2013 Oscar Snarkiness

Yes, I have a ton of reading I should be doing for school, and hey, sleep every now and then is nice,  but what would the DivaDomain be without a snarky blog recapping the Oscars?

This year I saw several of the nominated films, including Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook, Pitch Perfect (wait, that wasn't nominated?  Well it should have been) and Lincoln.  I haven't seen Argo or Flight yet, although I intend to at some point.  Here are my observations from this year's Grammys (Grammies?  What is the correct plural?  It's too late and I'm too lazy to look it up) - I mean Academy Awards.

• I think it is ridiculous to give the Oscars a musical theme, and then not allow all of the songs nominated for Best Original Song to be performed live.  If I were Scarlet Johannsen and my nominated song wasn't being sung live but I had to suffer through yet another rendition of Jennifer Hudson belt "And I Am Telling You," I would be ticked.
• Seth MacFarlane- no Stewy impersonations, the jokes were neither funny nor offensive, just boring.  Seems to me like he played it safe.
• Also not funny- what was up with Paul Rudd and Melissa McCartney?  Something didn't translate well tonight because I do think they are both great comedic actors.
• What WAS funny:  Jennifer Lawrence tripping up the stairs, Christopher Plummer's "Von Trapp Family Singers" intro, and Meryl Streep scratching her behind (she clarified and said she was stepping on her dress, but I still choose to believe she was working on a wedgie).

Poor girl!  Has this ever happened to anyone before?

• How classy and gracious was George Clooney for not trying to get some camera time during Argo's Best Picture win?  He let Ben Affleck (and the third most-sexy producer in Hollywood) have their time to shine.
• Ben's rambling speech-on-speed was endearing.  I supposed he had to cram in a Best Picture and Best Director speech into one since the Academy snubbed him on the latter. 
• Charlize Theron must have one heck of a publicist- she danced and presented, but has been fairly absent in films lately.  She certainly is beautiful.  Guess this screen time was her way of reminding the directors that she's still out there looking for work!
• Anne Hathaway is beautiful and classy and her speech, while it seemed rehearsed, still came off as sincere and poised.  
• Barbara Streisand, while no one questions that you can still sing the pants off of most anyone, can we all agree that your long, straight, platinum blonde hair is unnatural looking on a 75 year old woman?!
• My favorite dresses were Jennifer Anniston's, Amy Adams', and Jennifer Hudson's.

• Kristen Stewart looked high.  And perhaps the ladies who won the Oscar for Best Hair & Makeup got a hold of her tresses before the show.
• The 9 year old girl nominated for best actress was the epitome of not-humble when she whooped it up every time the camera caught her.  
• I was pleased that Quentin Tarantino won for best original script for Django Unchained, and that Christoph Waltz won for Best Supporting Actor and felt both were deserving.
• The orchestra was so loud that they drowned out the singers all evening.  It was annoying to not be able to hear or understand the vocalists while the glorious music swelled behind in front of them.

Because we needed to hear Russell Crowe sing one more time

• Though you couldn't always hear Adele (see above comment... and with a powerful belting instrument such as hers, it is a shame she wasn't heard over the music), she looked and sounded good.  I'm choosing to ignore the pitchiness at the end of Skyfall.  You would be flat too if you were being blasted by an orchestra and trying to be heard (or pushing, just trying to hear yourself!).  Real women have curves.  It's refreshing to see a woman on stage who looks beautiful but isn't stick-thin.  Kudos to her Oscar win for best song.
• I was disappointed that Hugh Jackman didn't win for Best Actor, but my second personal favorite nominee was Daniel Day Lewis, so I could handle the win.  Much better than Mama B anyways who threw a small Bradley-esque fit when Meryl Streep announced the winner.
• I love an excuse to say Jean Dujardin's name! 

This is your official Critic-of-the-Movie Critics, signing off!

All I Ever Need to Know About Law School I Learned by Watching Legally Blonde

Tomorrow is the big day, and I feel confident and prepared as I head back to school after a 10 year hiatus, thanks to one Elle Woods.

• I feel comfortable using legal jargon in everyday life
• Come prepared to class
• Bring laptop.  Leave the fuzzy pen and Hello Kitty notepad at home.

• Make friends and study buddies
• Find an older, eligible law student to date
• Glasses make you look academic
• Stay away from skeezy professors
• Combine studying with sunbathing or hair appointments to multitask

• This is going to be just like senior year... only funner!
• When in doubt, the Bend and Snap, works every time!

Let's get this party started!

