dormez-vous?

first of all, can i just talk to the person who decided to change the cover art of the movie from the poster at the right, to the dvd cover (not pictured). bad. choice. the dvd cover sucks. a lot. that's all. thanks.

ok on to the movie! decent. it's a nice change of pace from what i've been watching lately. something more light-hearted. but. it was predictable and a little boring. i really like the opening of the movie and how annie (scarlett) puts people into different exhibits. creative and well done. this could have turned out cheesy, but it didn't.


i thought that scarlett gave a good performance. it wasn't extremely memorable or anything, but it wasn't bad. however, i think that you could stick almost any "cute", "youthful" actress in this role and the movie would still play out the same. ultimately i think this was the fault of the adaptation from the book. i haven't read the book but the way the movie played out makes me think it wasn't really meant to be a movie.

chris evans was good. paul giamatti was good. the little kid was good. alicia keys was better than good but not great. she was in it for maybe 20 minutes altogether. i wish that wasn't the case. her scenes were really the only ones that i still remember. when reading reviews from "critics" when the nanny diaries came out in theaters, some were comparing laura linney to meryl streep a la the devil wears prada. not so much. more like meryl-lite. diet meryl. i know people personally who are bigger bitches than laura was in this movie. i'm not saying she wasn't good. she was. but not as good as the hype.

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overall - the nanny diaries receives a c+
-t

if he's the last king of scotland, then i'm the queen of england

now for something different. i don't normally watch historical dramas. most of them aren't always true to life and play up the less important events surrounding the bigger issue. (see titanic, well don't see it... i'm just using it as an example) the last king of scotland, however, didn't disappoint me like the others that i've seen. yes there was some fabricated drama, but i felt as though the story was primarily supposed to be about nick and amin's relationship. this could have been turned into some abysmal love story between nick and kay [amin], and how nick wanted to avenge her by killing amin. no. wrong. the writers/director/producer stuck to emphasizing amin and his brutality, with his people, his wives, and his "most trusted advisers."

to be quite honest with you, i didn't (still don't) know that much about idi amin. i knew he was a terrible person and that he was the president of uganda in the 70's. that's about it. the movie doesn't really get in to many details as to why he killed all those people, which is kind of nice, otherwise it might have been too documentary-ish. but you still get the sense of how dangerous this man was because of the ways he treated others, mainly nick.

forest whitaker 100% deserved that oscar last year. his performance was stunning. i feel like it's hard for "the bad guys" to win awards for some reason. yes they get noms, but it seems to me like because they are "bad" they usually don't win. there also aren't a whole ton of movies with evil genocidian psychopaths as the lead role either. so maybe that's got something to do with it.

james mcavoy. well we all already know how i feel about this slice of heaven. so you could get a good return on your bet if you put money on me saying he was excellent in this role. his (nick's) naivete/ignorance to the evils of amin and his willingness to become absorbed in the high life of ugandan society were beautifully portrayed. he was completely convincing and you could easily empathize with him when he finally came to realization of how deeply he was in trouble. he also deserved the noms and awards he got for this role.

the setting and costumes were great. i liked how there was equal portrayal of the highs and lows of the society. its hard to believe that there are almost two separate societies within one country, the (literally) dirt poor and the wealthy, and there there is almost no middle ground/class. you are one or the other. it is also interesting to note how each of the two classes have an equal chance at death, one from natural causes, and the other from assassination.

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the last king of scotland - b+
-t

musings on douchebagery

i heart john mayer. this is a well known fact. it is also a well known fact that my favorite "cuss word"/derogatory name/thing to say (period) is "douchebag". what do these things have in common, you ask? no, john mayer is not a douchebag. john mayer's latest blog entry is on the topic of being a/defining douchebag. this recent happening is further proof that we are indeed soulmates. yea us! he took the words right out of my mouth. the way he explores the verbal sensations of the word are dead on and brilliant. say it with me now. "doooouuuuuccchhhhebaaagg" ah. cathartic, no?

if you aren't a regular reader of his blog. shame on you. start now. even if you don't enjoy his music (in which case, go to hell) you should still read it. and although he doesn't update as often as say, me, he is hilarious. basically, all i'm doing here is selflessly promoting him. deal with it. not all blogs have a purpose.

and just in case you didn't get that link above... go here ---> http://johnmayer.com/blog#1985

thank you john mayer. for existing. i love you. (and if you think you could love me too, email me. i won't say no. ever.)

-t

Song and a Haircut

Truthfully, I went into Sweeney Todd not expecting the greatest reaction. I'm not the biggest Sondheim fan, nor would I call myself an enthusiast of bloody tragedies. Entering the cinema my Sweeney knowledge consisted of a murderous barber who uses victims as the main ingredient in meat pies. I left pleasantly surprised. Delighted that such a beloved stage musical was successfully adapted for the screen, with some of the greatest creative minds of our time in front of, and behind the camera.

