The Avengers Unite!

Last summer The Avengers filmed in my hometown, Cleveland, Ohio. It was a huge deal all over town thanks to the newly instated Ohio Film Tax Credit. Unfortunately, I didn't get to be an extra in the film, but I visited the set multiple times and every time those scenes came on I got so giddy and clapped. The noticeable sets are the German biergarten & Schlossplatz theatre sign when Loki interrupts the banquet and everybody runs outside (aka Tower City) and one of the final scenes where Captain America and Thor are battling down 'Madison Avenue', the Army starts shooting, the Club Quarters glass shatters, and cars flip due to explosions down the street (I'm pretty sure this was East 9th Ave. in Cleveland). However, I was NOT happy they smashed the Cleveland Public Library to smithereens in the film. Thankfully, it was all CGI. phew.
I also found the writing exceptional for an action packed movie. Obviously some parts were overly cheesy. The scene when Dr. Banner wakes up naked and the old guy is talking to him is Hilarious! Ok, I will never say this ever again, but Robert Downey, Jr. was the best character/actor in that movie. He had the best lines- of course they were raunchy and hilarious (did you catch the 'weed' comment that seemed to last 0.1 seconds?)- and he traveled to another universe! AND he mentioned Galaga and shawarma.
The film had really good action scenes and manipulated camera angles and handheld shakiness like no other blockbuster hit before (besides The Hunger Games which blew me away with its focus techniques and superb editing). I don't think it deserves to be #31 on IMDB's Top 250 right now, but I'm sure that will go down in due time. The hype it has gotten and the $1 billion it made in its first 10 days worldwide is groundbreaking! Such a good boost for the film industry as well.
I just hope The Avengers 2 doesn't try too hard and ruin the good thing it has started. We'll have to see in a few years!

All Is Said and Done

Well, there goes another Academy Award season, and I would have to say it was a pretty decent show! They confused me at first, mixing up the award order (Supporting winners first, etc...) and I was surprised by how much Hugo took home. Good for them! Except for Best Cinematography because The Tree of Life- no matter how much you hated or loved it- is the epitome of that category. However, Hugo was still magnificent in its own ways, so kudos to everybody!  All of the Best Picture nominees were fantastic and the showcase of edits of all the films they showed before the BIG award really made me want to see them all again!

Best parts of the night (besides basking in the Oscar glamour and glory!):
Justin Bieber appearance in the Midnight in Paris skit. So unexpected!
Seeing all the beautiful actresses dressed up- a list too long to include- especially the resilience of Berenice Bejo, Michelle Williams, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Jessica Chastain, and Emma Stone, to name a slight few.

Flops:
Zach Galifianakis & Will Farrell's forced cymbal skit. Little potential but still too much.
Jennifer Lopez & Cameron Diaz showing off their asses. This was just weird. Wait, I just read that Cameron Diaz is Latina...WHAT?! And why is J. Lo there in the first place? Just more drama (see nip slip).
The worst of all: Tom Cruise presenting Best Picture. That's the best you've got Academy??? I can understand if Tom Hooper couldn't make it (filming for Les Miserables perhaps), but what about any of the other impeccable nominees last year: David Fincher, Christopher Nolan, Darren Aronofsky, or Lee Unkrich?

Here are the winners for the 84th Academy Awards:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/27/oscar-winners-list-2012-academy-awards_n_1303169.html

And more importantly, here is my ballot:

I didn't do as well this year, but I also didn't see all of the short films like I have in previous years. However, I didn't look at any predictions page throughout the season, so being based solely on my viewings, I think I did pretty well!

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For a light and refreshing smoothie after a night of cocktails, sweets and carb loading, try this:
1 cup yogurt (Go Greek for extra protein and nutrients!)
1/2 cup each of fresh (or frozen) strawberries, blueberries, peaches, and banana
Add ice, water or milk, and honey to thicken

Nothing like a simple yet tasty smoothie. Enjoy!

More Oscar Predictions and Analyses

ONLY 5 MORE DAYS! While it seems I may be out of touch with the Academy and my blog this season, I really have just been extremely busy with school and watching the final Oscar nominees. This past week I saw: Moneyball, The Help, Pina, and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (for the second time). The previous 2 weeks, well I'd be listing movies for 3 lines so I won't list them ALL. I have enjoyed most of them and to say Sunday's winners will be predictable is completely false. For example, both Meryl Streep and Glenn Close deserve 1/2 an Oscar for winner because they were both superb. However, Meryl is not only slated to win, but her performance just narrowly inches out Close's.

The Best Actor slot could go a few ways but will most likely go to Dujardin in his dramatic, theater-defining role in The Artist. Gary Oldman was just as impressive in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy but the Academy will go for the more emotionally exhaustive role.

I'm not going to mess with Best Picture/Director. Terrence Malick/Tree of Life deserve it, end of story. But no doubt it will go to Michel Hazanavicius/Artist.

I finally saw The Help this past weekend and it was great! The book, like always, is still better but the movie incorporated many of the emotions I had hoped to find. Like Minny making the shit pie. =D I was surprised at how crucial Minny was in the film, known in the real world as Octavia Spencer. She seems like such a down-to-Earth person and true that I would love to meet her! No, I'm not saying she should be a maid, but I am saying that her role was flawless.

