Consider me inspired

It has been about 5 and a half months since I last blogged. Simply put, I have let life take over and laziness and procrastination set in. Tonight I was sitting watching No Reservations with Catherine Zeta Jones and Aaron Eckhart. But in the middle of the movie I had to stop and write. Why? Because I feel the need to write a love letter to Mr. Eckhart. But let me start at the beginning. I love summer and all the movies that come with it. I started working at a movie theater at the end of June and have had the privilege of seeing all the movies for free. But the only one that has made a lasting impression on me is.......The Dark Knight. Many of you won't be surprised. It is by far the biggest hit of the summer (already topping Star Wars as the number 2 most successful movie of all time, only second to Titanic). It is also the best reviewed movie of the year so far. A lot of the hype stems from Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker. His performance is amazing. It breaks my heart that he is no longer with us, even though I didn't know him personally. He was an amazing actor. With that said, Aaron Eckhart is by far my favorite part of The Dark Knight. If you haven't seen the movie yet (shame on you if that is the case!), please don't read any further due to spoilers. Eckhart's portrayal of a man who is considered to be a White Knight to Batman's Dark is heartbreaking. He is the epitome of good. But when he loses the love of his life, he turns to the dark side (excuse the pun). He becomes the villain Two Face and becomes intent on ruining those who cost the life of his love. My favorite part of this performance is when he is laying in bed in the hospital talking to Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman). There is a part when he screams at Gordon and the whole bed shakes. At that instant there is no doubt that Harvey Dent is gone and Two Face has appeared. You feel desperation, sadness, and anger all in one fell swoop. As corny as it sounds, I get emotional just thinking about that scene. Now Eckhart has been one of my favorites for a while. Ever since I saw him scalped (yes, you read that right) in Nurse Betty, watched him spin in Thank You for Smoking, and even now watching him as a sous chef in a mediocre movie such as No Reservations, I feel that he is one of today's best actors. He can make you feel such a range of emotions with that not quite handsome face. He has a bigger than average nose, a perpetual 5 o'clock shadow, and a butt chin. But I am gushing. I know this won't be read by many (if even maybe one), but I feel better getting this off my chest. Life is hard right now for many reasons and it feels good that I can still be inspired to write. Even if it is only every 5 months.

My Favorite Films

Over the past month and a half I have let laziness and lack of inspiration get the better of me. The Oscars were a downer for me (I still don't see why No Country for Old Men is so great). It has been a long time since I have really looked forward to a movie. The last one was I Am Legend and it was great but that was three months ago. So I decided to think about what are my favorite movies. I always was of the High Fidelity (GREAT John Cusack movie) mind when it comes to naming my top five movies. In the movie John is a music lover. He explains point blank to his audience that he has favorite albums for different situations. For example, a great breakup album. So I always thought that I could only break down my favorites into comedy, drama, etc., etc.. But a few nights ago I woke up thinking about the movie The Graduate. I watched the movie for the first time last year. It changed the way I look at movies. It is the way I picture a classic movie should be. Why? Because it has five different elements. Those elements are:

1. An original story from start to finish
2. A believable cast
3. Visually awesome
4. Great soundtrack (The kind where you can picture a scene in your head just by hearing a song)
5. Leaves you with a lasting impression

So as I lay in bed thinking about this movie and how much of an effect it has had on me, I started to think about the films I truly love. I had even attempted to make a list of my favorites the week before but ended up with over 25 movies. But it became clear to me with the above elements which films I could watch over and over again and not be embarrassed (as I am a sucker for romantic comedies and dance movies like Honey, so please don't hold it against me). Below are my top five movies of all time and how each element is relevant:

The Graduate (duh!)

