I love watching the Oscars. It's such a fun time to curl up in your pj's with friends and eat good food, and celebrate great films. This year we watched most of the nominated films so it was even more fun. I just had to make Gwynnie a special onesie to wear (you can see my tutorial here)...
She really is a good sport... also, her hair was just like that when she woke up. That girl can make bed head look fabulous. We cleaned up the house and watched last year's best picture, The King's Speech.
When Heidi and Ben arrived we got down to the business of voting for the films and actors we wanted to win...
...and we started eating. Ben and Heidi brought fresh oysters. I downed my first raw oyster.... which was very oceany and intense.
We baked the rest (I think I prefer the baked version).
Kyle made fresh bread...
...and I made Butternut Squash Soup, and Key Lime Pie for dessert.
It was a fun, cozy night. We love Heidi and Ben.
To read about everything we ate (it was a significant amount) head over to Gorge in the Gorge.
films
Oscar Party with Heidi and Ben
Bucksville: A Feature Film by Chel White
Bucksville is a dark, intruiging film directed by Chel White. It tells the story of Presley who has spent his young adulthood involved in a secret militia called The Lodge, which was started by his father. The Lodge is a small, self-appointed, secret society whose mission is to provide for their community by following through where the justice system has failed. Presley and his friends are commited to this group for life. When Presley's father dies, he begins to question the new direction the new leadership is taking, and he starts to dream for himself of a life free of judgement, violence and fear.
Chel White and his wife, Laura McGie, wrote Bucksville together. The result of their hard work and dedication is a well balanced, captivating, poised and eerie tale of self discovery and bravery under very high stakes. I was lucky enough to have the oppurtunity to play a small role in this artistic, powerful drama. There is nothing more fun than working on a independent film with a cast and crew who are dedicated to telling a great story, and who love what they are doing. I know how much work went into this film, and I'm so proud to be a part of it.
Photos by Tatiana Wills.
Photos by David Hume Kennerly.
Movie stills.
Bucksville has played at some great festivals this year, including New Hampshire Film Festival, The Bend Film Festival and will be showing at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival.
Bucksville is showing this next Sunday, November 20th, at The Northwest Film Fest at 6:00pm in Portland, Oregon. I will be attending with my friend, Lauren, and I can't wait to see the movie again. The last time I saw it, we snuck Gwyneth into the theater and she was only one month old! If you are in Portland, you should buy your tickets and come support this fabulous film.
For updates on screenings and more inforation you can follow Bucksville on Facebook.
You can view the complete cast and crew info on the IMDB page for Bucksville.
You can also view the trailer and more info here on the Official Bucksville Website.
The Pacific
Kyle and I just finished watching The Pacific, a ten part HBO mini-series from the same creators that made Band of Brothers. Kyle watched Band of Brothers a couple of years ago and loved it. I have never really been able to stomach "war films"... I've never seen Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line, The Hurt Locker, Letters from Iwo Jima or Platoon. I think I watched The Green Beret when I was younger (my brother loved John Wayne) but the only war movies I've seen are Braveheart ("I know you can fight."), Good Morning Vietnam (Robin Williams takes the edge off), The Patriot and maybe a few other character dramas (does Gone with the Wind count?). Kyle, on the other hand, has willingly sat through all six seasons of Sex and the City (and two mediocre movies), nine seasons of Project Runway, a few ridiculous episodes of America's Next Top Model. I figured, the least I could do, was try watching The Pacific with him. I was expecting the violence and the intensity that comes along with movies about war. I thought, I'll give it a try and if I can't handle it, I'll go take a bath and read some very important Pulitzer prize winning book Vogue. I can't express how surprised I was. The intro alone is stunning and, in my opinion, brilliant...
The Intro...
The Trailer...
...it was a complete preview of things to come. The Pacific was beautifully acted and directed. The stories and the characters were so captivating. We watched it with the historical introductions to each episode which gave a little background to the part you were about to watch. I highly recommend watching these clips. The interviews with the veterans were incredible. Even seventy years later, seeing the tears in their eyes and the intensity of their memories, it was impossible not to feel their terror, elation, confusion, and loss. I laughed at their antics, cried at their losses, and fell in love when they fell in love. I wish I'd known in the beginning that it was their stories, and the stories of their fallen brothers, that were being told. That the stories were not fabricated or enhanced but written with the help of the Marines who were there. I can honestly say that this series impacted me deeply. It made my curiosity and appreciation and understanding for our veterans so much greater. I figured Veteran's Day was the perfect time to tell you all that you should go out and rent The Pacific. I am as surprised as anyone at what I'm about to type... I can't wait to watch Band of Brothers.
I also offer my sincere thanks and gratitude to all of our veterans. Happy Veteran's Day.
My Work Here is Done
After nearly five years of being Poppy's nanny I am stepping down from my post. Her mom starts maternity leave today and I am offcially no longer Poppy's main childcare. I am starting to feel okay about it. I picked her up from school today and we spent the afternoon curled up on the couch reading Just Being Audrey. In the past month we have watched Funny Face and Roman Holiday together. She loved them both and walks around singing How To Be Lovely and Funny Face. "You've got a lot of personality for me..." I just love it. She is so intruiged by Ms. Hepburn. I am an avid Audrey lover. I've read several of her biographies and Breakfast at Tiffany's got me through some really rough times. Her grace, style and passion are an obvious inspiration. Getting to share the "Audrey Experience" with Poppy was really special for me. We've made plans to have an Audrey night and paint our nails, bake cookies, eat too much popcorn and watch Sabrina very soon. With her love of all things Audrey ensured, my job is officially done. It's been five wonderful years and I can't wait to see how our relationship developes into something new and marvelous.
