Best Moments:
1. Best Emmy opening ever!!! - Seriously, how could it get any better than seeing Joel Mchale sing and dance? And watching Jon Hamm "back that mother up" into Betty White as she says "I like that..I like that"? One of the funniest things I have ever seen. I watched the opening 3 times and found something about it incredibly funny all 3 times. I think it deserved a standing ovation but whatever. (I also love that they included Nina Dobrev from The Vampire Diaries - at least they gave one nod to an amazing but overlooked series)
2. Aaron Paul won - Holy Shiz!! I did not expect it to actually happen. Aaron's performance on Breaking Bad has been on the top of my list for the past 2 years. He is the only actor on t.v that can finish sentences with "yo" and "bitch" realistically and flawlessly. I was so happy when his name was announced I actually stood out of my chair and started clapping (scaring my cats at the same time). It was definitely the most deserved award of the night.
3. Jimmy Fallon - So, you all know that I am a huge Jimmy Fallon fan - but I was a little nervous for him hosting such a prestigious event (sure he can kill it at less mature award shows, like the VMA's). I think overall he did an amazing job - I admit the twitter intro's bombed, as did some of the guitar/audience play. On his late night show, he does skits like 6B and Late (versions of Glee and Lost) but they are not spoofs, instead they are skits to pay homage to his favorite shows. I am glad he was able to showcase his talent as well as his passion for television.
4. Out with the old - It was definitely a night for 1st time wins (almost all actor/actress categories were dominated by newbies - except "the original real housewife of NJ" Edie Falco and three time consecutive winner, Bryan Cranston). Most were well deserved - even Jim Parsons (I don't watch The Big Bang Theory but he is a favorite among critics that I usually agree with). I am glad Modern Family won and that overrated shows got the boot (30 Rock, Two and a Half Men, CSI and Curb Your Enthusiasm).
5. George Clooney - Sure, showing up in the Modern Family skit was hilarious - but his real shining moment was accepting The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award. 16 years ago, did you ever think you would be watching Dr. Ross receive such an honor? Especially with such grace and self-deprecation?
6. Ricky Gervais - Once again, Ricky is the best presenter of the night. Not only did he bring beer for the audience (at least the first few rows. On a side note, I am glad to see Matthew Perry turn down the beer...). He also gave the best quote of the night - "Mel has been through a lot (long pause) not as much as the Jews".
Worst Moments:
1. "like for serious" - These are the words uttered by winner Claire Danes. Not only did she sound like a complete moron - she actually won an award over Judy Dench. Like for serious - Dame Judy Dench! No, I did not see this miniseries/t.v movie - so it is a bit harsh for me to judge, however ever since Claire ruined Romeo and Juliet for me - I have not been a fan. (on a positive note - I love her as a style icon...)
2. Ty Burrell and Michael C. Hall did not win - I love Eric Stonestreet (I also love that he is a very straight man in "real" life able to play a realistic, flamboyant gay man without being offensive), but hands down Ty is much funnier. I have already stated my love for MCH - so I don't want to be repetitive (I also don't want to take away from Cranstons win), but it is a sad day when MCH is once again on the losing end of an award.
3. Mad Men wins - Have you seen Breaking Bad? Season 3 was impeccable (as expected) - from violent and shocking episodes like One Minute to sublimely quiet episodes like Fly. The series does not have a single flaw. Don't even get me started on season 4 of Dexter (which I am currently watching). The Trinity killer storyline is it's best yet. These shows are brilliant - better than the very good Mad Men.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
4 Reasons Why "Inception" Was Awesome; 4 Reason's Why It Wasn't
I saw "Inception" a few weeks ago, but have been procrastinating writing down my thoughts on the film...mostly because I have mixed feelings about the film. I was going to see it again before I made my final decision but I am not sure if I really want to spend another 2 hours and 40 minutes of my life analyzing what it all means. So for now I will just give you some of my initial reactions as to why I liked the film....and why I didn't.
