Oh, June...

Perhaps projection from hatred of my birthday made June a bit unbearable at times....

                    

It’s weird. It seems the more stressed out I am the more blogging I do. That’s the only reason to explain the 70 posts this month – June was even worse than May.

            

Along with Jose and Luke, I finally discussed the Best Actor Race of 1985. Two actors nominated for action films? That doesn’t happen often.

On the collaborative note I teamed up with Yojimbo for a Scene On A Sunday discussion centring on Atonement.

                  

Of course, I probably should take into account the 30 posts dedicated to the overlong TV Meme, but despite the stress it was fun. Rachel and Ryan T. have been counting with me and Luke, Robert and Jude are still in the process. Yes, we know most of you are movie blogs, but TV has its moments.

          

Speaking of which, I submitted my own ballot for the upcoming Emmy Awards a few days ago. The Emmy’s are notorious for depressing me, but I’m like a dog with a bone.

                            

I’ve reached the homestretch of my Top 100 films and only recently singled out The Apartment as #10. More to come in July. I’ve also got a countdown of sorts (inspired by Heather) premiering tomorrow, so check back for more details.

                

I revisited the lovely An Education though what I did was nothing like a review, hence the poll in the sidebar...I'll review whatever wins. 

My movie watching has been considerably down, what with exams and all – though I did see Nowhere BoyR (liked it very much), Robin Hood (appreciated it in spots) Toy Story III (liked it, generally). The latter got me wondering about the animation format... July should point to increased viewing, I’m very curious to see Knight & Day actually.

                               

After Marshall won LAMB Casting she went for a lighter film. Get your ideas for My Best Friend's Wedding sent to me.

                      

June marks the halfway mark to the year. How was it for you?

My Buddy Film

CS of Big Thoughts From A Small Mind invites bloggers to Pitch a Movie every month. This month, it's the Buddy Film.

        

Examples of the Genre: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas; Thelma and Louise; Midnight Cowboy; Planes Trains and Automobiles; Sex and the City; Strange Brew; The Hangover; Toy Story; Fried Green Tomatoes; Swingers; Grumpy Old Men; Sideways; The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

10 words/phrases to get you started:

1. You owe me! Remember that...
2. I think the walls are moving...
3. Leslie
4. Did we forget something?
5. Drinks
6. Well look who just walked in...
7. Road Trip
8. You know I would do the same for you...
9. Cellphone
10. Who’s going to know?

Like with the last title I pitched, I'm not sure how much it stays within the genre...and as usual...still no name. Here goes...The words I used from the list are bold.

                            

It opens with a wedding. It’s the usual posh, but not over the top arrangement and all seems fine except that the groom is outside smoking, very tense. This is JOSHUA KLINE. Eventually, a bridesmaid comes out; the wedding has to be started. The wedding procession begins and his bride (LESLIE) arrives at his side. He shakes his head imperceptibly, and we pan out to see he is without a best man. We arrive at the wedding ceremony, dancing, conversing and a bottle of champagne opens as we cut to a man in the shower. This is PATRICK JONES, the missing best man. He enters his bedroom where a woman lays there, post coitus – SOFIA VIERA. They have a cold conversation where, after being goaded, Patrick reveals that he doesn’t believe in weddings – that’s why he didn’t turn up at Joshua’s. After a slight spat Sofia leaves.

A couple of weeks pass and Patrick eventually turns up at the newlyweds’ home, with a bonsai tree as a gift. Leslie smiles wanly letting him in. Joshua enters the kitchen where they are and shakes his head, “Well look who just walked in…” The air is tense for a few seconds and the three sit and have breakfast as if nothing has happened, with Patrick mentioning that the gift is really from Sofia.

A few years go by peppered by the usual. The couple have a baby, and then another one – Patrick stands as the godfather for both, even though he hasn’t exactly become a “new man”. Sofia gets married and Patrick refuses to be motivated to make any romantic gesture to thwart it, though he still maintains a friendship with her. As marriages go, problems are forthcoming with Leslie and Joshua and Leslie and Patrick unwittingly have sexual encounter at low points in their lives after talking over drinks. “Who’s going to know?” a drunken Patrick whispers to her as they consummate the affair. Conversations afterward reveal that this is not the first encounter of the kind between the two.

                  

Both wake guilt ridden and Leslie anxious to rekindle the flame her marriage severs the relationship with Patrick and suggests the idea of a road trip for the couple – to Las Vegas. Patrick is given the task of babysitting the children. Sofia, now separated from her husband, turns up to help him. While out with the two children and Sofia at the playground Patrick gets a call on his cell phone. On the way back home, Leslie and Joshua have been in an accident. Leslie has died and Joshua, just barely hanging on, pleads with Patrick to adopt the children. A distraught Patrick is reticent and Joshua implores “I’d do the same for you.” Patrick shakes his head, “I’d never have had children.” Angrily Joshua shouts, “You owe me! Remember that.” Patrick thinks he’s referring to the wedding that he missed seven years ago, but (of course) Joshua knew of the affair all along. Joshua goes into shock and dies as a frantic Patrick sits down. He leaves the hospital room to see Sofia and waiting expectantly with the children. He sighs heavily as the screen fades to black. 