That's Hot
After weeks of work, we are nearly done with our remodel. Kyle's parent and Kyle and I worked our butts off all week long to get the new flooring and new kitchen in. They left yesterday morning and I hit a point of ridiculous exhaustion. My brain was barely working all day yesterday and my body was sore. I just needed to relax so I decided to have a very hot night.
Hot Toddy.
Hot bath.
Hot pink nail polish.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
I'm definitely feeling a bit restored today. I can't wait to share the remodel photos with you but I really want to have it ALL done! So, it may be another week or two before the full reveal. I'll post some photos from the project later this week! Thanks again to my awesome guest bloggers, Ana, Lauren and Katie for helping me out last week!
Winnie the Pooh Movie Date!
On Monday Poppy, Gwyneth, Greg, Sondi, Ella and I all met at the theater to go see the new Winnie the Pooh movie! We all had popcorn and M&M's and it was super fun. While, I have to admit, I was a little disappointed by the story, it was a pretty sweet little movie. I loved that they illustrated it in the old style and maintained the original character's qualities. It was so much fun to see the girls giggling and enjoying the movie.
The girls all ready to go.
Sondi and Gwynnie.
Poppy with our tickets.
Poppy and Ella ready to go in.
Waiting for the show to start.
Silly Pooh bear swimming in a vat of honey.
After the movie, Poppy was commenting on how funny it was to see Pooh all covered in honey. I told her some people do honey facials. Naturally, we decided to go home and slather our faces with honey.
If you have a chance to go see this movie, it was really fun. Load up a bunch of kiddos and go!
Arthur: A Short Film by John Jacobsen
I little while back I attended the private screening of Arthur, a short film directed by John Jacobsen. First, a couple words about John... John is an elegant, inspiring, humorous, hardworking, lovely, creative man who's "always live well" motto in life has inspired me in my life and travels. He was my acting coach from the time I was 18 until I moved to Los Angeles at 22. He really taught me the foundation of my acting technique that I use for every audition, scene and role I encounter. When I saw that John had directed a short film and was holding a screening, I was excited to see what he had put together. Here are the notes I jotted down during the nine minute short film: saturated, gorgeous depth of field, magical, Where the Wild Things Are, threatening, lonliness filled by imagination, complex, surprising. That's a lot of adjectives for one lil' movie! I don't want to say much about the film itself because it would be easy to give it all away. Arthur is screnning this weekend at the Seattle International Film Festival. If you're in Seattle you really should attend! It will be showing on Sunday, May 29, 2011 at 1:30pm as a part of In Extremis, a collection of six short films about "life on-or over-the edge". If you attend, please come back and tell me what you thought!
Aaron Hart as Arthur. John working with Bhama Roget who plays Arthur's Mom.
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Arthur/244741180399
So far, Arthur has been chosen as an official selection to the 2011 Sedona International Film Festival in Arizona and has recieved two Accolade Awards.
Credits:
Director: John Jacobsen Producer: Chris OliverEditor: Travis SternerScreenwriter: Joshua BourlandCinematographer: Eliot Rockett
Music: Charles-Henri AvelangePrincipal Cast: James Tobin, Sarah-Eve Gazitt, Bhama Roget, Ryan Winfield, J.P. Giuliotti, Aaron Hart
Documentaries!
Kyle and I have been really into documentaries lately/ever since Kyle made me reduce the number of Netflix movies I get at a time. There are loads of them that you can watch instantly on Netflix so we've been enjoying quite a few lately. Here's my thoughts on the following documentaries...
The Kings of Pastry
This documentary follows sixteen talented pastry chefs as they prepare and compete for three intense days in the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France. The competition is incredibly serious. Each of these chefs must produce several masterpieces in order to be named (by the President) one of the best. The ultimate honor is to be named a MOF champion and don the prestigious blue, red and white striped collar. This is an honor taken so seriously in France that, if you wear the collar and have not been awarded it, you can go to jail. We enjoyed watching this documented competition which is essentially the Olympics of the pastry world. If you enjoy The Food Network competitions and Iron Chef you'll enjoy this one.
The Pixar Story
The Pixar Story documents the incredible journey behind the creation of the ultimate animation studio. It follows the animators from their days in school to their successes with Toy Story, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. It is fascinating to watch these talented artsits and computer geniuses use their skills to create a new artform while respecting the foundation of animation laid before them. One thing I loved about this documentary was that there seemed to be no ego amongst these artists. They were true collaborators which is perhaps the key to thier continued success. I really loved this documentary. It was so fun to watch.
Grey Gardens
Grey Gardens was an odd documentary made in 1957. It chronicles Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edie as they live out their crazy days in their ruined mansion in East Hampton, NY. They lived in isolation together for decades before nearly being evicted due to unsanitary living conditions. Kyle and I only made it through about half of this documentary before giving up. It was... odd. But, it seems to have a popular following so don't let my opinion stop you if you are intruiged. We also watched the Grey Gardens film with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. Also odd. I'd love to hear someone else's thoughts on these!