Once again Johnny Depp has generated another outstanding performance. While we have all seen him as the sad, tormented soul (Edward Scissorhands), I don't believe that I have seen him so angry before. While Depp lets you watch Sweeney's anger grow, he allows it to build up inside, erupting during the finale. His largest flaw was that once I found him looking a little too much like Edward Scissorhands, and once sounding too much like Captain Jack Sparrow. But that's where pale make-up and a British accent will land you. Vocally, Depp did a wonderful job. I found him to be at his best when holding notes, rather than talking-fast-singing. My most annoyed moment (which can also be seen in the trailer), "... You sir. Too sir. Welcome to the grave. I will have vengeance. I will have salvation ..." Dumb.  Sounds like he's trying too hard. Luckily, it's the only line like it in the score.

Helena Bonham Carter was charming as Mrs. Lovett. Bringing motherly tenderness to contrast against Sweeney's furry. I read that she hand to endure rigorous vocal training, but it paid off coming across as a natural singer. Jamie Campbell Bower (Anthony Hope) and Ed Sanders (Toby) were both break out actors. JCB was a beautifully emotional actor. While, Sanders fought for the spotlight, holding his own against Sacha Baron Cohen, Depp and Carter. It was a relief to see Baron Cohen in a role he did not create. I thought Pirelli would be a larger character, Cohen brought humor, flamboyance, and made you forget about Borat. I had the pleasure of seeing Laura Michelle Kelly as Mary Poppins in London's West End, which provided a beautiful showcase for her talent, while in Todd she was barely visible beneath her wig, AND I don't remember her having the chance to sing! Otherwise, good for her being in a major motion picture!

Tim Burton created a wonderful setting for the story, with spot on artistic direction. Burton's use of an unnaturally red blood takes some getting used to, but becomes another creative choice, adding to the fantasy of the picture,  as well as standing out against the gloomy backdrop (as it does in the poster art). I also enjoyed his sporadic use of odd camera angles. He did a wonderful job adapting a Sondheim classic while creating another Burton classic at the same time. B+

-M

2001: a freakin' disaster

well here's an interesting one. 2001: a space odyssey. my brother's reaction was similar to my own when he said, "you've got to be fucking kidding me." that's 2 hours of my life i'll never get back. upon finishing this movie, titanic is not longer my second most hated movie.

i try really hard not to judge a movie until the end credits roll. really try. and for the most part i did a pretty good job here. the first 3 acts of the movie showed promise. the "evolution" of the apes was interesting. the discovery of the monolith on the moon was cool. the journey and hal 9000 were creepy. the last act lost me. way over my head. no idea what the hell was going on. and although i've never dropped acid, i would imagine that the last act of the film is what a bad acid trip would be like. or maybe it would be similar to a good trip. i wouldn't know. this ending is so bad, it ruined the rest of the movie for me.

how this movie got on to multiple "best movies ever" lists, is beyond me. yes the graphics were ahead of the times. yes the usage of classical music instead of dialog was imaginative. yes there are probably some underlying philosophical topics addressed. but the last act is so out there that one has a hard time following the purpose it serves. i usually have no problem following complicated movies. however, i'd love it if someone could explain to me what the hell a star child is. what is that shit, man?

i've only seen one other kubrick film (eyes wide shut). that was different. but i could follow it. there was a purpose, a plot, and a beginning, middle and end. 2001? nope. i tried. i really did. but to no avail.

do not view this movie "for fun" and certainly don't attempt to view it if you have a short attention span.

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2001: a space odyssey gets a d+ (the plus is for the first 3 acts. good job on those stanley)
-t

ps: dave's expression in the poster... yea that's what my face will look like every time this movie is mentioned in the future.

atonement > perfection

there are no words to adequately describe how amazingly fantastically orgasmic this movie was. really. there aren’t. you would need to invent a new word to describe it. atonement. atonemently. atonementify. atonemented.

this movie is perfection. every single thing about this movie is perfect. everything. the scenery. the score. the acting. the actors. the dialog. the time period. the ending. the character development. the plot. the problems. the highs. the lows. everything. there was not one thing wrong with this movie. i really can’t stress this enough. and i’m not exaggerating.

the rest of this review might be a little boring, since the film was perfect. there is nothing to criticize. but i'm going to write on anyways...

first off, if i ever meet james mcavoy i will kidnap him. i will kidnap him and lock him in my basement and keep him as my personal sex slave for the rest of my life. and he will love every single second of it. phenomenal actor. secondly, kiera knightly is the only girl in the whole world that i would go lez for. love her. superb actress. flawless performance. their heartbreak and loneliness is palpable and easy seen even though they are only together, in person, for about half the movie.

on to the score. so good i bought it the next day. the way the typewriter was used as an opening instrument was brilliant. very clever. the way the staccato key strokes are formed into the flowing piano notes is beautiful and musically personifies the story line as a whole, how one event (note) sets the stage for and melts into the rest of life (the piece).

the library scene was quite possibly the hottest thing i've ever seen. the fact that there was no music at all during it was very poignant (your sat word for the day). all you were meant to focus on was them and their passion. no distractions, however minor they might be, are to interrupt.

then the ending. oh sweet lord, the ending. the whole movie was emotional but that last confession... ripped my fucking heart out. i have never had tears explode from my eyes so quickly.

i could go on for hours and hours about the perfectness of this film. but i would expect i would eventually spoil the ending, and that's no fun. basically go see this movie. now. seriously. if you do nothing for the rest of your life... at least see this movie.

