The Trailer has arrived.
I can't wait, it's the first time Quentin Tarentino has worked within the WWII genre. It may be a little different then his usual crime, revenge, or exploitation genre work but I have every confidence that this movie will be awesome.
I mean the basic plot line is that there is a unit of American Jews ordered to be extra cruel to scare the crap out of the Germans, who in many ways already fear them. I predict a whole lot of awesome.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
It's Monday night, I should be writing a review of tonight's episode of heroes, yet I find myself uninspired.
So I'm going to write about my new guilty pleasure show, RuPaul's Drag Race. As one might guess from the title it' a show about drag queens, and it is fabulous. When you break it down the show is one part America's Next Top Model and one part Project Runway. Naturally this is a combination bound to stir up some drama.
Unlike America's Next Top Model the most interesting part of the show is not the drama, nor is it about really crazy challenge. The most interesting part of RuPaul's Drag Race is that it allows us to see the real people behind the larger then life on stage character. We get to see them out of costume and get a glimpse of who these people really are, and what kind of work goes into their transformation.
Not to mention RuPaul is one hell of a host. She is witty, full of awesome pop culture references, has tons of style, and unlike a lot of other hosts you can tell that she genuinely cares about the contestants.
Some aspects of the show are over the top, but hey these are drag Queens would we really want it to be any way besides over the top. I didn't think so.
The show airs Monday Nights on LOGO, although I think I have seen repeats on other networks. Anyway I recommend it, especially for people like me who can't wait for the next season of ANTM to begin.
So I'm going to write about my new guilty pleasure show, RuPaul's Drag Race. As one might guess from the title it' a show about drag queens, and it is fabulous. When you break it down the show is one part America's Next Top Model and one part Project Runway. Naturally this is a combination bound to stir up some drama.
Unlike America's Next Top Model the most interesting part of the show is not the drama, nor is it about really crazy challenge. The most interesting part of RuPaul's Drag Race is that it allows us to see the real people behind the larger then life on stage character. We get to see them out of costume and get a glimpse of who these people really are, and what kind of work goes into their transformation.
Not to mention RuPaul is one hell of a host. She is witty, full of awesome pop culture references, has tons of style, and unlike a lot of other hosts you can tell that she genuinely cares about the contestants.
Some aspects of the show are over the top, but hey these are drag Queens would we really want it to be any way besides over the top. I didn't think so.
The show airs Monday Nights on LOGO, although I think I have seen repeats on other networks. Anyway I recommend it, especially for people like me who can't wait for the next season of ANTM to begin.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Dollhouse review
Like many people I was anxious to see the premier of Dollhouse. I wasn't enticed by the sci-fi story line, or the picture in the ads Eliza Dushku wearing only a projection of city lights, no I had been waiting for months to see this for one reason and one reason only Joss Wheadon.
When it comes to TV in Joss Wheadon I trust. I was a huge fan of Buffy, Firefly, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, hell I even liked Angel. The shows that he creates are usually great for a few reasons they brilliantly combine comedy with more serious circumstances, he creates lovable characters, serious twists and turns in the plot, and he creates worlds and situations that are very unique.
Well I have to say in terms of the Dollhouse premier, two out of four is kind of ... eh.
Maybe I should back, up if this show was written by someone else I would not be measuring it to such a high standard.
I think the show has a solid premise. There is a place called The Dollhouse where high paying clients can order up exactly what they need for any given situation. The twist is that these "dolls" or "actives" aren't robots, they are real live people that can be programed and erased as desired. At first it sounds kind of fun, you can make a little visit to a big glowing chair and walk out a kung-fu master very Matrix. It's not all fun and games when you realize that the "actives" have had their personalities removed, and it seems that our main character Echo may have been forced into this line of work. A good piece of sci-fi always bring up a few philosophical questions; even if a person agrees to have their personality removed does this violate human rights, alternatively is it possible to ever fully erase someones personality. Echo's behavior while unprogramed closely resembles that of a child, a blank slate but with inclinations and a desire to explore on her own.
You see this is where I hit my main issues thus far. I know it was only the first episode but thus far I have only managed to connect with one character. Boyd, the man who is Echo's handler is the only person thus far with a soul. He shows great care for Echo, he has some sense of morality, and there is a real kind and heroic quality to him. The rest of the workers of the Dollhouse are quite unsympathetic because .... I don't know they are seriously violating human rights? Even the computer geek who has the job of creating and erasing personalities seems to be kind of cruel for the simple reason that he has agreed to take on this job.
