2010 is finally over - and it is officially the worst year in films that I can remember. I struggled to come up with films that I considered "the best" and I could not even think of a solid 10 (8 is the best I could do - however I still have to see several films like "The King's Speech", "The Social Network", "The Ghost Writer", "Biutiful" and "Blue Valentine"). My worst list suffered the opposite problem - I couldn't narrow it down but stopped myself at 13 (I am sure I could think of more awfulness if I tried really hard). So here it is:
BEST:
1. Black Swan
2. The Town
3. Easy A
4. Inception
5. The Kids are Alright (a review will post soon...)
6. The Other Guys
7. Scott Pilgrim Vs the World
8. It's Kind of a Funny Story
WORST:
1. Leap Year
2. Clash of the Titans
3. Valentine's Day
4. Jonah Hex (a review will post soon...)
5. Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps
6. Salt
7. Alice in Wonderland
8. Macgruber
9. Killers
10. Splice
11. When in Rome
12. Chloe
13. Repo Men
If you are curious as to why I chose these films, just check out my previous posts - reviews on all of these films can be found ; )
Friday, December 31, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
4 Reasons I Need to Apologize to the Creators of "Scott Pilgrim Vs the World"
In June I wrote a post about how 2010 summer films suck - describing "Scott Pilgrim Vs the World" as a film that "looks absolutely awful" (along with "Jonah Hex", "Piranha 3D" and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"). I willfully admit that I was wrong - I finally watched it over the weekend and it is far from awful. It will actually be listed among my favorites of 2010 - here is why:
1. It is Innovative - so I am sort of sick of the whole comic book film genre (or graphic novel film genre if you prefer)- they are all starting to look the same. But this film took a comic book film and twisted it with a video game. It felt exciting and new - I was invested in the film for the entire 2 hours because I was fascinated by its creativeness. It is surreal and escapist but it was also really intelligent - you had to actually pay attention in order to "get" the jokes and follow the story. I think the film really won me over with the Seinfeld skit (complete with annoying laugh track) - It was pure genius. Yes, it was also pretentious and had a whole "too cool for school attitude" - but for me it just worked. Really well. I remember seeing the trailer for the film a few times and thinking that it just looked weird and boring - the dialogue was awkward and not funny. It is surprising how completely different the film is from the trailer. They should totally fire the person responsible for creating such an unappealing trailer for such an awesome film.
2. The Story - If you strip away all of the visual effects, hipster dialogue and indie rock music you have a pretty simple love story. Basically, it is about this girl who is emotionally abused by her controlling boyfriend - so she decides to leave him, but he has the whole "if I can't have her than no one can" mentality and sets up an elaborate plot to keep away potential suitors. Scott Pilgrim (our protagonist) falls in love with her and decides to do whatever it takes to win her heart. It's compelling and heartfelt, even without all of the other stuff (sort of like another favorite of mine - 500 Days of Summer).
3. The Cast - I feel like the trailer that I saw focused on Michael Cera and a lot of other people that I didn't recognize. Yet, the film had a fantastic supporting cast - Kieran Culkin (if you don't think he is hysterical in this film - then there is something wrong with you), Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Mae Whitman (love all 3 of them!), Jason Schwartzman and a surprisingly funny appearance by Brandon Routh (he had the most hilarious part - with the whole Vegan police). Michael Cera is forgiven for his trilogy of crappy films (Year One, Paper Heart & Year in Revolt) - I adored watching him kick some evil ex ass. I felt like he grew up a little bit too - not as awkward and pathetic as usual.
4. It's Quotable - I seriously died several times from laughing so hard. The lines that stick in my head from the first viewing are: "They make movies in Toronto?", "Bread makes you fat?!!" and "I wanna have his adopted babies." I am smiling just thinking about it.
1. It is Innovative - so I am sort of sick of the whole comic book film genre (or graphic novel film genre if you prefer)- they are all starting to look the same. But this film took a comic book film and twisted it with a video game. It felt exciting and new - I was invested in the film for the entire 2 hours because I was fascinated by its creativeness. It is surreal and escapist but it was also really intelligent - you had to actually pay attention in order to "get" the jokes and follow the story. I think the film really won me over with the Seinfeld skit (complete with annoying laugh track) - It was pure genius. Yes, it was also pretentious and had a whole "too cool for school attitude" - but for me it just worked. Really well. I remember seeing the trailer for the film a few times and thinking that it just looked weird and boring - the dialogue was awkward and not funny. It is surprising how completely different the film is from the trailer. They should totally fire the person responsible for creating such an unappealing trailer for such an awesome film.
2. The Story - If you strip away all of the visual effects, hipster dialogue and indie rock music you have a pretty simple love story. Basically, it is about this girl who is emotionally abused by her controlling boyfriend - so she decides to leave him, but he has the whole "if I can't have her than no one can" mentality and sets up an elaborate plot to keep away potential suitors. Scott Pilgrim (our protagonist) falls in love with her and decides to do whatever it takes to win her heart. It's compelling and heartfelt, even without all of the other stuff (sort of like another favorite of mine - 500 Days of Summer).
3. The Cast - I feel like the trailer that I saw focused on Michael Cera and a lot of other people that I didn't recognize. Yet, the film had a fantastic supporting cast - Kieran Culkin (if you don't think he is hysterical in this film - then there is something wrong with you), Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Mae Whitman (love all 3 of them!), Jason Schwartzman and a surprisingly funny appearance by Brandon Routh (he had the most hilarious part - with the whole Vegan police). Michael Cera is forgiven for his trilogy of crappy films (Year One, Paper Heart & Year in Revolt) - I adored watching him kick some evil ex ass. I felt like he grew up a little bit too - not as awkward and pathetic as usual.
4. It's Quotable - I seriously died several times from laughing so hard. The lines that stick in my head from the first viewing are: "They make movies in Toronto?", "Bread makes you fat?!!" and "I wanna have his adopted babies." I am smiling just thinking about it.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
"Glee" Season 1: 35 Best Quotes
Besides the amazing performances, "Glee" is also memorable for it's solid one-liners. Here are my favorite "Glee" quotes from season 1. It was very hard to choose from such consistently amazing dialogue. Most of the hilarious zingers belong to either Sue or Brittany so I did my best to choose quotes that highlight all of the amazing characters.
1. You know how every time you ask me out I have my period?…or I tell you I suffer from cluster headaches?…or I am allergic to night time? Those things…not really true. – Emma to Ken (who just can't take a hint).
2. You’re very talented. I would know…I’m very talented too. – Rachel to Finn
3. This is where our daughter or gay son will sleep. – Terri trying to convince Will to buy an over priced house.
4. You’re not trying hard enough. At what? At walking. – Dakota Stanley explaining to Artie why he can't be in the Glee club.
5. I got it from the Library. Did you know you can just borrow books from there? Finn learning new things.
6. I slept with you because you got me drunk on wine coolers and I felt fat that day. Quinn to Puck on why she got knocked up.
7. 3 times a day. Or your baby will be ugly – Terri giving Quinn prenatal vitamins.
8. That Wheelchair kid’s right. That Rachel chick makes me want to light myself on fire, but she can sing. – Puck
9. Santana! Wheels! Gay Kid! Come on move it!! Asian! Other Asian. Aretha. And Shaft. See Will, I don’t want to participate in a group that ignores the needs of minority students. – Sue roll calling all of the minority kids in Glee club.
10. Well you’re irritating most of the time – but don’t take that personally. – Artie to Rachel after she tells him he shouldn't take things personally.
11. I don’t know why I find his stupidity charming – I mean he is cheating off a girl who thinks the square root of 4 is rainbows. – Kurt describing his crush on Finn
12. Rachel somehow manages to dress like a grandmother and a toddler at the same time. – Kurt
13. I’m gonna say this as nicely as I possibly can, but you look like a sad clown…hooker. – Finn to Rachel after she dresses up like Sandy from Grease to seduce Finn.
14. And what if I were to just innocently murder you, Will? I’d still have to go to trial. Probably get off on justifiable homicide. – Sue being classic Sue.
15. Does this have to happen tonight? Because… I have my fight club. - Puck being classic Puck
16. I’m not breaking up with you. I’m just saying please stop super-sizing… ‘cause I don’t dig on fat chicks – Puck to a pregnant Quinn.
17. Now that we’re sorta dating…I have to work so much harder to pretend to be listening to her. – Finn having a hard time dating Rachel.
18. I’ll tell you who you are. You’re a scared little boy. You’re afraid of dating me because you think it might hurt your reputation…though, which you’d never admit it, is very important to you. You hate what Quinn did to you, not just because it hurt but because it was so humiliating… I just see you for who you are…unlike you who can only see me…as this silly girl who made a fool out of herself in her first Glee Club rehearsal. And that’s where you lose Finn- because if you took a second look you’d realize that I’m the only person in your life who knows you…and accepts you for who you are. No matter what. – Rachel to Finn after he dumps her.
