Mighty Chroma

The Emmy nominations are out for the 2013 year...and 90% of what was nominated I don't watch. What I do is o-u-t, got nadda, nothing, zip. Congrats can be given to The Walking Dead for what I consider the most snubbed show for actors and production. Andrew Lincoln out another year for evolving Rick Grimes but Jon Hamm is awarded again for the same smoking adulterous drunkard on Mad Men? I ain't HAPPY.

However, good news and genuine bows go to Kerry Washington for Scandal. I've caught only one episode so far, and she is phenomenal at being straight-forward, cutthroat yet a normal emotional human being. Also, Vera Farmiga for Bates Motel. If you're not watching that show, you need to. She is wondrous at playing crazy, unhinged, manipulative Mama Bates.

Life doesn't begin until I go to Comic Con. I hope it happens one year in the very near future. Because speaking of which that's where all the stars in the Hollywood skies come out to play and trailers galore are thus released:

Catching Fire. The second book of The Hunger Games series was my top favorite. While the first film was a bland adaptation, I'm trying to have high hopes for this sequel. The oversaturation of CGI and my general underwhelming feelings towards Jennifer Lawrence doesn't help. But this movie can be summed up with Finnick Odair and Jenna Malone. So I will be at the midnight premiere and not fully support my decision to do so.

I'm not sure what they hype is with Robert Downey Jr and how he acts like Tony Stark in public, but this is more epic than any obnoxious swagger RDJ can dish out. Tom Hiddleston dressed up as Loki to introduce new Thor film footage. OKAY.

To me, there's something strikingly modern about Natalie Wood. In the kaleidoscope of Classic Hollywood stars, the early story of her life fits in perfectly with the host of other child stars who were pushed into motion pictures.

She had the typical obsessive stage mom, who controlled every aspect of her young life to become a Hollywood star. Achieving "overnight fame" with the Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street at the young age of 9, Wood eventually grew up to be one of the most fresh and contemporary actresses to ever hit the big screen.

Maturing into teenagerdom and eventual adulthood, she wasn't like other screen goddesses. Wood didn't have studios to battle, in the way of Bette Davis. She wasn't a particularly strong songstress or dancer, so a lifelong career of song and dance was out.

With those big brown eyes and that raw vulnerability, Natalie struck gold in an array of dramas and comedies. Over the span of her incredible career, Wood became the first every day girl of the screen. Her presence was effervescent yet natural with anguish, hope, remorse, happiness. Whatever her role called for Wood had a way of communicating her thoughts and feelings in the way she moved, how she bat her eyelids or turned her head and gave a curious glance.

When I watch the juvenile epic film about abandonment and coming of age Rebel Without A Cause, it's always in total disbelief. She was just 16 years old, and as an actress not just as a young woman, she had an enormous range of vulnerability and maturity.

By the age of 23, Wood had been nominated for two Academy Awards; one in the former and another in Splendor in the Grass, starring Warren Beatty, where her character is almost raped and practically driven to madness.

Wood didn't stay stuck in coming of age flicks. Her career hit all kinds of notes as she grew into her 20s. With other flicks like The Searchers, she hit the epic Western. In the Romeo & Juliet esque musical, she plays Maria in West Side Story. Despite losing her brother Bernardo and love Tony, she comes off stronger than any typical ingenue.

With comedies Sex and the Single Girl tinted with sexual humor, the wonderfully playful personality she had off-screen came through. In The Great Race as a news reporter tagging along Tony Curtis on his race around the world against Jack Lemmon, there's only one gal who could nag the heart of bachelor Curtis and be her own tomboyishly charming, independent woman. And, it's Natalie. She matches her co-stars, innuendo for innuendo never missing a beat; never overshadowing them.

Through the 50s and 60s, the native San Franciscan was a chic girl of the eras. Though retiring at film at the ripe age of 28, and forty films under her belt, it's easy to remember the ever-radiant Natalie Wood. Performing in smaller television performances through her 30s, it's hard to believe we lost such a talented woman at age 43. With that brunette hair, wide eyes, and spirited personality, she stuck out like a sore thumb but in a gloriously good way.

When I marry Chris Pine I'll tell him two things: People Like Us was way too long and he doesn't have a head capable of pulling off hats (Exhibit A). I'd also pay him a compliment or two like I don't think he was wrong for going after Khan, and that overall, I did like People Like Us....it was just a little too long.

Pine plays a late music producer's son who discovers he is not an only child when his father's attorney gives him the fine job of delivering $150,000 to his illegitimate daughter (Elizabeth Banks). The turn of People Like Us thus on works the cliches quite heavily.

Everything in everyone's closets come out. Banks is a recovered alcoholic and has been struggling to raise her sulking rebellious son. Pine - who is facing his own financial debt - magically turns up in their lives to see what they are all about. He takes on a persona of being the all-too-generous kind stranger while facing if he should tell the truth about his identity and hand over the cash, or take it for himself. Pine's mother - played by Michelle Pfieffer - seems completely oblivious to how much of a "complicated" father and husband (read: lying cheating cad) he truly was.

Despite a plethora of cliches, People Like Us remains a well-rounded drama because of the cast and the ending.

The film takes its time establishing how well Pine and Banks' characters get along before the truth is unleashed. Both coming from a dysfunctional relationship with their father, Pine and Bank's character struggles to find their own ground and they are brought to the whirlwind discovery that there are people like them.

Pine is a blockbuster knock-out but manages to dip into the small indie pool with credibility. With comedy and drama, he's simply got the chops for it all. Elizabeth Banks is such a chameleon in adult comedies, you may be surprised by her turn in a drama - which I thought was at least Golden Globe worthy. And Michelle Pfieffer as the disheveled and loyal widow peeks her underrated blond locks in just enough to know that yes she still exists and she is still awesome as ever.

