For the first time ever, I saw the announcement of the nominations for the Academy Awards while it was happening - at 5:30 a.m. pst. It happened to be on while I was at the gym this morning, on CNN, and I couldn't keep from watching.
Lucky for me, they made the experience very visual so I didn't need the volume. The biggest surprise to me was the nomination of not five, but 10 movies for the best picture category. It seems a little bit like cheating for the Academy to include 10 movies instead of narrowing it down more. But at the same time, I guess the longer list gives an opportunity for more movies to claim an Oscar nod. After all, Disney Pixar's "Up" is nominated and animated movies rarely ever make make it into the best picture category. I have seen four of the nominated movies - "Up," "Up in the Air," "Avatar" and "The Blind Side." Three other of the movies are on my list of movies to see soon, "District 9," "Hurt Locker" and "An Education." The only one on the list I don't want to see is "Precious" since I've read some reviews that mention the graphic and disturbing content in it.
I thought "Invictus" would get a nod, especially since there were 10 pictures instead of 5. But it didn't get one, even though Morgan Freeman was nominated for a best actor and Matt Damon was nominated for best supporting actor for their performances in it.
With so many nominees in the category, it's hard to say what movie will win. Of the movies I've seen, my guess is "Avatar" for the groundbreaking technology or "Up in the Air" for its timely storyline about unemployment and the human connection.
As for the other categories, my votes are as follows:
Best actor - George Clooney, "Up in the Air." It was the best performance I've ever seen from Clooney.
Best actress - Helen Mirren, "The Last Station." She's just amazing in everything I've ever seen her in so I am sure she is great in this, though I haven't seen it yet.
Best supporting actress - I am torn between Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick, but I think Farmiga gets the edge for her performance in "Up in the Air" for her monologue about what she wants in a man.
Best animated feature film - "Up" is the best cartoon I've seen in years. It made men I know cry when they saw it. Enough said.
Best art direction - It's got to go to "Avatar" which created a whole new world of cinema.
Best cinematography -This will probably also go to "Avatar" since it's shot amazingly.
Best directing - Though I am partial to Jason Reitman, of "Up in the Air," I think James Cameron will get the win for "Avatar."
Of course, we won't know the results until March. But for now, check out the other categories and nominations at the Oscar Web site.
Showing posts with label Avatar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Avatar. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Win some, lose some with Golden Globe predictions
Back when the Golden Globe nominations were announced, I made a few picks for my choices and best guesses of who would win in some categories. I was right on with some of my picks, way off on others, and there was at least one big shocker of the evening.
Since I wrote about my picks, I've actually seen a few more of the nominees, including "Avatar," "Invictus" and "Up in the Air." I feel all three of those films deserved the nominations they received, but as dramas in the same category they couldn't all win.
All three of those movies were nominated in the best motion picture - drama category, along with three other films. I thoroughly enjoyed all three of the films for different reasons. "Invictus" got me because it really is a story about inspiration and I spent a semester in South Africa. Morgan Freeman was great as Nelson Mandela at a time when the country was in a major transition. "Avatar" got me because it was just brilliant technology and looked like nothing I'd ever seen before. "Up in the Air" was just full of brilliant dialogue and acting. I connected with the story on a personal level.
Tonight, the Hollywood Foreign Press went with brilliant technology over a great story. "Avatar" won and I think it was deserved.
I picked Sandra Bullock to win for best performance by an actress in a motion picture - drama. She took the category. I haven't seen any of the other performances nominated, but Bullock pulled off the best acting I've seen from her to date in "The Blind Side."
I saw three of the movies in which actors were nominated for best actor motion picture - drama, including Morgan Freeman in "Invictus," George Clooney in "Up in the air," and Tobey Maguire in "Brothers. Freeman embodied Mandela and Clooney was able to portray heartbreak in just a look as Ryan Bingham. Maguire had the weakest performance of the three. The winner, however, was Jeff Bridges, as a washed up singer/songwriter in "Crazy Heart."
The biggest shocker of the night was the winner for best motion picture - musical or comedy. I saw three of the nominees, "It's Complicated," "Julie and Julia," and "Nine. I thought for sure "Nine," being an artsy musical, would take the category. At the least, I thought it would be "Julie and Julia" or "It's Complicated," with Meryl Streep at the helm. I had just finished saying, "The Hangover will never win," when the envelope was opened and "The Hangover" won. I thought the movie was hilarious, but I'm not sure it was better than all the other movies in the category.
For best performance by an actress in a motion picture - musical or comedy, I saw three of the movies, including both of the vehicles for which Meryl Streep was nominated. Though I'd only seen two of the movies at the time, I thought Meryl Streep would win for "Julie and Julia," or Marion Cotillard would win for "Nine," which I haven't seen yet. Streep deserves it for taking on Julia Child's persona onscreen.