           

CAST

Joshua / James Franco

Leslie / Rosemarie DeWitt

Patrick / Derek Luke

Sofia / Sara Ramirez

               

Oh, how I love a tragedy. Any suggestions on a title?

“Goodbye Toys”: A Short Eulogy

Sooner or later, for me it’s always sooner, we get to the place where we see movies less as independent entities waiting to be judged but pieces of “art” that we would (or perhaps not) have a connection. Even if it’s not acknowledged, we have to feel some connection – regardless of how tenuous – to a film we recommend. It was something that occurred to be less than half an hour in Toy Story 3. I don’t know if I was an “unusual” child but I’ve never been enamoured with toys. I can’t remember – even vaguely – any, though I’m sure I must have; I was always literary minded. Toy Story 3 is the type of farewell that many sequels are unable to get. Andt is literally attempting to create an end (and a beginning) for these characters and his tale is excellent…in spots.

Andy is leaving for college and is faced with the dilemma of what to do with his toys. Through chance occurrence after chance occurrence they end up in a school which leads to new adventures for the toys. In the same way that I was never attached to toys I’ve never been attached to previous incarnations of Toy Story, but as much as the writers are using continuity they don't depend upon it and it’s as much a send-off as it as a film complete in itself. Toy Story 3, though, is for children – or at best, the children in us. Whereas Coraline (incidentally another film touching on children and playthings, notwithstanding to a lesser degree) is a film for older children with things to attract the young, Toy Story 3 is the opposite. At its heart it’s the story of a boy and his toys, and (silly me) I didn’t realise that until the end of the film. I don’t know how sinister it makes me sound, but I found myself almost hoping that the film would close with a certain movement of the toys, hands joined, towards a certain burning light; but moments later I realised that any poignancy to be found in such a send-off would be much to morbid (and anti-antimation).

It’s not that Woody’s constant refrain of “We’re Andy’s toys!” is lost on me, but Unrich and Arndt are doing such a good job of making everything else seem fun – notably a particular young girl and her toys – that I forget that Andy is the missing link. Thus, his final moments with his toys doesn’t move me as much as it makes me smile, somewhat ironically; I didn’t really understand it - can't a child survive without toys? And, yet, I did understand. And, then it occurs to me that it (the movie) is not about an end but a new beginning. It’s not heaven, but it’s somewhere close – for the toys, and perhaps for the audience (some of them) too.

                         

B

              

(Is there any chance of me getting a “Book Story”? That would really appeal to me.)

TV Meme, Day 30: Saddest Character Death

This question puzzled me. Characters die on TV but often they’re guest stars or recurring characters, unless it’s Lost or 24 deaths don’t come that often. I have touched on two sad deaths over the months, Denny’s in Grey’s Anatomy and Rex’s in Desperate Housewives. It made me realise that what was sad was not the actual death but the reactions of the characters. I decided I’d focus on a character I’d never liked that much, but on what I consider to be one of the strongest representations of death in a television show.

            

The death in question was that of Joyce Summers in “The Body”; the show – Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

           

Buffy comes home one night to find her mother dead and the rest of the episode continues in a sombre, dismal tone. Whedon realises that death doesn’t always bring people together – it tears them apart and it’s seeing the reactions of the characters that make this episode less about Joyce’s death and more of death in general. I always remember Anya, a demon turned human, asking frantically “What am I supposed to do?”

What are we supposed to do when someone dies? Buffy just draws deeper into herself…

          
This is the last MEME post, I shall be back with a recap...but for now
"I'm free! We're free! We're free!"
Extra points if you know which play ends with that line.

Spain vs Portugal Highlights - 1:0

Finally, Spain made it to the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. David Villa was able to make one goal to seal their victory. Spain will face against Paraguay in the quarter-finals this Saturday, July 3 at Johannesburg - Ellis Park Stadium.

Here's the Spain vs Portugal highlights video.


Spain 1-0 Portugal (Highlights)

Simão | MySpace Video

Spain vs Portugal 6 years ago.





Related posts :

• Brazil vs Chile 3:0 Highlights
• Netherlands vs Slovakia 2:1 Highlights
• England vs Germany 4:1 highlights
• Ghana vs United states 2:1 Highlights - US lost

TV Meme, Day 29: Current TV Show Obsession

I knew it wouldn’t be Glee I’m not obsessed with it (yet) and I’m more obsessed with Chenoweth (and the music) in Glee than the actual show – which is a delight. It couldn’t be Grey’s Anatomy. Yes I love (with the DVDs to show) but it’s heading south and they need to stop making everyone have sex. It’s a hospital, for god’s sake. It couldn’t be Dexter because that’s mostly about the excellence of Michael C. Hall and it couldn’t be The Office because I want more B.J. Novak. In a time of such indecision there really was only one person to turn to – Leslie Knope.