Without an honorable third act though is a movie worth watching? The second generalized reason People Like Us is worth a watch is the ending. It's one of those finales that if it the long build-up didn't benefit the characters in a meaningful way, the entire film could've been bogus. Despite the film going a bit around in circles, its conclusion which you may not actually see coming, makes the whole thing worth a viewing.

In A Giffy:

This is my life for the next two years and nothing hurts. Granted most people won't take my opinion seriously since I personally loathed The Avengers, always liked Daredevil, and loved Man of Steel. But when I think that Orlando Bloom, Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling were the best decisions until the official announcement, Ben Affleck is a miracle. He may be a better director than actor but I think he can surprise people as he always has.

I remember like yesterday when nobody thought Heath Ledger could pull off The Joker. The decision almost came down to Danny Huston being cast in the role before the final decision was made. I for one was ecstatic - Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart in one movie together, HELL YEAH. There was such a big outlash over that decision until the sequel came out, and it's now regarded as one of the best installments. I'm not saying that lightning will strike twice, however it reminds me that some previous naysayers of Ledger's casting say now that he was always a good actor but there was a time when everyone - except for a few - were against the idea.

As well, I ponder the hate flame that has caught onto Affleck's tail, is the casting choice premeditated by the fact that everyone detests Snyder as a director? Even me. Affleck is generally regarded as a talented guy behind the camera, and to each their own, had some decent on-screen performances. If I recall, the problem with Man of Steel wasn't necessarily the actors, it was the director. My overly optimistic view is that while everyone is pointing fingers at the poor casting choice perhaps the outrages' origin leads back to Snyder's controversial story decisions and poor track history? And the idea that an iffy casting choice, and piss-poor director, automatically makes for an assumption of a sucky sequel? Overall, Daredevil has upgraded to the Batcave and I can't wait!

+ Prince William revealed first details about royal baby George. I bought London cheese for heaven's because it was commemorative for the Kate and William's first child. A baby is a baby who does baby things but still...this news is always fairly exciting.

+ I hope David Beckham stays an underwear model. That is all.

+ Eric Bana is back in our lives. I wonder if he still photo bombs lucky tourists on their vacations. (Lord help me, I can't find that Conan interview for proof.)

+ A first image of funny God Steve Carell for Foxcatcher was released. He's really going to blow people away moving into a drama portraying a murderer.

+ Lady Gaga's new video Applause was released. Despite her meaning of the video about living for the fans, I still only get that it's about a love for fame....Otherwise, the first minute of the video is pretty cool, and then I just get bored. Too many images and transformations thrown in there at once.

+ All the Boys Love Mandy Lane makes me want to vomit. Even if it's a "throwback" to the 80s horror genre of busty babes being killed off a psycho killer, the whole thing screams pro-rape culture; the girl who is hot but virginal, and has all the guys doing anything to make her put out.

From the blogosphere:
+ Alex reviews The Spectacular Now; a young adult film that will surely cure your "teenage angst" fix.
+ Keith defends the Batman decision
+ Kate shares some Netflix hidden gems
+ Ruth sums up five movies in five words
+ Jessica reveals why science-fiction needs more than looks

A film and costume exhibit I've been lucky to visit is the AFI mini-museum at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Photos I previously shared included classics like Gone with Wind, Casablanca, West Side Story, and Titanic. Adding to the collection are some wonderful new items and costumes from films like Cape Fear, Oz: The Great and Powerful, and more.

This exhibit is apart of the ending queue from the Backlot Tour attraction. I always have such a great time at this exhibit and seeing what's been added. If you're ever in the Disney area, I highly recommend this treat for film lovers.

Superman's iconic red flying cape

Items from Cape Fear such as Robert De'Niros wallet, handcuffs, Bible, and a script with hand-written notes by DeNiro

An exhibit case that includes Jack Nicholson's red jacket from The Shining, Renee Zellweger's costume from Chicago as well as the newspaper from her character's memorable trial.

One of my favorite movies is The Dead Poet's Society. How excited I was to see the candlestick and one of the books used in the film.

The 2013 film OZ: The Great and Powerful was newly added section with costumes worn by Rachel Weisz, James Franco and Mila Kunis.

A close-up on the wizard's black hat and "his grandmother's music box".

Two bullied childhood friends bond through magic and grow up to be a really stale ridiculously over-tanned Las Vegas performers Burt Wonderstone and Anton Marvelton - (Steve Buscemi and Steve Carrell).

Their routine is not all that empty hat with a white rabbit inside. Everything is off-timing. Their chemistry has hit the rocks, mostly because Wonderstone's personality is being disrespectful and an egotistical womanizer.

Things don't get better for the duo when Steve Gray (Jim Carrey) is a David Blaine type magician. Out in the streets he is capturing the worlds' attention with ridiculously cringe yet chuckle-house worthy stunts such as laying on burning hot coals. Where in truth, he is just a fake - performs any kind of trick even though he suffers, really physically suffers...but he remains really successful. The anticipation of what he does next is what drives his popularity.

That sets a fire underneath Wonderstone and Marvelton who go the wrong way to compete on his level; like living in a glass container for 36 hours straight. Unprepared for the isolation box in the sky, the duo's fight escalates into a physical throwdown, which breaks the glass container and out goes Steve Buscemi for a majority of the film.

Wonderstone is left to contend with his annoying personality driving the people he loves most away and try eventually steal the spotlight from Gray. The antics of stealing Gray's spotlight somehow grows into a concept of daucing the audience in a sleep fog, for them to wake up on an airplane strip. While not necessarily a showstopper as someone watching the film, what unfolds as the credits roll is quite humorous.

Despite being a movie about magic, overall The Incredible Burt Wonderstone definitely needed a bigger dose of it.

A higher-rated comedy needs to have more than scenes that are strung together. Unfortunately, one-liners litter this script. The film is filled with awkward encounters between two characters. You wait for it to end. And then another one emerges. The humor doesn't come down too so much as timing or ability but occasional inserts of dry wit. Such as Carrey like drilling a nail in his head and the stunt going all kinds of wrong.