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atonement gets an A+++++++. no seriously. this is the fucking gold standard, people.

-t

song and blood

just a forewarning here. i’m writing this review after seeing atonement. unfortunately this means that sweeney todd will be somewhat obscured under shadow. regardless…

good movie! but not my favorite musical. the music was different than what i normally expect of a “musical”. sweeney todd is not really something you can “sing” to (versus moulin rouge and chicago). another notable difference between this musical and those others is that there is considerably less dialog in sweeney. it is almost entirely sung. i also enjoyed the darkness of the film, both literally and metaphorically. the plot was great, though just a little bit predictable towards the end.

i thought johnny was great. i don't have to say this, because anyone who has ever seen him act knows this, but he is an incredible actor. he is so believable and versatile. i am transfixed by his every performance. and while he’s no sinatra, he still has a decent voice. and you’ve gotta give him props for doing something outside his comfort zone. helena was great. i enjoyed her voice, very breathy and frail, like her physique and character. i wish she was showcased a little more and i wish sweeney gave her a fighting chance. she was terrific. her want for sweeney and the torment she experiences from him not returning her affections is powerful but subdued. alan rickman delivered as always. he plays such a good bad guy! he has that deep, slick voice that just makes him (and everything he says) sound like an asshole. if he told me i was the most beautiful girl in the world, i wouldn't know whether to kiss him or slap him. also can i just say that he looked damn good in this movie too?! rawr. a nice change from the slimy snape.

the moral of the story is to not live in the past. it demonstrates how grief and revenge can be so all consuming that you miss out on new opportunities and happiness.

obviously if you are squeamish you shouldn't see this film, but if you can get over the spurting fake blood and you have a $9 laying around and want to see something different, i would suggest seeing it.

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sweeney todd gets a B!
-t

I Certainly Couldn't Find You

When I went to see the new Bob Dylan biopic, "I'm Not There" I went in with an idea that I was going to see 6 actors portraying Dylan at 6 different periods in his lifetime. I thought "brilliant, what an exciting and original idea!" Once the film began  I  got lost and went searching for clues to bring me back to what I thought was the concept behind this film or a link to connect these stories, none of which I found.

What I believe I have found is that Cate Blanchett and Ben Whishaw both portray a 60's Dylan as he is recollected in our memories. Bushy black hair, Ray Ban Wayfarers and skinny suites. While Whishaw's Dylan (referred to as Arthur Rimbauld) is stuck behind a desk answering police questions. We see Blanchett's Jude Quinn deal with the backlash of changing from a folk artist to becoming accepted into the mainstream, deal with the press, and dabble with drugs. Also in Blanchett's segments we spot Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain, Dawson's Creek) looking her sexist ever as the Edie Sedgwick-esqe, Coco Rivington.

I am not very familiar with Dylan's life or music, which I am sure is why I reacted to I'm Not There in the manner I did. However, from what I have heard I am sure that Blanchett and Whishaw's portrayals are close to the young Dylan; especially in the crafty and irritated and way they deal with authority figures.

I guess that the rest of the cast depict characters from Dylan's songs (maybe from differ

ent parts of his career?)? I'm still not sure. As I stated since I'm not the most familiar with Dylan I'm probably not the best to trust with a response from this film, as I did leave confused. The film's most striking aspect is it's concept. Kudos to director Todd Haynes, your presentation remains engaging and unique. I'm not sure Blanchett deserves any awards for her performance. One of the best actresses of our age becoming one of the most iconic (male) musicians ever. Bold move, I get it. Still, I'm not sure that she stretched her performance as far as she could, but that's not to say it was her fault either. She's one of six actors playing leads, and is only alloted so much film time.

the name's brooks. mr. brooks.

it's movies like mr. brooks, that make me love being a student of psychology (even more than i already do). there is something about legitimately mentally fucked up people that fascinates me.

(note: this will be a short review. and may possibly be updated at a later date.)

wow. kevin costner as a bad guy? wtfuwt? really good and pretty convincing. i haven't seen a whole lot of his movies but hes a great actor. he made sociopathy seem like a typical character trait anyone can succumb to. there were a few scenes here with william hurt that were some of the best pieces of movie entertainment i've seen in a long time.

dane cook. impressive. i'm a big fan of dane. i love his mannerisms and the way he uses his whole body to act out things and supplement what he is saying. i thought he did a pretty good job here. i have only seen him as a comedian and in employee of the month, so this was a nice departure. i never would have thought he could play a naive, albeit eager, killer in training. pat on the back(side) for you, dane!

demi moore. yawn! half of her scenes were soooo unnecessary. never really loved her as an actress. she just seems a little... flaccid. there's potential there, but shes not delivering. maybe i haven't seen the right movies; her best work. but really. the stuff i have seen doesn't really make me want to give her the chance. demi, go raise your kids. play some mom roles. leave the embittered single/divorced/widowed woman roles behind.

william hurt. fucking genius. holy crap, he was phenomenal in this movie. i got chills. he plays the alter-ego/sociopath role perfectly. he is what makes kevin costner as a bad guy believable. i really can't sing enough praises for him. high five!

i absolutely loved the idea of using the alter-ego as a narrative tool. very resourceful. and i am thankful for it. without marshall, or using a voice-over narrative instead, the movie would have been flat and uneventful. scores also make movies more interesting. this one was great. one of my favorites i suppose. i think that a good score magnifies the emotion of the scene/film and really help get the viewer emotionally invested.

the only thing i wish was explored more was the reasoning behind the fingerprints, positioning of the victims and other crime scene nuances mr. brooks left. i would have liked a little more back story there.