When Parks & Recreation first premiered it was received with mix reviews – a strange premise, stodgy writing and an unproven cast. Somehow I’m not sure what the issue was because I was there from the beginning and I’ve always been a believer. The first season focused on the Parks & Recreation departments attempt to turn a horrible pit into a park – that didn’t pan out too well for the department but it led to a whole lot of hilarity for me. I won’t say much about. I already have (and I’m tired), but rest assured it’s one of the greatest things on TV right now. Just check my fake Emmy nominations...

         
The penultimate post of the meme, sigh.

House Keeping Matters

In case you didn't notice, I've got a poll up on the sidebar. I actually hate polls (anonymity does not do it for me), I actually did two polls way back when when you picked Sweeney Todd as your favourite musical and Sense & Sensibility as your favourite nineties period piece. I reviewed both, as promised. I didn't do well in attempting to review An Education, so this is take on 2009 reviewing. I wrote various musings on three of the four, and very little on The Last Station and Up. So, you decide which I should review.
            
While you're on that, I'm accepting ideas for the newest LAMB Casting, we're recasting My Best Friend's Wedding, see more here.
 
Okay...as you were.

The Animated Question…Or What Is a Musical?

I told you before, editorials are not really my thing but I have to do one every now and then. It’s been nagging at me since May. This is less editorial and more of a short conjecture.

                            

When Univarn rightfully weighed on the issue with some musicals I questioned whether musicals can rightfully be called a genre. Romance is a genre, every romance films have the same tenets – no matter how quirky, offbeat, maudlin, unrealistic, gross, stupid or smart – there will be a couple, they will fall in love (or pretend they have) one may die, they both may die, they may part ways but romance will occur, hence the name. It isn’t the same with a musical, silent movies aren’t regarded as a genre (at least not correctly) neither are “talkies”. So why are musicals and animated films treated as such…? What is it that we expect from them? No one thinks of breaking down films in terms of black-and-white. I do have my favourite black-and-white film (forthcoming on the list).

                    "Sweeney, dear, there's been a bit of an error...this is a bit too bloody to  be a musical..."  

              

It’s not that I don’t often go around citing my favourite musical or animated flicks (I do and I did) but when persons have such mental blocks it becomes a tad – trite? “I don’t watch children’s movies” – did they see Waltz with Bashir? “Musicals are for girls” – I think I’ve done enough trying to prove that one wrong but Sweeney Todd (or on stage “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”)? Really? …or maybe I’m missing the big picture. Is there something that makes all musicals inherently the same (musical drama, musical comedy, musical romance, musical tragedy, musical horror) or all animated films likewise (animated documentary, animated comedy, animated fantasy)? Other than the fact that one will have singing and one will be animated what else makes then worthy of being regarded as a genre? Aren’t they just film forms? Or am I just being overly neurotic?
                    
…anyone?

The Actor Factor: 1985

Every month Luke and Jose, two excellent bloggers, and me get together to discuss one of the more forgotten acting categories - Best Actor. This month we turned to 1985.

The lineup? William Hurt in Kiss of a Spider Woman (that year's winner), Harrison Ford in Witness, James Garner in Murphy's Romance, Jon Voight in Runaway Train, and Jack Nicholson in Prizzi's Honor.

      

Luke: Shall we discuss that illustrious year of 1985?? I know how much you thoroughly enjoyed the apparent torture I put you through by picking this year... ha.

Jose: It wasn't that tragic in the end.

Andrew: No torture here. Really, I liked this lineup...not all individually, but as a collective group.

Luke: Yeah, I feared the worst, but there was only one truly complete stinker in my mind.

Andrew: Wow, now I'm getting interested. Not to guess as to who that is, but can we start with Ford?

Andrew: For someone who's so knowledgeable about Oscar trivia I always forget that Ford has a nomination.

Luke: He does seem like one of those people that is famous but never received a nod.

Jose: Nothing we hadn't seen before, just got the nod cause he proved he could be interesting outside Spielberg and Lucas fare. The man is quite a limited actor, and I would rather have him be nominated for Han Solo or Indiana Jones than this dull attempt at "drama."

CONTINUE READING OUR CONVERSATION

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Full Trailer

I'll let the trailer do the talking for this one.

TV Meme, Day 28: First TV Show Obsession

I looked at the word carefully obsession. I’m not an obsessive persons (lies) and I never really loved TV until I was at least nine. This makes my choice seem somewhat odd, but it’s an odd one. It got to a point where I think I’d seen all the episodes by the time I was 13 (one episode a day, five days a week). The first show I ever really became groupie for was Andy Griffith’s Matlock.