While The Incredible Burt Wonderstone has some rather clever jokes, it settles on having too little interaction between Buscemi and Carell, wild antic cameos by Jim Carrey, and a pretty chemistry-less Olivia Wilde to pull it all together.

The one person who remains truly incredible is Steve Carell. I don't know what planet he came from but in every movie - whether it's good or quite poor - always manages to stand out above the rest. He makes his scenes work with a fully-formed character, no matter how one-sided his co-stars or the story may be. With ridiculously blond stiff hair, orange skin, and a faux British accent, Carell somehow managed to create a character - not necessarily one you can root for but one that's at least more likable than the others.

Oh, and Alan Arkin is somewhere in the film. He really should just be in every movie. His head should pop up in the corner, he'll make a grumpy old man rant and disappear. That always does a movie good.

In A Giffy:

So, this was my weekend! How was yours? For about two millaseconds of a nine hour ear bleeding eye gauging music fest known as the VMAs, N'SYNC was reunited and Justin Timberlake earned the Michael Jackson Vanguard Award. Every bit of the program was pretty much blacked out for me as my own purposeful mental decision to ward off nightmares....

Pop Culture Ramblings
+ Speaking of which, how does a duo with a horny Beetlejuice with a wife and two kids place himself in sexual positions on stage singing about hooting and hollering at women next to a barely-legal girl stripped down to nothing tongue waging only spur criticism for the latter? Neither one of them were right for causing such mental splits with their "performance" but why is Miley the only one getting "criticized"?

+ A frequent watcher of Gordon Ramsey shows like Hell's Kitchen, I was shocked to find out that this season's past winner was disqualified for failing the mandatory drug test. She will not go on to work as one of Ramsey's executive chefs but will still be awarded the $250,000. This woman needs help for apparently having a cocaine addiction and is still be rewarding with the cash prize?...while the runner-up Mary goes without? It's not that I was a faithful supporter of the reality show games believing nothing like this crap ever happens...but honestly how do these absurd rulings and loopholes actually happen.

+ Tim Gunn ranted about designer's lack of clothing lines for plus-size women and just shows once again he's one of the last, nay few, voices in fashion that will have a purposeful opinion. When can women of all sizes actually look nice?

+ The Atlantic re-inspires me to learn that Mid-Atlantic English accent. Can't we all talk like Katherine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart?

+ Awaiting more word on Christopher Nolan's Interstellar has been fun for the most part. The film is starring half of Hollywood and looked to be a major sci-fi hit on his hands...yet color me speechless the movie is about corn, and going to another planet to find an alternative energy source...Corn? That's the current rumor and that's a letdown.

+ Alfonso Cuaron's latest film Gravity is receiving raving reviews As expected. Only makes me more excited to see Sandra Bullock twirling in space for two hours.

From the Blogosphere:
+ Kristen talks about a need for female character - not necessarily "the strong female character". This mostly and insightfully applies to YA fiction as well as film and television
+ Adored Vintage spotlighted Ann Margret as its Monday Muse

+ Rissi gives a lovely review to Pride & Prejudice (2005)

+ Kirsten reviews A Star Is Born (1954) - one of my favorite Judy Garland films and all time favorites.

Give or take 90-120 seconds is how long a studio has to sell us a movie. All the choices the director puts into the production, the star-studded cast, if it's a prized blockbuster bang or Oscar contender - it's a lot to fit into one advertisement. Many can be deceptive and don't fully rightfully display the mood or genre. Others are right on target.

Some audience members like me live for trailers; it's a fun preview of coming attractions to look forward to. Some despise them, because I can concur, they are now played a half hour long before new flicks at the movie theaters. Depending on how a movie is represented though, at the cinema or online, can ultimately determine what we spend our big bucks and time on going to see.

In Classic Hollywood, trailers were kitschy and unafraid to spectacularize the motion picture. They had a narrator or stylized text with underlined points of the stories or cast. Each genre had their own sense of style; musicals were uplifting, war flicks had a political overview, dramas were exceptionally mysterious. Most weren't above selling a political point, the films' theme or even the stars. When you paid a few cents to go to the cinema, you knew the experience you were in for. Above all, they made you feel excited and allured into the movie and Hollywoodlands' most prized stars.

Through the 70s to 90s out went the land of make-believe, Hollywood glamour and allure. The trailer inevitably changed with the growing economic highs and lows in Hollywood as society and film changed. In came the age of down playing the fantasy-like escapism.

A near robotic narration explained the story of the film. We welcomed more indie productions like Pulp Fiction and science-fiction thrillers on a seemingly low-end basis like Star Wars and Blade Runner, political Oscar contenders, and the occasional drama. When we look back on the trailers of this era, they are corny to the ears, the atmosphere had lost Hollywoodland's electric glow, but the story still pulled through.

In the past couple of years, especially in 2013, the movie trailer has grown to be a blend of pure images. Many are without narration or specific point of story-telling. In a day of quick conversations and image heavy sharing, the trailer has been condensed down to a collage of scenes; the one liner joke, the films most highest point of conflict, characters and actors going through a range of extreme motions without any specific background.

Only God Forgvies, an arthouse endeavor. Stuck In Love, the dramedy. Runner Runner, a drama. Star Trek: Into Darkness, a blockbuster. The Great Gatsby, the book adaptation.

One thing that still pulls through decade after decade is the genre differences. You can tell a rom-com from a raunchy parody film, a drama as a historical period piece or thriller. But are the visuals enough to enough to get me, to get you, to see a movie? I find it hard to remember when I was really taken away by a trailer and the quest it hinted towards. I know what peaks my curiosity; a compelling story and maybe a favorite actor or two. But definitely the story.

No doubt trailers have always been a compilation of scenes. The organization of them has just grown frail. More and more are summarized as you get what you see.

