Hello there....

..Toni.......Just wanted you to know that I miss you. xoxox

Mini Review - '(500) Days of Summer'

I thoroughly enjoyed this.
I really do not know what else to say aside from it was so good to see such a refreshing take on the romantic comedy. I heard that it side stepped the usual rom-com trappings, but had no idea just how new it would all feel.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt was brilliant as Tom, making us hope for a lot more leading man roles in his future.
Zooey Deschanel was also wonderful in the smaller role of Summer. Every time you feel you should hate her it evaporates because she just feels so real and lived in. She is who she is, and the audience kind of accepts that by the end.

The only major flaw was I could not really relate to either character too much, but that is small change when watching this spritz of febreeze on a genre which was getting stagnant.

However, at the end of the film my boy friend turned to me and said "I hated that". I guess it can't win them all.

Grade - B+

Jedward

I do not have TV. Anything I watch I watch on the net. I decided not to get TV after living without it for 3 months and not missing it one bit.
So imagine my surprise to see all of my friends updating their facebook status's with out rage over Simon Cowells' decision on X-Factor.
What was happening?

I decided to investigate and have a look to see just how terrible these two twins, John and Edward, were.
I mean EVERYONE in the UK is bitching about them.

So onto You Tube I go and I see this.

I have no words.
It is awful.
It is horrendous.
It is twincest.
It is kind of fab in that way of watching 8 year olds really try to perform on stage at a talent show. You know what I mean?

The lack of talent is overwhelming.
Can't sing or dance and not particularly good looking.
Why?
How?

I am glad I could not embed as I really did not want to pollute my blog. I seriously had to close my eyes and stick my fingers in my ears while going "La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la".
I was honestly embarrassed to have seen it.
You know when Pheobe sees Monica and Chandler going at it in 'Friends' and screams "My Eyes! My Eyes!" I can finally relate.

Yet still I kind of hope they stick around. Just so I can once again look away at their awfulness.

Quote of the morning

From Lionsgate President of Distribution David Spitz of the successful weekend for 'Precious' - $100,00 per screen on only 18 screens making $1,8000,000 and coming in 11th over all (a record).

"We are hearing stories from that people didn't want to leave the auditorium because they wanted to decompress,"

If they were anything like me, then needed a few minutes to compose themselves. Also found a great interview with leading lady Gabby.

A Sh*t Load of TRAILERS! Y'all

My my my what a lot of new trailers there are today.
Since it is Saturday and I will be cleaning and shopping and doing all the things I had promised myself to do over the weekend, but instead came home and crashed out in front of the TV I though I would have a little blogging break, but at least put up some happy trailer for y'all to watch,

'Everybody's Fine'



Well apparently they are not, otherwise why would they not want to see their father at Christmas?
Yet another movie in a trailer.
This looks like another family tear jerking Christmas 'comedy' with big names to warm your heart for the festive season.
Drew, maybe, but the rest of them are not what I would call heart warming.
I swore that baby was going to pull his nose off.


'Brothers'



Tone it down Tobey, tone it down. You know you're in trouble when a viewer looks at your 'serious' performance of a troubled war vet and automatically think of Judge Doom.

'The Yellow Handkerchief'

Where the f*ck did this film come from?
I mean, i t seems so out of no where.
Well apparently it is pretty good with some pretty terrific performances - although doubtful they will be considered (The film opened in LA in 2008)


'Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too?'



Wow. 'Young and the Restless' theme + Paradise setting + Drama + Jill Scott + Inexplicable thriller music at the 30 second mark + a very sweaty and upset Janet Jackson - Madea = me slightly, if not overly intrigued.


'A Single Man'



LOVE IT!!! This may be my most anticipated now that 'Precious' is seen.
For starters it looks STUNNING, and secondly I am all for a film filled with great performances. Sadly there is not release date in the UK for it.
Was totally thinking that since my company is nominated for a BAFTA, we could get DVD screeners. Must look into that PRONTO!

