Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Movie locations on Google Street View
List of the Day has compiled several Google Street View images of real life iconic locations used in the movies.
Vertigo
Jimmy Stewart's apartment
Back To The Future
The McFly house
Pretty Woman
Balcony scene at the end
Se7en
"What's in the box?!"
Driving Miss Daisy
Miss Daisy's house
List of the Day has more, including TV locations like The Brady Bunch and Six Feet Under here.
'The September Issue' Trailer HD
The September Issue was the big Salt Lake City Gala event at Sundance. R. J. Cutler has made an amazing film. Even my husband liked it! Read my review from the Sundance premiere here.
Release date is August 28th!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Robert Downey Jr. - Real Life Hero
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Robert Downey Jr. doesn't just play a superhero in Iron Man 2, but he actually saved an injured extra on the set last week! During a scene where a group of people were running away from a group of robotic villains, a stuntman in a robot costume accidentally knocked an extra to the ground. No one realized except Robert Downey Jr. that the man was actually injured.
"Robert charged into a live scene yelling, Cut! Cut! The extra was writhing on the ground in agony after a rampaging evil robot smashed him flat".
"Cameras kept cranking until Robert, who wasn’t in the scene, suddenly noticed one extra twisting in pain and moaning 'Help, I’ve broken something'".
Robert Downey Jr. called paramedics and stayed with the injured extra until they arrived. The man was taken to a nearby hospital where he was diagnosed with a broken hip.
I'd like to know more about those stampeding robots! Sounds cool!
Restricted clip from The Ugly Truth
The Ugly Truth (Restricted Clip)
The infamous "vibrator" scene from The Ugly Truth. Need I add, NSFW?
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Away We Go - mini-review
I LOVED this movie. John Krasinski of The Office and Maya Rudolph from SNL play a couple about to have a baby. When Burt and Verona hear that Burt's parents are moving to Belgium a month before the baby is to be born, they decide they could live anywhere. They start a roadtrip visiting friends and relatives around the country to figure out where they might like to live. They're in their 30's but seem to still live like impoverished students with not enough heat. With a baby due in a few months, it's time to grow up.
The relatives and friends are all caricatures from Allison Janney's obnoxious alcoholic to Maggie Gyllenhaal's extreme feminist earth mother. I laughed so hard I wheezed in parts. The movie is also sweet, but not saccharin. I really enjoyed all the supporting actors like Jeff Daniels and Catherine O'Hara as Burt's selfish parents. I hope we see more of Maya Rudolph on the big screen. She was great. Away We Go was directed by Oscar winning director Sam Mendes (American Beauty).
Highly recommend this film and give it three stars. If you want to laugh, and not see big explosions this weekend, this is the movie for you!
The Invention of Lying (2009) Trailer
"This is the greatest movie ever made.'
LOVE Ricky Gervais!!
The Invention of Lying, with Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, Tine Fey, and Jonah Hill. Opening September 25, it involves “a world where no one has ever lied, until a writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain.”
Paul - Hello World! (From Simon and Nick)
Paul has begun production in New Mexico. Yay!! Check out the new website for the film, with set videos and pics from Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
PAUL is a comedy about two sci-fi geeks who embark upon a pilgrimage in a RV to the center of America's UFO heartland: Nevada's infamous Area 51. While in the middle of that desert, the two friends encounter a fugitive alien by the name of Paul. Somewhat reluctantly, they embark upon an adventure that will change not just their lives forever, but also the lives of the friends and enemies they encounter along the way.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Interrogation about Michael Jackson in Three Kings
I was just reminded of this scene from Andrew Sullivan's blog. The pertinent part is just at the first few minutes. Warning NSFW!!
"What is the problem with Michael Jackson?" an Iraqi soldier asks a wayward American. "Your country make him chop up his face." He did it to himself, the American protests, but his interrogator insists: "Michael Jackson is pop king of sick fu**cking country."