I'm having a bit of trouble with the Best Original Score. Nothing will top last year's nominees: Social Network, King's Speech, Inception, and How to Train Your Dragon. Black Swan was amazing, too. I'll get back to you on this.

Best Visual Effects. Harry Potter hands down. If this does not get 100% votes from the Academy I would be ashamed. Ok, Hugo does deserve a few because the train scenes made me flinch. Wow, I just realized that it was a modern day take on Arrival of a Train gone bad. Go Melies/Scorsese!

Best Cinematography: Hands down The Tree of Life, but I have a feeling that my love is going to be snubbed all night. Not only are the shots beautiful but the compositions and transcendental elements are so creative. However, The Artist may grab this one as well. Great use of black and white in the modern era deserves to be recognized (noir aspect or not), especially when referencing the origins of cinema.

I hope these nominee categories helped your thought process for Sunday! And I haven't peeked at any of the poll sites (except for Best Picture) so these are all original ideas.

Due to the lack of an Academy authorized printable ballot, here is one sponsored by Moviefone:
http://www.moviefone.com/oscars-academy-awards/nominee-winner/printable-ballot

I'll be sure to post my final ballot before and after the awards so you can all see how it should have played out!
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For a decadent night, enjoy this

Decadent Tiramisu Smoothie (scaled to 2 servings)

• 
  
• ¼ cup wisconsin mascarpone cheese
• ¼ cup vanilla ice cream
• ½ tablespoon milk
• ¾ cup chocolate ice cream
• ¼ cup brewed espresso or ¼ cup strong coffee , chilled
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
• 1 biscotti

Directions:

1. 1
   Place Mascarpone, vanilla ice cream and milk in blender container. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour mixture into bowl or pitcher; set aside.
2. 2
   Place chocolate ice cream and espresso in blender container. Blend until smooth.
3. 3
   Divide chocolate mixture evenly among 4 glasses. Top chocolate mixture with Mascarpone mixture.
4. 4
   In small bowl, combine cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar. Sift mixture evenly over each glass and garnish with a biscotti. Serve immediately.

http://www.food.com/recipe/decadent-tiramisu-smoothie-423856

Day One: Best Original Song

Well for the first day of the Oscar Race (finally!) I might as well start small and listen to the nominees for Best Original Song. Since there are only two competing, this shouldn't be too hard (hopefully...):

"Man or Muppet", The Muppets

"Real in Rio", Rio

Just by name recognition I first thought The Muppets would easily take home the title. It took me a few times listening to the songs to actually get into them (No, I haven't seen either yet) because first off the bat I didn't think either of these were clear winners. "Real in Rio" is a bit faster paced and tropical whereas "Man or Muppet" has a much deeper meaning while playing with comedic elements. More audiences enjoyed The Muppets as well, which might hurt the animated nominee; however, don't forget last year's winner "We Belong Together" came from Toy Story 3.

For my nomination, I choose "Man or Muppet". Final answer.  Which do you like better?

(And these are not my videos. SOPA please don't attack me!)

Oscar Nominations 2012!

It's baaaaaack! You know, the month when you can't get harassed- or feel ashamed- for seeing 3+ movies a week. (If you do, just let me know and I will handle it Ryan Gosling/Drive style. Just kidding!) Well nominations have JUST been released and here they are:

Supporting Actress
Octavia Spencer
Jessica Chastain
Janet McTeer
Melissa McCarthy
Berenice Bejo

Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh
Jonah Hill
Nick Nolte
Christopher Plummer
Max von Sydow

Actress
Glenn Close
Viola Davis
Rooney Mara
Meryl Streep
Michelle Williams

Actor
Damian Bichir
George Clooney
Jean Dujardin
Gary Oldman
Brad Pitt

Directing
Michel Hazanavicius
Alexander Payne
Martin Scorcese
Woody Allen
Terrence Malick

Original Screenplay
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Margin Call
Midnight in Paris
A Separation

Adapted Screenplay
The Descendants
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Foreign Language Film
Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsieur Lazhar
A Separation

Animated Feature
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Poots
Rango

Best Picture
War Horse
The Artist
Moneyball
The Descendants
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

There you have it folks! Ten of the 24 categories that will be presented February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre. When the ballot is released and the official listing of all the nominees is posted, I will link them through this blog.

(Michael Fassbender, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Adventures of Tintin totally got snubbed!)

Full List of Nominees: http://oscar.go.com/nominees

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A certified vegan smoothie today (even though many of the smoothies posted in the past are mostly fruit)!

Berry Heaven Vegan Smoothie Recipe

• 2 Bananas
• 1 Cup of resperries
• 1/2 Cup of blueberries (frozen for preference)
• A dozen strawberries (again, frozen strawberries will help for consistency)
• Between one and two cups of Cranberry Juice to taste!

http://www.myveganplanet.com/vegan-recipe/top-ten-vegan-smoothie-recipes/

Oscar Nominations 2012 Are Almost Here!

