossible not to compare the two. Both movies are about teachers - teachers who are slightly unhinged, slightly off. However, though both movies deal with a similar central character, the two movies could not be more different.

Japan's Oscar submission from last year, Confessions, is a dark and frightening tale of a teacher, Ms. Moriguchi (Takako Matsu) whose young daughter Manami was killed by two students in her homeroom class. Ms. Moriguchi decides to take revenge on the two boys in what becomes a tense web of mind-games and manipulation, structured in a series of "confessions" from one of the accused students, the mother of one of the accused students, and a sympathetic and introspective young girl in the class.

Half Nelson is the story of Brooklyn junior-high school teacher Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling), whose philosophical approach to teaching inspires his students but isn't quite in line with the curriculum. However, despite his success in the classroom, his own life is simply a mess - he has a debilitating drug habit, poor relationships with others, and he cannot seem to turn his life around, until he meets Drey (Shareeka Epps), an impressionable young girl with problems of her own, who he befriends.

The most striking difference between the two movies is how each of the imperfect teachers deals with the problems that surround their life - rather, how each teacher uses their class as a kind of therapy. For Gosling's Dan, his students are the only thing that keeps him going, the only part of his life in which he is able to have some control and success. On the other hand, Ms. Moriguchi's problems are caused almost completely by her class, and her path to equilibrium consists of the complete destruction of at least two of her students.

One of the most interesting illustrations of this contrast between the two characters is how the "chaos of the classroom" is portrayed. Throughout the entire exposition of "Confessions", Ms. Moriguchi has to fight to be heard over the obnoxious chatting, texting, and outright disrespect that comes from her pupils, making us completely sympathize with how much she hates these kids. Though Mr. Dunne's students are just as noisy and rambunctious, their din is one of creativity, of excitement and of learning - an almost healing bedlam.

In fact, one of the most frighteningly brave aspects of "Confessions" is how it has no qualms with portraying children as pure evil. These kids are unflinchingly rude, manipulative, dishonest, hateful, and even murderous. It's an exaggeration, perhaps, but surely all teachers have felt the kind of disdain for their young pupils that the audience feels for the kids onscreen. It's a brilliant technique that creates an unyielding discomfort.

Moving past the content itself though, both movies are cinematically commendable as well. Matsu and Gosling both give fantastic lead performances, and the supporting casts, be they the evil children of "Confessions" or the supportive students in "Half Nelson", are really strong. "Confessions" is stylish to the point of being almost arbitrarily so, but for the most part it works, and "Nelson"'s camera work is unique and smart, often times focusing not quite where you'd expect.

Okay, so, neither of these movies really have anything to do with each other. They don't really belong in the same genre, and their plots are radically different. But they're both such fascinating portrayals of teacher-student dynamics that they become unintentionally perfect companion pieces, both of which I highly recommend.

Have you seen "Confessions" or "Half Nelson"? Which portrayal of classroom dynamics did you prefer? Is there an even better school-related movie? Sound off below!

"Melancholia" Trailer

2011-04-08T21:04:00.002-07:00

All I can say to this trailer is...OHMYGOD. I mean, it's perfect. The ominous orchestral background music, the what-looks-to-be-amazing acting from Gainsbourg and Dunst (yay Dunst! finally getting something good) and the whole "there's a planet about to hit us" thing to top off the drama - it's perfect. Sure, Lars scarred my emotions for life with "Dancer in the Dark" but this looks like it could just be his best film yet.

Any thoughts? Lars lover or rabid dissenter? Is there Oscar in Kirsten Dunst's future? Comments below!

via here!

"Crazy, Stupid, Love" Trailer

2011-04-06T18:34:00.000-07:00

The awesomeness of the cast kept causing me to flip out. Julianne, Emma, Ryan, Marisa and Steve? Really, it's perfect - especially since all the couples look like they'll have amazing chemistry (Emma and Ryan! That's so cute!) it looks like the humor might fall into the trashy/cheap laughs category, but I have a feeling that the amazing actors will make it all work. I mean, you really can't go wrong with these people. To guarantee the amazingness, the trailer features Grizzly Bear music, so, I mean, there you go.

Your thoughts? Amazing cast with a ton of potential, or trashy-derivative summer comedy? Sound off below!

The Loved Ones (2009)

2011-04-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

Teen-horror is a subgenre that seems to be synonymous with bad acting, poor plot development, and the mindless slaughter of a bunch of stupid and unlikable characters. Sean Byrne's film "The Loved Ones" could be considered a teen horror - it does revolve around a school dance - but it conforms to none of these parameters, succeeding rather brilliantly in its uniqueness.

The film's plot is relatively simple - Brent (Xavier Samuel), who was recently involved in a car crash that resulted in his father's death, turns down the invitation of a seemingly shy girl Lola (Robin McLeavy) to the school's end-of-the-year dance. Lola's daddy (John Brumpton) then kidnaps Brent, who them becomes a victim of horrendously violent and gruesome acts of torture at the hands of this macabre father-daughter team.

However, though the majority of the film's running time is occupied with grisly and painful-to-watch torture, it never descends into a gruesome conventional territory in its delivery. Lola, who seems to be the mastermind of the deadly acts, is a stunningly interesting character. Though she's repulsively evil, she's also extremely adorable, a feature that Robin McLeavy totally takes advantage of, with help from director Byrne, who dresses her up in a pink dress and paper crown and proudly shows her listening to a cutesy song whose lyrics declare "am I not pretty enough?".

McLeavy's performace is brilliantly wacky and off-kilter. It's such a unique piece of work that one would be hard pressed to find anything really like it - perhaps the closest character comparison would be "Misery's" Annie Wilkes, though McLeavy never tries or comes close to emulating her. Instead, she captivates the screen with an irascible and incomparable presence. It will be fascinating to see where she goes next.

The true accomplishment of the film, however, is Sean Byrne's daring and captivating directorial style. Unlike so many other horror movies who use a clicheed gritty and muted color palate, Byrne isn't afraid of utilizing color and lighting to create tension. For example, the disco ball which is ever present in the torture room is perfectly unsettling, as is the fact that the torture room is actually Lola's living room - a subtle detail that makes a huge difference. It's Byrne's unflinching vision that keeps the movie from falling too deep into unwatchable torture porn territory.

On the other hand, the film does occasionally fall into convention and like any good horror movie, it has its wee plot holes. Plus, the ending feels a bit abrupt - a cop-out that misses out on some potential profundity. However, the problems are so minor and inconsequential that they can easily be overlooked. The film is so successful - it draws you in, violently shakes you up, and never quite lets you go.

See it: If you're in the mood for a smart and bloody horror movie or you want to see a really indescribable female performance.

Skip it: If you're a bit squeamish. The movie is a cringe-fest! I literally had nightmares the night I watched it. This is not for the faint of heart.

8/10

"Magnolia" Recasting!

2011-04-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, so, Andrew from Encore Entertainment is hosting another installment of his great series LAMB Recasting at the Large Association of Movie Blogs.

This time, he requested that we all try to recast the massively-cast "Magnolia", which was certainly no easy feat, especially that Julianne Moore role. I mean, nobody could possibly do it better than Julianne.

Anyway, I and three others tried our hands at it and now it's your turn to vote so I encourage you all to go over yonder and vote for your favorite re-imagining of the cast. Click here to do so!

Happy voting!

"Midnight in Paris" Trailer

2011-03-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

Hm. Strangely, I was much more excited about this movie before watching this trailer (which is kind of the opposite of the point of a trailer, right?). It seems like Woody is rehashing the same old stuff he's been doing for the past few years and unfortunately the repetitiveness is starting to get tiresome. However, I'm still definitely willing to give it the benefit of the doubt, with the amazing cast that it boasts. The trailer does, at least, give us some insight to that aspect of the movie - Rachel McAdams looks like she's going to be a blast, Marion Cotillard is looking as stunning as ever, and hey there Mimi "my teeth are bleeding" Kennedy, good to see you!

Anyway, though I'm not as enthusiastic about the movie as I was about ten minutes ago, I'm still going to be seeing it for sure. How about you all? Thoughts or reactions on the trailer? Speak up below!

Waste Land (2010)

2011-03-21T08:18:00.001-07:00

The most wonderful thing about this Oscar-nominated documentary is its unapologetic simplicity. Without a word of narration, a single fancy graphic, or any flashy editing techniques, Lucy Walker's "Waste Land" allows its fascinating subject (artist Vik Muniz's project to create recyclable materials into art in the world's largest landfill, Jardim Gramacho) to speak for itself, which it does with remarkable intensity and integrity. The "pickers" that are interviewed are all so unique and interesting, each one with a different personality and story. The editing is subtle but marvelous, giving just enough spotlight to the stark images of the landfill, but also juxtaposing the beauty of the people and of Muniz's art. Sure, most of why this film succeeds is Muniz's project itself, but the film's simplicity allows the amazing story to truly shine. It may not be as wildly engrossing as "Exit Through the Gift Shop" or as factually important as "Inside Job", but "Waste Land" is still a beautiful and moving piece of documentary filmmaking that is certainly worth seeing.

8/10

Rango (2011)

2011-03-15T17:13:00.000-07:00

With Pixar releasing the rather unpromising "Cars 2" later this year it seems necessary to keep an eye on the rest of the animated crop. Having not yet seen a new movie this year yet, I couldn't wait to start everything off with "Rango", which looked extremely promising and was being critically lauded. Unfortunately, though "Rango" had quite a lot going for it, it ended up being an overall disappointment.

The film tells the story of an unnamed pet chameleon (voiced, of course, by Johnny Depp) with a propensity for the theater, who becomes stranded in the desert after his owners nearly get into a car accident. The chameleon soon finds himself in the drought-ridden city of Dirt, where he meets the sassy lizard Beans (Isla Fisher), and the rest of the town's rodent and reptile inhabitants, all of whom are struggling due to the drought. Seizing an opportunity, the chameleon takes on the name of Rango and becomes the sheriff of the town, where he soon discovers that the town's mayor has an evil plot that is keeping the town dry.

Visually, "Rango" is really quite stunning. Besides the fact that the animation is realistic to a fault, the film's "cinematography" is really fantastic - the design of each shot is full of gorgeous lighting and coloring, while the camera's own movements are some of the most advanced and interesting out I've seen in a CGI animated film (and that does include "Avatar". heh). It comes as no surprise that Roger Deakins was the visual consultant - his cinematographic brilliance really shows. Soundwise the film succeeds as well. Johnny Depp's voice is pretty much perfect for the role and the score was great as well (for Hans Zimmer, anyway. heh heh).

Unfortunately, as seems to always be the case, the screenplay was unable to live up to the film's visual scheme - so much so that it detracted from the overall success of the film (which is not always the case. Sometimes an animated film can get by on looks alone). Though I admire the fact that the film was able to avoid tripping over the big religious and environmental issues it tackled, that was about the only thing it did right. So many of the film's "jokes", which it obviously thought were hysterical, failed miserably. And though the film's first scene is littered with sharp dialogue and laughs, the film loses its steam not shortly after, with incongruities that are impossible to overlook, even through the lens of what I like to call the "family film forgiveness factor".

"Rango" is almost a surefire nominee for Best Animated Film next year at the Oscars, and I imagine it'll be this year's animated critical favorite unless there's a foreign entry. And while its writing was rather disappointing, its visuals are certainly something to applaud. Not a bad start to 2011, by any means, but definitely not what I would have hoped for.

See it: If you're disappointed by the lameness of the rest of what's in theaters, and you don't mind forgoing good writing for unbelievable animated visuals.

Skip it: If you didn't get a good night of sleep the evening before, and if you feel like laughing a lot.

6/10

Inside Job (2010)

2011-03-14T09:26:00.001-07:00

Any gripes I had with this film taking the Oscar away from "Exit Through the Gift Shop" dissipated shortly after I watched it. There's not much to really say about it besides the fact that it's so fascinating, so sharply written and so informative that it's impossible not to walk away feeling infuriated, and even a bit horrified. A testament to its greatness is that though I knew very little about the roots of the financial crisis going in, I now feel like I know everything there is to be known - the film's just that comprehensive. I'm not going to say I didn't get lost a couple of times, but overall the film does just what it sets out to do, allowing the facts to speak for themselves and intertwining interviews from all sides of the argument that simply strengthen the film's thesis. Finally, "Inside Job" should be considered the definitive example of documentary filmmaking's greatest technique - the "So-and-So declined to be interviewed for this film." I still like "Gift Shop" more as a film but it's obvious that "Inside Job" was the more important and relevant of the two and hopefully its winning raises awareness of the issues discussed in the film.

9/10

Black Narcissus (1947)

2011-03-03T05:58:00.001-08:00

I've decided that now that Oscar season is over and 2011 has officially not yet given me a single movie that I want to see, it's time to catch up on some classics. So, if you have any suggestions, please mention in the comments and I'll almost surely watch what you suggest. "Black Narcissus" is a rather fascinating film that survives mainly because of its gorgeous cinematography. The colors are planned so well it's almost as if the movie is one hour and forty minute long painting, and some shots are just so breathtaking it's unbearable. The fact that the entire thing was filmed on a backlot in London is stunning when you see shots like the nuns ringing the bell on the cliff, or the panoramic looks at the "Himalayas". For the most part the acting is quite fantastic - Deborah Kerr's icy, yet vulnerable performance is absorbing and exhilarating to watch, and Kathleen Byron is a whirlwind in her final scenes. The story is paced somewhat strangely - the climax is fantastic but the lead up to said climax doesn't necessarily make sense. The script could have used more narrative focus though it's not bad enough to detract majorly from the rest of the amazing things happening in this film.

8/10

OSCAR PREDICTIONS!

2011-02-27T06:49:00.000-08:00

So everyone my Oscar predictions, and picks. I have to be honest with you all though - I'm a bad movie blogger...I won't be watching the Oscars until tomorrow night because I have a majorly humongous audition in the morning and I can't afford to lose sleep. SO I shall refrain from looking at blogs until tomorrow night. Hehe.

Best Picture

Prediction: The King's Speech

My Pick: The Social Network

Best Director

Prediction: David Fincher

My Pick: David Fincher

Best Actor

Prediction: Colin Firth

My Pick: Jesse Eisenberg

Best Actress

Prediction: Natalie Portman

My Pick: Natalie Portman

Best Supporting Actor

Prediction: Christian Bale

My Pick: Geoffrey Rush

Best Supporting Actress

Prediction: Helena Bonham Carter (seriously)

My Pick: Jacki Weaver

Best Original Screenplay

Prediction: The King's Speech

My Pick: The King's Speech

Best Adapted Screenplay

Prediction: The Social Network

My Pick: The Social Network

Best Animated Film

Prediction: Toy Story 3

My Pick: How to Train Your Dragon

Best Foreign Film

Prediction: Biutiful

My Pick: Dogtooth

Cinematography

Prediction: True Grit

My Pick: Black Swan

Editing

Prediction: The Social Network?

