Most Underrated Flicks of 2007...

I'm not going to be making my Top 10 of 2007 list early like last year. It doesn't make sense to go through the trouble if I am going to just keep updating it and since I still have a handful of movies to see first then I'll prob have it out by mid/late January. But for now I'll give you this so you can go rent them! Stardust is a fantastic movie as my review said months ago. The critics were good to it but that didn't help people from being weary of it's quality. And I'll be honest- when you watch the trailer you just can't help but think it looks cheesy. But it is a perfect movie that has something for everyone and a great cast. LOTS.OF.FUN...if you don't like it tell me and I'll send you a refund.


And as for Vacancy, - it is THE BEST horror/thriller of the year. Forget that pussified,watered-down DISTURBIA. This is what it's all about. Simple story, fast paced, lots of chills and two cool leads. In a year where scary movies were nil, this one stands out.

So yeah there you have it. Please give them a watch if you haven't.

Don't know what to think about this...

Is Lynne the bad guy?...You tell me..

First picture of Jamie Lee Curtis from her new movie.

I think this is one of the first pics...I believe..anyway courtesy of JoBlo.com - SOUTH OF THE BORDER is a Disney comedy that will be out in August. Always good to see Jamie on screen...

HATCHET!

(7.5/10)


What a romp! Have any of you heard of this movie? I swear it is one of the funniest flicks I saw all year. I had heard lots of buzz about it from horror sites and apparently it got some good recognition at film festivals. It was released around here in a few areas but not for long so I never got around to seeing it but I rented it yesterday. I think if anyone is dissapointed in this movie it's gotta be because they were expecting some terrifying slasher genre revival but it was more along spoof territory for me. Granted, I did jump quite a few times! There are some excellent kills and scares in it but nothing to write about home about. The gore crosses over disgusting into silly so it won't gross you out I don't think. Anyway basically it's about this guy who goes down to Mardi Gras in New Orleans to get over a recent break-up but it's not helping so he drags his friend off to a haunted swamp tour and chaos ensues. The acting isn't top-notch but it's not bad either, assuming they are going for laughs. The stand out for me personally would be slutty vixen named Misty (Played by Mercedes McNabb omg she's pretty hot lots of boob shots she has done playboy and get this- she was the girlscout annoying camp girl that is Wednesdays nemesis in the Addams Family sequel! Haha.."Your tits are dumb!") Anyway I enjoyed this movie because it allows you to understand that it's a rather silly throwback to the old school movies right from the beginning, allowing no room for you to talk critical. One of the better "horror" movies I have seen this year no doubt.

P.S- Check out the poster--this movie has one of the best taglines EVER ...for anyone sick of typical horror movies , you will get a laugh out of it.

Catching up on Oscar fare....

I plan on watching Eastern Promises and Away From Her in the next few days since they are on DVD now. They both scored a couple Golden Globe nominations and I'm trying to get on top of my game. Anyway...


I rented La Vie en Rose like a month ago and knew it was either back to Blockbuster or watch it now. It was crunch time...I had wanted to see it and I know Marion Cotillard was winning awards and nominations left and right for her portrayal of Edith Piaf, one of the most famous singers in France or anywhere for that matter. Being my ripe young age I certainly don't know my history on Piaf but I had heard comparisons to Judy Garland in that their life was filled with talent and joy but ultimately, doomed for tragedy. Edith was abandoned as a child, losing almost anyone she grew attached to. She used her singing voice to collect money on the streets. Basically you see her work her way up to the status of a superstar but not without much drama and drugs and all that good stuff that we've come to learn from these biopics. But what makes this film rise above the rest is that the director chooses to play with our mind and constantly get out of chronological order...While at first that can be annoying/confusing, we realize it's simply the way Piaf's mind works...as her memory is slowly decreasing. People have complained of the film and it's a shame because the performance IS the movie. Not one negative thing can be said about Cotillard. She gives the best performance by a female actor that I have seen since Charlize Theron in Monster(2003). I swear if she does not win the oscar, then they do not pick the best work of the year by any means.
(8/10)

Merry Christmas Ya'll

I hope everyone gets lots of presents and enjoys everything.

Give BLACKOUT a chance if you haven't...

Download TOY SOLDIER- It is the prime-cut on the album. It has summer jam mega-hit written all over it. It's in your hands B...

