There's a fabulous show on some channel called All About Trailers. It is exactly what it says it is - a few hours each week with nothing but movie trailers. You see, I'm one of those crazy people who actually likes going to the movies and sitting through 20 minutes of upcoming movie trailers before the real show actually starts. Based on some of the movies I've seen recently, the trailers are the best part of the evening.
Lately, while I've been watching All About Trailers, I've noticed something. Today's episode featured about 12 trailers in the time that I was watching it. In those 12 trailers about 6 of them were horror movies. That seems to be the majority of all movies these days - blood, guts, gore and horror. And my question for the movie makers of America is why?
Why do we need so many scary movies that are basically the same scary premise, over and over again? I'm a big old scaredy-cat so I hate even watching the trailers. You can imagine how much this ruins my All About Trailers viewing. Let's just say there's a lot of eye covering.
Then there's the subject of money. Why is all this money being spent on scaring people? I know lots of people like them, but they can't be all that profitable. I'm almost positive that lovely Rom-Coms or bio-pics about wonderfully interesting people or just really good mysteries have got to make more money than crappy scare-fests. At least, I have to hope they do. Where's the next great "Love, Actually" or the next "Lord of the Rings" series? That's what I'm anxiously awaiting, if only to be able to watch All About Trailers again without covering my eyes.
Afterall, the world is scary enough as it is - what with the possibility of President Trump and all - why do we need to pay to be terrified? We should be scared enough as it is!
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Friday, March 4, 2016
Friday Five
1. Giving something new a shot, like, for instance, dyeing my hair super dark. I can't quite pick myself out of a line up yet, but I am most definitely loving it!
2. Girls night out with dinner and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Such a great movie! Who doesn't want to be Tina Fey? With the added bonuses of a girl power message and cutie-patootie Martin Freeman. I highly recommend it!
3. I have always felt that Miranda Hart is just a taller, more British version of me. After reading these quotes, I feel even more strongly that this is true. I suppose if you're going to be socially inept, you can't pick a better role model.
4. Such a sweet story (that you may only be able to read on your phone, thanks to the WSJ's stupid subscription service!) on behind the scenes Broadway. Such a fun little "inside baseball" look at the families that are built inside long running shows.
5. If you're going to be forced to deal with the ridiculousness of this year's election cycle, the worst being the Republican debates that are quickly turning into a carnival side-show, then at least you need to be able to laugh about it. This review of last night's chaos so eloquently points out the "most important" moments for anyone who may have missed it. Serious journalism here...
3. I have always felt that Miranda Hart is just a taller, more British version of me. After reading these quotes, I feel even more strongly that this is true. I suppose if you're going to be socially inept, you can't pick a better role model.
4. Such a sweet story (that you may only be able to read on your phone, thanks to the WSJ's stupid subscription service!) on behind the scenes Broadway. Such a fun little "inside baseball" look at the families that are built inside long running shows.
5. If you're going to be forced to deal with the ridiculousness of this year's election cycle, the worst being the Republican debates that are quickly turning into a carnival side-show, then at least you need to be able to laugh about it. This review of last night's chaos so eloquently points out the "most important" moments for anyone who may have missed it. Serious journalism here...
Monday, February 29, 2016
Oscars 2016: The Good & The (Very) Bad
Last night's Oscars were a very long affair full of some fab moments and some not so fab moments. After 2. 5 hours, I had to give up and go to bed, but that, of course, is what DVRs were made for.
The Good
~ Spotlight won for best screenplay and best film! I totally expected the screenplay award, but after the director lost, I thought for sure the film would go to The Revenant. I'm fairly sure, based on what I've read, that's pretty much what everyone else thought too. So yay for the Spotlight team on quite the coup!
~ Chris Rock's girl scout cookie bit. I think he sort of copied Ellen last year with her pizza delivery, however this was really cute. I have to say, if I had been starving myself for the last week to fit into those gorgeous gowns, I'd be hankering for some thin mints too!
~ Jacob Tremblay - this kid is the cutest kid to hit Hollywood in ages. Can he just host all the award shows from now on?