My Pick: The Social Network

Art Direction

Prediction: The King's Speech

My Pick: The King's Speech

Costume Design

Prediction: The King's Speech

My Pick: I Am Love

Makeup

Prediction: Barney's Version

My Pick: I have seen none of these films so I have no pick.

Original Score

Prediction: The King's Speech (though I feel this could go to any of the nominees, honestly.)

My Pick: The Social Network

Original Song

Prediction: "If I Rise"

My Pick: Ugh. "If I Rise" I suppose. I can't wait to see Florence Welch sing it!

Sound Mixing

Prediction: Inception

My Pick: The Social Network

Sound Editing

Prediction: Inception

My Pick: Inception

Visual Effects

Prediction: Inception

My Pick: Scott Pilgrim Vs the...oh wait. Inception.

Documentary

Prediction: Exit Through the Gift Shop

My Pick: Exit Through the Gift Shop

Documentary Short

Prediction: Poster Girl

Live Action Short

Prediction: God of Love

My Pick: Wish 143

Animated Short

Prediction: Madagascar, A Journey Diary

My Pick: It'd probably be Madagascar if I'd seen it but I liked Day & Night just fine.

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Top 10

2011-02-26T18:54:00.001-08:00

And now, the moment for which you all have been waiting so fervently (ahem), my top ten films of the year. As should go without saying, this is my top ten right now - things can change over time. For example, I included "Avatar" at number 5 when I first made my list for last year, but then when I revisited recently it didn't even make the top ten. So! Anyway. Enough babble, on with the list!

10. How to Train Your Dragon

Ever since I first fell in love with this surprising movie when I first saw it, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Its story line may be a bit cliche, sure, but it still manages to defy convention nonetheless. It's so sensitive and I fell in love with it despite its imperfections. And that score? It's just so wonderful. And, it's my current ringtone. Hahaha

9. Animal Kingdom

You all should know by now how much I adore Jacki Weaver, but there's more to this film than just her. It's masterfully written, frightening and intense and yet there's this heart to it all - a bizarre, slightly dysfunctional heart, but it's there nonetheless. The performances from the rest of the cast are great and Michod's subtle directorial work leaves you wanting more and more.

8. Dogtooth

I'll freely admit that its off putting subject matter is what's keeping this film from being higher on the list, but there is absolutely no denying how bizarrely brilliant it is. It's fascinatingly shot, with perfectly mysterious performances from the entire cast - and while so many movies force messages with cliches and manipulation "Dogtooth" tackles so many themes and lets the screenplay speak for itself. Shocking, but fascinating.

7. Mother

This movie should have been just another crime drama. Instead, it's a provocative, tense, fascinating and often beautiful portrait of a mother's unyielding love for her son. Bong Joon-Ho plots every frame with so much detail and thought, allowing Kim Hye-Ja to work her wonders.

6. True Grit

From the opening shot to the closing narration, "True Grit" is a surprisingly riveting tale that deals perfectly with the implications of redemption. The Coen Brothers totally turn what could have been an ordinary western into an extraordinary journey told through the eyes of a young fourteen year old girl. Surprisingly funny and extraordinarily grandiose, it's just another amazing movie from the Coens.

5. 127 Hours

Okay, Danny Boyle's sometimes erratic choices may not have always been good choices, but the overall film ends up being such a success that it's possible to overlook the mistakes - and then some. No film affected me as emotionally as "127 Hours" did - James Franco's fantastic performance takes the viewer on such a powerful journey. Inspiring and emotional, the power of this film cannot be understated.

4. Rabbit Hole

"Rabbit Hole" isn't necessarily sad - more like poignant and seeing grief treated in such a way is so refreshing and, ultimately affecting. The myriad of great performances from Kidman, Eckhart, Teller, Weist and Oh enhance the already gorgeous script, which is all put together by the tender hand of John Cameron Mitchell. This film never forces you to feel, it just allows itself to be so real that you can't help but be devastated, and yet, filled with hope.

3. Black Swan

My excitement for this film went down a wee bit since I first saw it (on opening day which is something I will be eternally proud of) but I still adore it so. Watching it was such a thrill ride that after I left the theater I was just speechless. It's scary, it's gorgeous, and it's thought provoking, featuring a career-best performance from Portman...and honestly, everyone else in the cast too. As the woman behind me in the theater put it, "WHAT THE HELLLLL WAS THAT?!", in the good way of course.

2. The Social Network

I'd be hard pressed to find as intelligent a film as "The Social Network" that also has such an emotional core. To quote everybody in the world, it's not about Facebook, it's about friendship. Fincher's direction brilliantly brings together such fantastic technical achievments (the score! the cinematography!) and though this may not win Best Picture tomorrow night, this will be the film that stands the test of time.

1. Scott Pilgrim Vs the World

Okay. It may not be the genius instant-classic that "The Social Network" is, nor is it perhaps the beautiful masterpiece that "Black Swan" is, but I did not fall in lesbians so hard with any film as hard as I fell for "Scott Pilgrim". My nerdier side loved the video game references and the 8-bit soundtrack but my intelligent side adored the perfect acting and creative filmmaking style. Behind all of the amazing visual effects it's still just a story of a rather imperfect relationship and what we all go through to be with the ones we love, and it's just so perfect. I simply couldn't not call it my favorite of the year.

Ah, so there you have it everyone! My favorites. I hope you've all enjoyed the Golden Corneas - what did you think of my choices? Surprised? Angry? Sad? The comment box is like a therapy session - all feelings welcome without judgment so sound off below!

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Honorable Mentions

2011-02-25T19:20:00.001-08:00

And now, for seven films (because seven is a magical number) that I really loved but just didn't quite make it to the top 10.

Toy Story 3 - Both unbelievably touching and thoroughly hilarious, this was the perfect end to a brilliant trilogy.

Please Give - Gently self conscious, Holofcener's cleverly biting film is a wonderful portrait of a bunch of messed up people who you can't help but fall in love with.

The King's Speech - Gorgeous and inspiring, this film defies the laws of period epics and ends up being a fascinating story well told.

Mother and Child - Manipulative? Perhaps a bit. But there's no denying how moving and poignant this film is, as it balances three wonderful stories buoyed by three amazing performances from Bening, Watts and Washington.

Winter's Bone - Thrilling and memorable, Lawrence's star turn is impressive but it's Granik, Dickey and Hawkes that really make this movie as unforgettable as it is.

Blue Valentine - I didn't love it as much as most but I can't deny the impact that it had - Williams and Gosling give beautiful performances and that ending is marvelous.

Morning Glory - I'll go ahead and give this movie the guilty pleasure slot on the list, but it was really a surprisingly lovely and enjoyable little gem. The trio of McAdams, Keaton and Ford is so fun to watch.

***

And I also must mention another amazing film that I didn't include in my top ten because I exclude documentaries but if I did include documentaries it totally would have made it - Exit Through the Gift Shop, which is a fascinating and fast paced look at the world of underground art. So interesting and so well made.

***

Other films that I really liked this year, and will remember for a long time include..."I Am Love", "The Kids Are All Right", "Greenberg", "Date Night", "Easy A", and "The Runaways". I've got to say, despite popular opinion, I really think it's been a good year for film.

So thre you have it! Top ten of the year coming very soon - are you surprised at any of my choices? Sound off below!

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Directors

2011-02-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

We're nearing the end of the Golden Corneas! Next well be the reveal of the top 10 of the year. I've had to majorly speed up since I realized it will all become irrelevant after Sunday. ;) So now the directors.

5. Bong Joon-Ho - "Mother"

Bong totally fixes some of the problems that appeared in his earlier work and skillfully crafts a masterpiece of tone, suspense, and emotion, without ever losing focus on his magnificent leading lady.

4. Edgar Wright - "Scott Pilgrim vs the World"

"Scott Pilgrim" would never have worked without as skillful a director as Wright at the helm. His fast paced direction fuses brilliant video game references, comic book styling and exciting visual effects to create a hilarious, amazing and epic film that also has a great heart.

3. Giorgos Lanthimos - "Dogtooth"

Lanthimos creates his own frightening world in "Dogtooth", the most subtle of touches accentuating his unfathomable vision. His lingering eye and genius touch on the themes of the piece enhance his disturbingly original, absorbing and memorable film.

2. Darren Aronofsky - "Black Swan"

Aronofsky is unforgiving in his direction of "Black Swan". It's extremely scary, wickedly funny and at the same time, lushly beautiful. The mix of all of this film's great elements enhances what Aronofsky truly wants to emphasize - Natalie Portman's performance, one that would surely have been nowhere near as phenomenal without such a great director to guide it.

1. David Fincher - "The Social Network"

I don't think anyone thought that a movie about the creation of Facebook would end up becoming one of the best films of the year. But, thanks almost completely to Fincher's genius, the film became not about Facebook, but about friendship. Fincher's direction is sharp, precise and yet, completely human, never letting the film's marvelous technical achievements drown out its heart.

Honorable Mentions:

David Michod's debut work in "Animal Kingdom" is really stunning - it'll be fantastic to see what he does next; "Winter's Bone" is marvelously directed by Debra Granik, who fills every scene with remarkable tone and tension; John Cameron Mitchell's quiet work on "Rabbit Hole" is marvelous in that it never takes the easy way out in resorting to histrionics; Tom Hooper has a unique visual style that also achieves three fantastic performances from the actors.

Just Missed It:

Luca Guadagnino, "I Am Love"; Coen Bros, "True Grit"; Lisa Cholodenko, "The Kids Are All Right"; Roger Michell, "Morning Glory"

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Actresses

2011-02-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

Coming up with a top five for this category was a surprisingly simple task, since there were exactly five performances that really, really stood out to me this year. Of course, there were several women who didn't quite make the top five but would have been totally deserving - it was such a strong year. Anyway, the top five!

5. Kim Hye-Ja - "Mother"

When I first saw this film, the only adjective I could use to describe Kim's performance was operatic. The range of emotions she goes through to portray her character are so expansive and thus so marvelous to watch unfold. Her final shot is simply haunting - the entire performance is a magnificent piece of work.

4. Nicole Kidman - "Rabbit Hole"

Almost the polar opposite of Kim Hye-Ja, Kidman plays Becca with such a quiet force of emotion. Her cold exterior is never alienating and Kidman's handling of the long grief period her character experienced before the start of the movie is masterful. Kidman gives a simply beauiful performance - those park scenes are perfection.

3. Emma Stone - "Easy A"

Compared to the other women on this list, and many of the other fantastic performances that didn't make the top five, Stone's performance may seem a bit lightweight. Take a second look though, and you'll see that in "Easy A" Emma Stone delivers an absolutely brilliant, radiant comedic performance. She elevates every single aspect of the movie, and every single line from her mouth, every single facial expression, and every little twitch or bodily reaction is perfectly timed to achieve the ultimate comedic affect. A star-making turn that leaves you wanting more.

2. Annette Bening - "Mother and Child"

It's Bening's performance in "The Kids are All Right" that's been getting the most praise (and it is a fantastic performance) but it's her work in "Mother and Child" that I remember, and will remember, the most. Bening is perfect at being cold, even mean, but she knows Karen so, so well that it's impossible for us not to connect. The way she paces her performance is also great, so that the big emotional moment in her performance is truly heart wrenching. Limited screentime does not hinder this magnificent work.

1. Natalie Portman - "Black Swan"

It's hard to really formulate thoughts around this epic performance. Portman gives the performance of a lifetime as the mentally deteriorating Nina, balancing her innocent persona in the first act marvelously with her unraveling character in the second act. Even disregarding the physical effort that this performance required, Natalie Portman's complete immersion in her character hasn't got a single gap and is horrifying, beautiful, and awesome all at once. And that scene in the bathroom stall? Best acting all year.

Honorable Mentions:

It was difficult to not mention Michelle Williams who does beautiful, multilayered and age-spanning work in "Blue Valentine"; Greta Gerwig's quiet, non-actressy performance is so marvelously simple in "Greenberg" as she becomes the film's unlikely hero; Jennifer Lawrence carries "Winter's Bone" so well with a raw naturalism that is rarely seen done so well; Hailee Steinfeld shows acting skills beyond her years as she gives her character remarkable candor and yet, perfect subtlety.

Just Missed It:

Catherine Keener in "Please Give", Julianne Moore in "The Kids Are All Right", Rachel McAdams in "Morning Glory", Mary Elizabeth Winstead in "Scott Pilgrim Vs the World"

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Actors

2011-02-23T16:30:00.000-08:00

Oddly I find it much harder to be impressed by male actors than their female counterparts, but this year was actually full of really impressive performances, especially after the rather underwhelming crowd last year (though Jeremy Renner's work in "The Hurt Locker" is simply fantastic).

5. Colin Firth - "The King's Speech"

If you think about it, Firth really doesn't have THAT much dialogue in the whole movie - yet he is able to create a fantastic character. His stutter isn't just a physical impairment, it comes from every fiber of his very being and Firth makes Bertie's journey so relatable for the audience.

4. James Franco - "127 Hours"

Franco's challenge is obvious - to hold the screen with almost no supporting cast for the duration of an entire film. But, with his ever expressive eyes and his brilliant energy, we the audience are completely captivated by Ralston's struggle. Franco skews his natural charisma as the film goes along so that we never lose hope for Ralston, even if he's losing hope himself.

3. Ryan Gosling - "Blue Valentine"

It may miss the point of the film to call Gosling the heart of "Blue Valentine", but his performance, more than any other aspect of the film, is charged with a real emotional intensity that is simply devastating. Dean's fight for what he considers a "perfect family" ends up tearing his marriage apart but his constant and failing attempts are portrayed so painfully and convincingly by Gosling. Oh, and I know everyone's already said it but "You always hurt the ones you love" is one of the best acted scenes of the year.

2. Aaron Eckhart - "Rabbit Hole"

It's shocking how unnoticed Eckhart went throughout awards season. His quiet performance never steals momentum from Kidman, and yet it stands alone so brilliantly and ends up being so heartbreaking. Eckhart layers his character so well that when the breakdown finally does happen it's impossible not to be completely destroyed with him.

