Christmas Movie Gold

So obviously I'm going to do a post on my favorite Christmas movies...and here they are (in no particular order):


Christmas Vacation(1989)
Anyone who has not seen this addition to the Griswold Family adventures is seriously missing out! Clark, played by Chevy Chase, is as usual trying to give his family the perfect vacation--in this case, the perfect Christmas spent at home with family.But when is it ever perfect when the entire family is involved?
*No, this is not one of my favorites because there is a character named Bethany*
Cast also includes: Beverly D'Angelo,Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki, and Randy Quaid




It's A Wonderful Life(1946)
The classic Christmas tale that makes everyone cry tears of joy! If you need a synopsis for this one, you are seriously disturbed and need to rent it IMMEDIATELY


The Ref(1994)
This hilarious holiday film you may not be as aware of; It follows main character Gus, a cat burglar, and his experience in taking hostage a family on Christmas Eve that is anything but functional. 
Cast includes: Dennis Leary, Judy Davis, and Kevin Spacey


Love Actually(2003)
A romantic comedy that follows the love lives of several characters during the weeks leading up to Christmas. This film is made up of the perfect British cast, and has a sense of humor that will appeal to many viewers.
Cast includes: Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley,Laura Linney, and Liam Neeson


White Christmas(1954)
I'm sure you've atleast heard the Bing Crosby song, if you haven't seen the film I urge you to this holiday season; not only will you're heart feel light as air, but it will make you love the song even more.
Cast Includes: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney


Fred Claus(2007)
This film centers around Fred Claus, the older brother of Santa Claus himself, and the struggles he goes through in finally accepting the Christmas spirit into his life--VERY funny!
Cast Includes: Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Miranda Richardson,Rachael Weisz, Kathy Bates, and Kevin Spacey


*OF COURSE THERE ARE MORE GREAT HOLIDAY MOVIES, BUT THIS SHOULD GIVE A GOOD START TO A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS FILM EXPERIENCE*

New Year's Eve

   So I am not in any way bashing the talents of Garry Marshall, but I have to point out a few obvious things about the film that bother me:

   The film is called "New Year's Eve". It is packed with an all-star cast that includes such players as Robert De Niro, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Michelle Pfeiffer. As I mention earlier, it was directed by Garry Marshall. 

    The movie promises a romantic comedy that will include all of the criteria expected of it, and will make us feel the way it should; however, it looks rather familiar.....

    A film centered around the romantic lives of several couples; a holiday known for its whimsical vibe; and a cast that includes Ashton Kutcher and Jessica Biel. Is this a remake of Valentine's Day?

    I mean, COME ON!!! Even the cover-art is similar! I liked Valentine's Day, and I'm sure I'll like New Year's Eve---But I've got to say...I'm a bit disappointed in the lack of originality!

Movies I Recommend For This Halloween Weekend

      It is a tradition in my family every October to watch as many scary movies as we can in the month, especially the week/weekend before Halloween, finally giving the actual day the "Holy Grail" of Halloween movies. Here is a list of our favorites!!!

    

      This, believe it or not, is a SHORT list...good luck fitting them all in this weekend!!!

• The Exorcist: The Version You've never Seen
• The Skeleton Key
• Jeepers Creepers
• Wind Chill
• Bram Stoker's Dracula
• Pan's Labyrinth
• Hocus Pocus
• Walt Disney Cartoon Classics: Halloween Haunts
• The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
• Psycho series (including 1998 remake)
• Cape Fear (1991 version)
• Amityville Horror (both versions!)
• Mothman Prophecies 
• From Dusk Till Dawn
• The Grudge series
• Saw series
• The Entity
• American Psycho
• Summer of Sam
• Signs
• War of the Worlds (2005)
• Misery
• Dreamcatcher
• The Hills Have Eyes
• In the Mouth of Madness
• Spawn
• The Descent
• The Cave
• Nightmare on Elm Street series
• Identity
• Thinner
• The Mist
• Hannibal Lecter Series (Hannibal Rising, Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal)
• The Shining (both versions
• Predator
• The Ring
• The Eye
• The Thing (1982)

