Little Brains, Little Talent: Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt

To my Loyal Reader(s):
I apologize for my lack of posting for about a month, I wish I could give you a good excuse for my absence for a month, but alas, I can't. I've had plenty of things on my plate, I've been trying to write a book, which means I started writing, but had another brain fart and I'm working on something completely different. So, to make it up to you, I decided to start a series of posts about people who I particularly despise. Now, for a first candidate, you might have expected me to take on a particular bisexual leprechaun that has no talent, but I've gone on over kill and one more post about her, and it's Deer Hunter for me. No, I've got someone a whole lot worse to rag on. One friend of mine in the blogosphere, Stacey over at Webster's is my Bitch has countlessly talked about who I consider the Britney and Justin of the new millennium.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please turn your attention over to Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, the reason why everyone hates America.

To those who don't go on the computer or watch TV, there is a show called The Hills, which I'm not 100% sure what its about other then the fact that the people on that show are vain and shallow and more popular then you are. And on this waste of airspace, we watch the lives of two especially annoying and shallow people, Heidi and Spencer, and observe them in their natural habitat. Judging by what I've seen on the internet, this dream couple have got to be the most boring people on the face of the planet. Seriously folks, the only people who really care about the antics of these two would be themselves. Heidi and Spencer, or Speidi as they're referred to, must think that the people watching their show care about them and worship, which is true for a large part. But for the other people in the universe who don't give two thoughts about them, it's better we ignore them than fuel the beast.

Remember when our celebrities did something? When Princess Di pitched in to help the world while Bono went to third world countries to fix the lives of the people who lived in suffering everyday? Now we have famous people who don't have to do anything to attract a crowd. Simply because they star on a third-rate TV show and they are young and beautiful, they must be the center of attention. Have you heard these two morons speak? Listening to Spencer Pratt talk about Heidi and his 'career' is almost like listening to a sea shell, we think we hear something, but it's just so self contained that we regard it for the wind. And Heidi, man oh man, how in the hell does this attention whore get so much god damn work?! Already she has a TV show, a Clothing line, and a recording deal. What next, her own amusement park where skinny bimbos yap about things that nobody in their right mind cares about.

Though the world might absolutely despise this couple, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. While proving themselves useless, Speidi is able to make a career out of something unintentional, their stupidity. Just hearing them talk you'd expect the wind up key in their backs to stop twirling and watch them collapse like wind up dolls. You only have to watch this brief clip to get a clear picture on how much of a douche Spencer Pratt is. How pathetic do you have to be that people pay you to go club? Holy mackerel, the guy is such a tool. And Heidi, please. stop. Does not want... It's no surprise that the lost soul is an avid McCain supporter.

When I look at such wastes of human life, I can only be reminded of Britney and Kevin, the football QB/cheerleader couple on the much loved on my behalf, under appreciated animated show, Daria. This couple is the butt of every joke. They are incredibly moronic kids who need to get their own lives, they don't do any of their homework, they can't think for more then a second. Hell, Britney in one episode thought that Henry David Thoreau was Henry Fonda and he went to Walden Pond to reconcile with his daughter, Jane Fonda. Coincidentally, the two are named Britney and Kevin, a dark foreboding and an ultimately true to life portrayal of the young and the brainless.

So Speidi, if you're reading this(If you can), don't take this as any hard feelings. Just go back to your uninteresting lives and return to your perfect little world where you belong. And don't come back.

Experiment in Terror

The Stangers
Year: 2008
Directed by: Bryan Bertino
Starring: Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman
and Gemma Ward

Well, I've got to hand it to you, I was wrong for once about a movie. Actually, I have been wrong about many movies, but I haven't blogged about any of them, now have I?

So, I bet you're wondering how Mr. Rock Hard Horror Movie Lover felt about the latest in "Inspired by True Events" movie, which in my book is an immediate kiss of death. Not only is it a kiss of death, but it makes the film seem kind of pathetic. Sure, adding a tagline that claims the events depicted in the film are based on real events, so the added sense of reality should cause me to quiver in my boots. However, I am one who thinks that a movie can be scary on its own without having to try and make it look like a true story. And come on, they usually don't even mean it when they say it was inspired by true events. Like I mentioned in my earlier post, Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a huge fabrication, a hyperbole covered in gore and guts that took the story of Ed Gein and ran with it. Gein however is not present here in this film. No, the killers here don't come with catch phrases, they don't mutilate any fingers or tear out any eye sockets. While they may have masks, they don't terrorize horny teenagers at summer camp. The terror is at your house. Late at night, when all seems normal and safe.

How wrong we are.

Compared to what my original impression was once I saw the trailer, how I viewed the film changed dramatically. Upon seeing the trailer for The Strangers, I began to break out in a fit of giggles. A film where two gorgeous people are chased around their house by maniacs? How original! But this is so much more than just a throwaway horror flick with skin and blood to spare. The blood is minimal, the sex is interrupted and from what I saw, NO misogyny, so forget any cameo from Paris Hilton.

I saw The Strangers at a daytime performance, 10:45 to be exact. So I was the only person in the theater. Only time would tell how scary, creepy and just downright frightening The Strangers ended up being.

Like many horror films, The Strangers takes place in the middle of the night. We first see a young couple, Kristen and James(Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman), and from the looks of it, their love life is on the rocks. Before we are subjected to the thrills and chills The Strangers beholds, like in any good movie, we need to examine the lives of our characters before we get in over our heads.

Using a somewhat voyeuristic eye as well as an unsteady camera that looks at our characters, as well as minimal everything. There is some music, but the music is only prevalent when the strangers in our film turn on a record to scare not only the characters, but the audience. And trust me, I am a die-hard horror film addict, but I don't get scared easily, unless it's really scary. And recently, my scare odometer has been very low. Sitting in the dark, alone, I realized how no matter where we were, being alone can be the scariest time of all. Because though we may ignore it, someone is there, watching and waiting for you to notice.

To call The Strangers "a jump out of your seat nail biter!" does the film no justice, I jumped many, many times through out the movie. I gasped, my heart raced, I didn't want the two protagonists to suffer the impending fate that they had led themselves into. I would call this movie one of the smartest movies in the horror genre in recent years. It's more than fear, it's the frightening notion that strangers can and will do what they want with you, and that we can't always be sure who is around the corner.

Oh the Horror, the Horror!

Well, after being mentioned a second time on the daily Pajiba Love,(Thanks Stacy!) I have decided to write something else that is a semi rant/looksie at some of the summer movies(well one of them) and in case the picture to my left isn't a good enough clue, that would be The Strangers, a film based on true events like Texas Chainsaw Massacre was based on true events. Which in the end meant stretched out far from the truth and turned into a gory spectacle. But why in particular this movie? I mean, I, like many am pumped and anticipating for when The Dark Knight comes out(I'm waiting for when IMAX tickets go on sale), why pick a horror flick with seemingly true plot elements and stars freakin' Arwen the Elf? Which is where my point comes in handy.

Too many horror movies are a) released at the wrong time of the year or are b)terrible.