• Boy is seduced by neighbor's wife, beds her, falls in love with her daughter
• Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft, all I have to say
• Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) comes out in full scuba gear and the camera is shot through his eyes, conveying his claustrophobia
• Simon and Garfunkel-I can't listen to "The Sounds of Science" without seeing the movie in my head
• Movie changed my views on how they should be made

Moulin Rouge

• Set in late 19th century where a poet falls in love with a courtesan and both of their worlds change dramatically
• Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor
• Beautiful sets, costumes, makeup, etc.
• One of the best soundtracks ever
• Compare all musicals to this one, only Chicago has measured up to this one since Moulin Rouge came out

Pulp Fiction

• Three different stories involving mobsters, a boxer, a "cleaner", among others
• Revived John Travolta's career and started Samuel Jackson's for a reason
• The violence is so graphic it is almost poetic
• Tarantino films always have great soundtracks-see Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, and most recently, Death Proof
• I went and saw this movie twice in the movie theater, which I NEVER do (especially since it is over 2 and a half hours long)

When A Man Loves A Woman

• A married couple with two young daughters have their relationship tested when the alcoholic wife goes into rehab and comes out a new person
• Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan's finest performances
• San Francisco has never looked better or provided a more picturesque backdrop
• I dare you to hear "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M. in this movie and not get at least a little teary eyed
• After seeing a ton of movies with couples riding off into the sunset , it showed me a more realistic look at a relationship and that it actually takes work

Ocean's Eleven

• 11 guys intent on robbing three Las Vegas casinos and getting away with it
• It is hard to see past George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, etc., etc. but they are having so much fun they get away with it (not the case in 2 and 3)
• Las Vegas-glitz, glamour, and the Bellagio light show
• Can't hear Elvis without picturing any scene
• Loved the movie so much I watched the original with the Rat Pack and found that the remake is a far superior film

The Media

I think its pretty apparent by now that I love the entertainment industry and all of its residents. In my last blog I went into detail on how much Heath Ledger's death affected me and why. It has been almost two weeks now and it seems that the media has no intention of letting him rest in peace. The first few days after his death, I will admit that I searched all over the internet and watched every news show possible trying to find out more information. When I got to the shot of his body being removed from his Manhattan loft I knew I had enough. Ledger was just a guy who obviously had some issues, just like anybody else. And now that he is dead, his family is having to endure the most horrific kind of scrutiny until every angle of the story has been exhausted.
Media outlets like TMZ, Entertainment Tonight, and even People are turning into publications like The National Enquirer with their rabid thirst for any kind of outrageous news that will make them the first to report on it. I used to watch TMZ every night and even found its founder Harvey Levitan entertaining and charismatic. Now every time I hear or even see a commercial for TMZ I think of Ledger's body being wheeled out of his loft. Is TMZ the root of all evil? No, of course not. They are exercising their right to freedom of speech. I am a big believer in no censorship and feel that if you don't like a television show or a magazine, don't watch it or read it. But just like the paparazzi needs to be held responsible for their actions and how they are endangering the stars they are so eager to take pictures of, what about the people who are buying the pictures or the video footage from them? The whole Britney Spears ordeal has gotten to a point where she needs to let her family shield her from the press and keep her away from scumbags like that paparazzi guy Adnan Ghalib. If something drastic doesn't happen soon, her boys won't have a mom around to see them grow up.
All of this has made me think of the movie 15 Minutes. Its a 2001 movie with Robert DeNiro and Edward Burns. Its basically the story of two criminals who commit crimes on video to become famous. At one point they take DeNiro's character, a respected homicide detective, hostage and kill him on video. This video lands in the hands of a newsman played by Kelsey Grammer. His character considers for about a millisecond to not air the video. But ratings rule supreme over morals. This movie isn't great but the airing of the murder has stuck with me because I think it says a lot about how we are as a nation with the entertainment world. And as I said, I love it and all of its residents. But I also have a limit on how much I want to know about someone and being concerned for their welfare. No, I am not friends with Britney and Heath. But I can see that being in the spotlight did them more harm then good. And that to me takes away a piece of my passion for this world as it hurts rather than it supports its citizens.

Heath Ledger

The death of Heath Ledger has left me thinking about my love for movies and interest in the entertainment world. I first heard about his death today around 2 pm PST. It was reported on www.cnn.com. My immediate reaction was to yell to my husband the news. We turned on the news until we found a station covering the story. I immediately broke down in tears. I then became embarrassed for getting upset over somebody I didn't know. I told my husband, "I know I must seem pathetic that I am upset over this." He didn't answer me. It made me, think, "Why do I care so much?"
I still remember exactly where I was the day I found out that River Phoenix had died in 1993. So why do the deaths of people I don't know bother me more than people I do know? I have thought about it all day and I have come up with two reasons. One, both of these men died at a young age when they were both in their prime. Ledger plays the Joker in the new Batman movie that is coming out this summer. He has been nominated for an Oscar. He has an adorable two year old little girl. And two, these men are a part of a world that I live for. There is nothing that compares to going into a movie theater and enjoying a good film for me. They take me away from my everyday stress. They are my therapy (see previous blog). So I guess I feel that actors and actresses are a part of my extended family (and not in a stalker way).
I hope that doesn't sound too pathetic. Movies are my passion and anybody that is a part of that is included.

