Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thanksgiving Blessing from The Ice Storm
Dear Lord, thank you for this Thanksgiving holiday. And for all the material possessions we have and enjoy. And for letting us white people kill all the Indians and steal their tribal lands. And stuff ourselves like pigs, even though children in Asia are being napalmed.
No one does snarky like Christine Ricci. Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
My Favorite Thanksgiving Day Movies
To celebrate Thanksgiving, here are a few of my favorite Thanksgiving films.
Home for the Holidays, Jodie Foster's directorial debut, is underrated. It has Holly Hunter, Anne Bancroft, and Robert Downey Jr. as the hilarious gay brother. It's one of my favorite roles for Robert. Just watch "The Turkey Scene" and try not to die laughing.
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. The classic! "Those aren't pillows!" LOL
Pieces of April - a Katie Holmes film I actually like. This movie is very funny, and extremely touching. Katie Holmes plays a girl trying to host her family for Thanksgiving for the first time. Her apartment oven stops working, so she has to involve all her neighbors to help make the meal. I think this is the first film where I saw Patricia Clarkson who plays the mother. She is amazing in this film. Oliver Platt is also excellent as the father.
Someone has also posted the whole film here on Youtube.
Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters and The Ice Storm also revolve around Thanksgiving, but the above three are my favorites.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Darren Criss performs "Part Of Your World" at The Grove LA
Impromptu concert at the mall in LA by that new Teenage Dream, Darren Criss of Glee.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Jim Carrey on Letterman promoting I Love You Phillip Morris
Wow, kudos to Jim for schooling Dave Letterman. Dave asked him about playing a gay man in I Love You Phillip Morris.
Asked Dave: "And, in terms of a leading man, a heterosexual playing a homosexual, do homosexuals say 'well, that shouldn't have been a homosexual' or do you worry about your image as a heterosexual leading man playing a homosexual?"
Replied Carrey: "Boy, we haven't grown at all, have we? We haven't grown at all.... We're still children in the schoolyard. Honestly. No offense Dave, for god's sakes, have you ever seen a gay man? Are there gay people in Indiana? Is it ok to be gay there, is what I'm asking. There's not a policy against gay people there or here?"
I saw the premiere of Philip Morris at Sundance, and it was hilariously funny, and I agree with Dave - this is the best that Jim Carrey has ever been. It comes out December 3rd.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Ladies in Lavender Mini-Film Review
They find a young Polish man washed up on the beach, and take him in to recover from his broken ankle. The pleasant surprise is that the young man is played by Daniel Brühl who was Frederick Zoller in Inglourious Basterds.
There's not a ton of drama, but both women's hearts are set aflutter by the young man and his musical talents. Then again, I could probably watch Judi Dench recite the phone book, and be entertained. It's a sweet little English period piece. Two and a half stars. Watch the trailer here.
Ondine Film Review
I was really looking forward to seeing Ondine. Finally a romantic film with Colin Farrell! It played only in very limited release for about a minute, so I missed it on the big screen. I discovered this weekend that's it's now available on Netflix Watch Instantly.
The film is written and directed by Neil Jordan (The Crying Game), which should have told me from the start that this would be no typical romantic film. The tone is more wistful and dark, for an
"adult" fairy tale. Fisherman Syracuse (Colin Farrell) discovers the lovely Polish Alicja Bachleda in his net. She refuses to go to a doctor or the hospital and is fearful of being seen by anyone. He lets her stay at his late mother's cottage.
Syracuse has a precocious daughter in a wheelchair, and while she's getting kidney dialysis, he tells her the story of a fisherman who finds what may be a selkie in his net. The real romance to be honest is between Alicja's "selkie" and Syracuse's daughter, Annie. I also love the relationship between Syracuse and the village priest played by Stephen Rea. (Who would have thought early in Stephen Rea's career that he would end up playing so many priests?)
The cinematography is gorgeous as is the Irish coastal setting, which adds to the fairytale feel of most of the film. The last part of the film suddenly lurches into harsh thriller realism. It's jarring for the audience, and the characters in the film.
I have very mixed feelings about this film, partially because I had such high hopes for what it might be. What it is, is a quiet sweet little indie film, but it's not quite the magical Colin Farrell romance film that I'd imagined it would be. If I'd gone into it knowing nothing, and expecting nothing, maybe I would have a different take.
Definitely worth a view for Farrell fans, but I'm glad I didn't pay full freight to see it in the theater. Two and a half stars. I also wish I could have watched it with closed captioning as the Irish accents were very thick!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Jane Eyre Trailer!
Oooh, I've been waiting for this one. Fassie as Rochester! This looks wonderfully gothic and creepy. Mia Wasikowska from Alice in Wonderland I've been watching since her excellent turn on the first season of In Treatment. She's a wonderful actress and this will give her a chance to show more of that potential on screen than she did in Alice.
Bless My New Plaid Pants for posting some screen caps of the trailer:
See more screen caps here.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Remember, remember the Fifth of November
Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot, The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot. Should ever be forgot.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
First Look at Spielberg's Tintin
Empire Magazine has the first look at the photo-realistic animation in Spielberg's upcoming film, Tintin. Jamie Bell will play Tintin, and Andy Serkis is Captain Haddock (below).