Movie Review: Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Oscar winning director of the Hurt Locker, and formerly married to James Cameron), staring Jessica Chastain and a bunch of other men, is based on a true story centering around the CIA hunt for and capture of Osama Bin Laden.  Jessica Chastain just won the Golden Globe for best actress and is the frontrunner to get an Oscar for her performance.  I haven't seen any of the other Best Actress noms this year, but they all seem like a bunch of randoms so it will shock me if Chastain doesn't win.

Here are my take-aways from the movie:

• this movie is long (over 1 1/2 hours) and it feels every bit that long
• It's interesting to see how Bin Laden's hideout was finally discovered and ultimately raided
• the film focuses exclusively on Chastain's character Maya, a CIA agent.  Other characters (predominantly men) wander in and out of the film, but for the most part, names aren't given, and you don't know who any of them are.  This was annoying.
• Hey, Tony Soprano's in this movie!  Who is he supposed to be?  I dunno.  Some CIA big wig.
• Maya likes to say Mother Effer a LOT.
• Zero Dark Thirty does nothing for the tourism industry in Pakistan.
• I must have missed the one insignificant line in the film that references the title.
• Kudos to a prominent female director for tackling a subject matter like this with a strong female lead
• Call me cinematically uncivilized, but this film was a character study on Chastain's character, and I am not particularly fond of Chastain as a matter of personal preference.
• I'm giving this one thumb up.  It was long, it drug, and it was a little more conversation, a lot less action than I would have preferred.

Movie Review: Django Unchained

The second movie I saw over Christmas break was Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino's new flick.  I am a Tarantino fan, so I knew what to expect going in:  quippy dialogue, hilarious cameos, and gratuitous violence.

I LOVED Tarantino's last film Inglourious Basterds, and Christoph Waltz who won an Oscar for his role, so Django did not disappoint as the feel of both movies is similar.  The little vignettes played out scene by scene, and by the time certain actors made their entrance, I was so engrossed in the unfolding plot that I'd forgotten that they were in the movie.  That said, there were maybe 3 vignettes too many as the movie did tend to drag in places.

With the premise of the movie being about a German bounty hunter (Waltz) offering to help a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) rescue his wife from an evil plantation owner (Leonardo DeCaprio), this film has gotten a lot of press about being too violent and disrespectful when it comes to depicting the treatment of slaves.  Yes, the things done to the slaves in Django were horrific.  Some were shown, but most surprisingly were not.  Allusions were made, and then the camera panned away.  I'm sure I would feel differently if I were black, but I actually thought Tarantino tackled this subject matter in his usual snarky way without making it over the top violent or offensive.  

I could not get enough of Christoph Waltz. His delivery of text is perfection in my eyes.  I don't know this to for certain, but I'd bet money that Tarantino crafted this role specifically for Waltz, and shine he did. Leonardo DeCaprio dominated his scenes with palpable tension as the role demanded, and there was one random scene with one random actor that will be known by all who see it as the comedic high point of the film.  Jamie Foxx was good, but overshadowed by the brilliance of Waltz and Decaprio, in my opinion.  

Overall, I'd say One and a half thumbs up.  If you're a Tarantino fan, you've probably already seen it.  If you're not, you can wait to rent this one.

Did you hear the people sing?

It’s a rare occasion nowadays that I go to the movies (flash back to my early 20s when this blog was a happening place for movie and concert reviews, and humorous anecdotes staring my twenty-something friends). However, having spent Christmas away from Bradley this year, I had time to see not one, but two new films. Here comes movie review #1.

Of course, I had to see Les Miserables. Not only am I a musical junkie (Sorry, Eric!), but the movie had plenty of star power, and I was intrigued at the way Les Mis was filmed. In case you didn’t know, the actors sang the parts live, with an accompanist following them, heard by the actors only through an ear bud, and then the orchestral accompaniment was added to the vocal tracks later. I would imagine that was maddening difficult for the conductor and musicians who had to follow the actor’s whims of subtle tempo changes throughout.

So Christmas Day came, and I was all set to see Les Mis. Just as we were ready to leave, I checked to make sure it wasn’t sold out. It was - along with every other showing of the movie that day at every nearby theater. Turns out, everybody and their mother goes to the movies on Christmas Day. Who knew? Immediately, I secured tickets for the next day, and thus I finally settled into my seat the day after Christmas, ready to hate Anne Hathaway.

I’ve been annoyed at the way the previews and movie posters have made her out to be this huge part of the film, when I and anyone who has seen the musical knows that Fontine isn’t around for very long, so I couldn’t understand why she was being billed seemingly as the star of the show.  I tried to dislike Anne Hathaway for this very reason, but alas, I could not. Her performance, small in part, but grand in delivery was one of the highlights of the film.  Plus, let's face it.  Anyone who makes themselves look ugly and cut their hair for a role is practically guaranteed an Oscar.

Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean was also outstanding, and the benefit to film versus theater in this case is that the audience gets to see in detail the physical aging transformation of Jean Valjean up close and personal.  Due to the scoring of the music, Jackman was able to take his time and give real feeling behind the lyrics, staying true to the music, but also allowing for the rubato that the circumstances needed.  He's a strong contender for the Best Actor Oscar.

Who was that guy who played Marius? Eddie Redmayne is his name.  I'm not usually one for blondes, but he was a cutie patootie, even though his vibrato was visible by his shaking throat.  Redmayne was well cast for this part, and his heartfelt rendition of “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” was moving to the point where I understood this song in a way I never had before.  (That’s the song Marius sings after he survives the battle and goes back to the barricade ruins, for those who aren’t as familiar with the musical) which brings me to the best/worst song of the fim:

Favorite song – Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

Least Favorite song – Anything by Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe was an abomination to this movie.  Les Mis surely didn't need his star power.  I can remember seeing the previews for the film months ago, thinking to myself, "huh, I didn't know Russell Crowe could sing."  And then I saw Les Mis.  "Nevermind, he can't."  The meaty role of Javert as the pious villain has the powerhouse songs of Les Mis, and Crowe's vocals were in tune (though with the modern technology available through autotune, you can't necessarily credit Crowe with that), they were thin and flat and had no power behind them.  Even his acting was subpar so not even that could make up for him being cast in a major role in a MUSICAL.  As someone who knows and loves Les Miserables, I waited for Javert's songs, only to be majorly disappointed.  He was by far the weakest link of the cast.

2nd weakest link was a tie between Amanda Seyfried as Cosette and Sacha Baron Cohen as Thenardier.  Seyfried doesn't have a strong voice either (Hello, Mama Mia!) and so what should be light soft vocals ended up being overtaken by birdlike vibrato and an inability to sustain endings of songs, so the vocals were abrubptly cut off.  Sacha  Baron Cohen did a decent job as Thenardier, but he wasn't as hefty and grotesque as Thenardier is supposed to be, and when you're up next to Helena Bonham Carter, you're gonna lose.  Bonham Carter stole the show as Madame Thenardier in every scene she was in.

Overall, I give Les Miserables 2 thumbs up.

Obligatory post: Bridesmaids review

If you don't have something nice or substantial to say, then don't participate in NaBloPoMo.  This is purely a blog post out of obligation.  I'm on Day 7 of the NaBloPoMo project.  So this is just a quick re-cap of a movie I just watched, Bridesmaids.  Short, not so sweet, and to the point:

Man, am I ever glad I didn't waste money and see that in the theater!  Spoiler alert for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but I thought this film would be like the Hangover, but from the female bridal party perspective, but this was nothing of the sort.  The previews even lead you to believe that they even have Vegas in common, and, well, they don't.  I am not a fan of the female leads, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig, and overall this is a sappy chick flick, masquerading as a comedy, thrown in with a few funny, and mostly mildly-amusing moments.  I will say this:  vomit is funny.  It is also intriguing that Jon Hamm played such a schmuck and then didn't want to be credited in the film for playing this part, and annoying that even the expectations of the all-important wedding dress and (HELLO,) Bridesmaids dresses, are exploited, as they differ from what's on the movie poster.  All in all, a bust.  People will not be talking about this one like the Hangover.

Also out of obligation tonight, once I started this movie, I had to finish it.  There are a few other comedies out on dvd right now that I've waited to see, so fingers crossed that they are better.

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows

I will be leaving in a short while to go stand in line for my free tickets to the early premier of Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 (she says smugly).  So there will be no blog tonight except to say, that's where I'm going tonight, and I couldn't be more excited.

So let me get this straight, dad says to me and me.  You two are going to a kid's movie tonight, and the kid is staying here?

That is correct.

Ate, Prayed, Loved

I just got back from Lexington to visit my college roommate Stephanie.  It was my last hurrah girls' weekend before starting work tomorrow.  (EEK!)    Ashley and Stephanie went to HS together, and Ashley aka "Argo" lives about 45 minutes south of me, so conveniently, she picked me up on Friday, and up to Kentucky we went.  She and I have hung out a few times throughout the years of knowing Stephanie mutually, but after 3 1/2 hours in the car each way with Argo, we never once turned on the radio, and I feel like we both know each other's life stories now!  Stephanie is the friend from college who got me into the most trouble, has the most crazy stories from those times shared in common with me.  We lose touch and then pick up right where we left off.  Argo and I were her first house guests in her new home, so she went all out making the place ready for us.  We felt loved!