I first saw a trailer for The Strangers when I went and saw the underwhelming and displeasing The Ruins, and to be quite honest, I began to have a laughing fit in the middle of the theater. Mainly because it seemed like a totally cliched trailer for what seemed(seems) to be just another version of Funny Games, but it will make more money and actually make a spot on the top ten of the weekend. But in the trailer, I'm not 100% sure what pissed me off more about it; was it the fact that Liv Tyler was standing in the kitchen when there was a masked villain in plain sight, or was it the fact that she had a lit cigarette? I'm going with the cigarette to be quite honest. And now, after watching the trailer several times, I find it to me semi eerie, but still not something I'd pay $10 to see, more like a half price matinée. The elements it shows are all hand book scares:

• Skipping record
• Person standing while the killer is right behind them
• Non creepy song taken out of context and made freaky
• Quick cuts to make what is normally a kind of scary moment into a terrifying pee your pants experience
• Masked killers with screw around with the protagonist's head
• Swing(or other object) that makes a noise but no one is there

I could go on, but I've got other things to talk about.

So seeing as this is a movie that is being released during the summer and looks like it might sucker me in(though I'm still not sure I need a movie of Liv Tyler screaming for two hours), why not around Halloween? How much more scary would this movie be if it were released when there were people in masks surrounding you and you are out and about alone? Despite the latest movie in the torture porn series, Saw, or a crappy PG-13 remake of a Japanese movie with a gorgeous star from One Tree Hill, there's not much to fear about the modern age of horror.

I mean, let's look at what has been good in terms of horror: The Descent. Why can't we make movies like The Descent that screw with your mind and make you cringe and give you an ending with a huge punch that leaves you flabbergasted? However, that is one movie in two years. That's sad. I enjoy the feeling of fear a good scary movie can give you without having to bare boobs or be misogynistic like Hostel. Scary doesn't mean show all of the blood and guts. Fear can also be caused by what you don't see then always what you do see. It's why Jaws is so legendary, until you briefly see the shark, your pants have turned to a shade of brown.

And why do we have to remake every damn movie the Japanese produce? The number of bad horror movies that get released in March of all months and earlier is just horrendous. If you're going to make a scary movie, for once find something original. And that's where we get into Hostel territory. Not a remake, but a disgusting orgy of boobs and intestines. It seems that today, what is not a remake is just torture porn. And that frankly will not do. Horror doesn't have to rely on blood and skin to attract an audience. A good horror movie is like a regular good movie. It relies on its story and it creates characters you are both repulsed and intrigued by. Hannibal Lecter much?

So, to the producers and people who make movies in Hollywood, those who suggest making another remake of a perfectly fine movie(Platinum Dunes, you suck donkey), tell them to watch those classics and take notes. An homage is better than a rip off, in case you were wondering.

And as an added bonus, for those who have not seen it: The Strangers trailer!

You're a Part time Lover and a Full Time Friend: Tearjerking Movie Moments

Wow, it's been forever since I posted, and since I am bored as hell(literally) I figured I'd make a list of movies that are tearjerkers. It doesn't mean that they are 100% sad dramas, just movies with moments that make me emotional. To me, a movie that makes me cry is a movie that proves itself human. Not only can it cause me to lose it, it also makes me feel 100% more releved and relived because even though tears are flowing, I'm getting the full impact of the film. Oh, and I'm making this mostly spoiler free, so do not fret. Also, I have some repeats that I may have mentioned before, just so you know.


Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

How many times has this been mentioned on this site? At least three times, I'm guessing. Well, I'm guessing that I do mention it so frequently is because it really is just an incredible movie. Full of funny and sad and altogether human moments, you've just got to love this unique and mind blowing movie. And you'll most likely shed a few tears when the protagonist realizes the mistake he has made. Brain Fart: Sometime soon, I'm going to Montauk.

Lars and the Real Girl

This film too was mentioned earlier, but I thought it wouldn't matter if I mentioned this a second time, just because it is the kind of feel good movie I am into. Films that set out to jerk tears and tear heartstrings are in my opinion pathetic,(*Cough* August Rush!*Cough*) So this was a sigh of relief. Only the brilliant Nancy Oliver( A Writer for Six Feet Under) can take what could be a dirty sex comedy about a man who falls in love with a sex doll and turns it into a human movie with human emotions. When we the viewer learn how supportive the community is and how much they love him, you can't help but smile and possibly sob.(Like I did)

Juno

Damn you Diablo Cody for making such a funny and sweet movie! Well, it's not a bad thing, I would personally like to thank her for making such a terrific film and bringing her characters to life. I will admit that when I first saw this, I did not cry. It was only after I bought the DVD and watched it that I truly wept and became ultimately bi-polar. I blame Ellen Page and her cute lingo and how honest and cute Paulie Bleeker is and how soulful Cat Power is. Gaw, now I'll start choking up...

The Wizard of Oz

Yes, that Wizard of Oz. The movie with Judy Garland singing about rainbows and sleeping in poppy fields in those freaking ruby slippers. Call me hokey, and I'm assuming that I'm not spoiling anything, anyone with a soul has seen The Wizard of Oz when I say that the end really gets me going. Even though she loves each and everyone of the men she meets, it's the kind Scarecrow that she's going to miss most of all. Now you've got to admit, over the rainbow is pretty much magical, no matter what age.

Love Actually

Recently, Love Actually has become a Christmas favorite. Something about how it's a romantic ensemble movie that revolves around Christmas and Love. To be honest, the only reason I don't cry during this movie is because both times I watched it, I was in a room with my family. It's reasons like that that make me just want to leave the room, take the movie and view it on my own time. It's one of those movies that ties up beautifully in every way, shape and form.

Beauty and the Beast

I'll admit it, few cartoons can make me feel the warm, gooiness inside when I watch Beauty and the Beast. Instead of falling head over heels in love with the beast, Belle is at first repulsed by him, then as the film progresses, she learns to love him and that beauty is only skin deep. You might say I'm biased towards this movie because Belle loves to read books(YAY!) but I like the songs and the story. You can tell me the beast will get Belle and live as many times as you want, I'll still breakdown and cry like a baby.

Six Feet Under(The Final Three Episodes)

As tearjerkers go, this is the mother load. The biggest emotion I possible felt for anything lies deep within the awesome power of this show. I not only cry while watching the final episodes, but I feel like as the minutes go by, I'm losing people in my life. People who I've loved, characters who I've grown attached to. At the center, these episodes aren't always about loss, but about how important and beautiful life is. It is also nice to see Claire(Lauren Ambrose Aka My Personal Claire for The Time Traveler's Wife movie) grow up before my eyes and become a young woman. I don't think any show or movie will ever hit me the was 6FU did. Rest in Peace.

Sucks more than Blood

Bram Stoker's Dracula
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Year:1992
Starring: Gary Oldman, Anthony Hopkins,
Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves.

Note: I do apologize for the irrelevancy of reviewing Bram Stoker's Dracula, but since I haven't really seen much since Miss Pettigrew, I felt I needed more bad reviews on my site, so without further adieu, the review.