I should probably have prefaced that with the fact that up until I was 17 I was planning on being a lawyer (got through to University and all). I wouldn’t say that Matlock drove me to that career (that would be weird), if anything it probably weaned me off of it. The man’s life was always being threatened. Like many modern day detective stories Matlock was as episodic as it gets. In each episode a murder would occur, and Matlock would defend the accused who would inevitably prove to be innocent. Matlock wasn’t content to stop there, he always had to find the real murderer and this each episode led up to that climax in the court where he’d find the truth (whenever ten minutes are left usually whoever was on the stand was GUILTY). I did love the routine of the show, but it was even more gripping when it would be a double parter and (shocker) we’d be left with nothing. I have not seen an episode in some time, so I wonder how my 19 year old, non-legal self would respond to it.

Andy Griffith was the life of Matlock. With that same tepid, grayish white suit in every courtroom everywhere he went he was the perfect sort of lawyer we’d root for. He had a think for hot dogs and was something of a buffoon at times, but always funny. But Matlock worked too because of more things. Matlock, depending on the season, had a strong supporting cast. Of the people actually working for the big man Nancy Stafford’s Michelle (Matlock’s secretary / assistant /decoy / hottie) was my favourite with Clarence Gilyard’s Conrard a close second. Unfortunately, he never did rise to same level of greatness on Walker the Texas Ranger (Chuck Norris, aka screen hog, boo!). I was less enthused when the cast would shift to Matlock’s daughters Charlene or Leanne, who was a tad annoying, or Cliff who was more annoying. But the highlights of the supporting cast were those NOT working for Ben (oooh, yes he does have a first name). There was Warren Frost playing Cliff’s father and Matlock’s long-time rival back in the day when they were in high school, there was Don Knotts s his nosy, eccentric neighbour and friend and the shining light Julie Sommars as the Prosecutor and Matlock’s on-and-off “friend”. He was old, but he was not wimp.

              

Each episode of Matlock was preceded by the title (The Singer, The Other Woman etc) and each episode was formulaic and somewhat predictable. We always knew that Matlock’s client would be innocent so it was much fun trying to find the guilty party. I suppose it was never really a “good” show but everyday for years I’d tune in for Griffith’s quasi-humour. Strangely, I can’t imagine my childhood without it…

                       
Again, late...yet as the MEME comes to a close I’m getting a little sad. Go figure, it’s been kicking my disorganised ass.

Brazil vs Chile 3:0 Highlights

Brazil won 3 goals over Chile 0 at Johannesburg - Ellis Park Stadium for the round 16 and move to the quarter finals and will match against Netherlands on Friday (July 2).

In the last ten minutes of the first half, Juan and Luis Fabiano made the two goals. Robinho's third goal inflict more pain to the Chileans.

Brazil vs Chile highlights videos below.

Brazil 3-0 Chile (Highlights)

Ricardo | MySpace Video

Juan at 35'


Brazil 1-0 Chile

Ricardo | MySpace Video

Luis Fabiano 38' 2:0


Brazil 2-0 Chile

Ricardo | MySpace Video

Netherlands vs Slovakia 2:1 Highlights

Netherlands 2-1 Slovakia was such a great match. Arjen Robben member of the starting line-up have fire-up the Orange into the quarter-finals with the first goal in a 2-1 win.

The Dutch, can now start preparing for a test against Brazil in Port Elizabeth on Friday.

Slovakia, suddenly shifted into a more attacking 4-4-2 for the second half and came to life. Marek Hamsik pushed the ball but shot was tipped over for a corner. Robert Vittek was then guilty of missing a glorious chance only seconds later.

Maarten Stekelenburg groans from the section of the crowd when Robert Vittek shot the ball directly into his palms.



Netherlands 2-1 Slovakia (Highlights)

Simão | MySpace Video

There’s Nothing Like It: Movie-wise, Love-wise, laugh-wise or otherwise-wise

Of the two dozen and more films that Billy Wilder helmed I find it odd that the two that won the Oscar for Best Picture are often less remembered than the losers like Sunset Boulevard, Double Indemnity, The Seven Year Itch or Witness for the Prosecution. Wilder is not the only director it occurs with, and I would not exactly pledge my undying allegiance to The Lost Weekend but I find it strange that even though few would claim that The Apartment is a poor film, not enough are vociferous about it being an excellent film – which I do consider it to be. So I’m especially glad when it’s remembered…Univarn of the always funny A Life in Equinox writes…

"What makes The Apartment great isn’t just the talent involved; it’s the encompassing grandeur of the collective effort. Wilder’s natural wit and charm exude the tale of these two lost souls. While Lemmon and MacLaine entrance the viewer with their dynamic chemistry, and down to earth personas. Aided by the perfect timing of MacMurray as the evil Mr. Sheldrake. And, of course, a script so heartfelt, one could only dream of writing it."