1. Jesse Eisenberg - "The Social Network"

Ever since "The Squid and the Whale", I've always thought that Eisenberg had potential - but nothing prepared me for the brilliance that was his work in "The Social Network". Eisenberg is so subtle it's shocking, every emotion lying slightly underneath this facade that Mark creates for himself, Eisenberg always able to show so much while doing so little. Though the snappy, smart alecky dialogue is particularly well played, it's the subtle turns of emotion (such as in the "did I answer your condescending question?" scene) that are truly stunning.

Honorable Mentions:

Jeff Bridges grumbles and mumbles his way amazingly through "True Grit", and the amount of emotions he expresses with his one eye is simply awesome; Ben Stiller is kind of polarizing but I found his performance in "Greenberg" to be perfectly simple droll and ultimately affecting; Ben Mendelsohn is frighteningly unhinged in "Animal Kingdom"; Anyone saying Michael Cera plays the same character every time is missing out on all the hilarious little subtleties he injects into "Scott Pilgrim vs the World"; Leonardo DiCaprio does a perfect spiral into madness in "Shutter Island".

Just Missed It:

Oliver Platt in "Please Give", Alexei Guskov in "The Concert", Christos Stergioglou in "Dogtooth"

Ya'll know the drill. Comments below!

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Screenplays

2011-02-22T15:30:00.001-08:00

Screenplays are the basis of the film - without a good screenplay, there's really nothing that can redeem a film. This year was full of really good writing, so now a few of my faves.

Adapted

5. True Grit - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

The Coen Brothers consistently bring great writing to the screen. "True Grit" is not only rife with great period language and dialogue but it's also chock full with great characters and trademark Coen Brothers humor. Not to mention the perfect structure.

4. Winter's Bone - Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini

Similarly to "True Grit", "Winter's Bone" is full of colloquial dialogue and terminology which is an accomplishment on its own. But the script's greatest accomplishment is its minimalist structure which allows the emotional shocks in the arc to stand out shockingly and perfectly.

3. Rabbit Hole - David Lindsay-Abaire

Grief is such a difficult theme for the movies to get right - but "Rabbit Hole" is pretty much perfect. Lindsay-Abaire never lets his characters wallow in their situati

on, instead treating them like the real people that they are. The script also finds unexpected humor that makes the emotional parts so much more painful. The seamless transition from stage to screen is also a great accomplishment.

2. Scott Pilgrim VS The World - Michael Bacall, Edgar Wright

It's no easy feat to get a successful, memorable one-liner into a screenplay. However, Bacall and Wright were able to make almost every single line in "Scott Pilgrim" into one that you can quote innumerable times after the credits roll. However, the quirky and amazingly funny dialogue is just the icing on the cake that is the simple, adorable and timeless story of a boy who will do anything to be with the girl he loves.

1. The Social Network - Aaron Sorkin

There's not much I can say about this script that hasn't already been said - the dialogue is brilliant, the characters are fantastically fleshed out and the structure is simply perfect. Sorkin's script will assure this film's status as an instant classic.

Honorable Mentions: "127 Hours"'s screenplay balances Ralston in and out of the pit perfectly; "How to Train Your Dragon" might be a bit cliche but it still never takes the easy way out.

Original

5. The Kids Are All Right - Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg

Cholodenko and Blumberg craft a touching, creative and unique portrait of an alternative family, perhaps most effectively by treating them like any other family. Not to mention that the film is so funny.

4. The King's Speech - David Seidler

David Seidler's captivating screenplay is just another one of the reasons that "The King's Speech" defies some of the convention that it could have easily fallen into. Seidler humanizes each character and never loses an opportunity for humor, pathos or an appropriately timed zinger of dialogue.

3. Please Give - Nicole Holofcener

"Please Give" could so easily have come off annoying or too quirky for its own good. However, Holofcener's genius script avoids these possible pitfalls by thoroughly developing and shaping each character so well, and never losing anyone's plotline in this truly ensemble film. The dialogue is impeccably funny and smart, and the sensitive heart at the film's center is unflinchingly real.

2. Animal Kingdom - David Michod

Obviously my favorite thing about "Animal Kingdom" is Jacki Weaver but had David Michod not crafted such a fascinating, layered, and complex screenplay for her to work with, "Animal Kingdom" would not have been as successful or as fantastic as it was. Michod's crime drama tackles so many themes with passionate energy and underneath it all is a fantastic and rare emotional core.

1. Dogtooth - Giorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou

Based purely on creativity, "Dogtooth" is already one of the best films of the year. But not only does it have a ridiculously interesting concept, it totally delivers on that concept without ever alienating the viewer. Lanthimos and Filippou's bizarre (in the best sense of the word) work succeeds as satire, horror, and family relationship drama equally well and will surely last the test of time.

Honorable Mentions: "Greenberg" is so well written and it just nearly missed the top 5, but even the film's nearly unlikeable characters are portrayed so sympathetically; "Toy Story 3" relies on the first two films for a lot but it's still an original and creative piece of work with the perfect ending; "Solitary Man" has some amazing dialogue, along with some really interesting characters; I know a lot of people despise it and even though it really seems inconsequential, "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger" is still a really well-written and funny piece by Allen; "Morning Glory" is more adorable, funny and emotionally engrossing than it had any right to be thanks to its screenplay.

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Supporting Actresses

2011-02-15T19:41:00.001-08:00

Hm, this is perhaps my most "alternative" category, as almost none of my top five received as much mainstream praise as they perhaps deserved. I do think it was a very strong year though, with a really fantastic variety of performances from a whole group of fantastic ladies. So, my personal favorites!

5. Amy Adams - "The Fighter"

I honestly think Amy Adams can do no wrong, though playing against type seemed like a risky gamble for her. However, she totally pulls it off and then some. Charlene is such an interesting character, thanks heavily to Adams's complex and multilayered performance. She never takes the easy way out and even through her thick accent she has an irresistible heart and moxie that transcends the typical "supportive girlfriend" role that she was given.

4. Dale Dickey - "Winter's Bone"

Dickey's performance is simply frightening as Merab. She's a conflicted character - it's obvious that she cares about Ree, but her loyalty to her family comes first. Just watch as Dickey changes from protective matron to helpful friend from beginning to the end of the movie, it's a fantastic arc. Her haunting and expressive eyes seal the deal.

3. Naomi Watts - "Mother and Child"

"Mother and Child" is, as I mentioned before, full of fantastic performances. But Naomi Watts is particularly notable because of how much her performance simply should not have worked. On paper, her arc is borderline ridiculous. However, Watts makes her character powerfully real, human and believable. Her change from beginning to end is simply beautiful to watch and that elevator scene...perfection.

2. Ellen Wong - "Scott Pilgrim VS the World"

You can read my full thoughts on her here. Simply, Wong steals the movie from the rest of the uber-talented cast and creates an unbelievably loveable, beautifully sensitive and perfectly funny. I just can't get enough!

1. Jacki Weaver - "Animal Kingdom"

Oh my goodness, I can't even begin to describe this performance in words. Weaver is always in the background, always watching over her children, always an ever present force that drives the rest of her family. She's not perfect - she's manipulative, she's definitely a criminal, but she's no villain. Above all she loves her sons and will do anything for them. Weaver's Smurf is so effortlessly complex that her motives and actions can simply not be shaken from your mind. Weaver is truly a force of nature.

Honorable Mentions:

Okay, there will be a lot, so prepare yourselves. In "Black Swan", Mila Kunis slides effortlessly in and out of each of her scenes, with a natural ease that is unmatchable, while Barbara Hershey is a frighteningly powerful and even sympathetic force onscreen; Rebecca Hall is just the right amount of pathetic and loveable in "Please Give"; Kirsten Dunst single handedly saves "All Good Things" with a devastating and truly emotive performance (cast her NOW!). Dianne Wiest is fantastic as embodied grief in "Rabbit Hole"; Kerry Washington gives a wonderful, and perhaps the most interesting, performance in "Mother and Child", even when her character's being a total bitch; Marion Cotillard provides the complete heart and soul of "Inception" and her Mal is a fascinating force of primal emotion; Melanie Laurent's role in "The Concert" may be small but she does so much with it; I wasn't much a fan of "City Island" but Emily Mortimer is joyously cute and yet perfectly complicated; I thought Melissa Leo's performance in "The Fighter" was kind of all surface no substance but my oh my, what a surface it was.

Almost Made It:

Kristen Stewart in "The Runaways", Lucy Punch in "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger", Tammy Blanchard in "Rabbit Hole", Helena Bonham Carter in "Alice in Wonderland", Anna Kendrick in "Scott Pilgrim VS The World", Ann Guilbert in "Please Give"

Wow, so many ladies to mention I just couldn't stop myself. In case I haven't covered someone, who were your favorites? You know the drill, comments below! :)

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Supporting Actors

2011-02-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Gosh, this was tough. I kept rearranging and rearranging - needless to say it was a good year. My honorable mentions might have found their way into my top 5 on any other day, it was just so competitive.

5. Andrew Garfield - "The Social Network"

As the heart of the film, Garfield is a revelation. He gives Eduardo so much charisma and heart, but he's not afraid to bring out the flaws in his character as well. He's sympathetic but not pathetic, and that's Garfield's greatest achievement.

4. John Hawkes - "Winter's Bone"

Hawkes is frighteningly good as Teardrop in "Winter's Bone". There is no Hawkes, there is only Teardrop and he is a force of nature without ever stealing the spotlight from Jennifer Lawrence. The amount of expression in his eyes is breathtaking.

3. Won Bin - "Mother"

As Mother's criminally accused son, Won Bin is perfect at being slightly off, yet still so sympathetic. Do-Joon is definitely hiding something but Bin keeps us guessing until the very end. A surprising and memorable performance.

2. Mark Ruffalo - "The Kids Are All Right"

It's really quite remarkable, what Mark Ruffalo did in "Kids". Ruffalo effortlessly turns Paul into such a complex character - he's the definition of a man child, and yet he's not immature. His arc is absolutely perfect and his chemistry with every member of the cast is such a joy to watch.

1. Geoffrey Rush - "The King's Speech"

I was truly awed by Rush's fantastic work in "Speech". Rush is usually known for being crazily over the top but as Lionel Logue, he's remarkably subtle. His audition scene near the beginning of the movie is simply brilliant and it defines his character - a man who has to help others in order to help himself. Remarkable.

Honorable Mentions:

Oh, how it kills me to not be able to mention these guys! Kieran Culkin is hilarious and yet, so sensitive in "Scott Pilgrim"; Samuel L. Jackson gives an uncharacteristically emotive and human performance in "Mother and Child"; Matt Damon is so funny, but also so endearing in "True Grit"; Michael Shannon is so full of sleazy, over-the-top goodness in "The Runaways".

Just Missed It:

Mark Webber in "Scott Pilgrim", Vincent Cassell in "Black Swan", Luke Ford in "Animal Kingdom"

What are your thoughts on this category? It was a fantastic year for supporting men, eh? Comments are welcome as always! :)

Best Score Ranking: 2010

2011-02-13T19:00:00.000-08:00

Here's my personal ranking of this year's crop of Best Score nominees. For those of you who want to read more about these scores and what I thought of them (albeit, in a much more objective light) you can check out my post for LAMB Devours the Oscars!

5. 127 Hours - A.R. Rahman

I really think the score enhances the film though if you compare it to the others, it just seems a bit amateurish. Rahman is forced to be more traditional and unfortunately it doesn't quite work as well as "Slumdog Millionaire".

4. Inception - Hans Zimmer

Oh, Hans. I've said it before, Hans Zimmer can only write loudly and unfortunately it begins to get tiresome. I also wasn't a big fan of the movie itself. However, his style works well for "Inception", and for the most part it's a very successful score that creates a mood. It's also very important to consider that it has become really iconic since the film's release.

3. The King's Speech - Alexandre Desplat

Alexandre Desplat is never bad - this is certainly lesser work but it's still quite lovely and so, so effective. I love Desplat's orchestration...the instruments are so beautifully mixed and mingled and the tender sound is so lovable. It's not his best work, not even his best from the year but it's still amazing how unique it is.

2. How to Train Your Dragon - John Powell

In my opinion, Powell's score is the best part of HTTYD, which as you all may know, I majorly loved. The sweeping epic strings are traditional but beautiful. Powell has a lot of great moments to work with and be flashy, and his tender and fun score makes the movie soar.

1. The Social Network - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Okay, I love this score. I'd call the "Hand Covers Bruise" theme the best opening movie theme since, like, "Lord of the Rings" or "Harry Potter". Every single piece of this score is just so, so effective and not only that, but it stands alone marvelously. A unique, fantastic masterpiece.

Should Have Been Nominated: Honestly, from the eligible scores, I think this was the best possible lineup (I haven't seen "The Ghost Writer"), except the snub for Rabbit Hole (Anton Sanko). Ineligible scores that I personally love include I Am Love (John Adams), True Grit (Carter Burwell), Black Swan (Clint Mansell) and Scott Pilgrim VS the World (Nigel Godrich).

Check out the updated overall ranking!

What were your favorite scores of the year? Sound off below!

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Ensembles

2011-02-12T19:29:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like a great cast to make a movie wonderful. This year was full of fantastic feats of ensemble acting, so without further ado, my favorites from 2010.

5. The Concert

Though the advertising campaign will have you believe that this movie is all about Melanie Laurent, tis not the case - though she's lovely in her small role, it's the rest of the cast that breathes such a whimsical life into the film. Be it the goofy Valeri Barinov as the Communist sympathizing manager or the entire crowd of gypsy musicians this wonderful group had a lot of fun, and thus, so did the audience.

4. Mother and Child

The script may have been a bit contrived but thanks to the wonderful performances by the whole cast, "Mother and Child" excels. Bening, Watts and Washington make for great leads but Samuel L. Jackson, Shareeka Epps and Cherry Jones, along with the rest of the supporting players, all give their parts so much more depth than expected.

3. Please Give

This cast of droll and almost unanimously unlikable characters could have been ridiculous or grating. Intsead, Keener, Hall, Platt, Peet, Guilbert and Steele are funny, lovable and work off of each other so remarkably well.

2. The Social Network

Sorkin's dialogue is brilliant, yes, but without the fantastic delivery by every member of the cast, there would not have been the fireworks that there were. And not only do Eisenberg and Garfield do well, but so do the smaller players - Timberlake is surprisingly good, Jones and Song make the most out of their small roles, Hammer is fantastic and Mara is a raw emotional turning point. Simply marvelous.