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overall, i give mr. brooks an A-!

-t

what happens in vegas...

i like heist movies. and i love the ocean movies (although i liked 12 the least). i love this series for a number of reasons. here's 5 reasons why i enjoyed 13:

1) amazing cast. mr. clooney, mr. pitt, mr. damon and mr. cheadle are definitely among the greatest actors of our time. even the not so well known members are talented and essential to the movies. i am soooo grateful that the original 11 stayed with the movies all the way through. that is a feat hard to come by, getting 11 people to sign on for a second, let alone a third movie. also, mr. pacino and mr. garcia... top notch. i did slightly miss julia roberts though. it would have been nice if she came back and kicked benedict in the balls... for old times sake.

2) accessibility. these movies really are accessible to everyone. all three work as stand-alones, so it's not something one has to commit to, unlike say the lord of the rings. they are also accessible to a wide spectrum of iq scores. you could be a bona-fide smarty pants or you could be slightly brighter than a rock and still enjoy them. the intricacy of the actual heist plan, the inter-relation of the characters and the double-double crosses appeal to those in my own iq bracket, while the humor, the bright lights, and the general concept of robbing some stuffy asshole blind are easy for everyone to understand.

3) vegas. 'nuff said. if you've been there, you know.

4) the script. it's intelligent! which is not really the norm for movies in this genre. usually with heist/shoot 'em up/ flashy movies you get sub-par cliched one liners. the "bangs!" and "booms!" usually do all the talking. oceans' is different. the dry, witty banter here makes it for me. and the lines at the end from mr's clooney and pitt digging at each others personal lives were a nice touch, even if a little corny.

5) the plot. the writers make the twisty-turny plot pretty easy to follow (pay attention!) and you almost think you could use the movie as an actual blueprint for robbing an impenetrable casino... hmm, clever. anyways. you really want the gang to succeed because you want banks to go down in a blaze for screwing reuben over. i like how this movie was a little different with respect to the "heist" part. the original plan was to just make banks lose a shit load of money on opening night. the stealing of the diamonds was added after. it reminded me of home alone exploits only on an adult/millionaire scale. the sabotaging of the hotel rater, the rigging of the games and machines, the forethought to control everything and the use of greedy employee insiders was genius. the only minor issue i had with the plot was the parts in mexico with the malloy brothers. don't get me wrong. i thought that was one of the funniest parts of the movie, but it was clearly a plot device to make the movie a few minutes longer.

while the first one is still the best one, the third comes in at a close second. (o.O)

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overall, i give ocean's 13 a B!

-t

Dark Knight/ Bright Idea

Subject: The Dark Knight

Topic: Art/Design, Movies

Since T was so kind as to get the ball rolling on the campaign for The Dark Knight, I shall now venture to critique my favorite poster for the upcoming sequel.

Using a run-down, brick wall as the canvas for a portrait of the Joker works well, touching on the kind of setting that Gotham City is; dark, squalid and urban. While the portrait is minimal, there are a handful of ideas being examined here. The image is not just on bricks, but rather the white washed bricks mimicking the Joker's base make-up. The eyes have been applied quickly using only circles, void of detail, feeling and humanity (same as the Joker).

The lips are my favorite aspect of this image. Using Batman's logo as the Joker's lips was brilliant. Here we have made a connection between our story's hero and villain, and possibly their relationship. Bloody, harsh and violent, just as the lips have been applied. Last time I checked lip-stick didn't drip that freely. Also, I have to agree with and T her "elongating one's mouth" idea, although it is very Nip/ Tuck.

This is a breath of fresh air to the movie poster business. We have iconic movie imagery presented in a imaginative way, and ideas concealed underneath it. Unlike the last "Dark Knight" poster which has not been critiqued here.

i'll tell you why

ok whoever directs the ad campaigns for the new batman movie is a genius. he/she has successfully made me both excited to the point where spontaneous combustion would be an unsurprising cause of death and terrified beyond all reasoning.

i think it's the general consensus that batman begins was easily the best batman movie ever made. therefore anyone that views this new movie next summer, will probably die upon seeing the opening credits. i think the dark knight will make batman begins look like my puppy's doo doo. this movie is going to be beyond belief.

i grew up on batman (the cartoon). and enjoyed the movies made in the 90's. he was always my favorite. and to be completely honest i always thought that the joker was a little bit... lame. he was more of a nuisance than anything. half of the time his crimes backfired and the other half... well they weren't that amazing. to me at least. when i found out that heath ledger was playing the joker i was interested and thought that he would play the villain according to my vision of the cartoon. these posters and the trailer changed all of that.

i am completely and utterly terrified of the joker at this point.

the way he is portrayed in the movie... i would be out of that city faster than you could say "go go batmobile" this joker is the thing of nightmares, folks.

both of these posters show the joker with a menacing looking knife, that i would bet my face, is used for "elongating ones' mouth." both posters also ask "why so serious?" you want to know why i'm so serious? because there is a fucking psychopath dressed as a clown running around my city. that's why.

overall, the trailer and the posters made me about 400% more excited for the movie than i already was. rock on.