19. Let us give you an introduction into the way that we work: You buy us dinner, and we make out in front of you. It’s like the best deal ever. – Santana's proposition to Finn
20. Did you know that dolphins are just gay sharks? – Brittany's moment of genius.
21. Look I even circled some dates on your crazy calendar. – Finn trying to win Rachel back.
22. Would you please stop talking? You’re grossing out my baby – Quinn trying to get Rachel to stop talking about sex.
23. Look Finn…It’s high time you’ve lost the big “V”, everything about you screams virgin. You’re about as sexy as a cabbage patch kid. It’s exhausting to look at you. – Santana (bonus for calling him "Finnocence").
24. Maybe you should try a new setting on your flowbie. Oh snap! – Will finally coming up with a good comeback to Sue's harassment.
25. My eyes are up here! I am a person with feelings! Get out of my grill! I am a powerful woman and my growing feminism will cut you in half like a righteous blade of equality! – Tina to Artie (after he treats her like crap).
26. How do you two not have a show on Bravo? – Sue to Kurt & Mercedes
27. I’m pretty sure my cat has been reading my diary – Brittany
28. I love your mom. She’s like this angel that came down to wake me up after all these years…and I swear to you I will never hurt her. I will always take care of her. I can’t be your dad, but I will be her hero…for as long as she’ll take me. - Burt Hummel (many of his heartbreaking quotes) to Finn.
29. So you like show tunes. It doesn’t mean you’re gay…it just means you’re awful – Sue to Kurt
30. I am my voice. I am like Tinkerbell, Finn….I need applause to live.- Rachel perfectly describing herself.
31. You look terrible. I look awesome - Brittany to Rachel on their respective Lady Gaga outfits.
32. Yeah, that’s because you’re 16 and you still assume the best in people. You live a few years, you start seeing the hate in people’s hearts. – Burt to Kurt after he said it was o.k that Finn used the "f" word.
33. I’m proud to be different. It’s the best thing about me. – Kurt
34. You never listen to my clearly superior ideas – Jesse on why he left the New Directions.
35. You know what Wednesday is right?...Hump day – Will hilariously trying to seduce Sue.
1. You know how every time you ask me out I have my period?…or I tell you I suffer from cluster headaches?…or I am allergic to night time? Those things…not really true. – Emma to Ken (who just can't take a hint).
2. You’re very talented. I would know…I’m very talented too. – Rachel to Finn
3. This is where our daughter or gay son will sleep. – Terri trying to convince Will to buy an over priced house.
4. You’re not trying hard enough. At what? At walking. – Dakota Stanley explaining to Artie why he can't be in the Glee club.
5. I got it from the Library. Did you know you can just borrow books from there? Finn learning new things.
6. I slept with you because you got me drunk on wine coolers and I felt fat that day. Quinn to Puck on why she got knocked up.
7. 3 times a day. Or your baby will be ugly – Terri giving Quinn prenatal vitamins.
8. That Wheelchair kid’s right. That Rachel chick makes me want to light myself on fire, but she can sing. – Puck
9. Santana! Wheels! Gay Kid! Come on move it!! Asian! Other Asian. Aretha. And Shaft. See Will, I don’t want to participate in a group that ignores the needs of minority students. – Sue roll calling all of the minority kids in Glee club.
10. Well you’re irritating most of the time – but don’t take that personally. – Artie to Rachel after she tells him he shouldn't take things personally.
11. I don’t know why I find his stupidity charming – I mean he is cheating off a girl who thinks the square root of 4 is rainbows. – Kurt describing his crush on Finn
12. Rachel somehow manages to dress like a grandmother and a toddler at the same time. – Kurt
13. I’m gonna say this as nicely as I possibly can, but you look like a sad clown…hooker. – Finn to Rachel after she dresses up like Sandy from Grease to seduce Finn.
14. And what if I were to just innocently murder you, Will? I’d still have to go to trial. Probably get off on justifiable homicide. – Sue being classic Sue.
15. Does this have to happen tonight? Because… I have my fight club. - Puck being classic Puck
16. I’m not breaking up with you. I’m just saying please stop super-sizing… ‘cause I don’t dig on fat chicks – Puck to a pregnant Quinn.
17. Now that we’re sorta dating…I have to work so much harder to pretend to be listening to her. – Finn having a hard time dating Rachel.
18. I’ll tell you who you are. You’re a scared little boy. You’re afraid of dating me because you think it might hurt your reputation…though, which you’d never admit it, is very important to you. You hate what Quinn did to you, not just because it hurt but because it was so humiliating… I just see you for who you are…unlike you who can only see me…as this silly girl who made a fool out of herself in her first Glee Club rehearsal. And that’s where you lose Finn- because if you took a second look you’d realize that I’m the only person in your life who knows you…and accepts you for who you are. No matter what. – Rachel to Finn after he dumps her.
19. Let us give you an introduction into the way that we work: You buy us dinner, and we make out in front of you. It’s like the best deal ever. – Santana's proposition to Finn
20. Did you know that dolphins are just gay sharks? – Brittany's moment of genius.
21. Look I even circled some dates on your crazy calendar. – Finn trying to win Rachel back.
22. Would you please stop talking? You’re grossing out my baby – Quinn trying to get Rachel to stop talking about sex.
23. Look Finn…It’s high time you’ve lost the big “V”, everything about you screams virgin. You’re about as sexy as a cabbage patch kid. It’s exhausting to look at you. – Santana (bonus for calling him "Finnocence").
24. Maybe you should try a new setting on your flowbie. Oh snap! – Will finally coming up with a good comeback to Sue's harassment.
25. My eyes are up here! I am a person with feelings! Get out of my grill! I am a powerful woman and my growing feminism will cut you in half like a righteous blade of equality! – Tina to Artie (after he treats her like crap).
26. How do you two not have a show on Bravo? – Sue to Kurt & Mercedes
27. I’m pretty sure my cat has been reading my diary – Brittany
28. I love your mom. She’s like this angel that came down to wake me up after all these years…and I swear to you I will never hurt her. I will always take care of her. I can’t be your dad, but I will be her hero…for as long as she’ll take me. - Burt Hummel (many of his heartbreaking quotes) to Finn.
29. So you like show tunes. It doesn’t mean you’re gay…it just means you’re awful – Sue to Kurt
30. I am my voice. I am like Tinkerbell, Finn….I need applause to live.- Rachel perfectly describing herself.
31. You look terrible. I look awesome - Brittany to Rachel on their respective Lady Gaga outfits.
32. Yeah, that’s because you’re 16 and you still assume the best in people. You live a few years, you start seeing the hate in people’s hearts. – Burt to Kurt after he said it was o.k that Finn used the "f" word.
33. I’m proud to be different. It’s the best thing about me. – Kurt
34. You never listen to my clearly superior ideas – Jesse on why he left the New Directions.
35. You know what Wednesday is right?...Hump day – Will hilariously trying to seduce Sue.
"Glee" Season 1: 17 Best Performances
Since it will be a while until we get new "Glee" episodes, I have been re-watching season 1 hoping it will hold me over until Feb. Luckily, the first season of "Glee" was near perfect - especially for a freshman series. I can literally watch it on repeat for hours and still be entertained. The reason "Glee" season 1 was so special that it was refreshing and groundbreaking- it was like nothing else on television. I think season 2 can be seen as disappointing because it is hard to stay "new". There were so many memorable performances in season 1 that I think they don't know how to top themselves (therefore they go a bit overboard- i.e the Britney episode). Here are the performances that made season 1 such an achievement:
1. Push It (performed by the New Directions) - I remember when this first aired I could not stop laughing. It was amazingly inappropriate, yet hysterical. From Rachel's dirty dancing, to Kurt's crotch thrusts and slapping Finn on the ass, to Emma's supportive dancing in the audience, to everyone else's shocked reactions - it was a perfect scene. Plus, this was the first time we get to see the energy of our favorite Glee club. We knew Rachel could sing, we didn't know she could rap! We knew Finn was awkward, we didn't know he was thaaat awkward! Calling the performance offensive would be an understatement, as would calling the performance anything less than perfect.
2. Dancing With Myself (performed by Artie) - This is the first time Glee made me cry. And by cry I mean bawl hysterically. First, I love Artie's voice - it's soulful and distinctive. Second, his wheeling through the halls watching his classmates living a "normal" life was intimate and beautiful. Third, it is a perfect song for him to sing (this was back when the Glee performances went with the story lines - instead of the top 40 trend that season 2 is obsessed with). Artie is often left in the corner of the Glee performances while the others dance center stage. The song just emphasises the pain he feels on a daily basis. And Last, when is the last time you've seen a kid in a wheelchair have a major plot line on network television? Um never. That is why Glee deserves the accolades it gets - it broke barriers (and continues to). Also, this song leads Will to discover a genius idea - confine the Glee kids to wheelchairs. Hilarious.
3. Rain on My Parade (performed by Rachel) - Rachel can do Barbara Streisand almost as good as Barbara can. Her voice is powerful, her passion is evident and she simply glowed in that spotlight. This was performed at sectionals as a last minute decision (after the other clubs stole their set list) along with The New Directions performance of You Can't Always Get What You Want. It's almost sad to think about the disappointing performance we endured during this season's sectionals (Ken and Barbie apathetically singing Time of My Life). Season 1 sectionals definitely kicked season 2's ass.
