Bridesmaids: My Argument For More Improvisers In Film

First of all, I know what all (8) of you are thinking...you sure did take a hiatus from the NY resolution, Amanda. And now that you're back, you're not even reviewing one of the 83 movies on your list. Shut up. I'll get to those later. This one is just more fun to write about, ok? OK!



Bridesmaids. I saw it last Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. at a FREE screening at the Angelika in Dallas. This is wrong for several reasons. My profession gives me the privlege of staying up late every night and sleeping in just a bit. So getting up, having enough coffee in my system, and looking presentable enough for the general public, as opposed to someone who might have just finished a college dorm walk of shame, is all a big feet for me. But, I love comedy (given), Kristen Wiig, Judd Apatow, and of course, FREE.

Annie (Kristin Wiig) and Lillian (Maya Rudolph) are childhood best friends. Maya is getting married and has, of course, asked her childhood best friend to be her maid of honor. However Maya has a new adult best friend, Helen (Rose Byrne) who is richer, classier, prettier, and clearly has her life together. The struggle comes when Annie tries to perform her required bridesmaids duties (i.e. the shower, the bachelorette party, etc.) while paired up with the rest of Lillian's chosen hodgepodge of bridesmaids. Annie is also struggling personally. She's a retired bakery owner who has to eventually move in with her mother (Jill Clayburgh)!!! and her love life is well, almost lifeless. She's continually strung along by her booty call Ted (Jon Hamm) and a sweet, Irish cop, Nathan (Chris O'Dowd), who first repremands her for a blown out tail light, then encourages her to start baking again. Life couldn't get much worse for Annie until Lillian relieves her of her maid of honor duties. The battle between friends (Lillian and Annie) and enemies (Annie and Helen) and the excitement, stress, and ridiculousness that comes from being a bridesmaid and/or a bride are finally brought to life in this film. There's this cult-like craziness that surrounds the "most special day in a  young woman's life" in this country. Not everyone experiences it, but for those of us who have either been a bride or a bridesmaid or both, this movie couldn't be more true. Well maybe a little ridiculous at some points. But this is, after all, a movie, not a documentary.

Bridesmaids is chock (what a fun word!) full of reality and but also chock (yay!) full of absurd, Judd Apatow style humor. (An Apatow refresher for you weirdos who don't watch good movies: Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Pineapple Express, 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked-UP, Superbad....you get it, right?) Annie and Lillian are totally believable, loveable, characters from the beginning (something improvisers know how to do well). You can't help but love them and relate to them and feel sorry for them, all in the same. Kristin Wiig and Maya Rudolph were, obviously, hilarious. The chemistry between Kristin Wiig and Maya Rudolph is something I haven't seen in awhile. It was great. It felt like I was watching to friends bull shit when they thought no one was watching (a lot like a great improv scene). I often hear students or improvisers at the club say they aren't a fan of Kristin Wiig, claiming they "don't like her characters." To that I say, "What characters do you bring to the table? And can you commit like she does?" Hardly. I have always been a huge Kristin Wiig fan from the first time she graced SNL with her presence, and I'm now only more impressed with her after seeing the end product of some badass writing. It was also refreshing to see the always hilarious Maya Rudolph in a big movie role. Jon Hamm is on my top 5 laminated list, so this might be why I actually went to see a film before noon on a weekday. The sleeper award goes to Melissa McCarthy (Molly from Mike & Molly and Sookie from Gilmore Girls). She plays Megan, Lillian's soon to be sister-in-law, who is not your typical bridesmaid. I've always been a Sookie fan, but was inspired by her comedic performance as Megan. There aren't many actors who can play such an absurd role with such a straight face (I'm slow clapping you right now, Melissa).

Improvisers make better writers and actors. Period.  Okay, I'm biased. I know. But I wouldn't be opinionated without an opinion right? Any talent agent out there will tell their talent to "go take an improv class" so you can start booking jobs. While that may be true, an improv class doesn't make you an improviser. With the little bit of research I devoted to this entry, it looks like there are at least seven (there could be many more) trained improvisers in this film (Kristin Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Ellie Kemper, Wendi-McClendon Covey, Melissa McCarthy...this list goes on) who execute these scenes so much better than some of the "actory actors" out there. I'd love to get my hands on a copy of this script to see what scenes were actually written and how many of these scenes just had beats that were improvised. 

 If you've ever been a bridesmaid, or you know anyone who has and have heard them bitch about all the parties you have to attend, the money you have to spend, the "I picked out something you can wear again if you just cut if off at the knee" bridesmaid dress you wear once then donate to Goodwill, then this movie is for you.  Or, if you just like to laugh and girls being dumb and real and gross and funny, this this movie is also for you. Or, if you have a girlfriend or wife and you owe her a "ladies choice" movie night, then this one is for you, except, you'll actually like it, too. Or, if Wilson Phillips "Hold On For One More Day" brings back any middle/high school nostalgia with you and your best friend, this is the movie for you.

My Offical Oscar Ballot for 2011

I'd like to thank The Academy for giving me a past time that is really a big time suck! But totally worth it.  Here are my official pics for this Sunday night. We'll see how well it holds up on Monday morning!
I'd love to hear your thoughts on these too...vote for your pic for best picture on the right of the page and let's see who the big winner is Monday!

Toy Story 3: You Know It's Good When Cartoons Make You Cry

I've never in my life wanted to drive over to my parents house and dig up my old stuffed animals more than I did after seeing this movie! Who knew Pixar could do this to me? Well, I think we all know Pixar knows what they are doing. There's something so believable about these animated characters. Maybe, just maybe even more believable than some of the classic Disney cartoons (this coming from a HUGE Little Mermaid (and others) fan!)


