when I watch Rocky III in the scene where Mickey dies.

I am pretty sure it's Sylvester Stallone's best bit of acting, ever.

OMG!!! It tears me up everytime....I should just change the channel.

Mick!! Mick!!

:(

Posted by Lori in Movies at 12:35 AM permalink Comments (1)

Here are my predictions for the Academy Award winners tonight:

Best Actress - Sandra Bullock, the Blind Side

Best Supporting Actress - Monique, Precious

Best Actor - Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

Best Supporting Actor - Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Best Adapted Screenplay - Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious

Best Original Screenplay - Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

Best Director - Kathryn Bigelow for the Hurt Locker - she is the one I'm really pulling for. She sooo deserves it and would be the first ever female director to win!

Best Picture - Avatar - although Hurt Locker could well beat it out, would be even more awesome because Kathryn Bigelow used to be married to James Cameron for 2 years about 25 years ago, what a twist that would be for her little indie film to kick the biggest blockbuster of the years ass, made by her ex!

Let's see how close I am tomorrow...hopefully I can stay awake to see it all!!

Here is a clip of Kathryn Bidelow's AMAZING work in the Hurt Locker:

Posted by Lori in Movies at 7:26 PM permalink Comments (2)

I am watching a documentary about Valentino on-demand called Valentino: The Last Emperor and must confess for as much as I love fashion and seeing the famed designer's artistic process unfold....what I am really enjoying watching is his 6 pugs; Milton, Monty, Maude, Margot, Maggie and Molly that are totally stealing the scenes.

Two of my favorite things fashion and pugs!

My favorite line from the film is when Valentino is in the final stages of completing his 45th year anniversary collection and under a ton pf pressure with a herd of pugs underfoot he exclaims, "I don't care about the collection. My dogs are much more important!".

I love it.

Of course Valentino would only own pugs, he is a man of exquisite taste, after all.

Posted by Lori in Fashion , Movies , Pugs at 2:41 PM permalink Comments (2)

"But Farmer Hogget knew that little ideas.....that tickled and nagged and refused to go away....should never be ignored...for in them lie the seeds of destiny."

~ Narrator, Babe.

Posted by Lori in Movies , Observations , Writing Life at 8:06 PM permalink Comments (0)

Did you know that for the movie E.T. Steven Spielberg modeled E.T.'s face after 3 characters:

• Poet Carl Sandburg
• Genious Albert Einstein
• Pug dog

Posted by Lori in Movies , Pugs , entertainment at 12:02 AM permalink Comments (4)

Of all the movie previews I've seen lately, I am most excited about this upcoming film by James Cameron, AVATAR!

Check it out:

Posted by Lori in Movies at 5:34 PM permalink Comments (0)

a movie review

I finally got to see the Michael Jackson "This is It" movie.
The film, which is a documentary of the preparations and rehearsals for Michael Jackson's ill fated comeback tour provides a rare glimpse into the man's creative process and work ethic as he was about to launch an elaborate, ambitious undertaking of what would have been a truly amazing show. I say show because it looked to be more than just a concert but the ultimate culmination of Michael Jackson's career: showcasing his best work over the past 4 decades layered with modern twists and new elements never before seen or contrived.

But for me the best part was watching Michael; ever the performer and true professional embarking on this mammoth of a production as if it was just another day at the office.

There were some humorous exchanges between Michael, his dancers and the musicians laughing at his never-ending quest for perfectionism and for another take, "That's what rehearsals are for." he assures them justifying his command, "Let's do that one more time" gently reminding his cast, "It's all for love."

Watching the film you don't see a man addicted to drugs or on the brink of death. You don't see a disoriented, unhealthy fallen pop star in a scattered desperate attempt to resurrect his career.

Much to the contrary you see a creative genius at the top of his game and the pinnacle of his career. You see an unbelievable talent hyper-focused on his clear vision. Fully present and aware, poised to present the show of a lifetime that looked to be something between a Broadway production, a ride at Universal Studios, and a full blown pop opera.

Damn. What a shame "This Is It" never happened. That's what you keep thinking; you don't want the film to end because you know it will be the last new footage of Michael you'll ever see and you know he had so much more to give.

Was he little on the thin side? Yes, but that's probably to be expected from anyone enduring that kind of grueling schedule and rigorous dance routines. Truthfully some of the younger dancers looked a lot more exhausted and winded than Michael did at 50 years of age.

Was he holding back on his performance? Yes, because it was only rehearsal footage and he was conserving his voice and energy for the upcoming 50 shows: flailing hands in octave gestures up and down to indicate the notes he would hit in that sequence, you could really see that he felt the music on a deep emotional level and even performing at only about 25% of his capacity one could only sit there and imagine how amazing the show would have been just 8 days later.