I still haven't seen any of the movies for which best actors in a musical or comedy were nominated. I thought Daniel Day Lewis would get it for "Nine," but Robert Downy Jr. took it for "Sherlock Holmes."
When it came to animated films, I thought "Up" would win and I am glad it did. When I wrote about the nominees, I said it made me laugh and it made me cry. But more than that, it made a few men I know do the same thing and I think that's proof enough that it deserved the win.
So when I picked U2 for best song, I kind of knew they probably wouldn't win. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I've heard the song "The Weary Kind" in trailers for the movie "Crazy Heart." It's catchy and recognizable and seems totally suitable for the movie.
I really wanted "Dexter" to win for best television series -drama. The season that recently ended was the best won yet. The writers out do themselves every year and I can't believe they made me like a serial killer. The Golden Globe, however, went to "Mad Men," which I have never seen. Still, Michael C. Hall and John Lithgow, took home Globes for their performances last season so at least they were recognized for the crazy work they do.
I watch four of the five TV shows nominated for best musical or comedy so I was a little torn when I chose my top pick. Of "30 Rock," "Glee," "Modern Family" and "The Office," I went with "Modern Family" because it is new and fresh. I also estimated that it made me laugh harder this season than any other show. "Glee" won and I really like that show, too, so it's not so bad. For
For best performance by an actress in a TV comedy or musical, I really wanted to see Tina Fey win for "30 Rock" or Lea Michele on "Glee." But I can understand why Toni Collette got the nod for "United States of Tara." After all, as a woman with multiple personality disorder, she is really play four characters, not just one.
For my final prediction, it seems like the Hollywood Foreign Press agreed with me that Alec Baldwin just gets better as Jack on "30 Rock" each season. He's in perfect form for this season as a man who has reconnected with his unavailable high school crush.
The rest of the winners are online.
Since I wrote about my picks, I've actually seen a few more of the nominees, including "Avatar," "Invictus" and "Up in the Air." I feel all three of those films deserved the nominations they received, but as dramas in the same category they couldn't all win.
All three of those movies were nominated in the best motion picture - drama category, along with three other films. I thoroughly enjoyed all three of the films for different reasons. "Invictus" got me because it really is a story about inspiration and I spent a semester in South Africa. Morgan Freeman was great as Nelson Mandela at a time when the country was in a major transition. "Avatar" got me because it was just brilliant technology and looked like nothing I'd ever seen before. "Up in the Air" was just full of brilliant dialogue and acting. I connected with the story on a personal level.
Tonight, the Hollywood Foreign Press went with brilliant technology over a great story. "Avatar" won and I think it was deserved.
I picked Sandra Bullock to win for best performance by an actress in a motion picture - drama. She took the category. I haven't seen any of the other performances nominated, but Bullock pulled off the best acting I've seen from her to date in "The Blind Side."
I saw three of the movies in which actors were nominated for best actor motion picture - drama, including Morgan Freeman in "Invictus," George Clooney in "Up in the air," and Tobey Maguire in "Brothers. Freeman embodied Mandela and Clooney was able to portray heartbreak in just a look as Ryan Bingham. Maguire had the weakest performance of the three. The winner, however, was Jeff Bridges, as a washed up singer/songwriter in "Crazy Heart."
The biggest shocker of the night was the winner for best motion picture - musical or comedy. I saw three of the nominees, "It's Complicated," "Julie and Julia," and "Nine. I thought for sure "Nine," being an artsy musical, would take the category. At the least, I thought it would be "Julie and Julia" or "It's Complicated," with Meryl Streep at the helm. I had just finished saying, "The Hangover will never win," when the envelope was opened and "The Hangover" won. I thought the movie was hilarious, but I'm not sure it was better than all the other movies in the category.
For best performance by an actress in a motion picture - musical or comedy, I saw three of the movies, including both of the vehicles for which Meryl Streep was nominated. Though I'd only seen two of the movies at the time, I thought Meryl Streep would win for "Julie and Julia," or Marion Cotillard would win for "Nine," which I haven't seen yet. Streep deserves it for taking on Julia Child's persona onscreen.
I still haven't seen any of the movies for which best actors in a musical or comedy were nominated. I thought Daniel Day Lewis would get it for "Nine," but Robert Downy Jr. took it for "Sherlock Holmes."
When it came to animated films, I thought "Up" would win and I am glad it did. When I wrote about the nominees, I said it made me laugh and it made me cry. But more than that, it made a few men I know do the same thing and I think that's proof enough that it deserved the win.
So when I picked U2 for best song, I kind of knew they probably wouldn't win. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I've heard the song "The Weary Kind" in trailers for the movie "Crazy Heart." It's catchy and recognizable and seems totally suitable for the movie.
I really wanted "Dexter" to win for best television series -drama. The season that recently ended was the best won yet. The writers out do themselves every year and I can't believe they made me like a serial killer. The Golden Globe, however, went to "Mad Men," which I have never seen. Still, Michael C. Hall and John Lithgow, took home Globes for their performances last season so at least they were recognized for the crazy work they do.
