OSCARS 2011: The Formula

I came up with a fool-proof (laugh, eye-roll, sarcastic tone) formula to predict this year's best picture winner.  I've done this formula thing in the past, and I'll be curious to see how it pans out.  Here is how I developed it.

First, since the Academy members don't change that much from year to year, I looked at their last five winners to pull out common factors in the movies they usually choose.  The pictures:

*The Hurt Locker 
*Slumdog Millionaire 
*No Country for Old Men 
*The Departed 
*Crash 

Then I looked for some common traits - things that appear in all five of them.  Here's what's obvious:

Live Action

Rated R

Dramas

Director Nominated for Best Director Oscar

Now, here are this year's nominees.  

127 Hours

Black Swan

The Fighter

Inception

The Kids Are All Right

True Grit

The King's Speech

The Social Network

Toy Story 3

Winter's Bone

Now, here is the list of nominees if we weed out those films that don't meet our four things posted above:

Black Swan

The Fighter

The King's Speech

The Social Network

Next, I dug a little deeper into the past winners and found one very interesting fact - of numerous awards shows and honors (IMDB.com lists past winners in many categories for many award listings) only one group has matched all of the best pictures for the past five years.  The Satellite Awards, which are distributed by the International Press Academy, have awarded movies their best picture honor, and for the past five years, that same movie would go on to win Oscar gold.  Their pick (already announced in December) for this year is one of the four above.  So if history were to repeat itself, the film that would win best picture would be.....

(Click to Find Out)

Surprised?  So, while this is nowhere near scientific, I think it's fun to analyze...and this year I think they'll be right on the money.  

OSCARS 2011: Memorable Scenes

This year has given us a lot of great movies.  Some movies, while flawed, also had some great scenes.  These are my favorite moments from the 2010 movies I've seen, all but two of which got at least one Oscar nomination.

10.  The Social Network - Opening Scene
While I have posted many an issue with The Social Network, I don't want that to distract from the fact that I really liked the movie.  I saw it twice in theaters, and the one scene that still sticks out with me is the opening scene in the bar, where Jesse Eisenberg's Zuckerberg fails at being a charming date, and instead offends the girl in question (Rooney Mara).

09.  The Kids Are All Right - Dinner with a Sperm Donor
The first dinner between the lesbian couple played by Bening and Moore, and their sperm donor dad Mark Ruffalo, is one of the most awkward yet rewarding scenes all year.

07.  Black Swan - Final Scene
The performance of 'Swan Lake' in the final few minutes of Black Swan were some of the most jarring, original, and moving in any movie this year.

06.  Joan Rivers - A Piece of Work - 'Helen Keller' Joke
This is one of only two films on the list not to get nominated, but it would be a crime not to include this one scene in particular as it was so moving and frankly scary.  When Rivers is doing a show and jokes about 'Helen Keller', it prompts an angry debate with an audience member who has a deaf child.  The scene is very short, but packs a punch.

05.  Animal Kingdom - The Safe House
The scene where an evil grandmother (Jacki Weaver) sends dirty cops to kill her grandson at a safe house ratcheted up the tension to a level rarely seen.

04.  The King's Speech - Coming Home Early From Bridge
The scene near the end where speech therapist Lionel Logue's wife gets home early to discover her husband has been secretly working with the new king is hilarious is a heart-felt way.

03.  Hereafter - Tsunami Sequence
Easily one of the most devastating scenes in any of the nominated films this year, the powerful tsunami scene at the beginning of Hereafter left people in my screening gasping in horror, and I even saw one person leave. It's emotionally powerful, as it is exceptionally shot.

02.  Inception - The Revolving Hallway
The sequence with revolving hallway has already become an iconic scene of 2010, and I would agree.

01.  Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World - The Vegan Police
The most awesome scene in this most awesome movie (which was overlooked by Oscar in every category - crime!) was the scene where former Superman Brandon Routh's character gets busted for violating the vegan way of life.  It sounds boring, but it's hilarious, and my favorite scene of the year.

OSCARS 2011: Ranking the ACTRESSES IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

This year's supporting actresses could all arguably win.  Each actress turned in a phenomenal performance, some in films that weren't nearly as good as they were.  Here is my ranking of the supporting actresses.

1. Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom - As the mother of a crime family, Weaver creates a character so evil I am still left utterly impressed.  This movie is out on DVD now - watch it - it's a good movie, and she is excellent in it (which I think I've said on this blog like 251 times now).

2.  Amy Adams for The Fighter - The front-runner to win is her costar Melissa Leo, but in The Fighter I was most impressed by Amy Adams.  I've been a long time fan of her (you need to see Junebug), and I loved her feisty girlfriend character.

3.  Melissa Leo for The Fighter - I said above that she's the front-runner, and she is very very good as The Fighter in questions mother.

4.  Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit - This girl is the primary reason this movie was worth watching at all.  She was excellent.  My big problem is that she really was the lead, and doesn't belong here.

5.  Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech - She was excellent, I loved her, and feel guilty that she is in last place on my rankings.  I can assure you though, she does everything right, the role is just less flashy and substantial as the others listed.

Thoughts?

OSCARS 2011: The Hosts

Normally, the hosts for the Academy Awards have been comedians.  In most recent years, there have been only one host.  This year however, we get one actor, James Franco, and one actress, Anne Hathaway.  When I heard the hosting duties went to them, I was left with mixed feelings.  I like both of them for their movies (although Anne Hathaway is in hot water with me for the crappy Love and Other Drugs movie), but I wonder if they'll be able to carry an entire show.  Neither of them are known for being funny, and I feel comedy is a big part of hosting.  That being said, I'm sure they will have a large team of writers whose sole goal is to make them amazing.  It's just that actual comedians have had a tough time hosting successfully, so it makes it all the more difficult for these two.