His voice sounded crystal clear and in tune as he ran through his vast library of number one hits even at rehearsal level sounded exactly like they did on the records - completely untouched and in key. How many musicians can you say that about? Most times you hear a singer performing live they sound nothing like they do on their records - not MJ. His voice sounded impeccable, flawless making the film more sad and poignant.

You didn't see a man who was capable of hurting a child or of being devious in any way. On the contrary; you see an innocent, a pure heart, a gentle loving soul who inside was a like a big child himself. You see a man in total charge at the top of this massive pyramid but instead of being a bully control freak barking orders, you see a man being nothing but patient, kind and gracious to his cast, crew, dancers, and production team and in turn you see that they are completely in awe of him and moved by his magic.

There were two things that strike you through the entire length of the film.

One is that MJ was a true perfectionist, hands-on planning and executing every tiny detail and element to be able to deliver to the world the show of shows. You could completely see why he would be unable to sleep, being wired by the all consuming energy and pure adrenaline rush of it all.

To Michael, it seemed to be more than his own personal comeback. He was poised to launch a save the Earth campaign using his concert as the platform. He was going to prove to all of his critics and fans who ever doubted him and held him down and I believe he wanted to leave a lasting legacy for his own children who had never really seen him perform. He wanted to find a way to heal world and he believed this was it.

Second, if you are like me you spend most of the 2 hours wishing you were at the actual historical concert rather than watching it all post mortem. There was a strong sadness for what might have been and for the loss the world experienced, for losing such a talent the likes of which we will never see again. I am sure this was the film maker's intention and it succeeds.

One does wonder if Michael being the true perfectionist that he was would have wanted the documentary to be released in its raw state.

I have to believe MJ and the world would be grateful as it also succeeds in blowing away critics, naysayers, and some of the other unflattering video footage that went on with his approval, like that sleazy Martin Bashir interview where the film maker took utter and complete advantage of Michael's trust in a vulnerable state clipped edited out and portrayed him to the world as something he was not.

The film goes a long way in countering those visuals images you've been seeing splattered all over the TV Guide channel on repeat before the man was even cold in his grave. It dispels the rumors and media speculation that Michael was a washed up drug user who brought this all upon himself. It is clear that someone else, perhaps many people were negligent in his ultimate demise and I hope they use this footage as evidence.

Ultimately, "It" reveals Michaels true legacy: that of a creative genius, artist, barrier breaker, unparalleled singer, dancer, philanthropist, and humanitarian.

In short, go see it. The movie has it all.
This Is It.
And it's all for Love.

L-O-V-E.

Posted by Lori in Movies , entertainment at 8:40 PM permalink Comments (3)

Watched Marley and Me.

I knew it would completely wreck me.
Waterworks. Major waterworks.
sniff sniff :(

Posted by Lori in Daily , Dogs , Movies , Observations at 5:02 PM permalink Comments (10)

The movie and television star recently took time out of her busy schedule to host the LA Dogworks event, "A Night of Emotion" to benefit Good Dog Rescue where both she and her fiance Steven Moyer (aka vampire Bill Compton) adopted their dogs.

But just in case you are still impervious to super talented quirky little blonde girls with killer New Zealand accents....go rent Fly Away Home or
the Piano...or
seasons 1 and 2 of HBO's True Blood.

Love. Her.

Posted by Lori in Dogs , Movies , Television , entertainment at 8:16 PM permalink Comments (1)

Ok I had to dig up the movie scene that I wrote about yesterday. Perhaps the funniest 4 minutes in the history of film. Got to love Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder, and of course the late Peter Boyle as "the Monster".

Look for the line I referred to at 2:50 seconds in:)

Posted by Lori in Movies at 9:51 PM permalink Comments (3)

So the new Star Trek movie is awesome. I highly recommend it to any trekkies out there especially if you were a fan of the original television series, like me. Chris Pine and who plays a younger Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto who plays Spock both did great work on this film as did the supporting cast.

The plot chronicles the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members. I won't give out any spoilers, I'll just say - See it!

Posted by Lori in Movies at 11:21 PM permalink Comments (2)

I just got done watching Turner and Hooch and I balled like a baby. Tears. flowing. biting bottom lip balling.
Something about Hooch's French Mastiff face is very Pug-like and his relationship with Tom Hanks in the movie conjured up memories and similarities of my relationship with the Sausage.

I'd love to own a mastiff someday but I don't think I could handle the drool for one, and also I'd probably be too afraid of having an alpha dog in the house that outweighs me.

In related film news, I recently learned that Tom Hanks and Oprah are teaming up together to produce a film based on the book, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. A Hamlet-esque tale about a mute boy who raises and trains an extraordinary breed of dog. Then after his father is murdered, Edgar escapes into the woods with 3 of his dogs. The rest of the story unfolds into an American tragedy of epic proportions. It's the first tale I've read that marries Shakespeare and dogs. Straight up my alley.

I am so excited about this. I love Oprah. I love Tom. And I loved that book. It's a collaboration that has Oscar written all over it.