Michael Jackson RIP
As a child of the 70's and 80's, Michael Jackson was everywhere, but I remember distinctly when this video for Beat It came out. See, I was a nut for Fred Astaire, and Michael Jackson pretty much single handedly made dancing in music videos cool again. It's hard to remember now, but before Michael, it was all long haired rock bands playing live, or weird trippy quick cut stuff. Old school became radical again. This video was like a little West Side Story. It blew everyone's mind, and this was even before the mini-film of Thriller.
Weird as he was (and man, he was creepy in later life), he was the King of Pop, and his music is great. At the end of the above live video from a performance in 2007, Usher and Chris Tucker play tribute to his dancing.
Kids today only know him as the weird recluse with pale skin, and his children in masks. My 8-year-old son asked me, after seeing some of the TV homages this morning, "Was Michael Jackson black?" I think that sums it up.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Holy Crap! 10 Best Pic Nominees!!!
Variety reports:
There will be 10 best picture nominees starting with the 82nd Oscar ceremony, skedded for March 7, at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.Ganis explains in a press release:
The announcement was made Wednesday morning at AMPAS headquarters in BevHills by Acad prez Sid Ganis. Oscar noms will be unveiled Feb. 2.
“After more than six decades, the Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year,” said Ganis. “The final outcome, of course, will be the same – one Best Picture winner – but the race to the finish line will feature 10, not just five, great movies from 2009.”Holy Crap!! Everyone complains that whittling down the Best Picture list to only 5 limits the nominees to pictures that most people haven't seen. Widening the amount of nominees to 10 will allow expansion to more popular films. This year's Batman would have been a prime benificiary if this rule had been in place. The Golden Globes essentially have 10 since they split the categories to drama and then comedy/musicals. The Academy Awards originally had 10 nominees a category back in the 1930's and 40's, but over the years the Academy reduced the number to 5.
“Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going allow Academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize,” commented Ganis. “I can’t wait to see what that list of ten looks like when the nominees are announced in February.”
Wow, wow, WOW! Can't wait to see how this livens things up this year.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Bloody Evidence Chef's Knife
Do things sometimes get a little dramatic in your kitchen? Then here's the perfect accessory to the crime, an 8" Stainless Steel Chef's Knife with a fired-on, food-safe design thats right out of a CSI episode.
Only $14.99 here.
The Last Airbender - Official Teaser Trailer
This one's for my son. He is a big Avatar fan. I notice they have dropped the Avatar from the title.
It's interesting that M. Night Shyamalan is directing a manga inspired movie. It will probably be good for him to break away from his usual genre.
The movie also stars Dev Patel from Slumdog Millionaire, and comes out July 2, 2010.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Get Out theTissues
Terminallly ill 10-year-old Colby Curtin's last wish was to see the Pixar film, Up, but she was too sick to go to a movie theater when the film was released. A family friend phoned Pixar, leaping through the voice mail system by guessing at an employee name. On June 10, Pixar flew an employee with a copy of Up on DVD to Colby's Huntington Beach, Calif. home. Colby was in too much pain to keep her eyes open during the movie, so her mother narrated the action to her. The movie reached her just in time, as she died seven hours later.
"When I watched it, I had really no idea about the content of the theme of the movie," her mother, Lisa Curtin, told the OC Register. "I just know that word 'Up' and all of the balloons and I swear to you, for me it meant that [Colby] was going to go up. Up to heaven."Read the whole story here.
Buffy vs Edward (Twilight Remixed)
Buffy schools Edward on his "creepy" stalking behavior.
"Did anybody ever tell you the whole smelling people thing's a little gross?"
LOL!
Inglourious Basterds NEW TRAILER!
Lots of Brad, but only the quickest glimpse of Michael Fassbender.
August 8th release date!
First official Pics from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland
The film doesn't come out till 2010, but we have our first look at some of the characters. Johnny Depp is the Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter is the Red Queen, and Anne Hathaway the White Queen. Alice will be played by relatively unknown 19-year-old Mia Wasikowska from Australia, who was beyond excellent as a suicidal gymnast on HBO's In Treatment.
Man, some makeup artists had fun with this film!!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Ryan Reynolds is on EW's Cover
Yum. Can't wait to see The Proposal. He's gorgeous and funny!