If I could have chosen the host, I would have picked Tina Fey, Sarah Silverman, or recent Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais.  All three of them have both small screen and large screen comedy experience.  But who knows, maybe these two will be great.   I am wondering if when the committee in charge of choosing the hosts got together, someone said something like "I think we should choose two people who are likely to be nominated."  As you may have noticed, James Franco did get a nomination for best actor (127 Hours) but thankfully, Hathaway did not for her overrated performance in the sex-fest Love and Other Drugs.

My favorite host of all time has to be either Billy Crystal or Whoopi Goldberg.  I can remember laughing so hard at both of them.  I remember Billy Crystal pushing his movie My Giant and for some reason I found that hilarious.  I remember when Whoopi changed into a bunch of silly costumes based on the costume design nominees.  These memorable moments aren't likely to come from this year's hosts, but who knows, maybe I'll be left surprised.  What are your thoughts?

OSCARS 2011: Ranking the ACTORS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

These pictures are odd sometimes
solely because they are the only
royalty-free ones I can find on
the web!

Continuing with the rankings, I am going to move to from the Best Picture category to another category that I've seen all the movies related.  The Actors in a Supporting Role category is extremely strong this year.  The top two are easy (for me anyways), the rest are all very very good.  It really is just a two-way race though.  Here is how I would rank the five nominees.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (I've seen all of the nominees):

1.  Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech - I loved this part, and he played it perfectly.  And I am not normally a Rush fan.  He was truly a supporting character, which sometimes the winners/nominees in these categories aren't (see Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit, but we'll get to that later.)

2.  Christian Bale for The Fighter - His transformation into Dicky Eklund, the half-brother of boxer Mickey Ward, is scary-good.

3.  Jeremy Renner for The Town - In a different year, this performance might have gotten Renner the win.  He's excellent as a villainous bank robber.

4.  John Hawkes for Winter's Bone - I was so happy he got nominated.  He plays a great small part in WB as a lowlife who might actually have a heart.

5.  Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right -  I really like Ruffalo, and he was very good here.  Just not on the same level as the others.  I actually think Bill Murray for Get Low deserved a slot in this category.

All right, that's all for now - what are your thoughts on this race?

OSCARS 2011: Ranking the BEST PICTURES

Each day leading up to the Oscars, I am going to post a new 'something' on this year's race.  Many of these posts will be ranking the different categories from best to worst (or best to still awesome but not as good as what's above ya!).  What I'm going to do is take who was nominated only, and reveal my order of just those nominees according to how I liked it/them/him/her (depending on the category).  I encourage you to do the same in the comments section.  I am going to start off big - ranking the ten best picture nominees with a quick comment on each.

Best Picture (I've seen all ten, half of them twice):

1.  Toy Story 3 - I loved it, plain and simple.

2.  127 Hours - It really connected with me - still can't shake it.

3.  The King's Speech - Moving story, great acting, top-notch on every level.

4.  Inception - Puzzling and odd in the best of ways.

5. Black Swan - One of the best horror movies in years.

6. Winter's Bone - It is this year's Precious.  A movie that has so much raw emotion it's hard to take, but hard not to admire.

7.  The Social Network - Overrated, but still very good.

8.  The Kids Are All Right -  There were moments of this movie that were exceptional.  And other moments that belonged on the Lifetime Women's Network.

9.  True Grit - Just okay for me.  There were a few great scenes, but a lot tired ones as well.

10.  The Fighter  - The movie deserved every acting nomination it collected, but as a whole, it offered nothing new to the boxing movie genre.  Right down to a musical workout montage.

So that's the big race.  This weekend I am going to make it to a few movies to help round out some of the other categories.  Happy movie watching!

Five Thoughts About The Oscar Nominations

photo © 2009 Davidlohr Bueso | more info (via: Wylio)

If you want to see the entire list of Oscar nominations, CLICK HERE. These are my five thoughts about some surprises, snubs, and sighs of relief.

'Waiting For Superman' Left Out Completely
Most Oscar prognosticators, including myself, thought the documentary that would end up winning the Oscar would be the well made critique on the American public school system, Waiting For Superman.  Personally, I thought it was very good, but not as good as a few other documentaries.  The thing is though, everyone thought it was a shoe-in for at least a nomination.  This gives my favorite documentary of the year, Exit Through the Gift Shop, a real shot at winning, although I would say the front-runner now is Inside Job.  

Team Jacki Fans Celebrate
I am so happy that Jacki Weaver got the nod for best supporting actress for her riveting turn in Animal Kingdom.  The movie itself is very good, but her performance is the best acting in any category this year.  It's unfortunate she isn't a lock, but hopefully this nomination will get more people to see the film which isn't as popular as it should be.

'127 Hours' Bests 'The Town'
I don't mean to brag, but if you look back on this blog I correctly predicted every one of the best picture nominations.  I was so relieved that 127 Hours made the cut above The Town (and other possible contenders).  I really liked The Town a lot, but 127 Hours is the better movie by far, so I was very happy when it's name came up.

Nolan Snubbed Again
Christopher Nolan, in my mind, didn't deserve the nomination for The Dark Knight a couple of years ago.  He did however completely deserve to be nominated this year for his brilliant job constructing the puzzle that is Inception.  Oscar voters tend to be older, so maybe the movie was just too confusing for them to fully appreciate (although it was nominated for Best Picture).  I know that some of the older folk where I work were completely baffled, and in some cases turned off by the puzzler.  One day Martin...eh...Christopher, one day.

The Girl Without An Oscar Nomination
I would lie to say I was expecting Noomi Rapace of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo to get a nomination, but I hoped it would happen.  The trilogy was completely left out.  I don't understand all of the eligibility requirements and what-not, so maybe there was never even a chance.  It's a shame as she was incredible.  The two long-shots that did get recognition were Javier Bardem for Biutiful and John Hawkes for Winter's Bone.  

