Melodrama, Music and Marriage in DVD

Oh Twihards, get out your twenty bucks, New Moon is released to DVD this week. A better bang for your buck is Disney's The Princess and the Frog. If you love Penelope Cruz and a tragic love story Broken Embraces fills the bill. In my que? Did You Hear About the Morgans? and Wonderful World.

Green Zone

In Green Zone we experience the frustration of the unknown in Iraq circa 2003. Bad intelligence, lies and chaos make it difficult for people to make effective decisions. This film has a dark, in-the-moment vibe and does not make you want to know much more about the early situation in the Iraq War. The weak part of this story is that one man takes the fall for a lot of bad decisions. An OK film that cold wait to be seen in DVD.

Alice in Wonderland

To begin, the 3D of Alice in Wonderland was unimpressive to me. I took my glasses off at one point and kinda liked it better. That said, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is not for little ones. I'd say it's tough for kids under 6. The little boy sitting behind me (maybe 5 years old) begged to leave after 20 minutes. You must already have a knowledge of the characters in Wonderland. In this film it is portrayed as a gray, depressing Underland. Alice is 19, contemplating an obligatory marriage to a fop and follows the rabbit down the hole again. This story is dark, abstract and disjointed. It was OK, but definitely more caught up in the visuals and special effects, than the story or characters.

Friday Flick Picks 3/12/10

I haven't been in a theater for 2 weeks so I've got some serious catching up to do. Oh yeah, it's winter, I haven't missed much. Still want to see Alice in Wonderland, Cop Out and The Crazies. Also, the Green Zone has arrived in RI theaters. A Prophet is at the Avon and may get my attention. Miss the Oscar nominees? The Patriot Cinema's got a bunch, great deal for $1.99. Crazy Heart, An Education, The Last Station, Sherlock Holmes and Shutter Island all worth a look.

Heartache and Hope in DVD

Out in DVD today are Capitalism:A Love Story, Up in the Air and Precious:Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire. Up in the Air and Precious are excellent films. Both have very difficult subject material. Unemployment, incest, rape, infidelity and loneliness make these tough films to watch. The writing, filming and performances make the heartache worth the look. Capitalism is typical Michael Moore. I was not impressed.

Oscar Party Photos 2010

On March 7, 2010 Susan, Sherri and I got our Hollywood on watching the Oscars' ceremony at Susan's house.
Susan made Swag Bags.....
There were snacks, ballots and libations.
Gowns.......
Julia Child's boeuf bourgenion a la Julie & Julia.
Wagers......

And the Wall of Fame. What a great night! Thanks to all who played along with me and my love of film. xoxo

Oscars 2010

The dust has settled on the 2009 film year and the Oscars have been handed out. The results can be found here. I had a little Oscar party for the first time ever. I brought all my ballots, food, beverage, photos and fandom to my friend's house. While the guys played poker, the girls enjoyed a little Hollywood immersion. The major awards were predictable. Surprises to me came with the writing awards for the Hurt Locker and Precious. For the record, Sandra Bullock was a bs nomination and a bs award, but she's a class act, gave a great speech and wore one of my favorite dresses of the night. A little slide show can be found here, now on the the films of 2010!!

Oscar Picks 2010

So I caved and went with the experts on my picks for the annual Oscar Pool, but I am craving some major upsets on Sunday night's broadcast. Now that would be entertaining! How great would it be to see Inglorious Basterds go home with Best Picture?!? I'm going on record here with how my Oscar Ballot would look if anyone asked. I'm watching the Oscars with friends for the first time in a long time. Hope nobody wants to talk to me.

Leading Actor - George Clooney - Up in the Air
Leading Actress - Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia
Supporting Actor- Christoph Waltz
Supporting Actress- Mo'nique
Animated Feature-Up
Art Direction-Avatar
Cinematography-Avatar
Costume Design-The Young Victoria
Directing-Katherine Bigelow-The Hurt Locker
Documentary Feature - The Cove
Documentary Short-The Last Truck:The Closing of a GM Plant
Film Editing-Precious
Foreign Language Film-The White Ribbon
Makeup-Star Trek
Original Score-Up
Original Song-The Weary Kind-Crazy Heart
Short film Animated-The Lady and the Reaper
Short Film Live Action-The New Tenants
Sound editing-Avatar
Sound mixing-Avatar
Visual effect-Avatar
Adapted Screenplay-Up in the Air
Original Screenplay-Inglorous Basterds
Best Picture-The Hurt Locker