4. Like a Virgin (performed by Will/Emma, Rachel/Jesse, Finn/Santana) - Besides the obvious challenge in the production of this performance (the editing must have been a nightmare - but was brilliantly done), I loved the way this song fit the episode. Emma, Rachel & Finn all decide to lose the big "V" - even though all 3 are weary of this decision. Finn and Santana are hot together (which came as a surprise), this scene alone is why I am sort of rooting for them in season 2 (although I am a bit weary as well...). This is also a pretty important scene for the current story arc of season 2 (the whole Finchel break-up). Anyway, I think they did a really great job a making a sex scene with 3 different couples - sexy yet still appropriate.
5. Like a Prayer (performed by the New Directions) - I was really nervous during the episode because this is my favorite Madonna song (and one of my favorite songs in general) and I kept thinking it would be sacrilege to do a Madonna episode and not include this song! But alas, they saved the best for last. I was a little disappointed that they kept the song's original tone (you know with the whole choir thing) - I would have liked to see a different Glee spin on the song, but I guess you can't mess with perfection. We also got to hear from other members of the Glee club - and we get the powerful voices of Mercedes and Rachel together....it was, as Kurt would say "madgical".
6. Jessie's Girl (performed by Finn) - Do you think they planned this from the introduction of Jesse? Was he named Jesse for the purpose of utilizing this song? Because it is too perfect to be a coincidence. Right? Finn's "soul exposing" song is one of the few songs that I would consider to be better than the original. His voice is perfect for classic rock, but I would argue that his angst is what makes the song so great. He realizes that he screwed up and now has to suffer watching the girl he loves date another guy. And we get to see Finn play the drums. Love it.
7. Rose's Turn (performed by Kurt) - After the horrendous Kurt performance we endured earlier in this episode (Ain't That America - seriously hard to watch) I am glad that the creators rewarded us with this inspiring performance. He is seriously one talented kid. I got chills the first time I saw it - but the best part was Burt clapping at the end. Glee always knows the ways to emotionally ambush me.
8. The Safety Dance (performed by Artie) - Isn't it ironic that 2 of my favorite Glee performances feature my least favorite character? This is honestly probably my favorite Glee performance - simply because it is the most unexpected. It's done as a flash mob scene in the middle of a mall - but the most unexpected part was that Artie gets out of his wheel chair and starts dancing - not just simple Glee club moves either, like serious professional choreography (of course it is a dream sequence but still we get to see one of the best dancers on the show actually dance...). We also get to see some Mike Chang skills as well - always a highlight. When it was all over - and Artie is still left in his wheel chair I cried. Again.
9. Bad Romance (performed by the girls of the New Directions & Kurt) - Easily Lady Gaga's best song - I am glad they didn't do an entire Lady Gaga episode (just 2 songs - this and Poker Face - which was performed awkwardly by Rachel and her mother - played by the iconic Idina Menzel). The performance was enhanced by their ridiculous Lady Gaga outfits - my favorite was Quinns (those eyelashes were fantastic). This was probably the first time I really heard Santana's voice and realized how talented she was. The performance looked like a lot of fun - which always makes me happy.
10. Loser (performed by Puck, Finn and the Sheets & Things employees) - Although it was extremely short (how disappointing) - it was perfect. It was performed right after one of my all time favorite Glee moments so I already had a smile on my face (the moment is when Sandy asks if the name of the store is "Losers and Things" and Finn actually checks his badge to see if the name had in fact changed- it is those small moments that make Glee so amazing). So Puck & Finn begin a fantastic rendition of the amazing Beck song and it made me miss 90's alternative music. It was a tough choice between this and the other Puck/Finn performance in this episode - Good Vibrations (which made me miss 90's hip hop and of course Marky Mark). Basically, what I am trying to say is: Can we get some more awesome 90's music on Glee???
11. Don't Stop Believing (performed by the New Directions) - Don't worry...I didn't forget the obvious. I can't decide which version I like - the premiere version with Rachel & Finn taking the lead or the finale version where the others get to shine. The first one was more raw, freestyle, fun and intimate but the second one is just better (in sound and choreography). The song is used as perfect bookends for the season and what better to describe their journey together than Journey?
and as bonus here are my favorite performances on "Glee" that are not by the New Direction members...
12. Rehab (performed by Vocal Adrenaline) - The first time I saw it I had the same expression of the New Direction members - jaw dropped to the floor. The choreography, the energy and the collective singing was mind-blowing. This was their competition?! They are SCREWED! The best part was that it gave something for our New Directions to aim for. How the heck are they ever going to be that good? More importantly - Are they ever going to be that good? Maybe, maybe not but I rejoice in the possibilities.
13. Poison/I Wanna Sex You Up (performed by the Acafella's) - Best thing ever. I can't decide between the two. Poison is one of my favorite songs ever (to dance to!) while I Wanna Sex You Up is just so ridiculously funny. Both songs arn't very appropriate but that is what makes them so great. I also love that we get to see Puck sing (and be sexified). I would love for the Acafella's to get back together for a few more performances...hint...hint.
14. Single Ladies (performed by the McKinley Titans) - ok they don't sing the song - but they do the dance....you know the dance that became 2009's biggest dancing sensation. Watching huge football guys in their uniforms dance about putting a "ring" on it is probably one of the greatest things I have ever seen. Plus - they finally won a game! I also enjoyed Kurt, Tina & Brittany dancing to it in the beginning (leotards and all...).
15. Imagine (performed by the Haverbrook School for the Deaf) - This is the moment when I knew Glee was special. It is probably the moment when I cried the hardest while watching a "comedy". I still get chills thinking about it. OMG when The New Directions joined in it was just so affecting and inspiring. I love that they followed them in signing the whole song. When is the last time you saw a group of deaf teens sing a song on network television? Um never.
16. Vogue (performed by Sue Sylvester) - greatest moment of Glee ever.
17. Bohemian Rhapsody (performed by Vocal Adrenaline) - Just when we are so proud of our New Direction gang - we remember how amazing their competitors are. They undoubtedly deserved the win (am I supposed to admit that?). I loved how they intertwined this song with Quinn's birth - it was unexpected and weird, yet it just worked.
1. Push It (performed by the New Directions) - I remember when this first aired I could not stop laughing. It was amazingly inappropriate, yet hysterical. From Rachel's dirty dancing, to Kurt's crotch thrusts and slapping Finn on the ass, to Emma's supportive dancing in the audience, to everyone else's shocked reactions - it was a perfect scene. Plus, this was the first time we get to see the energy of our favorite Glee club. We knew Rachel could sing, we didn't know she could rap! We knew Finn was awkward, we didn't know he was thaaat awkward! Calling the performance offensive would be an understatement, as would calling the performance anything less than perfect.
2. Dancing With Myself (performed by Artie) - This is the first time Glee made me cry. And by cry I mean bawl hysterically. First, I love Artie's voice - it's soulful and distinctive. Second, his wheeling through the halls watching his classmates living a "normal" life was intimate and beautiful. Third, it is a perfect song for him to sing (this was back when the Glee performances went with the story lines - instead of the top 40 trend that season 2 is obsessed with). Artie is often left in the corner of the Glee performances while the others dance center stage. The song just emphasises the pain he feels on a daily basis. And Last, when is the last time you've seen a kid in a wheelchair have a major plot line on network television? Um never. That is why Glee deserves the accolades it gets - it broke barriers (and continues to). Also, this song leads Will to discover a genius idea - confine the Glee kids to wheelchairs. Hilarious.
3. Rain on My Parade (performed by Rachel) - Rachel can do Barbara Streisand almost as good as Barbara can. Her voice is powerful, her passion is evident and she simply glowed in that spotlight. This was performed at sectionals as a last minute decision (after the other clubs stole their set list) along with The New Directions performance of You Can't Always Get What You Want. It's almost sad to think about the disappointing performance we endured during this season's sectionals (Ken and Barbie apathetically singing Time of My Life). Season 1 sectionals definitely kicked season 2's ass.
4. Like a Virgin (performed by Will/Emma, Rachel/Jesse, Finn/Santana) - Besides the obvious challenge in the production of this performance (the editing must have been a nightmare - but was brilliantly done), I loved the way this song fit the episode. Emma, Rachel & Finn all decide to lose the big "V" - even though all 3 are weary of this decision. Finn and Santana are hot together (which came as a surprise), this scene alone is why I am sort of rooting for them in season 2 (although I am a bit weary as well...). This is also a pretty important scene for the current story arc of season 2 (the whole Finchel break-up). Anyway, I think they did a really great job a making a sex scene with 3 different couples - sexy yet still appropriate.
5. Like a Prayer (performed by the New Directions) - I was really nervous during the episode because this is my favorite Madonna song (and one of my favorite songs in general) and I kept thinking it would be sacrilege to do a Madonna episode and not include this song! But alas, they saved the best for last. I was a little disappointed that they kept the song's original tone (you know with the whole choir thing) - I would have liked to see a different Glee spin on the song, but I guess you can't mess with perfection. We also got to hear from other members of the Glee club - and we get the powerful voices of Mercedes and Rachel together....it was, as Kurt would say "madgical".