Are today’s Horror Movies really scary?

Today’s horror movies are just plain silly. We have the worn-out-your-welcome torture porn movies. They aren’t scary; they are just plain sick and disgusting. Stephen King films are still around but they aren’t what they used to be. Then there are your Japanese remakes that started with The Ring. That one was scary but they have just gone downhill from there.
So the torture porn. I don’t get it. I haven’t been able to get into films like Saw and Hostel. I love horror movies just as much as the next person but I like things that make me jump, not make me cringe. One of my closest friends is a horror movie fanatic. She loves Rob Zombie. She will go see a horror movie and report back to me to let me know if I could handle it. This past summer she went and saw Hostel II. The scenes that she described to me haven’t left my imagination. Hearing about them was bad enough. I can’t imagine watching them. Directors James Wan (Saw) and Eli Roth (aforementioned Hostel movies) are guys to watch out for. Anybody that can write torture scenes like that has some serious issues.
Stephen King has been a staple in horror since the 70s. Movies like Carrie and Christine didn’t feel the need to torture their audiences by coming up with new ways to kill people. They relied on tension in the air, dark corners, and scary teenagers. The Mist is the most recent release of a Stephen King film. It was a hit with the critics but didn’t do much at the box office. Then there was remake of The Fog. That was a dud at the box office also. 1408 with John Cusack came out this past summer and it made a pretty decent amount of money and was about average with the critics. I liked it. It was scary but not too scary. It made you jump but didn’t throw gore at you. But all three of these films don’t even come close to the terror you feel from watching The Shining. And I’m not talking about that horrid remake that was done for television in 1997. Jack Nicholson is at his greatest and who can forget those frightening twins and hall of blood?? Red rum anyone? I didn’t think so.
Last but not least are the Japanese remakes. The Ring started it all and is the scariest one so far. There was its sequel. The Grudge and its sequel came next. The newest one is The Eye with Jessica Alba. I’ve seen the original and it’s not that good. But at least these films don’t rely on torture or gore. Most of them truly make you jump. If Hollywood is going to go down this path, then somebody needs to remake Audition. It is a truly twisted film that will make your skin crawl.
I am afraid of the dark. I didn’t watch horror movies when I was younger. I am a total wuss was when it comes to horror films. But as a movie critic I feel it is my duty to watch a variety of films, not just the romantic comedies and Indies. So when I make the effort to go to a horror movie I expect to be scared. And I haven’t been lately. Except for I Am Legend. I had my feet up on my seat the entire movie and never let go of my husband’s hand. The following are movies that truly scare me:
A. Halloween
1. Not for the violence
2. The notorious Mike Myers appearing out of nowhere makes me jump every time
B. The Blair Witch Project
1. The fear of the unknown
2. You never see what is stalking them
3. The ending gives me the willies
4. Wouldn’t go to sleep until the sun came up after the first time I saw it
C. Poltergeist
1. Always went to sleep with the closet door closed up until a few years ago
2. Had a clown doll just like the one in the movie-threw it away after I saw the movie
D. Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3
1. Saw as a freshman in high school and I have never screamed so loud
2. You think your family are freaks
3. Makes your muscle tense up worse than during a workout

I have read enough to know that the torture porn films are on there way out. Hostel II didn’t make nearly as much money as the first and James Wan has got to eventually run out of ideas for the Saw movies. Here’s to hoping for a new batch of horror movie directors that will come up with some fresh ideas to scare its moviegoers.