The excitement has been building with movie releases of late, and tomorrow you will find out which have made it to the final round. That's right, the Oscar nominations are released tomorrow morning at 5:38 AM (8:38 AM for those of us on the other side) and I cannot WAIT to hear (and see) Jennifer Lawrence as she walks out and announces the lists. This year's nominees won't be too surprising but hopefully there won't be too many snubs. Due to last year's unanticipated 10 Best Picture nominees, the rules have been changed so that between 5 and 10 movies can be nominated. Even though many deserve to be nominated, only the obvious nominees should be given the actual nod. So just like last year, you can check here tomorrow for the full list of nominees! And as an added bonus, I'll give you my list of nominee predictions.

2012 Nomination Predictions

Best Picture

The Tree of Life

The Artist

Hugo

The Descendants (don't understand this is getting so much award circuit hype)

Midnight in Paris (this will probably show up, but not a contender despite how much I loved it. Definitely a contender for Best Original Screenplay or a Best Ensemble award)

War Horse

Best Director

Martin Scorcese

Terrance Malick

Alexander Payne

Michel Hazanvicius

Steven Spielberg

Best Actor

Jean Dujardin

George Clooney

Gary Oldman

Michael Fassbender

Brad Pitt

Best Actress

Meryl Streep

Michelle Williams

Glenn Close

Rooney Mara

Tilda Swinton

Best Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer

Kenneth Branagh

Best Supporting Actress

(I have yet to see The Help but I'm sure there will be 1 or 2 noms here)

Best Cinematography

The Tree of Life

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Hugo

Best Original Score

GWTDT

The Artist

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II

Best Adapted Screenplay

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Hugo

Best Original Screenplay

Young Adult

Midnight in Paris

The Artist

Best Foreign Film

A Separation

Pina

Best Animated Film

The Adventures of Tintin

Best Special Effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II

Super 8

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Best Animal (definitely a necessary addition this year)

Arthur, Jack Russell Terrier, Beginners

Uggie, Jack Russell Terrier, The Artist and Water for Elephants

Joey, Thoroughbred, War Horse

May the movie watching begin!

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Buff Smoothie, courtesy of Alton Brown

Ingredients

• 4 ounces plain, low-fat soy milk
• 4 ounces acai, grape, or pomegranate juice
• 4 ounces frozen banana
• 4 ounces frozen strawberries
• 4 ounces frozen blueberries
• 4 ounces frozen peaches

Directions

Combine the soy milk, juice, banana, strawberries, blueberries, and the peaches in the carafe of a blender. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 8 hours.

In the morning, or when the fruit is partially thawed, put the carafe on the base of the blender, start at the lowest speed and slowly accelerate to medium, until you achieve a vortex. Blend on medium for 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and blend for an additional minute. Serve immediately.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/buff-smoothie-recipe/index.html

I've never had to let my smoothie ingredients set overnight. Worth a try!

Top 10 Films of 2011

Yes, there are so many of these lists out there right now that you don't know who you should trust. For the most part they are going to have the same overlap, at least for the films that have been released so far. I say 'for the most part' because I don't think many lists will include Justin Bieber's documentary Never Say Never like in John Waters' list. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and agree on my wonderful choices!

The List
1. The Tree of Life. From the intriguing (to some, superfluous) flame that frames the film (say that five times fast!) to the intense familial relationship and characterization, the audience is constantly engaged and is asked to consider the greater meaning of life. The cinematography is out of this world!
Check out my 100 word blog of the film here: http://quickmoviereviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/tree-of-life.html

2. Melancholia. Another earth-shattering film that questions the existence of life as the planet Melancholia is headed towards Earth. Superb performances by the two main actresses (Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg) and wonderfully rounded supporting cast make the themes resonate even deeper by creating a juxtaposed tension between the family itself. An overall melancholy film that is more about dealing with life's difficulties before an impending death and less about the end of the world (obviously occurring this December). The prologue alone is well worth the ticket cost, with Wagner's Tristan and Isolde conducting the slow motion frames that capture the wonder and beauty of the apocalypse and character struggles all at once. Astounding!

3. Hugo. A fantastic film adapted from a surely creative children's book that explodes with imagination and Scorcese-auteur-style. The setting- train station and Paris- is beautifully crafted and the story captures George Melies, one of cinema's first filmmakers, as a hopeful and creative artist that simply wants to spark joy throughout the world. And as he says in the film, "Films have the power to capture dreams," don't they? Hugo is one of the greatest and truest family films ever made.

4. Midnight in Paris. Another Parisian film that captures the remarkable essence of the City of Love at a time when love and hope seemed to endure forever. Read my previous blog from June about this film that exudes my love even more!

5.Win Win. This film opened at Sundance last year and is a subtle but overall satisfying film in every way. A talented wrestling son and a lost husband/failing wrestling coach cross paths and change each other's lives for the better. I left quite happy and peaceful; this is one film where not being thought-provoked is 100% OK.