I stumbled upon Dracula when a good friend called me to tell me that she had just watched Dracula and said it was just plain awful. She had received it as a gift years ago, but never opened the shrink wrap(Whether or not it was a friend who secretly despised her I'll never know). Needless to say, I told her I had to stop by and watch it with her, anticipating the cheesiness of the actors, the particularly bad accents and the wooden as a plank Keanu Reeves. What better way to watch a bad movie then with friends?

Anyways, we went over to our friends' house expecting the worst, and ended up with our expectations met and exceeded. It's not that Bram Stoker's Dracula is the worst movie ever made, it just isn't a very good one.

Bram Stoker's Dracula is, of course, another retelling of the classic novel. It has been made at least a thousand times with many actors donning the cape and fangs. Hell, they even spoofed it on The Simpsons. This version has been hailed "The greatest retelling of Dracula!"(As quoted by the cyberphiles on IMDB) While others have heavily criticized its acting and mostly everything about the film. The problem with this version of Dracula is that while it was a big movie, featuring a star studded cast and directed by the man who made two of the greatest movies of all time, as well as some major stinkers(North!) it takes the idea of Dracula's passionate love for a woman who died, causing Dracula to curse god and become the the evil, blood sucking vampire we know and love. Vlad Dracula is a warrior(We see this in a cheesy battle full of groans and oofs! from the solders) and he is madly in love with Elisabeta(Winona Ryder). As I already mentioned before, she dies, he becomes a vampire.

Flash forward many years later, we see Jonathan Harker(Bad as predicted Keanu Reeves) a man who is engaged to Mina(Also Winona Ryder) travels to Transylvannia for business, leaving Mina alone with her rich friend Lucy(Sadie Frost who could play the same role with the same amount of force in the porno remake Bram Stroker's The Three Horny Brides of Dracula) Lucy seems to rely on camp, she is loose, sleeps around with more men then their pajamas and always manages to moan like she is receiving a demonic orgasm. Coppola paints her up as a whorish vamp, and this is before her transformation, complete with the obligatory lesbian make out in rain(!)

Long story short, Harker, along with his god awful accent, arrives at the castle to meet Dracula(Gary Oldman) only to notice he is...slightly strange. Reeves is admit ably bad, which is a shame, seeing as he was at least decent in My Own Private Idaho and the 1st Matrix. Oldman play on the whole creepy vampire thing, and he is the best thing in the film, which means he is the least wooden of these actors. Another odd thing about the movie seems to be how Harker gets grabbed by a claw, sees a dead body, but he only reacts when he sees Dracula's brides eat a baby. The gore and violence isn't graphic, but its still very laughable as are the gratuitous sex scenes, nudity and in continuity of it all.

Scenes that are supposed to frighten the viewer(Lucy dressed as the queen of doilies who holds a little girl and randomly drops her, Mina drinks blood from Dracula's nipple, the brides, etc...) are done with camp value. The hype built up from the movie was immense, full of attractive logos and art campaign, star power and Dracula was the classic bad guy. When in short, all it lacked from being total camp was trannies at Dracula's castle doing the time warp.

Unfortunately, (or fortunately) I missed the ending, but all I know is that it is different from the book and that once its over, you are cursing yourself for wasting two hours watching a sloppy, cheesy adaptation that will only be remembered by me as a sad attempt to create a Dracula for the ages. And Coppola hasn't really returned from his creative slump, which is the scariest thing of it all.

The Country Mouse and The City Mouse

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Year: 2008
Directed by: Bharat Nalluri
Starring: Francis McDormand,
Amy Adams and Lee Pace.

It is rather unfortunate in the world of movies when the new year rolls around. It seems that the first few months (January, February and March) seem to be the time of year reserved for crappy and forgettable movies just as October, November and December are generally the time for the best movies of the year and typically Oscar contenders. However, Miss Pettigrew is an exception.

The story of Miss Pettigrew is not a particularly difficult one; the title character, Miss Pettigrew(A lovely Francis McDormand) is a dowdy governess who is not very good at her profession. Seeking a job that will keep her off the streets and away from the homeless shelters, Pettigrew enlists as the caretaker of whom she thinks is a mother. The so called "mother" Delysia Lafosse(A delightful Amy Adams) is in fact an aspiring actress who is, at the moment, juggling men. In a quick paced and upbeat manner, we are introduced to the men in Delysia's life; there's the foolish playwright Phil, Nick who owns a swanky apartment and is quite rich, and finally, Michael(Lee Pace getting work!) a musician who had a run in with the law and is heading to America. In the course of the day, we follow Delysia and Miss Pettigrew as they attend a lingerie show, give Pettigrew a make over and still have time for a party.

With its sharp dialogue, it's stunning sets and is period clothing, Miss Pettigrew successfully manages to capture the humor and the feel of British farce from the 1930's-40's. In fact, the film takes place during the early days of WWII, during a time where people feared war and didn't know what would happen or how many lives we would lose. But since the movie is usually bubbly and upbeat, it is able to tear away from being a melodramatic war drama(Which is by all means not the intention of the director).

While it might not be perfect, Miss Pettigrew is undeniably a fun film and a good one to see if looking for a diversion from fighting cavemen or the latest entry in the Dance porn genre. And that is much more then a relief.

They Lived Happily Ever After? Not always: A Guide to Incredible Movie Endings

An ending can have different effects on us, it can makes us laugh, make us cry, and truly change us sometimes. I remember the King Tut exhibit a year ago where you are walking into a room of artifacts and other things galore. I said to myself: "But wait, there must have been something to perfectly end the iffy exhibit. Let's turn this way and maybe we'll see the famous death mask!" We make a turn and we see...The gift shop. And we can't reenter. I hate it when a good movie or anything leads you to a possibly perfect climax/finale, but it ends up sucking. I think that the ending to a movie is an important part because it leaves an impression of the viewer. To not get people angry, I have made the spoilers black so that if you want to see how it ends/check out my reaction, then highlight the section, but be warned. So, without further Adieu, and for those who don't mind spoilers/if you've seen some of these movies, enjoy:

Atonement
Now this one I did not see coming from a mile ahead. Well, that is, when I read the scrumptious book I had no idea. But watching such a lush story brought to life was truly a one of a kind experience. But still, to think that Briony did what she did and the harsh circumstances that played out. Both Robbie and Cecilia died and never got to be together. Now tell me, wouldn't you want to set things right after doing this?

Beautiful Thing
It's a rare occasion where a movie ending really lifts my spirits up. Really, watching Beautiful Thing truly moved me. Here we had an realistic fairy tale like story that not only was a sweet movie, but it was all around great. And when you watch it, you cannot help but smile as the two boys stand up to the world and proclaim their love for each other as they dance together ever so perfectly to Dream a Little Dream of Me by Mama Cass. It doesn't get better then that.

Breakfast at Tiffany's
The ending to this one I pretty much guessed five minutes into it, but I
still was pleased when I saw that Holly Golightly not only found her cat but kissed the man she so dearly loved. It's very sentimental, but hey, It's cute. It might be a light movie, but still, it is just plain classic.