~ The real Spotlight team's Twitter feed. The reporters that were portrayed in Spotlight managed to snag a ticket to the big night - very last row of course, but they were there. They live tweeted the craziness and the win, and it was utterly adorable.
~ Jimmy Kimmel's post show - He's not my favorite person, but his show included a sketch with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom. It all revolved around Donald Trump's rise to power and it was amazing!
The (Very) Bad
~ I agree that Chris Rock was a good choice for host this year. The exclusion of any people of color in the nominations was going to be a huge focus, as it should have been. Chris Rock needed to comment on it and he needed to do it well to make the point across and let these diverse voices be heard. That being said, his focus on only the African Americans that were excluded was not what was needed. What about Hispanic, Asians, Latinos? What about diversity as a whole? It wasn't a black or white issue, it was the lack of diversity of any kind that was offensive.
His monologue was good. He hit the nail on the head with a few of his points. But then he continued to only hit those points for the rest of the night, making a lot of people in the audience uncomfortable. He then insulted women (calling out the "ask them more" campaign) and the Asian population. The latter by bringing 3 children on to the stage with him, just to make a joke. All in all, it was a little too much to handle and a little too focused on one particular race. How is that any different than the Academy only nominating only white artists? Diversity of all kinds is what counts.
The Good
~ Spotlight won for best screenplay and best film! I totally expected the screenplay award, but after the director lost, I thought for sure the film would go to The Revenant. I'm fairly sure, based on what I've read, that's pretty much what everyone else thought too. So yay for the Spotlight team on quite the coup!
~ Chris Rock's girl scout cookie bit. I think he sort of copied Ellen last year with her pizza delivery, however this was really cute. I have to say, if I had been starving myself for the last week to fit into those gorgeous gowns, I'd be hankering for some thin mints too!
~ Jacob Tremblay - this kid is the cutest kid to hit Hollywood in ages. Can he just host all the award shows from now on?
~ Jimmy Kimmel's post show - He's not my favorite person, but his show included a sketch with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom. It all revolved around Donald Trump's rise to power and it was amazing!
The (Very) Bad
~ I agree that Chris Rock was a good choice for host this year. The exclusion of any people of color in the nominations was going to be a huge focus, as it should have been. Chris Rock needed to comment on it and he needed to do it well to make the point across and let these diverse voices be heard. That being said, his focus on only the African Americans that were excluded was not what was needed. What about Hispanic, Asians, Latinos? What about diversity as a whole? It wasn't a black or white issue, it was the lack of diversity of any kind that was offensive.
His monologue was good. He hit the nail on the head with a few of his points. But then he continued to only hit those points for the rest of the night, making a lot of people in the audience uncomfortable. He then insulted women (calling out the "ask them more" campaign) and the Asian population. The latter by bringing 3 children on to the stage with him, just to make a joke. All in all, it was a little too much to handle and a little too focused on one particular race. How is that any different than the Academy only nominating only white artists? Diversity of all kinds is what counts.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Spotlight on Spotlight
It was hard to see just how enormous the problem was - this wasn't just something that hit Boston. After the Boston Globe article ran, it seemed archdioceses from around the world admitted the same sort of abuse within their walls. It was heartbreaking to hear stories of survivors being victimized by the church - a church that was supposed to protect them and keep them safe. As a character in the movie Spotlight says "How do you say no to God?"
There was and is a lot about the church's response to this issue that's turned many people away, including me. I knew a bit about the cover ups based on news stories. And based on what I was hearing in church and in the news, even after the story was out there, the Vatican just wasn't dealing with the problem. They stuck to the code of silence as they still seem to be doing today.
So when Spotlight came out, I was happy to see the survivors were getting the chance to share their story and get the attention they so rightly deserved. But I was a bit worried too that the movie wouldn't do them justice. They've dealt with so much, having their story told incorrectly would just be another injustice.
Apparently, though, I worried for nothing. Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer researched their hearts out on this movie and wrote a beautiful screenplay. They didn't go overboard or sensationalize what happened. They told the story of a group of reporters who were dedicated to telling a story correctly - never choosing to break the story before the facts were in. Which, it seems, is exactly how they went about writing their story. They stuck to what happened, not what would be the most exciting.