-t

hey disney... your roots are showing

well m and i went and saw enchanted on monday night. i really enjoyed it. i really enjoy most disney movies, but this one brought me back to the enjoyment i got out of the little mermaid, sleeping beauty and beauty and the beast. i've been disappointed that disney broke away from it's "musical" format and decided to go the way of celebrity voices and cgi's.

i think that disney tried to incorporate some of their earlier works into this movie. (there were certainly some parodies going on) but i think that overall, it was mainly a mashed up updated version of snow white and sleeping beauty. there was a little alice in wonderland thrown in, and even less little mermaid, but they were there. regardless, i really connected with the storyline and thought it delivered a good modern message to young girls. its ok to be helpless and stupid sometimes, but most of the time you need to think critically, be brave and fight some bitches to win at life.

i am glad that they used amy adams for the role of giselle and not some slutty tart. i honestly had no idea who amy was before this role and for that i am glad. the only problem i had with her was that she seemed just a hair too old for the role at times. i think disney princesses are in the age range of say, 18-23, and amy seemed like a 26 year old at times. at times, key words there. 99% of the time she fits right in.

not a huge fan of partick dempsey, but in no way do i dislike him. i thought he played the role extremely well. and after seeing him in this part, i definitely see his appeal. i'm not jumping on the grey's anatomy band wagon here, but i would enjoy seeing him in other movies.

james marsden. ::angels singing:: god is that man good looking or what?! even in that silly prince costume i just wanted to... ahem. sorry. good acting, wish he got a chance to sing just a little bit more. but i'll take what i can get. now all i need for him to do is take more roles where he is shirtless...

loved the costumes and the sets and how it took place in nyc. perfectly juxtaposes the idea of a fairy tale kingdom. the only thing that could have made this movie better was more singing. classic disney had, what?, a good 10-15 original songs per movie. this one had 3 plus the one by carrie underwood and some other guy. come on disney, don't half-ass it, next time!

the only thing i didn't like about the movie was susan sarandon. at first i didn't even know it was her. the costume didn't translate well from cartoon world to real world. she looked like a freak, not an evil queen (although in nyc these are sometimes considered the same thing...) i wish the creators incorporated her just a little more, make her a little more human. they kind of just said "ok here's the evil queen. she's evil. don't like her, k?. why? just because. don't ask questions."

someone also could have come up with a better tagline. "the real world and the animated world collide." areyoufuckingserious? wasn't that like the tagline for space jam??

overall, good job disney! now its up to you to decide whether you go up or down from this point. choose wisely. please.

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Enchanted - B

-t

anything > antm

word of the day: integrity: (n) a firm adherence to a code of, especially, moral or artistic values.
used in a sentence: america's next top model SERIOUSLY LACKS integrity.

tyra banks is a fucking sell out. i knew she was fake. i knew she was a bitch. i knew she was presumptuous. but i put up with it. up to this point. eliminating someone because of a disability? not cool, bitch. not cool.

you know for once, just once!, i'd like to watch a reality show that chooses it's winner fairly, and based on the clearly presented standards. without input from advertisers, investors, consultants, potential employers, etc. up to this point i thought that antm pretty much picked the right girl to "win", but after kicking off heather last week, i'm seriously considering not watching the show anymore. the only reason i will watch this seasons finale is because i know bianca cannot win.

jenah doesn't want it. chantal is dumber than shit. bianca is a judgemental fucking bitch. and i want to rip her vocal cords out of her throat because her voice is that of a 60 year old smoker. and salisha. ugh. not pretty. pictures are decent. personality is lame.

heather easily took the best pictures out all the girls this season. she had a beautiful personality. she was so accepting and forgiving and comforting. even though many of the other girls treated her like scum. eliminating her really reveals the shows true colors. and they are not pretty.

honestly. salisha will prolly win. you want to know why? because she attended tyra's self-esteem camp when she was younger. watch the first episode of this season. tyra blantly self promotes it. sick.

ugh. whatever. i don't want to waste anymore of my life thinking about this. antm. so over it. where is my gossip girl?