That essentially sums it up, a script one could only dream of writing…but you know I’m wont to get loquacious. The original poster and tagline for The Apartment always amuses me (click on the picture adjacent for an enlargement - the post title is a derivative), and really it’s a claim that’s a bit brave. But, I think it’s accurate for the most part because – really – The Apartment is unlike little that appears on the screen movie-wise or otherwise-wise.

The concept of The Apartment isn’t original because of its focus on a heroine involved in an extramarital affair neither is the originality stemming from the fact that its hero isn’t as assertively “mannish” as conventions would purport. In fact, Wilder’s decision to make Shirley MacLaine’s Fran into something a suicidal simp realising the errors of her ways in the middle of the film is more compliant with societal norms of the era than dissenters were willing to admit. What makes The Apartment so revolutionary (to me, at least) is its dedication to the sort of subtle and almost incidental comedy that is unlike most things we normally see. Chances are, if The Apartment was ever remade (god forbid) producers would either turn it into an unapologetic introspective, sentimental drama or decide to do an about-face and turn it into some bawdy attempt at serious slapstick. Naturally, both attempts would be failure. Even though The Apartment seems to exist as the usual black and white comedy of manners with a penchant for melancholia its end result of discovering the sweet humour in even the most dire of circumstances is surely something worthy of praise and something unlike most of what we’d normally find on the screen – either big or small.

Still, even though every Wilder films seems to have a decidedly Wilder-esque stamp on it (it doesn’t roll of the tongue quite as nicely as Capra-esque, though) The Apartment impresses me more than even the more oft-cited Some Like It Hot. The Apartment’s humour depends to a large part, almost completely – I would say – on the success of its cast. It’s the very reason why I cited Lemmon’s performance as one for the books (even if that list was made a bit arbitrarily, the top 6 hold up). Lemmon’s Baxter is more introspective than audiences seem to remember, I’ll always cite Lemmon as the master when it comes to facial comedy – which is a dubious phrase itself, but I do prefer subtle movements of the face to the more physical stuff (which is, of course, why Chaplin is not a favourite of mine). I know Nick has his issues with Lemmon, and I’ll admit he’s more comfortable playing a specific type than he realises – I still fall hook, line and sinker for his shtick every time and no place else more unequivocally than in The Apartment. Yojimbo goes into it a little bit more with his thoughts on the films specialness.

"The situation drips with irony: an insurance company, where the exec's juggle statistics and mistresses with no moral compasses. And the hierarchy of executive structure is paralleled to the status of folks in their private lives: the mistresses are treated with contempt if they begin to interfere with the home turf. And Baxter is literally left out in the cold every night, as the executives hedonistically burn through relationships that Baxter doesn't have the roots to start. It's only when a crisis occurs that Baxter begins to grow a conscience over the moral compromises he's making and providing. It seems like a fairy-tale today with current rubber-board rooms of the business-world filled with sociopaths. But, at the tale end of the 50's and the concerns of the world moving away from our boys in khaki to the boys in grey-flannel, it was a cautionary tale. Revolutions of all sorts in the '60's and plagues, both sexual and financial, in the 70's have made the film seem...one shudders at the word... "quaint." 

But, that doesn't affect its wit, its insight, its charm, or high entertainment quotient. As a film it's a perfectly built comedic construction, a bon-bon exquisitely made and wrapped, with just a hint of bitterness at its core. And in the running gag that permeates the conversation of the film, it delivers its bellyful of laughs with no disconnect to the head, on its way to the heart, intellectually-wise."

Though I’m not one to lambast Elizabeth Taylor’s first bid for Oscar, I still wish Shirley MacLaine could have taken the prize. She has the ability to emanate that feeling of “lead actressishness” even though I’m sure that she’d be pushed into the supporting category if the film opened today. If Lemmon is responsible for keeping the comedy, MacLaine is responsible for not making it a tragedy. Her suicide attempt manages to play out (marginally, I will admit) as realistic and not some maudlin attempt at faux-sympathy. It’s because Marge isn’t intent on ensuring that we leave the film in love with her. Thus, by downplaying the very thing that’s her ace in the hole (another Wilder film I’m ignorant of) she ends up being even more attractive even if she’s self destructive – but perhaps that’s the very thing that makes her so attractive…

The Apartment becomes even more atypical when I consider that all the craziness is happening around Christmas time. It’s not exactly the seasonal picker upper we would anticipate. The Apartment is one of those films that make me feel lucky to experience the “classics”. Even though four films 1980 and before show up higher on my list of favourites, The Apartment just screams classic. And yes, there’s nothing like it – movie-wise, love-wise or otherwise-wise. It’s #10 on my list of favourites…

                  

The countdown to the top begins, The Apartment is #10…9 more to go. What do you think of Wilder's piece?