       
       For a list of the 50 films declared the scariest ever, go to:
       http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/gallery/top_50_scary_movies/        
 

Remakes

        The current trend in film making seems to be remakes. Although it can be an exciting prospect to see our favorites re-invented on the big screen in a new way, it is also bittersweet. While sometimes it seems preposterous that they would ruin what we already know with a new, less iconic rendition, our curiosities are also peaked. In most cases, to me anyway, it is just sad that the original players of the film are almost being tossed away for a new model. 
       One such film that was recently remade is Footloose. Originally filmed in 1984, the classic included such stars as Kevin Bacon, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, and Chris Penn. The 2011 remake however, only has two worth-while actors-- Dennis Quaid and Andie MacDowell, who I quite frankly think sold out in accepting roles in this attempt to recapture brilliance. 
        Although I don't have many details on it, it has also been announced that Ben Affleck will be doing a new version of the classic Stephen King story The Stand(originally filmed in1994). This movie, was already about as perfect as it could get. Granted, a new version could bring new technologies to make better special effects--But come, on! Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Ruby Dee, Rob Lowe, and Ossie Davis? You don't get better than that! Not to mention the fact that Jamey Sheridan had the PERFECT ass for a devilish figure, and the attitude to go along with it! So I am begging you, Ben Affleck--Don't massacre my favorite King movie!
        On a better note, there is one remake I am looking forward to...Leonardo DiCaprio is currently filming a remake of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, set to premiere in 2012. In 1974, Robert Redford inexplicably portrayed a charming Jay Gatsby in the film, whose screenplay was written by Francis Ford Coppola, which sets a very high bar. However, I have no doubt in my mind that if the remake has to be done, DiCaprio will be as brilliant as anyone in modern day who's who of acting.  
         

Emmys

Who I would have picked: (If in RED, my choice did win!)


Best Comedy Series:
Modern Family


Best Drama Series:
Boardwalk Empire

Best Mini Series or TV Movie:
*As I did not see any of this year's nominees yet, I cannot ethically choose one--however as Mildred Pierce has an excellent cast and is a remake of one of my favorite Joan Crawford films, I believe the right choice was made*

Best Lead Actor in Comedy Series:
Steve Carell

Best Lead Actor in Drama Series:
Michael C. Hall

Best Lead Actor in Mini Series or TV Movie:
*Based on what actor I like best from previous work*
William Hurt

Best Lead Actress in Comedy Series:
Laura Linney
*However, I like Melissa McCarthy, and have not seen Mike & Molly*

Best Lead Actress in Drama Series:
Mireille Enos


Best Lead Actress in Mini Series or TV Movie:
*Based on what actress I like best from previous work*
Kate Winslet


Best Supporting Actor in Comedy Series:
Eric Stonestreet

Best Supporting Actor in Drama Series:
John Slattery

Best Supporting Actor in Mini Series or TV Movie:
*Based on what actor I like best from previous work*
Paul Giamatti

Best Supporting Actress in Comedy Series:
Betty White

Best Supporting Actress in Drama Series:
Christine Baranski AND Margo Martindale


Best Supporting Actress in Mini Series or TV Movie:
*Based on what actress I like best from previous work*
Maggie Smith


Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series:
Real Time with Bill Maher AND Saturday Night Live

Documentaries

I know a lot of you aren't into documentaries, but I urge you to see what's out there; This genre of film is great of broadening your minds, and is also a great way to pass the time if you're bored!
So here's a list of some of my favorite documentaries (in no particular order), and I hope you'll give them a chance:

• Man on Wire- A glance at Phillipe Petit walking a high wire between the Twin Towers in 1974.
• The Last Waltz- Scorsese films The Band's last concert, featuring many guest singers.
• An Inconvenient Truth- Al Gore gives insight into global warming statistics.
• Monterey Pop- A look at the first major rock festival, that is unjustly rated way below Woodstock.
• Grey Gardens- A depressing but mesmerizing account of the introverted lives of Big and Little Edie Bovier Beale.
• Grizzly Man- Heartbreaking accounts of eccentric Timothy Treadwell, who was killed by one of the bears he studied.
• My Big Breasts and Me- What it's really like to have naturally big breasts, and the health hazards that are included.
• The Thin Blue Line- A documentary that investigated a murder case, arguing that the man charged with the crime was really innocent.

