Oscar Nomination Ballot

Here is the official Academy Award 2011 Ballot!

2011 Ballot!

So go ahead, print it off, and keep track of who wins February 27th at the 83rd Academy Awards!  I will definitely keep writing about the nominated movies I see and keep you posted on my predictions for Oscar night.  Since I have seen the majority of the multi-nominated films (and I'm sure you have too), check back here for the ones you normally wouldn't find out about.  And maybe you'll learn a thing or two about those categories that you never understood ("What the hell is the difference between sound editing and sound mixing?")

Enjoy your countdown to the Oscars!!

Official Oscar Nominations 2011

The nominations were just announced for the 2011 Academy Awards!  Even though the ballot hasn't been released yet, I will post that as soon as it is available.

Someday I will say as I do now, "And here are the nominees:"

Best Actor:

Colin Firth

Jeff Bridges

Jesse Eisenberg

James Franco

Javier Bardem

Best Actress:

Natalie Portman

Anette Bening

Michelle Williams

Jennifer Lawrence

Nicole Kidman

Best Supporting Actor:

Christian Bale

John Hawkes

Geoffrey Rush

Mark Ruffalo

Jeremy Renner

Best Supporting Actress:

Melissa Leo

Amy Adams

Helena Bonham Carter

Hailee Steinfeld

Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom!)

Best Motion Picture:

Inception

Toy Story 3

Black Swan

The Social Network

The King's Speech

127 Hours

The Kids Are All Right

True Grit

Winter's Bone

The Fighter

http://oscar.go.com/

Oscar Season

It's almost time for me to say "Oscar season has begun!"  Tomorrow morning the official noms will be announced at 8:30 eastern time by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak and Monique (winner of last year's Best Supporting Actress award for Precious).  I will definitely be up this year in time for the live announcement.  Even though I have seen most of the films that will most likely be nominated, I still am curious to see the unexpected additions and the foreign film nominees.  Left on my list of movies to see are: Blue Valentine (this Friday!), Rabbit Hole, Another Year; and in the foreign category: I Am Love, Biutiful, The Illusionist and The Concert.

Each year I do more and more to prepare for the Oscars, and this year I took it even farther by making my Pre-nomination Ballot. No, it's not complete, but it includes all the categories I am most sure of.

Movie
Black Swan
Social Network
Toy Story 3
King's Speech
The Fighter
Inception
Actor
Colin Firth
Jim Broadbent
James Franco
Jesse Eisenberg
Robert Duvall
Supporting
Geoffrey Rush
Christian Bale
Actress
Natalie Portman
Jennifer Lawrence
Annette Bening
Julianne Moore
Noomi Rapace
Supporting
(winters bone) Melissa Leo lookalike
Melissa Leo
Hailee Steinfeld
Animated Movie
Toy Story 3
How to train your dragon
The illusionist
Despicable Me
Score
127 Hours
Harry Potter
King's Speech
Social Network
Foreign Movie
Dragon Tattoo
The Concert
Mother (2010?)
Vincere
Documentary
Waiting for Superman
Catfish
Exit through the gift shop
Score
127 Hours
Harry Potter
King's Speech
Social Network
Special Effects
Tron
Narnia
Costume
King's Speech
Black Swan
????????
Biutiful
Rabbit Hole
Blue Valentine

This year is definitely going to be a tough Best Picture winner because I fell in love with Black Swan both times I saw it, but The Social Network has been winning the category thus far this season. Also, David Fincher and Darren Aronofsky are both on my Top Directors list.  I think I'm going to stick with my gut and wait for the surprise when they call "Black Swan" February 27th!

Well come back here more tomorrow when I post the list of official Oscar Nominations 2011!!

Black Swan

I have been waiting for Black Swan ever since I saw the previews, probably months ago, and it was EVERYTHING I imagined it would be!  I am a total Darren Aronofsky and Natalie Portman fan and they were definitely a perfect tag team.  If you haven't seen Requiem for a Dream, another mind-blowing, drug-induced movie made by Aronofsky, then make it the next on your list.  Even though he doesn't use the intense and unique editing techniques from Dream to enhance Swan's experience, he definitely succeeds by using other similar techniques and concepts including drugs, hallucinations and psychological transformation.  The entire movie is intense and literally kept me on the edge of my seat with my hands wanting to cover my eyes yet I couldn't look away.  From the clubbing scene which made me want to get up and dance along with the actors in the strobe lit theatre; to Act II, the Portman's jaw-dropping performance as the Black Swan; to the final scene where the perfect ending is played out, there is never a dull moment captured.