My Kid Could Paint That
Out of all the documentaries we watched, this one seems to have stuck with me the most. It follows the rise of a four year old abstract painter named Marla whose work begins selling for thousands and thousands of dollars. It starts out as a very simple, beautiful and pure story which quickly spirals into a mystery about the authenticity of the paintings, the intentions of the parents and the real meaning behind abstract art. We really enjoyed this documentary and have found ourselves talking about it days later. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one? Did Marla paint her own work? Did her father coach her? Do you like her paintings?
Ballerina
I watched this one night when Kyle was off doing a beer event. This film follows five dancers in the intense world of the Kirov ballet in Russia. Their careers are determined, judged and pushed to the limit in this real-life look at a prima ballerina's life. The dancer's range in age from 17 to 32 which adds a dramatic element to the challenges and pressures they face in the ballet world. I really enjoyed watching this film. Definitely worth viewing if you love dance and/or watching people push themselves to their physical and artistic limit.
Man on Wire
Two words. Crazy Frenchman. Woah. This film is so bizarre! Tightrope walker Phillippe Petite was definitely wackadoodle. This film explores and follows him in his lifelong quest to walk on a tightrope strung between the twin towers of the WTC in NYC. That pretty much says it all.
Picture Me
This documentary follows Sarah Ziff, a young woman who has had a fairly successful modeling career. Frustrated with certain aspects of her industry, Ziff (with the help of her boyfriend) turns the camera on herself and documents the ups and downs of a career in the modeling world. We enjoyed watching this one. It's fascinating to get a glimpse into a completely unknown world. High fashion is strange. It is alluring and repulsive at the same time. This documentary did a good job capturing it all.
Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollock?
Another crazy person, another documentary. This film covers trials and challenges that Teri Horton, a foul mouthed, chain smoking, cheap white wine drinking, white trash semi truck driver, purchases a painting for $5 that may or may not be a Jackson Pollock painting. Along with her son and a forensic specialist, she sets out on a ten year odyssey to prove that it's a Pollock. Teri is definitely a lil' crazy. Apparently crazy people make good subjects for documentaries! We didn't totally love this film but it was fun to watch.
View the trailer here.
I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts on these!
The Seven Year Itch
The Seven Year Itch
Wow, it's been a while since I watched one of the classic films from my list! So much for my prediction that the winter would allow me plenty of time for classic film watching. Anyhow... I recently watched The Seven Year Itch starring Miss Monroe as The Girl and Tom Ewell as the poor (married) schmuck, Richard, who becomes completely enamored with her. This film is set during a sweltering Manhattan summer in the 1950's. Richard's wife of seven years has taken their children and headed for out of town to relax and cool off. Richard resolves to be good while she's away. He won't drink, he won't smoke and he won't fool around like all the other men do! But when The Girl moves in upstairs he finds himself tempted by her in every way. What results is a silly and sexy romantic comedy. This movie was totally enjoyable. I love a good Billy Wilder film!
IMDB Link: The Seven Year Itch
The African Queen
The Apartment
Casablanca
Anna Karenina
And God Created Woman
Dr. Zhivago
It Happened One Night
The Philadelphia Story
To Catch a Thief
His Girl Friday
The Seven Year Itch
Gone with the Wind
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
The Lion in Winter
An American in Paris
Mad Men
I absolutely love Mad Men. Tomorrow the fourth season becomes available to rent and I can't wait! Kyle and I just finished re-watching seasons one, two and three and they were even better the second time around. The show is totally brilliant. It's cleverly written, perfectly cast, well acted and meticulously produced. It's by far the best show on television. Mad Men feels classically shot. The pace and quality of the production have the feeling of a film from the 50's and 60's. Sitting down on the couch with a hot toddy and watching an episode (or four) is my favorite thing to do these days. Since the show is aired on AMC there is very limited violence and no nudity which is refreshing. Don't worry there's plenty of sizzle. I would recommend this show to everyone... seriously. Make yourself a toddy and start with the first season. At first it might feel a bit slow but be patient! In no time you'll be hooked and loving every minute.
Follow this link to read a great article about Mad Men from Vanity Fair. The photos (shot by Annie Leibovitz) below accompany the article.
All images: Vanity Fair
Nana Visit and Oscar Party!
This weekend was WONDERFUL! Just what we needed after last week. My Mom arrived on Friday night, we had yummy Barley Lentil Soup for dinner with garlic bread before we all retired to bed early.
My favorite thing about the weekends is getting to wake up and snuggle with Gwynnie and Kyle. Most mornings he's up and studying while G and I sleep in and cuddle. She is such a happy baby in the morning and it was so fun to get to share her giggles with my Mom.
While G took her morning nap, Mom did my Tracy Anderson workout with me and then we bundled up the babe and went out to lunch at the bakery. After lunch, we visited with friends and had a really lovely day. We made a simple dinner and had a quiet evening.
Sunday morning came too soon and it was already time for Nana to head home. She got some good bb cuddle time in while Kyle started making French Baguettes and I whipped up some crêpes stuffed with lemon ricotta and topped with banana and blueberry sauce!
After breakfast, Nana had some play time with Gwyneth before she had to head for home.
Gwyn LOVES her Nana!