We rolled into Lex-Vegas about 11:30pm EST Friday night.  I figured this meant we'd visit for a few minutes and then turn in for the night, but oh no!  We girls sipped frozen daquiris and stayed up till wee hours of the morning talking, catching up, and best of all, reminiscing through old photo albums, laughing at funny stories we'd forgotten, and being shocked at how skinny we looked in college pictures when at the time we all thought we were fat!  Stephanie had purchased a ton of snack food for us, most of which we didn't have time to eat this weekend, the time flew by so fast.  I am still sad about those individual cups of Ben & Jerry's sitting in Steph's fridge right now that we didn't get to enjoy!

Stephanie, the consummate hostess, even had little umbrellas for our drinks!

,  

Saturday morning we ate breakfast, and then set about packing a huge cooler full of food and drinks to take with us to the pool that day.  By the time we got everything, it was about noon, and the rain rolled in around 4pm, giving us a shorter day in the sun than we had planned, but it was still a relaxing afternoon, and cheap entertainment for all of us who are poor!  Another friend/college roomie Ellen met us at the pool after attending a Beth Moore conference at Rupp arena.  Guess what BMo's conference theme was?  You guessed it, "Eat, Pray, Love."  This theme kept coming up this weekend.

L to R:  Yours truly, Steph, Ellen, & Argo

The rain came down, so home we went.  Our original plan when discussing this upcoming weekend was for all of us to go see Sex & The City 2 at the dollar theater in Lexington.  Well horror of all horrors, the day before we got there, they stopped playing it.  We exhausted every resource, calling theaters, the cable company, Netflix, and even discussed driving an hour and a half to Cincinnati to see it since it was still showing there... but logically that didn't make sense to drive so far for a dollar movie when all of us were broke!  So we checked other movies, and found a cheap showing of Eat, Pray, Love that we decided on.  Ashley & I had both read the book, so we agreed this was a good chick flick weekend substitute. 

Again, in keeping with the theme of having low budgets and way too much food at the house, we decided to make dinner in lieu of spending money out to eat.  Plan A was to grill out.  But the monsoon hitting just at the right time forced us to pick Plan B.  Plan B was taking all of the fresh produce Argo had brought from her family's produce market, and combining that with food on hand, and creating a delicious dinner.  Somehow I became in charge of this, and Steph helped me put together a fresh salad, and a pasta primavera that I made up the recipe to as I went!  It turned out quite nicely, and encouraged me that maybe I do possess that cooking gene somewhere that Mom & Laura seem to obviously have!

Before we ate, I prayed over our meal, thanking God for good food, and good friendships.

After dinner, we had just enough time to shower and get ready to hit the movies.  The best part of seeing a chick flick we agreed was seeing all the great previews for all the other chick flicks coming to a theater near you soon!  In regards to Eat, Pray, Love, I read the book and (ate, prayed,) Loved it.  It's a quick read, and a true story.  Of course plot lines were squashed in order to fit into a film format, and a few changes to the story were made, but I liked them.  I think the differences from the book and the movie allowed it to flow and made a neater package of the storyline.  Bonuses are that the scenery is gorgeous, and Julia Roberts is one of my favorite actresses.

In case you don't know, Eat Pray Love is about a woman who goes off to find herself after a traumatic break-up and divorce. It was very fitting for me to see in my current season of life. Some parts of the movie were hard to watch as the resemblances to my own experiences were a little too close. Other parts were very encouraging though. Like I said, this theme just kept hitting me in the face all weekend!
One nit picky observation I will point out about the film is this: there is a fantastic scene during the Italy portion of the movie where Julia Roberts' character devours a plate of spaghetti . As she dives into her plate of pasta, immediately the sounds of Mozart's famous "Queen of the Night aria" from the Magic Flute begins. It's fast and furious, and the perfect background to a woman voraciously eating spaghetti, with one problem; The aria's in German. The scenery is Italian. I know I'm probably the only person in the theater who picked up on this fact, but in all the amazing Italian opera repertoire out there, the musical directors couldn't find a single piece of Italian opera music to use in this scene? At least they could have used a version of the Queen of the Night sung in Italian to keep the same ferocity of the music. Anyways, it's a picky observation, but as one who has sung opera and studied Italian, it annoyed me!!