It's not technically necessary to be spoonfed the summary, but I think it's better when the story isn't fastly-paced showing image after image after image with a catchy song looping over any importance of the script. Up-play the movie stars. Feed me a creepy narration that will give me nightmares. Let there be a more memorable impression about the film. Because so often nowadays I have to ask, do you know what this is about?

Book: Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Genre: Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy
Rating: ★ ★ ★ / 4 Stars
Recommend: For those who crave a imagintive fairy-retelling
Pros: Inventive world-building
Cons: Occasional cliche dialogue
Favorite Chapters: 24, 27, and 30

Summary: In a futuristic retelling of Cinderella, we are taken to the future of New Bejing where Cinder, a cyborg, is in the midst of a cure for a deadly plague, an impending war with a species of residents on the moon called Lunars looms, and her own place in the world.

Review:
Much more than a cyborg or a retelling of a tale as old as time, Cinder is a female heroine I've been trying to fill a very big void with. With the great disappointment to me that was The Hunger Games series and peaking curiosities like Divergent and even still Twilight, I was satiated to come across a female character who has brains, is the savior / chosen one, and has a normal range of emotions other than raging hormones - though she does get herself in a bit of romance with the truly charming Prince Kai. Surprised by the under-whelming praise for the mentioned series', I'm a bit amazed about the limited fan fare Cinder has warranted.

Author Marissa Meyer not only creates a fun and admirable young female lead but a compatible surrounding world as well. The story follows along the path of Cinderella; a young girl abused by her step-mother and step-siblings who falls in love with a prince who has the wrong idea of her real identity. Only Meyer layers the tale where a plague threatens humans - not necessarily Cinder but those she loves dearly and uses her main character as a hunt for a cure.

Humans, cyborgs, and a new inventive species of Moon dwellers called Lunars who can alter the thoughts and feelings of humans make up this unique read. Meyers created a world that is imaginative and accessible. She doesn't randomly label Places with Capital Letters just to make them seem Important like the recent Trend that has Hit many young adult fiction Books these Days. Instead you get a bit lost in a tale you're something quite familiar with but also new and fresh. There were several chapters where I intuitively knew where the plot was heading, however the prose kept me intrigued to move further and deeper along.

In my mind right now if there is a series I'd love to see made for television or film, it'd really be Cinder. It's not quite cliche with young adult fiction where two young individuals meet at the right place at the right time and unlock secret worlds that threaten every life form on Earth. It goes a little bit back to a time of storytelling where a new world of characters are each other's unlocking. I definitely look forward to getting my hands on the next installment!

In A Giffy:

Katy Perryreleased the music video for Roar this week and her new album cover. From the 1930s beginnings credits and illustration, I was hands-down sold. As for the rest of the video it stays true to her brand, and I love the fresh faced make-up she is going with. Only Katy can have cellphone reception on a tropical island and enough nail polish to cover an elephant's toe nails though. So, yeah...I'll just be over there. Gushing about the goddess Katy Perry.

IndieWire is already predicting some of the Best Actor contenders. What looks good on paper is Leonardo DiCaprio for The Wolf on Wall Street. I think it could be his wildest, raunchiest and most laidback performance to date...but will the Academy take notice if the film is not controversial or a period piece? Can he outshine other top contenders? The odds seem to dwindle. Can't we just give Leo one...in general. Does it have to be for a specific performance?

+ Esquire recently covered Comedy Centrals' roast of James Franco. I found this editorial while mingling through the twitter trend that was the roast, and it fulfills my every explanation of how I believe Franco is the male Lady Gaga; the King of Film Pop. He is an experimental jack of many trades playing us all for fools. Please read it for yourself and see!

+ Former Batman Michael Keaton, Comic Book Guy Kevin Smith and Avengers Savior Joss Whedon agree Ben Affleck will surprise doubters as Batman. I agree and just can't wait!

+ Quite possibly my favorite article of all time: Undeniable proof The Walking Dead and Toy Story have the exact same plot. It would almost be scary if it weren't so hilariously true.

+ I guess it's big news. 50 Shades of Grey finally has its cast Sons of Anarchy's Charlie Hunnam will play Christian and Ben and Kate's (?) Dakota Johnson will play Anastasia. My inner goddess is just not tingled by the prospect of ever seeing this nor reading the "book". I just have more frivolous yet fun ways to waste my time.

From the Blogosphere:

+ Rissi reviewsX:Men Origins
+ Elena and I are on the same page about Arrow; alluring but not very good television. Is there a secret way I don't know about to get hooked to this show??
+ Pretty Clever Films reviews Prometheus
+ Sam reviews Z by Therese Anne Fowler, a biography about Zelda Fitzgerald

Before Travel Channel became about men gorging on food and going to limited access sewers, there was actually had a female host. And she is someone I have been obsessed with since I was a little girl. But she wasn't just any female host. She was Samantha Brown.

Brown started out with giving tours and staying overnight in ritsy houses and in the tropical United States. Having no previous experience in hosting for television, Brown had been found through The Travel Channel through an audition tape. Luckily the network knew they had someone really special on their hands, and Brown grew to be the first lady of on-air travel.

With her next series "Great Hotels", Brown scoped out the North American landscape staying at the finest hotels and exploring the local culture. You couldn't help but fall in love with her. She was the girlfriend and best friend you wanted to hang out at home and abroad. Her love for chocolate and ice cream was your cravings. When you wished to bounce on beds, play games in a hotel lobby, going outdoors, she did it with charm and wit.

In her second series titled "Passport to Europe", which lasted two seasons, Brown traveled the Euro-world in style, hitching up in places like London, Germany, and Italy. In another series, Brown took temporary residence in Mexico and China. Her willingness to try new things took us sword dancing, rollerblading through Paris at night, snorkeling, and dog sledding.

Her travels weren't always full of smiles through. Behind the camera journeying across the world brought long schedules away from family and friends on her own going to an explored place on her own with a small camera crew. But rarely did that ever come across. Brown was down to earth and a people person.