The end of the trilogy for Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), and the rest of the posse from Andy's toy chest begins as Woody prepares to leave for college. His mom forces him to sort through his stuff into piles to throw away, donate, and take to college. After much debate, the beloved Woody makes the cut into the college pile, while the rest of the gang are put in a separate bag, with the intention of being stashed in the attic. But Andy's mom mistakes the attic bag for trash. The gang feels like they are now unwanted, so they escape the trash bag just in time to sneak into a box of toys that's scheduled to be donated.

They make it to Sunnyside Daycare, where they are initially greeted with open arms by all the other toys. Lotso (Lots-O-Huggin' Bear) is the ring leader of Sunnyside and the gang is thrilled to be there after his tour. Tons of other toys to hang out with, children galore to play with them...it seems like a Pixar dream. But the gang soon learns it's a hard knock life at Sunnyside. What they thought was a fun loving democracy is really a dictatorship run by Lotso and his gang. (Think Libya, but cuddlier). All the while, Woody, has left the house to seek out his friends at Sunnyside. He saw Andy put them in a bag to keep in the attic, and he is out to convince his friends they are still loved, and not trash. Andy makes it into the daycare and with a little help from Chuckles the sad clown, he finds out just exactly what's happening at Sunnyside and begins to devise a plan to get his friends out of Sunnyside and back to Andy's attic.

As I write the details of the plot, I started to think how ridiculous it was for me to be so emotionally vested in some silly Pixar characters. But boy does Pixar know how to pull at the old heartstrings. Toy Story 3 is more than a story about stuffed animals. People come and go in our lives. Some of them will be in your life forever, and some are there only for a second. I've always believed everyone comes in to your life for a reason, and whether or not they stay, and for how long, determines their purpose. It's hard to always keep up with everyone, stay in touch with them all, go to weddings, share the birth of children, be there for good times and bad. Sometime we feel like we've thrown some friendships "in the attic," you know the ones you always want to have around but never pay attention to. I'd encourage you all to go pull a friend out of the attic and say "hi!" to them sometime soon. If not that, then go pull out your old teddy bear (mine's name is Golly Golly) and give it a hug for me, ok? OK!

As far as nominations go, Toy Story 3 for sure deserves to be in the top 10. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't received the best picture nod if we were old schoolin' it and only dishing out five of those nominations. But I'm glad to see it's place on the ballot. I mean, what would have happened if The Town made it over Toy Story 3? It's not going to win, we all know that. But it's up for a few other categories where it's chances are much better (I'll reveal my ballot later today!) so the movie's self-esteem should still be fine. Oh, and that is beat out Shrek the Third's record for the highest grossing first day in North America for an animated film...cashing in at a measly $110, 307,189. Y"all, that's $110 million dollars in one day. If only I'd invented Pixar animation...

I asked my friend Jaret Reddick to review this film with me. Jaret's the lead singer for Bowling for Soup, but we met through improv a few years ago. He's a talented songwriter, improviser, and all around cool guy. He's also done voiceover work for Disney's Phineas and Ferb. I don't get to see him often, as he's a busy man always on the road, but we've continued to keep up with each other. He has a beautiful family and is the father of two precious children, so who better to review Toy Story 3 than Jaret. You can keep up with Bowling For Soup HERE and also Jaret's most recent musical project, People on Vacation. He also likes to be followed (not in that way, y'all) so check out Jaret on Twitter. 

JARET REDDICK'S TWO CENTS:

Seldom does a movie with such hype, especially a freakin PART 3, even come close to being deserving of such hype. This movie, in my opinion, lived up to all of it, and may have actually been better than it was built up to be. Woody and Buzz are perfectly developed characters that never disappoint, and let's face it: when else are we going to see Tom Hanks or Tim Allen actually show signs of personality these days? And BOY HOWDIE is Ken "hunkie!!"
Yes, it is a stretch that an 18 year old kid, on his way out the door to partake in keg stands and streak fests at a fine merican learning institution would still have a toy box full of toys he's had since his 8th Birthday...But what the hell...We all bought in to SHALLOW HAL...right?
I loved everything about this film. The score, the villains (I do wonder what happened to Sid), the touching moments at the end (yes...I teared up)...But most of all, I love the Fisher Price Chatter Phone...(And not just because it is tattooed on my arm.)
Not sure if this one gets my vote for BEST PICTURE, but as a movie lover that saw the original in the theater and got to take my two children to see this one, I was stoked.
Love ya Woody!

The King's Speech: THE KING OF MOVIES FOR 2010!

Y'all, this was my FAVORITE MOVIE of all the Oscar noms this year. And my favorite movie of 2010! I'll be honest, I didn't really know much about the film at all before I walked in to the theater. And please note, I saw this movie 6 weeks after it had been released on Saturday afternoon and the theater was packed, PACKED I tell you!
I love going into a movie not really knowing what to expect. And when it's as great as this film, it makes my day. No, my weekend!

The story takes place as Prince Albert, Duke of York (Colin Firth) is, after a serious of events (the death of his father King George V and the passing of the thrown from his older brother, the Prince of Wales) becomes the King of England. It's revealed early on (at the beginning of the film in one of the most intense scenes of the film) that Albert has a severe speech impediment. His wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), seeks out noted speech pathologist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) to help her husband overcome his fear. Lionel reluctantly accepts the job, but only under his conditions. Lionel begins to work with Albert before he is ever crowned King. The stakes become even higher to produce an eloquent product in the form of a King who can publicly speak with ease after Albert takes over the thrown.

WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT THIS FILM? OK...I'LL TELL YOU.... Like I've stated before (in my review of True Grit) I love me a good character study. Being King of a country must be at tough job (I wouldn't know, but I can imagine). Being King of a country with not only zero speaking skills (we've all seen some less than dynamic political figures pull off a well written speech), but an actual, clinical speech impediment, well it's more than tough. It's damn near impossible. (How good would Nolan Ryan have been without arms, y'all? Yes, arms are to baseball what speaking is to Kingness). Everyone has those moments in life when they know they should be better, or even great at something. But they're not. It's a humbling time, and learning to overcome adversity in an area where you are "expected" to excel can be trying for any human being. Of course, what makes someone better at anything in life is hard work and determination. Prince/King Albert's continued dedication to becoming a better King, in the form of someone who can truly, effectively communicate to his people is an endearing story and a great life lesson. His perseverance reminded me of one of my favorite quotes: "The difference between a goal and an accomplishment is discipline."  We can all learn a little about discipline from Prince/King Albert.