1. Scott Pilgrim VS The World

Well of COURSE! There's just too much brilliance in every moment of every scene thanks to this amazing cast to be written down in words. I could easily write a paragraph about how great every member of the cast is - Cera, Winstead, Kulkin, Wong, Pill, Plaza, Kendrick, Larson, Whitman...ahhhh. This cast is teh epic.

Honorable Mentions: I do think that Jacki Weaver unabashedly steals the show in Animal Kingdom but the rest of the cast is really quite fantastic as well; Dogtooth's ensemble is marvelous at being both creepy yet surprisingly sympathetic; Winter's Bone is a great spotlight for Jennifer Lawrence but the supporting players hold up remarkably; Greenberg's main trio of Stiller, Gerwig and Ifans is great and it's supported well; Black Swan belongs to Portman but her costars surround her brilliantly; The Fighter is an ensemble piece at its best and those sisters are irresistible!

This was a tough one! What were your favorite ensembles this year?

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Art Direction

2011-02-09T17:39:00.000-08:00

To finish out the technical categories, I bring you the art direction.

5. David Stein - "Black Swan"

Goodness, is there any single set more brilliantly designed than the Sayers's apartment? It's so claustrophobic, sickeningly pink and uneasily scary. The more subtle designs, such as the ballet company and those stairwells, are subtly marvelous as well but that apartment is just...amazing.

4. Dante Ferretti - "Shutter Island"

Designing a mental institution must be such a fun assignment for any art director. "Shutter Island"'s castle is epic and frightening, but the smaller sets work too - don't those prisons just feel endless? - and even the interiors are gaudy and brilliant.

3. Elli Papageorgakopoulou - "Dogtooth"

Wow, what a name. Anyway! It's one location for almost the entire film, but what a perfect location it is. The walls are just a bit too white, the grass is just slightly too green, the ceiling just a little bit too high - everything is "perfect", yet at the same time, so frighteningly off. It's just a regular house, but there's a marvelous unease.

2. Nadine Herrmann - "I Am Love"

Those lush country vineyards, those spiraling staircases and those lush mansions...every single set piece in this film is a beauty as intricate and carefully designed as the costumes. It's just another piece of Guadagnino's marvelous aesthetic.

1. Eve Stewart and Judy Farr - "The King's Speech"

Yes, I went for the predictable choice - but it is deserving. Everyone keeps mentioning "the wall" in Logue's office and it totally deserves to be mentioned. In fact, that and the rest of the sets in the film are all so wonderful and interesting it's impossible to look away.

Honorable Mentions: Scott Pilgrim Vs the World's art direction gracefully captured the spirit of its characters, especially in that Chaos Theatre; I'm not sure if it counts as "art direction" but Summer Wars was such a visual feast that I had to mention it somewhere; True Grit's old-west landscapes are so, so solid; I didn't love Inception but it definitely deserves praise in the art direction department.

What were the most well designed films in your opinion? Comment!

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Cinematography

2011-02-08T17:14:00.000-08:00

The awardage continues! Now one of my favorite categories, cinematography. I'm telling you, if a sucky movie has amazing cinematography, I'll love it. ;)

5. Bill Pope - "Scott Pilgrim Vs the World"

I know it seems like "Scott" has shown up everywhere but it does deserve it, haha. Pope's work is fun and colorful but also surprisingly sensitive (that shot of Scott and Ramona on the swings, for example) and the action sequences are perfectly absorbing thanks to his focused camerawork.

4. Anthony Dod Mantle - "127 Hours"

"127 Hours" was no easy feat for a cinematographer - after all, you're trapped in a small crevasse for most of the movie. Yet, Mantle rises and surpasses this challenge. We feel just as trapped as Ralston - and when the sunlight touches his foot, we feel it too. Also, notice how the beautiful colors begin to fade as the hours pass...a subtle but wonderful touch.

3. Kyung-Pyo Hong - "Mother"

What I love most about Hong's work on "Mother" is how perfect his color scheme is. The monochromatic tones allow the frightening injections of red (blood, Mother's clothing) to stand out beautifully. The closing shot and opening shots are especially unbelievable.

2. Yorick le Saux - "I Am Love"

There's no questioning the artistic merit of "I Am Love" and the cinematography is one of its greatest assets. Every scene is so gorgeously lit and shot that it's impossible to look away - Le Saux knows what beauty is and works it in so well.

1. Matthew Libatique - "Black Swan"

Libatique masterfully frames every shot of "Black Swan" with beauty and power. We swirl with Nina while she dances, stalk her as she walks, and descend into madness just as she does because of the camera's absorbing lens.

Honorable Mentions: It was such a good year for cinematography, that it's actually sad that I couldn't include the wonderful work on True Grit, Shutter Island or The Social Network, all three of which might have made this list on any other day! Other notable efforts include The King's Speech and Greenberg.

What movies were your cinematographic favorites this year? Let me know in the comments! :)

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Editing

2011-02-07T16:17:00.000-08:00

I do apologize for the snail's pace at which these awards are being handed out. Unfortunately it's been kind of crazy around here at chez Robert, but I promise to speed things up a bit. Anyway, on to the editing!

5. "Scott Pilgrim Vs the World" - Jonathan Amos and Paul Machliss

Obviously this is the most fun entry on the list - sure, it's unapologetically flashy but the great comic-book editing enhances and adds its o

wn injection of humor. Without the brash work of Amos and Machliss, "Pilgrim" would not have been half the fun that it was.

4. "127 Hours" - Jon Harris

Claustrophobic, fast-paced and exhilirating, Jon Harris's editing matches and even exceeds Danny Boyle's vision. And yet, we never lose a minute of the emotion, and Aron Ralston is always and rightfully the focus.

3. "Exit Through the Gift Shop" - Tom Fulford and Chris King

Any self respecting documentary should have good editing, and "Gift Shop"'s editing certainly exceeds that requirement. The seamless and masterful integration of Guetta's indie footage, interviews and narration gives the doc its perfect and unhaltingly fast pace.

2. "Black Swan" - Andrew Weisblum

A flashy display of editing, "Black Swan" swirls along with frightening intensity augmented by the tight and slick cuts. Not to mention the in-your-face shock scares that'll make you jump out of your seat.

1. "The Social Network" - Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall

The impeccable pace of "Network" can be attributed greatly to its masterful editing. The timeline hopping and quick-fire conversations are riveting and undeniably brilliant.

Honorable Mentions: Coen Bros. films are always greatly edited so it's no surprise that True Grit is so well cut; Inception mixes its dream layers with masterful skill and precision; It may not seem like much but The King's Speech is as absorbing as it is thanks much to its editing; every shot in Mother is unbearably precise and tense.

What were your favorite editing achievements of the year? As always, thoughts are more than welcome down below! :)

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Costumes

2011-02-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to pretend to be a connoisseur of fashion or anything, but I can definitely tell you what I like and dislike and movie costumes, when done well, can be extremely enjoyable eye candy. So, without further ado, 2011 in costumes...

5. Jacqueline West - "The Social Network"

At first it may not seem like much, but this subtlety is its greatest strength. Every character is dressed marvelously and the integration of the costumes with the rest of the narrative is seamless.

4. Laura Jean Shannon - "Scott Pilgrim VS the World"

Every colorful and often over-the-top costume in "Scott Pilgrim" is perfectly suited to the character that wears it. Shannon suits Scott in the perfect band shirts, Knives in the most adorable of Catholic school girl uniforms, and Ramona in perfect hipster chic. Every costume is so much fun to behold!

3. Mary Zophres - "True Grit"

The film doesn't have many costumes, but the ones it does have are simply marvelous. The way that Mattie's clothes are always just a little bit too big and way that LaBeouf's uniform seems to both match and betray his persona are just a couple of Zophres's wonderfully solid achievements.

2. Antonella Cannarozzi - "I Am Love"

The costume design nomination for Cannarozzi at the Oscars was surprising, but totally and utterly deserved. Never before has Tilda Swinton looked so fabulous as in this film, and like "The Social Network" Cannarozzi fits the characters so well, contrasting the stoic suits of the Recchis with the colorful outfits of Emma. Perfection.

1. Carol Beadle - "The Runaways"

This may seem like an off kilter choice for the best costumes of the year, but simply watch the movie and you'll see what an accomplishment they are. Beadle not only captures the era perfectly, but is able to costume the film's characters with a unique voice and vision, too often lost in period recreations. But perhaps best of all is that the costumes, while brilliant, never distract from the movie, and that is the most important accomplishment.

Honorable Mentions: Black Swan's gorgeous and often demented costumes just barely missed this list; I don't think they're very unique but The King's Speech still dresses its characters well; Obviously it's not hard to make Marion Cotillard look stunning, but her black dress in Inception was perfect and the rest of the cast looks really spiffy too.

Surprised by my choices? What were your favorite costumes of the year? Sound off in the comments!

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Scores

2011-01-26T20:00:00.000-08:00

Well hello everyone, and welcome to the first ever Golden Cornea Awards! My personal favorites in the year of film. I'm going to start with my favorite scores from the year. I've separated them into two categories in order for it to make more sense. Sorry, I know I'm a bit long-winded. :)

Best Adapted Score

5. Armand Amar - "The Concert"

"The Concert" mixes great classical works with the beautiful score by Amar to such great effect, using the works of masters like Tchaikovsky and Mahler beautifully.

4. Carter Burwell - "True Grit"

The use of hymns is simply perfect and Burwell's arrangements are stellar. A simply gorgeous score that works solely for the movie's benefit.

3. Grizzly Bear - "Blue Valentine"

Grizzly Bear's poignant arrangements may have been slightly overemphasized in the sound mix but nonetheless are a perfect backing track to the emotions taking place on screen - neither aiming to dominate or change the tone but simply to accentuate the work of Williams and Gosling.

2. Clint Mansell - "Black Swan"

It's almost impossible to tell where Mansell begins and Tchaikovsky ends but the use of both of their music intensifies and scares, creating a Classically Romantic score unlike that of any other horror movie.

1. John Adams - "I Am Love"

The use of John Adams's unbelievable music in this film is absolutely perfect. It's gorgeous and lush but there's that sinister underbelly that lies just beneath the surface, just like the characters in the film, and it's impossible to deny the music's intensifying of that last scene.

Best Original Score

5. Akihiko Matsumoso - "Summer Wars"

Just like the movie, Matsumoso's score is whimsical and fun, and it makes a more-than-perfect companion to the eye-popping visuals.

4. Anton Sanko - "Rabbit Hole"

It's so subtle, you nearly forget it's there - and yet, the simple and the innocent instrumentation led by piano and clarinet creates a heartwrenching accompaniment to the poignant film.

3. Nigel Godrich - "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World"

The song soundtrack is amazing but when it's not playing Godrich's hyperactive 8-bit rock score makes for a fun and frenetic musical soundscape that perfectly embodies the film and its characters. And, even when things get a little bit more sensitive, the score rises to the challenge with soft, Pitchfork-friendly atmospheres.

2. John Powell - "How to Train Your Dragon"

Seeing "How to Train Your Dragon" for the first time, the thing that jumped out at me the most was John Powell's sweeping, moving and epic score. Sure, it's very conventional compared to the other scores I've singled out but that doesn't mean it's any less. With a theme that is orchestrated perfectly so many times throughout, I get goosebumps every time I hear it.

1. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - "The Social Network"

No score this year has had the power to affect its movie as much as the score for "The Social Network" has. The main theme, though ridiculously simple, is so ridiculously perfect - the organic sound of piano over electronic textures is a remarkable combo that adds a whole other level of emotion each time it is played. And, the rest of the score doesn't fall short - it can be quiet, exciting, subtle or suspenseful, sometimes all within a single track. A simply perfect score.

Honorable Mentions: Edward Shearmur's score for "Mother and Child" is simple, poignant and beautiful, if not a bit unfocused; there's not much there but Byeung Woo Lee's score for "Mother" frames the film perfectly; I'm not a huge fan of Hans Zimmer and I do think it's a bit too loud but "Inception"'s score is still worthy of recognition; it's lesser Desplat but it's still Desplat - "The King's Speech" is lovely.

***

So there you have it. What were your favorite scores of the year? Since music is so subjective, it's a lot of fun to hear everyone's opinions. Sound off below!

Oscar Nomination Day Laughs and Tears

2011-01-25T20:43:00.001-08:00

DUDE DID YOU HEAR THE OSCAR NOMINATIONS WERE ANNOUNCED TODAY!!! OMG

Anyway, needless to say, like everyone else this year's slate of nominees gave me some things that made me really happy and also some things that made me not so happy. Though, honestly, more of the former than the latter. So, here's what I thought of the noms.

Things That Made Me Smile

JACKI WEAVER. Sure, it came at Mila Kunis's expense (or was that Hailee Steinfeld's fault) but since Weaver was kind of iffy it made me so happy to hear her name being called. I can't wait to see her on Oscar night.
JOHN HAWKES. What a very pleasant surprise! Jennifer Lawrence is fantastic but it's Dale Dickey and Hawkes that really shine in "Winter's Bone" so I'm glad to see at least one of them getting recognized.
"How to Train Your Dragon" and "The Social Network" in Best Score. In fact, that whole Best Score category is pretty good. The music branch didn't screw it up too badly, did they! But those two are particularly deserving (more thoughts on this category later).

What would "How To Train Your Dragon" have been without it's stellar John Powell score?
"Dogtooth" in Best Foreign Film. HELLLLL YESSSSS.
The Christopher Nolan snub. I know I'm going to get a lot of hate for that, and honestly I do feel sorry for the guy, but he was the weakest link in that category and though Id've preferred the spoiler to be Debra Granik or Luca Gaudagnino or someone like that the Coen Bros. are totally deserving.
"Exit Through the Gift Shop" in Best Documentary. So, the Documentary branch has proven that they don't just care about relevant subject matter, and that they just award really good documentary filmmaking! Yea!
"I Am Love" in Best Costumes. I think it speaks for itself, but the Costume Branch always seems to throw a bone to movie bloggers (remember "Bright Star" last year? heh)

Ooooh so pretty!

Michelle Williams bringing the otherwise sadly ignored "Blue Valentine" to at least one nod. I wish it had been Ryan Gosling but I'm super happy for her since the performance was wonderful and she totally deserves it.
The fact that I predicted 10 out of 10 in Best Picture. I mean, not that it was that hard, but still.

