Finally brought myself to go see Avatar. I was not a big Titanic fan, so I needed some convincing. I mean James Cameron did give us TheTerminator so he can’t be all bad.
Avatar was pretty , it really was worth seeing in 3D, but the story was less desirable. I loved watching the forest glow and the animated characters were so lifelike. When I saw Polar Express and Beowulf the eyes on the characters looked really dead, but the animation in Avatar looked like the characters were alive and had a pulse.
I was distracted at times because Sam Worthington’s Australian accent kept coming out of his American character’s mouth. This made me giggle but totally took me out of the world of the movie. Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver both delivered great performances, however.
I think this movie is great movie to watch in the theater, once it’s out on DVD I think a lot will be lost watching it on a smaller T.V. screen. I think in all fairness, if this movie didn’t look the way it does, many people wouldn’t give this movie a second glance.
I think I may have figured it out, James Cameron is a wizard and we are all under his spell.
Check out some other thoughts from some of my gals from the Filmgirl Force:
Twin Peaks was only on the air for two seasons, but it is by far one of the best shows to ever grace the small screen.
I knew very little about this series going into it, all I knew is that David Lynch co-created it with Mark Frost. I am a HUGE David Lynch fan, so I was excited to say the very least.
The series is about a small town in upstate Washington called Twin Peaks. Just like a lot of small towns in David Lynch stories, this small town is far from quiet and peaceful. Twins Peaks has quite the seedy underbelly: Drug trafficking, prostitution, murder, adultery–You know, just your average small town life.
The pilot episode is by far the best episode of the entire series. When we first arrive in Twin Peaks, we find out that a girl named Laura Palmer has been raped and murdered, wrapped in plastic and dumped in the lake. When she is discovered, special agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) of the FBI has been brought into help the local sheriff, Harry S. Truman (yes that’s his real name), with the case. Of all of the creative choices David Lynch made in this series, the casting of Kyle MacLachlan is the decision that I support the most. My heart melts whenever he is on screen, which is a lot. Hottie alert!
But back to Laura Palmer, her mysterious death has caused quite an upset in the town. Such an upset that almost everyone reacts the same way when they find out she is dead. Hmmm, it’s a little hard to explain. Let me show you.
Gotta love David Lynch.
Once you get into Twin Peaks you’ll be hooked forever. You’ll become a regular Twin Peaks junkie. I know I am. You will do anything to find out what really happened to Laura Palmer, you’ll fall in love with all of the characters (Even David Lynch makes an appearance, greatest cameo ever!), and after you watch all of the episodes you can–you’ll be begging for more.
That is why I am so glad that David Lynch didn’t stop at the series. He made a prequel movie called Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. It’s great for Sheryl Lee, who played Laura Palmer, because she was kind of dead the entire series. Not a whole lot of acting room for her there. But in Fire Walk With Me, we get to see Laura Palmer live her last seven days on this earth before she dies. What a wild child! I thought I sort of got an idea of what she was like through Twin Peaks the series, but I had no idea at all.
Sheryl Lee was great! I just wish that they hadn’t cast someone else in the place of Lara Flynn Boyle’s character, Donna. I guess Lara was signed onto another project at the time, but she was certainly missed. Don’t expect me not to notice that Lara Flynn Boyle turned into that chick from The Cutting Edge. Other than that, it was great.
Though part of me wishes that this series had been on for longer, it’s probably good that it ended in it’s prime. Some T.V. series go on for too long, to the point where you want to gouge your own eyes out because the show you once loved has turned into something that you are embarrassed to tell your friends that you watch.
The series finale of this show might make you gasp out loud. I know I did. That last plot twist hit me like a wet fish slapped across my face. Oww!
If this show sounds too dark for you, don’t worry, there is a lot of comedic relief. A lot of moments like this:
In Twin Peaks, they sure love their coffee! And I love me some Twin Peaks. Thank you, David Lynch, you’ve done it again!