Lauren Bacall

Today is screen legend Lauren Bacall's 87th birthday. In celebration of this, I'd like to share with you some facts and trivia as shown on: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000002/bio

• Birth name is Betty Joan Perske
• Height 5' 8+1/2''
• Married to Humphrey Bogart from 1945-1957
• Married to Jason Robards from 1961-1969
• Shortly after Bogart's death, she announced her engagement to Frank Sinatra--who directly  backed out
• Her longtime friend Katherine Hepburn is her son Sam Robards' godmother
• In 1997 chosen by People Magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World
• Once quoted [On Humphrey Bogart], "Was he tough? In a word, no. Bogey was truly a gentle soul."

Gary Oldman

      I'd like to talk about one of the most brilliant actors to be on the silver screen, Gary Oldman. Oldman has a diversity that not many actors have. He can portray a lovesick count with a taste for blood just as smoothly as a crazed assassin with a mad brilliance to his technique.
     Oldman happens to star in three of my all-time favorite movies: Bram Stoker's Dracula, Immortal Beloved, and The Scarlet Letter. Granted, they are all love stories; but each has an aspect of its story that makes it so much more complex and dark than you everyday love story, such as The Notebook.
      Bram Stoker's Dracula  was done, in every aspect of the film, superbly. This is surely Francis Ford Coppola's finest work; the casting of Oldman as Dracula led to the instant classic the film became. The fact it incorporates aspects of the real Vlad Dracula's life makes this movie even the more eerie.
       Immortal Beloved is a less known story, and is also based partly on fact. It follows the love life of composer Ludwig Van Beethoven, as found in a famous letter he wrote to his mystery love. This film is highly underrated, and for anyone who is in the slightest bit a history buff a real treat.
       For anyone who, like me, read The Scarlet Letter and despised it--don't let the anguish of the book influence whether or not you watch the film version. The movie is absolutely wonderful;with romance, violence, and realistic depictions of the lives of the puritans.
      Other movies which feature Oldman include Basquiat, The Fifth Element,Hannibal,and Red Riding Hood.

50/50

     So, have you heard of the new film starring Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt? It's called 50/50. The film centers around the protagonist Adam (Gordon-Levitt), who is a cancer patient in his late 20's, who is dealing with his condition with the help of his sidekick, Kyle (Rogen). Although the plot deals with a depressing issue, it promises to be an exquisite giggle producer. Dark comedy can be a dangerous genre to undertake; the comedy could be done in a tacky way, the content being expressed in a comical matter could offend viewers, and the wrong lineup of players could produce a box-office massacre.
     However, I strongly doubt that is the case with 50/50. Both headlining actors have been involved with films that could be considered dark comedy. In 2009, Joseph Gordon-Levitt starred in (500) Days of Summer, a comedy about lead character Tom's pursuit of a girl he works with. Although the film would not normally be conceived as a dark comedy, when you consider the lingering feeling of reality involved with the characters' relationship, it cannot be called a romantic comedy or even just a comedy. Those genres tend to have a bubblegum ending and fairy tale expectations. Seth Rogen has appeared in a movie with a plot reminiscent of 50/50. 2009's Funny People, also took a dark comedy approach to terminal sickness. Although it had its humorous moments, I'm expecting more from 50/50.
       The film also includes such stars as Bryce Dallas Howard, Anna Kendrick, Phillip Baker Hall, and Anjelica Houston. In all, this film promises to be a warm and comical tear-jerker and I am anxious to see it!