I know I know it's only the first episode. I'm sure our leading lady will start developing a personality of her own in a bit, and that we will begin to see other sides of what is going on. But I feel that Joss Wheadon's greatest strength as a writer is giving us characters that we can connect to and so far we can't connect to a bunch of people who run a very shady business, or a bunch of people who have literally had their personalities taken away.
Still as a new Sci-fi show it was pretty good. The plot was a wee bit confusing however for Sci-fi I was willing to overlook it.
I still maintain the highest hopes that this will be a good show, after all it was a good pilot. However I think this may be a small departure from Joss Wheadons normal work, so far it seems as if we are looking at a show with a more serious tone. I didn't laugh once during the pilot, and I completely expected to do so.
If nothing else I will be tuning in next Friday, the show is definitely worth a second watch.
When it comes to TV in Joss Wheadon I trust. I was a huge fan of Buffy, Firefly, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, hell I even liked Angel. The shows that he creates are usually great for a few reasons they brilliantly combine comedy with more serious circumstances, he creates lovable characters, serious twists and turns in the plot, and he creates worlds and situations that are very unique.
Well I have to say in terms of the Dollhouse premier, two out of four is kind of ... eh.
Maybe I should back, up if this show was written by someone else I would not be measuring it to such a high standard.
I think the show has a solid premise. There is a place called The Dollhouse where high paying clients can order up exactly what they need for any given situation. The twist is that these "dolls" or "actives" aren't robots, they are real live people that can be programed and erased as desired. At first it sounds kind of fun, you can make a little visit to a big glowing chair and walk out a kung-fu master very Matrix. It's not all fun and games when you realize that the "actives" have had their personalities removed, and it seems that our main character Echo may have been forced into this line of work. A good piece of sci-fi always bring up a few philosophical questions; even if a person agrees to have their personality removed does this violate human rights, alternatively is it possible to ever fully erase someones personality. Echo's behavior while unprogramed closely resembles that of a child, a blank slate but with inclinations and a desire to explore on her own.
You see this is where I hit my main issues thus far. I know it was only the first episode but thus far I have only managed to connect with one character. Boyd, the man who is Echo's handler is the only person thus far with a soul. He shows great care for Echo, he has some sense of morality, and there is a real kind and heroic quality to him. The rest of the workers of the Dollhouse are quite unsympathetic because .... I don't know they are seriously violating human rights? Even the computer geek who has the job of creating and erasing personalities seems to be kind of cruel for the simple reason that he has agreed to take on this job.
I know I know it's only the first episode. I'm sure our leading lady will start developing a personality of her own in a bit, and that we will begin to see other sides of what is going on. But I feel that Joss Wheadon's greatest strength as a writer is giving us characters that we can connect to and so far we can't connect to a bunch of people who run a very shady business, or a bunch of people who have literally had their personalities taken away.
Still as a new Sci-fi show it was pretty good. The plot was a wee bit confusing however for Sci-fi I was willing to overlook it.
I still maintain the highest hopes that this will be a good show, after all it was a good pilot. However I think this may be a small departure from Joss Wheadons normal work, so far it seems as if we are looking at a show with a more serious tone. I didn't laugh once during the pilot, and I completely expected to do so.
If nothing else I will be tuning in next Friday, the show is definitely worth a second watch.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
"He's Just Not That Into You" review
Generally I am the type of girl that hates romantic comedies. I predicted the ending of "Sweet Home Alabama" and walked away after seeing five minutes of it, I nearly fell asleep during "Serendipity", and I have begrudgingly agreed to watch romantic comedies because my female friends wanted to see them.
Much to my surprise "He's Just Not that Into" was quite good. I'd say it was arguably the best romantic comedy I have ever seen.
The story follows the winding paths of peoples love lives which manage to link and intertwine brining a full cast of characters together ... or apart as the case may be.
I found the characters and their situations to be refreshingly realistic. I have known so many girls represented by the characters in this movie. I know the neurotic girl who checked her phone every five minutes in the hopes of receiving a call, I know the beautiful girl who is followed around by a love sick man that she can only feel friendship for, I have known the woman who got cheated on, and really the list could go on from there. Another great thing is that in the end not all stories have a happy ending, although some do manage to work out quite well. The movie really dissects all the myths and foibles people face in the dating world, and breaks them down into some facts (that naturally have a few exceptions)that have a lot of truth to them.