As for the players...well played you guys (and girls). WELL PLAYED (says while giving an honorary standing ovation in front of my computer). Colin Firth, you sweet, sweet man. You are my British George Clooney.  Firth never disappoints me, even when he plays in silly, romantic comedy leads. He's smart, believable, real, and precious. He's a talented actor who really works at his craft to play each role to the best of his, and most people's ability. I will go on record and say that I love him. Geoffrey Rush: who doesn't like this guy? Raise your hand, 'cause I'd like to know. I'm going to unfriend you on Facebook for this! Pirates of the Caribbean, Finding Nemo, Frida, Munich, Shakespeare in Love. Talk about a guy who can land him some Oscar worthy films. Will he take home the statue for  Best Supporting Actor this year? Sadly, I doubt it. My ballot (which I'll reveal tomorrow!) casts Christian Bale as the recipient. It's a tough call, though. (A typical case of the head voting against the heart on this one!)  And Helena Bonham Carter...you may have crazy hair and be a little bit of a weirdo, but who cares. You can act, lady. Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (pattern, anyone?) I don't think she'll get best supporting actress, though this is also a shame. I think Melissa Leo (The Fighter) will get it. But I would love to give this award to Melissa, Helena, and little Hailee Steinfield (True Grit).  But, turns out, I don't have as much pull with The Academy as I thought I did.

I asked my friend Steve Good to review The King's Speech. I wasn't going to ask anyone to review this one alongside me because I knew my review was going to be pretty thorough, to say the least. (If you're still reading this right now, you're agressively nodding your head yes!) Steve is a movie buff and a great writer, so I'm thrilled to have him review this movie. You can follow STEVE ON TWITTER  to read other noteworthy Steveisms.

STEVE GOOD'S TWO CENTS:

The King’s Speech is hands down, the best movie released in 2010.
Boom! There, I said it. I’m sorry, hip Facebook movie. My apologies to
Christopher Nolan’s crazy dream within a dream flick. See ya later
Natalie Portman as an insane ballerina.  This year belongs to the tale
of the stammering King and a quirky linguist.

The King’s Speech (deftly directly by Tom Hooper) tells the story of
King George VI’s (Colin Firth) unlikely rise to the throne of Britain
and LionelLogue (Geoffrey Rush), an unorthodox speech therapist who
helps the King overcome adebilitating vocal stutter to find his voice
and guide his people through the horrors of World War II.

Unlike Black Swan, The Social Network, or Inception, this is not a
movie dripping in flash and style.  This is a movie that relies on its actors and
dialogue to tell a compelling story and this is where The Kings Speech
earns its rightful place upon the 2010 movie throne.
Go ahead and call this movie The Firth’s Speech because that is
exactly what Colin Firth will be delivering come Oscar Night (I’ll
find and eat an Oscar if this does not happen.)  He’s captured almost
every Best Actor award this season for his fantastic portrayal of King
George VI. George VI is a timid and psychologically scarred
self-conscious man who is and trapped inside his own verbal prison.
Firth plays him with such an honesty and passion that the audience
immediately wants to see George VI succeed.  Geoffrey Rush gives an
equally wonderful performance as Lionel Logue.

Unlike Christian Bale’s crazy addict character in The Fighter, Rush
doesn’t have a wild and outrageous character to use to gain the
audience’s attention. Bale is going to win for Best Supporting Actor,
but Rush really deserves his second Oscar for such a beautiful and
understated performance in which he really lets Logue’s compassion
shine.  Logue is simply a man who has seen the best in his King and he
wants to help him express that greatness and Rush perfectly portrays
this aspect.  The entire movie hinges on the relationship between
these two men and both Firth and Rush knock it out of the park (or
pitch if you want to use a more British-friendly Cricket reference
instead). The rest of the cast is filled with equally wonderful
performances (such as Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen and Guy Pearce
as George’s brother King Edward VIII), but movie succeeds as much as
it does based on Firth’s and Rush’s performances.

So, in a nutshell, I really dug this movie.  Now if I could just learn
a convincing British accent...

True Grit: Proof That A Remake IS Better Than The Original

The excitement of seeing True Grit was multiplied times one zillion when I found out True Grit beat out the contender (Little Fockers) for our annual family Christmas Night at the movies. We were a bit worried mom was going to overrule all of us and go for the comedy, but she didn't. And I'm pretty sure she enjoyed it more than anyone.

True Grit is a remake of the 1969 John Wayne western with the same name. It's a little bit edgier, and a lot bit funnier than the original, both inevitable outcomes of a Coen Brothers product. Any time Joel and Ethan have their hands on a project, I'm usually going to like it, or at the least, appreciate it. 

The story follow Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), and LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) as they seek to avenge Mattie's father's death. Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), was Frank Ross' ranch hand who killed him. Mattie "hires" Rooster and, inevitably, LaBoeuf as well, only because Rooster and LaBoeuf decide they have a better chance of hunting down Tom Chaney together. (Note: WHY wouldn't you hire LaBoeuf? It's Matt Damon, y'all!) Calling 14-year old Mattie stubborn is an understatement. She's got the negotiating skills of Lindsay Lohan's attorneys and the cut-throat management style of Donald Trumph. All hidden behind what appears to be a rough, tough, no-nonsense exterior. But we can all tell (we being my parents and my brother on Christmas night) she's just plain terrified. The journey through Arkansas continues for several days and it's during their journey I fell in love with all of the characters. I love me a good character study, and True Grit was top notch. Yes, there is drama (one of the three doesn't make it and one of them is almost bites the dust from a near fatal rattlesnake bite). But more importantly, the unique relationship between the three of them, and more specifically, between Mattie and Rooster, tugged at the old heart strings for me. Sometimes the most unexpected pairings make for some of the best stories. It was smart, heart felt, and made me laugh time and time again.  If you haven't seen this movie, go see it. 