I didn’t have a whole lot of expectations going into this movie, I figured I was in good hands though considering that Jason Reitman gave us both Juno and Thank You For Smoking, two excellent movies.
This movie was well written, witty, and at times almost uncomfortably truthful.
This movie was really about the characters, and how they evolved.
George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham who fires people for a living, all over the country, so he pretty much lives on an airplane. I would love to have a job like that, I mean, a job that allows you to travel–firing people all the time would be horrible.
Because he lives out of a suitcase, Bingham is kind of a loner whose relationships are usually on a casual basis. He never intends to settle down. The fewer attachments he has to things, the better.
My favorite character (besides Zach Galifianakis’s cameo, I love that guy) was Natalie. She is new at the firing firm that Ryan Bingham also works for. She is young and full of ideas, and so she suggests that instead of firing people in person, that they do it through teleconferencing. This is a good idea in theory, but because she has never been in the field, she doesn’t realize that this is a bad idea. I loved her spunk, she believed that if she went to college, graduated at the head of her class, and got a good job that she would eventually find the man of her dreams and settle down. She even knows how many kids she is going to have. Things don’t exactly turn out the way she planned. In fact almost nothing goes the way she thought it would. Sometimes when you follow all the rules, the Universe smacks you in the face with different plans. Told you this movie was painfully honest.
Natalie is almost the polar opposite of Ryan Bingham, and I loved seeing the two characters interact. They both needed a little bit of what the other was serving up.
This movie was so thought provoking that I wasn’t even sure if I liked it or not. Don’t get me wrong I no problem with intelligent films, or thinking for that matter I just think the best movies are the ones you have to mull over for a couple of days. The verdict is finally in, and I loved it. It is probably one of the best films I’ve seen all year. This movie was so relevant, people all over the country are losing their jobs and this movie really captured the emotions you go through when something like that happens. Working in film production like I do, there are times when you are out of work—you know, between episodes and what not— so this film hit home for me. Not knowing what is going to happen after you finished up a job, wondering when you’ll find one again. It’s tough.
The subject matter of this movie sounds grim, but it was uplifting in some ways and hilariously funny at others. This movie takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions, like all good films should.
Want to hear more about what people are saying about Up in the Air? Take a trip over to Reel Artsy to hear what my fellow filmgirl force member, Karen, has to say about it.
Still not enough? Film Gurl of the filmgirl force has a lot to say too.
I have always been a die hard Sherlock Holmes fan, my all time favorite of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s tales was The Adventure of the Speckled Band.So I was excited to see that a movie was being made about one of the greatest characters in history, but I was also a little skeptical. These books were hardly packed full of the type of action that Guy Ritchie threw in to the mix, but surprisingly it worked.
Robert Downey Jr. was excellent, Jude Law was surprisingly a great Watson. (I mean come on, Jude Law is not the first name that comes to mind when you mention the name Dr. John Watson) Rachel McAdams was alright. I wasn’t floored by her performance, but she did well enough. I give her one thing though, she really kicked some British boo-tay that’s for sure.
The plot was fun and quick paced, I was never bored or wondering when the movie was going to be over, because that is always a bad sign. The ending totally set up a sequel, and since this movie isn’t doing too badly at the box office I think it’s safe to say that we haven’t seen all of the Sherlock Holmes film franchise. It looks like in the next film Sherlock will be facing off with his greatest nemesis of all–Professor Moriarty. So excited for that.
So I guess the world is going to end in 2012 according to the Mayans. But don’t worry, if you have a life jacket, you may just survive.
I decided to see 2012 not because of the preview because judging by that it looked like just your average end of the world movie.
I decided to see it because of this man.
John Cusack stole my heart in Say Anything and he has been conning me into seeing his movies for years. Maybe he is the same in every movie, but maybe I just love John Cusack.
Another reason I love to see disaster movies, is because they are campy, and ridiculous. You remember Armageddon.
