I Hope You Had the Time of Your Life: Memorable Goodbyes

Well the end of the year has come (school year that is).  As I have mentioned before in my blog I work for a college, and people who work in education tend to measure their year on a different scale.  This "year" time span begins in either August and September and ends in April, May, or June.  I will be finishing up a masters degree in college student personnel in six days.  So in 6 days I will not be throwing my hat in the air (cliche), but soon after that I will be saying goodbye to close friends with whom I will not see as often as I have within the past two years.  This made me think about the way people have said goodbye in the movies, and how heart wrenching it can be to walk away from something.Saying goodbye...

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Anika Noni Rose is a "dream" come true

Tony award winner for featured actress in a musical in the musical Caroline, or Change, Anika Noni Rose has tremendous potential to become a great big screen talent.  Rose has done a lot of work in television throughout her career, on shows like The Good Wife, and The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, but it was her voice that caught my attention.  Rose can belt out a tune, and boy should her talents be used a lot in the future, and she can act.I first saw Rose as Lorrell in the film version of Dreamgirls.  In the film Lorrell is not as glamorous a role as Deena or Effie, but Rose made Lorrell so deep and she was great in this film. Her chemistry with Eddie Murphy's Jimmy Early was magnetic and when she finds out what...

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Movies and Technology: From 3-D to CGI, the Good and the Bad

Well I just bought a new I-phone today and well it has inspired me to talk about the use of technology in film and how throughout the years movies have used this to: help make money or waste people's money, and create films that will help advance the process of making films.The latest trend (although it is not so much about new technology) is the use of 3-D in film.  The "goal" of the production company is to pull the audience into the film more and breakdown the walls bringing them into the actual film so they feel a part of what is going on on-screen.  This will lead to 4-D in the future and has influenced the invention of 3-D television viewing because of the growing technology that keeps people actively involved.  My own...

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A Tribute to: The Sound of Music and My Childhood

Every year around Easter I remember sitting down in my living room watching the film The Sound of Music with them.  I remember my dad doing the funny voices while he sang, or pretending that he didn't want to watch the movie, but he actually did.  This movie has brought a lot of great memories.  Everyone has movies that bring about wonderful childhood memories and this is the film that does that for me.  With Maria twirling around the hill or singing about her favorite things, I must salute The Sound of Music on this holiday season.This movie is magical.  I plan to watch Julie Andrews use her golden voice and "climb every mountain."  Christopher Plummer's Captain Von Trap is fun to watch as you see his tough exterior...

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Win Win is a real Winner

Win Win (4 out of 5 stars)Directed and Written by Tom McCarthy (The Station Agent, The Visitor)Starring: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, and Alex ShafferMike Flaherty (Giamatti) is not the most successful lawyer; he has only a few clients and is financial trouble.  On the side Flaherty works with Stephen Vigman (Tambor) as a high school wrestling coach.  As Mike starts to ponder his financial woes a rich client drops in his lap and his situation starts to look differently.  When Mike takes over the clients care and puts him in a home.  Mike and his wife Jackie (Ryan) go to old man's house only to find his estranged grandson Kyle on the doorstep.  Mike and Jackie take...

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Some Religious Movies Not to "Passover" this Holiday Season

Well tis the season, probably one of the most religious times of the year.  With both Passover and Easter happening at the same time this year, and Lady Gaga's Judas song I figured it was time to talk about some movies that are worth your time, and center around religion.  Picking my favorite religious movie is difficult, but there are three that come to my mind automatically: Dogma, Saved, and and Religulous.  These three films all challenge the main beliefs within organized churches and make people think about things on a much more deeper spiritual plane.Dogma (1999) is written and directed by Kevin Smith (this is before all his movies started to suck)and stars Linda Fiorintino as Bethany the supposed descendant of Jesus, Chris...