True Grit was robbed at the Golden Globes, but received it's proper nods at the SAGs and from The Academy. Will Jeff Bridges win the Oscar for best picture? Probably not. I hate to say that, because I loved his character so much. It takes a lot of effort to play someone who doesn't really care about much. But The Dude is going up against Colin Firth (The King's Speech) and I'll do 100 jumping jacks blindfolded if Firth doesn't win that award. I'd also like to make sure Hailee Steinfeld's performance doesn't go unnoticed. She plays a super smart, almost too big for her britches, character. The character, Mattie Ross is a mere 14 years old in this movie. When filming for True Grit began, Hailee Steinfeld was only 12 years old. I'm pretty sure I was worrying about what color stretch pants and Sam and Libby ballet flats I was going to wear to the school dance at 12, not performing Academy Award Nominee worthy performances at that age. All I can say is, watch out Tatum O'Neal!

I asked my dear friend and business partner, Clay Barton to review True Grit. After I saw the movie, I knew Clay would really enjoy it, especially Jeff Bridges character (this has nothing to do with the fact he actually looked a lot like Jeff Bridges up until a month ago...see pic to the left...) Clay chooses the movies he watches wisely, so when he said he enjoyed it, I knew he'd be the one to write the review. Follow him HERE ON TWITTER!

CLAY BARTON'S TWO CENTS:

 Pritay good western. True Grit definitely carries one of my favorite characteristics of many westerns. It's the 'this is just a story that once happened' tone. There is no super evil or perfect hero or history altering event, just people. All of which have swung back and forth from good to bad, as most do. And this is a particular time when these characters truest traits are brought out. That's what's appealing about westerns, they are real and relatable (as much as can be expected for those of us living in 2011). The people are people and we get to see a heightened but realistic version of them for a period of time. True Grit does this well. There is one exception, which I can't get over. And that is Mattie Ross (played by Haillee Steinfeld, age 14). To be clear, this is not a criticism of her performance. She did great. It's the character. The movie is set in the late 1800's and I am supposed to believe that Mattie (also 14) is this smart and allowed to be in charge of so much. She is not only allowed by her family but the rest of the public puts up with it and accepts it? C'mon. Now, this is an exceptional character, that is why the story is what it is. It's just hard to listen to her speak and negotiate without my mind going to Dawson's Creek where everyone spoke as no one I knew (or know now) speaks. It just felt so unrealistic that it was hard to ignore. Annoyed, yes, enough to ruin the movie, hell naw. Outside of that....Rooster Cogburn (the best name in the history of names) is probably my favorite movie character in the history of movie characters. (Possible exceptions are David Levinson, Donald Ripley, and Dr. Ian Malcolm.) Jeff Bridges remains one of the best at what he does. Matt Damon as LeBoeuf is very likable and did pretty well for a dude from Boston. Josh Brolin, who seems to be the perfect fit for the 'bad guy' just seemed like he didn't really care to be in the movie. Sucks because you know he is better. I just kept thinking, "c'mon man, COME ON, be a badder bad man." I would add this to my DVD collection (which only houses about 40 movies). Mainly so I can memorize Rooster's lines and try to use them at grocery stores.

The Kids Are Alright: Or Are They?

When I heard the title of this movie, without having heard ANYTHING about the film, the title and my brain put two and two together and I thought this was a horror or suspense film. Wrong, y'all. It's about some lesbians and their sperm donor and some kids. That's what's up with this movie and I have a lot to say about it.

Let's talk plot first, ok? Ok! This story takes place in current, California time. Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) are married lesbians. They've been together for quite some time, and have two children. From the same dad, but of course, different moms. A desperate for cash Paul (Mark Ruffalo) donated his sperm back in the day. And, since we all know what Mark Ruffalo looks like, then of course they chose his DNA to make some babies. Their family seems to appear very solid and normal and affluent. (Sidenote*I loved the decor in this set house so much. Sooo much. I can't find the set designers name anywhere, but if you're reading this Mr./Ms. Set Designer from The Kids Are Alright (and why wouldn't you be reading this) then props to you!)

Trouble starts brewing when Joni (Mia Wasikowska), who is the daughter of Nic,  is persuaded by her younger, half brother Laser (Josh Hutcherson) who is the son of Jules, to seek out their biological father. Joni and Laser meet Paul,  at yet another well decorated, organic restaurant he owns. Things go well. And body language and nods lead us to believe they will probably meet again.  When Nic and Jules get wind of this meeting, they, naturally, freak out. And rightfully so. But they learn it's easier to include cute Mark Ruffalo in some family gatherings and projects, rather than push him away.

This is where I became rather disappointed with the film. I actually watched this movie at home with a few people, and relatively early into the movie, I sent them both an email of my prediction of the ending. I nailed it. To me, this movie was super predictable from the beginning, and the ending left you upset. Not in a suspensful/horror/thriller kinda way, (all the more reason I think this title movie should have been scary), but in a is-that-all-they-are-going-to-leave-us-with? kinda way. In my humble, totally unqualified opinion, this movie was nominated for Best Picture for two reasons only: The cast, and The Academy thought it was better to put this movie in the 10th slot over The Town (let's not get me started on The Town again, y'all.) Annette Bening and Julianne Moore have always been two favorites of mine. Different roles for them, for sure, but whatever. They did a great job. They always do. And, high five to Mark Ruffalo. He always gets stuck playing sorta cute, sorta romantic, sorta pathetic roles in tons of half-baked romantic comedies. So I was thrilled to see him actually act a little this time, and, of course, he's real easy on the eyes.