What were your thoughts??  You all have plenty of time to get movie watching and see the ones you've missed.  This my friends is the most wonderful time of the movie year!!!

Movie Review: THE WAY BACK

photo © 2010 gdcgraphics | more info (via: Wylio)
The Way Back is a movie that has done a terrible job marketing itself.  I haven't seen a single television ad for the poorly named film.  The few people that I've mentioned it to had never even heard of it, and if I didn't read up on everything released each weekend, I wouldn't have known about it either.  It's a shame, as the movie has so much going for it - a riveting story, great cast (led by Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, and Colin Farrell), and an acclaimed director, Peter Weir (Master and Commander, The Truman Show).

Based on actual events, The Way Back follows a small band of escaped prisoners of war in Siberia as they trek over 4,000 miles to freedom in India.  Opening titles reveal that only three men ultimately complete the journey, and the band of escapees is much bigger than that.  The slightly overlong film chronicles their great adventure as we the audience remain interested in which three will survive the brutal walk to freedom.

The first thing that struck me was how great the cinematography was - the footage of the different countries the group travels through is worth the price of admission alone.  The group go through extreme cold, desert heat, and everything in between.  What the film lacks however is character development.  When different characters start to die off, I found myself not really caring.  Many of them are indistinguishable and could have been played by cardboard cut-outs. Also, as mentioned above, the film could have been 30 minutes shorter.  The beginning drags to the point where someone I went with was nodding off, and I doubt he was the only one.

The positives definitely outweigh the negatives though, and I would suggest this to patient movie watchers.  It's a story that was worth telling, and is told with care.  I would give it a 7 out of 10.

Parental Take:  The PG-13 rating pushes it's limits for violence including brutal conditions (as stated in the rating description.)

If You Like The Way Back Try:  Try the Siberian set thriller Transsiberian with Woody Harrelson.  While not as "important" a story, it's extremely entertaining.  

Movie Review: THE DILEMMA

photo © 2007 Emily Tan | more info (via: Wylio)
'Happy New Year' doesn't always translate into happy new movies.  With January, movie goers are treated to a bunch of lackluster offerings, and The Dilemma is no exception.  Oscar winning director Ron Howard has made one of the least original comedies to come out in quite some time, with a cast so strong it's a shame they didn't have more to work with.  This movie is so forgettable I don't even remember a single character's name - so for the full impact, I won't look up any of them for this review.

The dilemma in question involves one friend, let's say Friend A (played by Vince Vaughn) witnessing his best friend and business partner's wife (Winona Ryder) fooling around with another man (Channing Tatum).  The best friend/business partner, or Friend B (Kevin James) is busy working on a major work project, and Friend A doesn't know if he should disturb him with this information at such a volatile moment for their business.   Then enter 90 minutes of sub-par attempts at hilarity.

I am not a big fan of most movies that rely on a single lie or secret.  You know there is always going to be the big "reveal" scene, and usually it's not done well.  This movie doesn't buck the trend.  Now there were some funny moments, but nothing you wouldn't find turning on any given sitcom.  I really liked the cast, which also included Jennifer Connelly who really seems to be trying to shake her usual depressed victim character.  Queen Latifah shows up awkwardly a couple of times, and the actress/rapper who is normally a breath of fresh air is about as stale as most of the jokes.  This movie gained public attention for including a controversial "gay" joke that many groups called for Ron Howard to pull.  It wasn't pulled - but it should have been.  Not because it was offensive, but because it wasn't funny.  But I guess following that logic, pulling all the unfunny parts, we'd be left with a 20 minute movie.

Overall, I didn't completely hate the film, but it certainly wasn't good.  I would give it a 3.5 out of 10.

Parental Take:  The comedy does have a number of adult themes, including infidelity, gambling, and sexual situations.  It's best for 15 and up, and the younger members in my screening didn't seem to be into the film at all.

If You Like The Dilemma Try:  Try last year's The Switch, an underrated comedy/drama that does the rare great job of being a movie hinging on a single lie/secret.

Oscar Nominations Tomorrow - Who Should Get Nominated

Tomorrow morning the Oscar nominations will be revealed.  It's a very exciting time for everyone who loves movies, because all of the other endless award shows really don't compare.  This is the Super Bowl of movies, and I love to find out who's going to be in the game.

As I still have to see a few movies that are likely to be nominated (Another Year, Blue Valentine, Rabbit Hole) I am going to list my personal top four (five will be chosen) in each of the major categories, in order of how I HOPE (not think) things should go.  You can click the 'Best of 2010' link above to see how I want the best picture race to go, and the animated category will only have three nominees instead of five or ten.

Best Actor:

1.  James Franco for 127 Hours
2.  Colin Firth for The King's Speech
3.  Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network
4.  Robert Duvall for Get Low

Best Actress: 

1.  Noomi Rapace for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
2.  Natalie Portman for Black Swan
3.  Kirsten Dunst for All Good Things
4.  Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone


Best Supporting Actor:

1.  Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech
2.  Christian Bale for The Fighter
3.   Bill Murray for Get Low
4.   Jeremy Renner for The Town


Best Supporting Actress:

1.  Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom
2.  Adam Adams for The Fighter
3.  Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit (She might end up in the lead actress category though)
4.  Melissa Leo for The Fighter


Best Director

1.  Danny Boyle for 127 Hours
2.  Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan
3.  Christopher Nolan for Inception
4.  Tom Hooper for The King's Speech

Best Animated Feature (Only three nominees, so I'll pick two)

1.  Toy Story 3
2.  How to Train Your Dragon


Best Screenplay (Original)

1.  Christopher Nolan for Inception
2.  David Seidler for The King's Speech
3.  Mark Heyman for Black Swan
4.  Lisa Cholodenko for The Kids Are All Right


Best Screeplay (Adapted)

1.  Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy for 127 Hours
2.  John Lasseter for Toy Story 3
3.  Edgar Wright and Michael Bacall for Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
4.  Nikolaj Arcel for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo


Best Feature Length Documentary

1.  Exit Through the Gift Shop
2.  Inside Job
3.  Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
4.  Waiting for Superman


Again those are NOT my predictions of what WILL happen, but what I hope for.  I can guarantee many of the selections won't make it - but if even one of my more off-beat choices makes the cut, I will be thrilled.  The biggest long shot that I still feel is probable is a nomination for Noomi Rapace.  She really deserves the recognition.  All right, what are your thoughts?