The plot of this movie is pretty simple. The Mayans predicted that the world would end in 2012, and it does. They show a lot of scientific diagrams in this movie showing the earth’s crust deteriorating, and complete chaos in the earth’s crust.
What I found strange though is that all this craziness that was happening in the center of the earth didn’t destroy the planet. I know, weird, right? It just turned into a planet full of water.
Now I like Sci-Fi, and I was really hoping that the center of the earth would just turn into a giant black hole and suck all of mankind into another dimension. Now that is a movie I would pay to go see.
In this movie the whole earth just sort of gets kinda soggy. A little like this movie’s plot. The earth just floods and some people (I stress some because most of the earth is just taken out by a giant tidal wave) find shelter on giant arks that the Chinese built because I guess they listened to the Mayans. And Noah.
Of course there is a love story, because the world can’t end without someone realizing that the best years of their life was spent with that old college sweetheart. This love story is a love triangle that is conveniently resolved when one of the characters dies. Jackson and Kate Curtis (John Cusack and Amanda Peet) struggle to keep their family together and somehow find safety while Kate’s new boyfriend Curtis tags along.
Okay so this movie wasn’t the greatest, but I do enjoy watching a lot of explosions, and this movie was full of them. I also felt like I was going to explode by the end of the movie because I made the mistake of buying a large Coke to watch it with. This is always my downfall. I was hoping the Butterfinger and popcorn I had bought would absorb most of the liquid but no dice.
This movie actually comforted me, people always make the end of the world sound so bad, but this movie made it seem manageable. People who climb to the top of Mount Everest are really the safest, the mountain was the only thing not completely submerged in water by the end. Yeah, it’s really that tall.
I went into this movie knowing what to expect so I enjoyed it. Sometimes there is nothing like a good disaster movie to lift your spirits.
I wouldn’t call myself a trekkie, but I have always been a fan of Star Trek. I loved the original series, I have seen most of the movies, and I watched a lot of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It really ends there though, any Star Trek series after TNG just didn’t blow my skirt up a whole lot.
I saw the new movie that is about to come out on DVD Star Trek (Three-Disc +Digital Copy) [Blu-ray] (I am nearly wetting myself, I am so excited) and I absolutely love it! I went to the midnight showing, that is some serious stuff.
This past weekend I checked out a new Star Trek exhibit that just opened down the street from me in Hollywood. I was sort of hoping that it was the old Star Trek exhibit from the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas. No such luck, but it was awesome anyway. Did I mention they sold toy tribbles as souvenirs? Let me just vent for a moment. I still can’t believe they closed down that exhibit in Las Vegas. It’s not like they put anything else in it’s place, and now the only place that Trekkies can gather is at a convention. They even had a Star Trek ride in there, it was like Star Tours in Disneyland, but with Captain Picard.
I’m just glad they opened the exhibit that I went to on Sunday, it was full of Costumes from the show and the new movie. You could even sit on the U.S.S. Enterprise (well the set at least) from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Here I am with Spock, that’s Mr. Spock by the way, not Dr. Spock. Dr. Spock is that famous child psychologist. Common misconception. Spock is one of my favorite Star Trek characters, he and Scotty are pretty much tied.
Me and James Tiberius Kirk. He’s just so pretty.
Me and my boyfriend lovin’ on the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Is that an uncharted planet? Let’s explore!
It was a pretty amazing trip, I just truly appreciate the entire Star Trek universe. Maybe there is a little bit of trekkie in me after all.
It’s nearing Halloween, so I think it’s only appropriate that we celebrate the true meaning of this holiday. Candy.
The movie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, came out in the seventies but I haven’ t met many people who haven’ t seen it. It’s kind of a childhood staple.
Of course my favorite scene in the movie is the room where everything is edible. I think this is an essential room in any house. I still think they should make gummy bears that big, it’s a snack and a friend.
