You're Mickey Ward.

The Fighter

A crowning achievement for Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, The Fighter is the inspiring true story of boxer Mickey Ward and his back and forth relationship with his brother, fighter turned addict, Dickie Eklund.

The Fighter is a fantastic showcase for its actors, most notably Christian Bale. He chews the scenery and demands attention, much like his character. His performances are usually quieter and more reserved. Even as Batman he has a quiet control about him. But as crack addict Dickie Eklund, Bale lets everything hang out from the inside and outside. While he's causing trouble for his family or going through withdrawal, we can even see Dickie behind Bale's eyes. He always looks hungry, for a comeback or crack. There's an insanity behind those eyes that disappears when Dickie gets clean. You can see to the depths of Dickie's soul in Bale's eyes. He will get nominated for his first Oscar and he will win. This is one of the male performances of the year.

While Bale demands to be the center of attention as Dickie, Wahlberg stands quietly by. Though Bale gives the movie's top performance, Wahlberg is not to be missed and this is a milestone for him as an actor. Wahlberg is usually chewing the scenery and doing the most he can with the words. But in The Fighter, Wahlberg is much more reserved and quiet, really showcasing his talent. He tells the story with his face, whether he's looking at you with intensity or looking down in shame. It was great to see a bit of a role reversal for both Wahlberg and Bale. The two play well together and form a believable older brother-younger brother bond.

Amy Adams and Melissa Leo are excellent in their supporting but pivotal roles. Leo is infuriating as Eklund and Ward's mother. Her tunnel-vision and blindness are despicable. Adams is equally strong and Ward's love interest. She isn't afraid to throw punches and stand up for her man and herself, even if she's punching Ward's family.

The fight scenes are well shot and the true story is very compelling. It's an impossible situation Ward is in; one wants to trust their family, but something family can be toxic. But in the end, he needs both. The film is a little too drawn out but is an excellent portrayal of unique family dynamics. The Fighter is not to be missed, definitely one of 2010's best.

Ian Somerhalder in The Vampire Diaries

As the sassy, guarded, wounded and foxy Damon, Somerhalder is the best part about The Vampire Diaries. His combination of snark and sexy are a welcome addition to TV. He delivers excellent one-liners, moves audiences during dramatic moments, and is simultaneously sympathetic and despicable. Somerhalder has certainly grown since the Boone days. If The Vampire Diaries were on any other network, Somderhalder would score himself an Emmy nomination.

Netflix

Igby Goes Down-Have the soundtrack, but never seen the movie.
Despicable Me-Missed this in theaters.
Exit Through the Gift Shop-Netflix Instant. Not totally sure what it's about, but this Banksy character is intriguing.

Help me.

127 Hours

A crowning achievement for James Franco, 127 Hours is Danny Boyle's latest and the true story of climber Aron Ralston and the harrowing days he spent trapped under a boulder.

Danny Boyle is great at telling extraordinary stories about extraordinary and sometimes flawed men. Like Almodovar is a great director of women, Boyle is a great director of men. He understands his characters pros and cons, ticks and nuances. He's great at drawing out the best and worst in his men by placing them in heart-pumping situations. He places his camera in the face of his characters, giving the audience an extreme closeup of their face and inner most thoughts. Furthermore, Boyle's always been great at showing his man in action, whether they are running from the rage-filled undead or scurrying through the claustrophobic streets of Bombay. Boyle's films are distinct and 127 Hours is a fitting addition to Boyle's resume.

127 Hours is the James Franco show. Despite other supporting characters, Franco owns the movie. This is one of the most authentic male performances I've seen in a while and Franco seems to become Ralston. Franco accurately shows experiences of reflection, catharsis, and honesty as well as all the stages of grief. We see denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance sweep across Franco's face; it's really beautiful. He's very real and really makes the audience question themselves: what would you do if you were in a situation like this? Franco really shows his chops and it's a high point for his career. I've always liked Franco (despite how weird he seems) and he's elevated himself to a whole new level with 127 Hours. He connects with his character and his audience. An Oscar nomination is definitely in his future.

Boyle reunites with composer A.R. Rahman for the 127 Hours. While I do miss John Murphy's work, Rahman creates an imaginative and heart-pumping score. The music matches the scenes. Moreover, the film's original song, the appropriately titled "If I Rise," is haunting. Sung by Dido, the song should definitely get a nomination. Actually, this year's best original score race should be a tough one to call, what with previous winner A.R. Rahman, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's electronic and hypnotizing score for The Social Network and Clint Mansell's classical and scary music for Black Swan.