The Case for Going to the Movies

Recently I posted on my Facebook account how distressed I was at learning that the average American only goes to see six movies a year.  I don't expect everyone to love movies as much as I do, or even as much as an average movie buff, but I would have guessed most people would see at least one a month.  From the feedback on that post, and other conversations I've had with friends, this is my response to many a myth people have built their reasons for not going to movies on.

1) It's Too Expensive
Yes, it is.  I agree with you.  If you're not creative.  Many movie theaters offer promotional time slots when you can see a movie at a lower price.  For instance, if you live near an AMC movie theater, any movie shown before noon is only $5, $6, or $7 a ticket (depending on the theater) - including all of the new releases.  If you live near a National Amusements theater, many of them have a discount day where it is also only $6 to see any movie playing.  If you are a AAA member, you can buy passes that let you in at the matinée or senior rate for any showing.  Also, avoid going in the evening if you have to as the rates are almost always cheaper during the day.

Let's just say for the sake of argument that the average movie with trailers is two hours long.  You don't need to be eating or drinking during that time period.  Movie snack and drink prices are practically criminal, and if less people bought them, the prices would go down.  Most theater chains make more money from snacks than they do from ticket profits, and while I don't want theaters going under, there is no case in my mind where soda is worth $6, and popcorn is worth $8.  Save yourself that expense by waiting to eat until after the movie.

And as far as those 3D glasses go, most of the time I'd say just skip them.  Many theaters show 3D movies in 2D as well, and that's fine.  The only ones you really want to pay the up charge for are the ones that say the film was "shot in 3D."  Most movies, at this point anyway, are converted after the movie is made.  The conversion is usually shoddy (The Green Hornet was one of the worst) and done for cheap "wow" moments instead of Avatar style impressiveness.

One other money saving tip, which many of you probably won't have the guts to listen to but it's true none-the-less, is this:  If your movie malfunctions in the least, you can get a free ticket or your money back.  Say the framing is off, or the audio cuts out.  All you need to do is tell the manager you aren't satisfied and most of them are more than ready to give you a ticket to come back and see something else for free.  As we mentioned above, the theaters are making more off of the food, so they will sacrifice a little to get you to come back and, in theory, buy the food again.  And did you know that if during the movie you simply don't like it or get offended by something you see, you can walk out, go to the service desk, and most theaters will give you your money back.  It's true.

Finally, if you compare the amount you spend on other recreational activities, movie watching is easily one of the cheapest ways to have a good time for an extended period without breaking the bank.  Even if you spend $12 a ticket and buy $14 worth of food and shell out $4 for 3D glasses, $30 for two plus hours of entertainment is cheaper than a concert, play, drinks and dinner out, and many other excursions.  And since that $30 could easily be reduced to $6 or $8 dollars as illustrated above, the money excuse is really the myth lazy movie goers make it.

2) I Don't Have Time
Stop it.  Of course you do.  This is one of the dumbest excuses I've ever heard.  I'm a very busy person, and I get tired like the rest of you.  But if you can't find a few hours over the course of a week or two to get to a theater, it just means you're not trying hard enough.  I work with someone who when you lend her a DVD, it takes her literally six months or more to watch it.  When I pester her about it (all in fun), she'll say something like "Well I can't watch it tomorrow because I work."  You work huh?  You work 24 hours a day, seven days a week?!  How hard is it to put in a nine-to-five day at the office, and then go home and relax with a movie?  The same principle applies to going to a movie theater.  You just need to schedule a time to see one -it's worth the effort.

3)  I Don't Have Anyone to Go With
I'm single.  Lonely.  The whole bit.  Movies aren't the enemy, they're the band-aid to loneliness (the cure is a good girlfriend or boyfriend, depending on who is lonely).  You don't need someone next to you in a dark room to enjoy the experience.  Movie watching is an individual experience, this is why some people love certain movies, and other people hate the same one.  Get over yourself and have a good time.

4)  There's Nothing Worth Paying to See
'Nothing' is a very strong word.  Many movies aren't worth the film they're shot on, I'll agree with you.  But there is never a time where there isn't at least one or two good movies playing.  Maybe you won't see an Oscar caliber film every time you check the listings of your local theater, but there are always plenty of passable at worst movies that are worth investing the time in.  If you live near a big city, usually there are art house theaters that offer more alternative film selections which can be really fun.  Use sites like RottenTomatoes (professional movie reviews from across the country are compiled to generate one score on a 1%-100% scale) to help narrow the field of what films to see, or of course, this blog!  And for people who use the "I don't agree with the critics" excuse, give me a break.  Some critics are insane, but typically the overall consensus is pretty close to popular opinion.  I don't always agree with it, and you won't either, but odds are most of the time you'll be safe.  What you could do on RottenTomatoes is find a critic that has your taste in movies and just follow their reviews.  You don't (or shouldn't) make a big purchase without doing your research, and you should apply the same responsibility to movie selections.