I watch four of the five TV shows nominated for best musical or comedy so I was a little torn when I chose my top pick. Of "30 Rock," "Glee," "Modern Family" and "The Office," I went with "Modern Family" because it is new and fresh. I also estimated that it made me laugh harder this season than any other show. "Glee" won and I really like that show, too, so it's not so bad. For
For best performance by an actress in a TV comedy or musical, I really wanted to see Tina Fey win for "30 Rock" or Lea Michele on "Glee." But I can understand why Toni Collette got the nod for "United States of Tara." After all, as a woman with multiple personality disorder, she is really play four characters, not just one.
For my final prediction, it seems like the Hollywood Foreign Press agreed with me that Alec Baldwin just gets better as Jack on "30 Rock" each season. He's in perfect form for this season as a man who has reconnected with his unavailable high school crush.
The rest of the winners are online.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
I laughed, I cried...I saw a lot of movies
As I shared yesterday, I saw quite a few movies in 2009. Some of them were unexpectedly good while others we unexpectedly bad, and yet others delivered exactly what I was expecting. Here is my look back at the best - and worst - of 2009 cinema (based, of course, only on the movies I managed to see.)
**Beware some items contain spoilers
Best 3-D movie of the year
Now last year, I wouldn't have dreamed of adding this category to the list because the 3-D movies I'd seen were so gimmicky and not all that fun to watch. But of the half-dozen three-dimensional films I saw in 2009, one was clearly the winner.
"Avatar" takes the prize for its awesome HD-quality scenery, lightweight 3-D glasses and for making me forget I was actually watching a 3-D film. Director James Cameron reportedly worked on the film for 10-15 years, waiting for the perfect technology in which to build the world of Pandora. The animated parts of the film and the live-action parts are almost seamlessly entwined with a new motion-capture technology that Cameron dubbed "performance-capture" for its ability to get the real emotion from the actors who play the animated characters. As a side effect, the animated characters bear a striking resemblance to the actors playing the parts. The storyline was a little light, but if "Avatar" is the vehicle in which the new era of film making is ushered in, then bring it on.
Biggest tearjerker of the year
Now there are two movies that could take the prize for this one - "Marley and Me" and "Up." I'll admit that both these movies had me crying in the theater. Disney Pixar's "Up" condenses a lifetime into just a few minutes to let viewers see the heartbreak that left an old man a grumpy curmudgeon. But the man's whimsical journey to South America in his house (with balloons tied all around it to make it float) and the discovery of a Boy Scout stowaway is lighthearted and funny for most of the movie. But "Marley and Me" draws out the aches and pains of a lifetime over two hours. The movie is about a couple who adopts a bad dog, has kids, give up or change their careers and never seem to be all that happy.
But the thing that clinched it for me was the scene in which Owen Wilson takes old Marley into the vet to be put to sleep. Perhaps it was because my own aging cat had started to lose some weight in recent months (we actually had to put Bailey, who lived 12 good years, to sleep in September,) but even thinking about this movie makes me tear up a bit.
Best comedy of the year
At least half of the movies I saw in 2009 can be categorized as comedies, but it's really easy to pick out the front runner. So many of the movies, especially the romantic comedies I saw, just weren't all that funny.
But I did go see "The Hangover" after it had been out for a few weeks because I kept hearing people say how funny it was. Plus Bradley Cooper is super cute. The movie follows three groomsmen as they try to find the groom they lost in Vegas the day of his late afternoon wedding. The thing I liked about the movie is that it wasn't really predictable and it had that same crazy, zany, "let's backtrack and see how we got here" as "Dude, Where's My Car?" Ed Helms was the star in the movie for me as an engaged guy whose uptight fiancee keeps him on a short leash - until he let's loose in Vegas. He even pulled off the missing tooth, which made him look a little bit hillbilly-ish.
Best romantic comedy
There weren't a whole lot of good offerings in this category in 2009, though I saw quite a few romantic comedies. The one that made me laugh the most was "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Bullock plays a high-powered publisher who finds her control snatched away when her green card expires (she is Canadian.) To keep her job, she promises her assistant, played by Reynolds, a promotion if he will marry her long enough so she can stay in the country.
Of course, nothing is that simple, and the couple ends up in Alaska to visit the groom-to-be's parents when a suspicious ICE officer believes they are faking the marriage. Betty White plays Reynolds grandmother and she is a hoot, though a cameo by actor Oscar Nunez (who plays Oscar on "The Office") could have been skipped. The chemistry between Reynolds and Bullock just works well and the movie is genuinely funny, and a little moving.
Worst trend of the season
I'm not the first one to say this as I've read other critics who feel the same way, but one of the worst thing about the movies this year is that so many of the female characters were portrayed as sappy, dippy useless creatures. It started with Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway in "Bride Wars" in January and continue all the way to last week's "It's Complicated."