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Rabbit Hole takes the Viewer on an Intense and sometimes funny journey

Rabbit Hole (4 out of 5 stars)Directed by: John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch)Written by: David Lindsay-Abaire Adapted from the play Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-AbaireStarring: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckheart, Diane Wiest, Sandra Oh, and Tammy BlanchardThis film is adapted from the play Rabbit Hole and is about a married couple Becca Corbett (Kidman) and Howie Corbett who lose a child in an accident.  The film starts chronicles the different approaches that both Becca and Howie use to cope with the death of their son.  Becca tends to try and control the landscape of their lives as the now stay at home mom, while Howie tends to want hold onto everything that their son ever touched or played with.Kidman is brilliant as...

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There Needs to be More Than Just Tyler Perry

One of the major critiques of this year's Academy Award nominations has been the lack of recognition for African American actors and actresses . There was an article by the New York Times that this was a trend.  That article made me think about what this means black actors and actresses in general.  Are there good roles out there?  The answer appears to be that there are, numerous black actors and actresses have been nominated and won Academy Awards.  Last year the film Precious based on the novel Push by Saphire was a great film with an black cast Academy Award winner Mo'Nique and Academy Award nominee Gaborey Sidibe, a black director Lee Daniels  and a black screenwriter (insert name). ...

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Top Ten On-Screen Couples of All Time

Great on-screen chemistry is an important aspect to movies, so movies have become so memorable and successful, because the actors have had such great chemistry.  This list focuses on on-screen romances.10-Wall-E and Eve in Wall-E (2008) Of all the on screen animated couples in history I have been moved most by these two robots falling in love.  This love is not about chemistry (because the characters are animated), but mostly about finding that one person who completes you.  Wall-E is a lovelorn robot who idealizes finding the perfect person from seeing the film Hello Dolly!  Wall-E helps her save the world and you can't help but feel the connection.9-Billy Crystal (Harry Burns) and Meg Ryan (Sally Albright) in...

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Made in Dagenham Boasts Equality for Entertainment and Safety

Made in Dagenham (3 out of 5 stars)Directed by: Nigel Cole (Calendar Girls)Written by: Billy IvoryStarring Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson, and Rosamund PikeThis story chronicles the the journey of the women who work in Ford's Motor plant in Dagenham, England.  The woman are working for less pay then the men, and they decide to stand up for their rights and walk out of the plant.  The women find a mouthpiece in Rita O'Grady (Hawkins) who is encouraged by her union representative Albert (Hoskins) to keep going further and push for equality for all the women who work in upholster part of the plant.  Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) is a brilliant actress and just shine in the role of Rita; she is a force to be reckoned...

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Fair Game is Close to the Top of its Game

Fair Game (3 out of 5 stars)Directed by: Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Go, Swingers)Written by: Jez Butterworth, John ButterworthStarring: Naomi Watts and Sean PennNo, this is not the crappy 1995 film with Cindy Crawford and Billy Baldwin, where we get to see a two obligatory breast shots.This film chronicles the story of husband and wife Valerie Plame (Watts) and Joe Wilson (Penn) and their battle with both the CIA and the Bush administration.  Plame works for the CIA as a covert operative who identity is revealed because her husband reveals after a trip to Niger that Saddam Hussein does not have weapon's of mass destruction (WMDs).  Within the White House Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff leaked to information...

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Andrew Garfield: From Facebook to Webslinger

Andrew Garfield like most actors started out in television; he then landed a role in a British film Boy A (2007) in which he played the grown up version of young boy who was sent to jail for committing a crime.  Years later he (in the form of Garfield) was released and he tries to to start his life over again, but with one act of heroism it all starts to fall a part.  What a great description from having only seen the preview.  As a big fan of this upcoming actor I will be adding this to my Netflix queue.  To some I think Garfield appears whiny, but I think his acting works splendidly.In the same year Robert Redford directed and starred in the film Lions for Lambs. Redford gave Garfield a an important role acting...