Forging on with her travels, she never failed to show us everything that could be done in every corner of the world. She taught us the best sights to see, how to save money to travel locally, which hotels to check into and during which season. Her honesty came through when she ate something atrocious or wanted to try something again and again. Meetings with tour guides and special-interest instructors were with a keen interest and open mind. With more series to come like "Passport to Asia" and "Great Weekends", Brown clocked in more than a 160 hours of television. And, she remains one of the sole female hosts to ever grace Travel Channel and really do it all.

She was funny, smart, and down to earth. Brown is one of the few - next to only - explorers (once) on television who didn't have to chow down impossible gargantuan meals in two minutes or live on an island by herself for sixty days and peruse all her survival skills. This woman-sized bubble of enthusiasm proved that we can have an adventure any place we travel, especially with a few spoonfuls of style, humor, and a smile.

I have always loved filling in the blanks. On old social media sites like livejournal, I could spend days answering questionnaires. Give me anything meme-like, and I'll be blotching out blurby thoughts and opinions for hours. With this quirky activity in mind an idea came to me for a new series: Fill It In Fridays. Every week there will be a new theme, new answers, and you're welcome to answer in the comments or even on your own blog!

Today, we're walking through our childhoods down Pixar Lane. From toys like Woody in Toy Story to automobiles in Cars, we have been graced with many adorable characters throughout the years that we used to think of as mere objects. Yet with characters who cannot technically feel or talk like a house with loaded with balloons, Pixar has of taking something ordinary and making it feel extraordinary. Looking at their films, we're going to fill in the big question: What are your favorite Pixar objects?

Quite possibly the best object to start the list off with has to be the iconic Pixar lamp. Like every item on this list, it's easy to remember the first time you saw the movie as a whole. Maybe you were young in a movie theater with some friends or a special moment you shared with a parent. There's something particularly magical though about every single time the lamp hops across the screen and playfully budges down the I to non-existence. Before the movie starts, the lamp brings back all the memories of the great movies you've seen before by Pixar and what you may be watching at that moment.

Monsters come into our rooms at night and make us scream - which is the energy for their entire universe in Monsters Inc. One small little gal Boo escapes into their city and changes the heart of a scream team on the top of their game. Each door throughout the film has it's own personality, but Boo's has to be an automatic fave. Though her bedroom door is adorable, it's the one last shard that Sully needs to piece it all together and see Boo one more time that gets this spot.

No child or parent ever goes without baring their son or daughter's name on their beloved toys. After seeing Toy Story in theaters when I was a little girl, I began marking all of my toys with not my name actually but Andy's. That permanent marker was on everything - thanks Andy! Every toy that came to Andy knew it was his by the simple act of his name at the bottom of their shoes. They were simply home...until a time arrived to say "So long partner".

Living in Florida I get a spectacular view of the sky. Sometimes when I'm driving around this flatland state, I can look up at the big blue ceasless ceiling...and see a lot of clouds that particularly look like Andy's bedroom wallpaper in Toy Story. Next time you're outside I encourage you to look up; they're there!

From my infinite love of snowmen and collecting them as ornaments, plushies...etc., I can't say this grumpy pants kicked started it all. But a star in one of Pixar's many great shorts Knick Knack, the snowman globe is one of my favorite objects. I love his battle against the environment to score a poolside babe, and then a mermaid fish bowl vixen, and it's just never meant to be.

It's a widely regarded notion that if you don't feel a rampage of sobs during the beginning of Up!, you just aren't human. Ellie - a favorite character of mine ever is symbolized as the house, which practically acts as a living character on its dangerous trek to Paradise Falls. But Ellie also lives on in the Adventure book filled with her and Carl's adventures as well as the grape pin which goes on to live a life of its own with boy scout Russell.

Emma Thompson had one heck of a week returning to TIFF after a seven year absence. My week wasn't as quite hammered or eccentric as hers was. This semester I'm taking Basic Stagecraft, which means risking my hands in table saws every week, the back of my head to students playing around with staple guns, and trying to remember to wear my safety goggles so wooden splints don't take out my eyes. Soo, maybe I could do with getting a bit drunk this semester in an effort to survive it! On the upswing of potential injuries, I do get four comped tickets to the production of Chicago my school is producing.

+ Ellen Degeneres weighed the pros and cons of hosting the Oscars. I think if she just doesn't do an annual opening song about boobs or the best picture nominees that nobody really pays attention, she'll do great. Also, Ellen is now syndicated on FX. I remember watching this show with my mother growing up and going to the coffee shop based on her show at Disney World. Hello, Childhood!

+ Matthew McConaughey has been getting standing ovations from TIFF crowd for his performance in the upcoming film Dallas Buyers Club. As a really long time fan of his going all the way back to EdTV, I'm really excited if this picks up Oscar buzz. Like Ben Affleck, I think he's under-estimated because some of his films that have been less than stellar. Jared Leto looks amazing as well.

+ Pop culture has changed as I know it. Justin Timberlake once did a song for McDonalds. I honestly don't remember this, thus never seeing this revelation coming. What interesting tidbit did you learn this week about someone or something?

+ Justin Beiber was caught flashing the Batman Vs Superman script reportedly saying he will be playing Robin. Questions can be raised surely if the script he is holding isn't true, it looks mighty genuine *note the comic book reference. I feel just like fans who loathed the idea of Ben Affleck becoming the caped crusader must have felt; disappointed, confused, surprised, the list goes on and on.

+ Benh Zeitlin's new film is wildly improbable. The new film is about a young girl who gets kidnapped onto a hidden ecosystem where a tribal war is raging over a form of pollen that breaks the relationship between aging and time. So I want to see it.

+ Like we needed more problems with 50 shades of Grey, but apparently the glue that stuck those books together now makes them non recyclable. Humanity now faces the horror of 50 Shades of Grey forever haunting thrift store bookshelves for all eternity.