By the time the movie was over, it was 12:30, and we were yawning and stretching walking out of the theater, agreeing on dashing any plans we might have had to go out. In front of us leaving the theater was a group of middle aged woman, who were also complaining about it being so late, and their being so tired. Steph, Argo, and I looked at each other and laughed, realizing we weren't too far from them!

After several bad takes, this cutsie pose with our hands clasped was one we could all agree on!

We stayed up until 2am, eating more, and looking at Argo's wedding pictures on dvd... this would be the LOVE portion of the weekend... as in, checking out the photos of the newlyweds in love, and the fact that I Love looking at other people's wedding pictures!  Sunday morning came too soon, but it was time for us working women to get on the road.  It was a quick trip, and a low key weekend, but just what the doctor ordered for me.  I ate.  I prayed.  I was loved.  Thanks Steph, Ashley, & Ellen for a great visit!

V of Nov

Today is the fifth of November.... every year on this day I think of the movie V for Vendetta. The film begins with Natalie Portman narrating this line:

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder, treason, and plot.
I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.

It's based on a graphic novel, and I don't usually gravitate towards those kind of movies, but this one was incredible I thought. Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving were great in their roles, cinematically it was a very beautiful film, and I loved all the symbolism and the use of the letter V and number 5 (a V in Roman numerals).

So there's my short blog for the day in honor of National Blog Posting Month, and my plug for this film! Happy Thursday!

Spending green on Red

RedBox, oh how I love you! You make it so cheap, and so easy to rent movies, something I once considered a rare luxury, but oh, the crap I have watched since visiting your drop boxes! Can I get an amen from anyone else out there??

For a scant $1.07, I can rent new movies, watch them that night, and return them to any Redbox location the next day- the closest drop point for us a gas station about a mile up the road... but really, I am renting movies at what cost?? I'm talking about the price you pay for renting crap movies because you're only spending a dollar on it, and there isn't really a movie out there you're dying to see, but rather renting movies out of boredom. I'm talking about the price of your time for renting said "crap movies." What if something comes up, and you don't have time to watch the movie? What if the mood changes, and you don't feel like watching a movie? Well too bad, you have to, because you already paid The Man, and the man (ie Redbox) owns your time. Unless you're one of those people who shrugs it off and vows to pay another dollar to watch the flick the next night. I'm not one of those people. I hate the idea of "wasting" that dollar, so I suck it up and watch the movie- the whole movie- no matter how terrible it is, no matter if I want to or not!

And let me tell you, we've rented some crap lately! Last weekend we suffered through 7 pounds with Will Smith... not some of his finer work. The storyline wasn't clear, the characters were never developed- even the main character, and they never even explained what the "7 pounds" was! But I couldn't turn it off. I had to know how it ended, and I paid my dollar for it already dog-gone-it. Marley & Me and Benjamin Button were both okay, The Caller was awful- worse than Nights in Rodanthe awful- Doubt was dull, and Jim Carey's Yes Man was just so-so. Where are all the great films that I missed out on in the theater, and why aren't they at my nearest Redbox?! Maybe there's a "blockbuster clause" that I'm not aware of where Redbox is only allowed to rent the B-movies, lest they steal thunder from the Movie Rental Giant?

Point is, I think you get what you pay for!

The worst film of 2008

It is official.  Laura & I watched what must have been the worst film of 2008.  I dare you to find a worse one than Nights in Rodanthe.  Based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, I saw previews for this movie a long time ago and saw Richard Gere and Diane Lane, got all misty-eyed at the preview, and thought, I must see this movie.  Man am I glad I didn't pay money in the theater to see this!!

It was so bad, I hardly know where to begin.  So let's start with the plot.  The book was cheesy and far-fetched to begin with.  It's a far cry from the brilliant romance of the Notebook, and even while reading it I thought it was a waste of my time.  So that should have been enough to keep me away from watching the movie.  But the 2 costars drew me in, which is what I believe the movie producers expected, because nothing else would.  They apparently blew their whole film budget on attracting these 2 stars, and all I can say is Gere and Lane must have been hurting for work.  James Franco plays a small role, and if I were him, I wouldn't even list this film on my resume' lest it get out that I had anything to do with this movie monstrosity.

Significant changes were made in the plot line from the novel to the screen to make the film version work.  They didn't work, however.  One scene was created that wasn't in the novel at all, and it included a ton of "extras."  Laura remarked, "they could have cut this whole scene and used the money they saved from hiring all those extras to make the whole movie better."  I laughed hard, and couldn't agree more.