Mini Review - 'An Education'

I finally understand the buzz about Carey Mulligan.
She shows wonderful potential as an actress and gives a very careful and detailed performance in Lone Scherfig's lovely, if slight film.
The story of this intelligent young girl trying hard to get the grades to get into Oxford University until she is swept away by a handsome man is well worth seeking out.
The dynamic of her family life rings true as she deals with living out the dreams of her overbearing yet easily manipulated father, however I was never really convinced of the central relationship between Mulligans' Jenny and Sarsgasrds' David.
Perhaps it was because, as good as Mulligan was, she never convinced me of her naivety when it came to being charmed by a man who was so obviously not all he seemed to be. It could have been, for me at least, that her actual age showed through in her performance.

Along side Mulligan, the acting honours go to Oliva Williams as the stern by caring Miss Stubs, Alfred Molina as Jenny's gullible father and in a brief scene, Sally Hawkins nails her character. The person who walks away with the movie in terms of acting is the wonderful Rosamund Pike as the delightfully scatty and fun loving Helen. She, the most uneducated member of the bunch, is the one having the most fun. She is living the glamorous life Jenny wants so desperately, and much shrewder by learning to compromise.
For all the talk of getting an education, Helen is there as the voice saying how over rated it all is.

Grade - B-

* note:

I was so drawn to 'Dancer in the Darks' Cara Seymour as Marjorie. I kept expecting her to deliver a flooring speech or moment of absolute pure motherly wisdom and emotion. It was as though her body was barely able to contain all she wanted to do and say. I know this was Mulligans show, but I was so drawn to this small performance.

Life is Criticised

I have been on Awards Daily reading the banter back and forth about how the critics are reacting to ‘Precious’. And boy, are they reacting.

Some of the reviews are down right scathing while others are praising the film to the highest heights

One critic, who I cannot remember (I have searched high and low, shame on me for not book marking) had a problem with Precious being desexualized (by playing match maker in one small scene in the film) and not being sexually re-educated in the film.
I wish I could remember his/her name so I could emailed them a typed version of a bitch slap.
I have spoken to social workers and counsellors and they have all said the same thing.
The type of sexual abuse Precious experienced will take a very long time to come to terms with. She may never properly function sexually again.

Being raped by your father from the age of three and then sexually abused by your mother is going to scar your psyche to levels that I cannot begin to understand.
Trying to tie it all up all that scar tissue in a 2 hour movie is ridiculous.

Some reviews are focusing on the fantasy sequences while skirting over any actual criticism of the film in general. It is almost as though they do not know why they do not like the movie but they don’t so they lash out at some small detail.

Prairie Miller seems to miss the point completely. She is up on her high horse without a saddle accusing the film of reinforcing

“white prejudices related to African American criminality, ghetto mothers as conniving, evil and violent welfare cheats, and habitual eating disorder fast food binges as sources of bad bodies and bad behavior alike.”

Whoa there honey!!! This film is coming from a black voice, which is beside the point. It is telling one story, inspired by the many stories Sapphire experienced whilst teaching girls how to read and write. One story cannot be responsible for representing society. Are all white 20 something women unable to control their spending whilst all middle aged white debt collectors boring, unattractive and petty just because ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’ says so? Of course not.
What is Prairies’ real issue I wonder? She obviously did not like the movie, but to take one girls story and turn it into a critique of all black welfare mothers is preposterous. She seems to be searching for something that doesn’t exist in order to validate her reaction.

Some critics write ups come from a place of such anger and hatred you almost have to wonder what button it has pushed within them to cause such feelings – I almost feel like showing up with a large cup of hot chocolate and talking things out.
Others have said things that are so offensive and ignorant you almost want to laugh were it not so disturbing.
Ed Gonzalez of Slant is like the bully who pushes Precious to the ground, then laughs at her. His review is a frenzy of disgust for the film.

The egos on display are out of this world (in a way I secretly admire). So many critics say such bold statements “This film is terrible” when in fact what is accurate is “I think this film is terrible”. In their short wordy critique they have become Gods laying down their film commandments.

