Entertainers of the Year 2011

Ryan Gosling
Smoldering hot and fantastic in Crazy Stupid Love, paired with the drama of Ides of March, 2011 was Gosling's year. Stylish, well acted, hot Gosling. Much improved from the depressing drivel that was Blue Valentine in last year's award season. Though the Canadian mouseketeer was an executive producer and plays a mean ukulele. His starring role in Drive was also well reviewed. I have yet to see Drive but it will be on DVD January 31st.

Emma Stone
Also strong in Crazy Stupid Love, Stone was incredible as Skeeter in the Help. She seemed natural in the role while maintaining the book's spirit. Stone also hosted SNL and had a quick scene in Friends With Benefits. Stone certainly built on her momentum of quality roles from last year (Easy A, her first time hosting SNL came in 2010). I plan on forgiving her for the Amazing Spiderman in 2012.

Kristen Wiig
Star of Bridesmaids and countless SNL sketches, Wiig is hilarious and thanks to the success of Bridesmaids many more people realized that in 2011. Wiig will reteam with Maya Rudolph and Jon Hamm in Friends With Kids in June. The movie was written and directed by Hamm's longtime girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt. "Approved!" -- think Target lady!

honorable mention: comedy
The Sitcom Renaissance - returning favs Modern Family and Parks and Rec, new gems like 2 Broke Girls, Up All Night, Happy Endings and New Girl. Quality SNL and Jimmy Fallon. Movies --Bridesmaids, Crazy Stupid Love, Midnight in Paris. 2011 was a good year for my preferred genre.

Crazy Stupid Love

I finally saw Crazy Stupid Love with Emily on Labor Day. A week ago. It was an excellent movie. The press I had read after it premiered was what prompted my Rom Com list a few weeks back. Crazy Stupid Love is beyond the mold/genre/stereotype of what a romantic comedy is. 

In less adept hands, with sub par writing and a different execution, this movie would not be as heartfelt, hilarious or believable. I will not spoil with details but I was impressed with America for keeping some surprises a secret.

I am not a fan of the main poster, but I very much enjoy this series of promotions.

The Help

I had my concerns before watching the film adaptation of the book I loved reading. Movies based on books is a reoccurring topic in my posts. I am happy to report to those who have read the much beloved novel that this is one of the best movie adaptions that I have seen. The trailer does seem to have a light mood but the movie is as serious as the book and most certainly captures the tone of the novel. The movie is also true to the spirit of the characters. There are a few minor detail changes and some backstories are absent from the movie. Overall it was clear that spectacular care was taken to be faithful to the source material. See my book blog for the filmmakers history with the author of the book.

Big thanks to Emily for having such extraordinary luck in obtaining the screener passes for the Help. I second her statement that this was the best movie we have seen at a screener. It was also the movie that I was most excited to see. Pretty slick of me to be first in line as well.

Friends With Benefits

Bottom line, FWB more than passes my rom com test. The movie successfully takes jabs at the cliches romantic comedies are often saturated with. The raunch of the language and obvious subject matter works because there is humanity behind it. The characters are well developed and have back-stories and families. Plus, the two leads live glamorous bi-coastal lives that they work hard for so they still seem attainable and relatable. And they are hot.

Though I appreciate the Black Swan/That 70s Show connection that binds them beyond their subject matter no end, there is no contest, Friends With Benefits is far superior to No Strings Attached. When the time comes for a cliched moment in FWB, it does so by winking at the audience. You get your cake and to eat it too.

Rom coms get a bad rap but they are among my favorites. When done right. Unfortunately for every stellar one, there are dozens of bad ones. Something Borrowed is the worst one I have seen in recent memory. Not every one can be When Harry Met Sally.

Many lines and elements have remained memorable in the days since I saw the flick Saturday. Not specific to FWB, to all movie marketing, some of the best lines are ruined because I had heard them repeatedly beforehand. I even fast forward through the clips shown when actors are on talk shows, I do what I can to keep it fresh. I refuse to go to movies less or not arrive in time to the trailers. There were a couple of jokes I was surprised to hear laughter after, merely because I knew them so well by the time I saw the movie. Hollywood really needs to take notes from JJ Abrams and Super 8, less is more people, less is more. In this summer movie season, I can not wait to re-watch Bridesmaids and Friends With Benefits.

The Help -- SPECIAL BOOK EDITION

As Katy Hagert lent me her copy of the novel The Help by Kathryn Stockett, she expressed her concerns about the movie adaptation that opens in theaters August 12th. Being familiar with the trailer, as I began to read the book, the same concerns crossed my mind. My thoughts became cyclical when I considered the following jumble of facts: Octavia Spencer, who portrays Minny, one of the three main characters, is friends with both Stockett and Taylor Tate, writer and director of the movie. Actress Spencer met Stockett, the author via their friendships with Tate. Stockett has been quoted as saying Spencer "is Minny" and thanked Octavia Spencer in the acknowledgement in the book. Tate secured the movie rights before the book was published. Tate and Stockett grew up together in Jackson, Miss, where the story takes place.

I read this book in about a week's time, I loved it. I stayed up too late several nights reading and any time I had a spare moment got in as much time with the book as I could. I am also really sad that Oprah never did a show about the book and is off the air to feature one with the cast, filmaker and author of the book (a la Eat Pray Love this time last year).

Now that I have finished the novel, I have viewed the imdb listing of the cast, curious as to whom is portraying all the characters. Some moments featured in the preview and the presence of some characters or absence of others, cast serious doubts on the translation from print to film. Despite that, I look forward to August.

Alas, I may have just committed a cardinal rule for movie watching enjoyment, see the movie first, read the book after!!