Posted by Lori in Movies at 11:15 AM permalink Comments (3)

So I finally saw Slumdog Millionaire.

I won't launch into an in depth review on this one. I'll just say that it was awesome.

A great movie for anyone who believes that everything happens for a reason.

That's the message I took away from it anyhow, and a good one to keep in mind.

Jai ho

Posted by Lori in Movies at 12:45 AM permalink Comments (0)

Here are my top 3:

#1
Marlon Brando (Bad boy)

#2

Paul Newman (Boyish charm)

#3
Cary Grant (Suave)

As you can see I am attracted to the types with hypnotic eyes, boyish grins, and pouty lips. As you can also see I am a big fan of a man in a plain white t shirt and a well tailored suit.

For modern day actors I give honorable mention to Mel Gibson and Clive Owen. They seem to embody some of the same qualities.

What are yours?

Posted by Lori in Movies at 12:06 PM permalink Comments (6)

I was enjoying the red carpet arrivals -

Best Dressed - Kate Winslet. Smashing!

Worst Dressed - Whoopi sorry I love you but...what was that awful frock you were wearing?

Mickey Rourke - Proudly sported a necklace of his beloved Loki around his neck and a pin on his lapel. He spoke to the paparazzi about it:

"It's bittersweet. I said to myself I'd rather have Loki for another two years than an Oscar. And I told her that. But she stayed as long as she could, you know," he said sadly. She's the love of my life. She made it until six days ago. She left me at a time where, after 18 years, she knew I'd be all right."

Hugh Jackman as host - I found him funny and lively, very Broadway. Still miss Billy Crystal.

I liked the Kodak theatre this year it was more of an intimate setting.

Enjoyed Penelope Cruz's Best Supporting Actress speech.

Then right in the middle of Tina Fey and Steve Martin's very funny homage to screenwriters...
BAM - MY POWER WENT OUT!!

Of all nights -- I missed a good hour and a half of the show.

When the power came back on, it was just as Heath Ledger's family was accepting his Best Supporting Actor role for the Dark Knight. That was really touching.

Was thrilled that Kate Winslet won Best Actress. Terrific speech. Funny, heartfelt, classy as always.

I considered it a total upset that Mickey Rourke did not win Best Actor. Nice that Sean Penn mentioned his personal comeback at the end of his speech.

Must. See. Slumdog. Soon.

Posted by Lori in Movies at 10:32 AM permalink Comments (4)

Two more days to Oscar. This is the one I'm betting on for Best Actor. It's Mickey's time.

Who are you rooting for?

Posted by Lori in Movies at 10:50 AM permalink Comments (6)

When I was asked to contribute an article on the Irascible Chef, I was told I could choose the topic, any topic just make sure it had an "irascible tone". No problems there. I confess that I know a thing or two about being irascible when the occasion calls.

Now normally I would jump at the opportunity to wax poetic on a FOOD BLOG but when I noticed they also have an entertainment category -- and given the timeliness of Oscar I decided to write a film piece instead. I've promised to contribute an upcoming food review as well. I already have the restaurant picked out.

You can click here to read my review of the Wrestler

I've written before about how excited I am for Mickey Rourke's comeback.
Not only because he's the underdog, a fellow dog lover and animal rights activist and for anyone who was wondering...despite his altered facial appearance - to me Mickey will always be the dangerously hot guy from 9 ½ weeks who seduced Kim Bassinger on the kitchen floor with a blindfold and a wide variety of cold food items.

All of those things are good. But his performance was GREAT. Here is a snippet from my review that kind of sums it up:

"Randy the "Ram" Robinson is a role that Mickey Rourke was born to play. Every inch of his ripped muscles, bashed up face, and survivor's spirit provide the landscape for this story which at its heart is about how far down someone can sink from where they began."

The fact that this was a somewhat autobiographical role makes me feel that his accolades are even more earned.

On a sad note I heard today that Mickey Rourke lost his beloved Chihuahua, Loki. She was 18 years old and I am sure Mickey was there by her side.

Loki often accompanied Mickey down the red carpet and was his constant companion dining on bacon, chocolate and peanut butter. When The Wrestler premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September, Mickey flew Loki to Italy for the screening. "Loki is the love of my life," he explained at the time, adding: "My dog is very old and she is not going to be around for long so I want to spend every moment with her."

He called her "his girl".

Rest in Peace, Loki.

I really want him to win that Oscar now!!

Posted by Lori in Movies at 1:56 AM permalink Comments (7)

I am so excited about Mickey Rourke's comeback. He's been down for a really long time but not out by the looks of it.

In his acceptance speech tonight at the Golden Globes he said something that really touched me:

"I'd like to thank my dogs. The ones that are here and the one's that aren't here. Because sometimes when a man's alone all you got is your dog ...and they meant the world to me."