Swan Lake may have been around for almost 150 years, but there has never been anything like this before.  Swan follows a ballet dancer's dream to become the main performer in a dance company and take on Swan Lake as the Swan Queen.  Her life has been consumed by dancing, and when her ankle makes the first crack early on, I cringe along with her fragile body while her future flashes before her eyes.  She has learned to push through any hardship of the art and business of dancing.  The movie captures her personal, physical, emotional, and mental struggle to maintain consciousness in a world of imagination.  The movie also does a great job on telling the story of Swan Lake.  I didn't know it beforehand so I'm happy they explained the plot throughout because it definitely accentuated the movie's plot, too.

One of the themes of this movie is: Nobody is perfect, and perfection should not be a realistic expectation for anybody.  The reality of this film is what pushes it over the edge--in a good way!  We all know the dedication that every dancer or artist needs in order to succeed, and by stressing this point, Aronofsky creates a gritty reality.  The gruesome effects that stretch Portman's imagination into reality makes the film so hard to watch at times.  When she picks at her nail and ends up tearing a length of skin off, it's unbearable to watch without screaming with pain inside.  However, this is only realized in Portman's imagination and leads the audience to see into her stressed and over-worked mind.

Hands down, Natalie Portman is the star of this movie.  Her steady and inspiring transformation into the true Swan Queen is outstanding and is definitely Oscar-worthy! (Yes, you heard it here first folks.)  The film can be split in half according to her performance: the first half as Portman being the White Swan and in the second half her inner Black Swan takes over.  The director's subtle techniques and choices of shot angle and depth further this point.  One of my personal favorites is when she is putting on lipstick on the train, but the shot captures her dark reflection in the glass instead of a close up shot (a reflection of the dark image which moves her forward in becoming the Black Swan).

I'm not saying the other actors aren't worthy though.  Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel and Barbara Hershey lead a terrific Supporting Cast.  If this movie is any indication on Kunis's transformation as an actress, she has definitely shed her image as simply being Kelso's girlfriend on That 70's Show.  She was perfectly cast as the dark and seductive backup Snow Queen.  It's hard not to say too much about her role, so it's best just to find out first hand.  Saying lesbian sex scene sounds controversial, inappropriate and unnecesarry, but it actually turns out being an important and believable scene.  Portman and Kunis are both believable in their performances in this scene; this is a totally necessary facet so that it is seen as a necessary action to further the plot.

Ballet was the perfect way to interpret Aronofsky's vision of every person's inner struggle between good and evil, their white and black swans.  Such a majestic and interpretive art form can suggest so many different actions and meanings to an audience.  By now, you understand that this movie is quite interpretive and detail-oriented.  The few and necessary effects used enhance the experience by showcasing Portman's psychological transformation from a White Swan into a Black Swan.

I would love to have the chance to work with, or alongside Darren Aronofsky, the genius behind this feature.  If I ever become a filmmaker one day, he is definitely who I inspire to be.  Gritty, real, dramatic, suspenseful, interpretive and intense all describe him.  So anyone working with him/in Hollywood, please let him know! :)

Mother

Director: 

Joon-ho Bong



I don't know what it is about foreign films, especially asian ones, but they NEVER disappoint!  The film's message focuses on how far a mother would go to protect her son and prove his innocence.  If there are any moms out there, how far would you go?  If any of you would go as far, or even farther, than this mother, then you should definitely be applauded for your devotion.  This mother stops at nothing, hence the tagline for the film, and even when she thinks she has solved the case- she discovers even more.

Hye-ja Kim impresses with her motherly role to Do-joon, who is framed for killing Moon Ah-jung.  With him in jail, she sets out on a quest to find the true killer and to expose the police in their lack of investigation skills.  I can't say too much more or else I will ruin the story, but I love how the movie stays suspenseful while hinting at humor along the way.  The opening scene is somewhat confusing; it opens on the mother while she stands in a field of grain but then begins to dance.  I asked myself, isn't this movie supposed to be about a murder?  But, it is amusing to see Hye-ja Kim break it down a little.