And the cast! What can you say about the cast? Each member of the ensemble fit perfectly into their roles. They really worked together and you could just picture them as part of a real investigative team. Michael Keaton particularly was outstanding as the head of the Spotlight unit. While Rachael McAdams and Mark Ruffalo deserve their Oscar nods to a certain extent, I think Michael Keaton may have deserved one more. He was just extraordinary in his role. The actors playing the survivors were also particularly well-cast. They seemed to take it upon themselves to reach out to their real-life counterparts to hear their stories and get their portrayals right. Your heart broke hearing those stories told and thinking of the real people behind them.
It truly is a beautiful movie and I'd recommend it to anyone; specifically Catholics. It opened my eyes to just how much the church has been hiding. Don't get me wrong, the Catholic church has done a lot of good in this world, and I still call myself Catholic, but there are problems that desperately need to be addressed before the church can move forward. Seeing as the Vatican screened this movie during a Commission on Abuse in the Church meeting, means they may be moving in the right direction. But they still have a very long way to go.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
High Anxiety
I've been seeing a lot of the trailer for "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot." The new Tina Fey movie is based on a book by a female reporter on the ground in Afghanistan when the war began. The movie itself looks amazing and the book does too. I can't wait to see it and read it. However, all I can think of when I see the trailer is this: This chick was brave enough to go to Afghanistan - How in the heck do I get so brave?!
Don't get me wrong, I have no desire to go to Afghanistan - just to be clear, none whatsoever. But going somewhere crazy, might have its perks. That's probably why I chose to apply for a job in another state last week. Why the heck not? Though, this story would have had a much happier ending, if I'd actually succeeded in getting the job or even just nailed the interview. Nope, that's not what happened at all.
I unequivocally BOMBED the interview. There were about 500 words that came out of my mouth that could not have been stopped. They just kept coming. As I said them I knew they were wrong, and still they kept coming. I had no idea where they came from and I had no idea how to stop them. I even managed to answer pivotal questions - about myself! - incorrectly. I still have a nervous tick just thinking about it.
I have this over-analyzed fear that I bombed on purpose because the thought of moving is just too scary. But I so need that to not be true. The reporter in the book moved to a war-torn country, and I can't even fathom moving to one of my most favorite cities in the world? Nope, I'm not going there. For now, I'll push through and chalk the interview up to the socially-inept nervous energy that plagues me on all interviews. And just hope that the next time Manhattan calls, I'll at least have the decency to find some Xanax first...
Don't get me wrong, I have no desire to go to Afghanistan - just to be clear, none whatsoever. But going somewhere crazy, might have its perks. That's probably why I chose to apply for a job in another state last week. Why the heck not? Though, this story would have had a much happier ending, if I'd actually succeeded in getting the job or even just nailed the interview. Nope, that's not what happened at all.
I unequivocally BOMBED the interview. There were about 500 words that came out of my mouth that could not have been stopped. They just kept coming. As I said them I knew they were wrong, and still they kept coming. I had no idea where they came from and I had no idea how to stop them. I even managed to answer pivotal questions - about myself! - incorrectly. I still have a nervous tick just thinking about it.
I have this over-analyzed fear that I bombed on purpose because the thought of moving is just too scary. But I so need that to not be true. The reporter in the book moved to a war-torn country, and I can't even fathom moving to one of my most favorite cities in the world? Nope, I'm not going there. For now, I'll push through and chalk the interview up to the socially-inept nervous energy that plagues me on all interviews. And just hope that the next time Manhattan calls, I'll at least have the decency to find some Xanax first...
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Tomorrowland
As much as I love George Clooney, I never really hold much stock in his movies. He's not been in anything that I've loved since ER. His movies are usually high concept - I actually liked, not loved Goodnight and Good Luck - or just too ridiculous for words. I'm looking at you Oh Brother Where Art Thou? But when word came out he was doing a Disney movie, I was pretty excited. Not to mention, a Disney big-budget high concept, gorgeous movie like Tomorrowland - what wasn't to love?
