June 2011
5 posts
Beginners
[FILM] This films has one of the greatest boy-meets-girl scenes of any film I’ve ever seen (I would call it the “meet cute” but that doesn’t quite feel appropriate…) It’s a lovely story if a bit slow, but one that will surely make you smile, and maybe even cry. For when you get sick of all these stupid comic book blockbusters…
Thor
[FILM] Not that into superhero/comic book-type movies in general, but I actually really enjoyed Thor. Chris Hemsworth won me over quite quickly, especially in the shirtless scenes. And who doesn’t love Kat Dennings and Natalie Portman? Icing on the cake.
Super 8
[FILM] Super gr8. Enjoyed it far more than I expected. The kids are all fantastic and the story is very straightforward - some would argue this is where the film is lacking, but I saw it as a great strength.
X-Men: First Class
[FILM] Not for me.
Submarine
[FILM] Please do yourself a favor and catch this one (in theaters now!) A fresh and funny coming-of-age story with a bit of stylistic flair courtesy of Richard Ayoade, British comedian/actor/writer and director of such music videos as Vampire Weekend’s Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EShxp3qME70
August 2010
1 post
Catfish
[FILM] Must see movie. Do yourself a favor- do not watch the trailer. Do not read the reviews. Just go see the movie. It is best to know as little as possible. All I will tell you is that it was well worth watching. And then some.
June 2010
2 posts
Parks & Recreation
[TV] I will be the first to admit, Season 1 was crap. I stopped watching after the first few episodes and later rewatched when I saw how great Season 2 was. Seriously, they really kicked it into gear. Aziz Ansari and Chris Pratt are fantastic. And while I would love to say it’s all about Amy Poehler, her character really isn’t as great as the supporting roles. If you gave up early...
Modern Family
[TV] The greatest show on television. If you haven’t started watching this yet, you’d better start ASAP. The ensemble cast is absolutely stellar; I love every one of them. Not only is it funny, but it is fresh as well. A must watch.
January 2010
2 posts
Sympathy for Delicious
[FILM] Directed by Mark Ruffalo (he also plays a supporting character), this film is a wee bit all over the place. It can’t seem to decide what genre it wants to be, and I have to say, while some shots were beautiful, for the most part, the cinematography was really distracting— too much headroom!!! The acting was strong; Mark Ruffalo’s character was great, Christopher Thornton...
Daddy Longlegs
[FILM] AWFUL. Could not stand this film about a terrible father who only gets to see his kids for 2 weeks a year, and uses those 2 weeks to be a complete selfish prick. Ugh. Doubt much will come of it, but if it does, don’t waste your time.
December 2009
2 posts
An Education
[FILM] It took me a month and a lot of stress to get this movie poster framed, so to finally have seen the movie, I can sleep easy knowing it was totally worth all of the stress. Visually lovely and featuring a wonderful performance by newcomer Carey Mulligan, this film is, much like Peter Saarsgard’s character, both charming and slightly off-putting (in the best way possible). Definitely...
Enemy of the State
[FILM] Sometimes I forget how much I love this movie, until I watch it again. Will Smith is just perfect. Also love that Jack Black, Seth Green, and Jamie Kennedy all have bit parts in Jon Voight’s regime.
November 2009
15 posts
Adventureland
[FILM] Not so bad. Good music, too. Jesse Eisenberg is so wonderfully awkward, it’s hard not to love him. Awkward is the new hilarious…
Confessions of a Shopaholic
[FILM] Save yourself the trouble and just read the books. Movie sucked.
Whatever Works
[FILM] Hmm jury’s still out on this one. Somewhat enjoyable, somewhat a chore…
Sunshine Cleaning
[FILM] Emily Blunt’s American accent throws me off, but it’s a decent movie. Bizarrely attracted to the one-armed man.
Year One
[FILM] Why did I waste my time? Ugh.
Lt. Dan Band
[FILM] Documentary about Gary Sinise and his band, the Lt. Dan Band, which performs for the troops. I’m not what you would consider uber-patriotic, and to be honest, just talking about “the troops” makes me uncomfortable… I’m a bit of a pacifist, and I went on a really uncomfortable date with someone in the Navy so… yeah… but I was able to put all that...