As far as nominations go, again, I just feel like The Academy has made themselves lazy by creating the 10 Best Picture category last year. And that's how this film ended up in the Best Picture category. Why can't we just ask more of film makers? Why can't there be 5 really good films? All the rest can receive nods in other areas, but when it comes down to it, if your film doesn't have the chops, it doesn't make the cut? (All this comes from someone who has never made a film, I know...) It's worth the rental if you're trying to cross off all the nominations for Best Picture. And if you think Mark Ruffallo is hot. Other than that, you could probably skip on it. Unless of course, your only other option is The Town.

I met Nick Scott in August of 2009 when he started taking classes at the Dallas Comedy House. Since then, we've taught a lot of improv classes together, performed in a lot of shows together, and become great friends. Nick is always very current on film, probably more so than any other form of entertainment (though I would also argue he knows A LOT about Broadway Musicals).  He also just started a new podcast with our friend, Clifton Hall. (Click here to listen to it!) If you'd like to hear what Nick has to say about non-movie stuff, follow him on Twitter!

 NICK SCOTT'S TWO CENTS:

The movie itself, just like the kids in The Kids Are Alright, is just alright.  After watching, I am at a loss as to what makes writer/director Lisa Cholodenko’s movie about two lesbians’ relatively normal family so special.  Sure it’s enjoyable enough, but is it one of the best movies of 2010? No.  Some of the hubub has been centered around the cast, and rightfully so.  They elevate the movie above the average screenplay.

    When I say cast, I mean Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo.  Despite being the titular “kids,” Josh Hutcherson and Mia Wasikowska (More like Mia What’s-deal-with-my-crazy-last-name, am I right guys?) aren’t given much to do.  Annette Bening is very good as the uptight, control freak mother and leader of the family.  Benning is very good at playing uptight control freaks (see: American Beauty), but the difference here is that she plays it with warmth rather than with coldness.  I also have to give credit to Mark Ruffalo, who makes his organic restaurant owning sperm donor so likeable that even after he literally and figuratively screws the family up, you still want things to work out for him.
    In the end I think that a lot of the support for this movie is political, due to the fact it features a same sex marriage led family that really isn’t any different than most different sex marriage led families (That’s right middle America, they’re just like you!).  In fact, the idea that the family’s situation is any kind of controversial is completely absent from the movie.  Because of this, the focus is on the marital problems of two people, rather than two lesbian people.
    All of this is shot California bright and sunny, with plenty of vegetables, giving the viewer the sense that even though the family is having problems, it’s okay, because everything is organic and they drive a Prius!

Winter's Bone: YIKES!

So Winter's Bone was one of the last movies of the 10 noms this year I had to tackle. And I was kind of putting it off because I heard mixed reviews from several different people. My friend, Landon Kirksey, watched it one night before I did. And what I heard rolling through my head was Landon's description of the movie: "It's a movie where nothing really happens until it does. And when it does, you're like WHOA!" (more genius tidbits from Landon later in this review).

 Based on a 2006 novel by Danielle Woodrell, it follows the story of some backwoodsy folks from the Ozarks. Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence), is 17 and totally in charge of everything. Her mom is mentally ill, her father is a drug dealing "meth man" that no one can seem to track down. In fact, it's rumored by many (including Ree's uncle Teardrop) that Ree's dad is probably dead. In order to be able to hold on to the family house and land that Ree's dad put up as collateral when he was last arrested, she has to prove her father is no longer living. So...this is that scene Landon describes as WHOA! I'm about to use a word here I don't even like to use...OMG! I didn't know who Jennifer Lawrence was before this movie. Now I think she is an amazing actor. You wanna know why? I could never do what she did in this movie, let alone in real life. I fully respect her Oscar nod for best actress (even though I still think Portman should get the statue).

Is Winter's Bone Oscar worthy? Ahhh..on the fence. But since The Academy thinks it's cool to have almost a baker's dozen worth of nominees for Best Picture, then I'm okay with it. Certainly over some movies that movie snobs are saying were "snubbed" this year (i.e. The Town...come on, y'all? Really? The Town?) I'm happy to see the movie received a nom. If I were a cast member in that movie, I'd be thanking Jennifer Lawrence right now, because she's the reason this movie received so much attention.

Landon Kirksey is a great friend of mine. He's a "known Dallas comic" and it's been rumored* that people in other cities know who he is. He performs stand up comedy and improv comedy around DFW, and he also has a groovy podcast with another friend of ours, Shane Estep. Next time you see him, call him Lipton...he likes that a lot! You can read more about Landon HERE!


 LANDON KIRKSEY'S TWO CENTS: 
Winter’s Bone arrived for me under unfair conditions.  I rented it on Apple TV and for whatever reason, it took over 6 hours to buffer.  I’m still not sure why, as it’s the only movie that hasn’t started right away, but whatever the cause it meant that I was already somewhat flummoxed before the start of the film.  

I only mention it because the plot of Winter’s Bone itself can be a bit of Gordian knot.  It throws you into a fascinating world with it’s own complicated history and politics.  I usually love that stuff, but here I felt like there were bits of information that were being withheld as a service to the authenticity of the world and to focus the story of Ree trying to find her father.  Ultimately it serves it well and the build to the climactic scene is very well done, but through it all I find myself more interested in the bad guys and the real world stuff on which this is based.  I spoke to a friend of mine about it and he had a good point in saying, and I’m paraphrasing him, that the authenticity interfered with his dramatic interest in the film.  The underground world of producing and selling drugs in the Ozarks, and all of the characters that are introduced or hinted at in the process is just fundamentally more interesting to me than the story told here.  Which is not to say that the story is bad, because it’s really great.  And maybe the reason I’m interested is directly related to how little we know about them over the course of the film.  Or maybe it’s my obsession with any and all true crime docs.  