TV Meme, Day 27: Best Pilot

“Welcome to the age of un-innocence, no one here has affairs to remember and no one has affairs to remember.”
                   
These are some of the first words we hear from our de facto “heroine” in the pilot episode for HBO’s Sex and the City. It was the first pilot that came to mind, and of the shows I think of as good (Friends, Six Feet Under, Grey’s Anatomy, The West Wing, Dexter etc) along with Pushing Daisies and Desperate Housewives that I saw from its actual beginning – even though it was not “live”. The pilot for Sex and the City works so well because even though, like most pilots, it’s interested in “tell”, “tell”, “tell” it works because we’re never being told too much. There’s a sweet little montage that occurs at the beginning that works excellently. It’s here we meet my favourite Sex and the City character:

MIRANDA: I have a friend, who’s always gone out with extremely sexy guys and just had a good time. One day she woke up and she was 41. She couldn’t get any more dates. She had a complete physical breakdown. Couldn’t hold on to her job and had to move back to Winsconsin to live with her mother. Trust me, this is not a story that makes men feel bad
              
I could only imagine how shocking it seemed in the nineties, but Sex and the City is never interested in shocking us for the hell of it. It sets its characters up perfectly, and for her faults Sarah Jessica Parker. Really, sometimes Carrie induces an eye roll (okay, most of the time) but even as our heroine she’s not trying to actively woo us, even the virtual absence of any significant male doesn’t hurt it. I don’t get the appeal of Mr. Big (with reason, I suppose) and Skipper is just sad even if he leads to some hilarious comedy with Miranda. Still, I don’t fault a pilot so uncaring about telling us too much and so funny (Samantha’s attempts to woo Mr. Big are just uncomfortably hilarious). It’s an auspicious start to a great show and what makes it work even better is that it works excellently as a stand alone episode.
A+
            
Notable Pilots: Six Feet Under, Desperate Housewives, Dexter
                    
Late again, I really have no excuse. MEME guilt.

Listen to Rhythm of the Night by El Debarge

I just remember Rhythm of the night by El Debarge when I saw it from Google trends. Reminds of times when I really enjoyed listening 80's music particularly new wave.

El Debarge appeared in BET (Black Entertainment Television) Awards 2010 and gave an ultimate performance during the awards. Singing his hit songs All This Love, Time Will Reveal and of course Rhythm Of The Night.

El Debarge also sang "Second chance" during the BET Awards a single from his forthcoming album.

To remind you of his 80's hits, you can watch the Rhythm of the night music video below.




-- rhythm of the night Lyrics (Lyics,lyrcis) --



When it feels like the world is on your shoulders,
and all of the madness has got you going crazy.
Its time to get out, step out into the street,
Where all of the action is right there at your feet,
well, I know a place where we can dance all night away
underneath electric stars.
Just come with me and we can shake your blues right away,
youll be doing fine when the music starts, oh

To the beat of the rhythm of the night, dance until the morning light.
Forget about the worries on your mind, you can leave them all behind.
To the beat of the rhythm of the night,
oh, the rhythm of the night, oh yeah.

Look out on the street now, the partys just beginning,
the musics playing, a celebrations starting
Under the street lights the scene is being set
A night for romance, an night you wont forget

So, come join the fun, this aint no time to be staying home,
oh, theres too much going on.
Tonight is gonna be a night like youve never known.
Were gonna have a good time the whole night long.

To the beat of the rhythm of the night, dance until the morning light.....

Come, join the fun, this aint no time to be staying home....

To the beat of the rhythm of the night, dance until the morning light.
Forget about the worries on your mind, you can leave them all behind.
To the beat of the rhythm of the night, dance until the morning light.
Forget about the worries on your mind.
To the beat of the rhythm of the night, oh baby, Im crying.
Forget about the worries on your mind.
To the beat of the rhythm of the night, oh baby,
Forget about the worries on your mind.
The musics playing, its a celebration , the musics playing,
Everybody dance to the beat of the rhythm of the night
Forget about the worries on your mind, you can leave them all behind.
To the beat of the rhythm of the night, dance until the morning light........

Marmaduke: Review

Marmaduke! Or.... Some Kind Of Wonderful without Lea Thompson and lotso lotso CG dogs.

 So I'm lining up at the cinema to buy my ticket right, and the second I told the ticket guy, I wanna see Marmaduke.. He gave me that kind of look that I haven't seen since I was in high school. Let me tell you something, there were about 7 people in the theater and with the exception of me, the rest were all little children. I felt like a fucking pedophile in there. I had to keep telling myself, "This is for the review.. this is for the review..."