6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II. This series finale was tear-jerking and left me wanting so much more. No, this is not disappointing; instead, I was finally happy with how the film was constructed with such detail and purpose. The special effects, acting (Alan Rickman, you will always be the only Snape in my heart. Your first 5 seconds of the film could have lasted 2 hours for me and I still would have been emotionally-drained.) and mostly-novel-following plot made this an unforgettable experience.  Check out my 100 word movie review here: http://quickmoviereviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/it-all-ends.html

7. My Week with Marilyn. An inside look at Marilyn's acting career as she plays opposite the fantastic Lawrence Olivier (played by Kenneth Branagh) in England, 1957. The beautiful Michelle Williams shows a truly vulnerable Monroe as she battles depression and a love life that never seems to hold steady (she is married to Arthur Miller at this point but the movie's POV is from Colin Clark, with whom she has the telling affair). The art direction draws parallels to The King's Speech and the cast (including Emma Watson!) is well-rounded (notice a pattern?).

8. Beginners. A son and father have mid/end-life crises of relationship anxiety and sexual orientation, respectively. The cutest Jack Russell costars as Ewan McGregor's counterpart, Arthur, and gives great advice to the weary. Director Mike Mills instills a minimalist style that highlights the finer things in life. Just check out all of my 100 word blogs, including one for Beginners here: http://quickmoviereviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/infamous-left.html

9. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This has great potential to be the Best Adapted Screenplay this year as it consistently follows the Stieg Larsson novel. Rooney Mara is freakishly successful in her portrayal of the reclusive Lisbeth Salander (previously played in the Swedish trilogy by the impeccably brilliant Noomi Rapace). Fincher delivers across the board just like with last year's The Social Network (along with the score composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Roth): similar style, camera techniques and design. This mature tale is inventive, mysterious, suspenseful, and repulsive- aka mind blowing fun!

10. Like Crazy. The young actors show much potential in this long distance relationship drama. The constant back-and-forth motion leaves the ending highly anticipated and unpredictable. Doremus makes some Felicity Jones (and her British accent) will be the new go-to girl soon, Anton Yelchin will continue to look unaged, the flawless and effortless Jennifer Lawrence debuted in last year's Winter's Bone and will soon be featured in The Hunger Games, and Charlie Bewley will be the newest teen heartthrob- wait, he was in Twilight...Scratch that.

Honorable Mention (in no specific order)

1. Poetry. Another Korean film that fails to disappoint the mysterious and subtly-stimulating style of its predecessors. A grandmother embarks on a moral journey after she discovers her grandson participated in raping a schoolgirl who later commits suicide. Also, she is diagnosed with Alzheimer's and is determined to learn how to write poetry. The thick story, metaphors of poetry and craft of filmmaking show that anything is possible and a lack of truly unique ideas are far off.

2. Bellflower. Sex, drugs, violence, explosions. Blood. A hardcore film that transforms from love story to much much more. The ending blew me away and the

3. Drive. Two great actors that will undoubtedly go on to even more success in the future, Carey Mulligan and Ryan Gosling, create an awkward relationship but fill the characters' shoes with grace and passion. Nicholas Winding Refn's style is quite effective and noticeable and gives Gosling the perfect atmosphere to perform.

4. Contagion. A surprising hit that makes a profound statement about disease in the modern world. Finally a film with an all-star cast that takes advantage of each actor's potential! Kate Winslet and Gwyneth Paltrow shine along with Matt Damon, Jude Law, Lawrence Fishburne, Marion Cotillard, Jennifer Ehle, and Bryan Cranston (and that's not everybody!).

5. Red State. A harrowing tale of three sex-crazed teens that alludes to the harsh anti-gay beliefs of the Westboro Baptism Church. Definitely not one for the light of heart, but a film that is creatively evil and features an ending nobody will expect. I can still picture John Goodman's reaction as I remember that resounding noise...

6. Another Earth. An impressive independent film that challenges a gifted student (Brit Marling) to embark on an unforeseen and difficult life path. In the meantime, Earth 2 is discovered close-by and is inhabited with human parallels of ourselves. A great performance by the main actress Marling creates a believable story to a theory that will forever perturb human minds: a world out there with an alternate you that decided to make better choices in life.

7. Martha Marcy May Marlene. I still don't know how I feel about this film. Yes, it is completely unsettling and Elizabeth Olsen's acting is magnificent. And for first-timer Sean Durkin this was a very ambitious endeavor. On the other hand, the ending averted another possible climax even though the film had lead the audience to believe only one possibility. I am THE connoisseur for open-ended endings, but this was disappointingly too open. Maybe you felt the same way.

8. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. This sequel brings a whole new level of action, thrill and jaw-dropping intensity to the mastermind Sherlock Holmes. The plot stems fluidly from the conclusion of the first film as a confrontation with Professor Moriarty is highly anticipated. (Moriarty smarter than Holmes?!) The regulars from the first film return (one is bid adieu too soon) while newcomer Noomi Rapace rapidly and comfortably warms up the screen. Director Guy Ritchie continues to excite audiences in this possible series, but to keep this up he'll need to think of just as great- or better- of an idea.

Films That I Have Not Seen But I Know Would Be On My List
Take Shelter
A Separation
Shame
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Artist
Circumstance
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

-------------
Breakfast Energy Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup orange juice 
• 4 to 6 strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/2 banana 
• 1/4 cup silken tofu (about 3 ounces).  Instead of tofu, try adding a handful of granola. It sounds weird at first but it's a healthy, hearty and tasty addition!
• 1 tablespoon honey or sugar 
• 6 ice cubes

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/energy-smoothie-10000000640879/

Revenge of Awards Season!