6. Jessie's Girl (performed by Finn) - Do you think they planned this from the introduction of Jesse? Was he named Jesse for the purpose of utilizing this song? Because it is too perfect to be a coincidence. Right? Finn's "soul exposing" song is one of the few songs that I would consider to be better than the original. His voice is perfect for classic rock, but I would argue that his angst is what makes the song so great. He realizes that he screwed up and now has to suffer watching the girl he loves date another guy. And we get to see Finn play the drums. Love it.
7. Rose's Turn (performed by Kurt) - After the horrendous Kurt performance we endured earlier in this episode (Ain't That America - seriously hard to watch) I am glad that the creators rewarded us with this inspiring performance. He is seriously one talented kid. I got chills the first time I saw it - but the best part was Burt clapping at the end. Glee always knows the ways to emotionally ambush me.
8. The Safety Dance (performed by Artie) - Isn't it ironic that 2 of my favorite Glee performances feature my least favorite character? This is honestly probably my favorite Glee performance - simply because it is the most unexpected. It's done as a flash mob scene in the middle of a mall - but the most unexpected part was that Artie gets out of his wheel chair and starts dancing - not just simple Glee club moves either, like serious professional choreography (of course it is a dream sequence but still we get to see one of the best dancers on the show actually dance...). We also get to see some Mike Chang skills as well - always a highlight. When it was all over - and Artie is still left in his wheel chair I cried. Again.
9. Bad Romance (performed by the girls of the New Directions & Kurt) - Easily Lady Gaga's best song - I am glad they didn't do an entire Lady Gaga episode (just 2 songs - this and Poker Face - which was performed awkwardly by Rachel and her mother - played by the iconic Idina Menzel). The performance was enhanced by their ridiculous Lady Gaga outfits - my favorite was Quinns (those eyelashes were fantastic). This was probably the first time I really heard Santana's voice and realized how talented she was. The performance looked like a lot of fun - which always makes me happy.
10. Loser (performed by Puck, Finn and the Sheets & Things employees) - Although it was extremely short (how disappointing) - it was perfect. It was performed right after one of my all time favorite Glee moments so I already had a smile on my face (the moment is when Sandy asks if the name of the store is "Losers and Things" and Finn actually checks his badge to see if the name had in fact changed- it is those small moments that make Glee so amazing). So Puck & Finn begin a fantastic rendition of the amazing Beck song and it made me miss 90's alternative music. It was a tough choice between this and the other Puck/Finn performance in this episode - Good Vibrations (which made me miss 90's hip hop and of course Marky Mark). Basically, what I am trying to say is: Can we get some more awesome 90's music on Glee???
11. Don't Stop Believing (performed by the New Directions) - Don't worry...I didn't forget the obvious. I can't decide which version I like - the premiere version with Rachel & Finn taking the lead or the finale version where the others get to shine. The first one was more raw, freestyle, fun and intimate but the second one is just better (in sound and choreography). The song is used as perfect bookends for the season and what better to describe their journey together than Journey?
and as bonus here are my favorite performances on "Glee" that are not by the New Direction members...
12. Rehab (performed by Vocal Adrenaline) - The first time I saw it I had the same expression of the New Direction members - jaw dropped to the floor. The choreography, the energy and the collective singing was mind-blowing. This was their competition?! They are SCREWED! The best part was that it gave something for our New Directions to aim for. How the heck are they ever going to be that good? More importantly - Are they ever going to be that good? Maybe, maybe not but I rejoice in the possibilities.
13. Poison/I Wanna Sex You Up (performed by the Acafella's) - Best thing ever. I can't decide between the two. Poison is one of my favorite songs ever (to dance to!) while I Wanna Sex You Up is just so ridiculously funny. Both songs arn't very appropriate but that is what makes them so great. I also love that we get to see Puck sing (and be sexified). I would love for the Acafella's to get back together for a few more performances...hint...hint.
14. Single Ladies (performed by the McKinley Titans) - ok they don't sing the song - but they do the dance....you know the dance that became 2009's biggest dancing sensation. Watching huge football guys in their uniforms dance about putting a "ring" on it is probably one of the greatest things I have ever seen. Plus - they finally won a game! I also enjoyed Kurt, Tina & Brittany dancing to it in the beginning (leotards and all...).
15. Imagine (performed by the Haverbrook School for the Deaf) - This is the moment when I knew Glee was special. It is probably the moment when I cried the hardest while watching a "comedy". I still get chills thinking about it. OMG when The New Directions joined in it was just so affecting and inspiring. I love that they followed them in signing the whole song. When is the last time you saw a group of deaf teens sing a song on network television? Um never.
16. Vogue (performed by Sue Sylvester) - greatest moment of Glee ever.
17. Bohemian Rhapsody (performed by Vocal Adrenaline) - Just when we are so proud of our New Direction gang - we remember how amazing their competitors are. They undoubtedly deserved the win (am I supposed to admit that?). I loved how they intertwined this song with Quinn's birth - it was unexpected and weird, yet it just worked.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Golden Globes: The 7(+) Biggest Snubs and 3 WTF Nominations
So the Golden Globe nominations were announced on Tuesday and I have to admit - I am still in shock. I realize that it was a struggle to find "award worthy" films this year but they seriously f'd up in what they ultimately chose to nominate. Television seems to have the opposite problem - there is so much awesomeness it is hard to narrow it down. Usually the GG's is my favorite award show - but this year I just can't get behind their decisions. Here are 7 of the biggest snubs and 3 WTF were they thinking nominations.
Film snubs:
1. The Town/Ben Affleck & Company - So The Town and Black Swan are currently competing for my favorite film of the year. I am glad Black Swan has been showered with nominations but the only one that seems to be recognized from The Town is Jeremy Renner (which is definitely well deserved). The entire ensemble of actors in this film is fantastic - I was hoping to see Blake Lively earn a nomination (I never thought that would happen!). I was even more surprised that Jon Hamm was ignored (I thought he was an award show favorite) - but the most egregious error was snubbing Ben Affleck (for Best Actor and Best Director). This film could have been a generic crime thriller about Boston thugs - instead it had heart, intensity and a depth that most films lacked this year. Plus, he directed himself to one of his best performances since Good Will Hunting. It is definitely a tough race among directors this year - look at that list (Fincher, Aronofsky, O'Russell, Nolan)!! But I honestly think Affleck deserves to be listed along side these amazing film makers.
2. Inception's Actors - The most compelling part of Inception was it's acting talent. I was expecting Leo to score another nomination. I was also hoping for JGL to be recognized (as I always do) and Marion Cotillard was perfection! How did she get ignored?
Film WTF nominations:
1. The entire Best Picture - Musical or Comedy category - I have never been so offended in my entire life!! Scrolling down the list - Alice in Wonderland is on my "Worst Films of 2010" list for several reasons (see my previous post of the film). Then I was disturbed by Burlesque - just because the category includes musicals doesn't mean one has to be nominated (especially if it is unworthy). I still haven't seen The Kids Are Alright (I should be receiving it from Netflix tomorrow), so I can't really comment - although I had no idea it was a comedy. Speaking of not a comedy - Red was the least funny film I have seen all year. Yet all of these films combined are still better than the last nomination The Tourist. Are you f'ing kidding me?? First of all, since when is it a comedy? It is not advertised as one (even Angelina herself was surprised at her nod in the "comedy" category). Second, it currently has a 20% on the RT meter, which basically means it is a disaster. Third, I repeat - ARE YOU F'ING KIDDING ME?! So here is how this category should have went down: I am the first one to admit finding 5 nomination worthy comedic films this year is tough. However, Easy A should have been a given (at least they had the good sense to nominate Emma Stone). It is by far my favorite comedy of the year. Next, should have been The Other Guys - simply because it was actually consistently funny. I would even say Date Night would be a solid choice for it's comedy alone (not for plot...). If I were to choose some "action/comedy" films , I would replace Red and obviously The Tourist with either The A-team or The Losers - even the mediocre Kick-Ass would have been a better choice. The best indie, poignant "smaller" film would be It's Kind of a Funny Story or even Greenberg. So - I just listed 8 films that are far superior than those that were nominated - that is just embarrassing Hollywood Foreign Press!!
2. The Inclusion of Mediocrity - I adore Mila Kunis - but her performance was very linear and one-note. I wouldn't call that award worthy (sorry Mila...can we still be BFF's??). Michael Douglas was nothing special in the most boring film of the year - Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps. Johnny Depp did a fantastic job as the Madd Hatter in Alice in Wonderland but one nomination would have been enough - his performance looks laughable in The Tourist (as does his co-stars Angelina Jolie).
Television snubs:
5. January Jones, Courtney Cox, Peter Krause, Joel McHale - just a few lead actors that should have been recognized. It's quite astounding how much talent was ignored!
Television WTF nomination:
Film snubs:
1. The Town/Ben Affleck & Company - So The Town and Black Swan are currently competing for my favorite film of the year. I am glad Black Swan has been showered with nominations but the only one that seems to be recognized from The Town is Jeremy Renner (which is definitely well deserved). The entire ensemble of actors in this film is fantastic - I was hoping to see Blake Lively earn a nomination (I never thought that would happen!). I was even more surprised that Jon Hamm was ignored (I thought he was an award show favorite) - but the most egregious error was snubbing Ben Affleck (for Best Actor and Best Director). This film could have been a generic crime thriller about Boston thugs - instead it had heart, intensity and a depth that most films lacked this year. Plus, he directed himself to one of his best performances since Good Will Hunting. It is definitely a tough race among directors this year - look at that list (Fincher, Aronofsky, O'Russell, Nolan)!! But I honestly think Affleck deserves to be listed along side these amazing film makers.