Some people are calling this the perfect date film and I'm not sure I can fully agree to that. This is considerably better then your average romantic comedy, but I'm not sure I can recommend this to men on story alone. I can however recommend this to men as a sort of anthropological study of the modern woman, if you still don't get why women act the way they do this may help you understand how we think a bit better.
The ensemble cast was great. In particularly I loved Ginnifer Goodwin's (best known as Margene in Big Love) portrayal of a very neurotic woman. She is playing the character that any sensible man would describe as being psycho, but she does it in a way that we understand her motivations and are somehow able to be completely sympathetic as she keeps making really stupid mistakes. Drew Barrymore, Kevin Connolly, Scarlett Johansen, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Connelly, and Justin Long all put out really enjoyable performances. Hell I even liked Jennifer Aniston, and normally I can't stand her.
It's one of those movies that doesn't rely on too many silly over the top gags to make us laugh, it's funny because it's so real.
I highly recommend seeing it if you have even the slightest tolerance for romantic comedies.
Much to my surprise "He's Just Not that Into" was quite good. I'd say it was arguably the best romantic comedy I have ever seen.
The story follows the winding paths of peoples love lives which manage to link and intertwine brining a full cast of characters together ... or apart as the case may be.
I found the characters and their situations to be refreshingly realistic. I have known so many girls represented by the characters in this movie. I know the neurotic girl who checked her phone every five minutes in the hopes of receiving a call, I know the beautiful girl who is followed around by a love sick man that she can only feel friendship for, I have known the woman who got cheated on, and really the list could go on from there. Another great thing is that in the end not all stories have a happy ending, although some do manage to work out quite well. The movie really dissects all the myths and foibles people face in the dating world, and breaks them down into some facts (that naturally have a few exceptions)that have a lot of truth to them.
Some people are calling this the perfect date film and I'm not sure I can fully agree to that. This is considerably better then your average romantic comedy, but I'm not sure I can recommend this to men on story alone. I can however recommend this to men as a sort of anthropological study of the modern woman, if you still don't get why women act the way they do this may help you understand how we think a bit better.
The ensemble cast was great. In particularly I loved Ginnifer Goodwin's (best known as Margene in Big Love) portrayal of a very neurotic woman. She is playing the character that any sensible man would describe as being psycho, but she does it in a way that we understand her motivations and are somehow able to be completely sympathetic as she keeps making really stupid mistakes. Drew Barrymore, Kevin Connolly, Scarlett Johansen, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Connelly, and Justin Long all put out really enjoyable performances. Hell I even liked Jennifer Aniston, and normally I can't stand her.
It's one of those movies that doesn't rely on too many silly over the top gags to make us laugh, it's funny because it's so real.
I highly recommend seeing it if you have even the slightest tolerance for romantic comedies.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Romantic movies that I don't hate, a Valentines Day Special
In honor of Valentines day or Singles Awareness Day as I like to call it, I felt it necessary to do a post about some romantic movies that are actually good, and still tolerable to sensible people who hate romantic movies. Of course I had to throw in a few suggestions for those of us who aren't too keen on the Holiday.
Before I begin my list of choices I have a few suggestions. When choosing a movie for rental or general viewing on Valentines day try to keep a few things in mind.
1. Ladies be aware that this day is about love not just about you, don't force your boyfriend to watch some chick flick, it's his day too try to make some sort of compromise in terms of what you will be watching.
2. If you are single do not allow yourself to rent anything that was originally written by Nicholas Sparks (he wrote the origional books for A Walk To Remember, The Notebook, and Nights in Rodanthe) or similarly tear jerking movies. There is nothing worse then sobbing uncontrollably because of a movie, alone in your room on Valentines day.
3. If you are single remember that romance isn't the only typse of love. Invite the single friends or family members that you may have over for a night of drinking, bitching, and movies.
Classic Romantic Suggestions
If you want something traditional and good to watch then this category is for you. I Won't even bother describing these movies if you haven't seen them yet this is an excellent chance to do so.
"Casablanca", "Princess Bride", and the BBC version of "Pride and Prejudice"
For the Hipsters in love
If you like your romance with a healthy doseage of irony and awkwardness these are the movies for you. They are in no way over emotional (at least where love is concerned)and have a very cool sense of humor to them. If you are a guy who can handle indie films then you can handle these films
"Buffalo 66"
What can I say I love Vincent Gallo in this movie. It's a very quirky love story about a guy who is a real loser, but for all it's darker moments the movie is still able to be charming and funny. You also get to see a young Christina Ricci before Hollywood made her slim down to nothing.