Things That Made Me Frown

The lack of "Scott Pilgrim" in the visual effects category. I don't want to call it a snub because maybe it was never that realistic to begin with but it's a real pity.
Andrew Garfield's snub. I suppose this is John Hawkes's fault and I'm happy for him but Garfield gives a fantastic performance and it's depressingly ironic how he was shafted, just like Eduardo in the movie.
The Best Song category. I didn't really have any favorites going in but that group is really weak. I think this category becomes increasingly irrelevant as the years go along...
Julianne Moore's "snub". The more I think of it, the sadder it is. In my opinion, Moore's performance is superior to Annette's and she is just as overdue as Bening, if not more so. It's odd how out of the two performances, it was Bening's and not Moore's that took off. I think Bening is totally deserving but I wish they'd gone for two leading lady noms from the same movie this year.

It's okay Julianne. You'll get your Oscar soon.

Mila Kunis won't be an Oscar nominee. I'm totally okay with her not getting nominated (duh, Jacki Weaver), but the idea of her being an Oscar nominee was so awesome to me. Plus, what clip would they have used for her? HA!

So there you have it. All in all, it's a pretty satisfying group of nominees and I can't wait for the big night. Comment below on your reactions to the big announcement! :)

Final Oscar Predictions (AKA Peer Pressure)

2011-01-24T17:36:00.001-08:00

Well, I wasn't going to do this. I was going to leave the Oscar predictions to everyone else but here I am! Hehe. So here are my predictions. With alternates! Yay!

Best Picture

127 Hours

Black Swan

The Fighter

Inception

The Kids Are All Right

The King's Speech

The Social Network

Toy Story 3

True Grit

Winter's Bone

Alt: The Town

I was this close to not predicting "Toy Story 3". I've had this bad feeling about it from the beginning of the season and I'll kick myself if it does get snubbed but it just seems like it's doing too well. Otherwise, perhaps the "127 Hours" thing is just wishful thinking but it and "The Town" both seem to be in the same kind of buzz boat so I'm thinking it'll be the former that makes it in due to other possible nods (Franco, screenplay, cinematography?).

Director

Darren Aronofsky, "Black Swan"

David Fincher, "The Social Network"

Tom Hooper, "The King's Speech"

Christopher Nolan, "Inception"

David O. Russell, "The Fighter"

Alt. Debra Granik, "Winter's Bone"

Debra has support in high places. So, perhaps she could pull a spoiler. But who'd she kick out?

Lead Actor

Jeff Bridges, "True Grit"

Robert Duvall, "Get Low"

Jesse Eisenberg, "The Social Network"

Colin Firth, "The King's Speech"

James Franco, "127 Hours"

Alt. Ryan Gosling, "Blue Valentine"

Totally playing it safe with the Duvall thing, though I think it's doubtful. But, as much as I'd love to see Gosling get it, I just feel like it's very unlikely.

Lead Actress

Annette Bening, "The Kids Are All Right"

Nicole Kidman, "Rabbit Hole"

Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone"

Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"

Hailee Steinfeld, "True Grit"

Alt. Michelle Williams, "Blue Valentine"

Honestly, that fifth spot is SO scary. It could be anyone, it could be Tilda Swinton for all I know! Her age aside, the category fraud thing could either get Steinfeld snubbed totes (think Cotillard and Laurent last year) or upgraded (Winslet or Castle-Hughes?). At least there'll be something surprising. You know, I fear for Nicole Kidman. I really want her to get nominated but she could be the surprise snub. Seriously people, watch out.

Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, "The Fighter"

Andrew Garfield, "The Social Network"

Jeremy Renner, "The Town"

Mark Ruffalo, "The Kids Are All Right"

Geoffrey Rush, "The King's Speech"

Alt. John Hawkes, "Winter's Bone"

I'd like to see John Hawkes in here, but this category seems locked and he'd probably have to kick out Garfield, which would also be very sad. Otherwise, Rush isn't going to win so is it bad to say that I don't really care about this category...?

Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, "The Fighter"

Helena Bonham Carter, "The King's Speech"

Mila Kunis, "Black Swan"

Melissa Leo, "The Fighter"

Jacki Weaver, "Animal Kingdom"

Alt. Hailee Steinfeld, "True Grit"

Well, with Hailee out of the way, there's room for everyone to be happy! Ha. Right. The problem with this lineup is that the Oscars rarely make everyone happy, so having Kunis and Weaver is probably not going to happen. I'm going to go and make the risky prediction anyway.

Original Screenplay

"Another Year"

"The Fighter"

"Inception"

"The Kids Are All Right"

"The King's Speech"

Alt. "Please Give"

Well, Mike Leigh is popular here. I'd like to see "Please Give" pull a spoiler but I think it'll be one of those surprising WGA things that doesn't go anywhere.

Adapted Screenplay

"127 Hours"

"The Social Network"

"Toy Story 3"

"True Grit"

"Winter's Bone"

Alt. "The Ghost Writer"

The writers have really good taste and aren't afraid to be unique, so "Ghost Writer" is very probable. I'd like this lineup though, I really do. Strong group of movies.

Foreign Film

"Biutiful"

"Confessions"

"In A Better World"

"Incendies"

"Life Above All"

Yes. I really want "Confessions" to get nominated because I really want to see it. Haha! I'm so selfish.

Animated

"How To Train Your Dragon"

"The Illusionist"

"Toy Story 3"

Alt. "Tangled"

Pleeeeease no "Tangled". I forgot about "Despicable Me" but...hopefully the Academy does too. Hehe!

Documentary

Uh...I don't really know but please "Exit Through the Gift Shop"? Teehee.

Costumes

"Black Swan"

"True Grit"

"The King's Speech"

"Alice in Wonderland"

"Burlesque"

Alt: "Made in Dagenham"

Cinematography

"Black Swan"

"Inception"

"The King's Speech"

"The Social Network"

"True Grit"

Alt: "127 Hours"

Art Direction

"Alice in Wonderland"

"Black Swan"

"Inception"

"The King's Speech"

"Shutter Island"

Alt: "True Grit"

Editing

"127 Hours"

"Black Swan"

"Inception"

"The King's Speech"

"The Social Network"

Alt: "The Fighter"

That was a toughie. I think "Black Swan" is very likely the snubee for "The Fighter" but for now...

Visual Effects

"Alice in Wonderland"

"Harry Potter And the Deathly Hallows Part 1"

"Inception"

"Iron Man 2"

"Tron Legacy"

Alt: "Scott Pilgrim VS The World"

PLEEEEASE let it be Scott Pilgrim. But I didn't want to jinx it by predicting it.

Makeup

"Alice in Wonderland"

"Barney's Version"

"True Grit"

Alt. "The Wolfman"

Remember that weird "Il Divo" nom last year? Yep.

Original Score

"How to Train Your Dragon"

"Inception"

"The King's Speech"

"Never Let Me Go"

"The Social Network"

Alt: "127 Hours"

I've not seen "Never Let Me Go" yet, but I'd be happy with this crew of nominees. Actually, as long as "Dragon" and "Network" get this, I'd be happy. Ecstatic, in fact! Oh, I hope it happens.

Original Song

If I Rise from "127 Hours"

I See the Light from "Tangled"

Sticks and Stones from "How to Train Your Dragon"

We Belong Together from "Toy Story 3"

You Haven't Seen the Last of Me from "Burlesque"

Alt. Um, something from "Country Strong"?

Hm, this should be interesting. I honestly have no idea.

I won't predict the sound categories. But wouldn't it be lovely if the much deserving "Scott Pilgrim" made it into one of those? Ha. Who am I kidding.

Anyway, so, who's excited for the Oscar nominations? I actually have a big recital tomorrow night, so hopefully they're to my liking. Or else it might not go so well. Kidding!

Even the second time...

2011-01-23T21:23:00.000-08:00

..."The Social Network" is amazing. Hooray for staying power! I watched it on DVD with my mom and sister, and my dad for the first five minutes, but then he left. Not sure why.

Anyhoo, in other news, for those of you who don't know, the Oscar nominations come out on Tuesday which I'm pretty PSYCHED about. As in, I'm upset because some amazing films and performances and technical thingies are going to get snubbed, but it's always fun to complain about it, right?

Plus, you all can be looking forward to this year's biggest cinematic event (heh), my "Golden Cornea Awards". Which will be happening muy soon, I promise. Just, you know, have to wait to get the results back from Pricewaterhouse.

Um, anyway, that's all I have to say. It was obviously nothing significant, but feel free to start a discussion below on any topic of your fancy. I promise that posts with some actual legitimate thought behind them are coming soon. Don't I always say that?

Summer Wars (2010)

2011-01-21T08:32:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about director Mamoru Hosoda's feature film "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time", which I absolutely love, is how interesting and complex all the characters are. Unfortunately, though "Summer Wars" is much more visually stunning than "Girl", the plot does leave something to be desired. The most interesting character in the film is the Grandmother, and her relationship with her family (especially with Wabisuke) is extremely complex. However, the film chooses not to focus on the interesting characters, and instead tries to concentrate on the poorly formulated romance between Kenji and Natuski. The film also misses an opportunity to really explore the subject of technological dangers and dependency that our society faces - it touches the issue, but never quite gets where it wants on that front. That being said, the film is in no way a failure - the use of the "big eccentric family" subplot has been done over and over but this time it feels exhilarating and new. And, based solely on the visuals, this film is magical and magnificent, especially any time the breathtaking digital "Oz" world is involved. It may not be the most satisfying film plot-wise, and it certainly does not match up to "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time", but this film does everything else so, so right.

(7/10)

Contest Results!

2011-01-20T15:37:00.000-08:00

Well, everyone, the time has come! With an astounding 5 submissions (no sarcasm intended), this edition of the Eye-dentification Banner Contest was the most popular yet. Before I announce the winner, I just want to say thanks to all of you who participated. It's always a lot of fun and I do hope that trying to guess those eyeballs isn't too frustrating.

On that note, though a lot of you had trouble individually, collectively there was only one pair of eyes that nobody identified, and they were these...

Interestingly, more than one of you thought they belonged to Ashley Judd, which actually makes sense.

BUT! 'Twas not the case. They actually belong to the always amazing Toni Collette in the classic "Muriel's Wedding".

"Waaaaaaterlooooooooo..."

Here's a full list of the eyes up there, from left to right:

---Ellen Wong (Scott Pilgrim VS The World), Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose), Catherine O'Hara (For Your Consideration), Clark Gable (Gone With the Wind), Viola Davis (Doubt)---

---Keir Dullea (2001: A Space Odyssey), Audrey Hepburn (Wait Until Dark), Bjork (Dancer in the Dark), Naomi Watts (I Heart Huckabees), Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny)---

---"Paprika", Beyonce (Obsessed), Ellen Burstyn (The Last Picture Show), Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love)---

---Toni Collette (Muriel's Wedding), Cate Blanchett (Notes on a Scandal), Emile Hirsch (Milk), "Ratatouille", Bae Doona (The Host)---

Anyway! On to the winner. With a whopping 21 points, the winner is none other than...

Amir from the blog Amiresque!

Congratulations Amir! As the winner, you get either a custom song about whatever your heart desires, written by yours truly. Or, a guest post on this very blog! Email me to claim your prize.

To everyone else, thanks again for entering! And keep your eyes open, because soon the banner will be changing to a 2010 tribute version as I begin the first ever "Golden Cornea Awards". Hehe, see what I did there, with the name? Haha.

I Am Love, and a Perspective on Perspective

2011-01-19T17:36:00.001-08:00

I think it'd be fair to call Luca Guadagnino's film "I Am Love" one of the most critically hypeds of the year. On the internet at the very least, it seems as though everybody who watches it falls head-over-heels with it. So, by the time I finally got around to watching it, I already had this expectation - this idea in my mind that I was going to be simply blown away. As a consequence of this expectation, I also developed a tinge of unwarranted bitterness towards the film. Quite simply, though I was expecting to be blown away, I think a subconscious part of me wanted to dislike the movie, so I could emerge as one of its few detractors.

This is, probably, why it took me so long to really develop an opinion on the film. Immediately after watching, though I was enthralled by the closing scene, I was already formulating what I believed to be the negatives in my head. Of course, it wasn't very easy to think of negatives, but I managed to scrounge a few up - "the story was cliche," I thought, cynically. "Too much melodrama - it's a boring premise cloaked in pretty cinematography and acting." I further went on to think, "if it wasn't Italian, and if Tilda Swinton wasn't the lead, nobody would care."

But, something felt false about these assertions. Namely, the fact that in reality, I didn't actually believe my own "opinions". Instead of officially denouncing the film with a review, I decided to let it simmer, and like the food in the film, the more it did so, the tastier it seemed. The things I liked about the film began to emerge. Tilda Swinton was, as usual, fabulous, in a language that wasn't even her own. Her conflicted and complicated Emma was a brilliant creation.

Besides Tilda, there were other fantastic things about the film that kept nagging away at my more bitter side. That cinematography, that art direction, that score, that Alba Rohrwacher, that final scene - especially that final scene. I began to realize that perhaps, I loved the movie more than I initially allowed myself. The "cliche" story and the melodrama began to seem less and less like issues, and instead, things that allowed the romance to blossom from the film's own cinematic beauty. Even the particular plot point near the end that I once considered ridiculous seemed like a non-issue.

So here I am now, proclaiming that in fact, I find "I Am Love" to be a gorgeously crafted piece of cinema, a romance whose surface simplicity is in no way a hindrance. The characters are complicated, and interesting - the fact that the movie is able to feel so minimal is a testament to how masterfully it was directed. As I said above, Tilda Swinton, who gave my favorite female performance last year, does marvelous work which is to be expected. Alba Rohrwacher's

absolutely devastating final glance at the camera is probably one of the best shots of the year. It's a gorgeous film.

All that aside though - how much can reviews and, perhaps even a little bit of blogging-peer-pressure, affect our perspective of a film? I had to cross this wall that I'd built for myself in order to truly discover how I felt about "I Am Love" and I find it strange that I couldn't respond to my feelings directly. How do you cope with pre-watching buzz and expectations? Respond below, I find this to be a rather interesting and relevant topic for all of us who want to intelligently and personally watch and experience cinema.