-t

edit (12.13): told you she would win.

third time's a charm

well i finally saw hairspray. the new one. first time i saw hairspray. i hated it. my god, did i ever. ask m. m picked out the original movie (with ricki lake.... that should tip you off right there) for a movie day back when we were in high school. it immediately went to my top 10 most hated movies. couple days later.... had pretty much forgotten about it. then last spring break while i was in florida, my grandparents surprised me with tickets to a play... which one you ask? take a guess. since it was the traveling broadway cast and the tickets were moderately pricey, i couldn't just say no. so i went. i was not happy about it. the movie left such a bad taste in my mouth, i was determined not to enjoy it.

then a funny thing happened. turns out our seats somehow got screwed up and out of the 7 of us that went... one ticket/seat was separated from all the others. i decided to take that seat, mainly so i could sulk alone. i took my seat, next 3 or 4 old women. they were talking so loudly that i couldn't help but overhear them. they were talking about the play/movie rent. one of my faves! as i was listening to them, i realized that they were bashing both the play and the movie adaptation... without even seeing them! how close minded! then i realized... heeeyyy now. that's what i'm doing! i had condemned the live version of hairspray even before giving it a chance. i was slightly ashamed of myself.

so i opened my mind. and enjoyed the play much more than the first movie. still didn't love it. but i was glad i gave it a chance. and then last night i watched the new movie. it was very good. i would certainly watch it again.

impressed with:

michelle pfeiffer. i've never really seen any of her movies, and after seeing this one i think i may go on a pfeiffer binge on netflix. although i think i'll skip grease 2...

james marsden. uhh. give me a slice of that, please! loved him in x-men. can't wait to see him in enchanted and 27 dresses. i miss actors who can play different roles. it seems that nowadays many actors end up playing the same role over and over again. diversity = not boring! was also really impressed with his singing.

amanda bynes. i've been a closet fan of hers ever since she was on all that. i think she is talented and cute. she does seem to be falling into that catagory of playing the same role over and over again, however. i wish she would branch out more... but this is a step in the right direction.

elijah kelley. yes please! i've never heard of him before this. but gosh do i hope i get to see more of him. great acting and singing. great face and body. mmhmm.

costumes. i've actually met, had lunch and been in rita's house. shes very nice and extremely talented. great job with this movie. i adored amanda bynes' dress in the closing number. i want one.

dissapointed with:

john travolta. boo, you whore. dude. if your religion doesn't let you dress up in drag... don't take a role that's meant for a drag queen!!! yes you dressed up as a woman, but the role is clearly supposed to be a man in drag. (if you the reader don't understand what i'm talking about, see the original movie... this is the only time i will ever recommend doing so) i was very annoyed with this. singing was mediocre, a far cry from grease. acting wasn't superb either. although i do have to give him kudos for the fat suit.

zac efron. yawn. really that's all i have to say. there was no passion in his performance. i really don't know what all the fuss is about surrounding him. decent voice, yes. not a good actor though. next.

brittany snow. she was good in "john tucker must die" but this was a gigantic step down for her. maybe it was because she was hardly in the movie at all, but i was just really turned off by her performance.

set. when i saw this live, the set was amazing. it was bright and colorful and alive. this set left something to be desired. the corny collins show set was good. but eveything else was very forgetable.

indifferent about:

queen latifah. the protest song was amazing. i got chills. but i think it was more from the gospel-esqe background vocals. her acting is good. chicago anyone? but i can't really appreciate her fully as an actress until she stops picking super lame roles (see taxi, bringing down the house and last holiday)

nikki blonsky. even though i've never seen her on broadway, i still feel like her performance would be much better on stage. i can't bash her too much because she does have killer pipes and she gives girls like me hope that we can get the cute guy in the end.

christopher walken. i really enjoy mr walken. he is a great actor. his unique ability to deliver comedic roles, almost seriously, is something that will never be able to be replicated. this role was a little lack lustre, however. he had some funny lines. but i feel like he would have done a much better job, had he had a better actor to play his "wife".

soundtrack. as a whole, it was a little flat. i think many of the songs sound too similar. without love was the one stand out piece for me. i love listening to rent, spring awakening and the wedding singer soundtracks. i do not think i would enjoy just listening to this one without visual stimulation.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

overall, i give this movie a B-. while it's still not my favorite musical... i do enjoy it much more the third time around.

-t

Fine, Let's Do This: Celebrity Playlist

Let me begin by stating that I refrain from making playlists of my "favorites" because personally, I feel that they are too permanent and I know a better song will come along in the future.

I tried to keep my list at 15 songs, alphabetical order. On one hand this list does include most of my all time favorites. On the other there are some bands unmentioned who I feel mean a lot more me than those listed and have influenced me greatly. Including Coldplay, Corrine Bailey Rae, Keane, Alicia Keys and Michael Jackson.

On that note this list does give a good impression of myself. A lot of fun danceable music (Crazy In Love, Lady Marmalade), showtunes (My Junk, Out Tonight), and some more emotional songs about love (Have A Little Faith In Me, London Rain). There are some really well known songs as well as some lesser known bands and songs, so enjoy! Ciao.

-M

PS: I'm not going to read over this. So I apologize if what I have wrote doesn't make sense.

1. Aquarius (Lillias White, "Hair: The Actors' Fund of America Benefit Recording")

Well known as the opening number of Hair, I can't help but groove and sing along with Lillias White. Her voice has so much power and beauty. It's a great song to take a break to and let go of some energy.