5)  Why Pay Now When I Can Get it Later On DVD?
This is one of the strongest arguments, but of course I have a response.  Going to the movies is not just incredible because of the size of the screen.  It's the whole experience.  It's smelling the popcorn (but not buying it), it's finding the perfect seat, it's listening to crowd react (appropriately) to the scares, laughs, and other turns in any given movie.  It's putting your attention into the full movie, instead of watching at home while surfing the web, talking to friends/family, or falling asleep in bed.  It's getting the sense of seeing something new, exciting, and being able to talk about it with other people you see throughout the week.  It's like going to a Red Sox game opposed to watching it on TV.  There is nothing that compares to the magic of walking into Fenway Park and cheering with the crowd.  Same with going to the movies.  You need to be there to fully experience the process of movie watching.  This especially applies to the big blockbuster films - you can't honestly tell me Avatar would have the same impact on a home television opposed to on a giant screen.

Going to the movies is a privilege we shouldn't take for granted.  I love looking down the hall of a movie theater at all of the doors that open into different rooms - each one containing a different story, a different set of characters just waiting to be loved or hated by you the viewer.  I love thinking that if you go through one set of doors, you will leave thrilled, while if you go into another room, you might leave laughing.  Movies stimulate the imagination and provoke discussion.  I love going to movies, which should be evident to all of you by now.   I really think you should go more.  Did I miss any of your excuses?  Let me know - I'm more than willing to play more defense.  I could write for days about this, but I'm actually off to the movies now...

Movie Review: THE GREEN HORNET

The director of The Green Hornet, Michael Gondry, is an excellent filmmaker, having made one of my favorite movies Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  I am also a fan of both Seth Rogen (Knocked Up) and Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds).  I really like quite a few superhero movies.  So while I wasn't camping out to buy a ticket for TGH, I was excited. Having not been familiar with the source material, I was very interested and willing to be brought into a new world of mayhem.  Now having seen the film, in short I am left with three words:  This movie sucked.

The story in short depicts the life of Britt Reid who inherits his fathers privately owned media empire upon his untimely death.  Britt is a party animal and wants nothing to do with the business, except for the money it generates.  One of his late father's employees, Kato, makes the best coffee in the world along with other gadgets that lead Britt to believe he could be a superhero.  Meanwhile a super-villain who is less terrifying than a malfunctioning Tickle-Me-Elmo, wants to kill Reid for reasons that seem odd and don't really matter to the story in the least.

A level of believability has to be suspended to enjoy any superhero movie, I know that.  TGH though goes above and beyond to be absurd, with action sequences so ridiculous I wanted to get up and leave.  One specific example of stupidity is as follows:   The two heroes, Green Hornet and Kato, drive a car into an elevator.  The car doesn't fit, but they ascend anyway and half of the car gets chopped off in the shaft (scariest elevator ever).  When they get to their floor, they mention how it's a good thing they have front wheel drive and proceed to drive the half of a car around the floor of a building, running people's desks over and causing workers (not bad guys) to go running for their lives.  Maybe it was for laughs, but it really was just stupid.  The movie is one scene after another like that one, and it's just too much to put up with.  Oh, and I almost forgot to add that Cameron Diaz pops in now and then solely to add a female presence to the mix, nothing else.

Ultimately, there is very little to be positive about with TGH.  There were a couple of laughs, and that's about it.  It's a early front runner to be on my worst of 2011 list, and it would get a 3 out of 10 from me.

Parental Take:  The movie is geared at middle school students who may not be looking for much in an action movie and be satisfied with what they get here - including quite a few fart jokes.  The violence and profanity did make this movie one of the more objectionable PG-13 movies I've seen in a while.  Some of the violence is very graphic for this rating, and younger children should definitely not see it.

If You Like The Green Hornet Try:  Try Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to see how good a director Michael Gondry can be.

**ON A FUN NOTE, THIS POST IS THE 200TH ENTRY IN THE MMOM BLOG!!**

Movie Review: NO STRINGS ATTACHED

The first movie officially released in 2011 that I saw was No Strings Attached, a pleasant if not typical romantic comedy.  Starring the likable duo of Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, NSA is the perfect flick to watch simply to let your mind take a break from all of the heavy (if not better made) Oscar movies.

The premise is shaky and simple - what if you had a friend who was simply there to have sex with.  No talking about what happened that day, no cuddling, and absolutely no doing anything that might lead to an emotional connection.  Would that be possible?  Emma (Portman) and Adam (Ashton) are more than willing to give it a go.

While morally questionable, the movie navigates through scene after scene of standard romantic comedy material.  I would have hated if not for how good the two leads were.  Their chemistry saved the film, and while the it was never really hilarious, it had it's laughs and nice moments along the way.  If you watch the previews for the film, and you think it looks interesting, then you won't be disappointed.  It's not a masterpiece, but it's not trying to be.  I would give it a 6.5 out of 10.

Parental Take:  I was surprised how tame this R rated movie was, but it still is for older audiences due to a good amount of profanity and a couple of suggestive (though never graphic) sex scenes.

If You Like No Strings Attached Try:  This movie reminded me a little of another Ashton Kutcher flick entitled A Lot Like Love.

TV TALK: The Show You Should Be Watching

I know, I know, this is My Month of Movies, not My Tales of TV, but every now and then I like to blog about the smaller form of entertainment.  The reason now specifically is to encourage you to watch a television show that has not gone unnoticed, but is still nowhere near the hit it deserves to be.  The show - Justified, which can be found on the F/X network, is worth giving a try if you haven't already.  Starring Timothy Olyphant and a strong supporting cast, the show chronicles the life of deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens.  If you saw the movie Winter's Bone, you can imagine the type of people that Givens comes into contact with while patrolling his Kentucky hometown.  Everywhere you look there is another lowlife villain wreaking havoc.  Unlike Winter's Bone though, the show injects action, humor, and suspense into virtually every minute, making it a very riveting and unique experience.  One reason I felt like mentioning it here is that while a show, it plays like a movie or miniseries.  Most of the episodes contain violent content, but it's nothing more than you'd see in an episode of 24.  The show is also very addicting, and now that the first season is out on DVD, it's the perfect chance to catch up before the second season begins next month.  Between this and The Walking Dead, there are some great, quality hour-long dramas out there - you just might have to find them higher up on the TV dial.  All right, that didn't take too long!  Peace!