As a cathartic piece of art, Winter’s Bone excels.  I guess I’d just be more satisfied somehow with The First 48: Ozarks. 

Black Swan: Why I'm Glad I'm Not a Ballerina

Whoo! Black Swan, y'all! Raise your hand if you saw this movie?!? Raise your hand if you're glad you'll never have to put on toe shoes to make a little scratch?!? I'm a dancer at heart, so I was really excited to see this movie. REALLY EXCITED. Before the movie, several friends had told me this was "disturbing." So, I ventured out to a Friday noon showing of this Oscar nom film. The thrifty part of my brain smuggled a sandwich and Cheetos into the theater. The guilty, I've never-been-a-great-liar part of my brain felt obligated to buy a drink. Since bottled water and Miller Lite ARE THE SAME PRICE at The Magnolia Theater, I opted for some beer to get me through Darren Aronofsky's production.

Black Swan tells the tale of Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) who is a near perfect ballerina. Which is all the more reason director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassell) is reluctant to cast her to play both the white and black swan for the New York City Ballet's contemporary version of such a traditional performance. But with some persuasion, Nina convinces the director to cast her. But Nina has some serious baggage, y'all. The white and black swan parallel Nina's inner struggles with her alter ego. Her relationship with the new girl to the company, Lily (Mila Kunis) is well, interesting, to say the least.  Dancing, drama, sex, betrayal. What doesn't this movie have? And if you've ever dabbled in any other Aronofsky productions, (Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler) then you know a pure, clean, linear interpretation is far from what the director sees as an end product. Was this movie disturbing? Yes. Will I see this movie again? Probably not. Does this movie deserve the Oscar nom? YES. And so does Natalie Portman. That Best Actress category is chock full of some great lady talent, but I'll be shocked if she doesn't sweep this category. She was amazing.

I asked my friend Ross Taylor to chime in on Black Swan because he always has a good, sound opinion of film. Ross and his wife Sally are dear friends of mine and we always enjoy dishing on anything related to the visual and performing arts.  Sally is a well-respected, Dallas-based artist. You can see more of Sally's works on her website, or better yet, stop by her gallery located in Snider Plaza:

Sally Taylor Paintings
6606 Snider Plaza
Dallas, TX
info@sallytaylorpaintings.com

ROSS TAYLOR'S TWO CENTS...

I’m getting a bit annoyed with everybody (my wife included) complaining about Black Swan being “too dark”. I understand the sentiment. It’s a dark movie. But I hate that distinction. Sure, you probably need to know what you’re getting yourself into but if you avoid this movie just because you wish it was “Center Stage” then – well, then you probably just need to stick to movies like “Center Stage,” where ballerinas so realistically dance to “The Way you Make me Feel”.

So, it’s dark. Just like (it turns out) the ballet “Swan Lake”; which, aside from being the production at the center of this movie, also lends the movie its plot. And yes, as goes the ballet, so goes the movie. If we could all please just get on the same page about the damned darkness of the movie and critique it based on that instead of judging it for that, I think we’d all be much better off.

Like the ballet, the movie sucks you in from minute one. The hyper-realistic, invasively close-up camera work pairs perfectly with the similarly raw art direction that serves as the backdrop for every scene. As this movie is just as much an invitation into the world of professional ballet, you as the viewer truly feel immersed in that world, whether you like it or not. It’s not quite what you would expect and the director, Darren Aronofsky, unflinchingly pulls back the curtain as the moviegoer gets plunged into the backstage life of this truly performance-based universe.

At the center we find Nina Sayers, brought to life exquisitely by Natalie Portman. Sayers has essentially staked everything in her life on succeeding as a ballerina, on being the lead in Swan Lake. Portman perfectly portrays the push and pull evident in this character as she boldly and recklessly goes for what she wants while at the same time is constantly reminded (as the viewer is) that she is stuck with the emotional capacity (and body) of an adolescent girl. Completely smothered by her mother, painfully eager for attention and approval from her director, and unable to form relationships of any substance with her ballerina friends, Sayers is a prime target for the type of mindtrip that being the lead at her company seems to cause.

Portman is surrounded by other great performances throughout the movie as her story starts to echo Swan Lake more and more terrifyingly. Mila Kunis kicks up her acting game to square off with Portman as her darker alter-ego. Winona Ryder, while limited in screen time, manages to convey perfectly the route that Sayers’ new career path will likely take.

For such a “dark” movie, I found myself sitting back and enjoying what Aronofsky would do next and watching Portman navigate the ins and outs of her characters delusions as they crescendo towards what can only be described as a flawless finish. Bravo.

And the Oscar is Going To...

Well, well. I think the Academy nailed it this year. Since last year when they decided to add 5 more movies to the best picture category, I have huffed and puffed that they are forcing films into a category that don't really deserve it. But, after having seen 9 of the 10 films nominated, I am happy with all of them. All of them. I guess after this year's movies, I would rather struggle to make my decision than be upset that some truly great films didn't make the cut.

I'm excited to see True Grit had a good showing after pretty much being snubbed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at the Golden Globes. Even more excited to see little Hailee Steinfield (only 14 years old...12 when they filmed the movie) receive the nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Also another favorite of mine this year, The King's Speech. Truly remarkable. I saw this movie on a Saturday afternoon 6 weeks after it had been released and the theater was jam packed. And rightfully so. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are my new favorite duo. Natalie Portman also earned a well deserved nomination for Black Swan. While the movie was disturbing to say the least (I drank during this movie), her performance was truly amazing. 

Over the next few weeks, I'll be taking a break from the normal sequential movie review of past Oscar winners to focus on all 10 films for Best Picture. I'll even have a few noteworthy people chime in on their thoughts for this year's pics, make my own predictions for the random pairing of hosts that is Anne Hathaway and James Franco, and allow you all to vote on who will be the the best and worst dressed at the ceremony.  Make sure to check back to read reviews and find out where these movies fall on my totally flawed scoring system for predicting Best Picture.