Casablanca
As I've mentioned before, Casablanca is one of my all time favorites. I know that I did mention the ending in my review for it, but I still have to just describe the sheer beauty of it all. Such a powerful scene, leading up to a bang that will break your heart. When Rick lets Ilsa escape Nazi occupied Casablanca, you know they will never meet again, but still, they will always have Paris.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I apologize if you've already heard me rave about some of these movies, but now I'm hoping you want to see them even more. In fact, this list hopefully will get you to want to watch these movies now more then before. The whole movie is breathtaking, I always cry at the same part and then when Joel and Clementine finally realize they are soul mates, they promise to love each other forever. After the whole ordeal they've gone through, it truly is satisfying.

Fight Club
It is a rare occasion that a movie adaptation of a book causes such celebration, but this one and Atonement are notable exceptions. The movie itself is a two hour fist fight, you want to stop, but you're compelled to keep going. Brutal, unglamorous and ultimately hard as nails. The whole movie, we are mystified by Tyler Durden, easy going, easy talking businessman who starts up an underground phenomenon that supplies men with the testosterone they crave. The nameless narrator seems like such an odd guy to partner up with Durden, but we learn Durden isn't real and that he is the wild side of the narrator, it all clicks. And watching the buildings crumble before your eyes as The Pixies play, it's one hell of a way finish.

Lost in Translation
Ignore anyone else's rants on how this is pretentious tripe, it is clear that some people didn't get any of this beautiful and dreamy movie. Bill Murray, an older man goes to Japan to shoot some commercials when he meets Scarlett Johanson's character, a young woman and they share the most intimate connection one could have. It's not love, it's stronger then that. So of course, you can't help but feel sad when they say their goodbyes. He whispers words we the viewer do not understand, but it doesn't matter. And as The Jesus and Mary Chain plays on, we watch Murray drive away in a cab, taking one last look at the glorious Japan and at one woman who has changed his life. To me, that makes a heart wrenching ending.

Six Feet Under: Everyone's Waiting
This is, by far, one of the best episodes in TV history. I'm not even kidding, this is just plainl artwork here, it's real, its searing and it will linger with you for many months. Plus, it's the hardest I've ever cried at anything. To fully appreciate it, you really have to watch it from the beginning, so that when the satisfying ending comes to a close, you will be fully effected by it. We Watch the Fisher family grow and mature but most of all, deal with life and death. So it is fitting to take a glimpse at their futures and we watch everyone we love die, not because it is supposed to be Gothic, but because it shows you how great their lives are going to be and how great the future will be. And that is what makes a great ending.

The Sixth Sense
Say what you will about M. Night Shamalyan, but this movie is truly a unique movie. Both scary and sad, Sense truly attracts all of your senses by giving you a supernatural situation and making it real. We watch at a child psychologist tries to help a boy overcome a problem even he can't come to terms with. He can see the dead. And then comes the truly amazing twist, the psychologist has been dead since the beginning of the movie. If you didn't hear it before you saw it, then this movie was truly an eye opener.

The Usual Suspects
Who is Keyzer Soze? Only one of the scariest and most vicious killers in film history. It has been a very debatable movie, some love it, some hate it, but still it is genius. Kevin Spacey, a man with a limp and a very meek personality uncovers this mystery and tells the police all that he knows and the hell it has been in the past. And you will be blown away when it is revealed that Spacey has made everything up on the spot and he is the deranged killer. Pretty intense, don't you agree?

Y Tu Mama Tambien
The last item on our list is this coming of age movie that is funny, raunchy, spicy and just plain incredible. By capturing teenage hood, Alfonso Cuaron takes us on a life changing road trip with two horny young men who travel with an older woman to find the perfect sunspot. Along the way, friendships are tested, there is plenty of things going on and also, the two boys discover what it is to be an adult. Only we learn that after that summer, they will meet at a coffee shop and that the woman they have spent the movie with died shortly after their summer. Even more hard hitting, they will never see each other again. It might bum you, but admit, it is all about growing up and leaving things behind.

Blood Fued: An editorial on who deserves Best Picture of 2007

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Since the time I reviewed No Country for Old Men, I had mentioned that sadly, I had not seen There Will Be Blood, but I had wanted to see it. Well, seeing as it was playing within a few minutes from where I lived, I decided that Friday night I would see There Will Be Blood. Well, I have now seen both that are the main attractions for Best Picture, and frankly, from what it looks, the two that have a chance. I'm sorry to Juno, Atonement, and Michael Clayton, but from what it looks, one of these two has a good chance of winning Best Picture. But then again, everyone thought the overrated and in my humble opinion insulting movie, Brokeback Mountain would win. (My displeasure comes from the theme of infidelity, nothing to do with the tragedy of their repressed emotions.) But since I have seen both of the popular choices, I will throw my dice and predict a winner. Drum roll please...

My Choice for the 2008 Oscars for Best Picture is: No Country For Old Men.

Why No Country, you ask? Well, first let me explain:

See, I liked There Will Be Blood, don't get me wrong. I felt it was a one of a kind movie, in some parts. However, when compared to No Country I feel that it has less going for it. Parts of Blood to me felt like they dragged, especially the middle part. It seemed like nothing really happened to the characters, the action took a while to come, but still it wasn't really building up anything. When the film was ready to get back on its feet and regain my interest, they cut to a flashback! Ten years later, Plainview is rich and a total wreck, but how he comes to be is not explained. What bothers me even more is the fact that the middle part of the movie was dull, but in places still pretty good. But if a movie is dull in places, I don't always mind, but in Blood's case, it needed to tell the story, and also wrap itself up and cover enough ground. With the middle of the movie, Plainview is looking for oil, and he gets so wrapped up in it, he spirals out of control. When the end nears(Which I won't spoil) he is a corrupt and unlikable tycoon, a monster. The power he has consumed has driven him mad and now he was just at the deep end. But as I said before, how? How did he get to be this way? How did he get rich?

The fact that Anderson dives deep down into the more boring bits of the movie and less in how time will go by bothered me. The transitions were sloppily done, time would change, but why we'll never know. I'm ashamed to heavily criticize a movie I initially liked. But, in my opinion, Blood was too long and showed the wrong parts of the story.

Compared to No Country, Blood is simply a morality tale about how greed consumes us and makes us crazy. This isn't enough to really carry a movie at times. What Country does is start with an intense first five minutes that lay the ground work for the movie. It doesn't drag on too long, it doesn't fail much to deliver action, and though out the movie, we watch as a pulse pounding cat and mouse game unfolds. Though I will say that towards the end it lost a bit of momentum and the style that it had in the beginning.

Though this may be, though I might have preferred one movie to another, that still doesn't mean that my favorite will necessarily win, but in this case, it has a better shot. No Country will win because it doesn't take too long to get the story going, it doesn't have moments that are too long or boring. What might throw voters off with picking Blood is that a half an hour could have been chopped off of the movie. A good portion that stayed that didn't necessarily add much to the story, at least from what I saw. The academy will be looking for which movie has more going for it, which tells its story the best, and which one is more well liked. Since it seems that No Country applies for the majority of those, I will take a guess that come tonight, Joel and Ethan Coen will be standing on the stage, accepting the much deserved award for their haunting and brilliant movie. And if not, then whatever. Predictions aren't 100% accurate, but still, they can foreshadow the winner to come.