From the Blogosphere
+ Shantanu from U, Me, and Films winds up his August viewings
+ Karamel Kinema shares thoughts on fashion and film
+ Margaret gets ready for American Horror Story: Coven
+ Ellen reviews The Searchers

Identity Thief (2013)
Directed by: Seth Gordon
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Bateman
Rating: ★ ★ 1/2 / 4 Stars
Similar To: Due Date, Knocked Up, Judd Apatowcomedies
Summary: A meek-mannered father and husband hunts down the seemingly harmless woman who is stealing his identity.

Review:
Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman) finds out that a woman (Melissa McCarthy) across the U.S. is stealing his identity under the pseudonymn Sandy Bigelow Patterson. Without it he can't work at his job (it looks like he's embezzling funds) nor pay the bills (for which he has a family of two girls and another baby on the way). Because there is no police jurisdiction across states, he travels to Florida and bring her back to get justice.

Before his travels start we get a peek at the woman who is using Patterson's cash to buy rounds of drinks in a nightclub to feel less lonely. At every beauty parlor, jewelry store, Brookstone and so on she is spinning a web of stories that her purchases are for friends, families, to give away to strangers. Right away I couldn't dislike McCarthy, nor feel that Bateman is out of line for chasing her down.

When Patterson tracks down Bigelow Patterson it is not smooth sailing to drag her across the country to essentially throw her in jail. It's only after more dangerous bounty hunters are tracking her down, sheepish looking Patterson is her only option of survival.

It's really the chemistry between Bateman and McCarthy that makes the movie. By hitting it out of the park in roles like Bridesmaids and hosting on Saturday Night Live, McCarthy has shown she is the physical comedian willing to do it all to get some laughs. To me, McCarthy has become of the one best comedians in such a short time by just being funny whether that means delivering a snappy line or prat fall down a flight of stairs. The eccentric costume she wears in the film is a mask to the character and the physical prowress she has.

And, Bateman squares against her nicely as the straight man who adds the verbal puns to her physical punches (literally, she busts a few fists to other people's esophagi).

While the partnership between McCarthy and Bateman is some of the better teams I've seen in recent comedies, the story was patchy. Their roadtrip is essentially filled more with random scripted moments of awkward funny than sequences that make sense; like Bigelow Patterson seducing a wealthy Texan back to their motel room for a wild *never gonna forget* sex romp and forced encounters between the different bands of bounty hunters.

Just because I gave this two and a half stars, let me disclaim it does not mean that I think it was terrible or not worthy of watching. The low rating goes to how much I think the film could have been more tightly written.

After barely making it to Colorado, and they have run out of cash, Patterson gets the idea of stealing the identity of a former boss who was arrogant and disrespectful. By doing this, he momentarily thinks he's become brave - risking his well being when he has three little girls and a wife at home to take care of. The movie temporarily comes to a halt as Bigelow Patterson explains her history. Through a series of crazy escapes, Patterson and Bigelow Patterson are thwarted from being caught. The rest of the film is tied up in a decent little bow.

What really lasts after the movie is the friendship between Bigelow Patterson and Patterson, and the timing of McCarthy and Bateman. While moments in the film go for that joke *cue for laughter* humor, McCarthy and Bateman (especially McCarthy) make a well-rounded comedy out of a semi-decent story.

In A Giffy:

Quartet (2013)
Directed by: Dustin Hoffman
Starring: Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Tom Courtenay, and Pauline Collins
Rating: ★ ★ ★ 1/2 out of 4 Stars
Recommended To: Last Chance Harvey, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Summary: Four opera stars stung by their past struggle to perform together at a home for prestigious retired musicians

Review: If there was such a film about a group of senior citizens bringing the band back together, this would definitely be that film.

An amazing array of once-famous musicians from around the world live together in a retirement home made essentially for them. Beecham House is facing closure from lack of fundraising and the talent assembled are not going down without a performance or two.

The musicians we come to come learn and love in this house the most are the quartet: Wilfred "Will" Bond (Billy Connolly), Cecily "Cissy" Robson (Pauline Collins), Reginald Paget (Tom Courtenay) and Jean Horton (Maggie Smith). Once one of the most prestigeous groups of opera singers are now a fallen-out group of friends; Jean is most of all the most distant.

As life seems to be squaring along nicely for the trio, Horton makes her grand entrance and the group is at a divide about her re-emergence. A bevy of questions loom over through a course of the film. Was she a drama queen? Did you try to steal the glory from all of them? Did she go solo and leave the others to obscurity?

A great sense of distress is the tension between Paget and Horton. Gradually we find out that they were at once romantically linked together before the relationship fell apart. Paget is apathetic to ever going near her. Horton understands his trepidation yet gradually works her way under his skin so old feelings re-emerge. Unless I missed it however, there was no other grand reason for the groups' separation except for this. Between Smith and Courtaney, there feels like an entire world behind them; a history of a past romance that is thought to never be healed.

The entire two hours builds up to the moment they take to the stage. To prepare for the big evening, Horton faces her fears of being out of practice and not living up to the memories of her extraordinary talent. Cissy faces an ugly fall which leaves her temporarily bed-ridden. Paget's forgiveness is tested and he struggles to comply to work with Horton again. There's a great balance of will they or won't they make it.

What I can't make up my mind about over the film is the ending. The lives of the characters and the relationship with the group is wonderfully concluded. You can get a sense of how the film is going to end. At the final moment when they are relishing in the pre-performance applause, the screen fades to black. The lead-up to their performance is what tied me over to keep watching; to hear the music the characters were so beautifully recognized for. And then, we don't. Credits roll. The End.

As a first time director, better known as a veteran actor, Dustin Hoffman delivers on a film that is simple and easy yet effective with drama and comedy. Billy Connolly does a wondrous job of being his Scottish witty self in the role of "Bond"; an older man who wears honesty on his sleeve and tries to pick up the young female nurses. Michael Gambon delivers as an out-of-sorts director of the fundraising program. And the entire supporting cast was made up highly esteemed opera and vaudeville stars. It's a genuine rare gathering of monumental talent on-screen that comprise a really good film.

