Get ready, I am talking movies today!

I love movies and am fairly easy to please but there hasn't been much out that called out to me, not like The Decendants and The Artist did.  I enjoyed those film and am hungry for more, well, there are a few coming that I shall see and thought I'd share them.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
No, that is not a typo, and the trailer hints at a delightful treat.  It is open in the US, although limited so I'm hoping it goes wider soon or I'll have to go into the city to see it.  [The trailer and others is available on the site above.]

Mirror, Mirror!
Opens March 30
I think this one looks fun and going without any caffiene, specifically Cokes, I want a good laugh!  [Careful, the music plays automatically and a bit of a hunt to find the mute button, but there is a trailer available.]

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Opens May 4
We had tried to see this one when in England and failed.  That said, this one looked wonderful and a good laugh as well.  [The trailer is there and automatically starts, although the mute button is easy to find.]

Snow White and the Huntsman
Opens June 1
Ooo, looks a bit dark and beautifully filmed, yes please!  [The trailer is there and automatically starts, the mute button is on the right under the box of text]

Can you tell I like trailers but am annoyed with how they automatically play?  Yes, I am!

Are there any movies that you can't wait to see?

Final Movie Thoughts

I love movies but this year I haven't had time to see that many and shall be haunting Netflix and Amazon to watch them.

That said, with what's out right now, I'd like to see War Horse [although I'd prefer to see the Broadway show especially to see the incredibly beautiful portrayal of the horses], Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and The Artist [love love love Jean Dujardin from the French OSS 117 parody movies].

Time for a fun movie!

We recently watched Rango and absolutely loved it!

Not having read the blurb, the cutie and I had no idea what the story was about, and were surprised by what we watched.  It was hilarious, thought provoking, western-ish, serious, a bit dark, all with a hint of green.  One for kids and adults alike.

The characters were fantastic, everyone of them was a true gem.

There's an owl mariachi band who act as narrators and a young lady called Beans, HA, she is quite a character!

Speaking of the band, I loved the music - that's a soundtrack I shall be purchasing and the movie will go to the niece and nephews to the right of us for Christmas.

Fantastic fun!

Something New!

This past weekend the cutie and I went to an AMC Dine-In Theater to watch Hangover II because the times worked for us, but it was a fabulous experience.

The seats were very comfy, [while we didn't order anything] the menu offerings looked decent, there were a variety of beverages - including cocktails and beer on top, and the matinee price was the best!

With quite a few flicks coming up that we'd like to see, we'll definitely be going here again!

I'm Guilty As Charged!

I'm not someone who is in to lots of self-denial, which means I happily embrace my guilty pleasures and I'm about to indulge myself.

The Hangover passed me by for sometime and I was okay with that.  I heard it was funny, but didn't rush out to find, and then I was cornered.  Actually, I was on an airplane, and thought why not kill a few hours watching it?  Well, I loved it!  It was so wrong and I laughed so hard :-)

This weekend the cutie and I will be seeing The Hangover Part II!  Fingers crossed the release isn't held back because of the tattoo lawsuit pending.

Two For One Time

Often on Wednesdays I'll post something with a hint of hump day connentations and sometimes I'll post movie stuff on Fridays - well, today it's both.

Thor is coming out this Friday and I will be seeing it on Saturday or Sunday, and Chris Hemsworth looks absolutely delightful in the lead.  When I was going to school in England, an afternoon was not complete without watching Home and Away and Neighbours - Aussie soaps, of which Hemsworth was in the former.  Funny how things circle around.

There you go, two for one:  Hump Day Hottie Does Hollywood!

An unexpected result of movie night

Over the past few weeks I've indulged my animation movie love and thought I'd share a few thoughts, but then last night's flick Tangled was up.

First of all I didn't know that much about the movie other than it was a take on Rapunzel.  In true Disney fashion, they pulled it off.  I loved it all.  The parents, sad rulers missing their lost daughter.  The old woman, a evil baddy to nth degree.  The hero, was a great twist in that he was an orphan who dreamed about a better life and yet was a thief.  The cast of outcasts, horrible and yet so loveable.  Then theres Maximus, a palance horse, such a hoot.  Great characters.  My favorite bit was the lanterns set off on Rapunzels birthday - loved it.