Worn With Age and Time

No Country for Old Men
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
Year: 2007
Starring: Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem,
Tommy Lee Jones and Woody Harrelson.

Seeing as the Oscars are on Sunday, and I sadly have no really commented on the picks of the race, I figured I'll make due with what little time I have and share my input on one of the films that was the best of 2007. Sadly, I have not seen some of the picks(There Will Be Blood, Diving Bell...,Etc.) But anyways, let the review begin.

We open No Country For Old Men with Anton Chigurh(A fierce Javier Bardem) being whisked away by a police officer. He is taken to the station and to be locked up when he manages to escape, but not easily. Chigurh is a cold, unforgiving character, he shows no fear, no hesitation, he will kill if he has to kill. He is probably the dictionary definition of Bad Ass, if you looked it up. Not only is he a psychopath, but he also won't take no for an answer.

Fast forward to Llewelyn Moss(Josh Brolin) a simple man who is out hunting when he stumbles upon the aftermath of s shoot out. Many men are dead, there is a substantial amount of heroin among the premise, and also 2 million dollars. Somehow, Chigurh and Moss are connected. Both want the money, and both will do what it takes to keep the other from getting it. Only Chigurh is equipped with better weaponry, most notably a captive bolt pistol. The kind of weapon used on cattle before they are slaughtered. Llewelyn has a wife to care about, and he desperately wants her to be safe. However, he is very secretive about the $2 million, and also very protective of it.

Also in the mix is Ed Tom Bell(A worn Tommy Lee Jones) the man who is on both of their tails. Like the deserts of Texas, Bell is old and ready to let the wind carry him away. He is dry, but good at his game. With age comes wisdom, as the saying goes. Watching his screen presence is haunting, here we have a man who is nearing retirement, he is tired and in need of some rest, but also he wants to do the right thing and serve justice.

Despite some of its flaws, No Country is an aching movie, full of emotion and energy, and at times, pretty damn scary. Most notably one scene where the two are at a cheap hotel and see each other semi face to face. Also, the film has a few moments that are definite Coen Bros moments. And while parts might be dark and haunting, it actually has quite a few moments that are humorous or witty.

Still, one thing that is also on my mind, as well as almost everyone else who saw it is the ending. I won't give it away, but I will say that it is the kind of thing that you need to take some time to think about. Though I will admit, I was, along with many members of the audience, kind of pissed off and surprised at its abruptness. Though I wasn't one of the people who groaned or exclaimed, "What the hell?!" I could see their stance. However, according to a friend who read the book, it is a more satisfying conclusion if you've read the source material.

Again, having not seen Blood or some other popular Oscar choices, I will just say that until proven otherwise, this was one of my favorites. It was the kind of movie that was not only well done, but also a true achievement. And even though it is mostly gone from theaters and not on DVD, I'd still recommend popping Fargo into your DVD player and watching one of the best from the Coen Bros. You won't regret it.

I'm seeing something that was always hidden. I'm in the middle of a mystery and it's all secret.

Blue Velvet
Directed by: David Lynch
Year: 1986
Starring: Kyle MacLachlan, Laura Dern,
Isabella Rossellini and Dennis Hopper

Once in a while, a movie comes along that is just so dark, so avant-garde I must talk about it. Sure, if I see a good movie, I'll talk about it to my friends or family, telling them that they have to see it. But none of those movies have impacted me like Blue Velvet.

When I first saw Blue Velvet, I didn't know what to expect. I had heard about its notorious scene in which one of its characters is beaten and violated by a nitrous oxide huffing pervert. I will admit I was hesitant to watch this movie, even though I had rented it to watch. The only other times I've felt that way about movies would have to be while watching Irreversible and Happiness, two incredible but very unsettling movies. I guess you could say it was love at first sight.

Before I watched Blue Velvet, I had only read Roger Ebert's scathing review, so I was semi put off. It was only I saw this movie that I realized that like many reviewers who watch most movies, they might see a good movie through the wrong lens or vise versa. However, me telling you how good this movie is is not nearly as effective or leaves as much of an impact then you watching it yourself. And to those who have watched Blue Velvet will agree.

Blue Velvet starts with a scene that takes the style of suburbia in the 1950's and warps it to all dimensions. In the first five minutes, we travel to Lumberton, a town that echoes the cheesy postcards one picks up at a gift shop. Idyllic, calm, homely. So of course you know Lynch will screw it up and erase the line between normalcy and the bizarre. When we arrive at Lumberton, Mr. Beaumont is watering his green garden, when suddenly, he has a near fatal stroke. Instead of having him simply collapse, his dog comes over and proceeds to slobber up the water from the still running hose, making Mr. Beaumont practically invisible. But that's not all, his son, Jeffery(Kyle MacLachlan in the boy next door role...except next door probably is home to a sadist.) finds an ear in a field. Showing it to Detective Williams, who declares "That's a human ear all right. " Jeffery immediately catches the eye of his daughter Sandy.(A very young, bright eyed Laura Dern) What Sandy knows that her father doesn't is who the ear might belong to. Enter Dorothy Vallens and you've got one sick movie.

Dorothy Vallens(Played by the frail Isabella Rossellini) is a night club singer turned sex slave to one of cinema's most horrific and grotesque villains, Frank Booth.(An Eerie Dennis Hopper) Frank is a perverted, sadistic, laughing gas addict who alienates anyone he touches and infects with his sick spell. He has Dorothy's husband and son, and unfortunately he 'owns' Dorothy as well. Jeffery now has to save Dorothy from Frank and get to the bottom of this barb wire spider web. And you play the voyeuristic witness to it all, and you can't do anything, only the characters can.

At one point in the movie Sandy says: "I had a dream. In fact, it was on the night I met you. In the dream, there was our world, and the world was dark because there weren't any robins and the robins represented love. And for the longest time, there was this darkness. And all of a sudden, thousands of robins were set free and they flew down and brought this blinding light of love. And it seemed that love would make any difference, and it did. So, I guess it means that there is trouble until the robins come." What she means, and I agree with is at the end of a tunnel, there is always a glimmer of light. Which seems to be the overall message of Blue Velvet, It may disturb you, it might disgust you, it might even give you nightmares, but that is how it works its voodoo on you. By horrifying you, bewildering you and making you feel crazy, it helps you feel empathetic and attached to the characters. Regardless of whether you like it or not, it is most definitely a movie you will not forget.

My Whole Life is Like a Picture of a Sunny Day

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Year: 2004
Director: Michel Gondry
Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet,
Elijah Wood, Tom Wilkinson, Kirsten Dunst
and Mark Ruffalo.

"Random thoughts for Valentine's day, 2004. Today is a holiday invented by greeting card companies to make people feel like crap."