Notice what I did right away? The chest hair, and you know I love a hairy chest. Thanks, Ryan, for not waxing!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
My Life In Ruins - Mini-review
I never saw Nia Vardalos' second film, Connie and Carla, about two women hiding from the mob as drag queens. You probably didn't either. My Big Fat Greek Wedding was such a surprising super hit, that following that level of success probably wasn't realistic. My Life In Ruins, Vardalos' latest sweet romance, is modest. Nia Vardalos plays an American working as an unsuccessful tour guide in Greece. She has quite the cast of character actors in her little group, including Richard Dreyfus, a widower that urges her to live life to the fullest. A romance sparks with Poupi, the driver of the tour bus, played by Greek actor, Alexis Georgoulis, and yes, he is gorgeous!
This little film, produced again by Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks, made me smile, but not laugh out loud. I enjoyed this little film, but only give it 2 and a half stars. Catch it in a half-price matinee like me, or wait to rent on DVD.
Trivia note - Rita Wilson plays Richard Dreyfus' dead wife, and Ian Gomez, Nia Vardalos' real life husband plays the sleazy hotel manager.
Also, My Life In Ruins is the first film ever to be allowed to film at the Parthenon. Nia Vardalos said all her childhood in Greek school paid off!
2012 Trailer
Geez, it's just a birthday, not the end of the world....
John Cusack in an action flick? Oh, yeah.
It's My Birthday Too, Yeah!
You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday, too, yeah!
Today is my birthday and I share it with Sir Paul McCartney(67), so this song has always had special meaning for me. Also, Roger Ebert(67) shares our day. I'm younger than 67 at least!
We're gonna have a good time
Now it's your birthday
Happy Birthday to you!!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
It Might Get Loud Trailer
I saw this film at Sundance, and Jack White attended our showing. This film is amazing. I can't wait to see it again in a theater with a LOUD sound system, as we saw it in a little library theater at Sundance. Read my review here and see pictures from our screening.
It Might Get Loud is scheduled for limited release in the US on August 14.
It's Hammertime!
A&E are selling MC Hammer gold pants to promote the new show Hammertime.
It’s Hammertime! That’s right, the rapping sensation from the early 90s is back with his very own show! Commemorate his memorable career and relive the best of MC Hammer with the official gold lame´ Hammer pants. Featuring a roomy fit around the thighs that slims toward the ankles and waist, these pants capture MC’s original multi-million dollar look – you’ll feel as cool as the man himself!
They even staged a gold Hammer pants dance in LA:
You Can't Touch This!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Remake of The Prisoner on AMC
I just read on /Film that AMC is going to air an update of The Prisoner this fall. My husband is a huge fan of the original 1967 British TV series and we own every episode on DVD. I was outraged, until I read that Ian McKellan will play Number Two. NOW, I can't wait, even if Jim Caviezel is Number 6 (wouldn't have been my first choice to replace Patrick McGoohan).
In the original, McGoohan’s Number Six was explicitly an intelligence agent who, upon his unexpected retirement, is kidnapped and sent to a mysterious seaside village/prison where other prisoners and the enigmatic Number Two used unusual methods to toy with his mental state and evaluate what information he holds secret.
Here's the opener of the original classic series:
Just told my sons about this, and my 12 year old said, "You mean that weird TV show with the giant white balls? I didn't understand any of that!"
Creation Trailer
Real life husband and wife Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly star in Creation as Charles Darwin and his wife, Emma.
Based on the book Annie’s Box by Randal Keynes, the great-grandson of Charles Darwin, the film tells the story of a world-renowned scientist who conceives a book which will essentially prove the non-existence of God. Of course we’re talking about Charles Darwin and “The Origin of Species.” The film tells the story on a more personal scale, telling how the “global revolution played out in confines of a small English village; a passionate marriage torn apart by the most dangerous idea in history; and a theory saved from extinction by the logic of a child.”
This is the English trailer, and while it doesn't have a US distributor yet, I'll bet it will at least for a limited release.