Yup, I really enjoyed this one, and apparently so did our neighbors kitty [Princess Bee].  We've noticed lately that she'll stretch out on the rug downstairs and watch television with us, but Tangled really captured her attention.  When the evil older lady came on screen with an older man floating around a pub full of ruffians dressed as cupid, she sat up, moved closer, and stared.  Shortly after that scene ended, kitty went upstairs to bed.  Half hour later, I went upstairs, and she was on her back, paws up, and I swear she was grinning.

Go Disney, I think you might have something for the feline set that's better than catnip.

A Great Movie You Might Have Missed

The other day I watched a movie called "9".  I remember wanting to see it and yet I don't remember ever seeing it hit the theaters.  Doesn't mean it didn't, just that I missed it, and so sat back to watch what turned out to be a fabulous flick.  Netflix says:

In a postapocalyptic world, a small community of rag-doll robots hides in fear from dangerous machines out to exterminate them. But when a brave newcomer named 9 (voiced by Elijah Wood) joins the group, he inspires them to stand up and fight for their survival.

"9" started out as an animated short and, thankfully, was extended.  Personally, I can't wait to see what's next for the director Shane Acker.

Movie Talk

Sometimes I pick a movie out of the blue.  Maybe there's an actor/actress/director whose work I enjoy, heard some good things about it or, like in this case, it's set in an area near where the cutie was born and we went to university.

Red Riding is a trilogy that I put into our Netflix list to watch instantly before the holidays and we finally got to them this past week.  Wow, seriously, while the write up was fairly straightforward, we were still hooked by the intensity, history, and oh yes the plot.

Let me back up.  There was a serial killer active in the 70-80's in and around Leeds called the Yorkshire Ripper - who happens to have been in the news (appealing his being told he'll never, ever, be released) whilst we were over there for the holidays.  People were still talking about it when I arrived for Uni and, as many mystery/true crime events will do, my imagination perked up.  Unbeknowst to me, for a few days over one of the holidays I stayed at a friends dorm, and behind it is where the last victim was found.  After that brief stay, my friends told me all about the Ripper - thank goodness it was after.

Anyway, the movie goes way beyond that horrible time, and shine the light on what else was going on in the area.  No good by the police, politicians, businessmen and, I won't give the very last bad guy away so let's leave it with folks from all areas of society.

A few words that come to mind for this flick:  gripping, dark, cringe-worthy and bloody good!

Oh, one more thing, they're based on a quartet by David Peace which was recently released in the US.  The covers give hints of what the big crescendo that happens in that particular book, although they do nothing to pull a reader in if they know nothing about the storyline.  After watching the movies I'll be buying all four!  But will it be paperback or ebook?  Hmmm :-)

As a side note and quoted directly from the Yorkshire website:  The term 'riding' is of Viking origin and derives from Threthingr meaning a third part. There were indeed three ridings in Yorkshire - the East Riding, West Riding and North Riding.  Okay, I'm biased, but this is a beautiful area of England, full of history and the people are wonderful.  I would strongly suggest you spend time there if you're going to England.

Special Christmas Edition Movie Talk

The holiday season is building up and some folks listen to music, decorate, cook, and/or watch movies to feed the fun.

I'm the latter.

My movie choices run from b/w sap to contemporary camp and I love them all.  Here are those on my shelves and will be watched in the next couple of weeks.

Miracle on 34th Street, the original version with Maureen O'Hara and Edmund Gwenn.  Everytime I go into NYC, leave Penn Station, and see Macy's across the way, I think of this flick.  I know, it should be Thanksgiving that makes me think of it, but no, it's seeing that particular store that does it - no matter what time of year.

Now, there's a routine to the next two, most likely because my sister and I used to watch them at our Grandparents house, one after the other.  First is Holiday Inn and after that is White Christmas.  OMG, I can't sing or dance, but both of these are my all time favs - no matter what time of year.  Seeing a theme here?

The last one I'll recommend you watch, I will be, is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation!  To put it bluntly, the Griswold's just do it for me.  My memory genes are dead, but I can quote a few lines from this one.  The cat in the tree?  Aunt Bethany's pressie and Uncle Lewis's hairpiece?  Todd and Margo?  Cousin Eddie?  OMG, Cousin Eddie and the "shitters full" ... hilarious ... no matter what time of year!