There is one fake hurricane scene that is so ridiculous it made me chuckle, and this picture was a far cry from being an intentional comedy, yet it succeeded in making Laura & I laugh.  There are several other awkward scenes where you actually feel sorry for the actors saying the lines.  The only gratification in the movie was seeing the ponies (another budget blower, I'm sure), but I won't ruin the significance of them in case you decide to rent Rodanthe on a Friday night when you need a good laugh.   

Even if you are a Nicholas Sparks fan, you will find this movie cheesy, totally unbelievable, and a total waste of your precious time.

And the Oscar goes to

... I have no clue! Because I went to bed early last night. 2008 was a bust for me as far as seeing movies is concerned, so I had little vested interest in the awards last night. True, I do love watching the Academy awards for the fashion parade, but these days my Oscar knowledge is limited to the family dog, and the grouch from Sesame Street!

I read the recap in the paper this morning, and I'm sorry to have missed seeing Kate Winslet finally win her best actress award, but other than that, it doesn't look like I missed much.

I did get to catch some of the awards in between rocking a sleepy baby who for some unknown reason would Not stay asleep last night. I saw my favorite-Tilda Swinton- and the bevy of other actresses hand out the best supporting actress award, and I wanted to topple off my couch and into the tv and attack Tilda with some eyeliner. (Yes, I know, I need to give it up.) And I also saw a host of men handing out the oscar for best supporting actor. What, I texted Conley, is up with Christopher Walken's hair??!! I saw one shot of Marisa Tomei and she looked gorgeous. On the flip side, SJP & Goldie Hawn both looked haggard. But that's about all the first hand knowledge this DIVA has about movies' biggest night, but oh, that hour of uninterrupted sleep I got before Bradley woke up again was bliss!

We did... one year later

Today Brian and I celebrate our one-year wedding anniversary. It's so hard to believe an entire year has gone by since we said "I do." A lot has happened. We've had our share of ups and downs, moreso than most couples I'd venture, but we're learning daily what it means to stay committed and work through our issues to become better spouses and better parents.

Fortunately, we were able to celebrate Valentine's Day together and our anniversary up in Tennessee. For Valentine's, we shared a pizza and ate on festive heart shaped plates and used heart-print napkins to sop up the grease! Then last night we had our anniversary date night. Grandma and Grandpa B watched Bradley for us so we could take in a movie and dinner.

We opted for the lighthearted RomCom He's Just Not That Into You. (Emily- in typical romantic comedy fashion, it was just like heroine!) The film was nothing like the book, and I'd venture a guess that if the HJNTIY authors didn't need or want the money so bad for the movie rights, that they would have hated the script of this movie and the message it sends because it completely goes against the advice that the book preaches. I won't give anything away in case you decide to splurge and see this one (honestly though, it's more of a rental), but it was still a cute movie- just nothing like the book, which I loved.

After the movie, Brian and I headed over to Shogun for a little hibachi grill action for dinner. We celebrated our Valentine's Day dinner last year at this restaurant, so it had sentimental value. Our real place is Olive Garden, but for some reason that escapes me, we don't have one of those in Cool Springs. Nevertheless, dinner was yummy, but I sure missed Bradley, and was glad to see him afterwards. Both me and Brian were too excited to wait any longer to give each other our anniversary gifts so we did that at 3am since Bradley had gotten us up anyways, so that was fun exchanging gifts by nightlight! All in all, it was a great and reaffirming weekend, and I am thankful we were able to spend it together.

SEX!

And the city.

ha ha- made you look!  (I know right?  What a cheap ploy to get you to read my blog!)  They say sex sells, so I wonder how many copies of the movie has flown off the shelves in its first week on DVD?  I received my much anticipated copy of SATC: the movie (Or Sex & the City season 7 as Sarah Scott calls it) on Saturday, but held off from watching it till Monday with Jess while both of our husbands were at work.  

You'll recall that I was very pregnant when the movie came out in theaters this past spring, and the very day I was finally slated to see the movie with Rhonda and Joe, wouldn't you know it, I went into labor!  I went so far as to consider seeing the movie that afternoon to distract me from the ensuing contractions, but thought better of it.  I remember calling Rhonda that morning while walking with mom through the neighborhood to try and lessen the pain of the contractions or make them stop altogether (no such luck) and saying to her, well I have bad news- I can't make it to the movie because I'm going to the hospital instead!

In true-to-form irony, Bradley was really fussy on Monday while Jess and I were trying to watch the movie, forcing me to stop the movie 5 or 6 times to take care of my cranky little man.  Well, he stopped me from seeing this movie the first time, I said, I guess it's only fitting that he keep me from seeing it now!  We got through the fussiness and since then, SATC has had a permanent place in my dvd player.  It's been running constantly while I dash from room to room getting things done, and conveniently it's on when I plop down on the couch to feed Bradley.