There were two pivotal scenes toward the end of the movie that furthered both the plot and the mother's character arch.  My mouth literally dropped because I couldn't believe what I had just seen!

The very final scene is quite comical as you are thrown onto a bus with a bunch of Korean ladies dancing down the aisle.  As the camera slowly zooms in on the mother, sitting alone while the others party it up, we see the worry in her eyes both for her son and herself.  We learn that with her last effort to make things right, sometimes things should be left alone just as they are.

Love Actually

Love Actually is one of those holiday movies that bring back the Christmas cheer year after year after year.

One of the messages of the movie is that love and relationships is defined by what people want, not what people need.  People need food, shelter, water, clothes, etc... But do we need jewelry and other superfluous things? Of course not, but we love getting them!  The split between Karen (Emma Thompson) and Harry (Alan "Professor Snape" Rickman) is driven by the necessity to give more than what is needed.  Harry's dying love for Karen has been defined by dull scarves, yet she still loves him dearly.  Her courage and selflessness keeps her strong until the very end, when she breaks like a true human should.  She could no better personify the ideal mother, wife and friend.

Love Actually shows love in its infinite forms and as you can see by the web of relationships, it definitely brings a lot of people together! Across languages, nations, ethnicities, and social classes, love will surpass any bound if it is meant to be. Christmas is one of those times when love is always in the air, so why not put your heart out there. Dance with the guy or girl at the office who you've kept an eye on for the past "2 years, 7 months, 3 days, and I suppose what, 2 hours?" Learn a musical instrument and serenade your love- even if you are 11 years old. Being cliché just might find you happiness.

Enjoy the time while you can- the christmas trees, the snow, the gifts, the Nativity Scene, and the carols. Before you know it, Christmas will soon be over and Love Actually will be right back in the DVD collection, waiting to be brought out next December.

Happy Holidays everyone!  Christmas is All Around! :)

Enter The Void

So it's definitely been awhile since I've posted a review, but I feel like I've chosen a great film to return with!  It's called 'Enter the Void' and it was actually released at the 2009 Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals.  Just to start things off, this movie is NOT for the faint of heart or those easily startled or offended by: (loads of) SEX and nudity, strobe lights, loud noise/music, heavy drugs, and pervasive language.

It's pretty easy to sum up Etv in one word: trippy. Not only because the main character, Oscar, is on drugs most of the time, but also for the way Noe uses dolly zoom, sways the camera disorientingly for minutes on end and shows the brain's creative power and psychedelic vision during drug use.  The ever present neon lights also add to the crazy nature of every shot.

The opening credits were so shocking and unique that I knew Gaspar Noe really had something up his sleeve.  And let me say, he definitely delivered!  He contributed so many new and useful cinematic techniques that melded perfectly with the movie's tone.  Firstly, the camera is mainly from Oscar's POV- the audience literally feels . Whenever the perspective becomes omniscient, the camera 'dollies out' of his head, then pops back in when we need his view.  Secondly, the entire movie has the appearance of being one shot.  I tried quite a few times to find a break but my attempts were to no avail.  Instead of cutting between locations, the camera gives a continuous aerial (straight-down) view of city streets and the insides of buildings passed through.  This extreme continuity is juxtaposed with discontinuous editing of flashbacks to disorient the viewer furthermore.

"The Void" is the name of the bar where (spoiler!) Oscar is shot and killed but it also represents the emptiness and meaninglessness of life.  Noe uses "The Tibetian Book of the Dead" to define his views of what life represents and the possibility of life after death.

In short, "Enter the Void" is a true work of art.

Movie Madness Weekend

This past weekend was filled with movies and television-- I was most certainly in heaven!  And I really think I set a new record for myself: 4 movies in 3 days and also countless episodes of 5 TV shows I had to catch up on. Lets start with the movies:

Thursday Night:

1. Date Night.  I have been keeping up with all the hype these past few months by watching Youtube videos of filming in Times Square (so exciting! It would be a miracle dream to work on a movie set) and all the trailers, cutting out articles and pictures from magazines and posting them on my wall (this is scary when I hear wall I think Facebook, but I literally mean my bedroom wall), and other spots and interviews.  And I cannot forget Tina Fey's hosting appearance on last weekend's SNL with Justin Bieber. After all of this prep work, I was definitely not disappointed after the movie.  I almost cried laughing at parts; Steve Carell and Tina Fey are one of the best comedy couples ever made.  Their humor feeds off of each other and only gets better as the movie progresses.  Like any good comedy the plot droops at parts, but "Date Night" definitely coasts over these moments with more humor.  I don't want to ruin any of the surprises, but I will say that the strip club scene is very impressive.  As a team they work that pole like no one has seen before. Lastly, the bloopers round out the movie with a few last laughs. 