World's Greatest Dad
[FILM] I’m not big on talking about feelings, so rarely is it that a film makes me feel so much. But wow. The range of emotions that this film stirred in me were astounding, from discomfort to laughter to pain, this film really drew me in and and kept me there. I really felt for the characters, and I loved Daryl Sabara (of Spy Kids fame) in this more challenging role… highly...
Wild Girls Gone
[FILM] A 100% improvised film brought to you by the Upright Citizens Brigade, starring Amy Poehler and the guy who played the insensitive doctor in Arrested Development. Sounds all fine and dandy until you see the first minute of the film and realize that there was so little budget and such shitty-quality footage that you’re gonna want to close your eyes and just listen to get any enjoyment...
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead
[FILM] You had me at the title. Shakespeare and zombies? Let’s do this. In fact, it was vampires… even more fitting considering the trends. I had pretty low expectations, so when this film was witty and charming, I was all that much more impressed. It was really cute. While it might not see a wide release, definitely check this out if you have a chance. Good for a few laughs,...
Scout's Honor
[FILM] Checked this one out at the Hollywood Film Festival. Chris Kattan and his real-life father starred in this very unfunny film about grown men at a boy scout camp. Dear Chris Kattan: YELLING ALL YOUR LINES doesn’t make them funnier!
Where the Wild Things Are
[FILM] First off, the music was great, and this film is GORGEOUS. I mean seriously beautiful. That said, the trouble in trying to make a children’s book into a feature is in adaptation, and I thought the story fell at the wayside in favor of creating the right visual world. Spike Jonze is great, but I was getting bored and eagerly awaiting the ending, which was pretty unfulfilling.
Adventures of Power
[FILM] Very Zoolander-esque, and wonderfully hilarious. The “In the Air Tonight” drumming scene was EPIC and the beginning of the film with Power’s dance/drum sequence… I was laughing out loud. It was great. Hasn’t hit a wide release yet, but keep a lookout for it.
Whip It!
[FILM} Very grrrrlpower, but shot too close and overall meh. I love Landon Pigg but if I have to see his nasty teeth one more time I might have to throw a shoe at the screen.
September 2009
2 posts
The Informant!
[FILM] Had some funny moments… when I wasn’t sleeping.
Community
[TV] Was it just me, or was this incredibly unfunny? Not impressed.
August 2009
2 posts
Summerhood
[FILM] Written, directed and starring Jacob Medjuck, this little gem is a great tribute to summer camp and the uncensored musings of 10 year-old boys. Narrated by John Cusack and with a soundtrack out of this world (especially for an unknown indie film), this film is cute, touching, triumphant, and a little bit awkward (my favorite things rolled into one?) If you get a chance to see it, please...
Hammertime
[TV] If you do not already watch this show on A&E, you are seriously missing out. Not only are the Hammers extremely likeable and fun to watch, but any family that owns Hammer pants to fit a 3 year old and a 53 year old is cool by me. When they all just put on the pants and busted out the U Can’t Touch This dance in the living room… baller. Jamaris wearing the Hammer suit to prom? ...
July 2009
2 posts
Bruno
[FILM] Well, what can you say about this film, really? Sacha Baron Cohen will stop at nothing for his art. The amount of lashings he took (literally) for staying in character was astounding. The film was shocking and funny, but to be honest, I think it tried a little bit too hard to push the envelope. I think the difference between Borat and Bruno is that Borat is a much more dynamic character...
Public Enemies
[FILM] Not what I expected at all. It was shot with hand-held cameras and super artsy for a big name gangster flick - not that there’s anything wrong with that, but the trailer was very misleading. Leaves you with a weird taste in your mouth. Like when you think you’re about to take a sip of milk and it’s actually orange juice. Anyhow, the beginning of the film was pretty...
June 2009
56 posts
Dear Lemon Lima
[FILM] Just caught this one at LAFF and although I was charmed by the color palette, the cinematography, and some of the quirky characters, the film was too all over the place to allow for any real audience connection. I felt really compelled in the beginning, but the 13 year-old girlish charm wore off pretty quick, leaving a mush of awkward teens and poorly drawn (albeit cute) animations.
Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen
[FILM] MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. So I made the mistake of going to see this film at the midnight screening the night it came out, having woken up at 7 am that morning, resulting in a bit of a disaster come the end of the movie, at which point I proceeded to fall asleep during the climactic battle royale. I can’t say it was all that surprising, however, as the movie seemed to last forever and...
Arrested Development
[TV] I left my DVDs back home but realized that all of the episodes are up on Hulu, so I’m rewatching the entire series for probably the 4th time. This show will never get old. It is so cleverly written and so rewarding if you watch all the episodes. I still think that Mock Trial with J. Reinhold would make a great spin-off. Can’t wait for the Arrested movie!!!
ANTM Marathons
[TV] Addicting. I just love seeing the final photos - so cool!
The Real Housewives of New Jersey
[TV] Batshit crazy. These women are unreal! I could not love watching this any more. Although, I have to say, I was disappointed by the finale. All of that build-up and you just end? After Jacqueline throws a table? But man, those Manzos, they’re just great. I have never seen anyone with as much conviction as Caroline.
Paris Hilton's My New BFF
[TV] Oh god… just… wow. I don’t even have words. Just… yeah, i can’t even be clever. Lost too many brain cells. Is this what we call TV these days?
The Cove
[FILM] Just found out it was picked up by Roadside Attractions for limited release July 31st! Caught this one back in January and it was utterly fantastic. Essentially it’s a documentary about dolphin slaughter in a small town in Japan, but there’s a lot of undercover, covert-ops stuff that goes down in order to get the footage for the film, and believe you me, it is some spectacular...
Adventures in Babysitting
[FILM] I had almost forgotten how wonderful this movie was. Vincent D’Onofrio (of Law & Order: CI fame) as Thor?! Damn, was he jacked! Early performances from Anthony Rapp (Rent) and Bradley Whitford as well… a classic in babysitting films. Among my other favorites: Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead and The Babysitter’s Club.
The Proposal
[FILM] Surprisingly, it was actually kind of funny. Totally and entirely predictable, but with some cute bits thrown in. Not to get your hopes up for something truly original, you have to take this one at face value. But not too terrible.
Precious
[FILM] Based on the novel Push by Sapphire. This film features a fantastic performance by Mo’Nique (I know, right?! Who would believe it?!) and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe. The story is tough to watch, but ultimately a wonderfully powerful film. Not to mention it comes endorsed by Oprah and Tyler Perry. And people are talking about Mariah Carey’s performance, but that was so...
(500) Days of Summer
[FILM] Fantastic. Get pumped for this. Joseph Gordon-Levitt + Zooey Deschanel = brilliant chemistry.
The Hangover
[FILM] Wow, that was much funnier than expected. “I didn’t know they gave out rings at the Holocaust!” may/may not have made me pee my pants. Could’ve done w/o the Zach Galifianakis bj pics during the closing credits tho…
So You Think You Can Dance S05E07
[TV] A particularly wonderful episode, if I do say so myself. Looked like there was a really cool girl in the audience…
Center Stage: Turn it Up
[Made for TV Movie] So, you may be thinking, how could you possibly make a sequel to Center Stage? And why would anyone possibly enjoy it? Because it was so melodramatic and ridiculous, that’s why! I have seen this movie multiple times. Probably because it is often on TV and I am too lazy to change the channel, but also because it is so horribly funny. Plus, they got Peter Gallagher and...
Step Up 2 The Streets
[FILM] Ok, I will be completely honest. I liked this one better than the first. There was some FANTASTIC dancing. And yea, it was totally predictable, but that totally doesn’t matter when the dancing is good enough.
Save the Last Dance 2
[FILM] Who knew this existed? I certainly had no idea until I caught it on MTV today. I may have vomited in my mouth a bit while watching. The dancing wasn’t even good! And don’t tell me that you can’t make an entertaining sequel of a dance movie… I direct your skepticism to my next 2 posts.
Millionaire Matchmaker
[TV] Love this. Esp. the really awkward ones.