I love that he said that.

I would totally thank Pugsley if I won a big award and I am definitely going to see the Wrestler before the Oscars.

Mickey has talked publicly about how his dog kept him from committing suicide when he was down and out..... Man -- I am really rooting for this guy and I hope he's able to keep chasing his demons away.

And just in case you needed another reason to like Mickey - he is also an avid Pug lover! Here he is with his pug, Raphael:

Posted by Lori in Movies at 11:01 PM permalink Comments (8)

I am really looking forward to this one:

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince..

Posted by Lori in Movies at 10:29 PM permalink

I just have to laugh every time the movie trailer for Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants comes on. You know that chick flick about four 17 year old girlfriends who all go away for the summer to different places but they make a pact to ship this one pair of really cool jeans to one another for good luck. The magic jeans just so happen to fit them all perfectly despite the fact that they are all different shapes and sizes; one of them is a size 2 and the other is a size 10. Then simply by wearing the jeans, major life affirming events ensue.

"They're not just jeans, they make things happen," quips Bridget..

I think I need some magic pants in my life. A pair of really kick ass jeans that every time I slip my ass into them something really awesome happens.

The closest I ever came was a pair of Levi's 501 blues in 1994.

Posted by Lori in Movies at 10:30 PM permalink

Reader Larry H. asked "How do you define a chick flick? Must it have a happy ending?"

Here is Wikipedia's definition:

Chick flick (also "chick's flick") is slang for a film designed to appeal to a female target audience. The term was first used in the 1980s decade during which such chick flicks as Beaches were released. Although many types of films may be directed toward the female gender, "chick flick" is typically used only in reference to films with heavily emotion or themes that are relationship-based.

To answer Larry's question I would say any film that's sole purpose is to really get the estrogen pumping could be considered a chick flick. And no it doesn't necessarily always imply a happy ending. It should be noted that the chick flick is most effective when accompanied by PMS and a big tub of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream..

For me personally I have a set of rules for my chick flick consumption. And there are certain films I can watch over and over and never get tired of but then there are others that I have to wait and not watch for a couple years. Mainly because I've seen them so many times and know every scene and line. When Harry Met Sally would fall into this category.

Rule #1 - nothing that involves Hugh Grant or Tom Cruise.

Okay those are really the only rules. I am flexible with the rest.

I like the real meaty love stories that are layered over rich and colorful sub plots. Think, the Notebook.

I gravitate towards the intense epic war period relationship dramas too like the English Patient.

I am not necessarily all about the relationships plots between men and women either. I enjoy the chick flicks that explore all kinds of relationships; between best friends (Thelma and Louise) Siblings (The Color Purple) Parents and Children (What a Girl Wants). Even showbiz Biopics like What's Love Got to Do With It? and the Jazz Singer. which, if you've never seen before and are any sort of Neil Diamond fan, you really should. Here's why: Love on the Rocks, baby.....Love on the Rocks.

Maybe the best chick flicks of all are the ones that explore the relationships we have with ourselves and work towards resolving some sort of inner conflict, goal or passion:

Bridget Jones's Diary
Whale Rider
Bend It Like Beckham
The Secret of Roan Inish

I am also a big fan of films based on the works of great authors:

Sense and Sensibility
Romeo and Juliet
Much Ado About Nothing
Shakespeare in Love
Henry and June

And of course there are the classics which I usually reserve for a great rainy or snowy day. I tend to crave these in the winter time curled up under a fluffy blanket:

An Affair to Remember
The Way We Were
The Sound of Music
Wuthering Heights
Love Story

Here are just a few of my other uncategorized favorites:

Now and Then
Love Actually
Thorn Birds
Steal Magnolias
Practical Magic
Say Anything
Sleepless in Seattle
Out of Africa
Bridges of Madison County
Sophie's Choice
Double Jeopardy
Legally Blonde
50 First Dates
Circle of Friends
Urban Cowboy
The Big Chill

What are some of your favorite chick flicks?

Posted by Lori in Movies at 10:46 PM permalink

So I finally saw the Sex and the City movie tonight....I know I know I've been a bit behind on the times lately. I won't put my movie review rundown out here on the main page as a spoiler in case there others [gasp] who still haven't seen it.
But for those of you who did, what did you think? We can comment in the comments....

Did you laugh? Did you cry? Did you think it was too predictable? Did you think it held true to the series? Favorite parts? Could have done withouts? Fashion Faux pas?

Posted by Lori in Movies at 11:45 PM permalink

What was completely different this year for me is that I hadn't seen any of the nominated films going in. Usually I've seen them all come February but for some reason this year, I slacked. In a way it was good because I had no preconceived notions. No one picture or actor I was pulling for so I could sit back and relax.

So this is a day late because I slacked again but since the Oscar buzz is still running rampant, here is my run down.