With a much needed return to movie critiquing/blogging (now that my writing class is over! Phew), I find the greatest pleasure in telling you about the arrival of 2011 Award nominations and winners from a variety of film festivals and national ceremonies. Of course, Cannes ended in May but with it came a long list of hopeful films for 2011: Midnight in Paris, La piel que habito, The Artist, Le Havre, Sleeping Beauty, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Melancholia, Drive, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Restless, Take Shelter (and 2010 winners with a larger 2011 release: Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives and Poetry) and of course...The Tree of Life! Of the films that I have seen so far from this list, only have I been pleasantly shocked and sometimes completely blown away.  To the rest of the films I have yet to check off this year, well, I'm just upset that I don't live in NYC or LA because I'd have seen them already. Anyway, I'm just hoping for a wider release sooner than later, especially so I can see all the hopeful noms before the Big Day, Februuary 26th, 2012.

Of the most promising festivals that have already announced winners is the Gotham Independent Film Awards. Beginners (another grand film) won Best Feature along with Tree of Life and Best Ensemble Performance, Dee Rees won Breakthrough Director for her engaging and uplifting Pariah, and Felicity Jones won Breakthrough Actor for her phenomenal and touching performance in Like Crazy. All of these films and the other nominees (Bellflower = insane) are outstanding and unique. I have not seen Pariah but I have seen the trailer three times. If it can make me cry every time, I am positive the film has quite some merit.

For your sake (and my hands), I won't write out the nominees that have been released for the SAG and Golden Globe Awards. But, I have copied and pasted them with my highlighted predictions:

18th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS® NOMINATIONS

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

DEMIÁN BICHIR / Carlos Galindo - “A BETTER LIFE” (Summit Entertainment)

GEORGE CLOONEY / Matt King - "THE DESCENDANTS” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / J. Edgar Hoover - "J. EDGAR" (Warner Bros. Pictures)

JEAN DUJARDIN / George - "THE ARTIST" (The Weinstein Company)

BRAD PITT / Billy Beane - "MONEYBALL" (Columbia Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

GLENN CLOSE  / Albert Nobbs - "ALBERT NOBBS” (Roadside Attractions)

VIOLA DAVIS / Aibileen Clark - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)

MERYL STREEP / Margaret Thatcher - “THE IRON LADY” (The Weinstein Company)

TILDA SWINTON / Eva - “WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN” (Oscilloscope Laboratories)

MICHELLE WILLIAMS / Marilyn Monroe - “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

KENNETH BRANAGH / Sir Laurence Olivier - “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN” (The Weinstein Company)

ARMIE HAMMER / Clyde Tolson - "J. EDGAR" (Warner Bros. Pictures)

JONAH HILL / Peter Brand - "MONEYBALL" (Columbia Pictures)

NICK NOLTE / Paddy Conlon - “WARRIOR” (Lionsgate)

CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER / Hal - “BEGINNERS” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

BÉRÉNICE BEJO / Peppy - "THE ARTIST" (The Weinstein Company)

JESSICA CHASTAIN / Celia Foote - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)

MELISSA McCARTHY / Megan - “BRIDESMAIDS” (Universal Pictures)

JANET McTEER / Hubert Page - "ALBERT NOBBS” (Roadside Attractions)

OCTAVIA SPENCER / Minny Jackson - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

THE ARTIST (The Weinstein Company)

BRIDESMAIDS (Universal Pictures)

THE DESCENDANTS (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

THE HELP (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Sony Pictures Classics)

PRIMETIME TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

LAURENCE FISHBURNE / Thurgood Marshall - “THURGOOD” (HBO)

PAUL GIAMATTI / Ben Bernanke - “TOO BIG TO FAIL” (HBO)

GREG KINNEAR / Jack Kennedy - “THE KENNEDYS” (REELZ CHANNEL)

GUY PEARCE / Monty Beragon - “MILDRED PIERCE“ (HBO)

JAMES WOODS / Richard Fuld - “TOO BIG TO FAIL” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

DIANE LANE / Pat Loud - “CINEMA VERITE” (HBO)

MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham - “DOWNTON ABBEY” (PBS)

EMILY WATSON / Janet Leach - “APPROPRIATE ADULT” (Sundance Channel)

BETTY WHITE / Caroline Thomas - “HALLMARK HALL OF FAME: THE LOST VALENTINE” (CBS)

KATE WINSLET / Mildred Pierce - “MILDRED PIERCE” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

PATRICK J. ADAMS / Mike Ross - “SUITS” (USA)

STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thompson - “BOARDWALK EMPIRE” (HBO)

KYLE CHANDLER / Eric Taylor - “FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS” (DirecTV)

BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White - “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)

MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan - “DEXTER” (Showtime)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

KATHY BATES / Harriet Korn - “HARRY’S LAW” (NBC)

GLENN CLOSE / Patty Hewes  - “DAMAGES” (DirecTV)