Perhaps I am just noticing the way critics are because I have never before loved a film so much to spend so much time reading reviews.
I occasionally glance at the reviews and if I like the film I tend to read the bad reviews to feel superior. This time the bad reviews made me really sad that people make take them as gospel.

I welcome bad reviews, I really do, even at the expense of a film I like. However with a film like ‘Precious’ all I ask for is a more intelligent argument that some of those put to print. Then again in writing this, I am not better. I am critiquing the critic.

After watching the below interview with Katie Couric I had a deeper sensitivity to the world Sapphire was describing, and you can see how deeply her experiences have affected her as a writer and as a human.
You read the papers and hear of horrible things inflicted upon children by their parents. Some are even worse than what Precious has to face.
There are girls, and boys, like Precious out there. They live/lived in similar situations and are mostly forgotten by the world en-mass and left to the social workers and welfare officers of the world.
‘Precious’ has given them a voice, but it really seems that some people want that voice silenced.

'Salt' trailer

I miss Pepa.

'Despicable Me' trailer

This does look fun.

Is it wrong the scene at the beginning make me happy?

Morgan Freeman is a dirty old man

From my lips to Gods’ ears. Well if you count Morgan Freeman as God (he played him once before you come after me with burning crosses and bibles).

Just when I was worried the man may be playing ‘saintly’ a little too often he comes along and takes on the lead in the Peter Segals next comedy called ‘Dirty Old Man’

Two playboys come to odds when one of them finally falls in love after spending 40 years playing the field. The still single friend (Freeman) does everything he can to throw a spanner in the works. So far so ‘My Best Friends Wedding’ but if any of you saw, Freeman can play slightly bad very very well. Just watch his wonderfully dark and sadly ignored turn in ‘Nurse Betty’ is you do not believe me.

Could be a good rumpus, lts just hope the scribes (who wrote ‘Bandslam’ and ‘Employee of the Month’) have something a little less slap stick up their sleeves.

TRAILERS!

Well it is trailer day. It seems the beginning of the week is when all the trailers get released eh?

Anywho here are 4 new movies coming to a cinema near you.

'Best Worst Movie'

Based on a dentist who starred in what is arguably the WORST movie of all time - 'Troll 2'.
Apparently there is an audience for it now. This documentary has payed a few festivals and has generally gotten pretty good reviews.




'Cracks'

Is Eva Green a lesbian stalker school teacher? That is what I am getting from the trailer, but according to reviews it is not so simple as that. It also stars the always good Juno Temple and hails from director Jordan Scott (Ridleys niece). It also stars another possible up and comer in Imogen Poots. Some have said the film is a female version of 'Lord of the Flies' Oooohhh!



'How to Train Your Dragon'

Now this look adorable. It also looks like fantasy done right, in cartoon form of course. Plus the dragon is adorable and it seems to have a little message about conservation. Always a plus in my book.



'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time'

Why, in these desert set fantasy films, people speak to s l o w l y and carefully? And Gemma Arterton has the worlds most annoying voice. Like those bitches at school who were really intelligent and confident but also knew it.
My word this just looks so bloody dull. WHY JAKE WHY!!!!??

New Roisin!!!

Listen to the new Roisin Murphy here or forever wish you didn't.

AHHHHGGGG!!!

You know when you read a review, and you are so taken aback by the reviewers opinion you want to find them and slap them?

Well I have read the good and not so good reviews for ‘Precious’ and I can say the review by David Edelstein over at New York Magazine is by far the most shocking review of any film I can remember.

First they give an interview with Lee Daniels for the magazine, then Edelstein says the following in his review:

” She’s also sexually molested by her jealous, welfare-cheating, gross, and sedentary mother, although the genital fingering might seem preferable to the verbal and physical abuse.”

Did he really just write that up? I mean seriously? I read that three times just to make sure it was not my mind playing tricks.
The man is ignorant.

He then goes on to say that Sibide is a striking actress but he describes her character so horribly and offensive you can imagine him sitting on his lunch break pointing and laughing at the over weight people who pass by.