CD's I'm loving right now....

One Republic- Dreaming Out Loud--- WOW! I thought APOLOGIZE was a Timbaland manufactured fluke but I was WRONG. Listen to it ...all the way through...on repeat.


Also Nelly Furtado- LOOSE Live in concert cd is great. Nothing beats MANEATER live...awesome rock guitar stuff. Find your favorites on here and pretend your there in person!

Are you REALLY pregnant little Jamie-Lynn?

I weep..I weep...

JUNO

(7/10)


Underwhelmed. The most suprising thing is that Jennifer Garner is superb... Ellen Page plays Juno who gets pregnant by her boyfriend-ish type guy (the awesome Michael Cera from 'superbad') and wants to give it up for adoption. I will say it doesn't follow a set path that one has come to accept. Sadly the screenplay killed it for me with the most force-fed dialogue I've seen in years. Teens DO NOT speak that way..it wasn't long ago when I was one.

Supporting performances proved the highlight for me- Allison Janney in particular and although Jason Batemens character ends up falling victim to being a creeper he still does a good job. This isn't a bad movie by any means but your watching wishing you were laughing more, smiling more...feeling more! The poignant moments are few and far between...ultimately, we don't know what Juno is thinking and what she wants. See at your own risk but the hype is ludicrous to me. . .Bye.

IT'S SO GOOD! ALL DOUBT GOES OUT THE WINDOW

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

Oh these were good to...

ATONEMENT

(7.5/10)

Well I had been excited to see this ever since I saw the trailer months ago and though some reviews tore it to threads, the majority really liked it. The problem with the film is that the book was probably really good and detailed and with the runtime being squeezed into just two hours- much is lost.

Keira Knightley and James McAvoy give great performances but their chemistry never quite clicks. An error the directors and screenwriters have made is that their love affair is supposed to be a secret from others...not from the audience! So we never get a real glimpse at what made them fall in love and why it is so special. To me the real story lays in the hands of Briony, the needy attention-seeking 13 yr. old who stumples upon a secret that she completely misunderstands. Her betrayal to her sister sets the plot on track for disaster. I won't give much away because going into this not knowing much proved a good thing for me, since the ending packs a punch! I also won't knock it for staying on a steady pace, I couldn't believe how fast the time flew by.

I just wasn't in the mood to be fooled by the amazing cinematography. The movie and sets are beautiful and intricate but no matter how well done any of that is- you can't keep a story hidden from us. I simply did NOT CARE for the romance and I wanted to. I ended up caring and feeling for Briony....and I know you want to scream "YOU #$%%# BITCH #$%%#%#" at her but we all can relate to making mistakes and assumptions. This one just...ruined lives. Anyway- please see it for yourself. It's sure to stick around for months in that it has been nominated for plenty but just keep in mind that I believe something is lacking. Bad? No. Overrated? Yes...

Golden Globe Nominations

I'm really not that excited this year...I'm hoping ONE movie grabs me and makes me love it but so far none...the globes are a little whack this year I don't see how Waitress went overlooked. Don't expect The Oscar nod's to follow suit. I'm just being grouchy though cuz I'm happy about some stuff..

Picture - Drama
American Gangster
Produced by Brian Grazer, Ridley Scott
Atonement
Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Paul Webster
Eastern Promises
Produced by Robert Lantos, Paul Webster
The Great Debaters
Produced by Todd Black, Kate Forte, Joe Roth, Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey
Michael Clayton
Produced by Jennifer Fox, Sydney Pollack, Steve Samuels
No Country For Old Men
Produced by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin
There Will Be Blood
Produced by Paul Thomas Anderson, Daniel Lupi, Joanne Sellar


Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Across The Universe
Produced by Matthew Gross, Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd
Charlie Wilson's War
Produced by Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks
Hairspray
Produced by Neil Meron, Craig Zadan
Juno
Produced by Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Mason Novick, Russell Smith
Sweeney Todd
Produced by John Logan, Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes, Richard D. Zanuck


Animated Film
Bee Movie
Produced by Jerry Seinfeld, Christina Steinberg
Ratatouille
Produced by Brad Lewis
The Simpsons Movie
Produced by James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean, Richard Sakai, Mike Scully


Actor In A Leading Role - Drama
George Clooney in Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy in Atonement
Viggo Mortensen in Eastern Promises
Denzel Washington in American Gangster