Why do I keep saying that?  Because a favorite flick is timeless :-)

Anyway, you know what I'll be watching over the next couple of weeks, and most likely more than once.

Ho Ho Ho - fun time is here!

Okay, those are my favs, what are yours?

Movie Talk

The other day I was reading GalleyCat and they mentioned five films were coming out soon [as in before the year ends] that were literary adaptations, and it had me thinking:  do I want to see any of them and, more importantly, do I like it when a book becomes a film.

Let me take the second one first.  My gut response would be of course I don't like the movie version, the book as the original and more comprehensive format is always better.  That said and to throw a spanner in the works, if I've never read the book, then the movie would be pretty good to me - right?  This happened with The Town.  Loved the movie and will think about reading the book [Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan], but I'm not sure I will.  However, what if I have read it, then what do I think?

The perfect answer to that would be found in Stieg Larsson Millennium trilogy, which I recently devoured, and then watched the Swedish adaption of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire.  I thought it was pretty good, really good.  It didn't follow every nuance found in the book, that would have been impossible and still be a watchable length of time.  The parts chosen to focus on were really very well done and the characters were well developed, and I'm personally waiting with baited breath to watch the final flick: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

That was one side of the issue, there is another.  The first book to film that came to mind when pondering these questions was Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell [book and movie].  I love that film and bought the book when I was older, because I was sure there would be even more meat to it.  However, I didn't enjoy the book, or at least don't remember liking it and I must not have because I didn't keep it to reread again - which is a habit of mine.

So, do I like it when a book becomes a film?

Sometimes.
 

The first question was easier to answer - yes, I'd like to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 by JK Rowling [11/19],  Tangled [based on the Grimm Brothers‘ fairy tale, Rapunzel.  11/24], The Tempest byWilliam Shakespeare [12/10], The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader [12/10], and Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift‘s classic [12/22]. 
 
Some of these I'd like to see more than others, but I guess the issue of making a movie from a book doesn't bother me all that much - until it's done poorly, then I'm sure it will bug me to no end!

Movie Talk!

Recently we've watched Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Revolver and there were a few similarities that struck me - not that I realized that at the time I placed them in our Netflix queue.

Both were older flicks, if 2005 should be considered old.  Both were unexpected gems, although the former starts Jason Statham which makes it a thumbs up for me [although his having hair seemed odd, I like him bald].  Both were pseudo violent and yet mentally entertaining with great plots.  Basically, the cutie and I agreed, they were both great movies and worth the time spent watching them.

Ray Liotta plays a bad guy in Revolver and it was, possibly, my favorite character of the year!  Honestly, freaky funny-violent villan, that was who he played and did it so well.  Val Kilmer was the surprise for me as a gay private investigator in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.


Snatch is here waiting for us to watch, although I think The Girl Who Played with Fire might be next.  The Steig Larsson books were great and the first flick [Swedish] was good, so why not go with what's entertaining?

Movie Talk!

Back in May, when I first started playing with Netflix, I watched a documentary that has stuck with me ever since.


The flick is called Sacco and Vanzetti and is about two men who were accused, ultimately found guilty and put to death for a murder they didn't commit. Not a new story, but what makes this one unique is that they were pinpointed because they were immigrants. It's surprising how often these two men come to my mind during these current times where immigrants are often the lead story on the news.

Scary.

The blurb says: "Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were Italian anarchists accused of murder in 1920 and put to death in 1927 after a famously biased trial. The pair came to symbolize the bigotry directed toward immigrants and dissenters in America. Their struggle is retold in this probing documentary by Peter Miller. Actors John Turturro and Tony Shalhoub read the prison writings of Sacco and Vanzetti, while commentators include Arlo Guthrie and Studs Terkel."

In case you're wondering who else was touched by the injustice these two men faced, then look no further than Woody Guthrie wrote song called Two Good Men, Upton Sinclair wrote a documentary novel called Boston, and Ben Shahn painted The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti.

Good flick.

Movie Talk

Are you a writer who writes or wants to write a contemporary crime family type book?  Or maybe you love the gangster flicks like The Godfather Series and Goodfellas, or maybe more recently convert with the Sopranos tv series.  Either way, have I got something for you!

Ditch the archetypal stereotype of a mafioso and start thinking outside the box.