Why it was awesome:
1. It has been a long time since a film has completely baffled me - When I left the theater, I felt completely confident that I understood the film...in its entirety. Then, I read some reviews and blog posts and my confidence was shaken. There are so many different theories to explore, so many different levels if you will, that I had not thought about. Which is why I should see it again.
2. The end - I think one needs to fully understand the concept of the totem to "get" the ending. When watching the film, I didn't realize its importance so I feel like I missed some key ideas. However, my interpretation of the totem was that you must carry one with you at all times, and no one else can touch it because only you can know its key attributes. So my confusion lies in the fact that the spinning top was Mal's (not Cobb's), yet Cobb had it through the whole film. So what does that mean for the end? For me...nothing. I love when a film is unresolved. And I am not the type of person that needs closure, so for me the ending was just that. Unresolved. Some review or post that I read (and I have read too many to remember which one I am about to reference so excuse me for not giving credit where it is due) said that the point of the end isn't whether he is in a dream or not - it is that he doesn't stay to look at the top...he walks away. Which is sort of how I feel - the point of the film is not for you to decide whether it was a dream or not, the point is that Cobb's story is resolved - for him at least.
3. The love story - While the whole notion of inception was a little too conceptual for my taste, I did love the connection between Cobb and Mal. That part of the film was beautiful and unforgettable. This is the only reason that I am considering seeing the film again - so I can truly understand their story.
4. The actors - Can it really get any better? Oscar nominations all around (ok maybe not for Ellen Page - who was definitely the weakest link).
and why I was disappointed:
1. Inception - Like I stated above - the idea is far too out there and the whole movie is about someone literally trying to steal a company from a guy who was emotionally abused by his father (and we are supposed to root for them to succeed?!). The whole notion about the different dream levels and the state of limbo was too intricate and confusing. I did however enjoy the difference in time between the different levels - that was kinda cool.
2. The special effects - absolutely amazing - too bad they showed all of the cool stuff in the trailer. It felt repetitive and some of it dragged on a bit.
3. Speaking of dragging on - Seriously, is Leo incapable of starring in films that are under 2 hours? This film was way too long - obvi I know it is not Leo's fault instead it is Christopher Nolan's fault - who did the same thing with The Dark Knight - dragged out every scene so much it becomes painful. I think this film could have easily cut out the entire ski scene (or third dream level sequence).
4. The endless debate - I don't even like telling people that I saw it, because I know it will begin a tireless conversation about "what it all means" when in reality I don't really care.
Why it was awesome:
1. It has been a long time since a film has completely baffled me - When I left the theater, I felt completely confident that I understood the film...in its entirety. Then, I read some reviews and blog posts and my confidence was shaken. There are so many different theories to explore, so many different levels if you will, that I had not thought about. Which is why I should see it again.
2. The end - I think one needs to fully understand the concept of the totem to "get" the ending. When watching the film, I didn't realize its importance so I feel like I missed some key ideas. However, my interpretation of the totem was that you must carry one with you at all times, and no one else can touch it because only you can know its key attributes. So my confusion lies in the fact that the spinning top was Mal's (not Cobb's), yet Cobb had it through the whole film. So what does that mean for the end? For me...nothing. I love when a film is unresolved. And I am not the type of person that needs closure, so for me the ending was just that. Unresolved. Some review or post that I read (and I have read too many to remember which one I am about to reference so excuse me for not giving credit where it is due) said that the point of the end isn't whether he is in a dream or not - it is that he doesn't stay to look at the top...he walks away. Which is sort of how I feel - the point of the film is not for you to decide whether it was a dream or not, the point is that Cobb's story is resolved - for him at least.
3. The love story - While the whole notion of inception was a little too conceptual for my taste, I did love the connection between Cobb and Mal. That part of the film was beautiful and unforgettable. This is the only reason that I am considering seeing the film again - so I can truly understand their story.