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When Good Books Become Bad Movies: Part One When You Have Great Material Don't Assume Your Point of View Makes it Better

When I was in 9th grade we read the classic book The Great Gatsby.  After reading that book that put me in the "roaring 20's"  with the days of prosperity and bootlegging.  The Great Gatsby also filled my head my romantic ideals as I envisioned myself starring off longlingly towards that green light, and its representation of true love.  The book is poetic, and sparked my interest in reading even more.  The characters were complex and as a young reader I was able to put my imagination to work.Cut to a few weeks later when my teacher had us watch the movie in class after we had finished the book.  We watched the older version with Robert Redford in the role of J. Gatsby and Mia Farrow as Daisy.  Redford was...

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Scream 4 Rocked it Out!

So after another midnight showing, which can be hit and miss because of the anticipation. I was happy with the way Scream 4 turned out.  As Sidney Prescott returns home to Woodsborro people start dying all over again.  With a truly modern opening Scream 4 took the franchise a whole different level, and played with the modern horror cliches.My advice is go see this movie because its fun and its scary, there is nothing better than a movie that can bring out every emotion.  Fans of the franchise will love it, and if you haven't seen the movie and love film then jump on board.  The Scream franchise likes to pay homage to the horror genre and film.  The movie never takes itself too seriously and has created great legacy...

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Never Let Me Go Makes it Hard to Let Go of the Emotional Struggle

Never Let Me Go (3 1/2 stars out of 5)Directed by Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo) and Written by Alex Garland (28 Days Later)Starring: Carrie Mulligan, Andrew Garfield,  and Keira KnightleyNever Let Me Go is the story of three young children Kathy (Mulligan), Tommy (Garfield) and Ruth (Knightley) who attend Halisham boarding school.  While attending this school the children are raised kept away from the outside world in order to carry out a mission without their knowledge of the purpose of the mission.  Kathy narrates the story from her perspective in the present day and shows the viewer their world while they attend Hailsham then leave that when they get older and are sent to another place called The Cottages to further prepare...

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Country Strong is only Heavy in the Melodrama

So most of my blogs so far have been about aspects of film but here come the reviews and my first one is a doozy.Country Strong (1 1/2 stars out of 5)Written and Directed by Shana FesteStarring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund, and Leighton MeisterThis film chronicles the journey of Kelly Canter (Paltrow) as she battles getting out of rehab, and tries to make a comeback from doing some pretty crazy things with alcohol on stage at a Dallas concert.  Kelly's husband James Canter (McGraw) comes to take out Kelly when she has one month left in rehab.  While in rehab Kelly meets Beau (Hedlund) whom she forms a realtionship with and she implores her husband to bring him on tour with them.  James Canter has different...

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In Memoriam: Sidney Lumet

I know this comes a couple days late, but I feel bad not paying tribute to the great film director Sidney Lumet.  Lumet got most of his early work behind the camera in television, but he of course remembered more for the stellar films he directed on the big screen. Lumet's first huge film was one of the best courtroom dramas of all time 12 Angry Men (1957).  This film launched his film career and set him on a great trajectory.  Lumet had a very strong film career with other movies like Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, Network (my personal favorite), The Wiz, The Verdict, Running on Empty and his last film (written by his daughters) Before the Devil Knows Your Dead.Sidney Lumet was nominated for the Best Director Academy Award four...

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Gay Men in Film: From Victim to Sidekick, Isn't there More to Being Gay?

After watching the film I Love You Phillip Morris this past which stars Jim Carrey as Steven Russell who starts off the film in a hospital bed as if he is dying; he talks about his story and how he was very religious and married but was hiding his sexual orientation.  Carrey states that it costs a lot of money to be gay so he becomes a con man and swindles people out of money in order to keep up with the gay lifestyle.  Eventually while in prison for pulling off one of his latest cons Steven (Carrey) meet Phillip Morris (Ewen McGregor) and they fall in love.  The portrayal of Steven Russell is a somewhat typical representation of gay men in that he represents the materialistic gay man who wants everything. Phillip Morris...

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