Anti-’Social’ - Why I ‘Like’ The Social Network, But Don’t Love It

photo © 2009 Courtney | more info (via: Wylio)
The Social Network” is a very good movie.  In my mind though, awards and high praise should be reserved for great movies.  I had the same feeling last year with “The Hurt Locker.”  In each of these films, there were a few scenes or portrayals that missed the mark completely but everyone just seemed to overlook them.  Watching movies is an emotional experience, and I have loved my fair share of movies with holes in them, but to act like a movie “defines a generation” or is “the film of the year” like so many critics have said of TSN seems a bit over the top, in my humble opinion.  

Here are the primary obstacles I have with this movie, and you are more than welcome to attempt to convince me otherwise....

To Read the Rest of This Post, Click Here (It's my friend's movie blog, and he posted the entire entry there so I thought it would be nice to cross post....it's just an extra click!)

A (Belated) Open Letter to the Academy

(I am 99.99% certain there is not one single Oscar voter who reads this blog. But on the slim off chance that the stars align, and one accidentally finds themselves on this page, this is my belated message to them.)

Dear Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Members,

I know that your selections for this year's Oscar nominees were due last Friday. I know you probably ignored all of the advice I should have sent you sooner. But that being said, I feel it's my duty to put it out there, just in case.

I hope you nominated Jacki Weaver for her brilliant turn in the Aussie gang flick Animal Kingdom. Not only was it a very good movie, but her role as the evil mother crept me out on the same level that Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) did in No Country for Old Men. While there were a bunch of great supporting actress turns this year, it was hers I most fear you'll leave off the list - and she should win.

Another performance you probably left off the

list was Noomi Rapace for her role in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and it's sequels. Talk about pressure! This woman took the beloved Lisbeth Salander character and brought it to life on screen - and even fans of the books loved her. She is the only one in my mind who can hold a candle to Natalie Portman in Black Swan who I'm sure you nominated.

I'm sure none of you saw Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World but you should have. It was incredible. If it were up to me, it would be nominated for best picture, best actor, best screenplay, best director, and best visual effects (and all those sound ones most people don't understand). I'm going to push you for a best adapted screenplay nod for Edgar Wright and company. Okay, Aaron Sorkin is going to win for The Social Network. That means there are four other slots you could have filled with creative choices, and this is one you should have made.

I really didn't like the movie All Good Things that much, but my word, Kirsten Dunst was incredible. It would be nice if you had honored her in the actress category, despite her not being as good as either Rapace or Portman. She still deserves the invitation to the party, so hopefully you extended it to her.

There is a rumor going around that 127 Hours won't make the cut of the top ten films nominated for best picture. Are you kidding me? I still am going to predict you will nominate it there, but don't falter. The movie was amazing! It was better than most of the ones you are expected to choose. I really liked The Town, True Grit, The Social Network, The Kids Are All Right, and wasn't overly crazy for The Fighter (aside from it's amazing acting by all involved), but one of those flicks can be left off to ensure Danny Boyle and crew get their due.

I feel like you definitely nominated Exit Through the Gift Shop for best documentary so be sure and vote for it to win. It's incredible. There are a lot of nasty rumors about it now, but just watch it and decide for yourself. I also think you should have nominated Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work but I already know it didn't make the shortlist of potential nominees. Right that wrong by giving this year's best non-fiction flick, Exit, the gold.

And finally, I know that you nominated Toy Story 3 for best picture, so now I call on you to vote for it to win. Think of it like the culmination of a great trilogy, because that's exactly what it is. It was the best reviewed movie of the year with 99% positive critical feedback according to Rottentomatoes.com. It reduced many a grown man, let alone everyone else, to tears in it's final scene. It's pitch perfect, and you like successful movies - it became the highest grossing animated film of all time (The Social Network didn't even pass 100 million here in the states). The crew deserves more than just the expected win for best animated feature - they deserve to be rewarded for all their hard work on the franchise.

That's it folks. I actually like (or love) most of the expected nominees, so good job in that regard. I'll be writing you again after I see what damage is done when the nominations are announced next Tuesday morning. Here are my predictions for the films you will all nominate for best picture (not that I agree with all of them).

• Black Swan - Good choice, I loved it.
• The Social Network - Liked it. You'll choose it to win, and I disagree with you there.
• The Fighter - The acting should be recognized, but the film should be left off here.
• The King's Speech - I found this movie fascinating, good pick.
• Toy Story 3 - Adhere to my last point above and give it the gold!
• 127 Hours - Fingers crossed. If this isn't chosen, look for The Town to get the slot.
• Inception - When I first saw it, I thought at that time it would go all the way. Good choice.
• True Grit - It was good, but nowhere near as good as I expected it to be.
• The Kids Are All Right - A few scenes and messages were so muddled I wouldn't be sad if you didn't nominate here, but I think you will.
• Winter's Bone - When I first saw it, I loved it. It lost a little something for me over time, but it's still worth mentioning here so I won't be upset with this selection.

All right, that's all I've got.

Peace,

Dan Barbour

Movie Review: I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS

Okay, I don't want to come across homophobic here, but let me just say to the makers of the film I Love You Phillip Morris that it's 2011 - there are plenty of "gay" movies out there, you aren't breaking any ground. I saw this movie a week ago and my anger at it has not subsided. I was wondering if I would calm down and appreciate it more once time passed, but alas, no such luck. Based on the fascinating true story of a con-man Steven Russell (Jim Carrey) and his lover who he meets in prison (Ewan McGregor), this movie replaces interesting acts of escape for graphic and unneeded sexual scenes that aren't artistic, funny, or contributing to the overall story. When you have source material like this, I don't know how you can mess it up. In real life, Russell escaped prison over and over again, making a fool of the Texas prison system. It could have been fascinating, but it just wasn't. I found the acting from almost everyone, some of whom are normally excellent, forced and over the top. The pacing was terrible, and the end product was just a mess. I don't have a whole lot more to say about this one as I was kind of disgusted by it - not because of the themes, but because of how they were mistreated and exploited. I would give it a 2 out of 10 and leave it at that.