To help you do that, you might want to watch a documentary called: A Very British Gangster: The Rise and Fall of a Crime Boss. The man leading this modern day family of thugs and thieves was [although, from what I saw in this flick, I think he still has his fingers in the "biz"] working in Northern England is Dominic Noonan aka Lattlay Fottfoy. A big man with a fabulous Mancurian accent is protective and concerned for his children and those that are a part of his extended family, a violent crime boss, and gay.

That's right, gay.

I'm sure that the definition of a crime boss, if there is one, doesn't say they have to be heterosexual. Who would want to dictate anything to someone who wouldn't blink an eye after killing someone.

Hmmm, makes for an interesting twist to the tale, and how he continuously was found not guilty still amazes me. The youngsters in his family are another reason to see this documentary. One relative, when he gains a few more years, could very well be leading the Noonan gang while another is set on being the next Elvis. I dare you not to cry during the funeral. Oh, and be prepared, paranetal guidance does not exist.

Anyway, you can watch this one immediately if you're a member of Netflix.

When Fashion and Movies Collide

While the Cannes film festival was going on in southern France, I was keeping my eyes opened for some fabulous fashion statements, and found a word or two, but no statements.  There was no joy on the other side of Cannes:  the films.

It wasn't their fault, if you visit the official website you'll notice they actually took part in all sorts of social media, which probably worked for them - it just never filted through to me.  Now, I did hear [on NPR] that  Tim Burton was President of the Jury, and shall look for a theater showing the film that won the Palme d'Or [Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives by Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul].

Okay, Cannes failed on the movies and fashion extravaganza, so where was my love for both fed? Now that we're members of Netflix, I can watch some films right on my laptop, and that's what I did to get a bit of fashion and flicks.


First up was Valentino: The Last Emperor.  It's a documentary and showed how cruel the business truly can be.  However, it was much more than that, and the scenes between Giancarlo Giammetti and Valentino were my favorites.  These two have known, loved, and worked side by side for 45 years, and made it look easy.  I didn't learn anything new, but did see inside the various homes of Valentino, saw a hint of the monumental workload the seamstresses who stich everything by hand on those fabulous Haute Couture gowns carry, and then there was a peak at Valentino's incredible retrospective was wonderful.  I cried a couple of times, laughed a few others [one of the pug's getting his teeth vigorously brushed], and even cringed at the occassional ego outburst.  The end result:  I really enjoyed the 90 minutes and wanted more fashion.


Next, I watched The September Issue, another documentary that looks at what it takes to put out an issue of Vogye.  Now, I never read or saw The Devil Wears Prada [supposedly about Anna Wintour] so had no opinion of her, although I do know of her reputation.  Is she a bitch?  No, from what I saw she was a desicive decision maker who wasted no time in getting things done.  Fine and dandy.  In the end, the film opens with 5 months before the close of the September Issue, the largest of the year.  Ultimately, it was a fascinating look into how the pages of a magazine are created from conceptual to final product.  One of the more interesting things is that I remember reading this issue and as I saw the various spreads, remembered my opinions of them, and realized I may not wanted to have known how the pictures are chosen - or not chosen.  Ever read a magazine and wished a spread had been longer or shorter?  You'll understand that particular issue more after seeing this flick.  The politics in the fashion industry are ugly and necessary, although maybe not to the extent they are currently - no one person should be claimed a leader of fashion trends.  Anyway, the end result:  Another well spent 90 minutes!

By the way, a uniquely creative fashion editor, Grace Coddington [one of the more interesting people in the film] gave some sound advice, no matter who you are:  Keep your eyes open because you never know what will inspire you. 

I like that, maybe because I do it.


UPDATED: A fiscal award, from Vogue and CFDA, was mentioned in The September Issue and I found a documentary on Netflix that follows three candidates seeking the first one. It's called Seamless and while I don't like the way the camera moves around, I like this one. Yes, more fashion, but like many things, all three films have been connected and if you have an afternoon to while away on 7th Avenue only can't make it to NYC, try it this way - relaxed and in your own space.

By the way, I was rooting for Doo.Ri and Cloak, and I won't spoil it by telling you who won, but I will suggest you watch to the end to see what happened to the ten finalists.