"Henry Fool"
Ok, so Henry Fool is more of an indie comedy then a romance. However it does feature the single worst marriage proposal in all of recorded history, and for that reason alone it makes my list.
Romantic Comedies that don't suck
This one is self explanitory, and these movies should all be decent enough for men to sit through them without being ion too much discomfort.
"Romancing the Stone"
A romance novelist gets stuck in Columbia with a rugged soldier of fortune, hilarity and adventure ensues. I know it sounds like something a bit cliche but the movie has enough humor, and adventure elements to keep anyone's interest. It stars Kathleen Turner and Micheal Douglas back when both of them were still hot.
"I.Q."
The movie is essentially based on the idea ... What if Albert Einstein was your wingman? It's adorable, maybe not as guy safe but it's a very clever for a romantic comedy. It stars the late great Walter Matthau as Einstein along with Meg Ryan and Tim Robbins
"Benny And Joon"
Falling in love has to be considerably harder when your a little different, or crazy as the case may be. Johnny Depp is unbelievably charming as a young man obsessed with Buster Keaton, and Joon is well ... a little insane. It's a really cute love story that is actually well written, well thought out, and has some great character development.
"Say anything"
Oh you didn't think I could do a lit like this without mentioning something from John Cusack. It's a classic 80's teen romance. A guy with a great heart but no great ambitions goes after a very smart girl with an overprotective father.
"Gentleman Prefer Blondes"
This is an ideal movie for single women to watch, or dudes that love musicals, you know whatever. It's just a fun classic musical, sure it's a little cheesy but that's all part of the fun. There is some romance, but what makes this a great movie is the humor. Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell go out on a cruise ship ... and the men's Olympic team just happens to be there. Ok so not too much happens with the Olympic athletes, Marilyn Monroes character goes for an old dude with a diamond mine (Diamonds are a girls best friend) and Jane Russels character ends up falling for a PI hired to keep an eye on Monroe's character. It's hilarious and the songs are damn catchy.
Valentines Day Movies for Guys
"True Romance"
Don't let the name scare you away this movie was written by Quentin Tarentino, and really isn't that all you need to know. A man falls in love with a hooker, he kills her pimp, and as you may imagine trouble and hilarity ensue. This movie is filled with cameos from a lot of tremendous actors Christian Slater is the lead but you also have appearances by Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Samuel L Jackson, Christopher Walken, and James Gandolfini.
"Brotherhood of the Wolf"
It has all the elements of typical chick flick warning signs. It's French, it's a period piece, there is a romance. However there are also werewolves, lot's of violence, gore, and Monica Bellucci as a kick ass hooker. Somehow the movie still works and is awesome.
The Anti-Valentines Day Movies
Nothing says Anti-Valentines day like truly twisted horror films that are loosely based around love. Be it someone who is looking for love, a couple that wreaks havoc and destruction wherever they go, or the classic revenge film; it's hard to get less romantic then any of these films. So while the rest of the world is thinking about love, you can be horribly disturbed by any of the following films.
"May"
A disturbing psychological horror film based around a girl who is so awkward that none of her relationships work out, so she starts making herself the perfect partner ... mostly out of the people who rejected her.
"Natural Born Killer"
At the very center of this story there is a couple that is deeply in love with each other, they just happen to be serial killers. Really demented and messed up serial killers.
"Teeth"
Do not watch this if you are male. It's about a girl who has very sharp teeth in a very private area, I'll give you one guess about what ends up happening. It's a good movie to watch if you are extremely pissed off at men.
Before I begin my list of choices I have a few suggestions. When choosing a movie for rental or general viewing on Valentines day try to keep a few things in mind.
1. Ladies be aware that this day is about love not just about you, don't force your boyfriend to watch some chick flick, it's his day too try to make some sort of compromise in terms of what you will be watching.
2. If you are single do not allow yourself to rent anything that was originally written by Nicholas Sparks (he wrote the origional books for A Walk To Remember, The Notebook, and Nights in Rodanthe) or similarly tear jerking movies. There is nothing worse then sobbing uncontrollably because of a movie, alone in your room on Valentines day.