This film definitely is a must-see for an easy and laughable night at the movies! 

Friday Night:

2. Greenberg.  I was not too thrilled by spending the first half of my Friday night at this movie.  The trailer did not overly impress me, even though a few of its jokes did bring a few chuckles.  If you haven't yet heard of "Greenberg", Noah Baumbach's ("The Squid and the Whale") latest release, I am sure in time you will hear about Ben Stiller's highlight performance.  Ben Stiller being cast as Roger Greenberg was the perfect move because he really fits the middle age part. Playing a character that turns 41, Stiller begins to sprout a few grey hairs himself (where has time gone "Mystery Men" and "Happy Gilmore"?).

Greenberg finds himself in a tight spot as he house sits for his brother for a couple weeks, but wants to start a relationship with Florence, played by Greta Gerwig.  Constant bickering and sexual relations continue intermittently; I was not expecting to watch some third and 'fourth' base action.  

"Greenberg" is not for the action-packed moviegoer, as this has a deeper meaning than the next entry.  I found   "The Squid and the Whale" more impressive, but "Greenberg" may be for an older audience that can relate.

3. Kick-Ass.  Kick-Ass was so kick ass!  From the personal intro with Aaron Johnson narrating, I knew this was a film I would find worthwhile.  Twenty years ago this movie would not have been accepted by any critic, and possibly could not even be created with such a technological dependence (Youtube, live video feeds).  However, this film could not be more now.  The obvious connection is to relate with the nerdy and unattractive high schooler (later to be a turned-straight-lover who "fucks his brains out").  But with his incessant pleading to help rid the world of violence and change his own life, he quickly becomes Kick-Ass, the "green condom."  A not entirely happy story makes "Kick-Ass" more likable and realistic because you sympathize for Dave Lizewski the first time he tries to bring down two muggers, but fails.

The performances were very strong, from Nicholas Cage's crazy Big Daddy Batman, Chloe Moretz's gruesome Hit Girl and Christopher Mintz-Plasse's weak Red Mist.  Only Cage could comically pull off shooting his own daughter, three times over.  

Controversy obviously engulfed this film opening night, dissing the vulgar content and the cliche storyline.  Roger Ebert called the film "morally reprehensible", and his opinion is respectfully his own.  As seen strictly as a satirical vision of adolescence and violence today I believe that opinion goes a little over the top.  This movie is rated-R for a reason, so as long as you keep your 10 year olds away, they will not be influenced.  The movie does go too far when they represent Moretz as a very young teen, 13 in reality, who kills with no moral guidance.  This is very unlikely but I find it as part of the humor-- not many kids can fire rounds, jump like Jackie Chan combined with "The Matrix", and still have the energy to cuss someone out (I won't ruin the classic quotes).  But then again, childhood is changing rapidly and 13-14 year olds of today are attracted to way worse than I was only a mere 5 years ago.

Part of this film is true to life- the dialogue, for one- and I think it is defintely a film for any typical crazed teen or adult in for a wild ride! Highly recommended

Saturday Night:

4. Man on Fire.  I have seen this before and it was already on my top 10 or 20 movie list.  I am surprised how much I forgot, but that made it so much more exciting to experience the movie like my first time.  Denzel Washington gives an outstanding performance as Pita's (Dakota Fanning) bodyguard and reminds me of all his films that never let down. "The gunshot holds no fear!"  This is a quote from Pita as she works with Creasy (Washington) to improve her swimming time. 

Raw terror envelops the audience for the entire film, focusing on the hardship of losing a child and bringing yourself from a life-long addiction.  As the movie progresses, the impeccable score leads the audience on a journey definitely worth taking.  And despite the 2.5 hour length, the movie could have lasted another hour and I still would have been on the edge of my seat. 