I don't know of anybody who, when life had given them an opportunity to see a Maggie Smith flick, would outright turn it down. Especially if it were to be playing at your local senior night. You jump at the chance! I literally did (raced back from my college campus after my final classes daring to beat two hour drive during rush hour). Was it worth it? Even with the quick closing act, I would definitely it was. It's a comfy, romantic, and sweet movie to watch for a relaxing night at home.

In A Giffy:

Dubbed "the singing Clark Gable", this Italian stallion had the charismatic good looks, a reverberating voice unlike any other, and the enigmatic charm to boot. (And, did I say was good-looking?). At first glance American actor, singer and all-around hottie Mario Lanza had the makings of a great Hollywood star.

Born Alfred Arnold Cocozza to Italian immigrants, his family relocated to America when "Freddie" was 16 years old. Having listened to his father's records of opera stars, Cocozza began emulating their sound and produced a profound singing talent. While studying and performing opera, Cocozza was drafted to the U.S. Army Infantry but was kept out of the front lines due to a bad eye injury.

Following his discharge from service, Cocozza was re-located with his childhood sweetheart new wife Betty to California. After being spotted at the Hollywood Bowl in 1947, it wasn't long before MGM Studios head Louis B. Mayer was snatching up Cocozza - whose stage name was Mario Lanza - into a seven year contract.

Lanza's career on film lasted a mere nine motion pictures total over fifteen years. The warmth, passion, and power behind his talented tenor pipes was praised by audiences and critics. Featured in his films like That Midnight Kiss and The Great Caruso were hit songs that sold millions.

As his sudden rise to fame in music and film began to topple his creativity and passion, behind the scenes Lanza suffered from addictions like overeating and alcoholism. Managers took advantage of the young star and his financial debts began to rise. Yet behind the scenes Lanza showed rebellion against the studios who were trying to churn out more pictures than he could make.

Standing only at five feet seven, Lanza weighed 250 pounds. At a weight loss rehab center in Rome under a radical treatment where patients were immobilzed and sedated for long periods of time, Lanza passed away at 38 years old. His death was cited as pulmonary embolism. Surviving his death was his wife Betty and their four children.

During his short career and shockingly young life, Lanza's talent and legacy ignited inspiration for the likes of Plácido Domingo and Elvis Presley. Lanza was the first on RCA's label to hit 2 1/2 million sales and a gold record. And his work lives on in the few exceptional films he starred in.

Top Song Recommendations:
Be My Love
Ave Maria
You'll Never Walk Alone

“Today is when I am living. Now is the hour to consider. I feel that I will never be able to accomplish some fine goal tomorrow if I can't move towards it in the present. In weighing what I want, I like to recall what someone infinitely more wise than I, said. "What is the profit in winning the acclaim of the world if you lose your own soul?”

Hearing her and her peers' names being called in the Best Actress category

Some form of clapping when she wins

A highly intelligent yet genuine speech

And then once backstage

Ever come across a film that you had an insane amount of hype for its release. Perhaps it was something you drummed up for yourself; a book that you fell in love with and couldn't wait to adapted to the big screen, or you caught wind of an actor in a summary that sounded so bad-ass you couldn't wait for the release date. I've been there more times than I could count!

I think we've all been in that place where a phenomenon overtook our senses and amped anticipation to see just this one movie that we felt in our hearts was going to change everything. Maybe it was all we saw on our tumblr dashboards, twitter trends, even got word of mouth day after day by friends. Then we finally gave them a shot - poof. The hype was over and not really worth it. There's one big question to ask: What movies failed to live up to your expectations?

I'm unsure if The Time Traveler's book or movie was the actual kicking off point of my brief obsession with him, but it definitely played a major role. I read the book in 3 days, watched every interview, and was in love with the entire sad sob story of Henry and Claire who are separated by his ability to time travel.

Every book suffers in its adaptation to the big screen. 400 page novels can't very well have every page filmed, or else every book would be a 9 week mini series on PBS. While most of The Time Traveler's Wife had the physical atmosphere of the book, the script and direction was definitely lackluster. Key scenes of their romance was reduced to tiny one liners, awkward staging of fights, constantly rotating camera angles, and a complete disregard of important supporting characters. Bana wasn't too bad though, but the movie was a definite downer.

Oh goodness, Prometheus. This one had such high hopes. A cast of unbelievable talent like Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Naomi Rapaace, Edris Alba, and director Ripley Scott - how could we go wrong? Somewhere along the actual journey of Earth to a distant planet, the trailer to the actual viewing of the movie, everything went wrong - so wrong.

I was so revved up to see this I had an Aliens marathon before going to the movie theaters, and once there....I was bored out of my mind. No real thrills, no real scares. Just a conglomerate of scenes and aliens from other Alien movies that it wasn't supposedly meant to replicate or pay homage to.

I'll become the bad guy and say: I really blame tumblr for the hype over this one. Every day on my dashboard I would see a gif set of characters or a particular shipping, and there would be an entire analysis of every nuanced look, thought, and meaning behind the characters. It was addictive! I kept waiting for the next gif set to arrive. I had become to believe this was the second coming of the superhero genre.

Then, holy disappointment and squashed dreams Batman, The Avengers is so linear. All of these superstar actors and it had no personality. The film is two hours of each actor throwing a one liner out there to seem witty, and then a big fight scene at the end. Hardly my idea of an interesting or spectacular showdown of comic book's greatest icons.

Give college kids some wood and Basic Stagecraft turns into a zoo. As an individual project this week we all had to build our own flats; measure, saw, measure again, saw again, glue, etc. on our own. It wasn't bad in the beginning until everyone decided to try to finish their projects at the same time. Never have I seen so many feet and hands threatened to be nailed just to get a project finished in one class when we have three classes to complete the project. It was mass madness!