Then the reviews came out and apparently it was less than impressive. But it still looked great so I still went to see it. And? The one thing I learned? Sometimes the ratings lie. I thought it was awesome! And not just because George Clooney was in it - though that's a piece of it; he's just so dreamy! I loved the message of What's Next?! It wants us to keep looking forward and looking up. Be creative. Be curious. Be smart. Be open. Honestly, what's more needed right now than good ideas?!
I also loved the fact that girls kicked butt. Honestly, there are a lot of damsels in distress out there getting rescued by great big brave prince charmings. This one had George as an unlikely prince charming but the 2 strongest characters were a little girl robot and a 16 year girl. And you know what? They saved the day by using their brains and kicking a little butt. Girl Power!
On a more shallow note - George Clooney! And Hugh Laurie! And a perfect little boy that looked exactly like a little George Clooney. And 2 awesome female actresses that will have quite the careers. In other words, the casting was perfect! Also, the special effects and CGI were pretty drool worthy.
Basically, on a scale of 1 to ER, George finally made a movie that's on par with the best show ever!
Then the reviews came out and apparently it was less than impressive. But it still looked great so I still went to see it. And? The one thing I learned? Sometimes the ratings lie. I thought it was awesome! And not just because George Clooney was in it - though that's a piece of it; he's just so dreamy! I loved the message of What's Next?! It wants us to keep looking forward and looking up. Be creative. Be curious. Be smart. Be open. Honestly, what's more needed right now than good ideas?!
I also loved the fact that girls kicked butt. Honestly, there are a lot of damsels in distress out there getting rescued by great big brave prince charmings. This one had George as an unlikely prince charming but the 2 strongest characters were a little girl robot and a 16 year girl. And you know what? They saved the day by using their brains and kicking a little butt. Girl Power!
On a more shallow note - George Clooney! And Hugh Laurie! And a perfect little boy that looked exactly like a little George Clooney. And 2 awesome female actresses that will have quite the careers. In other words, the casting was perfect! Also, the special effects and CGI were pretty drool worthy.
Basically, on a scale of 1 to ER, George finally made a movie that's on par with the best show ever!
Monday, February 23, 2015
Classic
I'm not really a movie buff. I hate "guy"movies. You know the ones with F-bombs dropped every few seconds and fight scenes full of blood, guts and gore. But then again, 50 Shades of Grey and Magic Mike aren't my thing either. I like to think that my tastes are more refined. Some of my favorites are The King's Speech and The Imitation Game. (And before you think I'm too much of a bore, I'm a sucker for a good rom-com too - Love! Love, Actually) British of course and in need of a brain to enjoy. This isn't to say I'm a snob - though that's probably the case too.
It's actually to say, that as soon as I start to think of my tastes as pretentious and intelligent, I turn on USA Network randomly, and find that I'm just as in love with Independence Day as I was 20 years ago. I'm not sure it won any awards and it's certainly not high-brow by any means. But I love it, and can quote most of the scenes ("Forget the fat lady, you're obsessed with the fat lady!") It also happens to be one of the very few movies I've actually seen in the theatre and if I remember correctly, I was even grumpier about having to go see it then, than I am being dragged to random movies now. But I'm so glad I did!
Oh and by the way, even though I tend to rail against sequels until I'm blue in the face (Doesn't anyone have any original ideas anymore?!), I hear there's a chance of a sequel to ID4 in the next year or two, and I'm secretly super excited. Shh! Don't tell anyone, lest I lose my intellectual cred... : )
It's actually to say, that as soon as I start to think of my tastes as pretentious and intelligent, I turn on USA Network randomly, and find that I'm just as in love with Independence Day as I was 20 years ago. I'm not sure it won any awards and it's certainly not high-brow by any means. But I love it, and can quote most of the scenes ("Forget the fat lady, you're obsessed with the fat lady!") It also happens to be one of the very few movies I've actually seen in the theatre and if I remember correctly, I was even grumpier about having to go see it then, than I am being dragged to random movies now. But I'm so glad I did!