Red Carpet
The first thing I saw when I tuned into the red carpet arrivals was a seemingly drunk or stoned Gary Busey messing with Ryan Seacrest during an interview with Jennifer Garner. Ryan was scared and tried ignoring Busey but he kept coming back eventually lunging at Jennifer Garner and then kissing her neck! Imagine?

Oh Buddy Holly! Why?

It was almost worth it though to see Seacrest squirm. He thought he was gonna get his ass kicked.

Biggest Shocker
George Clooney brings a date! This is a girl who was a Vegas bartender last year and I think she appeared on an episode of Fear Factor a few years back. In her 15 minutes of fame she ate bugs. Cut to, now she is arm candy at the Academy Awards of the sexiest man alive. Not bad. Not bad at all. What I like about his girl is she is a natural beauty. And by natural I mean she appears to have smaller sized non-enhanced breasts. Breasts that are not bulbous or spilling out of her gown, but au natural. Kind of rare in Hollywood these days. Yay for George.

Sexiest Man
Some of you may scoff at this but my vote for Sexiest Man goes to Colin Farrell. What can I say...I like my bad boys a little bit rough around the edges.
Sigh............

Biggest Trends
Red Gowns - they were everywhere!
Babies - Belly bumps on Nicole, Jessica, Cate, and more..
Feathers - Penelope Cruz, Jessica Alba, and Hillary Swank all had oddly placed plumage adorning their chests. Not sure why...
Lack of hair extensions - I gotta say it was refreshing to see the majority of women on the red carpet this year embracing their natural locks.
Botox - the same cannot be said however of embracing ones natural skin texture.... The only forehead wrinkle and furrowed brow I spotted in the near 4 hour program was on the 90 year old gent who won the lifetime achievement award. It really does seem to be a miracle drug of our time, as Vanessa Williams stated in her pre-oscar Barbara Walters interview.

Random
Does anyone know why Hanna Montana was there? I mean Miley Cyrus, the girl is everywhere. Does she really need to be at the Academy Awards too? I felt she was a bit out of place but I will give her this -- when it came time for her to read the nominations for the category she presented, despite a lot of tongue twisters she nailed her cue cards where other more seasoned actresses struggled fumbling with lines, sorry Cameron.

Best Dressed
There was no one gown that struck me this year. I liked Rene Zellweger's silver sparkly Carolina Herrera but since she ALWAYS wears Carolina I couldn't get too crazy about it. I'm not a big fan of Katherine Heigl but I did like her tomato red one strap shoulder number. Likewise not a big Cameron fan but I thought her pink frock was frilly and feminine, not too overdone. Honorable mention to Amy Adams dark green gown. I loved the color on her but didn't care for the cut of the dress itself.

Worst Dressed
Had to be Tilda whatever her name was ....who I'd never heard of before last night. This was not a dress. This was a hefty bag.

Jennifer Hudson's Grecian gone wrong ensemble was a close runner up for me for worst dressed.

Host
Inside, it was Jon Stewart hosting. He did okay for the most part. Kept it on track, didn't launch into any of his own political agenda rhetoric and didn't"go there" with any truly distasteful jokes.
His best line of the night for me was when he announced that Dennis Hopper was in the audience and told him not to worry that he would keep reminding him "he was here" throughout the night. Hahahahaaha
I'm a Hopper fan so I got a chuckle out of that. Not bad all in all, but I still miss Billy Crystal's opening musical montages. The Oscars just aren't the Oscars without them for me!

Best Song
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who won Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly" from their Indie film "Once" a Sundance hit made on handy cams for 100k. "Once" tells the story of two unnamed musicians who fall in love through song. The song was really touching and sweet.
Oh heck, see it for yourself.
And as an added bonus you get to see Colin Farrell introducing the pair:

Jon Stewart also won points with me when Irglova's speech was cut off by the conductors so after commercial he brought her back on stage and made sure she got the moment she deserved.

Memorable Moments
The right side of the stage had some sort of slippery action on the floor, Colin Farrell, John Travolta, and a few others slid into the podium.

The movie moment montages were cool and the "In Memoriam" is always so sad and surreal. I wish they held Heath Ledger's frame a little longer but I heard there was a special tribute to him that took place but was not recorded as part of the show.

Class Acts
Helen Mirren. What can you say about Helen Mirren? She is one classy dame. I love her in everything from Green fingers to Gosford Park. A true lady. Beautiful inside and out. You can just see it because it emanates from her in her speech and swagger. Her poise, grace, and humor.. Aside from all this she just seems like a really cool person. Like I would love to go to her house in England, walk around her gardens and just sit and talk with her while drinking tea and eating crumpets in the afternoon.