I’ve noticed some things after watching this movie. No matter how many chocolate bars I open, I always secretly hope that a golden ticket is waiting inside. I know Veruca was a brat, but I kinda wanted one of those geese that laid the golden eggs too. Every time I see wallpaper with any sort of fruit on it, I wonder if I went up and licked it if it would taste like a snozzberry. ”Cheer up ,Charlie” was a really annoying song and I am glad it wasn’t included in Tim Burton’s version of this movie, although I strongly prefer the original in all other cases. I’ve heard a lot of people say that the remake was truer to the book, well guess what? Roald Dahl (he’s the guy that wrote the book) wrote the screenplay for the 1971 version. How’s that for true to the book? My only other beef with the 1971 version is this: why wasn’t Sammy Davis Jr. the candy man? You’re right, there is no good reason. Makes me sick. Having Sammy Davis Jr. in this movie would’ve completely made up for how terrible “Cheer Up, Charlie” is. I wish I had friends who were oompa loompas, because then they could narrate (in song) everything I did during the day. The other thing missing from the Tim Burton remake of this film is the creepy boat ride sequence. Willy Wonka takes all of the kids he invites into his factory on what appears to be a normal boat ride. But this boat ride is like a bad acid trip, and Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) begins singing the creepiest song you’ve ever heard, almost as if possessed by some candy loving devil. “Is it raining? Is it snowing? Is a hurricane a blowin’?”
I love this movie so much, and I’m ecstatic every time it comes on T.V. You will probably never have to buy this movie or The Wizard of Oz because they are always on T.V. without fail. I always think I’ll get sick of this movie but I never get tired of seeing Augustus get stuck in that chocolate chute, or watching Charlie and Grandpa Joe drink fizzy lifting drinks and float, or hearing the words “Violet, you’re turning violet, Violet!”
Warning! This movie is only to be watched while consuming mass amounts of junk food, it’s impossible to get through otherwise.
When I was in elementary school I was extremely bored. So bored that I would give each of my crayons a distinct voice and name, and every day I would act out little crayon soap operas on top of my desk. This almost cured my boredom.
An even better cure for childhood boredom is returning home from a dull day at school to find a tollbooth sitting in your bedroom. This is what happens to Milo in The Phantom Tollbooth. Milo is a very bored little boy, only he is not just bored in school, but everywhere.
He drives his electric toy car through the tollbooth, and finds a different world. He finds himself on a mission to save the princesses named Rhyme and Reason of the strange land he has found (I know what you’re thinking, they probably got teased a lot when they were younger with those names). Rhyme and Reason were banished by the two rulers of the land, which is split in half. One ruler named King Azaz rules Dictionopolis, a land that only values words. The other ruler, the Mathemagician, rules Digitopolis and he only cares about numbers. Of course they hate each other, because they are brothers and because they like different things. They fight and fight over which is better, letters or numbers, and finally they force Rhyme and Reason to decide. Rhyme and Reason rule that they are equally important. Well the two rulers don’t like this answer at all, so they banish the two princesses to the castle in the air. The only problem is, now they are left with a land without rhyme or reason. Sucks, I know. So they ask Milo to get the two princesses back. Of course the castle in the air is hard to get to. The name says it all. It’s also guarded by a bunch of jerks, but still Milo takes on this quest.
The Phantom Tollbooth is a book by Norton Juster but it is also a movie directed by Chuck Jones, who directed a lot of Bugs Bunny cartoons. In the movie, it is live action at the beginning, but once Milo drives through the tollbooth the movie is a completely animated cartoon world. The live-action Milo is none other than Butch Patrick. He then voices the cartoon version of Milo inside the world of the tollbooth. Butch Patrick played Eddie Munster on the TV show The Munsters, and it was a little strange to see him without his monster-boy make-up on. Butch Patrick played Milo a little pissy, he looked really upset all the time before he went into the world of the tollbooth, maybe that was his interpretation of being bored- I dunno, but he looked ticked-off.