4. The actors - Can it really get any better? Oscar nominations all around (ok maybe not for Ellen Page - who was definitely the weakest link).
and why I was disappointed:
1. Inception - Like I stated above - the idea is far too out there and the whole movie is about someone literally trying to steal a company from a guy who was emotionally abused by his father (and we are supposed to root for them to succeed?!). The whole notion about the different dream levels and the state of limbo was too intricate and confusing. I did however enjoy the difference in time between the different levels - that was kinda cool.
2. The special effects - absolutely amazing - too bad they showed all of the cool stuff in the trailer. It felt repetitive and some of it dragged on a bit.
3. Speaking of dragging on - Seriously, is Leo incapable of starring in films that are under 2 hours? This film was way too long - obvi I know it is not Leo's fault instead it is Christopher Nolan's fault - who did the same thing with The Dark Knight - dragged out every scene so much it becomes painful. I think this film could have easily cut out the entire ski scene (or third dream level sequence).
4. The endless debate - I don't even like telling people that I saw it, because I know it will begin a tireless conversation about "what it all means" when in reality I don't really care.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
3 DVD's You Shouldn't Waste Your Time Watching
1. Everybody's Fine - "fine" being the key word to the whole film. The plot of the film is a sad one - A widower has all 4 of his kids cancel their weekend visit with him. Their lives are too busy to be bothered, so instead he decides to visit them. He is an old, lonely man that talks to strangers - which is extremely irritating (I would totally be one of the people ignoring him) but also quite sad. It just reminds me that I don't want to get old. It is a shame that the film has such an amazing cast - it is like throwing talent in the garbage. The film was predictable trash - of course Kate Beckinsale's character was going through a divorce and Drew's character was lying about her financial state & that mysterious baby. I get the theme of "not telling" i.e lack of communication amongst family but in the end the story fell flat. (on a side note - does anyone else think that Sam Rockwell sounds exactly like Owen Wilson? Seriously...just close your eyes and listen.)
2. Surrogates - Let's face it...Bruce Willis is getting old. Has everyone seen the trailer for Red? It is about a bunch of retired (i.e. old) assassins who go back to work - i have to admit that I am intrigued - Helen Mirren is sure to be our next kick-ass action heroine (haha). Watching this trailer is where it hit me...Bruce Willis is portraying a grandpa? When did that happen? In Surrogates, his old age is obvious but and even worse...creepy. The film has a great concept, it just isn't executed well. It explores life after technology has taken over - so humans can buy surrogates to live life for them. So it is about never growing old, never getting hurt and well, never leaving your house. I guess what made Bruce so creepy was his surrogate - because while everyone looked better as their surrogate (I like how they added age spots, sagging skin and wrinkles to the beautiful Radha Mitchell and Rosamund Pike "human" versions, while their surrogates were pretty much what these gorgeous actresses look in real life), but Bruce was the opposite (his surrogate looked like a plastic doll while his "human" version was just plain ole' Bruce) - that is a strange dichotomy. The film became really awful during the "action" sequence - it was incredibly cheesy, almost like an SNL skit. It was predictable (i.e technology is bad!) and poorly acted. It gets 1/2 a star for featuring Boris Kodjoe (from the highly anticipated Undercovers - JJ Abrams new spy series!).
3. Defendor - I have been a fan of Woody Harrelson ever since he did his happy dance on Will & Grace. I also love Kat Dennings, so obvi I was excited for this film. It wasn't really a bad film, it just didn't live up to its potential. It is a super hero film, just with hero who isn't exactly "super" - he is just an average guy (who is a bit delusional). Parts of it were amusing - like how he uses his "super powers" of squirting lime juice in the eyes or unleashing a jar of hornets on the villain. But most of it was predictable and obvious - "Captian Industry" = evil (that isn't very creative). So, while I appreciate the "different" super hero story - they could have taken the idea much further and the film could have been funnier.