Actor In A Leading Role - Musical Or Comedy
Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd
Ryan Gosling in Lars And The Real Girl
Tom Hanks in Charlie Wilson's War
Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Savages
John C. Reilly in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story


Actress In A Leading Role - Drama
Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie in Away From Her
Jodie Foster in The Brave One
Angelina Jolie in A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley in Atonement


Actress In A Leading Role - Musical Or Comedy
Amy Adams in Enchanted
Nikki Blonsky in Hairspray
Helena Bonham Carter in Sweeney Todd
Marion Cotillard in La Vie En Rose
Ellen Page in Juno


Actor In A Supporting Role
Casey Affleck in The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson's War
John Travolta in Hairspray
Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton


Actress In A Supporting Role
Cate Blanchett in I'm Not There
Julia Roberts in Charlie Wilson's War
Saoirse Ronan in Atonement
Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton in Michael Clayton


Director
Tim Burton for Sweeney Todd
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for No Country For Old Men
Julian Schnabel for The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Ridley Scott for American Gangster
Joe Wright for Atonement


Screenplay
Atonement
Written by Christopher Hampton
Charlie Wilson's War
Written by Aaron Sorkin
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Written by Ronald Harwood
Juno
Written by Diablo Cody
No Country For Old Men
Written by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen


Original Score
Atonement
Composed by Dario Marianelli
Eastern Promises
Composed by Howard Shore
Grace Is Gone
Composed by Clint Eastwood
Into The Wild
Composed by Michael Brook, Kaki King, Eddie Vedder
The Kite Runner
Composed by Alberto Igleslias


Original Song
"Despedida"
From Love In The Time Of Cholera
Music by Antonio Pinto, Shakira Lyric by Shakira
"Grace Is Gone"
From Grace Is Gone
Music by Clint Eastwood Lyric by Carole Bayer Sager
"Guaranteed"
From Into The Wild
Music and Lyric by Eddie Vedder
"That's How You Know"
From Enchanted
Music by Alan Menken Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
"Walk Hard"
From Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Music and Lyric by Judd Apatow, Marshal Crenshaw, Jake Kasdan, John C. Reilly


Foreign Film
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
From France, The United States Of America
4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days
From Romania
The Kite Runner
From The United States Of America
Lust, Caution
From Taiwan
Persepolis
From France

Britney's PIECE OF ME video to premiere tonight!

It will probably have premiered by the time you all see this but damn it looks soooo promising I cannot wait! People love the song. I'll try and have the whole thing up tonight but you can see it on www.britney.com at 11:01pm!

Ok don't kill me...

And you know I am not a big TV watcher really but jesus am I (not so secretly anymore) OBSESSED with Gossip Girl ..it's just THAT good..and I never was a fan of the teen shows. Made fun of all my friends who watched and had parties for 'laguna', 'oc', 'hills'...etc. But I kept hearing genuinely positive buzz (Check out the great article in Entertainment Weekly) about the show so I downloaded the pilot off of Itunes and sure enough hours later I had the whole season on my computer and watched it all as soon as possible. Though the Thanksgiving episode unfortunately lacked, all the others killed! So suspend your disbelief and take a bite - I guarantee you'll love it...even if you can't admit it.

What have you missed...

Not much. Well Britney lost her kids...but her album came out..premiered well but sunk fast. Whose fault? No one really but Britney yet it's not her fault either- with her personal life an utter catastrophe, how on earth can she promote and enjoy it at the same time? But there are enough hits on that album to bring it back from Billboard hell if Britney chooses to do so.


Movies...No Country for Old Men and Enchanted are the best of the lot right now...go see them. Expect reviews of Juno, I Am Legend and some others in the upcoming week. (I saw Atonement today, I'll post that review in a little)


Reading has been hard to keep up with but I will over break..I don't usually talk about my reading on here? Oh well, I might. Heartsick is a killer thriller if your in the mood for one!

It's been a while...

But I'm glad you came! Sorry ya'll...with the slew of semi-bad Britney news...pretty crappy movies...and me being busy as hell with school- I had no time to dedicate myself to the blog and I certainly did not want to half-ass it. So I'm going to try to keep up with it atleast while Oscar season gets into full swing. Happy Holidays!


Devin