Daniel Day Lewis. LOVE him. I've been a fan since My Left Foot, Age of the Innocence, and In the Name of the Father. In all of his acceptance speeches he always comes across as so humble, so shy, so mild but intense at the same time, a little bit sad but always considerate with the soul of a poet. It was just last month when he dedicated his Golden Globe to Heath Ledger and used his speech to honor him.
Apart from him winning, in one of my favorite moments of the evening I thought it was so appropriate that Helen Mirren presented him the Best Actor award and as he came up onto the stage he "bowed" to the queen.

Perfect.

"It seems to me like this sprang like a sapling out of the mad, beautiful head of Paul Thomas Anderson," he said, thanking the film's writer/director. "My deepest thanks to the Academy for whacking me with the handsomest bludgeon in town."

See? Poet.

I like poets.

Speaking of writing, the Best Screenplay categories are the ones I always stay awake for! This is the one I always dream of winning one day. This year's best adapted went to the Cohen brothers. Who can compete with them? They deserve it. But it was newcomer Diablo Cody who won the coup de grace taking home Best Original Screenplay for writing Juno. If you didn't know Diablo is a former stripper and blogger . . Which kind of gives me hope. Not the stripper part. I hated her dress but I loved the last thing she said in her acceptance speech, "I want to thank my family for loving me exactly the way I am."

All in all a pretty good show this year. On my list of DVD rentals in the near future:

Juno
There will be blood
Michael Clayton
Enchanted
Once

Posted by Lori in Movies at 10:46 PM permalink Comments (1)

I've been really bad this year about seeing films - I confess I've only seen two of the movies that are nominated for the Best Picture Academy award. It won't make the viewing any less exciting for me though. I love Oscar. I dream of Oscar, always have. I love the gowns, the hair, the make up, the jewels, the speeches, the tributes, the lifetime achievement awards and the crème de la crème' -- staying up late to see who the big winners are. Yes it's true that some of the 4 hour show can be painful. That's because the best part is the first hour and last hour. The supporting actors are announced within the first hour after Ellen's intro but the biggies, the Best Screenwriter, Best Actors, Director, and Best Picture isn't until the last hour. Everything in between is costumes, cinematography, foreign films, documentaries, shorts, musicals. A pure unadulterated cinegasmic film fest. I love it all. Rooting for my favorites and getting pissed off when the wrong person wins.

Last night I saw "Little Miss Sunshine", a quaint, humorous tale of a little girl named Olive (Abigail Breslin) and her crazily eccentric family who embark on a road trip in a broken down VW Bus [the bus is almost a character in and of itself] from Albuquerque to California to take Olive to a beauty pageant. I won't say much more for anyone who hasn't seen it. But the film is cute with noteworthy performances and lots of laughs, if you can appreciate dark humor like me. Breslin was adorable and endearing but I don't think her performance was worthy of taking the Oscar away from Jennifer Hudson or Cate Blanchette. My money is on Jennifer because Cate has already won and the academy loves the underdog and new comers for this category. For me, it was Steve Carell of "the Office" fame who stole the scenes and Paul Dano, who played Olive's tormented Nietzsche-inspired brother, Dwayne who has taken a vow of silence which helps him deal with his quirky family. The film has also been nominated for Best Picture. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it snuck up from behind as the long shot to steal the award, the same way it sneaks up and steals your heart.

Today, in preparation for the awards, I watched the "The Departed", I'm glad I got to see it before the show. Martin Scorsese, who has been making films for the last forty years has, if you can even believe it, never won an Oscar. The Academy Award has somehow always eluded him. He was nominated six times for such tour de forces as "Raging Bull," "The Last Temptation of Christ," "GoodFellas," "Gangs of New York" and "The Aviator," as well as several writing nominations but no win. And yet he continues to churn our these cinematic masterpieces one after another, like butter. I have a feeling this is his year. For a guy who makes such violent films, he's such a humble gentle soft spoken soul. I might cry when he wins. I hope I do because I'm in need of a good cry.

The film opens "Some time ago" in Boston with Jack Nicholson in the foreground cloaked in mystery behind a black shadowy light. You don't know it's him except for his unmistakably recognizable voice but in this distinct Bostonian accent that makes him almost unrecognizable.

"I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me. Years ago we had the church. That was only a way of saying - we had each other. The Knights of Columbus were real head-breakers; true guineas. They took over their piece of the city. Twenty years after an Irishman couldn't get a fucking job, we had the presidency. May he rest in peace. If I got one thing against the black chappies, it's this - no one gives it to you. You have to take it."

Segue into Rolling Stones, "It's Just a Shout Away" and then we are introduced to the lead characters played by Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio as young cadets being inducted as State police detectives but end up on opposing sides of the law. From there it's a bloody, gritty complex roller coller ride of rising in the ranks, betrayal, corruption and the Irish Mafia with Jack as the boss taking them under his criminal wing.

"You know what Freud said about the Irish, they're the only people who were impervious to physco analysis."

Fucking brilliant.

Here's to you Marty.