Yay, Gosling! Nay, Gosling... (Two Short Reviews)

2011-01-18T19:00:00.001-08:00

All Good Things: It's really disappointing when a concept with such high potential falls as flat as this one did. The real life story is fascinating and the cast looked to be truly intriguing, but due to the film's unfocused direction and tonally-confused screenplay, the entire film turns into a boring slog that goes completely nowhere and leaves you knowing less about the topic than you did before you watched it. However, while Gosling and Frank Langella were unable to come out of this film unscathed, Kirsten Dunst was quite the opposite - in fact, she did quite fantastic work, the likes of which could be the only redeeming thing about this movie. Dunst gives such subtle work and her arc was absolutely perfect. I do hope we see more of her soon, because she's proven here her worth, and this movie is perhaps worth watching to see her fantastic performance. Oh! By the way -

Kristen Wiig is hilarious. (5/10)

Blue Valentine: Despite what the critics will have you think, this film does have flaws, which I attribute in large part to its screenplay. The overall effect of the writing is perfect - the development of the relationship between Gosling and Williams is perfectly paced and bittersweet. However, some of the smaller units end up feeling slightly unnecessary and rambly. Of course, starting with this small complaint is to give too much emphasis to the negatives, which really pale in comparison to the wonderful things about this movie. Williams, who I love, may not be doing her best work here, but it is still a heartbreaking performance; and Gosling is simply stunning. He completely inhabits his character and the way he plays the very last scene is simply devastating. In reality, that last scene sealed the deal for me - what with the Grizzly Bear score and the fireworks and the...aghhh. It was just so moving. The film is truly an achievement, if not the masterpiece that some have called it. (8/10)

Last chance to enter the contest!

2011-01-18T17:27:00.000-08:00

That's right everyone, it's your last chance to enter the banner contest! As in, the deadline is tomorrow, as in, Wednesday January 19th, so if you don't submit your guesses to my email by midnight tomorrow evening then it cannot be counted.

And if you don't enter, you might not win! And that would be a sad day. Especially if you possibly know some of the answers.

So remember - email me (marioman60@gmail.com) the movie and actor that you think appears in the banner above before tomorrow, and you might win a customized song!!! Or a guest post. Whatever floats your boat. :P

So get guessing!

Original details here.

Quick! I need your help!

2011-01-12T16:07:00.001-08:00

Hey readers! I actually need your help for a school project type thing. The actual logistics of the project are a bit too complicated to explain, but basically what I need from you all is to do what movie bloggers do best - recommend a movie to me.

But not just any movie - I'm looking for a REALLY good movie (preferably a recent one) that deals with the theme of "reconciliation between fathers and sons". That's very vague, I know, but I'm having trouble coming up with it on my own, and I know that with such diverse readers with all different movie-watching backgrounds, you all will be able to come up with something better than would I could think up on my own.

So go at it! Give me your best "reconciliation between fathers and sons" movie! And don't worry, this isn't cheating. Haha!

127 Hours (2010)

2011-01-11T15:05:00.000-08:00

I think that one of the greatest testaments to the emotional power of this film is that I began sobbing about thirty seconds into the credits. Really, any film can make you cry with ease in the middle of it - just play some weepy strings and show an actor tearing up. It takes real skill to make a movie that affects one in such a way that even after the images on the screen are gone, the impact that they leave on a viewer can move one to tears. "127 Hours" is, then, one of the most powerful films I've seen all year. James Franco is so real, bending his natural charisma and charm and turning it into a powerfully layered realization of Aron Ralston. His eyes are so expressive, and considering that we rely on them to tell so much of the story, that's a great feature.

Not all of Danny Boyle's choices are necessarily convincing, but it's impossible to say that he doesn't take risks; and though some fail, others succeed with such gusto it's possible to overlook the others. The talk show scene, for example, was a directorial triumph made that much better by Franco. This sort of juxtaposition of jovial dialogue with the reality of a tense situation permeates the film and accentuates the suspense of every scene. Then there's the absolutely brilliant cinematography - just look at the way the colors start out so bright and then begin to lose their luster as the days pass and the situation becomes more hopeless. And then there's...that scene. Not gratuitous but still so, so effective. Perhaps the attempted message of society versus isolation isn't quite pulled off the way it wants to be, but as a complete unit this is a raw emotional experience, the likes of which I have not had in a very long time.

8/1o

Super important reminder...

2011-01-10T18:47:00.000-08:00

...that the submission deadline for the third Banner Eye-dentification Contest coming up! Due to my own schedule, I've extended the deadline to next Wednesday, January 19th. So submit SOON so you can possibly get a song written for you! That is, considering I get any entries. That's right, nobody has gotten the courage to enter yet. Yeah, I'm looking at you. You know who you are. Why haven't you submitted yours yet? I'm disappointed in you.

I'm not singling anyone out, I just put that there to intimidate all of you. Take note. Hehe! Anyway, good luck everyone, and send in those submissions ASAP!

The King's Speech (2010)

2011-01-09T21:24:00.000-08:00

I have nothing against period films. In fact, as of late, my preconceptions have been proven quite wrong about a lot of them ("Bright Star", for example). Still, it does take quite a bit of prodding to get me particularly excited about seeing one. I knew I had to see "The King's Speech" because of its awards buzz and the three lead actors whom I quite like, but I wasn't as enthusiastic to see it as, say, "Black Swan". It seemed like it could have fallen apart - the World War II subplot seemed stuffy, the "inspirational" subtext a recipe for an Oscar bait disaster. But as usual, I was proven completely wrong - "The King's Speech" is really a treasure of 2010.

The film tells the true story of King George VI (Colin Firth), known more commonly in the film as Bertie, whose speech impediment caused him great angst amongst his family members, his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), and the people of the United Kingdom. After failure after failure with speech doctors, Elizabeth decides to hire a rather avant-garde speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), to try one last time to cure Bertie of his problems. The narrative puts the backdrop of impending war on the progression of Bertie's work with Logue.

Director Tom Hooper realizes completely that film is a visual medium and uses this to his utmost advantage. Every room and costume is impeccably and beautifully designed (to be expected from a period film, after all). Then there's the cinematography - perfectly framing every moment of dialogue, the camera shakes and moves with Bertie, focuses in and out on his quivering mouth as he struggles to get out a word, focuses completely still on a single glance from Elizabeth. The masterful direction is what gives this film such a power - we feel so completely and so perfectly the tension and the frustration when Bertie is stammering.

Another art that Hooper has evidently mastered is that of the montage. The speech exercises montage near the middle of the film is so fun, so revealing, and ultimately, so effective. Later on, as Firth gives the film's titular speech, the combination of Beethoven's music and the use of different shots makes the scene one of the year's best. Speaking of music, Alexandre Desplat does wonderful work as usual, though I consider this some of his lesser work. Of course, it's lovely - and the fusion of Beethoven into the score is smart and moving.

But one cannot even begin to speak of "The King's Speech" without mentioning the brilliant acting on display here, especially from Rush and Firth. Rush gives Logue such subtlety, such nuance and such character that even the smallest eyebrow raise or mouth twitch tells us a wealth of things about his character. His audition scene, near the beginning, is absolutely marvelous and though I haven't seen Christian Bale yet, I'm wont to say that Rush deserves the Oscar. Firth's King George is a brilliantly layered creation and that stammer is perfect. It's as if it comes not from his vocal chords but from the bottom of his soul, from the inner depths of his persona. He uses it more here, less there and ultimately dissolves completely into the character, making us forget he's acting at all.

Overall, "The King's Speech" does exactly what a film is meant to do - it tells a story, a great story, and it tells it with finesse, skill, beauty and charm. It's an ultimately inspiring film that absolutely belongs in this year's Oscar race and will hopefully be remembered for years to come as a period piece that stood up to its hype.

See it: If you're following this year in cinema at all, if you want to be genuinely inspired, if you want to see a couple of the best male performances of the year, or if you like good montages.

Skip it: If you'd go solely for Helena Bonham Carter. She's quite fabulous as usual, but the film doesn't give her too much to do - this is Firth and Rush's movie.

9/10

Animal Kingdom (2010)

2011-01-09T12:23:00.000-08:00

Everything you've heard about this film is true. In other words - Jacki Weaver is an absolute force of nature in this Australian family crime drama. Weaver's masterful juxtaposition of her character's corrupt intentions against her seemingly innocent and sweet persona is simply breathtaking to watch, and it's a performance that just keeps reminding you how great it is as the time goes by after you watch it. However, Jacki's brilliance also works against the film, since it seems to lilt a bit whenever she's not on screen. That is not to say, by any means, that the rest of the film is of poor quality - in fact, quite the opposite. It's a fine piece of cinema with a strong screenplay, good acting from the rest of the cast and subtle directorial choices that create masterful pathos. Though it may seem paradoxical, simply put, Jacki is so fantastic, so brilliant and so marvelous that even as good a film as "Animal Kingdom" is, it does not shine quite as brightly next to her.

8/10

Supporting Actress Blogathon 2010: Ellen Wong in "Scott Pilgrim VS The World"

2011-01-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

It's nearly impossible to single anyone out from the stellar ensemble in "Scott Pilgrim VS The World", especially when it comes to supporting actresses. Every single member of the cast adds so much to the overall movie that when thinking back on who shined the most, there's no real correct answer. Mary Elizabeth Winstead was the perfect fantasy girlfriend and allowed her shady past to shine through her indie exterior; Anna Kendrick was a bundle of adorableness as Scott's sister; Allison Pill delivered her lines with masterfully deadpan sardonicism, and when the true emotion breaks through it's utterly affecting; and Brie Larson, Aubrey Plaza and Mae Whitman have some of the greatest moments in the film.

However, there is one actress in "Scott Pilgrim" who, in my opinion, does shine just a little bit brighter than the others, and that is Ellen Wong as the seventeen-year-old Knives Chau.

Knives is a student at a private, Catholic high school that the 23 year old title character Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) began dating some time after a messy breakup, much to the dismay of his friends, who want him to ditch what they call his "fake high school girlfriend" and move on. However, Scott dreads the thought of ditching the sweet and innocent little Knives and even

when he meets his dream girl Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) he can't break it off.

We first meet Knives at the very beginning of the movie, where she comes to one of Scott's band practices. From the get go, she completely geeks out about the band and her absolutely unflinching adoration of Scott is made perfectly clear. Throughout the first part of the film, we get an overview of her and Scott's relationship, which consists of dishing about high school drama and playing arcade games. In these scenes, Wong gives Knives an appropriate level of over-the-top immaturity and bubbliness without being annoying - making the audience instantly fall in love with her.

And that's why what I consider her best scene is so heartbreaking. Knives and Scott are doing their regular platonic activites - but this time, we know that Scott plans to break up with her. Knives begins to invite him over to dinner at her house, saying that she wants him to meet her parents. As he continually makes excuses, she keeps affirming her love for him, Wong making each line transform gradually from having a childlike infatuation to being more and more completely sincere. When she finally confesses that she is "in LOOOOOVE" we all feel terrible inside, knowing what is to come - and when Scott does finally deliver the news, Wong's reaction is so perfectly poignant.

However! All is not lost - Wong returns in later scenes as an embittered (but still totally lovable) Knives who wants revenge on Scott. She flirts with Scott's friend Neil, and dyes half of her hair blue in an attempt to counteract Ramona's dyed hair. However, behind this facade lies the Knives we all know and love. Her completely genuine reading of the line "I read your blog" to Brie Larson's character gives me chills.

Of course, it's that very last line that seals the deal. "Go ahead, I'm too cool for you anyway." Wong's delivery is absolutely pitch-perfect. The tiny tinge of sadness in her eyes, the reconciliation in her voice, and that absolutely irresistible smile all work together to make Knives's last words some of the most memorable in the film.

Though it may not seem like much, Knives is absolutely in no way an easy character to play. The energetic naivetee at the beginning of the movie could have totally come off clingy and annoying, and the character arc that she experiences throughout the film (from sweet high school girl, to vengeful ex, to total badass ninja girl, to an even more lovable and more mature young woman) could have completely fallen apart.

But, thanks to Ellen Wong's, it's impossible to see this movie and not feel love and sympathy for Knives, and for many people I know (including myself) she ends up leaving the biggest impression on the movie. She's endearing, funny, naive, and perfect - a fully fledged character out of what could have been a comic-book caricature. Wong's work may not get her anywhere remotely close to an Oscar nomination, but it's still an absolutely fantastic display of supporting actressing - and I sincerely hope that post "Scott Pilgrim", Ellen Wong gets some more opportunities to show the world what she's capable of.

This post is for StinkyLulu's awesome annual Supporting Actress Blogathon. Go check it out and see what other bloggers thought of the wealth of amazing supporting actresses this year!

Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993)

2011-01-06T10:47:00.000-08:00

It's a bit embarrassing to admit that even though Glenn Gould is one of the hugest icons in the world of classical piano, my knowledge of him has always been relatively scarce. Of course, I'd been familiar with his recordings, especially those of Bach, as they are considered some of the finest in existence; and I was marginally familiar with some of his legendary quirks - namely, his compulsive aversion to performance and the trademark humming present in his playing. However, it was not until I finally watched Francois Girard's film "32 Short Films About Glenn Gould" that I was truly educated on the mysterious and ultimately fascinating figure that is Glenn Gould.

The film is pretty much in accordance with its rather descriptive title - the entire film is composed of thirty-two extremely short segments that together create an all-encompassing biopic of Glenn Gould's life. In reality, each of the segments is really less of a "short film" and more of a vignette, and each highlights a different aspect of Gould in a unique manner. Some of the segments are actual interviews with people who knew Gould, some are animations, and many are slightly more "traditional" biopic style portraits starring Colm Feore as Glenn Gould.

Far too often, biopics try to employ some kind of a structural gimmick to paint a full picture of their subject and they fail to either successfully execute the ambitious style or to tell a compelling story. However, "32 Short Films" is not one of those films. The style, which at first may appear like a cheap gimmick (since it is inspired by Glenn Gould's most famous recording of the 32 Goldberg Variations), actually works brilliantly to emphasize every fascinating piece of Gould's persona. And even while it's covering so many topics, it never feels overwhelming - in fact, each segment is just short enough for you to still want to know a little bit more, and this longing is what makes the film truly succeed as a whole. Glenn Gould is, in essence, someone who we can only know about through fragments and this film's fragmented structure preserves that sense of mystery.

Another necessary thing that the film does completely right is the integration of Gould's recordings into each of the short films. Each segment usually highlights one or two of his recordings and this aspect, perhaps, gives the film more emotional resonance than any other. Additionally, the transition of using his Baroque recordings in the first half to using the recordings of 20th century composers like Hindemith and Prokofiev in the later shorts is another subtle but perfect detail that truly heightens the power of Gould's transition into paranoia and illness.

The simple short "45 Seconds and a Chair", which is, surprisingly, 45 seconds long, simply features Bach's A Minor invention and one shot of a man sitting in a chair, simply listening to the piece. The simplicity of the music versus the listener makes this particular short one of the best and most memorable in the whole film.