The nominees this year for Best Picture are...
Black Swan
The Fighter
The Kids Are Alright
The Kings Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

For a complete list of all the nominations for this year, CLICK HERE!

Cimarron: An Actual Western

Okay, y'all. Without any preconceived notions, I thought Cimarron might be like Moulin Rouge. Wishful thinking, I know. But it was my first knee jerk reaction. Turns out, it's the first Western to win the Oscar for Best Picture. And I like Bonanza and Tombstone, so I knew I could make it through this one.

 Some noteable notes about the flick:

1. Budget: $1.5 million (equivalent of $20,119,472.05 today)
2. 5,000 extras, 28 camerman, & dozens of extras were used
3. First movie to be nominated for 6 Academy Awards
4. Name of the male lead: Richard Dix. (yep, this is funny to me)
5. The poster tagline is my new motto: Terrific As All Creation


Cimarron is based on the 1929 novel by Edna Ferber. (Ferber also penned the novel Showboat, another Blockbuster in later years). It's a combined story of two of the most prominent Oklahoma Land Runs (or rushes, as some historians would call it). One of them in 1889 and one in 1893. Why this many people would spend so many years rushing to a place that would later be overpopulated with Dairy Queens is still baffling to me...but I digress. It follows Yancey and Sabra Cravet (I know what you're thinking...Yancey's the guy, Sabra's the girl) as they "rush" with everyone and their dog to claim stake on prime Indian territory.

Honestly, the history of the Oklahoma Land Runs is a little boring to me. But the movie wasn't. According to some more well known movie reviewers, there's a lot of controversy about the topic of racism and how it was handled in this film. I don't like to read other reviews of these movies until after I have published my own, simply for the fact I don't want to be jaded or persuaded in my own thoughts on these flicks. Within the first few minutes of the film, I had to say to myself, "Amanda, put on your 1931 point-of-view hat, not your 2011 point-of-view hat.* (Note the 1931 hat has come full circle and is now InStyle again!) It's really sad to say, but racism was more widely accepted, or should I say, practiced in 1931. While I was watching this movie with my present-day, 2011, anti-racism brain and hat intact, I was offended and saddened on more than one occasion. But then I discretely took my 2011 hat off, placed it out of my dog's reach, and put my "1931-I'm-not-totally-sure-racism-is-bad-or-not-in-this-day-and-age hat" and I began to see a unique, and very realistic portrayal of how divided we were as a nation, when all the while we were claiming to be "One Nation Under God." It's just unfair how we treated people so differently who were/are really the same as us. But director Wesley Ruggles did a fine job of showing us what was really happening over 110 years ago.

Sometimes when we go see or rent a film, it's because we want to escape to a fantasy land that doesn't exist. Sometimes, we want to see realism. Cimarron is far from a fantasy. But the realistic portrayal of the fight for ownership of prime land (interesting, we still use Location, Location, Location when it comes to describing prime real estate) and how it effects people for the rest of their lives, was real. For real, y'all, it was. Impressive cinematography, amazingly believable depiction of Oklahoma in the late 1800's (that set obviously cost more than the cast) and some above average acting make this film worth watching.

3 out of 5 Stars

All Quiet On The Western Front: A Timeless War Story

Okay, so this was movie #3 on the list. And the first of the 82 movies I have heard of. Before the big viewing day, here's what I knew about All Quiet On The Western Front:

1. It is a movie.
2. It received the Oscar for Best Picture.
3. It is also a book.
4. Netflix sent this to me within 1 hour of adding it to my queue.

That's it. You can call me naive, but I truly thought this was a Western Movie. (If you thought so too, then good for you for using context clues!) Turns out, it's ANOTHER war movie, y'all! But, unlike Wings, they got to talk and make noises and stuff, so it was a totally different take on war. 

The story takes place during World War I. It follows Paul Baumer and a slew of other German soldiers throughout the war. It's not a heroic story. It's not a love story. It's about as true of a story that anyone during this era had ever seen regarding "war life." Rarely does this movie tell us where the soldiers are, the name of the battle, or the commanding officer in charge.  What we do see is the struggle a soldier faces when he is at war. That's what makes this movie timeless. The German novel, Im Westen Nichts Neues, (translated to All Quiet On The Western Front) was banned from Nazi Germany, as well as it's sequel, The Road Back. They also said nix to the movie version as well. Crazy...the Germans didn't want us to know what war was really like...silly Germans.

As far as war movies go, this one was pretty graphic. Especially since it was filmed in 1930. I'm not talking arm removal scene from 127 Hours, but there were some bloody scenes throughout the film. There was a scene where Paul shoots down a French soldier and has to deal with him dying right before his eyes. I have never been to war. I have only seen movies, read news stories, and listen to veterans tell the tales of war. But watching this scene made me realize that no matter who you are fighting for, and who you are fighting against, being at war, (or rather, in the war,) is life changing. I have so much respect for all those who have ever served, currently serve, and will serve our nation. Killing another man, regardless of what team he is fighting for, is something you will ever forget.

The Hurt Locker won the Oscar for Best Picture last year. It's also a story of war. An all too relevant story. But when it comes time for me to review that movie (we're looking at around the last week of December for that one, folks)...I think I'll watch this movie again and compare them. Why? Because All Quiet On The Western Front is truly a timeless story of war. War is war. No matter where. So big props to to Lewis Milestone and the rest of his crew for making this movie when movies like this weren't supposed to be made.

*It has been rumored that All Quiet On the Western Front will soon be remade. Daniel Radcliffe is slated to play Paul Baumer, and the movie is supposed to be released in 2012 (Good for you, Harry Potter!)

4 out of 5 Stars

Broadway Melody: A Broadway Letdown

Netflix had this movie! NETFLIX HAD THIS MOVIE! I didn't have to buy a $30 VHS version of this movie. Better yet, here's the swell description on the cover of the Netflix sleeve:

You'll be tappin' your toes to this early talkie musical (the first musical to win the Best Picture Oscar) that's filled with great tunes by the songwriting team of Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown.