I've Taken the Plunge

Now that our local Hollywood Video has closed it's doors and the nearest place to rent movies is the Redbox in WalMart or is it the Shop Rite?  Either way, the offers were seriously limited and not always to my taste, so I've signed us up for a NetFlix trial.

For almost two hours I've rated films I liked to help them narrow the field for me, but am already finding that not really all that helpful.  Because I liked the 1st season of The Office: Series 1 [British version], they assumed I'd like Trainspotting.  Fair enough, I did, but they have nothing in common except for being British based and I watch more the British tv and movies.

Another unusual connection I found when I rated Babette's Feast a 5 stars, it noted that I might like Food, Inc.  Interesting, but I'd already given it 5 stars as well, only now I'm left to wonder if it was decided the two went together because they were food related.  Personally, I wouldn't recommend one to someone who had seen the other.  But that's me, not a computer.

Anway, I'll keep an open mind, and hope for the best.  I like watching films of all sorts and hope to share more gems here.

Movie Night Idea

So, the cutie and I were on a long drive [10+ hours] when 'Come on Eileen' by Dexys Midnight Runners played, and my mind took one of those weird twists. It turned to British director Ken Russell and one of his movies from the 80's.

While his films have been both panned and praised, I personally enjoy his work, even the campy odd ones. He directed Altered States and Tommy, but my favorites are Gothic with Gabriel Byrne and Lair of the White Worm, based on a Bram Stocker novella, with Hugh Grant.

Both these flicks were made before Byrne - did you know he was in Excalibur? That's another movie I'd love to see again. - and Grant were stars, although Grant made 2mil for his part and he wasn't top of the billing. 

So, I have no idea how Dexys Midnight Runner brought Lair of the White Worm to mind, but it did, and I need to find a copy to watch it again!

Movie Night Idea

An old flick has been on my mind lately and thought I'd pass it on as a recommendation for your Friday Movie Night.  So, get the popcorn ready, and pop in:

Legend, with Tim Curry as the Lord of Darkness, Tom Cruise as the hero, and Mia Sara as the heroine.  It was directed by Ridley Scott and nominated for an Oscar - Best Makeup.  I never knew that!

It's funny fun.  Maybe even a bit campy, but still, I always remember this flick when I think of Tim Curry.

How often to I do that?

Often!

He's the voice of the Lemony Snicket series called "Series of Unfortunate Events", and is fabulous!  Beyond fabulous and I say that because the author, who is a little odd, took over the audio for books 3-5 and they weren't half as good as Curry's.

There's also the fact he was in the flick that scared me crapless and still does.  Tim Curry was Pennywise in It, the film adaptation of Stephen King's book by the same name.  Scary stuff!

Oddly enough, Curry is also in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and plays Dr. Frank N. Furter - "sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania" ("Sweet Transvestite").  As a kid, I snuck out one night to catch it, and Barbarella was playing before it.

Oooo, I was such a rebel!  Sneaking out of the house and into the theater, such a bad girl, but it was a blast!

Anyway, seek out Legend, and enjoy Tim Curry as the Lord of Darkness!

Are you ready for this?

I've recently told you how to make that special mug of sweetness, a yummy treat usually consumed during the holidays in England, and last week I gave you a bunch of British flicks to watch. Well, ttoday, I'm feeling more contemporary, so here are a few films to put you in Jolly Ol' without having to pack a suitcase:

My Beautiful Laundrette
Love Actually
Full Monty
Trainspotting
Rock n Rolla
Death at a Funeral

Fun times!

Art Day

The Frenchman Hippolyte Delaroche, also known as Paul Delaroche, painted 'The Execution of Lady Jane Grey' in 1833 and it now hangs in the National Gallery, London.

During my first trip abroad, I went to to the National Gallery, and remember sitting in front of this painting, entranced. It was her satin gown that held my attention. The texture was so real, so incredibly executed, I wanted to reach out and touch it, still do.

A few historical movies I've watched that will put you in that English frame of mind are:

Lady Jane
A Room With a View
The Other Boleyn Girl
The Duchess
Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Pride and Prejudice, BBC version

Yup, a few weeks ago I was in a beach frame of mind, well, now I'm in an English frame of mind. No sand, sun, or surf, but scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam from Bettys Cafe, pints of Black Sheep with a chip butty and scraps, and a bag or two of Walkers Smoky Bacon or Worcester Sauce crisps all sound great as well.