So Marmaduke is about an unnaturally large dog who moves with his human family to a new neighborhood and has to fit in the new high school there, i.e the playground. There he gets beat up by the school bully who happens to be dating the girl he likes and after an hour of lameness, he realizes that it's his best friend that he's really in love with all along.

Owen Wilson is the voice for Marmaduke and he does do a nice job in this but dude.. you totally picked the wrong script to make a comeback on after your attempted suicide. I wouldn't be surprised if Owen Wilson tries to kill himself again after watching this piece of shit.

This show hits every bottom rung of comedy there is. I have officially lost all the respect I used to have for William H. Macy. At one point in his life, this man was in movies like Fargo, Magnolia and The Cooler. Now, he's getting knocked over and being kicked in the balls by CG animated dogs for brainless kids to laugh at. Now I know where broken actors go to die.

Marmaduke is something that should have gone straight to DVD release. There is absolutely nothing that could draw in people to watch this other than the fact that there are a lot of celebrity voice actors in this, who don't even do a good job.And I also get the feeling that 20th Century Fox also didn't give a shit about this movie, otherwise they wouldn't have dumped it on the same weekend Toy Story 3 was released.

There is absolutely nothing in this film that can make me like it. My brain was literally telling my hands to dig their nails into the seat to prevent the rest of my body from running out of the theater on pure instinct. I just kept saying, "You paid RM11 for this.. you paid RM11 for this.. it's going to be over soon. You can do this Nicholas, just a few more minutes and then you can go.. Just hang in there buddy." But then it got to the ending and I swear my brain died. Three words. CGI. Dogs. Breakdancing.

But I do understand that this movie was intended for children. Clearly Marmaduke was not made to entertain anyone above the age of 7. But for God sakes...to all the parents out there.. Do you really want your children to watch this and grow up mentally retarded?

 RATING: 0/10

England vs Germany 4:1 highlights

Germany of Group D won over England of Group C in an a match that I thought would be won by England. Unfortunately England loss and scored only one(1) goal against Germany of four (4).

Germany now enters to the quarter finals and will match against Argentina. Who's your between Germany and Argentina?

Watch the England vs Germany highlights video below.



Highlights Germany 4-1 England

Perry | MySpace Video

Scene On A Sunday: Shakespeare in Love

I wasn't planning on posting an episode of Scene on a Sunday today, but I've had this drafted for a while and thought, why not? It's a bit tough coming off the Atonement entry which you all seemed to love because of Yojimbo's many screen captures. Only 12 for this entry. I've expressed my love for Shakespeare in Love before and this short scene is particularly nice. We've seen only a few shots of Paltrow thus far enjoying the plays at the palace. We meet her now for the first time. The shot opens with a gorgeous shot of the house.

 

Shakespeare in Love easily notes the richness of our heroine, and though it's Wessex's reason for marrying her it's never made an issue out of. Of course this is because it's the Elizabethan era and our characters have bigger fish to fry - Shakespearean fish. I just love seeing Paltrow in this mode, though. She's so personable and has such a beautiful lilting voice.

VIOLA: Did you like Proteus or Valentine best? Proteus for speaking. Valentine for looks.

In case we don't already know, she's speaking of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, one of Shakespeare's earlier comedies. It's a fair pice, though nowhere near his best (of course Viola will quote a beautiful soliloquy from it later) but Viola is almost like a "groupie" for Shakespeare and she's so caught up in the "poetry".

NURSE: I liked the dog for laughs.

And on that note can we please discuss the brilliance that is Imelda Staunton here? Why does no one remember her excellent comedic timing here. She's not even "acting" like you'd expect, she's so completely in the character and refuses to play it prosaicly. The relationship between her and Viola is lovely, even if they really are speaking over each other.

VIOLA: Sylvia I did not care for much. His fingers were red from fighting and he spoke like a school boy at lessons.

She's referring, naturally, to the custom of men playing women and her annoyance is palpable. I don't think of Paltrow as particularly physical in her acting but she's acting with her entire body here. Notice how she slumps her shoulders just slightly, so impassioned about something like the injudicious lot of a badly played Sylvia. She really is a fan of "Master" Shakespeare.

VIOLA: Stage love will never be true love while the law of the land has our heroines being played by pipsqueak boys in petticoats

I wish you could hear how she delivers this line. Her stress on the word "boys" is a nice slight touch. Her brilliance here is often forgotten, even  I sometime forget that she really did a fine job. And there's more going on in that shot. Like the Nurse cleaning Viola's ears for her, and the obvious dynamic of the servant/mistress that still manage to attain a personal bond - very Shakespeare. The two will soon have a slight banter about Lord Wessex. Viola of course will have none of the Nurse's suggestion. Marry Lord Wessex? A pox on Wessex!

VIOLA: I shall have poetry in my life.

The words are lovely, but you must give Gwyn credit for pulling off the trueness of the period. And, as always, the Nurse is not far behind to ask her: Like Sylvia and Valentine?