Friday Flick Picks 3/5/10

New to RI theaters this week, Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland. Bouncing Avatar off the 3D screens, I'm looking forward to this one. A Prophet and The Last Station come to local art houses. I'm off to NH this weekend to visit friends. We've put together a little Oscar party for Sunday night. Oscar nominated films still in RI theaters? Avatar, The Blind Side, Crazy Heart, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Hurt Locker, Invictus, The Lovely Bones, Nine, The Princess and the Frog, Sherlock Holmes and Up in the Air. And most of these are at the Patriot, great deal for $1.99. Enjoy!

Adventure, Aquatics and Action in DVD

Oh happy day, Where the Wild Things Are comes out in DVD today! Max and those wild things learn how to get along. The adventures of Ponyo can be enjoyed at home a s well. If you need a good laugh, 2012 is out. Not the intention, but I thought this movie was hilarious. In my DVD queue? Believe:The Eddie Izzard Story and We Live in Public. Oscars Sunday night!

Family, Fashion and Fear in DVD

In DVD release this week, I've seen Everybody's Fine and The Informant! Family drama and insider intrigue in two films I enjoyed. In my rental queue? The Damned United, The Box, Cirque du Freak and The September Issue offer lots of variety in film rentals this week.

Oscar Nominated Shorts 2010

For the first time ever, I have seen all the Oscar Nominated Shorts. They were released to theaters in 2 programs, Animated and Live Action. The animated films were up first. French Roast, Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty, Matter of Loaf & Death and The Lady and The Reaper lead the way. The animated program has 3 bonus films as well. Partly Cloudy, Runaway and Kinematograph were films that must have just missed the Oscar list. Oscar nominated Logorama was saved for last, with a warning of violence and language that led a lot of responsible parents to take the kids home. Good film, but smart move on the parents. All different animation styles, funny, emotional and concise. After a bit of a break, the Live Action program began. Kavi, The New Tenants, The Door, Miracle Fish and Instead of Abracadabra were poignant and in the case of New Tenant and Abracadabra amusing. My Oscar choices? The New Tenants and The Lady and The Reaper. If these collections are playing in your area, go!!

Shutter Island

The movie Shutter Island tells a story where nothing is a s it appears. A federal marshall arrives at Shutter Island, an institution for the criminally insane, to help find a missing inmate. Is he who he says he is? Is she who she appears to be? Different characters have different perspective and the truth is revealed in the end. An old shoe that doesn't take much to figure out, but the performances and Martin Scorsese's style make it worth a look. Scorsese builds tone and tension through lighting, color and camera angle. A decent flick for this early in the year.

Strange Days

On the strength of the film The Hurt Locker, I wanted to see other work from Kathryn Bigelow. I rented the 1995 film Strange Days. In this story 1999 is presented as futuristic and a guy who sells illegal virtual-reality tapes gets caught up in a murder mystery. A good action flick, though a bit long. Angela Bassett is a fantastic badass. Worth a look.

Notorious (1946)

The Hitchcock film Notorious is a well made spy film from 1946. Every shot is gorgeous, the perspective is meticulous, the suspense palpable. The love story between the two spies is more interesting than the politics, but the audience is given credit for being smart enough to need more than a classic love triangle. Ingrid Bergman plays her Mata Harri character smart, sexy and sweet. Cary Grant has that strong, smouldering thing going on. The music and costumes are the bow that ties this package up nicely. A film well worth seeing.

Friday Flick Picks 2/19/10

What's the big news for me in RI theaters this weekend? Oscar Nominated Shorts at the Cable Car. I'm excited that these are being released to theaters. Adds more dimension to my Oscar Project. And what else? Scorsese's Shutter Island. Also in local movie news, the Providence Journal has stopped printing where and when movies are playing. They print reviews and synopses, but have omitted where and when you can see them. Poor marketing for RI theaters. Sucks, but I guess it's another sign of the demise of print media. In this case, looks to me like they are shooting themselves in the foot. I'll just climb down off my soap box now, and mention that Crazy Heart, Avatar, The Blind Side, The Young Victoria, The Princess and the Frog and Up in the Air are worth checking the Internet for places and times, cuz you won't find the listings in your morning ProJo.