So here's how it all went down. Harriett (they call her Hank) and Queenie Mahoney are trying to make it as a vaudeville act. (Sound reminiscent of a true Oscar winner, Chicago???) They aren't as cute as everyone on Broadway, that's for sure. So they have to work extra hard. Their friend, Eddie Kerns decides to help them out. Eddie, previously in love with Hank (the older sister), is confused about his new found infatuation with Queenie, the younger, more beautiful (and blonde) sister. They continually "sneak" kisses, etc. when Hank isn't around. Which would be somewhat charming and heartbreaking at the same time, except for the fact that Queenie and Hank are constantly kissing in a way that no siblings should ever kiss. Not even Angelina and her nameless brother Jolie. Gross.

I am not a professional tap dancer, but I'm pretty decent at the lost art. So you can imagine how excited I was to watch this movie. Also, you can imagine I would expect perfection from the musical numbers since this was a time when musicals were par for the course in the film industry. Not the case. The acting was mediocre. I guess it was good for the time period, but it was too theatrical for the sake of being theatrical. I don't mind dramatic. But the acting was so forced I couldn't (and didn't really want to) believe them. I just wanted to throw a dog bone at the TV. (Don't worry, I threw a stuffed snowman doll instead). With the exception of one a cappella tap number, the remaining dances were something I could have done in the 6th grade. What it lacked in plot and character development, it made up for in production value. Technically speaking, this movie was not a bad production. The camera was steady, the editing was succinct, and the costumes were beautiful. 


What did we learn from Broadway Melody:
1. Blondes always get more attention. Ergo, looks do matter.
2. Real sisters shouldn't treat each other like lovers.
3. Doing anything half-ass (in this case a vaudeville routine) gets you nowhere in life.
5. The lines of control top pantyhose should never be visible. At any time.
6. Sequins and pearls are always lovely.


UGH. I think I'm gonna apply for a movie summarizer position at Netflix, because I am confident they are outsourcing the movie summarizer position to someone 12 hours ahead of us. As in the aforementioned description, my toes were hardly tapping. And an episode of Glee has more numbers in it than this proclaimed musical.  
Broadway Melody, you were a let down.

2 Out of 5 Stars

Wings: A Year of Firsts

Wings. The first film to win Best Picture. The fact is, it didn't actually win Best Picture. At least it didn't in 1927. It wasn't until the 2nd Annual Academy Awards did Wings actually receive the title of Best Picture. I guess the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science were still trying to get their act together in year one, so the official title of Best Picture for Wings was really given out retroactively. It's all in the details, y'all.

But really, this was a year of firsts. Notable "firsts" for the movie:
1. First film to receive the Academy Award for Best Picture
2. First (and only) silent film to receive the Academy Award for Best Picture
3. First film to show male and female nudity
4. First film with a guy on guy kiss (and we all thought Brokeback Mountain was a big deal)

I must say, I was guilty of huffing and puffing to a few movie buff friends about this movie, for a few reasons.
1. It cost me $30 to buy this movie. I now, for now other reason than I am committed to finish what I start, own a VHS of a silent film. Special thanks to my friends at Amazon.
2. It's a silent film. (no need for explanation)

It wasn't until I finished the film did I realize how good this film really was. It's a love and war story. And a good one at that.  Mary Preston (played by the talented Clara Bow) is in love with her best friend Jack Powell (Charles 'Buddy' Rogers).  But Jack is in love with Sylvia (the swanky lady from "the city.") And so is David Armstrong (Richard Arlen).  David knows that Sylvia loves him, not Jack. David and Jack go off to war and inevitably, as it would play out in any other movie, they become best friends. Mary continues to chase after Jack. She even enlists in the service as an ambulance driver to get closer to Jack. (Some may call this stalking, I just think Mary was keeping a close watch on Jack!) Jack and David finally have their chance in the air as "real pilots." Then Jack shoots down David's plane. Clearly, a mistake. And Jack feels pretty bad about. The war ends, and people get together. This is where I'll stop with the narrative summary, as I don't want to spoil it for those of you who would like to borrow my VHS copy of this film.

In 1927, this movie cost $2,000,000.
According to my handy inflation website, that's the equivalent of
$24,401,016.95 in 2010. That's a lot of dang money, y'all. But money well spent. The cinematography was far above average. The special effects (there's a lot...it's a war movie, remember!) were great. Honestly, I never once thought to myself "this is good for 1927." I only thought, "this is good."

So there. A love story. A war story. A lot of showing. A lot less telling. As an improv teacher, it was great to watch. Sometimes improvisers fall into the "talking heads" syndrome, and watching this silent film might help me help some of those folks (including myself) who are big fans of the spoken word on stage.  I think this movie was way ahead of it's time as far as plot, character development, special effects, and overall entertainment value. It just took me finishing the movie to realize it.

Rating:

3 out of 5 Stars

Meet My Boyfriend Oscar!

I've have a new boyfriend for the year 2011. His name is Oscar. I thought I new a lot about him, but turns out, I don't. He's much older than me (he'll be 83 on February 27th), so he's been around the block. Over the past 82 years, he's made a lot of decisions that have affected people's lives.  Some decisions were easy. Some decisions were hard. And some were just plain wrong. In fact, Hollywood's biggest stars get all gussied up every year to hear what he has to say. (Can you blame them? I mean check out those pecks...not bad for an octogenarian!) Nonetheless, I, along with millions of other Oscar fans, continue to support him and the industry he has faithfully been apart of for 82 years. I hope you'll follow my journey with Oscar this year as I spend countless hours getting to know my new beau! (Special thanks to my friend Collin Dahlgren for creating such a beautiful logo for my blog. He's your man for all things graphic design!)