2. Inception's Actors - The most compelling part of Inception was it's acting talent. I was expecting Leo to score another nomination. I was also hoping for JGL to be recognized (as I always do) and Marion Cotillard was perfection! How did she get ignored?
Film WTF nominations:
1. The entire Best Picture - Musical or Comedy category - I have never been so offended in my entire life!! Scrolling down the list - Alice in Wonderland is on my "Worst Films of 2010" list for several reasons (see my previous post of the film). Then I was disturbed by Burlesque - just because the category includes musicals doesn't mean one has to be nominated (especially if it is unworthy). I still haven't seen The Kids Are Alright (I should be receiving it from Netflix tomorrow), so I can't really comment - although I had no idea it was a comedy. Speaking of not a comedy - Red was the least funny film I have seen all year. Yet all of these films combined are still better than the last nomination The Tourist. Are you f'ing kidding me?? First of all, since when is it a comedy? It is not advertised as one (even Angelina herself was surprised at her nod in the "comedy" category). Second, it currently has a 20% on the RT meter, which basically means it is a disaster. Third, I repeat - ARE YOU F'ING KIDDING ME?! So here is how this category should have went down: I am the first one to admit finding 5 nomination worthy comedic films this year is tough. However, Easy A should have been a given (at least they had the good sense to nominate Emma Stone). It is by far my favorite comedy of the year. Next, should have been The Other Guys - simply because it was actually consistently funny. I would even say Date Night would be a solid choice for it's comedy alone (not for plot...). If I were to choose some "action/comedy" films , I would replace Red and obviously The Tourist with either The A-team or The Losers - even the mediocre Kick-Ass would have been a better choice. The best indie, poignant "smaller" film would be It's Kind of a Funny Story or even Greenberg. So - I just listed 8 films that are far superior than those that were nominated - that is just embarrassing Hollywood Foreign Press!!
2. The Inclusion of Mediocrity - I adore Mila Kunis - but her performance was very linear and one-note. I wouldn't call that award worthy (sorry Mila...can we still be BFF's??). Michael Douglas was nothing special in the most boring film of the year - Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps. Johnny Depp did a fantastic job as the Madd Hatter in Alice in Wonderland but one nomination would have been enough - his performance looks laughable in The Tourist (as does his co-stars Angelina Jolie).
Television snubs:
1. Breaking Bad/Aaron Paul - So they finally came to their senses and nominated Bryan Cranston (who has won 3 Emmy's for his performance on Breaking Bad), but do I seriously have to have this conversation again?!! Aaron Paul won the Emmy last year - explain to me how he doesn't deserve a Golden Globe nomination? The biggest problem is that the "supporting" category includes all of t.v (comedy, drama and made for t.v movies) so it is incredibly difficult to narrow the talent to 5 who are award worthy (although did anyone else notice that there are 6 comedy's nominated? I'm guessing it was too tough to narrow down - but since t.v rocked this year they should have expanded all categories to 6). Anyway, Breaking Bad also is the best show on t.v - it could easily replace The Walking Dead (also a fantastic show - but there were only 6 episodes and the last 3 seemed to drag a bit. I hesitate to award it so quickly).
2. Cory Monteith - I am a little confused about the categories that the Glee actors are nominated for - I am totally down with Chris Colfer and Jane Lynch in the Supporting category but I think Lea Michele and Matt Morrison are “supporting” as well (especially this year – neither has had a major story arc yet). There really isn’t a “star” of that show – it is completely an ensemble production. Whether you want to include him as a Supporting Actor or Lead Actor, hands down Cory Monteith is the best actor on that show – he is just more understated and subtle than the other actors. He effortlessly portrays the “all American” high school teenage boy who is conflicted by his love for football and the Glee club (for those who don't see this as a challenge just consider the fact that Cory is Canadian, dropped out of school in 8th grade and has never played football or sung before this show – meanwhile Lea scored this role because she yelled at the piano player during her audition after thinking he made a mistake – very “Rachel” like and the role of “Kurt” never existed until the creators met Chris and created the role based on his own personality. Both are portraying a characterized version of themselves – I call it the “Tina Fey Syndrome”. I absolutely adore both Lea and Chris – I am just using them as examples to express my frustration). I think Cory will likely always be ignored for his part on this show, which is severely disappointing. For the record – I am not the only one who feels this way, recently this was written in EW.com: “It’s been a while since we’ve gotten some Finn focus, and I think I just missed Cory Monteith. But I also forgot what a good, natural actor he can be.”
3. Fringe and everyone on it - Nothing for one of the best series on television? Really? Just one nomination would have sufficed (for Anna Torv - who easily had the most challenging role this season playing 2 different versions of herself - I also note that Nina Dobrev faced a similar challenge on The Vampire Diaries this season and NAILED it). The show is clearly superior to most shows and the combined acting talent puts other shows to shame. On a side note - I just found out they are moving the show to the "death" time slot on Friday nights...wtf? Are they trying to break my heart?
4. All of the Supporting Actors That I Love - Seriously, they missed so many I don't know where to begin - How about the entire supporting cast of Grey's Anatomy? or Community? The rest of the Modern Family cast? Cougar Town? Certainly someone (anyone) from Parenthood? I was surprised by the absence of Lost actors as well.5. January Jones, Courtney Cox, Peter Krause, Joel McHale - just a few lead actors that should have been recognized. It's quite astounding how much talent was ignored!
Television WTF nomination:
1. Piper Perabo - I actually laughed out loud when I read that. The girl from Coyote Ugly was actually nominated for an award other than a Razzie? That must be some sort of joke on all of us t.v fans. A show like Covert Affairs should not be recognized during award season - I've never seen it, but am sure that it is no better than other summer "fillers" like Rookie Blue, Royal Pains, Burn Notice etc. I can literally think of a dozen other actresses that deserve her slot.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
4 Films That I Actually Liked
It's been a while since I have watched films from this year that I actually enjoyed. I wouldn't say any of them are fantastic, but compared to other films released this year they definitely are an improvement.
1. It's Kind of a Funny Story - Emma Roberts is one of my favorite young actresses working today (I am ignoring the fact that she was in Valentine’s Day). I am happy that she chooses to do quieter films with interesting roles – proving her talent instead of riding on her famous Aunt’s heels. Keir Gilcrest is an unknown actor who is surprisingly talented - he could easily pass for a Culkin (I say that as a Culkin family fan – Rory and Keiran are incredibly talented young actors). I like the story – it’s an interesting take on teen depression. It sort of belittles teenage angst by shoving a “depressed” teenager into a mental ward for a few days – you know with actual “crazy” people. It is a cheesy tale of growing up, appreciating what you have and the people around you, yet it didn’t seem as preachy as it could have been. I’m not sure if it is a film I will remember 10 years from now (like its predecessor Girl, Interrupted) but it is one of the best films this year (which is just plain sad).
2. The Other Guys - This film was actually funny (unlike the promos and trailer for the film – in which I laughed a total of zero times). It took me by surprise because I don't think I have laughed at a Will Ferrell film since Elf. The funniest ongoing joke was Eva Mendes as Will Ferrell’s wife (and how he constantly makes comments about how plain she is). It is completely offensive (you know…emotionally abusing your wife), but somehow it crosses the line to funny. I enjoy Mark Walberg in comedic roles (oh how I fell in love with him in I Heart Huckabees). The plot was a little ridiculous and predictable, but infused with enough humor to be completely entertaining.
3. The Killer Inside Me - Not your ordinary violent movie – this film was downright brutal. And completely hard to watch. Jessica Alba is gorgeous, but I don’t think she is the best actress for this role. I am a huge fan of Casey Affleck but I am a little nervous about the whole sexual harassment issue (one accusation I would ignore - but 3? That might have some truth behind it…). So the best way I can describe this film is that it is a Western version of American Psycho (not nearly as good). However, *spoiler alerts ahead* the killer made a lot of mistakes (like his framing of the murder-she wouldn't shoot 4 perfect shots after she had a broken face & neck) and taking some of the money (not knowing that he bills were marked). His hatred towards women is fascinating (although I would rather not know that his mother was a complete psychopath – it would have made his hate more evil). Everyone mumbled a lot so I feel like I missed a lot of important dialogue but wasn’t quite interested enough to rewind. I didn’t think Alba's character was still alive. It is rare that a film surprises me so that was a plus. I was bothered by the end because wouldn’t they smell the gas? If he really doused the entire house it would surely smell. He did use alcohol for part of the house, but still gas is a pretty intense smell. I kind of want to see the original film from the 70’s although I don’t want to read the book. I don’t know why -but books disturb me more than films do - I feel like it would give me nightmares.