2. Crazy In Love (Beyonce, "Dangerously In Love")

An ultimate dance number. I can't help but get up and dance to this when it comes on.

3. Dancing Queen ("Mamma Mia!: Original Cast Recording")

The lyrics "You can dance. You can jive. Having the time of your life," I can't help but get lost in them! I wish I could go out dancing and have this song come on, as I imagine it was like during the 70's. The don't makes songs like this anymore. About dancing, having fun, and that perspective dance partner for the night.

4. Grace Kelly (Mika, "Life In Cartoon Motion")

So much fun! That's all I can say.

5. Have A Little Faith In Me (Many Moore, "Coverage")

I love to put this song on when I'm at the beginning of a crush. It lets me get out the emotion I'm feeling without having to put it in my own words.

6. I Want to Break Free (Queen, "The Works")

I first discovered this song on a Coca-Cola commercial and introduced me to one of my favorite bands ever. Again fun song.

7. I'm A Slave 4 U (Britney Spears, "Britney")

I love music about music! Britney was just coming down from the peak of her career, which I believe was "Oops!" but this is my favorite Britney album. Danceable and good pop music.

8. Lady Marmalade (C. Aguliera, Lil' Kim, Mya, Pink, "Moulin Rouge")

A great pop song, but Missy Elliott and Rockwilder bring a creative edge to the classic. I can't help but smile and sing when it comes on.

9. Like A Virgin (Madonna, "Like A Virgin")

One of my favorites ever. I love the opening notes. Simple, classic pop music.

10. London Rain (We the Living, "Heights of the Heavens")

What first drew me to this song was the topic of London. What kept me there was the lyrics and emotion in John Paul's voice.

11. My Junk (Ensemble, "Spring Awakening")

A great song about having a harmless crush and the hope for more.

12. Out Tonight (Daphne Ruben Vega, "Rent: Original Broadway Cast Recording")

My ultimate getting ready to go out song, for the obvious reason. I love the energy and attitude DRV brings so the lyrics, making me feel confident and unstoppable.

13. Proud Mary (Ike and Tina Turner, "The Best of ...")

Great classic R&B you can't beat the energy of a pioneer like Tina.

14. Who Do You Think You Are (Spice Girls, "Spice")

I find that this is an overlooked Spice Girl song in the U.S., since it was never released as a single here. But it includes all the quintessential Spice Girl ingredients.

15. Why Georgia (John Mayer, "Room For Squares")

Everything John brings to this song is perfect: the lyrics, the mood. Staring out slow and then picking up.

Let's Make the Headlines

Topic: Fashion, Magazine, Music, Photography

Subject: Victoria Beckham

It's only fitting that the topic of my first post is about a Spice Girl. So ... let's talk about Victoria Beckham on the January cover of Elle magazine, as photographed by Gilles Bensimon. I think she looks great. Her outfit and the photo are nothing special, creatively, but Victoria seems more down to Earth, which is a breath of fresh air! Appearing healthy, sexy and less extreme, Victoria's smirk shows her happier and more congenial than her more familiar pout.

Makeup looks great: Natural, not too tan. Nice smokey eyes, bringing out her dark pupils. Like I said before, the outfit isn't anything spectacular, but its nice to see her in something that's not super tight or overly glamorous. Hair looks good too. I was never a big fan of the blonde, but it looks good here. The slightly jumbled part and color are a more natural look.

Overall, it's a different personality than most of the public is used to, and I love it.

Vikki, What happened, I thought you said you were going to smile more often? I was looking forward to more moments like this. Stay posh, remain down to Earth.

- M

first is the worst...

in celebration of our new blog i am (and m will be, if he knows what's good for him) posting a "celebrity playlist" similar (read:identical) to the one's posted on itunes (no copyright infringement intended). this is so you folks know who we are as appreciators of music. (omigosh! that little spell checker thing is great. i thought i spelled "appreciators" wrong... turns out i didn't but i did spell "infringement" wrong.... but you'd never know because of that helpful little tool! fantastic! note: this does not mean i will have perfect spelling in my posts... in fact you can almost count on me not spelling things correctly) um where was i? oh yes. celebrity playlist. i'm going to try and limit myself to 15-20 songs (in no particular order)... but that's like asking someone to limit themselves to 15-20 breaths per hour. needless to say, i need music. i listen to it constantly. it is like food. so here is my ultimate collection of favorite favorites! voila!


t's celebrity playlist.
compiled on 5 december 2007.
subject to changes.



track 1: wrapped around your finger - the police: if there was only one song i had to listen to for the rest of my life, this would be it. i cannot get sick of it. i absolutely adore the metaphors and guitar riffs in this song. it is seductively sinister in the way it draws you in, and captivates you, and before you know it the tables are turned and you are the one on your back with the knife to your throat. beautiful.