JESSICA LANGE / Constance - “AMERICAN HORROR STORY” (FX)

JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick - “THE GOOD WIFE” (CBS)

KYRA SEDGWICK / Dept. Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson - “THE CLOSER” (TNT)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy - “30 ROCK” (NBC)

TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy - “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott  - “THE OFFICE” (NBC)

JON CRYER / Alan Harper  - “TWO AND A HALF MEN” (CBS)

ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker - “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy - “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton - “NURSE JACKIE” (Showtime)

TINA FEY / Liz Lemon - “30 ROCK” (NBC)

SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett  - “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

BETTY WHITE / Elka Ostrovsky - “HOT IN CLEVELAND” (TV Land)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)

BREAKING BAD (AMC)

DEXTER (Showtime)

GAME OF THRONES (HBO)

THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

30 ROCK (NBC)

THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)

GLEE (FOX)

MODERN FAMILY (ABC)

THE OFFICE (NBC)

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The Golden Globes are basically the same with just a few tweaks here and there and a few more categories.

http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations/

Just over a month away til the Oscar Nominations are announced-- January 24th.

For now I'll leave you to ponder these great films names along with a few that I still have to see myself. Good luck on creating a must-see film list and marking each one off successfully; and of course, have fun!

Yet to see:

The Artist

Albert Nobbs

Shame

50/50

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Le Havre

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Help

Hugo (saw it today and it was Amazing! Top contender in Cinematography, 

Water for Elephants

The Trip

Cave of Forgotten Dreams

The Iron Lady

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Crazy, Stupid, Love

We Need to Talk About Kevin 

My Week with Marilyn

Margin Call

Young Adult

(must I really see) War Horse 

A Dangerous Method

Super 8

A Separation (An almost guaranteed win for Best Foreign Film after this year's success and praise, 100% rating on RottenTomatoes and already landing it a #118 spot on the IMDB Top 250.)

(I know, it seems like there's not enough time in the day to see these and the countless other movies I have to catch up on! #hardlife)

credit:

http://www.sagawards.org/media-pr/11213

http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Cannes_Film_Festival

My Top Films of 2011 List Coming Soon!!!

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My favorite Smoothie recipe:
The Improvisation

Just use whatever fruit and juice you have in your freezer and fridge. If you don't have any, then you're probably not going to be making a smoothie anyway. So go buy some!
If you do have fruit, throw what looks good together and taste as you go. Add a little more juice or milk, ice to thicken, honey to sweeten, or ice cream (the "dangerous" treat) to thicken.

This is mostly what I do when I make a smoothie, so technically it's not laziness, it's creativity! Enjoy!

More Movies!

In the meantime, while I fail to write a longer blog  review, check out my new blog with short reviews at:
quickmoviereviews.blogspot.com! I've added a few and am polishing a few more that need to be added! See you there :)

Strawberry Banana Sunrise

• 4 cups fresh strawberries

  1 sliced banana

  1 carton yogurt 

  1 cup ice

  honey, for sweetness

  
  

A Magical Midnight

What a better gift for my birthday than to be transported to the past to a magical era of art, beauty, design, and passion!  Midnight In Paris is a truly wonderful film that captures every essence of Paris.  Through an introductory montage of Paris streets, monuments, cafes, buildings, and inhabitants, I really felt that I was transported to the Capital of Modernity.  What follows is a Woody Allen tale of lost love, comedy, and culture with a pinch of sarcastic salt and pessimistic pepper. 


Gil (Owen Wilson) embarks on a vacation with his fiance Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her ritzy parents to Paris.  One night he finds himself walking alone back to his hotel buzzed and at the stroke of midnight, is swept back into the 1920s where he meets F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway all on the same night!  The line between past and present is paper thin and thankfully Allen addresses this issue delicately and not like an episode of Lost where time travel is a staple to understanding the plot. Of course his family considers him crazy but he continues to push through Paris, searching for the missing piece for his novel  in progress.  On his journey, he meets Gertrude Stein who helps him on his novel, Luis Buñuel, Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Cole Porter, Juan Belmonte, T.S. Eliot, and finally Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.  With each new yet famous character that enters the frame, I glowed with more and more astonishment at how real the meeting seemed and how magnificent the meeting would be- if it were only possible...  It leaves you with hope in that not all creativity is lost in this world.

Gil as he contemplates imagination
and reality in Midnight in Paris.

In only 90 minutes, you learn that the true meaning of life is in the present, not the past. You hear about how the Golden Age (of any place) was the most magical time, but once Gil was transported back to the 1920s, the Parisians found it just as dull and unspectacular as we do our present; however grandly Gil was transfixed by the literary and artistic wonders he prays to so fondly.  In the end of the film we are unknowingly propelled further back into La Belle Époque, another era of fine European culture that began in the late 19th Century. Here, our dazzling Mademoiselle Adriana, played by Marion Cotillard, finds herself in love with a time that preceeded her as well and it is only at this moment that our protagonist realizes that inspiration and imagination are not always reality.  The past has helped him clear his mind but without a present, he has no headquarters for his thoughts to reconvene.  This is why it is important not to wish for a different life of a different time with different aspirations, talents, or worries.  Live in the now and make the most of it. Travel the world and let it inspire your imagination.  Go make today the best yet by thinking about your dreams and not wasting any more time wishing your life away for any other.