Oh and by the way, even though I tend to rail against sequels until I'm blue in the face (Doesn't anyone have any original ideas anymore?!), I hear there's a chance of a sequel to ID4 in the next year or two, and I'm secretly super excited. Shh! Don't tell anyone, lest I lose my intellectual cred... : )
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Four Me
Seeing as how I was much too busy today wishing and hoping for the impending snowstorm that I fear I've jinxed by wishing and hoping for it so hard, I didn't really get much accomplished that would make for an exciting blog post. But lucky for you, I did some reading today and found this lovely idea, so I thought I'd give it a shot. (For the record, I have no idea why it's 4 but that is my favorite number so I'm going with it ; )
Four Movies I Watch Over and Over:
1. "Love, Actually" - How can you not? It's a classic!
2. "Mama Mia"
3. "Dead Poets Society"
4. "The King's Speech"
Four Places I've Lived:
1. My parent's house in Maryland
2. College for a miserable year with the world's worst roommate
3. My house in Maryland
4. Since I've only ever lived in 3 places, I'll go with wishful thinking and say London England
Four TV Shows I Watch:
1. Sherlock
2. NCIS
3. The Big Bang Theory
4. Doctor Who
Four Books I've Read:
1. The Harry Potter Series
2. A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain
3. Bookends by Jane Green
4. The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
Four Places I've Been on Vacation:
1. Ocean City, Maryland
2. London, England
3. Phoenix, Arizona
4. San Francisco, California
Four Website I Visit Daily:
1. Anglophenia (BBC America's Blog)
2. Pinterest - There's a strict regimen here. Main page then Geek, Food, DIY, Home Décor in that order, then Repeat as necessary.
3. Huffington Post
4. Facebook - I'd love to say I don't but I'm on there entirely more than is healthy.
Four Favorite Foods:
1. Chocolate in all forms
2. Eggplant
3. Tea - Not really a food but I do consume an ungodly amount of it so I'm counting it.
4. Pasta
Four Places I'd Rather Be
1. London England - Did you really expect anything different?
2. On a beach somewhere with my toes in the sand and my nose in a book
3. Nibbling a waffle as I walk through the Grand Place in Belgium
4. Seeing a show in Stratford Upon Avon at the RST
Four Movies I Watch Over and Over:
1. "Love, Actually" - How can you not? It's a classic!
2. "Mama Mia"
3. "Dead Poets Society"
4. "The King's Speech"
Four Places I've Lived:
1. My parent's house in Maryland
2. College for a miserable year with the world's worst roommate
3. My house in Maryland
4. Since I've only ever lived in 3 places, I'll go with wishful thinking and say London England
Four TV Shows I Watch:
1. Sherlock
2. NCIS
3. The Big Bang Theory
4. Doctor Who
Four Books I've Read:
1. The Harry Potter Series
2. A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain
3. Bookends by Jane Green
4. The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
Four Places I've Been on Vacation:
1. Ocean City, Maryland
2. London, England
3. Phoenix, Arizona
4. San Francisco, California
Four Website I Visit Daily:
1. Anglophenia (BBC America's Blog)
2. Pinterest - There's a strict regimen here. Main page then Geek, Food, DIY, Home Décor in that order, then Repeat as necessary.
3. Huffington Post
4. Facebook - I'd love to say I don't but I'm on there entirely more than is healthy.
Four Favorite Foods:
1. Chocolate in all forms
2. Eggplant
3. Tea - Not really a food but I do consume an ungodly amount of it so I'm counting it.
4. Pasta
Four Places I'd Rather Be
1. London England - Did you really expect anything different?
2. On a beach somewhere with my toes in the sand and my nose in a book
3. Nibbling a waffle as I walk through the Grand Place in Belgium
4. Seeing a show in Stratford Upon Avon at the RST
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Movie (Non) Buff
There's been a great deal of discussion at work this week about classic movies and films. Movies that my co-workers have seen dozens of times and movies they love. I usually like to stay silent in these conversations because I am not what you might call a movie buff. I've seen a few good ones, and I do have a top 10 list. However, there are definitely "classics" that I've never seen nor do I have any desire to see. I'm not sure what it is about movies. If I really want to see on on the big screen, I'll pay the money for the ticket without a problem (The Hobbit, Love, Actually, Finding Nemo) but once I've seen them, there's only a handful that I would want to spend time seeing again. I also don't see the point of buying them on DVD. Even if I do break down and buy the best of my best (Dead Poet's Society) I will most likely never open the case. Whereas, I can guarantee you that I've seen every episode of M*A*S*H and NCIS at least 15 times each and can roll out plot lines and quotes like there's no tomorrow just from hearing snippets.