So says Joel Barish, our film's main character. And while this might seem like a positively grim statement, this movie is what love is all about. Love sucks, but it can also be great.

In Eternal Sunshine, we start by looking at the life of Joel(Jim Carrey in an outstanding performance) a young man who is very melancholy and glum when it comes to Valentine's day, However, we do not know why he is so bummed, and frankly, neither does he. While riding on a train to Montauk, he meets Clementine(Kate Winslet in her finest role yet) a blue haired wacky woman who is constantly teased because of her name and its relevance to Huckleberry Hound. She is odd, crazy, and yet an altogether three dimensional character.

However, while they might be a happy couple right now, things go sour as Joel realizes that they were together before, but she erased her memory and has forgotten all about him. Seeing this as an opportunity to get revenge, Joel meets Dr. Mierzwiak(Tom Wilkinson), founder of Lacuna Inc. A company that erases peoples memories. And since it just so happens to be Valentine's Day, memories are being erased by the dozen.

What at first seems to be a worthwhile experiment turns into complete chaos when Joel wants them to stop for he remembers things that are near and dear to his heart. The flaw in the system, not all memories of an ex are bad ones.

While it may not seem like much, it is definitely something incredible, something that is just beautiful. Joel and Clementine erase each other, but they realize that life isn't just made up of good memories, and the memories of a person, a face, a smile, a smell, could just go away. Imagine, something in your life vanishing. And yes, everyone has had some lousy times, but those lousy times make us who we are today.

While watching it, the viewer might need to go over parts to make sense of the movie, but that is what makes it so great. It's a movie that once we re watch it, we pick up on many different things we have not noticed before.

In short, Eternal Sunshine is a genre and mind bending experience, a joyful and depressing movie. It might make you look at life differently, it might weird you out, but know that no matter what your reaction is to this movie, you will never forget it. Because like a good memory, it will last forever.

We'll Always Have Paris

Casablanca
Year: 1942
Director: Michael Curtiz
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman
and Claude Reins

Since Valentine's Day is only growing nearer and nearer, it would be ultimately unjust not to include this classic. I had a few other movies in mind, Breakfast at Tiffany's but I had less to say about that movie. Match Point was another, but that's a dark movie about how love consumes us, so I figured I'd review it later. But Casablanca, that is a must for this day of love.

Set during World War II, Casablanca tells the story of Rick Blane, a man who runs a small cafe in Casablanca. During this point in time, Europeans were fleeing left and right, trying hard to escape from the Nazis, only problem is they aren't able to obtain exit visas. Rick is told by one of his acquaintances, Ugarte to hold some exit visas, for he is in great danger if the Nazis catch him with the visas. Two Nazis were killed holding these and the visas were stolen. When Rick hears that Victor Laszlo, the leader of the European resistance is to arrive at Casablanca. Only he doesn't know that he is in love with Ilsa, Rick's old flame from Paris.

What Casablanca gets right is that it is both a romantic and a memorable movie. The scenes in it are classic, the lines are just timeless. What makes this movie so enjoyable is that it is romantic, but not sappy. Sweet, but not melodramatic. But of all of the scenes that this movie has to offer, two stand out.

One is the scene where Ilsa finds Sam, the piano player of the cafe and asks him to play the song that she and Rick held close to their hearts. As soon as Sam starts playing, Rick tells him to stop and as soon as he sees Ilsa, he goes into a flashback that examines their romantic past, and how they were split apart. Though often quoted, the line "Play it Again, Sam" never appears in the film.

Second would have to be when the Nazis, led by Major Strasser begin to sing "Die Wacht am Rhein" the Nazi anthem, only to be drowned out by the French people in the cafe who begin to sing "La Marseillaise" it is so perfect you must see it to understand its true beauty.

Finally, this movie is also a romantic classic because of it's heartbreaking ending. To describe it is hard to talk about unless you have seen the movie, because you will not see it coming. (Caution: MAJOR Spoilers, highlight only if you've seen the movie!) When Rick and Ilsa are standing right by the plane, the plane that will take two lucky people out of war torn Casablanca, Rick does one of the most heartbreaking things in movie history, let her go. He tells her to get on the plane and says, 'We'll always have Paris." It is then you know that though they had a time, it would be a mistake to make Ilsa stay.

In short, Casablanca is a classic movie that is second to none, one of the best romantic classics. It is moving, it is beautiful, and it is timeless. And the final line, "This is the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship" is said by Bogart with such gusto and emotion that all you want to do is join his friendship forever, as time goes by.

Dream a Little Dream of Me

Beautiful Thing
Year: 1996
Directed by: Hettie Macdonald
Starring: Glen Berry, Scott Neil and Tameka Empson.

I figured since V Day is coming closer, and since I need to write some reviews for movies, I have decided to review romance movies. Also, this movie can fit in a category of Great Movies You've Never Heard Of. So, enjoy!

If you are like most people, you probably have never heard of Beautiful Thing, unless you are Darcie or my Canadian friend Ben. But do not worry, I will tell you.

The story takes place in England with two next door neighbors, Ste and Jamie. Jamie has a single mother who is seeing a guy named Tony, Ste is in an abusive household with a violent father and brother. Also their neighbor is the flamboyant and totally bizarre Leah, a teenage girl who idolizes Mama Cass, hence the soundtrack is laden with Cass' songs. As the movie progresses, the two boys start to grow feelings for each other and fall in love. The only problem is that being gay isn't very popular in society and Ste's father would kill him if he had a gay son.

If this sounds a bit formulaic, it is somewhat intended to be. It's tagline, "An Urban Fairy Tale" proves it right, this is a movie that wants to lift your soul and make you feel good. It's sweet, it's moving and unlike most gay romances, no graphic sex. In fact, not much sex at all, though you can insinuate some things that happen off camera.

Another thing about the movie, which depending on whether or not you saw it/liked it, is that in my opinion it outweighs Brokeback Mountain by a long shot. With Brokeback it's a movie essentially about cheating on your spouse. Watching this movie made me feel kind of bummed, seeing as I was expecting a moving and altogether inspiring experience, all I got out of it was just another blah story about love and cheating. Which, regardless of the sexes of the people involved is still low. I thought Beautiful Thing did a better job at addressing the important themes that coincide with today's issues and the whole gay rights debate. If a movie can be both daring and sweet then it has succeeded.

In short, I love this movie because it's just such an upbeat movie that makes me smile whenever I think about it. It's not only a great movie, but also one that is very memorable and truly a beautiful thing.

Saying I Love You 18 Times

Paris, Je T'aime
Year: 2007
Directors: Gus Van Sant, The Coen Bros,
Sylvan Chomet, Wes Craven, Alexander Payne, etc...
Starring: Juliette Binoche, Maggie Gyllenhaal,
Gaspard Ulliel, Elijah Wood, Steve Buscemi and Natalie Portman.