3. If you are single remember that romance isn't the only typse of love. Invite the single friends or family members that you may have over for a night of drinking, bitching, and movies.
Classic Romantic Suggestions
If you want something traditional and good to watch then this category is for you. I Won't even bother describing these movies if you haven't seen them yet this is an excellent chance to do so.
"Casablanca", "Princess Bride", and the BBC version of "Pride and Prejudice"
For the Hipsters in love
If you like your romance with a healthy doseage of irony and awkwardness these are the movies for you. They are in no way over emotional (at least where love is concerned)and have a very cool sense of humor to them. If you are a guy who can handle indie films then you can handle these films
"Buffalo 66"
What can I say I love Vincent Gallo in this movie. It's a very quirky love story about a guy who is a real loser, but for all it's darker moments the movie is still able to be charming and funny. You also get to see a young Christina Ricci before Hollywood made her slim down to nothing.
"Henry Fool"
Ok, so Henry Fool is more of an indie comedy then a romance. However it does feature the single worst marriage proposal in all of recorded history, and for that reason alone it makes my list.
Romantic Comedies that don't suck
This one is self explanitory, and these movies should all be decent enough for men to sit through them without being ion too much discomfort.
"Romancing the Stone"
A romance novelist gets stuck in Columbia with a rugged soldier of fortune, hilarity and adventure ensues. I know it sounds like something a bit cliche but the movie has enough humor, and adventure elements to keep anyone's interest. It stars Kathleen Turner and Micheal Douglas back when both of them were still hot.
"I.Q."
The movie is essentially based on the idea ... What if Albert Einstein was your wingman? It's adorable, maybe not as guy safe but it's a very clever for a romantic comedy. It stars the late great Walter Matthau as Einstein along with Meg Ryan and Tim Robbins
"Benny And Joon"
Falling in love has to be considerably harder when your a little different, or crazy as the case may be. Johnny Depp is unbelievably charming as a young man obsessed with Buster Keaton, and Joon is well ... a little insane. It's a really cute love story that is actually well written, well thought out, and has some great character development.
"Say anything"
Oh you didn't think I could do a lit like this without mentioning something from John Cusack. It's a classic 80's teen romance. A guy with a great heart but no great ambitions goes after a very smart girl with an overprotective father.
"Gentleman Prefer Blondes"
This is an ideal movie for single women to watch, or dudes that love musicals, you know whatever. It's just a fun classic musical, sure it's a little cheesy but that's all part of the fun. There is some romance, but what makes this a great movie is the humor. Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell go out on a cruise ship ... and the men's Olympic team just happens to be there. Ok so not too much happens with the Olympic athletes, Marilyn Monroes character goes for an old dude with a diamond mine (Diamonds are a girls best friend) and Jane Russels character ends up falling for a PI hired to keep an eye on Monroe's character. It's hilarious and the songs are damn catchy.
Valentines Day Movies for Guys
"True Romance"
Don't let the name scare you away this movie was written by Quentin Tarentino, and really isn't that all you need to know. A man falls in love with a hooker, he kills her pimp, and as you may imagine trouble and hilarity ensue. This movie is filled with cameos from a lot of tremendous actors Christian Slater is the lead but you also have appearances by Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Samuel L Jackson, Christopher Walken, and James Gandolfini.
"Brotherhood of the Wolf"
It has all the elements of typical chick flick warning signs. It's French, it's a period piece, there is a romance. However there are also werewolves, lot's of violence, gore, and Monica Bellucci as a kick ass hooker. Somehow the movie still works and is awesome.
The Anti-Valentines Day Movies
Nothing says Anti-Valentines day like truly twisted horror films that are loosely based around love. Be it someone who is looking for love, a couple that wreaks havoc and destruction wherever they go, or the classic revenge film; it's hard to get less romantic then any of these films. So while the rest of the world is thinking about love, you can be horribly disturbed by any of the following films.
"May"
A disturbing psychological horror film based around a girl who is so awkward that none of her relationships work out, so she starts making herself the perfect partner ... mostly out of the people who rejected her.
"Natural Born Killer"
At the very center of this story there is a couple that is deeply in love with each other, they just happen to be serial killers. Really demented and messed up serial killers.
"Teeth"
Do not watch this if you are male. It's about a girl who has very sharp teeth in a very private area, I'll give you one guess about what ends up happening. It's a good movie to watch if you are extremely pissed off at men.
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