Family Take: No. There is one graphic scene of sexuality and plenty of profanity.

If You Like I Love You Phillip Morris Try: Catch Me If You Can is a much better modern heist movie.

Golden Globe Predictions

Today are the Golden Globe Awards. Normally, I'm excited about these, but the second I heard The Tourist was nominated for Best Comedy/Musical I knew we were in for trouble. So below I made my predictions about what will win (BOLD), what should win (Italics), and then add what should have been included. Not all categories will have all of that info, just the ones I feel like posting. Happy watching - and don't forget to watch the Patriots de-feet the Jets this afternoon!!

Best Motion Picture, Drama

Black Swan

The Fighter

Inception

The King’s Speech

The Social Network

Should Have Been Nominated: 127 Hours

Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical

Alice in Wonderland

Burlesque

The Kids Are All Right

Red

The Tourist (It's not the worst movie here, but it's NOT a comedy or a musical!)

Should Have Been Nominated: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Best Director - Motion Picture

Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan

David Fincher for The Social Network

Tom Hooper for The King's Speech

Christopher Nolan for Inception

David O. Russell for The Fighter

Should Have Been Nominated: Danny Boyle for 127 Hours

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network

Colin Firth for The King's Speech

James Franco for 127 Hours

Ryan Gosling for Blue Valentine

Mark Wahlberg for The Fighter

Should Have Been Nominated: Robert Duvall for Get Low

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

Halle Berry for Frankie and Alice

Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole

Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone

Natalie Portman for Black Swan

Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine

Should Have Been Nominated: Noomi Rapace for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy

Johnny Depp for Alice in Wonderland

Johnny Depp for The Tourist

Paul Giamatti for Barney's Version

Jake Gyllenhaal for Love and Other Drugs

Kevin Spacey for Casino Jack

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy

Anne Hathaway for Love and Other Drugs

Julianne Moore for The Kids Are All Right

Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right

Emma Stone for Easy A

Angelina Jolie for The Tourist

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Christian Bale for The Fighter

Michael Douglas for Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Andrew Garfield for The Social Network

Jeremy Renner for The Town

Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Amy Adams for The Fighter

Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech

Mila Kunis for Black Swan

Melissa Leo for The Fighter

Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom (***I really want her to win, but I doubt enough people saw the movie, even though voters are supposed to see them all. She was the best by far!)

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture

127 Hours

The Kids Are All Right

The King's Speech

The Social Network

Inception

Best Animated Feature Film

Despicable Me

How to Train Your Dragon

The Illusionist

Toy Story 3

Tangled

Best Foreign Language Film

Biutiful

The Concert

The Edge

I Am Love

In a Better World

Should Have Been Nominated (and Won): The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Best Original Song - Motion Picture

Bound to You from Burlesque

Coming Home from Country Strong

I See the Light from Tangled

There's a Place for Us from Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

You Haven't Seen the Last of Me from Burlesque

Best Original Score - Motion Picture

Alexandre Desplot for The King's Speech

Danny Elfman for Alice in Wonderland

A.R. Rahmin for 127 Hours

Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross for The Social Network

Hans Zimmer for Inception

Best Television Series, Drama

Boardwalk Empire

Dexter

The Good Wife

Mad Men

The Walking Dead

Best Televison Series, Comedy or Musical

30 Rock

The Big Bang Theory

The Big C

Glee

Modern Family

Nurse Jackie

Best Actor in a Television Series, Drama

Steve Buscemi for Boardwalk Empire

Bryan Cranston for Breaking Bad

Michael C. Hall for Dexter

Jon Hamm for Mad Men

Hugh Laurie for House

Best Actress in a Television Series, Drama

Julianna Margulies for The Good Wife

Elisabeth Moss for Mad Men

Piper Perabo for Covert Affairs

Katey Sagal for Sons of Anarchy

Kyra Sedgwick for The Closer

Best Actor in a Television Series, Comedy or Musical

Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock

Steve Carell for The Office

Thomas Jane for Hung

Matthew Morrison for Glee

Jim Parsons for Big Bang Theory

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

Hope Davis for Special Relationship

Jane Lynch for Glee

Kelly McDonald for Boardwalk Empire

Julia Stiles for Dexter

Sofia Vergara for Modern Family

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

Scott Caan for Hawaii Five-0

Chris Noth for The Good Wife

David Straithairn for Temple Grandin

Eric Stonestreet for Modern Family

Chris Colfer for Glee

Best Actress in a Television Series, Comedy or Musical

Toni Collette for United States of Tara

Edie Falco for Nurse Jackie

Tina Fey for 30 Rock

Laura Linney for The Big C

Lea Michelle for Glee

Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

The Pacific

Carlos

Temple Grandin

You Don't Know Jack

The Pillars of the Earth

Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

Dennis Quaid for The Special Relationship

Ian McShane for The Pillars of the Earth

Édgar Ramírez for Carlos

Al Pacino for You Don't Know Jack

Idris Elba for Luther

Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

Claire Danes for Temple Grandin

Hayley Atwell for The Pillars of the Earth

Jennifer Love Hewitt for The Client List

Judi Dench for Return to Cranford

Romola Gara for Emma

DVD Review: JOAN RIVERS - A PIECE OF WORK

photo © 2010 David Shankbone | more info (via: Wylio)If you've ever wanted to be in the public spotlight as an entertainer, you might want to check out Joan Rivers - A Piece of Work, now on DVD. I didn't go see this movie in theaters as I didn't know much about Rivers outside of her appearance (and victory) on Celebrity Apprentice. I knew she was a comic who tilted the way of the vulgar, but what I didn't know was that behind the loud voice and endless plastic surgery, there is a human being who can be hurt just as easily as us "normal folk". And boy is she hurting.