Shows:

United States of Tara  (Toni Collette at her finest)

Flash Forward   (the new Lost; but Lost can never be replaced)

The New Adventures of Old Christine    (Julia Louis-Dreyfus is still funny after all these years)

Modern Family   (the best new comedy on TV)

The Office   (classic)

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

For me, it's the best time of the year. Yes, I know this is WAY overdue, but I still couldn't get enough of this years Oscars.  They were the most viewed ceremony in the last 5 years and the movies have definitely set a completely new set of standards. I thought last year's movies were more impressive all around, but I cannot forget the remarkable performances and incredible cinematographic visions of 2009.

Last year was the first year I really became infatuated with the Oscars ceremony, the hype, the movies, the performances, and the criticism. I hung onto the nominated films like my life depended on it, and i was determined to watch all of them prior to the ceremony. On the morning of February 2, 2010, I sprang from my bed and rushed to my laptop, hurriedly misspelled my password a few times, then finally reached the Oscars nomination page. I printed my ballot and stared in awe for a few seconds before picking each category apart. "OK! YES! Hmm... Interesting. BOO! YAY!"  As you can see I do NOT waste any of the ballot- I highlight, I tally, and I mark the winners with a red dot. (The orange highlight is for categories I have secured my vote and yellow is for the movies I have seen- all the way through.) I have a few corrections because I watched some after the ceremony (The Secret of Kells) and I've only seen part of Crazy Heart and Invictus.
My favorite categories this year were the Short Films. I spent one of my Friday nights at the movie theatre (5:30-9:00) watching the Live-Action and Animated Shorts. Yes! A local theatre- the Gateway Film Center in Columbus, OH- shows an array of movies and this is what I love about it. For $10 I saw all 10 short films (and I was the youngest member in the audience).  The night flew by, and I had left the theatre extremely satisfied with this year's entries. One short from each category stuck out in my mind: The New Tenants and Logorama. The New Tenants should be in a class of its own. It involved a large amount of gore, humor, irony, romance, language, and notable actors.  During the credits when they rolled the recipe instructions, I knew this was a winner. And how do I even begin describing Logorama. If you can name a label not mentioned in this film, you should win a prize because every movie, TV, video game, and business logo is featured in some shape or form. The Michelin men are the police, Ronald McDonald is a convict, the Xbox symbol begins destruction of the world, and Mr. Peanut looses his peanuts. If only the setting were 2012, this short would be perfect. There also is a large amount of strong language which seemed unnecessary and initially lost my vote. And let it be known, even though I have Wallace and Gromit winning, you can see a fainty erased X beside Logorama. Now I know never to listen to 'Critic's Pick' for Short Film because they got them both wrong and I trumped both! I could never be more proud.
The ceremony was note-worthy as well. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin were amusing and playful in their humor. Yes Alec Baldwin, you pass this time around but I've got my eye on you. The frequent punches at George Clooney were one of the best, with Ben Stiller making quite a special appearance. He should be a Navi with his impeccable fluency of the language.
Regrets: I would have liked to have seen Inglorious Basterds take home at least one more award in the cinematic sense. Don't get me wrong- Christoph Waltz had every right to win his award, and the opening scene with him pointing his gun at Shoshana will forever be imprinted in my filmmemory.
Relief: The Cove winning Best Documentary. I saw this movie and immediately began supporting their cause.  It is such a captivating story heightened by Richard O'Barry's grief and the sickening Red Cove.  This film deserves the attention it has been getting; O'Barry and his team will not stop until these criminals see what they are doing to the world. I can't wait to see the worldly criticism when the film is released in Japan this summer.
Well Oscar season has come and gone, sadly, but next season is not too far away. My Grand Proposition: Create an ongoing Oscar ballot of nominees as you see deserving films in 2010. Then, come January or February of next year, we can all join the Academy as we pull out our pre-made and finalized ballots.
Let the countdown begin!

Awards Season Has Begun!!

This week it was announced that The Hurt Locker won Best Picture at the Gotham Independent Film Awards, and boy was I excited to hear film season has officially begun with a BANG! So many other films have been released- or their trailers have, at least- and I am sure this will be another exciting and provocative Oscar season.

Some films on my Must-See List are:

-Cold Souls

-The Road (McCarthy's other novel won Best Picture two years ago. Will this more stunning cast- Viggo Mortenson, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, and Guy Pearce- and even more chilling apocalyptic tale bring more awards?)

-Up In The Air (Will George Clooney bring this over-played movie trailer to life?)