Catching Up

So I haven't posted in forever because I was without a computer all summer and then had to get settled into my new school; but I plan on posting regularly from now on....For this post I'm going to just list some of the newer releases that I'm wanting to see the most:

• Cowboys & Aliens
• The Rum Diary
• Forks Over Knives
• 50/50
• Our Idiot Brother
• The Help
• Straw Dogs
• Rise of the Planet of the Apes
• Don't be Afraid of the Dark
• Fright Night

PACE

So I recently found out that I was accepted into the private school PACE University in Pleasantville, NY...I am so excited about this, they have such a great film studies program and I will get in touch with so many connections!YAY!!!!

Inconsistency

         So I realize that I haven't posted in FOREVER and that the only two posts I have successfully added were not exactly a day apart. Let's just say I've been sick, busy,forgetful, and just plain lazy. My blogging habits have never been ideal;even when it comes to something like a book form of a diary and such things, my entries decrease in number and increase in time lapse. However, after recently re-watching the movie "Julie and Julia" I have been hit with an immense amount of guilt, as well as a wave of inspiration when seeing what came from her blogging expedition.
          From this day forward, I will post regularly, and will do my best to make it daily. Even if it is a paragraph, a sentence about film or anything film related I will share my thoughts. After all, if I want to be recognized by anybody...I kind of have to do or say something worth being noticed.
          I am going to ask that anybody who reads this blog, please comment. Whether your words be good, bad, or brief I want to know that my ideas aren't just some lonely blob of words out in cyberspace.
         

Ricky Gervais--Hollywood Martyr?

     There's been a lot of buzz about  British comedian Ricky Gervais lately. Gervais hosted the 2011 Golden Globe Awards, and did nothing but would should have been expected of him. The man is well known for his sense of humor that is satirical in all aspects of the word--sarcasm, irony, and ridicule are the fundamentals of his personalty, and if anyone should be shunned by the celebrity community it should be the ones who hired him to host the awards in the first place;but let's examine the situation further. Don Rickles--now there is a man who in his career has roasted anyone and everyone he could;if Rickles did what Gervais did, would the public be as equally harsh?Hell no! He would receive a standing ovation and be declared a comedy legend in his own lifetime. 
   So why is it that someone as talented as Ricky Gervais can't do what others have been doing for years? Well, it doesn't help that America is full of hypocritical church goers. Every nominee who wins an award is allowed to go up there and thank their god for all of their success; but when an atheist expresses his opinion, all hell breaks loose.
   On "Piers Morgan Tonight", Gervais made it clear that he would not apologize for any comments he made during the Golden Globes. And that is why I continue to love Hollywood's martyr--Ricky Gervais.

No Country For Old Spacemen?

      Since the release of Clint Eastwood's directorial piece "Space Cowboys" in 2000, I have been on a roller coaster of emotions-unable to decide my opinion of the film. With a cast that includes A-List actors, it should have been an instant classic. No matter the amount of confusion I have about my personal assessments of it, I am sure it is not worthy of such a title. 
      For those of you who haven't seen the movie, the plot follows the story of a retired engineer who is hired for a project involving a malfunctioned satellite; his only condition to accepting the job is that his old work crew join him on the space voyage. 
      Normally, a movie that headlines Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, James Garner, and James Cromwell in addition to several other reputable players would be a hit in my book. And I will admit, the movie had it's moments of clever and quirky instances; but I cannot get over the plot that even for fiction, is just too far-fetched. In the event that the entire world was aware that the chosen engineer was indeed the best in the business world-wide, a space crew made entirely of senior citizens would just never happen. It might have been more believable had the character been hired to oversee a crew of younger members with better health and reflexes.
        In concluding this wishy-washy review, I must apologize. It certainly isn't traditional for a critic to be on both sides of the fence when critiquing. So allow me to break it down for you--The plot of this movie is too preposterous to believe and could have used better writing. The cast is compiled with some of the best of the best, and had top-notch performances for the absurdity of the situations of the characters.