Adriana and Gil walking the streets of Paris in the 1920s.

Woody, and Gil, find the rain sexy, revealing and calming, especially for a city as grand as Paris. So go. Walk through Paris in the rain. Without an umbrella. And experience the beauty that wins the audience over in Midnight In Paris.

Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

This is a film I saw before summer, but I really wanted to write a blog about it to showcase the attention it so rightfully deserves.  Morgan Spurlock, widely known for Super Size Me, follows his same intensive style on a grander path of recognizing product placement, mass marketing, advertising, and more or less, brainwashing.  In teaching the audience about these unhealthy concerns, he succeeds in creating a documentary based entirely on product placement.  The whole basis of advertising and its ultimate money making desire is challenged.  Facts and viewpoints from major company leaders are spilled, giving the audience a peek into a $475 billion business.  In short, the movie records its attempts at finding companies to represent and promote the movie you are currently watching.

The only thing that kept this movie alive was Spurlock's ambition.  The plot was insightful, yet extremely risky. The hundreds of phone calls he made to potential business sponsors, the travelling, the hours of interviews, and the creation of artistic ideas for TV spots and business plugs makes the process seem extremely overwhelming to me.  However, the fast pace, intelligence and humor is what makes this film so enjoyable. The juxtaposition of music and visual enhances all of these qualities.You end up rooting for Morgan like any underdog as Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" slowly crescendos in the background.

One aspect that was intriguing was how the movie brought to fruition its binding contract with business sponsors.  About halfway through the movie Morgan sits down with his lawyer and discusses what shots and scenes MUST be in the final version of the film.  Once they state the necessary: interview in a JetBlue airplane, the 30 sec POM and Mane 'n Tail TV spot and 600 million media impressions, you start to appreciate the layout of shots and the intricacies the filmmakers planned. It is almost like a pre-production meeting where everyone throws out ideas and then once you're watching the film you say, "Hey! I invented that scene!"

Now that you have read this blog and learned all about The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, you can officially call yourself The Greatest Reader Ever of the The Greatest Blog Ever Written!  Enjoy this family friendly movie about a journey into the business side of the film industry.

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Rise 'N Raspberry (from My Little Black Book of Smoothies)
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup non-fat raspberry yogurt (or substitute applesauce)
1/2 (frozen) banana
1.5 cups frozen raspberries
Optional:
1 cup strawberries
Ice, honey

Enjoy!

Mutant and Proud

I've waited for this moment all year.  The wind in my hair, the sun in my eyes, the freedom in my breath.  SUMMER!  Also usually a season of horribly designed blockbusters, but we won't go there because summer started with the right bang this time around.  Unheard of, right?! A prequel to a pretty large franchise that actually had some artistic merit.  Those words spark for some interesting comments!  So, in order to start out the summer season, I saw X-Men: First Class.  With such an all star cast, how couldn't I?  Jennifer Lawrence, hot off the red Oscar carpet with Winter's Bone, Nicholas Hoult from Skins and last year's A Single Man, James McAvoy, January Jones, a fleet of other well-known actors: Kevin Bacon, Oliver Pratt (Please Give), Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids); an up-and-coming actor Lucas Till; and delightful cameos from Hugh Jackman and Rebecca Romjin.  Only the worst of writers (see I Am Number Four, Pirates 2,3) could have ruined this film, and thankfully their fingerprints are clean.

It was very intriguing to have all of my X-Men prequel questions answered throughout the film, the main one being "How do Erik and Charles possibly become arch enemies?"  No doubt it was set up that way, to intrigue the audience until the last shot when the characters and story lines had been returned to their rightful owner.  It leads the audience on a whirlwind of conforming situations that seem to perfectly align with the previously shot X-Men films.  The film also brings together so many important values, highlighting the mutants in a society of almost entirely deadbeat and narrow-minded humans.  It is a world not too different than the one we live in today where minorities are in a constant game of tug-of-war with society.  First Class did a superb job with referencing the injustices in the world without getting political or cheesy; the subtle references were there for those who wanted to read into the film.  Subtle, yet frequent in dialogue, a few cuts that show homosocial depictions and a single African American allusion to slavery.  More obvious values and ideals include: Right vs. Wrong, Good vs. Evil, believing in yourself, never giving up hope, and having the strength and pride to be happy in your own skin.

I mentioned before 'artistic merit'.  With the right shots and a precise intuition, art can be created with bountiful grace through any medium.  I love myself a plate full of symbolism.  What also gets me crazy for movies is an impeccable eye for editing.  (Usually editing and symbolism go hand in hand.)  For example, in the final battle scene, and without spoiling any juicy details, a match cut is used with crosscutting in order to link Charles' pain with whom he is currently 'interacting'.  Yes, that was me clapping with a film critic's approval.  Aside from implicit art is the explicit. The beauty of the wilderness and on location shooting.  To keep the action-adventure genre alive, the X-Men traveled from New York to Argentina to D.C., Oxford, Russia and they even caught a breath in the freezing Arctic waters.