Once my Mom headed out, I started getting ready for our Oscar Party! I freakin' love cozying up on the couch and watching the Academy Awards. I sarted making this fantastic vegetarian chili that I make every year (if you make it do not add more than the recommended amount of chilis! It's super spicy just the way it is! Serve it with sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese and cilantro to cool it down) and...
...normally, I would make these yummy cornbread muffins.
But this year Kyle wanted to make baguettes! They turned out so good!
I got out the Oscar books...
...printed up the ballots for voting...
...got out the tiny oscar...
...and started admiring the red carpet fashion!
When my Dad and Stepmom arrived they got right down to business picking their winners.
I made Gwynnie this silly onsie. (Yes, I know I'm a HUGE dork.)
"Dude, Mom, you are soooo weird. Plus, it's not fair to take advantage of my reflexes by making me hold this thing!"
We had such a nice evening watching the show, eating chili and fresh baked bread, cuddling with the babe and sipping wine. I hope you all had a lovely little weekend too!
Exit Through the Gift Shop and The Fighter
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Trailer:
IMDB Link: Exit Through the Gift Shop
I've been a fan of Banksy's unique work for a while. Here's a look at some of his unique, witty and poignant art...
All Images found on Google.
A video about Banksy.
His work has been currently popping up all over Los Angeles! Check out his website for his latest hits! He's presumably in LA to attend the Academy Awards which, rumor has it, he plans to attend dressed like a monkey since a huge part of his allure is his that no really one knows who he is.
The Fighter
I was completely drawn into this gritty, brilliantly acted drama based on the true story of boxing brothers, Micky and Dicky. The film follows Micky's rise from the trenches of the boxing world with the undying support of his brother, his family and his girlfriend. At times this film can be a bit depressing as you watch this family's struggle, but ultimately it's a great story and it's well told. Nominated for 7 Academy Awards including two nods of Best Supporting Actress (Melissa Leo and Amy Adams) and Best Supporting Actor (Christian Bale) as well as Best Picture, this film is totally worth watching.
Trailer:
IMDB Link: The Fighter
Favorite Movies 2010
Lately, I've been asked quite a bit if I've seen any good films lately. I tapped into my Netflix archive of movies I watched in 2010 and I thought I would share my favorites with you. They're not all made last year, but they're all films I've watched in the last year... make sense? I've put little notes next to 'em...
Away We Go
I laughed A LOT while watching this movie. It's a really unique, off kilter romantic comedy. It's the only movie I've ever watched with this line: "I'll still love you, even if I can't find your vagina."
Stranger Than Fiction
This movie was fun to watch. It's very unique, quirky and entertaining.
Alice in Wonderland
The world that Tim Burton (and the actors) create in this retelling is incredibly vibrant and fun.
It's Complicated
A very unique romantic comedy. Anything with Meryl is worth watching in my opinion!
Waitress
Love this movie! It's so fantastically off beat. It's heartbreaking, hilarious and one of my favorite movies, period!
It Happened One Night
This classic was fun, sexy and so enjoyable!
The Young Victoria
Emily Blunt's performance in this film was fantastic. It's a proper romance and a wonderful drama.
Planet Earth
Fascinating series!
Crazy Heart
I thouroughly enjoyed this story. Jeff Bridges was brilliant.
Interview
This remake of a Theo Van Gogh's film was shot in about 10 days. They shot with 3 cameras so the actors had total freedom because the shooting style allowed them to move without any restriction. It has the fast paced, edgy feeling of a good play. It makes you a bit uncomfortable in the way only a good indie film can. Plus, I think the actors work in this movie is really compelling.
The African Queen
Loved this classic film. The chemistry between Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart is only one reason to watch it!
Coco Before Chanel
Romantic and fascinating.
The September Issue
This documentary is awesome!
Mad Men Series
OBSESSED.
Food, Inc.
Incredibly informative and eye opening.
Casablanca
Sigh.... I can't say enough about this movie. I don't know how I went 27 years without seeing it!
Julie and Julia
Fun and focused on food. Right up my alley. Meryl Streep is absolutely wonderful as Julia Child.
In Bruges
I LOVE a good dark comedy. This movie adds a bit of quirky violence and a midget. Where else can you find lines like, "Ken, I grew up in Dublin. I love Dublin. If I grew up on a farm, and was retarded, Bruges might impress me but I didn't, so it doesn't." This is such a great movie!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (Part 1)
Dork out to your heart's content. I thought they did a great job with this movie.
Weeds
This series is totally over the top and absolutely hilarious. Mom, you'd hate it! (Which might be part of the reason I enjoy it so much. ;-)
Michael Clayton
Michael Clayton was simply a great, intriguing thriller with a stellar cast.
Lars and the Real Girl
One of the oddest romances I've ever seen. It took me about halfway through the film to get 100% on board but then I was in love! Great movie.
Doubt
Suspensful and full of mind blowing performances. Gotta love films that are made from plays.
Marley and Me
Cute and fun. I think I'm the only person on the planet who didn't cry.
The Edge of Love
The direction of this film was really interesting. It is not a typical romantic drama. The location (Whales) adds a rich and fantastic backdrop to this complicated love story which is based on the true story of Dylan Thomas (a famous Welsh poet... and philanderer).
Sex and the City: The Movie
148 minutes. 300 costume changes. Silly and fun. (I LOVE my Sex and the City but the sequel sucked).
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Such a unique film! Romantic and fascinating and lovely to watch. Make LOTS of popcorn. I could watch Cate B. all day long. She's such an intruiging actress.