The characters in "Bride Wars" drove me absolutely bonkers as two best friends who are driven apart when they both select the same date at their dream venue for their weddings. One, I'd like to believe that most women don't plan out their weddings starting at age 6 (or at least I never did,) and two, I really hope the brides who have invited me to be in their weddings don't turn into whack jobs like that. The main fault in the movie is that it wasn't very funny.
Though I enjoyed "It's Complicated," mostly, the one thing that drove me crazy was that Meryl Streep's Jane is a strong, independent woman who gives in to ex-husband Jake's advances knowing full well he has no intentions of leaving his current wife for her. Jane settles for way less than she deserves just to keep from being alone.
Other annoying female characters include the ensemble cast from "He's Just Not That Into You," Isla Fischer's character in "Confessions of a Shopaholic," Katherine Heigl's character in "The Ugly Truth," Julie Powell in "Julie and Julia," and Sandra Bullock in "All About Steve." I'd like to think women don't have to play dumb or sacrifice their careers just to be in a relationship...but perhaps that is why I'm single.
Worst romantic comedy of the year
There are a few movies in the running in this category including a few mentioned in the category above. I really disliked "The Ugly Truth," "He's Just Not That Into You," and a few others. But the winner has to be "All About Steve" since there wasn't a whole lot of romance or comedy in the movie. In it, Sandra Bullock plays a nerdy cruceverbalist (which means someone who likes crossword puzzles) who is introduced by her parents to the son of friends. Bradley Cooper plays the dreamy cable news cameraman Steve. After one date (that lasts about 30 seconds), Mary decides to follow Steve around the country after he makes some flip remark about how he wishes she could come along with him (when what he really means is "boy I am sure glad I have to go to work to escape your craziness.") Mary can't take a hint when she first finds him and he brushes her off, but hopefully viewers who haven't seen it will take a hint and skip it.
Strongest female performance
Given how weak so many of the female characters were this season, the creators of "Blind Side" deserve some kudos for bringing Leigh Anne Tuohy to life on the big screen. Bullock played Leigh Anne as a strong Southern woman who controls her husband, stands up to her hoity-toity friends and isn't afraid to put a few gangbangers in their place. The movie is about a homeless teen who is taken in by a well-off rich family, with Leigh Anne as its matriach, who eventually help him finish high school, go to college and become the No. 1 draft pick for the NFL this year. The movie is based on a true story so it's hopeful that women aren't as crazy as filmmakers often want to portray them.
Biggest surprise movie of the year
Sometimes the best movies are ones I don't know much about, and of which I have little expectations. That was the case with "Bandslam," a little movie geared at the Disney and Nick teen set. I didn't know anything about it expect that Lisa Kudrow is in it and it was about a band competition. Will (Gaelan Connell) is a nerdy kid who doesn't fit in at school. When he and his mother move to a new town, he expects more of the same. But somehow he catches the eye of pretty, popular girl Charlotte Banks (Alyson Michalka,) who is enlists Will to be the manager of her band. She just wants to win the Bandslam competition for the year, and Will just wants friends. The movie has more depth than an average teen movie and has way cool music. I even downloaded the soundtrack to my iPod.
Worst movie of the year
There were quite a few movies I saw this year that I didn't like, but the honors of worst movie has to go to something that didn't just fall a little short of the mark. It goes to a movie that had bad acting, horrible dialogue, little plot and decapitations in the first three minutes of the movie.
The honor goes to "Ninja Assassins," a movie I only saw at the suggestion of my sister who wanted to see it. The movie was gory and just plain bad. I recommend everyone but teenage boys skip the bloodfest and see a real ninja movie instead.
Best movie of the year
There are a few contenders for the honor of best movie (which went to "The House Bunny" last year). But it really must go to a movie that put it all together - meaning a good story, humor, good dialogue, well-developed characters. It needs to be something I would see again and something I would add to my home movie collection.
My favorite movie of the year was a sweet, but heartbreaking movie that came out under the radar. It stars Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin as a broken family that keeps trying to hold itself together. Adams plays a single mom who is having an affair with a married detective who sees how shabby her life is when she is cleaning the house of a rich client who turns out to be a former classmate. Rose decides to take some initiative and start her own cleaning business - cleaning up homes after people have died or committed suicide. It sounds morbid - and it is - but it gives Rose a sense of control that has been lacking in her life.
Other movies worth seeing:
Gran Torino
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Coraline
Disney's Earth
The Soloist
Julie and Julia
Ponyo
9
Zombieland
The Men Who Stare at Goats
**Beware some items contain spoilers
Best 3-D movie of the year
Now last year, I wouldn't have dreamed of adding this category to the list because the 3-D movies I'd seen were so gimmicky and not all that fun to watch. But of the half-dozen three-dimensional films I saw in 2009, one was clearly the winner.