 

VIOLA: No not the artful postures of love. Love that overthrows life. Love like there has never been in a play. I shall have love, or I shall end my days...

NURSE: As a nurse?

Love that portion. viola is so enamoured with the postures of love (even if she doesn't realise) and Staunton is ready to inject wisdowm without being condescending about it. She is, after all, paid help and with almost no life of her own. Yet, she continues to be so devoted to her charge and never sinks into self pity. Her line reading there is precise, but never pitiful.

VIOLA: Oh, but I would be Valentine and Sylvia, too.

Her earnestensss is so infectuous, how can anyone root against this lovely woman?

VIOLA: I would stay asleep my whole life if I could dream myself into a company of players.

I love that shot above, Viola stares out wistfully and she is framed soooo beautifully and Stoppard words read as if they're almost poetry. I choose to end the scene there, even though Viola's poetic words are cut by the Nurse's matter-of-fact "Clean your teeth while you dream then." Such a perfect blend of comedy and olden aged drama. I do love this scene.

Edward Scissorhands Remake

Edward Scissorhands Remake? Isn't it just riding the wave because one of the 80's film Footloose will have its remake? Actually, the trending topic Edward Scissorhands remake is just another un-verified story/rumor. Some of the commenter from a blog post told that the idea came out from Wikipedia. According to the entry, Robert Downey Jr, star of the movie Iron Man was mentioned that he will be leading the role as creator of Edward. I did checked the Wikipedia entry of Edward Scissorhands but nothing was mentioned about the sequel or the prequel they were saying.

From this rumor Edward Scissorhands remake, Robert Pattinson was also dragged because of his character name Edward from the movie Twilight : New Moon, most awarded in 2010 MTV movie awards.

I searched over the major sites, nothing seems to back up the Edward Scissorhands remake. If anyone from you have the idea about this movie, I would be very glad to have your comments here because I'm a fan of that movie.

Sex and the City 2: Review

I hate these bitches. It made me sick to my stomach watching these superficial female characters indulge themselves in superficial luxury; giving regular woman watching the film unrealistic delusions of grandeur.

The film centers on the four main characters at a turning point in their lives. They're basically getting bored with their daily routines and shit. Yeah like people will ever get bored living in luxury in NYC. So anyway, by a looong stretch, Samantha runs into an old boyfriend who's doing a movie and she meets the film's financier who invites her and her friends to a vacation in Abu Dhabi. The rest is pure, senseless woman porn.

Seriously. So I'm watching this movie right.. and the only thing I keep thinking of is how mindless the grounds this whole movie is based on. But as much as this film made no sense and had 3 very horrible women as main characters, women somehow still seem to like this film. Why girls? WHY?!

Now I've never watched Sex and the City when it had it's run on HBO but I did follow the plot line long enough to know who the 4 characters are and what they are like. And out of the 4, 3 of them were the most materialistic, selfish, megalomaniac perversion of female integrity I have ever seen. These women are horrible, horrible people. 

The second these women land in the Middle East, Sex and the City stop being a movie for me and more of an insulting piece of American racist stereotype shit on the cinema screen. I mean these women go over to a region of the world that has suffered so much war and exploitation from America and literally spit in their faces. They make fun of their culture, ridicule the way people dress there as being crimes of fashion, belittle Arab women and try to pass all this off as a feminist message.

We have Samantha's character being a whiny brat in front of the Arab police going, "Oh you guys are sexists! Women should be free to flash their titties and wear ridiculous Lady Gaga costumes and fuck whoever they want!" Sex and the City 2 really shows how ignorant and self-glorifying Americans can be. They even have a scene where the SATC girls are walking through the desert and comes across a bunch of women in abayah's and seconds later, these Arab women starts stripping to reveal Gucci, Valentino and Michael Korrs and dancing to trash European club music in the middle of the fucking desert, screaming "We love America!" And I'm not making any of this shit up.

The big problem why this movie and the movie before it failed so hard is because they are in a much longer format than the 30 minute show. These characters just aren't designed to sustain a plot longer than 30 minutes. Cause we realize the more time we spend with them, the more they seem like cold, materialistic, heartless bitches. And the way this film was written certainly didn't help ease the brain aneurysm I was experiencing in the cinema.

But this film did have it's redeeming moment. Two moments actually. Where the original maturity of Sex and the City came back. Mainly with Charlotte who is the only female character who is acting like an adult. There is a scene with her and Cynthia Nixon's character talking about motherhood which I felt was really great. Another scene was one with Chris Noth who comes in and totally owns Sarah Jessica Parker's brat character by simply saying, "How do I handle you? Well.. I'm an adult." And I was like, "GHEAAAH!!"

But seriously, avoid this shit like H1N1. It's a racist, unfunny, boring, mindless version of Twilight for delusional women who've hit menopause.

RATING: 2/10