Seeing as Valentine's Day is just around the corner, the one day that is both loved and hated by many. You may love it because it is a day devoted to devotion and caring for your partner. You may hate it because everyone else is so cheery while you are alone. But regardless of what you think love is, here is a film that defies every impression and tradition that love is. Love takes many forms, love for a person, a place, a thing, a child, an old flame or a complete stranger. It is not just love that captivates us, its the feeling of being the favorite person to someone, the light to their day, the sun in their sky. And in Paris, Je T'aime, we are the witness to 18 short vignettes about the almighty power of love.

How do you review a movie that isn't really a movie, more like 18 short scenes about romance? Do you individually analyze each film? Or do you let the reader/viewer see it for themselves? The thing about Paris, Je T'aime is that it is an ensemble piece to the grandest scale. A movie that is woven by 18 unrelated short films and still makes sense at the end. It may not always make sense, but then again, does love ever make sense?

Paris, Je T'aime is less a movie, more a cornucopia of true beauty and love. Not only love, but each film is set in a different part of the city of love. 18 directors, many different actors and many different reactions I had for the films.

I guess to describe the movie I would have to tell about the movies that stood out and that spoke to me the most. While the majority were great, a few were better than others. One of my favorites, Le Marais by Gus Van Sant(Who I have loved since My Own Private Idaho) tells the story about two men, one who speaks French and thinks the other boy can understand him. One exchanges a number, and the rest I will not spoil. I like this one because it left me warm and curious as two what happened next. Another movie that stood out would have to be Vincenzo Natalis Quartier de la Madeleine because I adore cheesy vampire stories. The Tour Eiffel short by Sylvan Chomet is particularly wonderful because a) Chomet directed The Triplets of Belleville and b) it shows that love can be found in all places and even people like mimes can have soul mates. And lastly, the powerful Place des Fêtes about a man who loves a girl and does anything he can for her. I won't say anymore, it will hit you like a ton of bricks.

So since a movie like this can only be truly summed up when you watch it and cannot be justified in writing alone, I just will say that if you want a great romance movie to watch whether or not you see it on Valentine's Day, its still a magnificent feast for the eyes, the senses and the heart.

America Doesn't Suck

Though you may be thinking this is just a rant about people who think that America is the worst country in the world, it is not. This is just me venting about the flaws about America and why we have been brought into a vicious maelstrom. Especially our movies.

I don't want to get into another argument with the internet, an invention which I so nearly and dearly love. It is because I love the internet so much that I am making these points. So bear with me, it is just me talking, but I hope you'll care to listen.

So, as many of you may already know that Meet the Spartans, a recent spoof movie opened and made its way to #1 at the box office. Which strikes me as odd because movie goers and critics alike hated this movie with a well deserved fiery passion. And how Meet the Spartans makes #1 last week while Arrested Development is still canceled haunts me every day, but I'm digressing. Yes, Meet the Spartans is apparently a bad movie, judging its predecessor Epic Movie(Don't ask me why I paid a ticket, it was a conjoined mistake between a friend) it is pretty much one 90 minute long gay joke ripe with other dick-fart-tit-pussy jokes that makes its viewers want to eat their own eyeballs. Yes, it is supposed to suck. Hard. But that's still besides the point.

Call this backlash, but people on the boards who hated the movie automatically play a card. Not just any card, the America card. Sure, America is flawed. Our president is a moron, his henchmen are evil baby snatchers and we find two men in love a bigger threat then the terrorists, but putting all that aside, we aren't responsible for everything wrong in the world. And yet, people assume that because of our flaws that we thrive on crappy movies and other stupid forms of entertainment.

I will admit, we can make some lousy movies, our ratings board is a bunch of homophobic prudes but who doesn't make bad movies? To judge a country by their movies is just a meaningless task. Everyone will make at least some bad movies, it's not like one country is superior to another. I can bet that France makes plenty of cinematic enemas, but I only watch movies from there that interest me. Meet the Spartans only seems to appeal to incredibly stupid twelve year olds, and yet people are blaming the country that made this god awful movie just because they sat through it and were pissed off.

But what also gets my goat is how every country, not just other countries, act all arrogant and obnoxious when they say that their country is the superior country that makes only good movies. Since nobodies perfect, I doubt that.

In short, we all have to sit through bad movies, I should know, I'm a reviewer. But let me just defend us in saying that for every Meet the Spartans or Alvin and the Chipmunks, there will always be an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or No Country for Old Men. So, to paraphrase Field of Dreams, a movie I do not intend on seeing(But that's besides the point) "If you film a movie and it is good, they[the moviegoers] will come."

As Real as a Doll Can Get

Lars and the Real Girl
Year: 2007
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer
and Patrica Clarkson.

Before I review Lars, let me say this:

Even though this movie may not be too new, it came out last year, so why review it now? It's not in theaters, the only thing buzzed about it is its ONE nomination. But I still can't get this movie off of my mind. It's killing me, I feel if I don't give this movie the phrase it deserves, then who will?
Lars, which if you read a synopsis may sound like the new Judd Apatow movie. Guy falls in love with a sex doll. Hilarious, right? And yes, it's very funny in places, but that's not the part about it I'll remember. What gets me, what really has brought me to review this movie is that it is a moving fable. Sure, it's not the greatest indie movie of the season, but still it's a movie that did not really come across to many audiences. It was well reviewed, but people seemed to avoid this one. I was lucky to manage to see it at my local movie theater and was able to watch such a uniquely beautiful movie.

What Lars does is show life through our main character's eyes, how what he sees is normal, while his brother sees this as him going insane. Lars never really had a mother, she died shortly after childbirth, so it was him, his father and brother, Gus. Eventually, getting sick of being surrounded by depression, Gus split and left Lars with their melancholy father. Gus constantly feels he is to blame for his brother's irregular behavior and his obsession with this doll. So to him, this doll is a normal girlfriend. What also keeps this movie great is the fact that it can have a character that is a life sized sex doll, steal the scene. What makes scenes involving Bianca, the name of the doll as picked by Lars, so funny is that she says nothing but since Lars has her alive in his mind, she is technically real.

An important point the movie brings up is what you are supposed to do with such an oddball like Lars? You could react like the following: a) Treat him like a mental patient or b) Treat his new "girlfriend" like Lars does.

So enough about the points it brings up, here's the fully story behind Lars:

When we meet Lars, he is a socially awkward boy in the body of a young man. He hasn't really grown up, he is afraid to be touched by others, he will occasionally walk away whenever his comfort level is jeopardized and he also strays away from achieving a social life. But as soon as a guy at work(More like Perverted Cubicle buddy) tells him about this Real Doll site, Lars(Played with extraordinary emotion by Ryan Gosling) soon after orders a doll. As mentioned by another reviewer, part of the story is odd because he orders the doll himself, so he kind of knows what he's in for. But still, it doesn't affect the movie at all.

As I mentioned before, his brother, Gus(Paul Schneider) and his pregnant wife, Karin(A wonderful Emily Mortimer, despite a couple slip ups with her British Accent) react differently. At first, they are completely dumbfounded. You can see it in their faces that they are disturbed not only by the fact that Lars has befriended a doll, but while sitting in her whorish clothes, Lars claims she is a missionary.