4 Reasons Why "Salt" Was a Disappointment
So, one of the few films that I was looking forward to this summer was "Salt", unfortunately it was not what I was expecting at all...here is why it was a disappointment:
1. The trailer was freakin' awesome - The exchange in the beginning between Jolie and the defector is chilling- "The name of the agent is Evelyn Salt". "My name is Evelyn Salt". "Then You are a Russian spy". It seemed like an action film that you would actually have to pay attention too. Unfortunately, they put all of the good stuff in the trailer. In the film, this same exchange became almost tedious to sit through because we knew how it was going to end from the trailer. The action was decent, but nothing compared to Angie's last action flick, Wanted. The worst part of it all, was that you don't really need to pay attention at all...even if you didn't figure out the plot within the first 1/2 hour - it spells everything out for you in the end.
2. Liev Schreiber's character - I guess I should pre-face this with *Spoiler Alert* (no offense - but if you didn't figure out the big twist in the film, there might be something wrong with you). It was so obvious that Liev was the bad guy. I actually thought they showed him as the bad guy in the trailer - but I re-watched it and realized that I was wrong. I am not sure if it is just bad acting on his part - he never really seemed to want to stop Salt or if he plays a bad guy so well, I just assume him to be one in every film. Either way - they completely give it away towards the end when he claims to have seen her in the lobby (she was completely unrecognizable and if he did see her then he would have said something if he was trying to stop her). So, when the revelation comes that he is in fact, the bad guy, I wanted to scream out "DUH"!
3. Angie - I think it is fairly clear that Angie is going to be the hero in the film (has she ever done a film where she doesn't save the day?). When she "kills" the Russian president, we never see a bullet wound, and when they announce that he is dead they just say that he has no pulse but they never try to stop any bleeding (which if a CIA agent was trying to kill someone they would likely shoot them in the head or the heart and there would be lots of blood..). So, if you realize in the beginning that she didn't kill him, then the rest of the plot falls into place quite easily.
4. It was basically a really bad episode of "Alias" - They literally just took a few elements from this genius series and made it into a really bad, predictable film.
1. The trailer was freakin' awesome - The exchange in the beginning between Jolie and the defector is chilling- "The name of the agent is Evelyn Salt". "My name is Evelyn Salt". "Then You are a Russian spy". It seemed like an action film that you would actually have to pay attention too. Unfortunately, they put all of the good stuff in the trailer. In the film, this same exchange became almost tedious to sit through because we knew how it was going to end from the trailer. The action was decent, but nothing compared to Angie's last action flick, Wanted. The worst part of it all, was that you don't really need to pay attention at all...even if you didn't figure out the plot within the first 1/2 hour - it spells everything out for you in the end.
2. Liev Schreiber's character - I guess I should pre-face this with *Spoiler Alert* (no offense - but if you didn't figure out the big twist in the film, there might be something wrong with you). It was so obvious that Liev was the bad guy. I actually thought they showed him as the bad guy in the trailer - but I re-watched it and realized that I was wrong. I am not sure if it is just bad acting on his part - he never really seemed to want to stop Salt or if he plays a bad guy so well, I just assume him to be one in every film. Either way - they completely give it away towards the end when he claims to have seen her in the lobby (she was completely unrecognizable and if he did see her then he would have said something if he was trying to stop her). So, when the revelation comes that he is in fact, the bad guy, I wanted to scream out "DUH"!
3. Angie - I think it is fairly clear that Angie is going to be the hero in the film (has she ever done a film where she doesn't save the day?). When she "kills" the Russian president, we never see a bullet wound, and when they announce that he is dead they just say that he has no pulse but they never try to stop any bleeding (which if a CIA agent was trying to kill someone they would likely shoot them in the head or the heart and there would be lots of blood..). So, if you realize in the beginning that she didn't kill him, then the rest of the plot falls into place quite easily.
4. It was basically a really bad episode of "Alias" - They literally just took a few elements from this genius series and made it into a really bad, predictable film.
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