Another standout is "Hamburg", in which we see Gould's chambermaid (Kate Hennig) react to a recording. Hennig's face is so expressive as she seems to live through all of her memories in the music. It's fantastic to witness, and one can relate to that sense of emotion since the music is so ridiculously wonderful. Of course, there are so many other fantastic shorts that I could rave about - "Practice" and "Passion According to Gould" are thought provoking and brilliantly directed and "Questions With No Answers" is really fascinating.

It's hard to find fault in the film, though its structure does prevent one from becoming completely emotionally involved. And, like most movies of this style, there are a few shorts that don't work quite as well as the others. However, overall the film is an absolute triumph. It's a fascinating, beautifully crafted and all-encompassing portrait of an absolutely essential figure in the history of music.

See it: If you even remotely like classical music. If you know nothing or everything about Glenn Gould. If you appreciate fantastic and memorable acting in small roles (Kate Hennig, what a performance!).

Skip it: If for some bizarre reason, you hate Canadians? Or if you cannot stand Classical music. I strongly disapprove of both of these reasons...but, hey. Haha.

9/10

Exit Through the Gift Shop

2011-01-03T19:14:00.001-08:00

Documentaries are difficult to judge, and the more and more I see the less I really know how to critique them. It seems like even the most poorly edited, lazily made documentary can be fascinating if it's based on the right subject matter. On the other hand, one watches a movie like "The Cove" (a brilliant, brilliant documentary), which not only features a compelling topic, but is wonderfully crafted, and realizes how effective the documentary can be.

I felt like I really witnessed something like that when watching "Exit Through the Gift Shop". The film is a documentary directed by infamous street artist Banksy, which begins by seemingly being a documentary about the general street art movement and then moves seamlessly into the biography of "Mr. Brainwash" - formerly Thierry Guetta, a compulsive cameraman who previously followed and filmed street artists and then became himself an overnight sensation in the art world.

What makes "Exit" work is that does everything that a documentary should do, and it does it perfectly. First of all, it features a very interesting and little-known topic (the world of street art). Secondly, it also spotlights two extremely complex people - Thierry (who is easily one of the most interesting figures in this year of cinema) and of course, Banksy himself. Finally, it is perfectly edited, a must for any documentary. The film seamlessly blends footage of the creative process of the street art, talking head interviews, and narrative content to create a fast moving, constantly absorbing 86 minutes that, while tackling several topics, never once becomes unfocused.

Unlike this year's other famous doc "Catfish", which was certainly entertaining and compelling in its own way, "Exit Through the Gift Shop" does not rely on any gimmick to keep the viewer interested - it succeeds solely on its quality as a film and its perfectly highlighted subject. Of course, there is the ever-circulating question of its validity. I personally think that it's real - however, like I said about "Catfish", even if it wasn't, it would still be a fantastic film that not only educates but makes an interesting statement on what art really is. And did I mention that it's actually extremely funny as well?

I know it's been said time and time again by bloggers, audiences and the critics' awards groups but I'll add my accolades to the pile - "Exit Through the Gift Shop" is ridiculously interesting and a true testament to what a documentary should be.

See it: if you're interested in art, great documentary filmmaking, human psychology, or mysterious British dudes.

Skip it: if you think street artists are vandalizing punks. Grrrr.

9/10

(By the way everyone I'm trying something new with the "see it skip it" thing. I'm thinking about making it a consistent review feature. Like? Dislike? Opinions below!)

2010 in Albums

2011-01-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

Since I am sooooooooo not ready to review the past year in film (there are so many more movies I have to see, it's ridiculous), but I'm jealous of everyone else's nostalgia, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite albums from this past year, along with some of the best songs from said albums. I mean, music, it's what I do, so why not? Haha. In no particular order, here you go!

Sia - "We Are Born"

Sia's remarkably uplifting album is almost completely perfect - even the "weaker" songs (like "Cloud") are a ton of fun. And though there's nary a song on the album that you can't dance to, Sia's soulful vocals and poignant lyrics keep the songs from becoming mundane or superficial. It's pop music with major heart.

Sufjan Stevens - "The Age of Adz"

Such a moving album, the transformation from beginning to end is simply remarkable. Every single tiny layer is so meticulously placed and yet everything feels so ridiculously spontaneous that even the 25 minute closer to the album, "Impossible Soul", doesn't drag on. And even though this is the album where "Sufjan goes electronic" he doesn't lose any of his original personal emotion. For proof, just listen to "Want to Be Well" or "Vesuvius".

Best Coast- "Crazy For You"

The classic, summery emotions, beats and rhymes prevalent on each track of "Crazy For You" may seem, at the surface, to be a gimmick repeated to the point of unimportance. However, when you listen to each little gem (some not even two minutes long) you realize how perfectly fun and unique they all are. Majorly addicting, this album will make you feel like you're on a beach in California, no matter what time of the year it is.

The National - "High Violet"

While "Crazy for You" and "We Are Born" are a couple of the most fun albums of the year, "High Violet" is by a mile the most moving. Each song is complex, never too long and yet ultimately satisfying. When the album reaches its highest emotional point at "England", an indescribable feeling of bittersweet has taken hold and doesn't let go for days after you finish the rest of the album.

Little Boots - "Hands"

Quite a different style from The National, newcomer Little Boots is totally a guilty, sugary pleasure. This dance album almost evokes the early aughts and though the two standout tracks "New in Town" and "Remedy" completely outshine the other tracks, it is still, as a whole, perfectly addicting.

Crystal Castles - "Crystal Castles (II)"

Crystal Castles's second album was my introduction to this electronic duo and what an introduction it was. It's unlike anything else - atmospheric, exhilarating, and sometimes, even frightening. It disregards the rules in a way Ke$ha could only dream of doing. Plus, all those crunched 8-bit sounds totally cater to my nerdier side. Which is like, most of me, so, there you go.

Rihanna - "Loud"

I swear, I've had "Only Girl (In the World)" stuck in my head since the first time I heard it. I've never really cared much about Rihanna until "Loud" and it's fitting that this album is the one that finally caught my attention. I also give Rihanna props for performing on SNL and actually sounding decent. I'm not sure what it is about perfoming on SNL, but it seems like nobody sounds good on that show. So, congrats Ri ri. Haha.

Well, there you have it - and that's just a small portion of all the great music that was released this year (not even counting film soundtracks!). What were some of your favorite albums/singles from 2010? Share below!

New Year Banner Contest!

2010-12-31T10:26:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time again...for a eye-dentification Banner contest! I've had this current banner for far too long and it's almost time to switch it out, so you know what that means....you guys get to try to identify whose eyes are present!

AND, this time around, the prize is extra-special! Or anyway, it's kind of cool. If you win, I'll WRITE YOU A SONG! And record it, and give it to you in mp3 format! Yeah! I'll write it about whatever you want. If you want me to write a song based on your favorite movie, sure, or maybe a love song to you, or even if you want me to write you a song about like, flying ponies taking over Mars then that's cool too. It's allllll up to you.

Or, if you don't want a special song, then you can take the prize that I normally give out - a guest post on this blog! Or something else. The prize is negotiable. Heh heh.

Anyway. Let's review the rules.

1. Look at the banner at the top of my blog. You know, the one with all the eyes on it. Haha!

2. Send me an email at marioman60@gmail.com and write down the actor/actress and the film that the eyes are from. For animated films, just the name of the movie is fine.

3. Points are given for each correct part of the answer. So you get 1 point for the right actor, 1 point for the right movie.

4. Whoever gets the most points WINS!!!

All right so that's all there is to it. You've got two weeks to do it (the deadline for entries will be the 19th of January. GO!

THE MOVIE I'M MOST ANTICIPATING IN 2011

2010-12-26T09:07:00.000-08:00

Haha. Just kidding. Though, I'm not going to say that I'm NOT going to go see this movie. It could be worth a few laughs. Just the 3D preview itself was pretty hilarious.

Can we all just take a moment...

2010-12-21T20:06:00.001-08:00

...to recognize the awesomeness that is Emma Stone?

Needless to say, I just finished watching "Easy A" and though this may just be that post-movie high, but allow me to just say how truly wonderful Emma was in the movie. Every little sarcastic eyebrow raise, every little snarky rhetorical remark, and every single faux-slutty strut that she took was so, so perfect and she injected so much into her character. As she began to go in too deep, we could see the subtlety of Olive's lies and how she was trying to be strong above it all.

Gosh, without Emma Stone "Easy A" would be nowhere near as good as it was. Though, that's not necessarily true because the supporting cast was quite good (the Tucci-Clarkson-Stone chemistry was irresistible) but let's be honest - Emma was just wonderful.

I know I'm always the last to the party but I just had to throw some confetti Emma's way nonetheless. ;)

Right now the movie is feeling about an 8, and a large part of that score is Stone. Loooooove

The Other Guys (2010)

2010-12-20T22:15:00.000-08:00

I thought that I had heard some good things about this movie, so imagine my surprise when it turned out to be utter garbaaaaaage. Really, it was just a huge mess. Not only was the script slightly homophobic and treated its female characters like crap, but it was also horrendously paced and chock-full of unbearably clunky dialogue, and the jokes rarely took off. Even the editing was noticeably poor. On the other hand, considering the atrocity of the script, Wahlberg and Ferrell are able to muster up some laughs and chemistry that kept the movie from being entirely unwatchable. There were also a couple of visually interesting scenes (the paper-flying-around-shoot-out and the shot-by-shot bar scene) that were like small little tiny faux-diamonds in a trash can. Ugh. What a waste of an hour and forty minutes of my evening. Skip this one.

4/10

I'm too nice.

2010-12-16T17:53:00.000-08:00

I was just looking over at my sidebar of movies I've seen this year, and I was kind of (not really) surprised to see that for the most part, I've given pretty high scores. In fact, most are 8 or above, with a lot of sevens, and just a couple lower. Nothing lower than a five.

So that means I've not seen anything particularly stinky this year, but I was thinking - this year hasn't particularly EXCITED me filmwise. I'm surprised such a lukewarm year has merited such high scores from me. Like, even "Scott Pilgrim VS The World" and "Black Swan", a couple of my favorites this year so far, can't match the excitement I had for "Inglourious Basterds" and "500 Days of Summer" last year.

So the point is this. Am I too nice when I rate my movies? I'm thinking I need to revamp my system...or at least develop some criteria. Perhaps I should switch to the ever popular letter grade system?

My question to you fellow bloggers is this - do you use some sort of criteria while rating movies? Do you prefer numbers or letters? Am I overly generous? I just need some advice on this topic from bloggers more experienced than myself so if you would, please respond below! :)

I am obligated to comment on this

2010-12-15T19:38:00.000-08:00

Just a little sumpin' sumpin' I just came across today, to take our minds off awards season......

Well honestly, I have no idea what Ke$ha was going for here. I mean, with product placement more shameless than that in the "Telephone" video, religious imagery more unsuccessful than that of "Alejandro", and hairstyles worse than this, it seems like kind of a mess.

On the other hand, the song is fun, I have a guilty love for Ke$ha, and honestly I guess it fits the song pretty well. I can't say I'm disappointed! Plus, that part where she falls off the building...ooooonly Ke$ha. Only Ke$ha.

Ke$ha - love her, hate her, love to hate her, hate to love her, refuse to write her name with a dollar sign? Comment below!

Super Last Minute Globe Predictions!

2010-12-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Because I want to get in on the action! Muahahaha.

Motion Picture - Drama

127 Hours

Black Swan

The King's Speech

The Social Network

The Fighter

Oh no, no room for Inception? That's probably going to come back to haunt me.

Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical

Another Year

Burlesque

Easy A

The Kids Are All Right

Toy Story 3

I'm picking Burlesque because I feel like, no matter what, the Globes nominate musicals. ALWAYS. Is Date Night a threat at all here?

Director

Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan

David Fincher - The Social Network

Tom Hooper - The King's Speech

Christopher Nolan - Inception

Coen Bros. - True Grit

Actor - Drama

Jeff Bridges - True Grit

Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network

Colin Firth - The King's Speech

James Franco - 127 Hours

Mark Wahlberg - The Fighter

Actress - Drama

Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole

Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone

Natalie Portman - Black Swan

Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit

Naomi Watts - Fair Game

Strangely I struggled with that one. Watts seems Globesy and I want her momentum to continue. Steinfeld is a lead now! And I've only heard good things about her, so, it could happen. However, a surprise Noomi Rapace or Gwyneth Paltrow nod would be nice...

Actor - Comedy

Jim Carrey - I Love You Phillip Morris

Michael Cera - Scott Pilgrim VS The World

Johnny Depp - Alice in Wonderland

John C. Reilly - Cyrus

Ben Stiller - Greenberg

Uh, the Michael Cera thing will never happen, but a guy can dream, can't he? Plus it's not SO far fetched. :P I hope Ben Stiller makes it!

Actress - Comedy

Christina Aguilera - Burlesque

Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right

Lesley Manville - Another Year

Julianne Moore - The Kids Are All Right

Emma Stone - Easy A

It was tough to leave off Rachel McAdams for Morning Glory but alas. Also, what about Anne Hathaway? Sigh. This is so tricky. If I got it completely right though, it'd be a very strange lineup. Yet, weirder things have happened before. I mean, Julia Roberts surprised us all last year, something like that could happen again! (I personally hope it does.)

Supporting Actor

Christian Bale - The Fighter

Jonah Hill - Cyrus

Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right

Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech

Justin Timberlake - The Social Network

Timberlake and Hill are risky calls but the Globes sometimes like the superfamous people and the small comedic turns. We shall see...

Supporting Actress

Amy Adams - The Fighter

Helena Bonham-Carter - The King's Speech

Cher - Burlesque

Melissa Leo - The Fighter

Dianne Wiest - Rabbit Hole

Aw, no Jacki Weaver, but I can see her getting snubbed here but NOT by Oscar. Same with Barbara Hershey who I'm rooting for but probably won't make it. Tears! Anyway. Cher seems likely. The Globes like to have fun and just imagine the possibilities!

Well, there you have it...I wonder how well I'll do tomorrow! Haha. I can't believe it's already Golden Globes time. Sheesh! Where has the year gone!

Catherine O'Hara Filmography: A Mighty Wind (2003)

2010-12-09T19:17:00.000-08:00

Ah, finally, we've come again to a Christopher Guest movie. Unlike most, Guest actually realizes how talented Catherine O'Hara is and utilizes her so well in every one of her movies. "A Mighty Wind" is a hilarious mockumentary about three different folk groups who are coming together to play a memorial concert in honor of the man that gave them all their start. The film follows each of the three groups as they reunite, rehearse and get ready for the big night.