The two both come to an agreement, they send Lars to the local doctor because they want to help him become detached to this inanimate object, but they tell Lars it is because Bianca looks ill and needs to be checked up on. Through the many visits, Dr. Dagmar(One of my favorite actresses Patrica Clarkson) Lars starts to mature and grow a bit. He is less awkward, he allows people to be closer to him, he even takes up an invite to bowl with the cute girl from his office who has a mad crush on him, Margo.(An irresistible Kelli Garner) But as the movie goes on, Bianca's health worsens, but her connection with the town grows stronger. The many people who participate in loving Bianca really care for Lars, so they show this by helping Bianca get accustomed to their town and gain a social life. Who knew a doll could be elected on the School board?

What struck me the most was the final act of the movie, where Lars grows up and decides to leave his childish things behind. It's sad and ultimately hard for a man to say goodbye to a doll you spent the beginning of the movie growing fond of. The sweetest part for me was how the town loved him and stuck by him and his doll. So you can't help but feel an ounce of remorse for the central character.

The script, written by Nancy Oliver who wrote for "Six Feet Under" (My Favorite Show) is full of love and emotion and the actors show their 3-dimensionality in their behavior and their actions. Only Oliver could take a story such as this and turn it into an aching work of brilliance, how something that could be played one way goes in the opposite direction.

The scene I love most is when Margo finds one of her stuffed bears hung with cable cord by Lars' cubicle mate after his action figures were stolen by Margo. To help her, Lars begins to resuscitate and bring the bear back to life. Not because he thinks its real, but because he wants Margo to laugh. In a few minutes we learn that Lars knows what is real and what is not, and he has matured from the beginning of the movie. Now, he is growing up, and is able to both leave things behind and keeps others close to his heart. And that is what I walked away with.

The Kids are Alright: Movies for kids who Aren't blockheads.

These days, it's hard to find a decent movie for kids. Which is a bummer, seeing as when I was a young one, movies for kids were both good and bad. I'm not going to glorify my generation, we did spawn Pokemon and other crap that rots kids minds. But you know what, who doesn't grow up watching crap for kids movies. I loved many movies that nowadays haunt my dreams and try to steal my childhood. And for some odd reason, tonight, I feel gracious and returning to my childhood or movies that have helped shape it. So, feast in the glory of what I think are movies mandatory for kids who aren't afraid to be moved and maybe changed. Entertained and educated.

Pixar Movies
The thing that is so lucky for kids is that they have the ability to watch Pixar movies, which are also great for people older then six, because Pixar is the greatest company these days for entertainment for both kids and adults. While some might not be as great gems as others(A Bug's Life, Cars, meh.) It doesn't mean that they are horrible movies, every Pixar movie is a gem in its own way. From Toy Story, it's first to Finding Nemo, my favorite, to Ratatouille, their latest and most advanced film. So watch a Pixar movie and I'm sure you'll love it.

Beauty and the Beast
When growing up, this movie was constantly in and out of my VCR, I'd watch it, recite the lines and sing along. First of all, I loved how Belle was a book lover, smart, independent and didn't fall head over heels in love with the beast and was in no rush to get married. It's a tale about looking past people's differences and accepting them for who they are. Which, as the years go by has meant a lot to me. I feel even more emotion for the characters, and the odd thing is when the beast is ready to 'die' I lose it, so sue me. But yeah, I'm still not afraid to express my love for this movie.

The Wizard of OZ
In my humble opinion, it's movies like these that truly make me appreciate life and everything about it. This movie not only has a great song, but also fun characters, amazing scenery and sets and it just is near perfect. From the Sepia beginning to its famous heel clicking climax, this movie has it all. Singing scarecrows, lions afraid of their own shadows and men of tin in need of a heart. Plus a nasty witch who uncannily resembles Ann Coulter(Am I Right?) And the film's message sticks with me, "If I ever go looking for my heart's desire, I'll look no further then my own backyard." Oh, and there is no munchkin suicide, deal with it! Pink Floyd is only heard by people on LSD, it's not intentional, god!

The Lion King
If you think about it, this movie is pretty much Hamlet with hyenas. Or as it was called by the producers, Bamlet. You cannot go wrong with this movie, it's a spectacular movie, both visually and story wise. It is also the first Disney movie that shows an on screen death of one of its characters. So whoa, it's intense. Plus, you cannot go wrong with the phrase "Hakuna Matata" it's the ultimate slacker saying, but the film is most certainly not a slacker film.
P.S I will not deny that the letters S E and X are in the dust, that's just creepy beyond all belief.

To Kill a Mockingbird
It may be a bit intense for some kids, due to its subject matter surrounding rape, but nonetheless it is a movie that unites everyone. Both sweet and heartbreaking, loving and realistic, this is most definitely one of the best movies about growing up. Who wouldn't want a father like Atticus Finch? A man who stands up for what's right and isn't afraid to lose. It's just as important as it is incredible. Hits many cords and also changes you a bit.
And to people who haven't seen it, prepare yourself to lose it when you finally meet Boo Radley, the town boogyman. It goes down as one of the most moving scenes in movie history.

Stand by Me
Well, technically, this is the only R rated movie that fits in the category of personal favorite films, but still its a movie that is all about growing up and coming of age. Like Mockingbird, Stand by Me portrays life as a kid the way life as a kid is. Hard, and sometimes unfair, but also fun and full of adventure. We have the boy who is convinced that he will never receive the love his older brother who was killed got, one who is trying to prove that he isn't a bad kid, he just comes from a bad background as well as the movie's two other kids, kids who see the youthful side of life. It has the moving message of friendship, something that is important to children. So do not miss this one.
Oh, and a side note: When you watch Y Tu Mama Tambien, it's pretty much Stand by Me, only with sex, drugs and jerking off beside the pool. But hey, it's a coming of age movie about friendship!

A Christmas Story
Ok, I need to move onto a comedy or else I'll cry hysterically at my keyboard. Which no blogger likes, trust me. If you haven't seen this Christmas gem, then you must live in a cave or have a damn good explanation for why you haven't seen such a funny movie. And believe me, it is freaking Hilarious. From the boyhood obsession with a toy gun to the bully with yellow eyes(I swear!) to the most erotic household item. Ever. It's Christmas, the way it actually is.

The Nightmare Before Christmas
I will say that this movie scared the crap out of me when it came out, but now it has become an amazing movie that just brings out the kid in me. I can watch it and love it no matter what holiday, Christmas or Halloween it works either way. And trust me, you'll stare in wonder at the magnificent clay mation and the visual effects that truly make this one a classic Gothic kids movie.

Spirited Away
And finally, one of my more recent favorite movies, Spirited Away simply blows me away every time I see it. From its lush visuals to its breathtaking story about witches, spirits and all things mystical and magical. Plus, it has an incredible story that is both reminiscent to Oz and Alice in Wonderland. It's not only a fine piece of animation, but also a film that just blows you away. I'm positive it will be a movie I show to my kids when I do marry and have them. It'll just astound them and it is destined to be a classic.