LOVE these two fine young actors: Nicholas Hoult and Jennifer Lawrence.

"Between rage and serenity" is a place where beauty and the meaning of life rests.  In the palm of your hand lies your destiny.
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Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

• 1 banana
• 2 Tbs. peanut butter
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 1 cup milk
• Ice, optional

Volchok

This is definitely one of my favorite Russian films (behind Repentance) and the darkest film I have seen in a while.  It was a hit at many Russian festivals when it was released in 2009, winning Best Film, Best Actress and Special Mention awards.  This harrowing film follows the relationship of an alcoholic mother and her displaced daughter told through the eyes of the latter.  The film has a realistic and linear storyline but contains a large quantity of formalistic shots that makes the story and themes universal.

Volchok has two different translations in English that are each expressed in its own light.  The first translation, “wolfy”, refers to a story the mother told her daughter where she was walking through the forest and found a wolf in a bag.  This directly relates to the mother’s despicable relationship with her daughter.  The wolf is left hopelessly screaming in the bag, trapped as the mother walks away.  The other translation, “spinning top”, is used as a symbol for the daughter.  The daughter is always loyal to her mother, spinning and waiting for her maternal attention, yet she receives no response.  At the end of the film the top spins and spins, and with a single misguided grain in the table, the top is flung off of the table into the darkness below.  This directly represents the daughter’s finale as she is ever-so-slightly spun to her death, resulting from the misguided attempts of trying to win over her hopeless mother’s affection.

The cinematography of Volchok looked quite effortless and added greatly to the underlying themes.  The impersonal characterizations of the mother and daughter further show the divisions between the two and were displayed technically by the types of shots used.  For example, the daughter is always shot with a barrier between her and the screen.  Be it something she is holding, a window, or the table she so frequently hides under, her hidden body is symbolic of her great distance from any connection to reality.  The only friend she has is the dead boy she befriends at the cemetery.  Not even her mother seems to care about her.  Every night she waits by the window for her mother to return home.  The window frames her imprisonment as she sits, flashing the lights, feeling like an exile on a faraway island with no rescue in sight.  Yet she waits and vies for her mother’s love until the very end when it is too late to go back and create a happier life.

Volchok brings up many themes throughout the film.  The first is alcoholism which is the cause of the mother’s horrid spells and unfocused attention towards her daughter.  Another theme is a negative attitude towards men.  There are very few male characters in the film, and the only ones shown are the mother’s easily disposable sexual partners.  The pre-adolescent point of view of the film is prevalent here because the daughter references these men as “uncles” yet is unsure why so many visit her house.

Volchok can be rather intense, but overall is a great film that addresses a variety of issues that will plague relationships until the end of time.

IMDB
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Simple Strawberry-Orange Smoothie
3/4 cup orange juice
5/4 cups frozen strawberries (fresh will do- just add more ice)
2 Tbs. honey (or more...)
1/2 cup ice cubes
for creaminess add 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk

Can You Cannes?

I really do think my heart just fluttered.  At least it did when I first saw that this week was the opening of the Cannes Film Festival!  Film festivals (along with the Oscars) make my knees wobbly and my inspiration for life increase tenfold.  They are magical and entrancing, capturing an audience year after year in newfound excitement with hopes that their film will make it into the higher echelons of film history.  In my opinion, if your film has been accepted by Cannes, that is one HUGE accomplishment already.

CANNES. The most fashionable film festival in the world.  The air and style that surrounds this festival in particular is grace, beauty, luxury. Elegant but not pretentious (unlike most French stereotypes).  It accomplishes this through its Official Selection (list of movie screenings) too.  You'll find that at other festivals there may be 100+ films, however for 2011 Cannes only hosts 74 feature-length films (20 In Competition) and 9 Shorts Films.

Cannes definitely has many layers of prestige and glory.  The red carpet, the actors, directors.  It truly is formalism at its best.  Among the many brilliant actors in attendance are a host of well-known directors: Pedro Almódovar, Lars Von Trier, Terrence Malick, Gus Van Sant, Woody Allen, and Judie Foster with her directorial debut (The Beaver).  And even though I won't go through every film I would love to see, I will share a few:  festival opener Midnight in Paris, Restless, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Sleeping Beauty, The Tree of Life, Melancholia, La piel que habito, and Hearat Shulayim.  It is a shame that most foreign films remain nameless and quite unknown because they always deliver: in tone, style, and quality.  Which is a rare form especially in a time of unsatisfying and heartless moneymakers.


Here is the link to the list of all films being screened at Cannes this year.  Definitely browse other parts of the site to learn about some "Cannes Classics", the 2011 jury, the history of the festival, and other organizations and productions with whom the festival partners.
http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/2011/allSelections.html

It is only Day 4 of the festival.  Stay updated until the very last minute on Closing Day: May 22nd, 2011.

What movies do you think will win this year??

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Such a classy festival calls for a classy coffee drink.

Mochaccino Shake

• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 cup strong black coffee, regular or decaf
• 1/2 cup chocolate syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 pints coffee flavor ice cream
• Whipped cream in spray canister, garnish
• Chocolate shavings, garnish