"Avatar" takes the prize for its awesome HD-quality scenery, lightweight 3-D glasses and for making me forget I was actually watching a 3-D film. Director James Cameron reportedly worked on the film for 10-15 years, waiting for the perfect technology in which to build the world of Pandora. The animated parts of the film and the live-action parts are almost seamlessly entwined with a new motion-capture technology that Cameron dubbed "performance-capture" for its ability to get the real emotion from the actors who play the animated characters. As a side effect, the animated characters bear a striking resemblance to the actors playing the parts. The storyline was a little light, but if "Avatar" is the vehicle in which the new era of film making is ushered in, then bring it on.
Biggest tearjerker of the year
Now there are two movies that could take the prize for this one - "Marley and Me" and "Up." I'll admit that both these movies had me crying in the theater. Disney Pixar's "Up" condenses a lifetime into just a few minutes to let viewers see the heartbreak that left an old man a grumpy curmudgeon. But the man's whimsical journey to South America in his house (with balloons tied all around it to make it float) and the discovery of a Boy Scout stowaway is lighthearted and funny for most of the movie. But "Marley and Me" draws out the aches and pains of a lifetime over two hours. The movie is about a couple who adopts a bad dog, has kids, give up or change their careers and never seem to be all that happy.
But the thing that clinched it for me was the scene in which Owen Wilson takes old Marley into the vet to be put to sleep. Perhaps it was because my own aging cat had started to lose some weight in recent months (we actually had to put Bailey, who lived 12 good years, to sleep in September,) but even thinking about this movie makes me tear up a bit.
Best comedy of the year
At least half of the movies I saw in 2009 can be categorized as comedies, but it's really easy to pick out the front runner. So many of the movies, especially the romantic comedies I saw, just weren't all that funny.
But I did go see "The Hangover" after it had been out for a few weeks because I kept hearing people say how funny it was. Plus Bradley Cooper is super cute. The movie follows three groomsmen as they try to find the groom they lost in Vegas the day of his late afternoon wedding. The thing I liked about the movie is that it wasn't really predictable and it had that same crazy, zany, "let's backtrack and see how we got here" as "Dude, Where's My Car?" Ed Helms was the star in the movie for me as an engaged guy whose uptight fiancee keeps him on a short leash - until he let's loose in Vegas. He even pulled off the missing tooth, which made him look a little bit hillbilly-ish.
Best romantic comedy
There weren't a whole lot of good offerings in this category in 2009, though I saw quite a few romantic comedies. The one that made me laugh the most was "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Bullock plays a high-powered publisher who finds her control snatched away when her green card expires (she is Canadian.) To keep her job, she promises her assistant, played by Reynolds, a promotion if he will marry her long enough so she can stay in the country.
Of course, nothing is that simple, and the couple ends up in Alaska to visit the groom-to-be's parents when a suspicious ICE officer believes they are faking the marriage. Betty White plays Reynolds grandmother and she is a hoot, though a cameo by actor Oscar Nunez (who plays Oscar on "The Office") could have been skipped. The chemistry between Reynolds and Bullock just works well and the movie is genuinely funny, and a little moving.
Worst trend of the season
I'm not the first one to say this as I've read other critics who feel the same way, but one of the worst thing about the movies this year is that so many of the female characters were portrayed as sappy, dippy useless creatures. It started with Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway in "Bride Wars" in January and continue all the way to last week's "It's Complicated."
The characters in "Bride Wars" drove me absolutely bonkers as two best friends who are driven apart when they both select the same date at their dream venue for their weddings. One, I'd like to believe that most women don't plan out their weddings starting at age 6 (or at least I never did,) and two, I really hope the brides who have invited me to be in their weddings don't turn into whack jobs like that. The main fault in the movie is that it wasn't very funny.
Though I enjoyed "It's Complicated," mostly, the one thing that drove me crazy was that Meryl Streep's Jane is a strong, independent woman who gives in to ex-husband Jake's advances knowing full well he has no intentions of leaving his current wife for her. Jane settles for way less than she deserves just to keep from being alone.
Other annoying female characters include the ensemble cast from "He's Just Not That Into You," Isla Fischer's character in "Confessions of a Shopaholic," Katherine Heigl's character in "The Ugly Truth," Julie Powell in "Julie and Julia," and Sandra Bullock in "All About Steve." I'd like to think women don't have to play dumb or sacrifice their careers just to be in a relationship...but perhaps that is why I'm single.
Worst romantic comedy of the year
There are a few movies in the running in this category including a few mentioned in the category above. I really disliked "The Ugly Truth," "He's Just Not That Into You," and a few others. But the winner has to be "All About Steve" since there wasn't a whole lot of romance or comedy in the movie. In it, Sandra Bullock plays a nerdy cruceverbalist (which means someone who likes crossword puzzles) who is introduced by her parents to the son of friends. Bradley Cooper plays the dreamy cable news cameraman Steve. After one date (that lasts about 30 seconds), Mary decides to follow Steve around the country after he makes some flip remark about how he wishes she could come along with him (when what he really means is "boy I am sure glad I have to go to work to escape your craziness.") Mary can't take a hint when she first finds him and he brushes her off, but hopefully viewers who haven't seen it will take a hint and skip it.