Valentino: The Last Emporer
This is a really interesting documentary about Valentino. His world is completely ridiculous and glam. His long time partner Giancarlo Giametti is the only thing that keeps this documentary anywhere close to grounded.
The Reader
This romantic thriller is completely enthralling. I loved Kate Winslet's performance.
Get Smart
I laughed a lot while watching this silly movie. Steve Carrel has that effect on me.
Vicky Christina Barcelona
I fell in love with this movie and have watched it a few times since my first encounter. The acting is great and the story is fun and indulgent and thought provoking.
Some Like It Hot
This is such a wonderful comedy. I could watch it again and again.
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens
A really interesting documentary if you're into photography or pop culture.
Milk
A beautifully told, uplifting tragedy. Wonderful movie.
The Sketches of Frank Ghery
Very cool documentary about architect Frank Ghery and his incredible life's work.
The Duchess
I loved the biography of Georgaina and found the film to be beautifully shot and throught provoking. It's a good intro into the Duchess's life. I highly recommend the book!
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Silly and incredibly fun.
The Man Who Wasn't There
This is a brilliantly shot film. Each shot is frame-able.
The King's Speech (and a couple other films that weren't quite good enough to deserve their own posts)
The King's Speech
The Weinstein Company
If you are in the mood for a witty, fun, touching, poignant and brilliantly acted movie, go see The King's Speech. Once again The Weinstein Company has delivered a fantastic movie that gets my vote for the Best Picture Oscar (it has a total of 12 Oscar nominations). Speaking of which... let me take moment to dork out and tell ya'll about a very cool free iPhone app called Vanity Fair Hollywood: Oscar Edition. You can see the nominees, watch trailers and clips and vote for your favorites and share your votes with other dorks! Then, on February 27th you can compare your votes while you watch the show and Kyle can't no one can cheat because your votes get locked in before the show. Annnnyway, back to The King's Speech. The film is based on the true journey of King George VI's unlikely rise to the thrown of England. Colin Firth is brilliant in his role as King George who's debilitating speech impediment has tortured him all his life. His counterparts come in the forms of his strong, supportive and witty wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) and his knowing and committed speech therapist, Lionel (Geoffrey Rush). With England on the brink of war with Germany, the country is in need of a strong leader who can raise their spirits and rally the troupes. The journey of the the King from tempestuous, terrified stutterer to confident leader is touching, uplifting and incredibly funny. It's the perfect anecdote to Black Swan! The screenplay was written by David Seidler who adapted it from his stage play. The writing is powerful, witty and incredibly enjoyable. According to an interview with the UK's Telegraph, Seidler himself was a stammerer who was inspired by Kind George's journey, so that explains the touching poignancy behind the films words. The film is full of gorgeous sets and uniquely shot scenes. With a fantastic story, a lovely script and an incredible supporting cast, I would love to see this film sweep the Oscars.
The trailer:
Official Website: http://www.kingsspeech.com/
The Social Network
Sony Pictures
The Social Network was a fun film to watch. I found the story, based on the creation and success of Facebook, interesting and compelling. I really enjoyed watching the character of Mark (Jessie Eisenberg) steal create Facebook. However, the way in which the his fame and ego hurt the people around him was not really enjoyable to watch. Overall, I would say this movie was entertaining but definitely a renter. That's just my opinion.
The trailer:
The Kids Are All Right
This film was just alright... it follows a family's struggle to reconnect over the course of one summer. Julianne Moore and Annette Bening play a lesbian couple that is struggling to stay connected while raising their two teenage kids. The two kids, Joni and Laser contact their biological/sperm donor Dad (Mark Ruffalo) and introduce him into their family life. Unfortunately, their family life is in a weak spot and challenges erupt from every corner due to his presence. I really wanted to love this movie but despite the unique content, occasionally poignant humor and really good acting, I found the movie to be a bit of a downer. There are moments of lightness and humor and hope, but mostly I was turned off by the inability of the characters to follow their better impulses.
The trailer:
Black Swan
Black Swan
Fox Searchlight
When I first started hearing the buzz about this psychological thriller, I was completely intrigued. In the film Natalie Portman plays Nina, a ballerina who spirals into paranoia and insanity within the pressure cooker world of the New York City Ballet. She is cast as the Swan Queen in a modernized retelling of Swan Lake. She's under intense pressure from her crazy Mother (Barbara Hershey) who is living vicariously through her daughter's success and she is being pushed to embrace her dark side (the black swan) by the company's manipulative and slightly pervy director (Vincent Cassel). The arrival of another ballerina and rival (Mila Kunis) is a the final element that pushes her towards her metamorphosis. The more that this "sweet girl" embraces her dark side in the pursuit of perfecting the role, the more she becomes lost in the dark side of her mind and falls prey to the insanity that was clearly within her to begin with.
Watching the trailer...
...it was clear this was not going to be a lighthearted/easy to watch film. Not that I'd expect much less from the director who brought us Requiem for a Dream, which I've never been able to make it through. Rather, Black Swan is an intense physiological thriller with a dash of horror elements for good measure. Although it's not the type of movie I would typically be jumping up to watch, (I think the only two psychological thrillers I've ever seen are Silence of the Lambs and The Talented Mr. Ripley) I started hearing and reading so many fascinating things about the dedication behind the making of this film that it became clear that this was a film to see.