Side note: Just saw the trailer for a new horror movie called Teeth about a girl that has them in her girly part. Nasty and weird is all I can say. But you can’t argue with the originality. I’ll let you know how it is J

Movies and Therapy

God knows I need a therapist. I am over dramatic, sensitive, emotional, and cry at the drop of a hat. But why do I want to spend money I don't have on a stranger who doesn't know me from her next patient? I love to watch movies if that isn't apparent by now. I find that they are therapeutic just like shopping is therapeutic. Comedies make me laugh and dramas make me cry. They challenge me and open my mind. And at the most expensive, it cost me about $11 for two hours. That's a bargain in my opinion.
Blazing Saddles is a Mel Brooks movie that came out in 1974. Racism is an underlying theme in the film. Racism is not a funny subject, especially in the early seventies. But Brooks used it in a way that makes you laugh out loud. He challenged his audience to open their minds and not take themselves too seriously. Brooks still does that to this day, making him one of the great comedic minds of our time.
I know I sound like a broken record, but Knocked Up is a movie that made me laugh so hard I nearly fell out of my chair in the movie theater. I was pregnant at the time so I was able to relate more than the average moviegoer. It made me feel better about my current state, even if I was relating to a fictional character. But who wouldn't laugh at lines like, " You look like a cholo dressed up for Easter."???
It doesn't take much to make me cry. I am a typical girl who loves her cheesy romantic comedies (Valley Girl, anyone?) but also loves realistic films about real relationships (Say Anything). When A Man Loves A Woman is not an Oscar winning film. Some might even say it belongs on television as a Lifetime movie. But I saw it as the first movie I watched where a realistic couple endured realistic problems. I grew up with romantic visions of finding my knight in shining armor who would rescue me from my sad life. I had these visions from unrealistic movies and television shows who made me believe that would happen. When A Man Loves A Woman changed my version of the knight in shining armor. It made me realize that there isn't a happily ever after but a day to day process of working on our relationships.
Most movies don't challenge me. There aren't many out there that are original. But that is understandable. In a world filled with remakes and sequels, its all about what makes money. I recently saw Juno and have to say it is the most original film of 2007. It is a very sweet and honest film with some attitude thrown in for good measure. But it isn't just a good movie. It deals with teen pregnancy on a level that hasn't been seen before. It made me personally deal with some family issues that I didn't realize I still had (its not what you think). I started to sob once I left the movie theater and couldn't stop for about five minutes. The film made me step outside of myself and realize what a loved one went through. It gave me a whole new appreciation for this person and made me love them even more.
"Cinema therapy is the process of using movies made for the big screen or television for therapeutic purposes," says Gary Solomon, PhD, MPH, MSW, author of The Motion Picture Prescription and Reel Therapy. (http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/movie-therapy-using-movies-for-mental-health)

So why not skip the $300 therapy sessions, and go see a movie?

AFI's 10 Best of 2007 and Knocked Up

So the American Film Institute announced its ten best films of the year this past Monday (http://www.afi.com/tvevents/afiawards07/default.aspx). I have to say that I am overjoyed. In my last post I mentioned that I hoped Knocked Up would get a nomination from the Hollywood Foreign Press. Well, there was no such luck. But it showed up on AFI's list. Knocked Up, if you remember, was the sleeper hit of the summer with then unknown actors Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen. Since then Heigl has won an Emmy and Rogen has continued to work with Knocked Up director Judd Apatow on the summer's other comedic hit Superbad. What does a comedic director, actor, writer, etc. have to do this in town to get some respect? As Rodney Dangerfield used to say, "I get no respect!" If you look at just the past 25 years, not one film that has won the Oscar for best picture has been a comedy. Heck, are comedies even nominated? I think that Academy voters need to adjust what they think is best picture material and expand their minds. Why does something have to be a period piece, a political commentary, or violent just to get a nomination? Isn't the point of going to the movies to be entertained? And isn't laughing a sign that you are entertained? I am not saying that all comedies are alike. I am not a fan of the Naked Gun series, the movie Airplane, or even more recent films like Dumb and Dumber. My husband tells me I don't have a sense of humor-I can't tell if he is joking or not. But I feel that a movie is Oscar worthy when it stays with you long after you have left the theater. And I don't mean torture porn movies that give you nightmares. I mean that it affects your daily way of thinking. It makes you examine your relationships. It expands your mind. Maybe I am being dramatic. I was in the last trimester of my pregnancy when I saw Knocked Up. So it obviously hit a cord with me. But it turned stars into Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen. It continued Judd Apatow and gang's success that began with The 40-Year Old Virgin. So like I said, what does a comedic professional have to do in Hollywood to get a little respect??!!!