Strongest female performance
Given how weak so many of the female characters were this season, the creators of "Blind Side" deserve some kudos for bringing Leigh Anne Tuohy to life on the big screen. Bullock played Leigh Anne as a strong Southern woman who controls her husband, stands up to her hoity-toity friends and isn't afraid to put a few gangbangers in their place. The movie is about a homeless teen who is taken in by a well-off rich family, with Leigh Anne as its matriach, who eventually help him finish high school, go to college and become the No. 1 draft pick for the NFL this year. The movie is based on a true story so it's hopeful that women aren't as crazy as filmmakers often want to portray them.
Biggest surprise movie of the year
Sometimes the best movies are ones I don't know much about, and of which I have little expectations. That was the case with "Bandslam," a little movie geared at the Disney and Nick teen set. I didn't know anything about it expect that Lisa Kudrow is in it and it was about a band competition. Will (Gaelan Connell) is a nerdy kid who doesn't fit in at school. When he and his mother move to a new town, he expects more of the same. But somehow he catches the eye of pretty, popular girl Charlotte Banks (Alyson Michalka,) who is enlists Will to be the manager of her band. She just wants to win the Bandslam competition for the year, and Will just wants friends. The movie has more depth than an average teen movie and has way cool music. I even downloaded the soundtrack to my iPod.
Worst movie of the year
There were quite a few movies I saw this year that I didn't like, but the honors of worst movie has to go to something that didn't just fall a little short of the mark. It goes to a movie that had bad acting, horrible dialogue, little plot and decapitations in the first three minutes of the movie.
The honor goes to "Ninja Assassins," a movie I only saw at the suggestion of my sister who wanted to see it. The movie was gory and just plain bad. I recommend everyone but teenage boys skip the bloodfest and see a real ninja movie instead.
Best movie of the year
There are a few contenders for the honor of best movie (which went to "The House Bunny" last year). But it really must go to a movie that put it all together - meaning a good story, humor, good dialogue, well-developed characters. It needs to be something I would see again and something I would add to my home movie collection.
My favorite movie of the year was a sweet, but heartbreaking movie that came out under the radar. It stars Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin as a broken family that keeps trying to hold itself together. Adams plays a single mom who is having an affair with a married detective who sees how shabby her life is when she is cleaning the house of a rich client who turns out to be a former classmate. Rose decides to take some initiative and start her own cleaning business - cleaning up homes after people have died or committed suicide. It sounds morbid - and it is - but it gives Rose a sense of control that has been lacking in her life.
Other movies worth seeing:
Gran Torino
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Coraline
Disney's Earth
The Soloist
Julie and Julia
Ponyo
9
Zombieland
The Men Who Stare at Goats
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Award season starts
The Golden Globe nominations came out this week and as always, some of the nominations were predictable and others were a little bit of a shock.
Some of the movies nominated haven't been out more than a week - and at least one hasn't even opened to the public yet. "Avatar," which opens this Friday, is nominated for multiple categories including best motion picture - drama.
I've seen some of the movies or TV shows that garnered nominations and here are a few thoughts on them.
Best motion picture - drama
I haven't seen any of these movies, though I plan to see "Avatar" this weekend. I have contemplated seeing "Up In the Air," but I'll wait for the DVD for "Precious," "The Hurt Locker" and "Inglorious Basterds."
Best performance by an actress in a motion picture - drama
The only nominee I saw was Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side." It's the only Sandra Bullock movie I've ever seen where I forgot I was watching Sandra Bullock so she deserves a nod.
Best performance by an actor in a motion picture - drama
A few of the movies in this category are on my list to see, especially "A Single Man" with Colin Firth and "Invictus" with Morgan Freeman. The only movie I've seen yet was "Brothers" and Tobey Maguire does a bang up job as a soldier who returns home to his family broken.
Best motion picture - musical or comedy
It's a pet peeve of mine that the Globes group musical and comedy together since they aren't really the same thing. But of the movies nominated that I've seen, which include "The Hangover" and "Julie and Julia," I have to give the edge to "The Hangover, which made me laugh my ass off. It will never win, though, and "Nine," the musical, is my prediction to take it.
Best performance by an actress in a motion picture - musical or comedy
I've only seen "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock, and while I enjoyed the movie I don't think it was Bullock's best work. Marion Cotillard, in "Nine" and Meryl Streep in "Julie and Julia" are my picks to win (though I haven't seen "Nine," given it hasn't actually been released yet.)
Best performance by an actor in a motion picture -musical or comedy
I haven't seen any of the movies nominated in this category so my vote goes for Daniel Day-Lewis since he is amazing in most everything he's done.