I'm thinking enough is enough though, and today marks the sad day when I shall return the movie to its little Netflix envelope, and pay it forward so some other deserving lady or gay man can enjoy Sarah Jessica Parker and crew.  The scene I can't get enough of?  The Vogue fashion shoot.  Those dresses?!  OMG, I'm JUST sayin!  I give the movie 2 thumbs way up.

film reviews

The movie critic is officially: IN

With my lightened load of activities post-wedding, I have enjoyed catching up on some movies I missed the first time around.

First off- Becoming Jane- rented this one, and it was quite the letdown I thought. It was Pride & Prejudice without the hot Mr Darcy. Instead I tried my hardest the entire movie to like James McAvoy. But try as I might, I just cannot cast him in the role of a convincing strong leading man. Apparently everyone else in Hollywood thinks differently since he's become quite the "it boy" of films this year, but for me, Anne Hathaway could have done so much better for herself!

Secondly- Across the Universe- a quirky film, but a must-see for any Beatles lover. The avid fab four fan will love the song references in character names, one liners, and the music incorporated throughout. It has rekindled my love for the Brit band and have added them back into my daily repertoire of itunes mixes.

Finally- I went to the theater to see No Country For Old Men. As this year's best picture winner, and one I originally intended to see anyways, it did not disappoint! Javier Bardem's best supporting actor win was warranted with his portrayal of a bleary-eyed assassin, and merited the win on his bad paige boy haircut alone! In true Coen Bros. fashion, the drama definitely had its share of dark comedy moments which balanced nicely with the suspense of the film. It's for sure one of those movies that draws you in, and leaves your mouth gaping when the credits roll!

And the academy award for best dressed goes to...

My post ripping the poor actors to shreds for their bad fashion choices was getting too long so I opted to do another, shorter post for the few glammed up gals that I gave a thumbs up to.

My favorite lady hands down was Mrs. Josh Kelley! Katherine Heigl, like so many of Hollywood's finest, chose a one-shouldered number, but unlike most of her peers, she coordinated it with appropriate makeup, classic hollywood hair, jewells, and clutch. Yay, stylist, for putting this Grey star in a hot fire engine red!

Another lady who I haven't read a single thing about since the awards was Mrs. John Travolta. Kelly deserves a lot of credit here for pulling off this tangerine gown in a fresh, glowing, yet age-appropriate way! I think she looks stunning.

Call me cliche, but I think last year's best actress winner for "The Queen" Helen Miren looks positively regal in this satin ruby gown with sparkley sleeves. And love her or hate her,

Penelope Cruz always seems dead-on with her understated ensembles. The gal can pull off classy if anyone can.

Okay, that's it on my vain obession with Oscar fashion! More to come on the whirwind life of this Diva soon!

when bad fashion happens to good actors

I know, I know, it's been forever since I've blogged! There's so much to do, and so little time to do it all. The other stories can wait. Right now I need my Oscar fashion opinions out there for the world to agree with. I am a devoted follower of the Oscars each year, and try to manage to see the big movies nominated. That didn't so much happen this year, but it doesn't mean I can't be a catty girl and comment on the outfits and hairstyles our stars sported. I mean, come on, it's only the biggest PR event these actors and actresses have for an entire year, and it's their chance to get all glammed out with no expenses spared. So that said, were our little starlets on a fashion budget this year, scrimping on jewells, hairstyles, and boring cheaper gowns?

See example A: Cameron Diaz forgot her makeup AND her bling, and I hope to goodness she didn't pay a stylist to tame her tresses! I've heard the rainy weather was wreacking havoc on all the ladies 'dos, but this was just ridiculous. See examples B and C, Jennifer Garner and Ellen Page. Both are sporting the same undone, hair in the face, growing-out bangs. Somebody please get these gals some bobby pins!

Anne Hathaway took a big fashion risk with this crimsom number. From what I've read she's appeared on both the best and worst dressed lists. Like so many ladies this year, she opted for a one-shouldered gown, but unlike most of them, hers featured a hideous swath of material flowers across the boddess, and this weird drapey off the shoulder accent. I'm not a fan. Even her big doe-y eyes can't distract me from a fashion disaster when I spot one.

Speaking of other controversial red-carpet dos and don'ts, Heidi Klum looked smashing in this bright red dress, but she accented it with hot pink earings and clutch! Isn't she the poster girl for fashion with Project Runway? At what point did it become fashionably daring to mix cupid's colors?? Now you know I'm a sucker for pink, but not at the expense of ruining my amazing red (carpet) ensemble. Go back to fashion school Heidi... carry on, people!