The Daily Show for Women
The Daily Beast has a profile of comedienne, Sarah Haskins, a native Chicagoan (which makes me love her already) and alum of Second City.
There is a thread on The Daily Show’s online forum that is solely dedicated to getting Sarah Haskins hired as a correspondent. With good reason: Haskins is a comedian and culture critic whose short-but-sweet segments called “Target Women” on Current TV’s Infomania have already become a kind of girly Daily Show, making fun of the many merciless ways consumer products are marketed to women.
Here's her take on all those women's yogurt commercials:
Here's Sarah's take on Chick Flicks, which is hilarious and very true. And hands off Colin, he's mine!
View more of Sarah Haskin’s Target Women segments at her Current TV site.
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Time Traveler's Wife-Trailer - FINALLY
It's been a long time waiting for this trailer, and this movie. We don't have much longer to wait. The film comes out August 14th.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Shutter Island Trailer - Martin Scorsese's latest!
Holy Moley! How many Oscar nominees can you cram in? Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson, and Jackie Earle Haley are at least four I spotted in this trailer in addition to Leo, of course. Wow, this looks awesome. Shutter Island is a crime thriller due out Oct. 2.
Brad Pitt Stops Traffic
From Russia via the AP:
Brad Pitt is accustomed to stopping passersby in their tracks. The Hollywood heartthrob's next job is slowing traffic in Siberia — or so Russian traffic police hope.
A Russian newspaper reports that cardboard cutouts of Pitt dressed as a traffic cop have been placed by the most dangerous intersections in the city of Omsk.
It's the latest move by authorities in their endless battle against speeding. Traffic accidents in Russia are among the highest in Europe.
The campaign seems to be working. Omsk officials say accidents are down as star-struck drivers ease off the gas to gaze at the unusual image.
The paper, Argumenty i Fakty, quotes Dmitry Ziryanov, a local official who came up with the idea as saying Pitt is "kind of like a colleague for us."
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Gone Fishing
We're leaving for a long driving trip to Yellowstone today. I may be able to post from the road, but it's not likely. We'll be on the road for a week and a half.
One stop I hope to make is this little 1880's town in South Dakota. It's claim to fame is that Dances With Wolves was filmed there. I realized my kids have never seen that movie so I rented that from Netflix, as well as Close Encounters of the Third Kind to bring to play in the car. Yeah, you've got to explain to the kids that stopping at The Devil's Tower Monument is important -- because Richard Dreyfus once made it out of mashed potatoes!!
Roadside America is a great site to find all those weird places to stop -- like The Corn Palace, and the Largest Ball of Twine!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Damien Walters Showreel 2009
WOW!! This guy is a gymnast, and a stuntman/fight coordinator.
Yowza! Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan
Yo Teach - Viral Marketing for Funny People
Judd Apatow, who often uses viral marketing for his films, dropped his latest fake production on us this week, though it’s not for a fake film; it’s a double-edged look at the fake NBC series Yo Teach! And besides coming along after the concept has been done to death, it also seems to miss the point. While seemingly trying to come off as a parody of sitcoms, it actually looks like something a lot of people want to watch.
In Funny People Jason Swartzman plays the star of the NBC comedy Yo Teach! There's even a Yo Teach! website.
And here's the clip from the show. Check out the principal. Look familiar? (Boy, do I feel old now.)
Monday, June 1, 2009
JAI HO (Remix) - Performed by the Filipino Prisoners
The same ones who did Thriller are back with the dance from Slumdog Millionaire.
Just For Fun
If you're a Twilight fan, and you want to put a smile on your face, watch this great Cullen Brothers appreciation video. Lots of cool pics of Jackson Rathbone, Robert Pattinson and Kellan Latz - simply Flawless...
Daniel Craig on a stick
Del Monte asked 1000 women who they'd deem worthy of a popsicle, and they chose Daniel Craig. Unfortunately you can only get these in England. Daniel Craig. License to Chill. In blueberry, pomegranate and cranberry flavors and only 100 calories!
Who would you want to give a big lick to? In the US, we've got Wolverine pops, but they sure don't have Hugh Jackman's six pack!
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