I read that the director, Darren Aronofsky, had approached Natalie Portman about the role ten years ago when the 29 year old actress was only 19 and that she played a huge part in getting the film made. I'm guessing, "I want to make a psychological thriller about ballerinas", didn't get a lot of studio heads to open their check books. I watched a few great interviews with Natalie Portman in which she revealed that she trained for a year for the role, starting six months before the film had been financed, lost twenty pounds to accurately portray the part (you can't play a bulimic ballerina and look healthy) and learned to dance en pointe. As an actress, I am intrigued whenever anyone dedicates so much to a performance. She also said in the interviews that she believed Aronofsky was a puppet-master. He tried to create a real life rivalry between herself and her old friend Mila Kunis. He also pushed her to perform and maintain character while injured (she dislocated a rib during a lift). While on the Late Show with David Letterman she revealed that when she asked for a medic she was informed that there was no medic on set because the budget was so low, she said, "before you take away a medic take away my trailer", she obviously received medical attention but the next day her trailer was gone. In short, this just sounded like a film I had to see because, when everything... the training, the dedication, the powerful intentions of everyone involved, comes together to make something this unique, it doesn't matter if you lose sleep because it's so freaking crazy and jolting. Add in the final cherry on top which is that design team Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte made the costumes for the ballet and I'm in.
So... what did I think about the movie? I think that it is definitely worth seeing because the film is beautifully and meticulously shot (all handheld!?), acted to perfection and stunningly original. I really, really loved this movie and, although I don't think I'll be sitting down to watch it again any time soon, afterall I can only afford so much lost sleep with a newborn, I highly recommend that you go see it. I guarantee that, whether you love it or not, you will be discussing it and thinking about it! On the surface, this is psychological thriller set in the ballet world, but it's also an exploration of the tragedy of the human condition, the fragility of our minds and the damage that insecurity vs. ego can unleash.
A short interview with Portman in which she explains the "duality" and "delusion" of her character, Nina:
Have you seen it? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Casablanca
Casablanca
This week has not been a particularly easy one... I've been having a few pregnancy related issues and buying a house is a bit stressful! I know many people will think I'm crazy for saying this but, thank God it's rained all week! It's cozy and feels like Fall and I needed an excuse this week to skip Spanish class and stay home to watch Casablanca. Not that rain is an adequate excuse for skipping class, but since I wasn't feeling very good it all added up to a good reason. I absolutely loved Casablanca. What a beautiful film! This was not my first Humphrey Bogart experience, but it was my first time watching a film with Ingrid Bergman. She is incredibly beautiful and a lovely actress. The story takes place in Casablanca during the second World War and follows the struggle of Rick (Bogart) as he tries to make the choice between "love and virtue". I was blown away by the quality and tension of the story and the phenomenal acting. I will definitely be adding this my list of old films to watch again and again and again. In other words, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
IMDB Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/
The African Queen
The Apartment
Casablanca
Anna Karenina
And God Created Woman
Dr. Zhivago
It Happened One Night
The Philadelphia Story
To Catch a Thief
His Girl Friday
The Seven Year Itch
Gone with the Wind
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
The Lion in Winter
An American in Paris
An American in Paris
An American in Paris
I absolutely loved this movie! How have I never seen this before?! 's wonderful... 's marvelous! The songs are classic and iconic and I knew most of them already even though I'd never seen this film. The dancing was lovely... Gene Kelly is incredible! I particularly loved the dance sequence where he literally dances through a Toulouse Lautrec painting!
If you love musicals from the 1950's and you've never seen this one, add it to your list immediately! It was a fun way to "experience" Paris. The film is certainly reminiscent of Funny Face (one of my favorites) in theme, music and dance style. Even the wardrobe was similar:
Gene Kelly (An American in Paris) and Audrey Hepburn (Funny Face)
An American in Paris is a story about romantic complications and love in the city of love. Gene Kelly plays Jerry Mulligan a charismatic and goofy painter who falls for a young French girl named Lise... who's engaged to another man, and all the while, an influential heiress has her eyes fixed on Jerry! See what I mean about romantic complications. Add in a little tap dancing and... magic! What other films have great quotes like, "That’s quite a lovely dress you almost have on."?
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IMDB Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043278/
The African Queen The Apartment Casablanca Anna Karenina And God Created Woman Dr. Zhivago It Happened One Night The Philadelphia Story To Catch a Thief His Girl Friday The Seven Year Itch Gone with the Wind Guess Who's Coming to Dinner The Lion in Winter An American in Paris
Nerd Alert: The Harry Potter Edition!
I'd like to take a moment today to express my undying love for Harry Potter! In case it hasn't been clear in the past... I freakin' love Harry Potter. My husband and I have read the books out loud to one another as they've come out in print and then anticipated each new film like true fans. If you are one of the few people who hasn't read the books, do so immediately! They are so much fun, they're well written and an absolute joy to read. The films are all enjoyable and well made too and we've watched each of them more times than I should probably admit.
After re-reading and listening to each of the books over the past few months, we've just now begun re-reading the final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. So... this morning I came across the newly released trailer for the first installment of the final film. It looks so good that I just had to share it... I can't wait!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows opens in theaters on November 19th, 2010.