Catherine O'Hara plays Mickey Crabbe, formerly of the sweetheart folk duo "Mitch and Mickey", along with her past lover Mitch Cohen (Eugene Levy). During their prime, the duo was famous for their song "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow", which always ended with a kiss that left audiences swooning. However, Mickey is now married, after a horrible dispute that left their duo broken and Mitch an emotional trainwreck.

Overall, "A Mighty Wind" is a wonderful and endearing, not to mention hysterical little movie. I used to consider it one of Guest's lesser works, but after recently rewatching it with a friend (and my mom, who is awesome) I realized how truly funny and wonderful it actually is. As to be expected from Christopher Guest, there are some fantastic performances that make this film shine - for example, Jane Lynch and John Michael Higgins, who play the color-worshipping frontliners for the sugar coated folk group "The New Main Street Singers", are simply hilarious. I consider this to be easily Jane Lynch's greatest role.

BUT! We're here for Catherine O'Hara and, truthfully, this is probably one of her greatest roles as well. Unlike the other characters, Mickey is much more real, human, and disillusioned. O'Hara knows that Mickey is truly the emotional core of the film and she doesn't turn her into a caricature whatsoever (unlike Eugene Levy, who is funny but completely devoid of emotion). Instead, O'Hara truly becomes Mickey, and in her soft spoken words and the way she looks at the camera, we feel a truly pining individual who longs for the glory days but knows they can never be.

And then, there is the one running plot point that solidifies the brilliance of her performance - "The Kiss at the End of the Rainbow". During the final performance, the way that O'Hara shows the longing for that one kiss during the song is just a gorgeous display of true emotion. Not to mention, the fact that O'Hara sings the song beautifully. Her chemistry with Eugene Levy is quite convincing - even though Eugene is making it hard to believe that they'd ever love each other, O'Hara works past it and makes Mitch and Mickey one of the cutest screen couples of the decade.

I must mention one other admirable thing about this performance - for the majority of the film, O'Hara is by herself, talking in interview format. She rarely interacts with other characters besides Levy, and even when she does it's short in comparison to her interviews. I feel like this sort of solo work is so much harder to pull off, since she can't work off of anyone, and let's not forget that it's a lot of improv. Her ability to be so real and convey everything that she does all by herself is such an accomplishment.

Wow, so I really went crazy singing her praises but like I said this is easily one of O'Hara's best performances. Another snub for her at the Oscars! (Though she did get to sing "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" at them - yay!). Oh, and the movie has so much to recommend besides just her. Jane Lynch is amazing, the rest of the cast (especially Parker Posey's one tiny interview) is wonderful, and the music is great. It may not be Guest's funniest, but it is probably his most lovable.

The Movie: 8/10

Catherine: 10/10

Best in Show: Of course, Catherine, though this is also Jane Lynch's finest hour.

AFRICAN CATS.

2010-12-06T08:52:00.001-08:00

So the other day I went to go see "Morning Glory" (which I really, really enjoyed) with one of my bestestest friends, and one of the trailers that played before the movie was this one, for Disney Nature's upcoming Earth Day epic...

So anyway, I was already in a giggly mood. But at the beginning of the trailer, when it showed a clip from "Oceans", I was like "Ooh, what is this going to be? Deserts? MOON? UNIVERSE?" and I was expecting it to be some super dramatic one word title.

And then the announcer guy said "African Cats" and I just started laughing hysterically. I could not contain myself throughout this entire trailer. I mean, you have to admit - it's pretty funny, right?

Anyway it looks pretty good nonetheless. But I mean, come on. "African Cats"? It's hard to take a title like that seriously. Hahaha

Incoherent Ramblings Regarding "Black Swan"

2010-12-05T19:07:00.001-08:00

Because I cannot even begin to wrap my head around it enough to write any kind of formal review, I decided to do this instead. It's like, a review, minus all that stuff you learned in English class about development and paragraphs and stuff! Bahaha.

After the movie ended, a very candid woman behind me loudly exclaimed: "What the HELL was that?!", which gave me a giggle. Speaking of giggle, during a scene that, at the time, I thought was particularly serious, a woman near the front of the packed theater began laughing hysterically. It was a little awkward though it did cause me to see the obvious humor that existed during that shot.
I know I'm totally the first one in the whole world saying this, but, Natalie Portman basically knocks it out of the park. In fact, hers is probably my favorite female performance this year. I never once saw her acting - I simply saw Nina Sayers onscreen, and I was totally immersed. Her descent into madness is perfectly timed and brilliantly executed. And how about that scene where she was on the phone with her mom in the bathroom stall? Oh my goodness. That was just so...so perfect.
The supporting cast is great too even though this is obviously about Nina, and nobody else. Mila Kunis (who was kind of awesome) is seductive and mysterious without being cliche, Hershey is scary and overbearing without being irritating, and Cassell is sultry and egotistical without being stupid.
But my personal favorite in the supporting cast was Winona Ryder. She gets her own whole bullet point! As I was thinking about it today, I think her total screentime was probably about 5 minutes (if even that) and in that time she probably only says about 3 lines, but even so I left the movie with her character having left the greatest impression on me. As Beth, the past her prime dancer, she evokes so much in just the way that she carries herself, the way that she speaks, the looks in her eyes. She was just so captivating to behold.
Um, technically, this movie is kind of perfect. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, and the score...ah, ah, ah the SCORE. Thank you Clint Mansell, for being freaking awesome once again. The way that the score seamlessly intertwines with Tchaikovsky and the way that it could stand alone as its own ballet music is just...so...wonderful. It heightens the emotion in every scene and is so perfectly orchestrated.
I was effin' scared during this movie. Like, the most scared I've been in a LONG time at the movies. Maybe even ever. Though I haven't seen a lot of scary movies. But I was seriously clammy the whole time. I also felt kind of sick for the rest of the day after watching it - though that's probably the fault that all I ate all day was a bagel and a sandwich from Starbucks. Not the most stomach-friendly choice. Hehe.

Personal Story: A couple hours after I saw this, I had one of the more rigorous piano lessons I've had in quite some time, and I just kept thinking about the movie, and how Thomas was like, intensely coaching Nina and how she was getting all stressed and I kind of related. Okay, I don't know if anyone can fully relate to this movie, but the theme of a relentless pursuit of success and how it can affect your persona really resonated with me.
I loved it.

9/10

Tangled up.

2010-12-01T19:46:00.001-08:00

That pun was just too obvious but I couldn't help myself.

Last year I fell just a little bit in love with Disney's back-to-roots princess animation story "The Princess and the Frog", which, though not one of my FAVORITE films of the year, was absolutely lovely. To be honest though, my love for that movie is kind of what made me worry about "Tangled". It seemed to me like Disney was going for a snarky Shrek kind of thing, and I was sort of upset - that sort of thing is better for Dreamworks, and after proving how well they could do it the old-fashioned way, why go back to the same old generic thing?

Thankfully, my reservations were proven to be somewhat incorrect, though after watching Disney's 50th Animated Film EVER I have an entirely new set of scruples.

"Tangled" is, as you all surely already know, a reinvention of the Rapunzel story. Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) is a girl whose hair has magical healing properties due to a flower that healed her mom during pregnancy. Her parents, the king and queen of a kingdom, lost Rapunzel when the evil Mother Goethel (Donna Murphy) stole her as a baby to keep her powers to herself. Of course, Rapunzel yearns to be free, and on her 18th birthday, she decides to sneak out of her tower, with the help of a bandit named Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) who accidentally lands up there while escaping the king's guards.

This reinvention of the Rapunzel story is quite successful and works perfectly as the vehicle for the typical Disney romance. Duh, Flynn and Rapunzel fall in love and whatnot, but for some reason it doesn't feel corny or anything. A lot of this is due to the technical brilliance of the animation. The movie is so refreshingly colorful and carefully animated - though Rapunzel's hair may not be a consistent length, as my sister lamented, it is still captivating to watch. CGI is very rarely beautiful, and I'm pleased to say that this film achieves some rather aesthetically gorgeous moments.

And Mother Goethel is, simply, one of the best Disney villains in recent years. Where "Princess and the Frog" and even in some ways, "Enchanted" fell slightly short was the very one-dimensional nature of their villains. 'Tis not the case here! The maternal relationship that Rapunzel has with Goethel is rather compelling - we can't forget that she is basically the only mother that she's ever known - and seeing the affection, such as hugs and kind words, between them, makes the villainship so much more horrifying and perfect. Of course, Donna Murphy's brilliant voice work is much to credit for why Goethel is such a great character. She's over the top, she sings wonderfully, and she nails every line.

Sadly, such laurels cannot be awarded to Mandy Moore. Her Rapunzel is occasionally quite good, but too often she sounds whiny, or even worse - as though she's not getting into it enough, which leaves the viewer feeling super distanced from the character. This happens especially during the musical numbers. Her singing voice (at least in my opinion) is kind of annoying, with this weird airyness that is just not convincing.

This leads to another problem with the movie - it doesn't seem committed enough to being a musical! The songs are fine, if not somewhat unmemorable (I mean, it's hard to say anything bad about Alan Menken), but somehow in the context of the entire narrative, they don't feel natural or necessary enough. However, Mother Goethel's song "Mother Knows Best" is probably the best in the movie; it's funny, creepy, and its animation sequence is tight and clever. On the other hand, the movie's musical non-singing score is quite fitting and often transcendent.

Of course, that's not to say that I didn't like the movie. I very much did, and I guess I almost started crying at the end (I'm a leaky faucet though, so don't mind me...). I suppose I'm just trying to identify the reasons it didn't lodge itself into my heart like I would have expected. It's good in so many ways, and it did not fail in the ways I expected - it just didn't reach the level of quality that perhaps it could have. I'm honestly a bit conflicted about it, but I would recommend it even if only so you all will be able to discuss it with me and help me figure it out. Haha!

7/10

These things never get old.

2010-11-29T16:18:00.000-08:00

Teehee.

Anyway I am still alive, I promise you. I feel like the past five posts I've done have been me being all like "I'm not dead! I promise I'll post more! I swear!" So, I truly do apologize. But this cloud does have a silver lining - I turned in all my college apps today, so yay! We all have to go through it and I'm finally done. And I went to the movies a lot this past week so I've become inspired to do some writing. So hold on ya'll because I'm coming back with a vengeance.

Muahahaha!

Hey...it's my birthday!

2010-11-14T18:12:00.001-08:00

Hahahaha! Not to be like, self advertising myself or anything. But, yeah! I'm the big 18 now. Officially an adult. So, yay! I unfortunately don't share a bday with any big movie-related people. Though evidently I do have the same birthday as Claude Monet (one of my favorite artists), Aaron Copland (one of my favorite composers) and...Condoleeza Rice! Very cool stuff. I think I shall celebrate by buying Scott Pilgrim Vs The World on DVD. :P

Aw, Glee!

2010-11-10T09:41:00.000-08:00

I just want to take a few moments to talk about how proud I am of Glee after last night's episode! I haven't blogged about this season at all yet, mainly because I've neither hated it enough to rant (like last season...hehe), nor have I loved it enough to rave. I've never loved Glee enough to rave, until today!

Yep, last night's episode was really, dare I say it, great! I've been kind of bored with Glee lately but after last night, I have hope for its future. It was just a really solid episode - the songs were flawlessly incorporated into the narrative, and all of the little subplots were balanced super well; both issues that former episodes have had. We even got a nice dose of Jane Lynch, and Chris Colfer, who's been a bit one-note as of late, really did some great things with his rather dynamic subplot.

So, props! The only bad thing was that I thought Gwyneth Paltrow was supposed to be on last night, so I kept waiting for her to show up and she never did. Then I found out that she's not on 'til next week. Alas! Just something more to look forward to.

So what did you all think of last night's episode? I'm really impressed. A golf clap for Glee. Hehe.

Can you believe that I'm not ranting...awww!

Song of the Day, featuring Carey Mulligan!

2010-11-09T18:38:00.001-08:00

Have you guys heard Belle and Sebastian's new album, "Write About Love"? I've been listening to a few tracks from it constantly, and one of them is the uber catchy title song, which actually features the amazing Carey Mulligan...SINGING! Yeah!

So the song is just awesome. Belle and Sebastian are a fantastic band, and I mean, Carey Mulligan. Everybody loves Carey Mulligan. :) And she can sing! Don't you love it when you find out that your favorite actors can sing? She should be in a musical. Yes.

Awwwww! I mean seriously. Who can resist this adorableness!

Here's the song for your listening pleasure...

Enjoy!

I'm Still Alive! Yay! (Randomness Ensues)

2010-11-07T18:13:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone! I'm back. And still stressed, but mildly less so. Haha. My recital went very well, and thanks to all of you who looked at my website and left kind comments on my last post! It was so nice of youuu. :)

so I have a few items to discuss in this post, for which I will use the extremely organized bulletpoint format. Woohoo!

You should check out the Vegetarian/Vegan Movie Characters page if you haven't in a while - there are a lot of new additions since I keep thinking of/seeing more and more!
I saw "Please Give" and kind of loved it. Random. But yes. And now we're just two people holding shit in bags!
Besides that, I'm horribly behind in seeing movies that are coming out that I want to see. Oh the difficulties of being busy! Grrr. Have ya'll seen any good ones lately? Speak up below.
Ummm...Modern Family was awesome this past week? Funny, and grrrreat character development. Ty Burrell really was fantastic in particular.
Okay...guilty pleasure alert...14 DAYS TIL KE$HA'S NEW ALBUM. *Ahem* um, yikes, everyone's looking at me weird...uh...i like Beethoven? Yeah. Haha.

I think that's it. I feel like there was more I wanted to say...but...i'm sorry. I'm so incoherent. This doesn't even count as an excuse for a blog post. I promise I'll start actually making an effort soon. Please don't hate me! Eek!

Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe?

2010-10-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! You must forgive me for being a bit distant recently - I'm traveling to Atchison, Kansas next week to play a solo piano recital (hence the above song, sung wonderfully by Judy Garland from the movie "The Harvey Girls"), and I also have a music scholarship thing I have to mad practice for, and along with all that and schoolwork, I'm kind of swamped at the moment.

So, please, if I take a long time to post or reply to your comments, or comment on your blogs, believe me, it's not because I hate you, it's because I'm so busy! I promise I read all your comments and that I'll reply as soon as possible. After next week, posting should return to semi-normal...for a while. Teehee!

Incidentally, if I may take this moment to do a bit of shameless self promotion...I'm playing several solo recitals in the coming months so if you're at all interested in classical music or piano or my real-life-persona, you can see my schedule of events at this here link.

OKAY! Complaining and advertising over. Enjoy your day! :) Haha.