Posted by Lori in Movies at 7:08 PM permalink

After one too many viewings of the Wedding Crashers on demand, I’ve come to a couple conclusions:

1) Vince Vaughn is still hot. I’ve been a fan ever since Swingers . Who cares if he still plays to the same old fast-talking one liner guy shticks. There's nothing wrong with letting a girl know you're money and you want to party.

2) Contrary to popular consensus, I don’t think the “football scene” in Wedding Crashers is the funniest. By far, I think it has to be the scene at the dinner table segued into tummy sticks.

3) Owen Wilson bears a strikingly freakish and uncanny resemblance to Ellen. They should definately do a movie together.

Posted by Lori in Movies at 12:37 AM permalink Comments (3)

"And lo, the beast looked upon the face of beauty. And it stayed its hand from killing. And from that day, it was as one dead."

----

I am sitting in a darkened theatre, my heart is gently pounding and I’m nervously scribbling down notes. I want to capture the moment, the feelings, the anticipation of waiting to meet the man I’ve been dreaming about for the last twenty years. The room is about to go completely dark and there are so many questions zooming through my head. What will the Aborigines look like? Will the story stay true to the first or second? The effects, what will he look like? How will Naomi Watts play Ann Darrow?

The film opens in Depression era New York. There is a hungry man holding a Pug in the opening scene. I’m already hooked and anxious to meet the big guy. But we have to wait, quite a while. Peter Jackson spends the first 70 minutes introducing us to the human characters, laying foundation for later scenes.

We meet Ann, a starving vaudeville actress who has just lost her job. She soon crosses paths with Jack Black who for me was the biggest surprise of the film. I admit I went in skeptical about how such a dry comedian could play the role of a larger than life obsessed filmmaker. But within 2 minutes after he takes to the screen I found myself wondering who else could have possibly played Carl Denham any better. He was devilishly funny but wickedly evil, making you love and hate him all at once.

I felt Adrian Brody was oddly cast as Ann's love interest. Their romance was lackluster never really going anywhere. You wanted her to be with the ape and forget about him. To the point when he shows up to rescue her while she is sleeping cozily in Kong’s hand, in what I felt was one of the most touching and poignant moments of the film, you actually resent him for being there to break up their love nest. At least, I did...

There was an awesome dinosaur sequence that seemed to last a good 30 minutes and leads into the above mentioned pivotal scene of the movie. The effects were amazing, the script was clever, witty, and heart wrenching. Kong looked exactly the way he did in my head. His body was more gorilla-like than his predecessors, but his face was more expressively human than any other cinematic monster to date. It was as if Peter Jackson jumped inside of my head while I was sleeping and took a snapshot of the Kong of my dreams.

But the heart of the 3 hour film and the scenes I longed for were those between Ann and Kong. It’s essentially a love story about Ann Darrow, a woman who’s been alone and struggling for practically her whole life. She is tough but soft at the same time. She is cursed believing that anything she loves she will lose. When she meets Kong and he takes her from the altar, Ann thinks she is a goner like all the native women. But there is something different about her. Kong flails her around debating on whether to eat her or kill her. But she stands up to him, entertains him.

It’s not Ann's physical beauty that he’s taken with but her heart that he somehow comes to feel and know his own heart through hers. He’s this absurdly powerful beast, King of an unknown prehistoric land where he lays waste to V-Rex's and is feared above all others. But he’s terribly lonely, having gone without companionship for years and then he meets Ann who is desperately lonely too, only in a different way. And somehow the two beings form a connection amid a beautiful scene on Skull Island when the sun is setting. It is beyond what I imagined it would be. My mind, heart, and senses were reeling along with the film...

Of course this is right about when I start thinking that I know how it’s going to end and I’m already dreading it. Peter Jackson makes you fall in Love and then just when he gets you there he breaks your heart into tiny pieces. I spent the last 20 minutes of the movie with tears streaming down my face. And before you go thinking it was just me being the Kong freak that I am -- In the row behind me sat 4 teenage boys and I swear I heard them sniffling too. Then they tried to cover up their emotions with laughter and some insensitive remarks, as boys tend to do....Of course it didn’t help matters for me that Kong had a giant Pug nose and the most soulful expressive eyes ever seen on film.

You know the rest. Kong is ripped from his mysterious homeland, taken from the indigenous people who thought he was their a God. Drugged, chained, made a mockery of. Bi Planes. An incredibly touching scene in Central Park that I won't ruin for you...and then of course the Empire State building. When it was over I was wrecked, ruined. I knew I didn’t have the heart to see that big guy destroyed. It made me leave the theatre feeling emotionally drawn. It made me want to be a filmmaker, and it made me wish I had a big hairy ape of my own.