+ Creepy yet catchy is Fran Chescaleigh's parody to Lady Gaga's latest single "Applause". I don't think I'll be able to get Fran's face out of my mind scrolling through my dashboard.

+ Neither will I be able to forget NBC's plans to air their own version of The Sound of Music, starring Carrie Underwood and Bill Moyer. At one point I heard Julie Andrews express Cameron Diaz as Maria Von Trapp should be in the film's remake...and now that doesn't seem like a bad idea.

+ Problems with Gendered Reading by the Huffington Post. I never quite understood the stigmas parents attached to their children when it came to reading and doing so within their gender. I felt it growing up - that being a girl I shouldn't read graphic novels, want a pet rat, nor watch wrestling. On a whole, I just loved this article.

+ The trailer of Princess Grace of Monaco, starring Nicole Kidman is exceptionally elegant. I hope the voice over by Frank Langella is not an exaggeration of style if the film ends up having no substance.

+ Stills for the third Once Upon A Time season are starting to surface. I wish I could say I was excited for its return but somewhere in the second season, the writing began to fall apart. The villains are a bit lame (Ethan Embry, I still love you), but there were just too many episodes to fully recover the post-Cora mess. And, I really miss the girl power that was Regina vs Emma.

+ Laurie Holden is teaming up again with Jim Carrey for Dumb and Dumber sequel...which means huge news if you're a fan of The Majestic - whose fan club might just be me, myself and I....

Who caught the premiere to Fox's new show Sleepy Hollow? I'd hate to jinx it by admitting that I liked the pilot. It's an interesting yet recycled concept of Ichabod Crane waking up in the 21st century to take down the Headless Horsemen which is rampaging the small town called Sleepy Hollow. Tom Mison (Crane) and Nichole Beharie (law enforcement officer Abbie Mills) has good chemistry that I hope doesn't turn sexual to keep people watching. I'm not sure how complicated or confusing the plot will get before the season is out, if Fox let's it get that far...but I'm hopeful for where it can go!

Award show ceremonies really should be an exciting affair. All of Hollywood's elitist society is gathered together to exhaustingly slap each other on the back (Oscars) or get completely hammered (Golden Globes). Our underdogs unite to lose graciously and the same winners rise to ascend the podium one more time.

Hosts come and go. Trailblazers are honored. Trendy new brilliant shows replace other trendy brilliant shows. We should feel like the entire industry is getting better and better. Yet somehow year after year we watch the same ceremony again and again. It may just come down to how the show is scripted or if the host has faulty timing (Hugh Jackman) or is completely disinterested (James Franco). But overall the award show has become pretty dull, lame, repetitive, exceptionally boring.

How can we make this anticipatory time of the year for movie buffs, television hogs, and people who hate award shows but watch them anyways more exciting? I have five easy ideas.

Don't script every presenter to mention how excited they are to be on stage or see someone famous in the audience...especially when they are good friends with said person in real life or work with them on their show. This is as equally awkward as letting hosts stand and point at random celebrities and nominees for ten minutes acknowledging that they are - WOW - attending an award show in their field. For the 50 actors that sacrifice those 15-30 seconds, the winners can have two or three more words added to their acceptance speeches.

The only time this really worked was when Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin hosted the Oscars, and didn't hold back on anything. They are basically two old crazy guys who didn't care if their jokes were a miss or hit. And, there was that time when Ellen Degeneres vaccumed around Clint Eastwood - she's just perfect.

No musical acts except for the Tonys. We'll accept legitimate talent singing legitimate music such as Elton John, or Conan tap dancing to "NBC is in trouble my friends. That's starts with a T which rhymes with a G as in Gee, we're screwed." But if it's the host just performing a song about how awkwardly awesome it is to sing at an award show even though they are not a professional musician, it's just awkward and not awesome.

Kirk Douglas laying the moves on Anne Hathaway. The Cecil B. Demile award where every winner is utterly smashed and rambles on for thirty minutes before finally reaching "Thank you." Michael Douglas talking about double handers. If there is one cure to coping with inevitable snubs and underwhelming wins, it's veteran winners and nominees who just don't give a damn. Decades in the business were spent shuffling along. I say give them the time to do and say whatever they please. Not only have they earned it but usually the most entertaining moment of the night happens during their speeches.

Hire Amy Poehler to plan every show. Dozens of nominations for this amazingly funny woman and never has she "won" an award. But every year she steals the show with her funny set-ups for Leading Actress in a Comedy category. From getting her fellow nominees to wear goofy glasses to lining up on stage to win Beauty Pageant style, Poehler automatically makes her category the most anticipated.

Let's go back to being utterly informally formal. Take a look at example Vivian Vance, Desi Arnaz & Lucille Ball winning for I Love Lucy. We understand everyone is there to honor each other because everyone in Hollywood is in the same room dressed to the max with awards to give out. Okay so maybe I'm taking away free speech but there's no reason for every presenter to remind us we're watching an award show.

Saturday Stuff: Emmy Nominations, Just What I Expected

Natalie Wood (Summer Under The Stars 2013)

People Like Us (2012)

Saturday Stuff: Batfleck

AFI's 100 Years 100 Movies Film Exhibit Photos Part 2

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Saturday Stuff: N'SYNC Momentarily "Hi, Hi, Hi!" The World

What Is This Movie About?

On My Bookshelf: The Lunar Chronicles

Saturday Stuff: Fire Those Oscars Up, Throw Them At Leo PLEASE

Eternal Crush: Samantha Brown

Fill It In Fridays: Favorite Pixar Objects

Saturday Stuff: And we thought Batfleck was the problem

Identity Thief (2013) ★ ★ 1/2

Quartet (2013) ★ ★ ★ 1/2

Tenor Hottie Mario Lanza

How I Want to See Kerry Washington Accept her Best Leading Actress in a Drama Emmy

Fill It In Fridays: Movies That Failed The Hype

Saturday Stuff: A Zoo Builds Some Theater Flats

5 Ideas To Fix Award Shows