Speaking of ticked. One of my favorite characters in the movie, and in the book, was Tock the dog. Tock is very concerned about time, and how valuable it is. He doesn’t mean to be gruff, but that’s what people expect from a watchdog. Oh yeah, if you can’t handle a few bad puns, you should probably steer clear of this story. Oh common, get over it, you’ll live, there’s only a few. It’s worth it I promise.
I liked the movie and the book, there were differences, but I’m okay with that. Movies are not books, books are not movies. We can enjoy both.
Something I loved in the book that wasn’t in the movie was how they eat at Digitopolis. When people ate food they became more hungry, so people would eat to become less full then they currently were, because they were getting fuller all the time. Confused? Think about why we eat, because were hungry and want to become more full. Reverse that concept and you’ve got a meal at Digitopolis. Just think, in their world the concern for child skinniness could be the same as the concern for child obesity in America today.
This story has a warm and fuzzy message to it. By the end of Milo’s journey, Milo finds out that there are adventures to be had everywhere, not just through a magical tollbooth. Although, the tollbooth did kinda help.
“Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free”
Harold and Maude is a love story, and this movie is proof that love can sometimes be found in the unlikeliest of places. And I mean unlikely, like a teenager and a senior citizen falling in love, unlikely.
Harold is obsessed with dying. Harold drives a hearse, and attends funerals for fun. He doesn’t have any friends. He is your typical eccentric loner, you know, if dying everyday is typical eccentric behavior. He is constantly faking his death. His mother finds him fake hanging himself, mock stabbing himself, shooting himself in the face with blanks, although blanks can still kill you if you’re close enough. I’m just saying, don’t go running around shooting yourself in the face. Even if you think you’re being safe. It’s all fun and games until someone ends up in a coffin. Did I mention this is a dark comedy?
Because he fakes his death so often, Harold’s mother barely bats an eyelash at this behavior anymore. She does get a little freaked out when he smears fake blood all over her bathroom, she gets pretty fed up at this point. Come on lady, can’t you take a joke?
Maude is nearing her 80th birthday, but you would never know it. She is energetic, daring, and young at heart. Maude is alive.
Maude seeks out Harold at a funeral, and they become the best of friends. Maude teaches Harold how to live, and shows him the value of being alive. Maude is fearless, she steals people’s cars and drives around like a mad person. If the police try to get in her way, she escapes without a scratch. She marches to the beat of her own drum. Maude lives life to the fullest, Harold eventually falls in love with Maude, and because he cares so deeply about her he begins to live life to the fullest as well.
Harold and Maude find this dying tree in the middle of the city one day, it is surrounded by concrete and it looks pretty pathetic. Maude convinces Harold to help her steal it. It’s leaves are wilting, and it’s branches are drooping-it looks like it is going to die. Maude wants to take it, replant it, and bring it back to life. Maude does this same thing with Harold. Harold is this tree. Harold is completely pale at the beginning of this movie, and after he meets Maude he starts to look healthier.
Maude knows that a lot of people aren’t really living, that they are just sitting on the sidelines, but at any time they can start to participate. Maude teaches Harold how to participate, and not by compromising who he is, he maintains his quirks but he just worries less about people judging him. Maude helps him realize this.
You would think hearing the premise of this movie that you would be grossed out by Harold and Maude’s love affair, but you root for them the entire movie. Even if their love doesn’t last forever, they learn so much about one another. You’re are sincerely glad they meet.
Don’t read below this line unless you want the ending of this movie completely ruined.
When I saw Harold’s Jaguar roll off the cliff at the end of the movie, I was pissed. I thought: “He doesn’t get it.” “Did he learn nothing from Maude?” “How could he take his own life?” But when you see him standing unhurt at the top of the cliff, I cheered for him. He tricked us again, and he’s going to be alright. Harold’s life is going to be completely different from this point on, he wants to live now, even if it means living without Maude. He skips away into the sunset, playing his banjo with glee.