IMDB Link to trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows:
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2799962393/
The Philadelphia Story
The Philadelphia Story
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The Philadelphia Story is about a socialite named Tracy Lord (Katherine Hepburn) who used to be married to a man named Dexter (Cary Grant) but is now planning to marry someone else. However, Dexter shows up the day before the wedding with a couple of reporters (including Jimmy Stewart) and mayhem ensues. While this film is, on one hand, a silly romantic comedy, it is also a charming and heartfelt story about perfection... or the lack thereof within relationships. Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart make a perfect odd trio. I absolutely loved this film and would highly recommend it. I'm about halfway through my list of classics to watch and now that it's Fall I should have more time to curl up on the couch and watch them more consistently. There's nothing better than putting on your pajamas, making a cup of tea (or pouring yourself a glass of wine) and watching an old film!
IMDB Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032904/
The African Queen
The Apartment
Casablanca
Anna Karenina
And God Created Woman
Dr. Zhivago
It Happened One Night
The Philadelphia Story
To Catch a Thief
His Girl Friday
The Seven Year Itch
Gone with the Wind
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
The Lion in Winter
An American in Paris
Spain...On the Road Again
We're headed out of town again early tomorrow morning for a friend's wedding, so I am posting this today! What a crazy last couple of weeks it's been. I feel like every few days we're packing up the car and hitting the road...maybe because that's exactly what we've been doing! Once we return from this weekends adventures, we're going to be packing up to go "on the road again" for a fabulous road trip to San Francisco. With that in mind, I thought there was no time like the present to introduce you to one of my favorite things.
Do you love traveling? Do you love eating? Do you love the Food Network? Do you love PBS? Then you will love, love, love Spain...On the Road Again. This thirteen episode series chronicles Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Bittman and Claudia Bassols on their culinary road trip all over Spain. They drive all over the country eating everywhere they go and checking out the sites...in short, this is my dream trip! They interview cheesemakers, winemakers, chefs and architect Frank Ghery. It feels like you are on the road with them except you're left with your mouth watering while they are downing amazing looking food!
I was looking forward to this show's premiere for months and when it finally came on I would rush home from work every Sunday, mug ask Kyle for the remote control and switch from Sunday night football to this show. But, our antenna didn't always pick it up or fully cooperate so for my birthday Kyle bought me the DVD set as well as the cookbook that accompanies the series. I immediately watched it through from beginning to end and occasionally revisit the episodes. I also shared the DVD's with my mom before she headed to Spain this Summer. We've cooked a few recipes from the cookbook and so far they've all been fantastic! This is a great purchase and also makes a great gift for foodie/travel friends. I've added it to my favorite things list on the right where you can purchase it through Amazon although you can also rent the whole series on Netflix. Happy "traveling".
The DVD set and the cookbook.
Mark and Claudia buying jamón.
Clams (Can you eat clams while your pregnant??? Those look so good!)
Mario, Gwyneth, Claudia and Mark with one of the many chefs they meet on their trip.
Pisto Manchego. This is one of the recipes we've made and it was delicious!
All of these images are from their website. The site has travel tips, recipes and lots of gorgeous photos. Check it out:
http://www.spainontheroadagain.com/
2 parts Cary Grant, 2 parts Clark Gable
Gone with the Wind
It was a rainy Saturday night and I snuggled up with my mother-in-law to watch this movie. It’s her all time favorite movie so she was the perfect person to watch it with. After I got over Vivien Leigh playing a teenager, I got completely caught up in the story. I couldn’t believe that it had been filmed in 1939. Minus some of the ending events (which I won’t disclose for those of you who haven’t seen it) and Prissy, the Minnie Mouse voiced maid, I loved this movie.
IMDB Link:
To Catch a Thief
To Catch a Thief was definitely not the “spine tingling thriller” that the jacket cover promised it to be, but all the same it was a charming and mildly suspenseful romp. Even without the thrill, this comedy starring the gorgeous Grace Kelly, the equally gorgeous Cary Grant (although he could have laid off the George Hamilton tanner) and the gorgeous scenery in the South of France was a fun film to watch...popcorn is definitely necessary.
IMDB Link:
It Happened One Night
There’s nothing better than a classic black and white film where you know you can expect a happy ending but the couple in question spends the whole film verbally abusing one another and missing important information due to their stubbornness! This 1934 film must have been the blueprint for films like When Harry Met Sally. Cary Grant and Claudette Colbert star as Peter and Ellie, a surly newspaper reporter and an escaped heiress who find them falling in love all while adamantly stating how much they can’t stand one another. I really loved this movie!
IMDB Link:
His Girl Friday
This movie was really fun to watch. The action was fast paced and the dialogue was even faster. The equal charm of Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant was almost overwhelming. While I did get a bit bored part way through, I still enjoyed this film.
IMDB Link:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032599/
The African Queen
The Apartment
Casablanca
Anna Karenina
And God Created Woman
Dr. Zhivago
It Happened One Night
The Philadelphia Story
To Catch a Thief
His Girl Friday
Seven Year Itch
Gone with the Wind
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
The Lion in Winter
An American in Paris
The Young Victoria
The Young Victoria
Theatrical Poster
I loved this movie! Everything about it was stunning. The performances by Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) as Queen Victoria and Rupert Friend (Pride and Prejudice) as Prince Albert were an absolute joy to watch. Emily was charming, feisty and disarming in the title role. Their love story is formed under the most unlikely circumstances and it was inspiring to see it unfold in this beautifully shot film. The costumes are beyond exquisite, as are the locations where the film was shot. Although my husband wasn't home when I watched this, I will be renting it again because I think he'd really enjoy it. This movie is perfect for a summer night when it's too hot to do anything else!