-A Serious Man (The Coen Brothers brought us the largely nominated and hilarious Burn After Reading last year)

-The Last Station (impressive cast, intriguing storyline)

-Broken Embraces (when is Penelope Cruz not stunning in a performance? Maybe she'll upgrade to Best Actress this year)

-Nine (starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz, Judi Dench, Fergie, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, and Sophia Loren. What more is there to say?)

-Invictus (Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon up for Best Actor, Clint Eastwood for Best Director)

Some Foreign Films:

The White Ribbon

Araya

Give Me Your Hand

The Stoning of Soraya M

More to come!!

Push on Precious!

Precious is the fairy tale you never saw coming, and I mean never! I have known about this movie ever since it starred at the Sundance Film Festival two years ago, and ever since then I have been dying to see this movie. It received outstanding awards at the Sundance, including the Grand Jury Prize, and won more awards this past year.
Precious showcases the harsh reality of Clareece 'Precious' Jones, an overweight, illiterate teenager that is pregnant with her father's second child.  She does not want to succumb to living off of welfare like her mother, and finds the path to her dreams ridden with hardships she is willing to face.  Her mother treats her terribly- she physically abuses Precious, forces her to eat grease-soaked homemade dinners, blames her for her father's absence, teaches Precious that school is worthless and will not get you any money, and throws her babies around like they are toys.  Precious fights back- hard!
A very prominent theme in Precious is hope. Precious always 'pushes' on, harder and harder, so that she does not become just another homeless Harlem citizen. Certain flashes during the movie show Precious achieving her dream and becoming a famous model and actress. The director uses subtle techniques to symbolize hope as well. For example, when Precious enters the 'alternate school' classroom for the first time, the door shines like a star and then the screen fades to white.
Precious, played by Gabourey Sidibe, has an outstanding performance along with the rest of the ensemble cast. Mariah Carey as a social worker, Mo'Nique as Precious's mother, Paula Patton as a schoolteacher, and Lenny Kravitz as a male nurse all have outstanding and noteworthy performances (who would expect Mariah Carey to be makeup-less?)  Sidibe is definitely a top breakthrough actress for 2009.

Did I know before I saw Precious that the movie would be up for Academy Awards? Yes.
Did I still think so after? Heck yes! Now that there will be 10 Best Picture nominations at the Academy Awards,  I can be sure Precious will be in the running.  Even though it is a most deserved heartwarming film, I do not think it will be a rightful winner for Best Picture; however, I can say it will be a forerunner- if not winner- for Best Adapted Screenplay.

This is definitely a film you should see as Oscar season is well underway!

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

This movie has been eyeing me for awhile now. I saw previews for it when it was originally in theaters, and I thought it would be interesting. But with little advertising, could this star pumping (Denzel Washington and John Travolta, among other stars as: James Gandolfini and John Turturro) action film really be a movie worth seeing. Finally my instincts set in and I had to watch this movie.  It was truly worth it and I probably should have seen it in theaters, but the suspense and script writing were the most impressive.  The main premise is that a group of "train terrorists" (led by John Travolta) hijack the 123 train and hold the passengers hostage for $10 million.  Garber (Washington) is the lucky man on duty when the hijackers begin their control over the NY subway system.  Do they get the money to the hijackers in time? How many passengers will be sacrificed as a cause of ignorance of the officials running the investigation?
Points of Interest: I was surprised to find there was such vulgar language, mostly by John Travolta. Also, the premise behind the robbery is quite impressive. No secrets, but John Travolta is smarter than the Average Joe.  I would recommend you see it if you enjoy a thrill, some action, a fair amount of blood, and a little pick me up at the end of the day.

"The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" was released on DVD November 3, 2009.