Best animated feature film
I've only seen two of the five movies nominated so far and of "Coraline" or "Up", "Up" gets my vote. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me want to fall in love and spend my life with someone even if it means losing them and starting over all alone.
Best original song
Do I even need to say that U2 should win for best original song for "Winter" from the movie "Brothers?" No, I haven't heard any of the other songs, but what could be better than U2?
Best television series - drama
I watch four of the five series nominated, and after watching the season finale last week, "Dexter" gets my vote. The writers threw me for a loop all season, and somehow managed to make my entire family root for a serial killer. I can't count how many times we said we wished Rita would just give Dexter a break (so he could go out and kill someone) - if only we'd known where the season finale would land us, we may have been nicer about Rita. Michael C. Hall also gets my nod for best performance by an actor in a television series for taking Dexter out of his comfort zone this year. John Lithgow also deserves his nomination for guest star on "Dexter," though he was really more of a regular this season as the Trinity killer.
Best television series - musical or comedy
I watch four of the five series nominated, and I have to admit I am a little bit torn about which I would want to win. I guess I would go with "Modern Family" because it is a new series which makes me laugh like crazy and a win could cement it for another year.
Best performance by an actress in a television series - musical or comedy
I do love Liz Lemon on "30 Rock" and Rachel on "Glee." I guess I have a thing for the dorky over-achiever girls - they remind me of me. I'm still waiting for my book deal and for a football player to fall in love with me, though.
Best performance by an actor in a television series - musical or comedy
Alec Baldwin takes the cake for his performance as Jack on "30 Rock." He gets better every season.
There are other categories and all the nominees can be seen online here. The awards will be televised Jan. 17, so I'll have my take on the actual winners then.
Some of the movies nominated haven't been out more than a week - and at least one hasn't even opened to the public yet. "Avatar," which opens this Friday, is nominated for multiple categories including best motion picture - drama.
I've seen some of the movies or TV shows that garnered nominations and here are a few thoughts on them.
Best motion picture - drama
I haven't seen any of these movies, though I plan to see "Avatar" this weekend. I have contemplated seeing "Up In the Air," but I'll wait for the DVD for "Precious," "The Hurt Locker" and "Inglorious Basterds."
Best performance by an actress in a motion picture - drama
The only nominee I saw was Sandra Bullock in "The Blind Side." It's the only Sandra Bullock movie I've ever seen where I forgot I was watching Sandra Bullock so she deserves a nod.
Best performance by an actor in a motion picture - drama
A few of the movies in this category are on my list to see, especially "A Single Man" with Colin Firth and "Invictus" with Morgan Freeman. The only movie I've seen yet was "Brothers" and Tobey Maguire does a bang up job as a soldier who returns home to his family broken.
Best motion picture - musical or comedy
It's a pet peeve of mine that the Globes group musical and comedy together since they aren't really the same thing. But of the movies nominated that I've seen, which include "The Hangover" and "Julie and Julia," I have to give the edge to "The Hangover, which made me laugh my ass off. It will never win, though, and "Nine," the musical, is my prediction to take it.
Best performance by an actress in a motion picture - musical or comedy
I've only seen "The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock, and while I enjoyed the movie I don't think it was Bullock's best work. Marion Cotillard, in "Nine" and Meryl Streep in "Julie and Julia" are my picks to win (though I haven't seen "Nine," given it hasn't actually been released yet.)
Best performance by an actor in a motion picture -musical or comedy
I haven't seen any of the movies nominated in this category so my vote goes for Daniel Day-Lewis since he is amazing in most everything he's done.
Best animated feature film
I've only seen two of the five movies nominated so far and of "Coraline" or "Up", "Up" gets my vote. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me want to fall in love and spend my life with someone even if it means losing them and starting over all alone.
Best original song
Do I even need to say that U2 should win for best original song for "Winter" from the movie "Brothers?" No, I haven't heard any of the other songs, but what could be better than U2?
Best television series - drama
I watch four of the five series nominated, and after watching the season finale last week, "Dexter" gets my vote. The writers threw me for a loop all season, and somehow managed to make my entire family root for a serial killer. I can't count how many times we said we wished Rita would just give Dexter a break (so he could go out and kill someone) - if only we'd known where the season finale would land us, we may have been nicer about Rita. Michael C. Hall also gets my nod for best performance by an actor in a television series for taking Dexter out of his comfort zone this year. John Lithgow also deserves his nomination for guest star on "Dexter," though he was really more of a regular this season as the Trinity killer.
Best television series - musical or comedy
I watch four of the five series nominated, and I have to admit I am a little bit torn about which I would want to win. I guess I would go with "Modern Family" because it is a new series which makes me laugh like crazy and a win could cement it for another year.
Best performance by an actress in a television series - musical or comedy
I do love Liz Lemon on "30 Rock" and Rachel on "Glee." I guess I have a thing for the dorky over-achiever girls - they remind me of me. I'm still waiting for my book deal and for a football player to fall in love with me, though.