” I’m not judging girls who look like Sidibe in life, but her image onscreen is jarring to the point of being transgressive, its only equivalent to be seen in John Waters’s pointedly outrageous carnivals. Her head is a balloon on the body of a zeppelin, her cheeks so inflated they squash her eyes into slits.”

Really David....it sounds like you are judging a little. Of all the words you could have used, you choose Zeppelin and Balloon.
It is all so school yard bully.
Every other reviewer has managed to talk about her weight without coming across like a 12 year old bully.
It is also surprising since the magazine recently put Gabby Sibide on the cover of the magazine.
Nice mixed message.
All I can say is this movie is really bringing out the ugly and ignorant in people.

I do not expect everyone to love the movie like I do.
If they did I would be upset as I like contrast.
No film is perfect, perfection is dull. Flaws is where you find the beauty.
I am prepared for the people to dislike it. The film makes you feel uncomfortable watching it, and can stir up inner prejudices and emotions that you have not often been forced to confront. But please, when reviewing a film about child abuse, especially sexual child abuse, do not make out that the sexual abuse is preferable to the physical.
All it does it make it seem ok.
Nothing pisses me off more than ignorance.

Free Katie campaign needs to be restarted

So it seems Katie Homes is once again getting ready to act.
First up she has the Guillermo del Toro produced horror film ‘Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark’ is which a young girl sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend (Holmes) discovers creatures in her new home who want to claim her as one of their own.
Not exactly the acting comeback she needs, but it is a start.
She should fair better with the rom com ‘The Romantics’ with Anna Paquin and Josh Duhamel.

In this she plays the maid of honour at the wedding of her best friend, however she has gotten it on previously with the groom. SLUT! Does Tom approve of this??
Malin Akerman, Elijah Wood, Jeremy Strong and Adam Brody complete the cast.

If Holes really wants to have a long term acting career she needs to follow Penelope Cruz and Nicole Kidman by having an amicable and clean break up.



Oh how I wish I had a free Katie t-shirt.

I would wear it with pride knowing that my dear Nicole and Penelope escaped unscathed, and hope that one day soon Katie will know the joys of being free from the crazy man and his cult.

Mini Review - ‘Paranormal Activity’

Definitely affective, but to compare it to ‘The Blair Witch Project’ is to do it a disservice as they are very different films.

Poor Katie has been visited by something ghostly since she was 8 years old.
She has now moved in with her alpha male boyfriend Micah and the trouble is starting again.
Small things like noises inside the house and taps turning on, but enough to freak Katie out and to get Micah believing that something may be happening.

So he gets a video camera to record things that happen while they are sleeping.

If you are hoping for flying shadows and floating tables you will be disappointed. Instead, what we get is small sounds, whispers, a suddenly swinging ceiling light.

As the nights go on, and Katie gets more and more frightened, Micah decides to take matters into his own hands, much to her frustration and anger and the annoyance of the audience. Why do alpha males never take advise?

First rule of hauntings – do not invite the spirit in or shout at it, and the last thing you should do is get a Ouija board.

As things get worse and worse the fear mounts to the point where you wish for the shakey hand held cam of these previous reality horror outings.
That static still image of their bedroom is the most frightening thing of all, you need the distraction. Looking at that bedroom trying to see what is going on is enough to drive you insane.

I was lucky enough to see the original ending of the film, and although slightly anti climatic, it still is extremely disturbing and also extremely sad.

Over all the film succeeds in doing what it set out to do, and impressively by doing very little. You do not need a visible victim, horrific violence and lots of gore to scare the sh*t out of your audience when things that go bump in the night are much more affective.
The Boyfriend had to stay up watching ‘Ugly Betty until 6:30 as he was too scared to sleep.

Grade - B

So No Hugh

My fantasy boyfriend has decided not to return as Oscar host again this year.
Very sad to hear, he was great last year in spite of him deciding to perform in clothing.

Well let us hope they can find a new host who will entertain, make it go by quickly, but who won't f*ck up the presenting of the acting awards like they did in the 2007 ceremony.

While they figure out who to hire, can we just gaze some more on my Hugh?





Maybe my fantasy lover will step in?
Australia the beautiful - amen