The Losers - The best part of this film is the cast. None of them are super famous, but all prove to be extremely talented (and funny!). I love Idris Elba? Does anyone else miss The Wire as much as I do? And Jeffrey Dean Morgan (better known as Denny from Greys Anatomy). Chris Evans was refreshing – he should do more roles like this because I honestly never thought he could do anything else but look pretty. I love the scene where he sings Journey's Don't Stop Believing so that no one will get in the elevator with him. Hysterical. Jason Patrick (getting old…) as a bad guy was also great casting. I guess it is about time I forgive Zoe Saldana for Crossroads right? She is now a legitimate actress – she did a pretty good job holding her own against some pretty tough guys. It’s kinda like The A-Team - equally action packed, equally funny just a bit more under the radar (and missing a shirtless Bradley Cooper). I honestly enjoyed it from beginning to end.
1. It's Kind of a Funny Story - Emma Roberts is one of my favorite young actresses working today (I am ignoring the fact that she was in Valentine’s Day). I am happy that she chooses to do quieter films with interesting roles – proving her talent instead of riding on her famous Aunt’s heels. Keir Gilcrest is an unknown actor who is surprisingly talented - he could easily pass for a Culkin (I say that as a Culkin family fan – Rory and Keiran are incredibly talented young actors). I like the story – it’s an interesting take on teen depression. It sort of belittles teenage angst by shoving a “depressed” teenager into a mental ward for a few days – you know with actual “crazy” people. It is a cheesy tale of growing up, appreciating what you have and the people around you, yet it didn’t seem as preachy as it could have been. I’m not sure if it is a film I will remember 10 years from now (like its predecessor Girl, Interrupted) but it is one of the best films this year (which is just plain sad).
2. The Other Guys - This film was actually funny (unlike the promos and trailer for the film – in which I laughed a total of zero times). It took me by surprise because I don't think I have laughed at a Will Ferrell film since Elf. The funniest ongoing joke was Eva Mendes as Will Ferrell’s wife (and how he constantly makes comments about how plain she is). It is completely offensive (you know…emotionally abusing your wife), but somehow it crosses the line to funny. I enjoy Mark Walberg in comedic roles (oh how I fell in love with him in I Heart Huckabees). The plot was a little ridiculous and predictable, but infused with enough humor to be completely entertaining.
3. The Killer Inside Me - Not your ordinary violent movie – this film was downright brutal. And completely hard to watch. Jessica Alba is gorgeous, but I don’t think she is the best actress for this role. I am a huge fan of Casey Affleck but I am a little nervous about the whole sexual harassment issue (one accusation I would ignore - but 3? That might have some truth behind it…). So the best way I can describe this film is that it is a Western version of American Psycho (not nearly as good). However, *spoiler alerts ahead* the killer made a lot of mistakes (like his framing of the murder-she wouldn't shoot 4 perfect shots after she had a broken face & neck) and taking some of the money (not knowing that he bills were marked). His hatred towards women is fascinating (although I would rather not know that his mother was a complete psychopath – it would have made his hate more evil). Everyone mumbled a lot so I feel like I missed a lot of important dialogue but wasn’t quite interested enough to rewind. I didn’t think Alba's character was still alive. It is rare that a film surprises me so that was a plus. I was bothered by the end because wouldn’t they smell the gas? If he really doused the entire house it would surely smell. He did use alcohol for part of the house, but still gas is a pretty intense smell. I kind of want to see the original film from the 70’s although I don’t want to read the book. I don’t know why -but books disturb me more than films do - I feel like it would give me nightmares.
The Losers - The best part of this film is the cast. None of them are super famous, but all prove to be extremely talented (and funny!). I love Idris Elba? Does anyone else miss The Wire as much as I do? And Jeffrey Dean Morgan (better known as Denny from Greys Anatomy). Chris Evans was refreshing – he should do more roles like this because I honestly never thought he could do anything else but look pretty. I love the scene where he sings Journey's Don't Stop Believing so that no one will get in the elevator with him. Hysterical. Jason Patrick (getting old…) as a bad guy was also great casting. I guess it is about time I forgive Zoe Saldana for Crossroads right? She is now a legitimate actress – she did a pretty good job holding her own against some pretty tough guys. It’s kinda like The A-Team - equally action packed, equally funny just a bit more under the radar (and missing a shirtless Bradley Cooper). I honestly enjoyed it from beginning to end.
4 Reasons Why "Black Swan" is a Fantastic Film
"Black Swan" was exactly what I expected it to be - usually this would be an insult to a film (for a film to be great it should exceed one's expectations...right?). However, I had extremely high expectations for this film, probably too high - the trailer was beautiful, the actors are talented and the director is one of the most creative, auteur directors working today. It had no excuses to be anything but amazing and surprisingly it actually was!! Here are reason's it was a great film:
1. It's memorable - Darren Aronofsky is a master at creating memorable films. If you were to ask me what the most disturbing film is - I would respond with Requiem for a Dream. Watching people self-destruct is quite powerful and Requiem combines this theme with some equally disturbing images creating something so memorable I never had to watch it again (the film is literally stuck in my brain forever). Black Swan is similar in the way that it uses strong imagery to represent the downward spiral of the main character, Nina. It is disturbing to watch this innocent and naive girl create a world of chaos in her head. She is literally her own worst enemy, but the film also makes you wonder how much is actually in her head and how much really happened. I love that it doesn't give any direct answers - instead leaves you guessing (some will inevitably find this irritating). I don't want to give any spoilers away, but when you watch it you will understand what I mean. I guess I felt such a personal connection to the story because it represents one of my biggest fears - which is having a mental breakdown. Sometimes I can feel myself breaking and it is the worst feeling in the world - luckily it usually doesn't last long but what if one day my brain just "breaks" and I don't recover? That is horrifying to think about. Anyway.....
2. Natalie Portman - The one big problem I had with the film is that they never give any idea of Nina's age. Natalie is my age (almost 30...shhh...don't tell anyone!)- I grew up watching her, so to me she is an adult (plus she has always carried herself in a much more mature manner than most Hollywood stars her age - so she sometimes seemed even older). Yet, Nina is obviously supposed to be "young" as in an adolescent (someone who has not yet experienced her "sexual awakening") who lives with her controlling mother and a bunch of stuffed animals. That would make me assume that she is 18 (at the oldest), but then she goes to a club and gets wasted (legally) - so then she is obviously older than 21. It doesn't really make sense to me. Anyway, on to Miss Portman's fantastic performance! I think the thing that makes her performance so great is that she was cast in this role to begin with - it was perfect casting. Natalie seems fragile, uptight and a bit of a perfectionist - so it wasn't a hard transition for her to play this role, however she was able to completely unravel and use her fragility to become completely vulnerable and "broken". It is heartbreaking and wonderful to witness. It mirrored the film beautifully (Natalie was perfect as "innocent Nina" but one wonders whether she will be able to pull off "self-destructive Nina" just like Nina is perfect for "White Swan" but will she be able to become the "Black Swan"?).
3. Swan Lake - The film was based around the production of this famous Ballet. I have never seen it - I wasn't even aware of the story. Thanks to this film, I am now obsessed. It is sort of a fairy tale with a twist (as in she doesn't get the prince and live happily ever after). The idea that suicide is "freeing" is a twisted yet beautiful concept. Plus, Ballet has always been my least favorite dance. While I appreciate the passion and dedication that these dancers have, it is completely boring to watch. This film had a nice balance of the actual dancing, so I never felt bored - instead I was able to enjoy the dancing in small increments.
4. Mila Kunis - I love her. She is seriously gorgeous and talented. Can she be in more movies please?
1. It's memorable - Darren Aronofsky is a master at creating memorable films. If you were to ask me what the most disturbing film is - I would respond with Requiem for a Dream. Watching people self-destruct is quite powerful and Requiem combines this theme with some equally disturbing images creating something so memorable I never had to watch it again (the film is literally stuck in my brain forever). Black Swan is similar in the way that it uses strong imagery to represent the downward spiral of the main character, Nina. It is disturbing to watch this innocent and naive girl create a world of chaos in her head. She is literally her own worst enemy, but the film also makes you wonder how much is actually in her head and how much really happened. I love that it doesn't give any direct answers - instead leaves you guessing (some will inevitably find this irritating). I don't want to give any spoilers away, but when you watch it you will understand what I mean. I guess I felt such a personal connection to the story because it represents one of my biggest fears - which is having a mental breakdown. Sometimes I can feel myself breaking and it is the worst feeling in the world - luckily it usually doesn't last long but what if one day my brain just "breaks" and I don't recover? That is horrifying to think about. Anyway.....
2. Natalie Portman - The one big problem I had with the film is that they never give any idea of Nina's age. Natalie is my age (almost 30...shhh...don't tell anyone!)- I grew up watching her, so to me she is an adult (plus she has always carried herself in a much more mature manner than most Hollywood stars her age - so she sometimes seemed even older). Yet, Nina is obviously supposed to be "young" as in an adolescent (someone who has not yet experienced her "sexual awakening") who lives with her controlling mother and a bunch of stuffed animals. That would make me assume that she is 18 (at the oldest), but then she goes to a club and gets wasted (legally) - so then she is obviously older than 21. It doesn't really make sense to me. Anyway, on to Miss Portman's fantastic performance! I think the thing that makes her performance so great is that she was cast in this role to begin with - it was perfect casting. Natalie seems fragile, uptight and a bit of a perfectionist - so it wasn't a hard transition for her to play this role, however she was able to completely unravel and use her fragility to become completely vulnerable and "broken". It is heartbreaking and wonderful to witness. It mirrored the film beautifully (Natalie was perfect as "innocent Nina" but one wonders whether she will be able to pull off "self-destructive Nina" just like Nina is perfect for "White Swan" but will she be able to become the "Black Swan"?).