**** 4 Stars ****

Posted by Lori in Movies at 9:57 PM permalink

This weekend I set out to do some Christmas shopping. Familiar songs played on the radio, Sleigh ride, Frosty, All I want for Christmas. I started out like gangbusters in my green scarf and Fair Isle mittens. But I only made it to one store. The lines, crowds, and general commercialism zapped the enthusiasm and pre-holiday spirit right out of me. And I was done. The practical part of me said to press on, do it now don’t wait until the last minute like every other year. But the rebellious part was in denial. What is this? It’s not even Thanksgiving yet and Christmas decorations have been in the mall since before Halloween. I didn’t feel like buying into it, I’ve decided to do my holiday shopping online this year.

Instead I took myself to see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Where, much to my delight in a standing room only matinee, I was comfortably seated between two Hot single Dads. There was one to my left and one to my right. During previews I got to see the big screen King Kong trailer. It's going to be awesome - only 23 more days.

I won’t say too much about the fourth installment of the Harry Potter films in case you haven’t seen it yet -- but to say I liked it. Not as much as the first, more than the second and third. It was darker and less cute. I laughed a lot, but am not sure if it was the movie making me giddy or the fact that I was a Lori sandwich for 2.5 hours. Good times.

There was romance and one death. Near the beginning there was a very cool Quidditch World Cup tourney in a galactic stadium that looked to be the size of 50 football fields. There were dragons, phantoms, death eaters, a Yule Ball, and Triwizard Tournament. So much better than shopping.

Favorite line from the movie by Albus Dumbledore:

"Dark and difficult times lie ahead, soon we all must choose between what is right and what is easy”

Posted by Lori in Movies at 7:38 AM permalink

I just finished watching the last ½ hour of My Dog Skip and I’m a total wreck. It’s the story about a shy boy, an only child who is bullied by the other boys and stinks at sports. Willie grows up in 1940s Yazoo, Mississippi. With the help of his beloved dog Skip, Willie builds a friendship with the prettiest girl in school Rivers Applewhite, his father lets him join Little League, and he makes friends with the bullies. Skip is quite the character too; everyone in town knows him and loves him. Every morning he runs down to the local butcher shop for a slice of bologna.

Why do I do it to myself? This movie sleighs me every time but it’s got so much heart that I can’t look away. Plus, the lead dog actor is played by “Moose” whose other film credits include Eddie in Frazier. Moose is one of Pugsley’s favorite 4-legged actors.

Now, I’m fumbling room to room grabbing for tissues and holding onto Pugsley as tight as I can. I knew it would kill me when Willie is playing baseball and Skip runs out onto the field to try to help. Willie yells at him to go home and then in a rage he hits Skip. Skip runs away and gets trapped in a cemetery tomb by the evil moonshine bootleggers. Willie and Dink rescue Skip just in time, then the small town rallies around at the vet’s office waiting for word if Skip will live or die. Willies Mother asks, "Do you want me to go in with you?" His father, played stoically by Kevin Bacon says, "No, this is something he’s got to do on his own". The vet scene is where I start to lose it. There Skip is, lying stretched out on the hospital gurney, half covered with a blanket. Willie comes in and starts balling, telling Skip all the reasons why he can’t die. I’m blubbering now. After some time and Willie keeping vigil at his bedside, Skip gently lifts his head up off the table and starts licking Willie's face. Then my tears of sadness become tears of joy. But not for long…..

Willie grows up and goes off to college. In his last scene as a boy with Skip, an adult Willie is now narrating with voice overlay, “Why in childhood and youth do we wish time to pass so quickly - we want to grow up so fast - yet as adults we wish just the opposite?” Willie gets on the train leaving Skip behind.

Willie as an old man is now narrating. “Skip was 11 and feeble with arthritis” (I start thinking about Pugsley, he is 11 and is becoming arthritic). Skip lives out his remaining days in Willie’s room, hanging out on his bed that he can’t climb up onto anymore, Willies father has to lift him up. With very sad close ups of a forlorn, pining Skip, narrator Willie tells of how he received a transatlantic telegram from his mother saying Skip died. She wrapped him in his old baseball jacket and buried him under the Elm tree in the front yard. “But that wasn’t true”, Older Willie says, “For Skip was really buried in my heart. Forever.” OMG. Where’s the Kleenex.

Posted by Lori in Movies at 12:04 PM permalink

My well-documented Obsession with Monkeys and especially with King Kong, has taken an even more fanatical turn since I found out that Peter Jackson of LOTR fame, is currently producing the New King Kong to be released December 2005. Oh, HOW will I be able to wait that long? Well, Mr. Jackson's Official "Kong is King" site should help to quell my excitement and anticipation. The site is complete with daily video production diaries (Quicktime is needed), interviews with the stars Adrian Brody, Jack Black, and Naomi Watts (LOVE HER), and PJ himself! I will also be adding a "Countdown to Kong" ticker to <------ my left sidebar. I cannot think of any other filmmaker I would rather have remake King Kong. I can hardly contain myself for this one :)

Posted by Lori in Movies at 12:44 PM permalink