Director:
Jean -Marc Vallée
Other cast:
Miranda Richardson (Harry Potter films, Paris, je t'aime) as The Duchess of Kent (Victoria's overbearing and controlling mother).
Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind), as Lord Melbourne.
Jim Broadbent (Harry Potter films, Gangs of New York, Bridget Jones's Diary)
The Trailer:
IMDB Link:
Crazy Heart
Crazy Heart
Theatrical Release Poster from Fox Searchlight
Crazy Heart starring Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski) is an amazing story told beautifully. The story is as heartbreaking as Bad Blake is...Jeff Bridges portrays this fading alcoholic country singer with such affecting accuracy that you really believe he is Bad Blake. It's no wonder why he won the Academy Award for this film. He looks terrible as he stumbles from bowling alley to dive bar playing his old tunes, vomiting between songs, and hooking up for one-night stands with pathetic groupies. But his saving graces come in two forms, his incredible talent for song-writing and a young reporter named Jean who is played by Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Dark Knight, Stranger than Fiction, Paris, je t’aime). As Bad Blake begins to see the cracks in his sad mess of life and begins to reach for redemption, the story really begins. This is a beautiful film and the acting by all is wonderful...the music’s not to shabby either.
Other cast:
Colin Farrell (In Bruges, The New World) as Tony Sweet.
Robert Duvall as Wayne.
Bad Blake and Jean
The Omnivore's Dilemma
The Omnivore's Dilemma
The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan was sitting on my bookshelf for a while before I managed to crack it open...actually, if you want to get technical, what I did was check it out from our library on CD so I could listen to it in the car while driving from here to Seattle or Portland for all my doctor appointments! The information presented is fascinating and sometimes shocking. Did you know that chicken nuggets from McDonald’s contain 38 ingredients, one of which is butane (lighter fluid)? I know what you’re thinking, that this Pollan guy is going to try to convince you to go vegetarian, give up cheeseburgers and disgust you within an inch of your waistband. But actually one thing that’s great is that, while this book presents you with many distasteful facts, they are presented in a non-judgmental way. That is, they are presented as just the facts that they are. There is no attempt to convert the readers to one way of eating or another. Pollan explores the downfalls of fast food and organic food alike. It’s a straightforward detailed memoir of one man’s experience to follow the history of four different meals from for different origins: industrial, organic, local and personal. This book is definitely worth reading (or listening to) and contemplating.
P.S. Another great way to get some info is to check out Food, Inc. which is a great documentary about the industrialized food system. Full of great information but you may not want to watch it while you’re eating. ;-)
The Apartment
The Apartment
What are you supposed to do on a rainy, windy night after your Professor gives you a pop-test???
Cozy up on the couch to watch a classic movie of course!
I love, love, loved The Apartment! It wasn’t at all what I expected. It’s always been referred to me as a classic romantic comedy, but it wasn’t that at all. It was funny and romantic, but it was also suspenseful and dramatic. Jack Lemmon was incredible as C.C. Baxter, a hard working “cubicle” employee who loans his apartment out to his superiors as a location for their trysts. Watching his performance was inspiring to me as an actress, touching and surprising. Shirley MacLaine’s performance as Fran Kubelik was subtle and charming and ultimately heartbreaking. If you haven’t seen this film you absolutely MUST! The film was directed by Billy Wilder (Sabrina, Sunset Blvd, The Seven Year Itch, Some Like it Hot) and was also written by him and I.A.L. Diamond...much of it was written as they filmed because Wilder and Diamond wanted to bring as much life and real chemistry into it as they could, even taking events and quotes from the actor’s lives and infusing them into the script. I’ve never seen anything like it. The DVD has two wonderful special features about the making of the film and about Jack Lemmon’s incredible talent as an actor. Go rent it right now!
The African Queen
The Apartment
Casablanca
Anna Karenina
And God Created Woman
Dr. Zhivago
It Happened One Night
The Philadelphia Story
To Catch a Thief
His Girl Friday
Seven Year Itch
Gone with the Wind
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
The Lion in Winter
An American in Paris
Off with her head!!!
Anne Boleyn was beheaded 474 years ago today. The sometimes-conniving little pawn was led to the chopping block on counts of treason, adultery and incest. As most people know, she was executed by her whack-job husband King Henry VIII after she failed to produce a son for him. Essentially, he grew tired of her and found a reason for treason as he did with several other inconvenient people including philosopher Thomas Moore. So...in honor of this shocking anniversary, I am promoting The Tudors. My husband and I watched every available episode of this Showtime series from beginning to end in a disgustingly short period of time. Although sometimes it’s a bit like a porn/soap opera, it’s also incredibly entertaining, addicting and fascinating. With the fourth and final season on it’s way, it’s the perfect time to start watching it!
A portrait of the real Anne Boleyn.
Anne Boyeln (and company) as interpreted by Showtime.
The African Queen
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043265/
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Aw, the Classics!
An Education
Emma Thompson (Love, Actually, Sense and Sensibility, Much Ado About Nothing) as Jenny’s school administrator.
Coco Before Chanel
Phoebe in Wonderland
The September Issue