3. Swan Lake - The film was based around the production of this famous Ballet. I have never seen it - I wasn't even aware of the story. Thanks to this film, I am now obsessed. It is sort of a fairy tale with a twist (as in she doesn't get the prince and live happily ever after). The idea that suicide is "freeing" is a twisted yet beautiful concept. Plus, Ballet has always been my least favorite dance. While I appreciate the passion and dedication that these dancers have, it is completely boring to watch. This film had a nice balance of the actual dancing, so I never felt bored - instead I was able to enjoy the dancing in small increments.
4. Mila Kunis - I love her. She is seriously gorgeous and talented. Can she be in more movies please?
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
4 Thoughts on "A Very Glee Christmas"
Since "A Very Glee Christmas" is the last new episode we get until Feb 6th (!!!) - I will give the episode it's own post (instead of the 3 eps per post that I have been doing).
1. The Christmas Theme - While I agree with some that it was slightly offensive to air a Christmas themed episode in the middle of Hanukkah, I sort of love the idea that the creators of Glee decided to fore go being politically correct and instead fully embraced Christmas. Once December arrives Christmas is EVERYWHERE - Let's stop pretending like it's not. So, while we have characters that we know are Jewish (Puck, Rachel, Tina (Half Jewish) and maybe even Artie - his last name is Abrams) they still joined in the celebration (which I would like to point out was not religious themed at all - instead it was more about giving to the less fortunate and the spirit of forgiveness). That being said - I am not really a big Christmas theme kind of person, nor am I a fan of Christmas music. A Very Glee Christmas was one big cheese-fest, but it did have a few decent moments that made it watchable.
2. Brittany Believes in Santa - Seriously? That's a bit overkill. Brittany is dim (and hilarious) but her dimness is bordering on obnoxious now. I love that Artie tries to keep Brittany's world "magical". He is definitely a better boyfriend to her than he ever was with Tina - so I might start liking him as a character. Brittany believing in Santa did give us one of the most hilarious scenes of the episode - the mall Santa. The scene was one funny line after another - "I want bling - I can't be any more specific than that" Santanna. "Do you have anything for stretch marks?" Quinn. "Chap stick. Lots of chap stick" Sam. "I want Channing Tatum to stop being in stuff" Mike. Then comes the hard hitting line "For Christmas, I want him to be able to walk". Oh Brittany stop making my heart hurt. Of course, I should have predicted the Christmas miracle that was awaiting us - but I TOTALLY DID NOT SEE THAT COMING! Artie walked (with the help of a mechanical device) - seriously I was not expecting to cry like a baby.
3. Highlights - Mike got slushied! I am pretty sure that was his first - so congrats Mike! You are officially a Gleek!.. Will had my two favorite moments of the episode - him angrily knocking Sue's phone off the hook was pointless and therefore hilarious as was him saying "HO HO HO" in Sue's face. I loved that Rachel was back to season 1 - creepy stalker obsessive Rachel (Finn might need to start checking under his bed again). The only song highlight was Baby, it's Cold Outside by Kurt and Blaine - seriously adorable. Kudos to Glee for giving us another television first - 2 gay teens serenading each other. It was perfectly flirtatious, sweet and delicious. I also enjoyed the blues version of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch".
4. Lowlights - This will definitely go down as one of the weakest Glee episodes ever. Besides Will's two moments - I really didn't laugh out loud at all. The beginning scene where they sing that awful Christmas song and decorate the tree was overly cheesy and boooring - I entertained myself by watching Finn clumsily try to tie a bow on a present (pretty much every boring scene can be saved by watching Finn). Speaking of - Finn and Rachel bored me to tears. Although I did love that Rachel decided to celebrate Christmas (Finn's favorite holiday) in order to get him back. Too bad she wreaked of desperation and Finn called her on it and refused to forgive her - "you messed me up, Rachel" (sad face - but my biggest pet peeve with this is that he doesn't seem to be mad at Puck. I get the whole "bro's before ho's" mentality but would he seriously forgive Puck again?). I love that they didn't get back together but am dreading the inevitable Valentine's day episode which will likely see them making up (and another episode of cheese). Both songs featuring Rachel fell flat - Merry Christmas, Darling fit the episode nicely and her voice is amazing (as always) but I didn't quite feel the angst she was trying to portray, while Last Christmas was once again Finn and Rachel circling each other (around Christmas trees instead of a piano). I am so over it.
1. The Christmas Theme - While I agree with some that it was slightly offensive to air a Christmas themed episode in the middle of Hanukkah, I sort of love the idea that the creators of Glee decided to fore go being politically correct and instead fully embraced Christmas. Once December arrives Christmas is EVERYWHERE - Let's stop pretending like it's not. So, while we have characters that we know are Jewish (Puck, Rachel, Tina (Half Jewish) and maybe even Artie - his last name is Abrams) they still joined in the celebration (which I would like to point out was not religious themed at all - instead it was more about giving to the less fortunate and the spirit of forgiveness). That being said - I am not really a big Christmas theme kind of person, nor am I a fan of Christmas music. A Very Glee Christmas was one big cheese-fest, but it did have a few decent moments that made it watchable.
2. Brittany Believes in Santa - Seriously? That's a bit overkill. Brittany is dim (and hilarious) but her dimness is bordering on obnoxious now. I love that Artie tries to keep Brittany's world "magical". He is definitely a better boyfriend to her than he ever was with Tina - so I might start liking him as a character. Brittany believing in Santa did give us one of the most hilarious scenes of the episode - the mall Santa. The scene was one funny line after another - "I want bling - I can't be any more specific than that" Santanna. "Do you have anything for stretch marks?" Quinn. "Chap stick. Lots of chap stick" Sam. "I want Channing Tatum to stop being in stuff" Mike. Then comes the hard hitting line "For Christmas, I want him to be able to walk". Oh Brittany stop making my heart hurt. Of course, I should have predicted the Christmas miracle that was awaiting us - but I TOTALLY DID NOT SEE THAT COMING! Artie walked (with the help of a mechanical device) - seriously I was not expecting to cry like a baby.
3. Highlights - Mike got slushied! I am pretty sure that was his first - so congrats Mike! You are officially a Gleek!.. Will had my two favorite moments of the episode - him angrily knocking Sue's phone off the hook was pointless and therefore hilarious as was him saying "HO HO HO" in Sue's face. I loved that Rachel was back to season 1 - creepy stalker obsessive Rachel (Finn might need to start checking under his bed again). The only song highlight was Baby, it's Cold Outside by Kurt and Blaine - seriously adorable. Kudos to Glee for giving us another television first - 2 gay teens serenading each other. It was perfectly flirtatious, sweet and delicious. I also enjoyed the blues version of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch".
4. Lowlights - This will definitely go down as one of the weakest Glee episodes ever. Besides Will's two moments - I really didn't laugh out loud at all. The beginning scene where they sing that awful Christmas song and decorate the tree was overly cheesy and boooring - I entertained myself by watching Finn clumsily try to tie a bow on a present (pretty much every boring scene can be saved by watching Finn). Speaking of - Finn and Rachel bored me to tears. Although I did love that Rachel decided to celebrate Christmas (Finn's favorite holiday) in order to get him back. Too bad she wreaked of desperation and Finn called her on it and refused to forgive her - "you messed me up, Rachel" (sad face - but my biggest pet peeve with this is that he doesn't seem to be mad at Puck. I get the whole "bro's before ho's" mentality but would he seriously forgive Puck again?). I love that they didn't get back together but am dreading the inevitable Valentine's day episode which will likely see them making up (and another episode of cheese). Both songs featuring Rachel fell flat - Merry Christmas, Darling fit the episode nicely and her voice is amazing (as always) but I didn't quite feel the angst she was trying to portray, while Last Christmas was once again Finn and Rachel circling each other (around Christmas trees instead of a piano). I am so over it.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
3 Thoughts on "Remember Me".
When the film "Remember Me" came out in theaters earlier this year, I assumed it to be a cheesy, dramatic love story about two young people from the opposite sides of life. I had no interest in seeing it - although was intrigued by the fact that Chris Cooper was in it (he usually chooses fantastic projects). I became more intrigued when the reviews started coming in and they all seemed obsessed with the shocking ending. This sort of film doesn't strike me as the sort of film that would shock me (I thought to myself...hmm...let me guess...one of them dies). After reading one of the spoiler alerts - I admit, I was in shock. And no...I can't write about this film without discussing the ending, so warning: SPOILER ALERT. Here are my thoughts...
1. The overview - to be completely honest, the film sucked. I think if I didn't already know the ending, I would have pressed stop on my DVD player 1/2 way through. It was boring and drawn out. I am not a fan of R. Patz and I think Emilie de Ravin is a bit over-rated (she always over-acted as Claire on Lost - especially the last season). In this film, their characters were self-involved and a bit whiny (both share "daddy issues") - and the worst part is that I didn't believe in their love at all.
