Monday, November 29, 2010

Oscar Season, let it begin!

Time to start talking about the Oscars. I'm WAY addicted to Entertainment Weekly, or ew, for those of you not so inclined. I'm sure that there will be several other of these updates throughout the season.

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2010/11/29/james-franco-and-anne-hathaway-to-host-oscars/

This is my first Oscar season with the movie blog and I couldn't be more excited to have an outlet to share what I find. I'm thinking that there will also be items shared that friends send my way. I know last year Jennica, Kate, Katy and others all provided me with interesting articles and Oscar related tidbits. HOORAY!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Holiday Movie Season

Well, I can't wait to see Harry Potter. I know I'll be seeing it with Emily, and I hope that we'll be seeing it over Thanksgiving weekend. Laura and I also have plans for a movie that weekend. Holiday movies also mean Oscar bait time. Here's my glimpse at what is coming out soon...

Love and Other Drugs -- Pharmaceutical sales rep Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway love story (Nov 24th). I'll be seeing this.

Burlesque -- Cher and Christina Aguilera musical (Nov 24th).
Tangled -- Disney's animated Rapunzel (Nov 24th).

Black Swan -- Natalia Portman is a ballerina, it may not sound like it but this is supposed to be a real mind trip. And is anticipated to have Oscar nominations (Dec 3rd).

The Tourist -- Have you seen the trailer for this? Hotness! Just knowing it stars Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie is probably enough said but the Venice location and caper/thriller feel add to it (Dec 10th). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iXHDFqI7qk

The Fighter -- Mark Walberg stars as the boxer and he has been working to get this movie made for years. There were talks of Matt Damon playing his brother at one point (oh the Boston hotness that brings to my mind) but after seeing how Christian Bale looks in the film, it wouldn't have been the most sexy role for Damon. Plus he has all those 30 Rocks spots to shoot, right?! Amy Adams also co-stars as Walberg's girlfriend (Dec 10th).

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader -- The third in the series of the CS Lewis books (Dec 10th).

Tron: Legacy -- I really only remember Tron from tv but I still really want to see this. It looks badass. Jeff Bridges is back and the plot and space between movies seems well written (Dec 17th).

Yogi Bear -- Was pretty horrified to see clips of this. Its a mix of live action and Yogi and Boo Boo are animated. Dan Aykroyd does a good Yogi voice but Justin Timberlake as Boo Boo?! What? (Dec 17th).

How Do You Know -- James L Brooks wrote and directed (As Good as It Gets, Terms of Endearment, Spanglish) this movie starring Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson and Jack Nicholson (Dec 17th). I'll be seeing this one too.

Country Strong -- This is the Gwyneth Paltrow as a country singer movie. As some of you may recall, the Duets soundtrack played constantly in my ford escort for a good year or so (Dec 22nd). Looking forward to it.

Gulliver's Travels -- Gets an update with Jack Black (Dec 22nd).
Little Fockers -- There needed to be a third one? Well, here's to an open mind and the right mood. Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman are back as Ben Stiller's parents, though I think its more of a cameo thing (Dec 22nd).

True Grit -- The Coen Brothers remake of the John Wayne Western classic. Jeff Bridges stars as the one-eyed Rooster Cogburn (Dec 22nd).

Blue Valentine -- Tough drama of the marriage between Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. Harvey Weinstein is appealing the MPAA's NC17 rating of the flick. This one has had Oscar buzz from the get-go and the rating may effect the likelihood (Dec 31st).

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Morning Glory

Monday Miss Emily Ficker scored passes to an advanced screening of Morning Glory, starring Rachel McAdams, Patrick Wilson, Diane Keaton, Harrison Ford and Jeff Goldblum. We arrived more than an hour and a half before the movie started, and for these screeners, that sounds crazy early, but it was perfect. Well, perfect may not be the right word, early enough, yes. In time for the crazies, yes. In case you missed Emily's and my delightful exchange on facebook, there was a group of people that had chairs, they all knew each other and they were coo-coo for cocoa puffs. I was completely prepared to wait in line, next time I'll be prepared for the side of crazy. I'll try not to over-boil with furry when they cut in line just because they know someone already there.

I loved the movie! It delivered. It was hilarious, it made me cry...well almost, I did well-up. It completely passed my new standard of: "did it reflect the trailer while being more than than just the trailer." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9lWUqraDoU (ps, I totally love the song that is played in the trailer, Natasha Bedingfield's Strip Me). I find myself in my usual spot between the rock and the hard place -- when I like a movie, I don't want to oversell it or give too much away. I am a big believer in movie expectations, if too high, one might not like a movie, they have every reason to like!
Another shout out to Marla's movie night! We watched the Back-Up Plan last night (not the best, its slapstick in parts, serious in others and as a result is too uneven. And my rom-com test of the too cheesy ick factor, totally does not pass. Way too many moments that make me squirm because of the cheese). Movie night is SO much fun! There is no movie the week of Thanksgiving, but next week in honor of the holiday, we'll be watching HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS! One of my all-time favorite movies.

Friday, November 5, 2010

New trailer!

Time to update my movie blog. I know, I know, it is about time.

My decision to update came because I just saw the trailer for the Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston movie that comes out 2/11/11, Just Go With It.
It looks fantastic! Its just the sort of Adam Sandler rom-com that are my favorites of his (50 First Dates, the Wedding Singer). And, I think we can all exhale a sigh of relief, looks like Jennifer Aniston's finally due for a hit!! Plus with a V-Day opening weekend -- no doubt.

With Oscar season ahead, and all the seriousness that that entails, its exciting to know a solid rom-com will be out in February.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5gBBF-y6ZY

I have not been to the movies since early September, thus explaining my lack of movie blogging. I never did post about Going the Distance, which was very cute. Good solid rom-com. Drew Barrymore uses colorful language and its really funny. I saw it with Mindy at Clackamas Town Center over Labor Day weekend -- good grief that seems like forever ago. Makes me realize what a great run I was on late summer/early fall. I would go to a movie, know which one I was going to next and be sure to blog about the last one I saw before seeing the next. I was even taking pictures and at Going the Distance, more creative ones, thanks to Mindy.
Last weekend I recently re-watched SATC2 on DVD, which purchasing was no easy task. I accidentally bought the Blu-Ray, which I do not own. Target was kind enough to exchange, and then that copy had a crack in the special feature disc. Third time is the charm, I now have a good copy, in the correct format. I'm eager to watch the special features. Looks like no commentary though.

Shout out to Marla's Movie nights! Every Friday. We have watched so far: Hot Tub Time Machine, Leap Year, Killers, Julie and Julia, Babies, Practical Magic and Date Night.

A couple of weekends ago, I red boxed The Joneses. Its Demi Moore and David Duchovny, very fun, very clever commentary on upper-middle class suburbs. I had seen the trailer and knew I wanted to see it. Seems to have gone straight to DVD -- which is not a reflection on the movie. Its one where the movie is actually as good as the trailer and the trailer is not the whole movie. I watched Greenburg with Laura back in mid-September, her first experience at the red box machine. That was not so good and an example of when the trailer and what the movie could be, is better than the actual movie.

I don't know what I'll be seeing next, but hopefully something soon! Marla's Movie Night is tonight and Thanksgiving is upon us. That long weekend usually means at least one trip to the theater. I vow to movie blog more. ;)