The Man in the Mirror

This past weekend I had the great pleasure of seeing the musical-documentary "This Is It". I can say that I was not the biggest MJ fan before the movie, and I went because it got rave reviews from many sources (find the Time magazine article, written by Richard Corliss on November 9, 2009; his analogies are tremendous and he analyzes the film with such descriptive and stimulating truthfulness.) If you are hoping to hear tidbits about Michael's death or cause from inside sources, do not see this movie.  This movie only showcases the positive, intense and final moments MJ had on stage, living his dream.  His passion for the art of music is still very alive on stage, and through this power he showed me his special power with words.
There are many other phenomenal aspects of the film: the dancers and their routines, the technical aspects behind the concerts-to-be (or not to be), Michael's rockin' dance moves, revamped classic MJ songs, and Orianthi's jammin' guitar solos.  I would not be surprised if there was another movie released showcasing the dancers and their intense and short notice auditions (similar to the style of Every Little Step). For time's sake, only the dancers that made the final cuts were allowed to say their praises to be working with Michael and how their love for MJ could only grow from this experience.  The lights, camera work, fire action, forklift rising, (3-D) music video production, and sound enhancement were all remarkable qualities of this experience. The 1100-man video and 3-D "Thriller" video were enough to make my jaw drop right then and there.
One final word on this movie: "This Is It" shows Michael's potential of becoming an even greater music sensation, even after so many years in the business.  I was deeply saddened that his career had already ended, and I secretly hoped that the ending would show clips from his most successful concerts in London.  Wishing for an alternative ending, I know Michael will always influence music. This is NOT it for you, Michael. You will live on.

"This Is It" was released on October 28, 2009 (imdb.com)

The Last House on the Left

So the other night I watched the remake of the 1972 horror flick The Last House on the Left.  LHOL, with many interesting qualities, was pretty slow for the first hour. Most of the hour you watch the daughter stress about her swimming career and learn that the family has a home on a lake far away from civilization. On their way to the lake they pass a creepy sign that you know will play a role later on in the movie. Some disturbing moments follow when Mari, the protagonist, and her friend get abused and raped by a group of 3 crazy murderers.  I don't want to give the movie away, but once the action actually starts, the movie gets better and moves pretty fast.  You just want the moment to come when the parents find out that the people in their house are the ones that raped their daughter. After that, you know they'll be saying bye-bye one by one.
What made me want to watch this movie is that the plotline is a little different than most horror flicks.  The protagonist, the daughter, is actually violated early on in the movie, signaling the audience to fend for her immediately.  For gruesome fans out there, you will be very curious to find out the ways the parents kill the rapists.  The last is quite creative, but I'll leave it for you to decide how realistic it was.

The Last House on the Left was released August 18, 2009

A New Beginning

I'm a pretty big movie fanatic and I just recently got this idea to throw my ideas out there about the movies I've watched and the ones I want to.  I try to stay open-minded when I'm watching a movie, so over the years I have found to love every type of movie- indie, horror, foreign, animated, short films, classics.  You name it and I've either seen it or have it on my list of movies I must immediately watch. 

The classics are important because they set up the basis for all suceeding movies. Many classic lines and techniques were born from the very ideas of the first directors, screenwriters, or other movie production staff. (see Casablanca).

The indie films have messages just as important as those of blockbuster hits, but sometimes have a less appetizing cast America is not always willing to pay to see and a budget that satisfies the eyes of the crew but maybe not those of death-defying, action-packed, adrenaline-induced, romance-filled masterpieces.  (see For Your Consideration).
The horror genre is one of my favorite; not because I enjoy hearing every creak of the floorboards at night after rushing upstairs to avoid capture by the boogeyman, but because you feel a rush that rarely occurs. And when I find a good horror scene, I hold onto that and embrace every second that the protagonist (usually) is just inches from his imminent death or the antagonist (a killer, usually) has made his untimely entrance bashing through the door and giving the good guys milliseconds to get away. Now the outcome of the blood-pumping scene may not always be realistically enjoyable or enjoyably realistic, one of the two- the good guys live, happy ending- but just the fright is a time well spent (see The Shining).
Foreign films at the very sight may make people walk away either because they don't know what the title really even means or because they don't want to read their way through two hours of a French or German movie (see The Diving Bell and the Butterfly).  These films say everything and more despite the language barriers of the world and can even accomplish to say more than we ever could in English (now see Cinema Paradiso).
Short films tell so many stories in so little time. Not only can the score be a crucial element to the condensed plot, but the characters and every other detail in the film needs to be exceptional for the audience to stay in their seats and believe that time, no matter how short, is still money (see Peter and the Wolf).
Animated films are not only for the young and crafted by Disney, even though that's how many of our childhoods began (see The Lion King). But filmmakers have crafted the art of imagination animation and
reality to create worlds similar to and beyond ours (see Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away). And now with 3-D filming, it's A Whole New World.

Now that we have begun this journey, lets make it filled with great movies. So grab a seat, make some popcorn, and let the show begin!