2. The hints - knowing the end already, I paid extremely close attention to every detail. I think if I didn't know the end - I would probably overlooked the biggest clue right from the beginning. Ally is 10 years old in 1991. The rest of the film takes place when she just turned 21 (do the math). Another obvious hint to the end is probably the music/movies that are seen and heard - Ally listens to an old Ani Difranco album, the father wants to watch Erin Brockovich on DVD - which was released in theaters in 2000 and the biggest hint of all was that American Pie 2 was playing in the theater - released in August 2001. In September 2001, I was 20 years old in college - all of these things reminded me of this time period.
3. The end - So, the end of the film is that Tyler - having just reconnected with his corporate business mogul father -ends up in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. It is a haunting image as he looks out the window, while the camera pans out to reveal that he is in this iconic building. I have to admit that the music leading up to the end caused me to have severe anxiety because I knew that I was about to be emotionally ambushed. I know that I would have felt even more ambushed, almost assaulted, if I didn't know how it was going to end. The biggest flaw that I find with the end is that the rest of the film sucks so much that it just simply doesn't deserve such a big ending. To use 9/11 as a creative tool - I feel like you must earn if first (like Fringe for example). This is probably the first time in history that I am not kicking myself for reading a spoiler.
1. The overview - to be completely honest, the film sucked. I think if I didn't already know the ending, I would have pressed stop on my DVD player 1/2 way through. It was boring and drawn out. I am not a fan of R. Patz and I think Emilie de Ravin is a bit over-rated (she always over-acted as Claire on Lost - especially the last season). In this film, their characters were self-involved and a bit whiny (both share "daddy issues") - and the worst part is that I didn't believe in their love at all.
2. The hints - knowing the end already, I paid extremely close attention to every detail. I think if I didn't know the end - I would probably overlooked the biggest clue right from the beginning. Ally is 10 years old in 1991. The rest of the film takes place when she just turned 21 (do the math). Another obvious hint to the end is probably the music/movies that are seen and heard - Ally listens to an old Ani Difranco album, the father wants to watch Erin Brockovich on DVD - which was released in theaters in 2000 and the biggest hint of all was that American Pie 2 was playing in the theater - released in August 2001. In September 2001, I was 20 years old in college - all of these things reminded me of this time period.
3. The end - So, the end of the film is that Tyler - having just reconnected with his corporate business mogul father -ends up in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. It is a haunting image as he looks out the window, while the camera pans out to reveal that he is in this iconic building. I have to admit that the music leading up to the end caused me to have severe anxiety because I knew that I was about to be emotionally ambushed. I know that I would have felt even more ambushed, almost assaulted, if I didn't know how it was going to end. The biggest flaw that I find with the end is that the rest of the film sucks so much that it just simply doesn't deserve such a big ending. To use 9/11 as a creative tool - I feel like you must earn if first (like Fringe for example). This is probably the first time in history that I am not kicking myself for reading a spoiler.
Catching up on 2009 - 7 DVD's I Recently Watched
Since there are no good films in the theater - I have had a lot of time on my hands to catch up on some films I missed from last year. Here are some quick thoughts on the dvd's that I watched recently:
1. Law Abiding Citizen - Gerard Butler is a joy to watch. So is watching a film with one of my favorite cities as a back drop (Philly). I was surprisingly invested in the film for its entirety, but I have to admit the plot was way over the top insane. I don't think it is very realistic or believable that a person would seek revenge for the murder of his wife and daughter by killing a bunch of innocent people - all in the name of justice?.
2. Cold Souls - I was super excited for this film- finally an original idea!! With Paul Giamatti! I don't understand how they could ruin it...but they did. The film is said to be Charlie Kaufman-esque, but I don't think it was clever, captivating or complicated enough for such a comparison.
3. Bright Star - Boooooring! And Abbie Cornish? Blaaaaand. (I admit, I am a bit biased against her - she was dating my boyfriend Ryan Phillippe. But still - I don't think her performance was award worthy at all).
4. The Stepfather - New drinking game! Take a drink every time Penn is shirtless. You would die of alcohol poisoning. The problem is that Penn is not hot and the film is laughable (and not in an intentional way). It just reminded me how great Disturbia is - because this film is basically the same, yet this fails miserably. I haven't seen the original but I am excited to see it once I realized John Locke is in it - I bet he is much scarier than the guy from Nip/Tuck.
5. Brief Interviews With Hideous Men - I was intrigued by this film - written and directed by John Krasinski (yes, that John Krasinski - weird I know) and has one of my favorite television actresses, Julianne Nicholson in it. I have to say, the film is....interesting. I think it would be better as a play - there are a lot of long monologues that get lost in a film medium. It looks at the women's movement through a man's eye, but it also looks at love as a grey area (instead of the usual black and white). My favorite part is the idea that a tragic event can in fact improve your life (in the long run) which is a beautiful and inspiring idea. Kudos to John for creating a film that is thought-provoking.
6. Paranormal Activity - I am fascinated by this film - not the actual film, but the hype surrounding it. When I saw this trailer in the theater, I was laughing while everyone else was thrilled. On opening day, the line that formed at my local theater was outrageous. Even more outrageous were the mostly positive reviews and the ridiculous amount of money the film made. I finally forced myself to watch it - and was not surprised that it sucked like I knew it would. I will admit that I was surprised by the acting talent, but overall the film was only minorly creepy - not scary at all. I am also not sure why it received an "R" rating - it didn't have any violence or sex, just a few unnecessary curse words.
7. 2012 - Some adjectives to describe this film: cheesy, ridiculous, impossible, absurd, trashy. I mean they actually had the characters outrun an earthquake! Come on. I enjoy a good disaster flick once in a while, but this one was just a waste of the millions of dollars it cost to make it. I understand that the effects were probably much better on a big screen, but on my t.v they looked terrible. I don't believe in the whole "2012" theory and this film did not do a good job in convincing me. I also would never want to be one of the few that survived such a disaster - having all of your friends and family dead. I feel that the biggest mistake this film had was not having characters that you actually care about (like Will Smith & Jeff Goldblum in Independence Day).
1. Law Abiding Citizen - Gerard Butler is a joy to watch. So is watching a film with one of my favorite cities as a back drop (Philly). I was surprisingly invested in the film for its entirety, but I have to admit the plot was way over the top insane. I don't think it is very realistic or believable that a person would seek revenge for the murder of his wife and daughter by killing a bunch of innocent people - all in the name of justice?.
2. Cold Souls - I was super excited for this film- finally an original idea!! With Paul Giamatti! I don't understand how they could ruin it...but they did. The film is said to be Charlie Kaufman-esque, but I don't think it was clever, captivating or complicated enough for such a comparison.
3. Bright Star - Boooooring! And Abbie Cornish? Blaaaaand. (I admit, I am a bit biased against her - she was dating my boyfriend Ryan Phillippe. But still - I don't think her performance was award worthy at all).
4. The Stepfather - New drinking game! Take a drink every time Penn is shirtless. You would die of alcohol poisoning. The problem is that Penn is not hot and the film is laughable (and not in an intentional way). It just reminded me how great Disturbia is - because this film is basically the same, yet this fails miserably. I haven't seen the original but I am excited to see it once I realized John Locke is in it - I bet he is much scarier than the guy from Nip/Tuck.
5. Brief Interviews With Hideous Men - I was intrigued by this film - written and directed by John Krasinski (yes, that John Krasinski - weird I know) and has one of my favorite television actresses, Julianne Nicholson in it. I have to say, the film is....interesting. I think it would be better as a play - there are a lot of long monologues that get lost in a film medium. It looks at the women's movement through a man's eye, but it also looks at love as a grey area (instead of the usual black and white). My favorite part is the idea that a tragic event can in fact improve your life (in the long run) which is a beautiful and inspiring idea. Kudos to John for creating a film that is thought-provoking.
6. Paranormal Activity - I am fascinated by this film - not the actual film, but the hype surrounding it. When I saw this trailer in the theater, I was laughing while everyone else was thrilled. On opening day, the line that formed at my local theater was outrageous. Even more outrageous were the mostly positive reviews and the ridiculous amount of money the film made. I finally forced myself to watch it - and was not surprised that it sucked like I knew it would. I will admit that I was surprised by the acting talent, but overall the film was only minorly creepy - not scary at all. I am also not sure why it received an "R" rating - it didn't have any violence or sex, just a few unnecessary curse words.
7. 2012 - Some adjectives to describe this film: cheesy, ridiculous, impossible, absurd, trashy. I mean they actually had the characters outrun an earthquake! Come on. I enjoy a good disaster flick once in a while, but this one was just a waste of the millions of dollars it cost to make it. I understand that the effects were probably much better on a big screen, but on my t.v they looked terrible. I don't believe in the whole "2012" theory and this film did not do a good job in convincing me. I also would never want to be one of the few that survived such a disaster - having all of your friends and family dead. I feel that the biggest mistake this film had was not having characters that you actually care about (like Will Smith & Jeff Goldblum in Independence Day).
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