Hollywood's worst dressed couple had a new winner erm-Loser- this year. Usually reserved for Johnny Depp and his quasi-wife, This year Best Actor winner Daniel Day Lewis takes the honors with his red piped tuxedo jacket and Brown (yes brown!) lace up boots, and his wife's choice is Cher-meets-my-Christmas-presents, and is straight outta the 80's!

And finally (you knew I saved the best for last!) My Best, Worst Dressed Actress is none other than Tilda Swinson, aka the snow queen from the Chronic(what?)cles of Narnia. She merits 2 pictures because she's just that jaw dropping, and not in the good way. The hair is bad (as if she didn't look androgynous anyways?), no feminine jewels, and ohmygosh, I want to attack her with an eyeliner pencil so bad it's not funny!! The shapeless gown with way too much material is reminiscent of Missy Elliot's outfit in the Fly video from way back when. Aka, Tilda put on a garbage bag, combed her hair back with some Dep gel, smoothed some moisterizer into her face apparently.

searching for Atonement of my own

Tadders and I went to see Atonement last week, and I am still wrestling internally with this film. I always like to make a point to see the movies nominated for Oscars, even though I'm way behind on that this year. I'd love anyone else's take on the movie if you've seen it though, because my first reaction that night was, okay, that was seriously depressing. The thing that stood out most to me about Atonement was that there was not a single likeable character in the entire movie; everyone is flawed, everyone is human, and my Gosh, Keira Knightly needs to eat something! She is tee-tiny to the anorexic degree.

I'm supposed to read this book for book club but don't know when I'll get around to completing the novel (or begin it for that matter, given the current circumstances of life!) so if there is anyone who has already read the book and can vouch for its validity and worthwhileness, I'm willing to listen.

What bothers me most of all is that I am still mulling over this film almost a week later- a film that has disturbed me so much, even though I claim to not have liked it. Does that make any sense at all?

Charlie Wilson's movie review

I had one last Carmike movie pass to use up before the end of 2007 so Mom and I went to see Charlie Wilson's War. I'll admit, the biggest draw for me was the all-star pairing of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts who amazingly, had never worked on a film together before. These two are easily some of my favorite actors so I had to catch their on screen charisma. Phillip Seymour Hoffman's performance was an added bonus.

Based on a true story about the Texas congressman, Charlie Wilson's War chronicles the US involvement in Afghanistan in the late 80's as part of the Cold War. I was shocked by how many millions of dollars went into a war we supposedly never fought, and was saddened by the end result, the repercussions for which we are still paying. Granted it's Hollywood's spin on the facts, with an obvious parallel on our modern involvement in Afghanistan, but it's like I was asking Brian tonight, sure, I know I can't base my political opinions by what I see in movies, but when the media gives such a slanted or lacking view on a particular topic, then where is Joe-Schmo American supposed to get their information?

From a purely entertainment standpoint, Charlie Wilson's War was educational although the plot details could be a tad hard to follow at times for a person not understanding the politics of the day. Hanks and Roberts performances as larger-than-life Texans were delightful, and Hoffman was perfect comic relief as the rough-around-the-edges CIA operative. Despite being a political commentary, the movie had a hearty helping of laughable moments thrown in making a film bout the Cold War somehow fall into the category of comedy. I think it's worth the laughs and to see he actors' performances in this one. Bradley & Bradley give Charlie Wilson's War two thumbs up!

the Friday review in real life

Friday night Tadd and I spent a delightful evening full of laughter and new inside jokes (such as, "what's new?" "monia." and defining HIPPA crits). We stuffed ourselves at PF Chang's for dinner, saw the Steve Carrell movie Dan in Real Life, got ice cream at Cold Stone (I just tried their Germanchocolatecake and it was to die for), and rounded out the evening by doing some Christmas shopping at Target! There is no one out there who makes fighting the crowds at the Cool Springs Target more fun, I'd wager.

Tadd & I both enjoyed Dan in Real Life- it was more of a romantic comedy than what I was expecting, but I like that Steve Carrell can play an everyman/serious role unlike Will Ferrell who needs to quit doing things like Stranger Than Fiction and just stick with Anchorman-esque roles. Dan (in the movie, not in real life) is a widower with 3 daughters whose day job is an advice columnist, but meanwhile, his personal life is all a mess. He tries to be a great dad while finding love again unexpectedly. With all the great holiday moves that are getting ready to release, I wouldn't put Dan in Real Life up there as a must-see in the theater, but it would be a great rental choice. I give it a hearty 2 thumbs up.