track 2: 3x5 - john mayer: ok first of all...i met john this past summer. just had to rub that in. sorry. well not really. anyways... it is nearly impossible to pick my fave john song. the reason i chose this one is, not only is it one of my faves, but i think it showcases john really well as an artist. its not too pop, not to blues. the poetic lyrics (that i really relate to) are perfect for the instrumentals. but the deciding factor in ultimately choosing this song, is the memory i have of seeing him perform this. my first jm concert, no one knew who he was yet, (only like 2 months after no such thing was released over the airwaves) but when he began playing this song, the entire audience was mesmerized. the lighting was hypnotic and the intro was bliss. its also not a well known song of his, so listen to it and get a feel for a different side of john.


track 3: twisted logic - coldplay: again. sooo difficult to choose a coldplay song. i love the eeriness of this song, in the lyrics, chris' voice and in the music itself. it's scary when you realize how entirely possible (and true) the idea of the song is. then you laugh to your self and say "naahh", then quickly stop because you know its true. (also since i can't help myself... listen to sparks, i teared up when i first heard this song. that's how much it moved me.)


track 4: wicked game - chris issac: yes, yes, yes... cliche! screw you. i love this song. i just love how it's not your typical love song. it's about painful, almost involuntary love. the kind you can't help, explain or get rid of. and the way the guitar almost cries in that oh-so-noticeable opening... ugh... it just rips out your heart. with no apologies. but in way that leaves you begging for more.


track 5: sister moon - sting: the first time i heard this song i was on my way home from italy. it perfectly captured the reflective mood i was in at the time. stumbled upon it on accident on the in-flight music station. the poetry stuck with me so fast that i listened to it the entire way home. it was a 9 hour flight.


track 6: the look of love - chris botti: the trumpet. my faaaaaavorite wind instrument. one of my most played songs on my ipod. this entire cd is amazing. its that music that you can play anytime, anywhere. relaxing and uplifting. perfect background music for when one is applying eye make-up of the smokey eye variety. if you are so inclined.


track 7: o. lover - jason mraz: first of all... i wish i was the girl he was singing about. this is like sex in song form. and i mean sex, not making love. hot. passionate. sex. makes you feel naughty just listening to it. a good tango song. whew. ok. mr. mraz is an amazing lyricist and extremely versatile. definitely check him out if you haven't already.


track 8: underneath the stars - mariah carey: a nice little surprise tucked in with the world famous fantasy, always be my baby, open arms and one sweet day on the album daydream. this song always transports me to a field filled with fireflies at twilight. just close you eyes... you can feel breeze already...


track 9: jazz music - dephazz: ambient dance/house = fab! i accidentally d/l this song whilst looking for "jazz music" and fell in love immediately. it has thus opened me up to a whole new genre of music that would have otherwise gone ignored. hooray for general search terms!


track 10: no ordinary love - sade: to me, sade was one of those artist who sings a lot of your favorite songs, but you don't know it until you listen to their greatest hits album. again it is one of those almost painful love songs. good for a stormy, sticky, summer night without power.


track 11: hand to mouth - george michael: very raw and in your face. the beginning sounds like a typical lusty song, then you listen to the lyrics. and wham! (haha... couldn't help it) there is so much bitterness and truth in them, that have nothing to do with love, but with the hardships of life. amazing.


track 12: enchantment - corinne bailey rae: so smooth. i will not be convinced that i am in love until i feel like the lyrics in this song.


track 13: i'm your man - michael buble: swoon. a modern crooner. beautiful voice, similar to that of angels. he mainly sings covers, but he has spiced up his last two albums with some original material (see: everything... good song!). his music reminds me of warm, sunny spring days that were made for relaxing and enjoying the beauty of life.


track 14: supermassive black hole - muse: my new favorite band. i only recently got into muse as per recommendations of a friend. i was previously under the impression that muse was some hardcore metal, screaming band, that i would only listen to whilst running down that asshole who just cut me off. how wrong was i. i don't really know how to describe muses' sound to someone who's never heard of them. it's like trying to explain what broccoli tastes like. (although the auditory experience i get from muse is a million times more satisfying than the flavor experience delivered by broccoli) they are very unique. and this song shows that. they are hardcore in a way, but also very smooth in their delivery of it. it catches you off guard, because you've never heard anything like them before... but know you want more. like passion fruit glaze over a fillet mignon. try it. you won't regret it.


track 15: killer - seal: seal is another one of those artists' who sings a lot of songs you know and love, but never knew who sang them. again... i found this out by listening to a "best of" album (an invention i'll forever be grateful for) i really like the upbeat punch in the face about 35 seconds in. its a "listen up, fuckers" and you immediately know this song means business. ironically whenever i listen to this song, i see myself as a female version of james bond (specifically in the n64 version of golden eye. genius.) for some reason. something to do with the beat and instruments used, i suppose. this is ironic because the song is about how the separation within society is making us, as humans, unhappy and ultimate kills us, even if only metaphorically. deep, seal. deep.

end.

well as i said before... this is in no way definitive or final. my favorites change on a daily basis and with my mood. this is mainly for you, the reader, to get to know my preferred musical tastes. although... now looking back at it.... it doesn't really accurately represent the wide range of diversity on my ipod, which, by the way, is the best in the world.


can you tell which one of dislikes capital letters yet...?

-t