Under intense pressure, I finally broke down and confessed that I don't do really do movies, a confession that threatened to have me ex-communicated from our little island. After said confession, there was a barrage of movie titles to narrow down just how crazy I was. These are a few on my "never seen" list, in order of shock-value to my friends: Breakfast Club, Any of the Star Wars (though I did get credit for knowing only 3 were actually good), Days of Thunder, Home Alone, Wall-E, any Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, any of the Brat pack movies from the 80s, Back to the Future or Grease 2 (absolutely no credit for loving Grease as "everyone has seen Grease!") There was also no credit given for the movies I have seen since they "most certainly do not fall into Classic territory", though some in fact actually do: Breakfast at Tiffany's, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Love, Actually, Mary Poppins, Rear Window, Dead Poet's Society or Mamma Mia. I chose not to discuss the so-called legendary movies that seem to appeal to everyone, except me. (Anything with Will Ferrell or Mike Myers, Star Trek 1-1006, any Horror movies) There are quite a few more of these but I won't bore you with the details. I'm sure by now you're screaming at me from behind the keyboard, about the dislike of Old School is just downright Un-American!
I know it's odd that I've seen so few films and I do feel slightly out of touch for not seeing a great deal of them (not the Ahnold movies of course) even though I get most references to them in pop culture (points should be given for that!). But that doesn't make them any more interesting to me. The only excuse I can give is I have the attention span of a gnat. Television is great because it occurs in short clips; 30-minutes to an hour each week. That I can handle. When watching a movie, I can never sit still. I lose the plot line or get characters confused or just don't care for one of the actors. This may have something to do with the fact that I'm Pinteresting or Etsying at the time on my phone or doing 1 of 101 other things. Either way, they pretty much always bore me.
So if you're interested in just how many times Gibbs slapped Tony upside the head this week, I can most definitely tell you but if you're looking to discuss the date the Flux Capacitor displays, I'm so not your girl!
Under intense pressure, I finally broke down and confessed that I don't do really do movies, a confession that threatened to have me ex-communicated from our little island. After said confession, there was a barrage of movie titles to narrow down just how crazy I was. These are a few on my "never seen" list, in order of shock-value to my friends: Breakfast Club, Any of the Star Wars (though I did get credit for knowing only 3 were actually good), Days of Thunder, Home Alone, Wall-E, any Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, any of the Brat pack movies from the 80s, Back to the Future or Grease 2 (absolutely no credit for loving Grease as "everyone has seen Grease!") There was also no credit given for the movies I have seen since they "most certainly do not fall into Classic territory", though some in fact actually do: Breakfast at Tiffany's, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Love, Actually, Mary Poppins, Rear Window, Dead Poet's Society or Mamma Mia. I chose not to discuss the so-called legendary movies that seem to appeal to everyone, except me. (Anything with Will Ferrell or Mike Myers, Star Trek 1-1006, any Horror movies) There are quite a few more of these but I won't bore you with the details. I'm sure by now you're screaming at me from behind the keyboard, about the dislike of Old School is just downright Un-American!
I know it's odd that I've seen so few films and I do feel slightly out of touch for not seeing a great deal of them (not the Ahnold movies of course) even though I get most references to them in pop culture (points should be given for that!). But that doesn't make them any more interesting to me. The only excuse I can give is I have the attention span of a gnat. Television is great because it occurs in short clips; 30-minutes to an hour each week. That I can handle. When watching a movie, I can never sit still. I lose the plot line or get characters confused or just don't care for one of the actors. This may have something to do with the fact that I'm Pinteresting or Etsying at the time on my phone or doing 1 of 101 other things. Either way, they pretty much always bore me.
So if you're interested in just how many times Gibbs slapped Tony upside the head this week, I can most definitely tell you but if you're looking to discuss the date the Flux Capacitor displays, I'm so not your girl!
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