Best performance by an actor in a television series - musical or comedy
Alec Baldwin takes the cake for his performance as Jack on "30 Rock." He gets better every season.
There are other categories and all the nominees can be seen online here. The awards will be televised Jan. 17, so I'll have my take on the actual winners then.
Monday, November 16, 2009
3-D movies offer hits and misses
For me, a really good movie is one that makes me forget I am watching a movie at all. If I get engrossed in a movie, lose track of time, laugh or cry or forget that it is actors on the screen, that's usually a good sign.
This is one of the biggest downfalls for me of the 3-D movement in movies right now. I have no problem watching a 3-D movie for 12 minutes on a ride at Disneyland, but it's a lot harder to sit through a two-hour movie with the heavy Dolby Digital 3-D glasses pressing down on the bridge of my nose.
I've seen a few movies in 3-D since this whole trend started about two years ago. One of the best was a U2 concert in Imax, though I will admit I probably loved it because I am such a huge fan of the band. It was almost better than seeing the Edge in concert since there he was towering over me from the screen instead of me watching from 68 rows up in a football stadium.
Other 3-D movies haven't been as successful. Many of them are made so that viewers become hyper aware that they are watching a movie. In "Journey to the Center of the Earth" there were just so many gimmicks that were thrown in just to take advantage of the 3-D aspect of it that had nothing to do with the plot or storyline. It irritated me when the filmmakers through in a scene with marbles just so they could bounce out at viewers.
The most successful movies have been the ones that tell the story without paying much attention to the 3-D effects. That was the case with Disney's "Up" and the movie "Coraline," two animated films where the 3-D enhanced the story. It could just be that since they are animated the movement fits more smoothly into the storyline. And "Up" and "Coraline" both had storylines that drew me in.
Disney's latest movie, "A Christmas Carol" was a mixed bag. It was a classic retelling of the Charles Dickens story so the only thing new that was really brought forth were the 3-D effects. It looked pretty stunning with some of the scenes that fly over the Victorian-era London buildings feeling a little like those 3-D movie rides at Disneyland. But again, it seemed like some of the scenes were made with the 3-D in mind. And it was a little disconcerting to see an animated version of Colin Firth and Jim Carrey. See more about "A Christmas Carol" and other adaptations of Dickens' classic in the Weekend Pinnacle on Friday.
It will be interesting to see the next big 3-D movie, the much anticipated "Avatar" from James Cameron. The movie uses new 3-D technology that Cameron invented that allows the regular and 3-D version of the film to be recorded simultaneously in the same camera. Though I am not a big fan of Cameron's work - I am the only person I know who hates "Titanic" - it will be interesting to see if he pulls off the very expensive movie.
This is one of the biggest downfalls for me of the 3-D movement in movies right now. I have no problem watching a 3-D movie for 12 minutes on a ride at Disneyland, but it's a lot harder to sit through a two-hour movie with the heavy Dolby Digital 3-D glasses pressing down on the bridge of my nose.
I've seen a few movies in 3-D since this whole trend started about two years ago. One of the best was a U2 concert in Imax, though I will admit I probably loved it because I am such a huge fan of the band. It was almost better than seeing the Edge in concert since there he was towering over me from the screen instead of me watching from 68 rows up in a football stadium.
Other 3-D movies haven't been as successful. Many of them are made so that viewers become hyper aware that they are watching a movie. In "Journey to the Center of the Earth" there were just so many gimmicks that were thrown in just to take advantage of the 3-D aspect of it that had nothing to do with the plot or storyline. It irritated me when the filmmakers through in a scene with marbles just so they could bounce out at viewers.
The most successful movies have been the ones that tell the story without paying much attention to the 3-D effects. That was the case with Disney's "Up" and the movie "Coraline," two animated films where the 3-D enhanced the story. It could just be that since they are animated the movement fits more smoothly into the storyline. And "Up" and "Coraline" both had storylines that drew me in.
Disney's latest movie, "A Christmas Carol" was a mixed bag. It was a classic retelling of the Charles Dickens story so the only thing new that was really brought forth were the 3-D effects. It looked pretty stunning with some of the scenes that fly over the Victorian-era London buildings feeling a little like those 3-D movie rides at Disneyland. But again, it seemed like some of the scenes were made with the 3-D in mind. And it was a little disconcerting to see an animated version of Colin Firth and Jim Carrey. See more about "A Christmas Carol" and other adaptations of Dickens' classic in the Weekend Pinnacle on Friday.
It will be interesting to see the next big 3-D movie, the much anticipated "Avatar" from James Cameron. The movie uses new 3-D technology that Cameron invented that allows the regular and 3-D version of the film to be recorded simultaneously in the same camera. Though I am not a big fan of Cameron's work - I am the only person I know who hates "Titanic" - it will be interesting to see if he pulls off the very expensive movie.
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