The movie opens at one of Rivers' shows - she tells a few jokes, and frankly I was ready to turn the movie off. The jokes, in my opinion, weren't funny, but were disgusting. I didn't want to waste my time listening to such "filth", no matter how well it was filmed. I'm no prude but listening to a woman who could be my grandmother tell jokes about anal sex is just not my cup of tea. Then the movie took an abrupt shift, and we learn that the movie is going to follow one year in the life of the comedy icon Rivers. This is where the movie becomes immensely absorbing. We learn that as popular a name as Joan Rivers is, she has a real hard time finding work due to newer, fresher comediennes. We also learn that Rivers lives extravagantly, making finding work not just a way to pass the time or fuel fame, but to maintain her luxurious life of choice.

I really didn't expect much from this documentary, but went away very glad I saw it. I was very sad ultimately, that money and fame dictate this woman's life as much as they do - although her honesty about this is to be commended. Rivers' daughter Melissa made one of the best points in the movie - that stand-up comics all have a disorder that causes them to need approval of the masses. I know people like this - not celebrities - but those who aspire to be and continuously make fools of themselves. This movie made me understand them a little better. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

Parental Take: There is quite a bit of comedy material that is vulgar, not to mention children wouldn't really have any reason to watch this.

If You Like Joan Rivers - A Piece of Work Try: One of the best films of the year, Exit Through the Gift Shop tells the story of street art like and is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen.

The Ten Best Movies of 2010

The Best Movies of 2010

The movie year is weird. Some 2010 movies haven’t even been released yet. They screen in New York, LA, or some other city to qualify for awards and it takes forever for them to be released near where I live. So that being said this list is subject to change as I see the last few movies of 2010 that I haven’t gotten to see yet. I am still eager to see Somewhere, Biutiful, Blue Valentine, and Another Year. As of right now though, the following movies are the best of the year in my movie-going opinion. Out of the 121 movies I’ve seen from 2010, these are the ones that 1) stuck with me, 2) entertained me, and 3) added something special to my movie year. They may not all go in the exact order to which I ranked them originally - but they are how I see them now. This is my list:

10) Catfish

I keep going back and forth for the tenth slot on this list. It’s a virtual tie between Catfish and Let Me In. Both movies are great in their own ways, but I give the edge to Catfish because it’s original, not a remake like the other. The filmmakers claim their documentary is true, but I have my strong doubts - no matter - it’s totally interesting and the ending is both shocking and satisfying.

9) How to Train Your Dragon
It’s been a great year for animated movies, and in a year this wasn’t against such a great Pixar entry (Toy Story 3) it would be the best animated film. I love the simple storytelling, the well-drawn characters, and the colorful animation style which looked great in 3D.

8) Exit Through the Gift Shop

For documentaries, the topic of street art might not seem “important” in a sea of issue films. Who says documentaries HAVE to be important? They should tell a good true story, and this tells a great one. You won’t look at graffiti the same way ever again.

7) Black Swan
I didn’t expect to like this movie, but I found it completely riveting. Set in the world of ballet, this is suprisingly one of the most horrifying thrillers I’ve seen all year. I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of the movie, and while many portions were hard to watch, it told an original story with intelligence.

6) Inception
Christopher Nolan makes great movies, and this one is no exception. While in my opinion the ending faltered slightly, the twisty and original flick was completely absorbing. It’s hard to explain exactly what this one is about, but it has to do with a new king of terrorism - the theft of one’s thoughts and secrets. Most people have already seen it, but if you are one of the few who haven’t, I would suggest it highly.

5) The King’s Speech
Call me a sucker for overcoming adversity stories, but because this one is true, I feel no guilt whatsoever. Colin Firth plays the man who will be king, King George VI, who has a stuttering problem. Geoffrey Rush plays his speech therapist. Their interactions are some of the most entertaining of the year, and the story itself is fascinating.

4) The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
photo © 2010 Sarah Williams | more info (via: Wylio)I have not read the popular book trilogy yet, but I did see the three movies. This, the first portion of the mystery saga, not only was made well, but stands alone as a film even if you don’t see the other two (which are also very very good!). Noomi Rapace deserves an Oscar for her portrayl of hacker Lisbeth Salander, and the supporting casting is also great. The movie is over the top brutal, which originally hurt it in my mind, but after seeing the entire trilogy, I understand the purpose (but still can’t help squinting during some of the most intense scenes.).

3) Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
It might not be the traditional critic pick, but I am not a traditional critic. I go to the movies not just for Oscar bait, but also to have a heck of a good time. I cannot think of a more purely entertaining movie this year than SPVTW. Based on a set of equally crazy-amazing graphic novels, Michael Cera plays the title character facing a colorful cast of evil exes in his quest to win the girl of his dreams. I LOVED this movie.

2) 127 Hours
This movie connected with me on a level most movies don’t even come close to. I’ve seen it twice and will buy it when it’s released on DVD. There is something about the message - make the most of your life before it’s too late - that really hit home with me. James Franco gives a brilliant performance, and Danny Boyle’s direction is amazing considering this story is about a man stuck in a cavern. See it.

1) Toy Story 3

The year’s most emotionally driven film was one starring plastic play things. The story was original (especially for the third installment in the series!), the vocal talent was top-notch, and the pacing was perfect. The only people who don’t love this movie seem to complain that it’s too dark - but it needed the jolt to remain fresh and create an ending that is truly unforgettable. It’s great - and in my opinion - the very best movie of 2010.

photo © 2010 Steve Jurvetson | more info (via: Wylio)