I was nervous about all the film's potential downtime. I wondered how they would handle all the time Ralston spent trapped under that boulder. But there was never a dull moment in 127 Hours. While Ralston and the audience are worrying over the dwindling amount of water or how to break free, Ralston reflects on his life, imagines and relives experiences and conversations, dreams of liberation, and has a premonition that ultimately gives him something to live for. The screenwriters and Franco even manage to throw in a little comedy with a Ralston one-man talk show.

Boyle creates a whole film experience with 127 Hours. The exhausting climbing and biking sequences, the sweeping shots of the stunning Utah landscape, the heart-racing final act and James Franco's exceptional performance make 127 Hours one of the best films of 2010.

Anne Hathaway in Love and Other Drugs

Let's just make this an Oscar Host 2010 post. Hathaway really gives a strong performance in this cheesy romance/minor crap fest. Like James Franco in 127 Hours, she too has the five stages of grief fill her facial movements and physicality, but she includes a little bitterness and a huge dose of bitch. She definitely made this disappointment watchable.

Netflix

Running with Scissors-Always wanted to see this.
Secretary-Maggie Gyllenhaal is supposed to be great.
Laguna Beach Season 1-Netflix Instant. I need something for background noise.

The only person standing in your way is you.

Black Swan

Black Swan was number one on my list of winter movies and right now it sits at number one on my list of best movies of the year. Darren Aronofsky's masterpiece is a psychological thriller with brilliant performances, intriguing themes, and rich visuals. I was emotionally and physically moved by Black Swan and I believe the film will stay with me for a very long time.

To get started, I'll state the obvious: Natalie Portman was spellbinding and produced a genius performance. This really is the performance of the year. Portman disappeared into Nina. She was vulnerable, naive, and childish; I've never seen Portman this way before. With many of her other roles, she has a strength and confidence. Nina completely lacked both. Portman's fragile frame matched Nina's psyche. Portman completely disappeared into this role; she let go and just fell into the role. I can't imagine any other actress playing Nina.

On top of the revolutionary performance, Portman mastered ballet. She trained for a year and it shows. In many films where an actor must master a skill, the camera rarely shows the actor's face and body in the same shot to better hide a double. But Portman's face and body are seen together throughout the whole movie. She looked as if she'd been doing ballet her entire life. If Natalie Portman doesn't win the Oscar for Black Swan, I'll completely lose what faith I had left in the Academy. Sorry Annette Benning, but your performance in that awful movie can't even touch Portman.

Mila Kunis is exceptional as Lily, a rival dancer. She's very natural in the role and can definitely do more than just comedy. She pushed herself out of her niche and made the role her own. Barbara Hershey also did an outstanding job as Nina's mother. She was equally horrifying and sympathetic. While Vincent Cassel did a great job as the ballet director and provided an excellent motivation for Nina, Black Swan belongs to the ladies.

The visuals and editing rival Portman in strength. The continuous use of black and white emphasize the battle of good and evil that can rage inside a person. The costumes are beautiful and the sets are breath taking. Black Swan is brilliantly shot to look like Nina is being stalked. The visual effects are the stuff of nightmares; this film is scary. Clint Mansell's haunting score moves the film along and adds to the intensity of every scene.

The script brilliantly interweaves Nina's story with the story of Swan Lake; they fold into each other perfectly. The script also moves Nina's character development along well, giving us time with each change. Everything is revealed at the right time. Her transformation left me speechless and my body lifeless. The last act is some of the most riveting, tense, and visually striking minutes I've ever experienced in a film.

The script and story pair well with Aronofsky's previous film, The Wrestler. Both are about a physically demanding and under appreciated art, and the lengths one goes to to be an artist, to achieve perfection, and the costs. Both films are shot similarly for different reasons and both endings pack a powerful punch. But Black Swan is much riskier than The Wrestler. Aronofsky laid the ground work with The Wrestler and raised the stakes with Black Swan.

Black Swan is one of the scariest, engaging, and best films I've ever seen. It's a masterpiece.

Judi Dench in Notes on a Scandal

Definitely one of Judi Dench's most memorable performances and one of my favorites. She could've taken this performance in two directions and she chose an effective path of subtly, slight humor, and bitterness that all flow into her obsessive behavior. She comes across as sympathetic but behind that curtain she's sucking the life out of you. Cate Blanchett describes Dench's character as a vampire and that's exactly what she is. Dench sinks her fangs into this role in a way only Judi Dench can.

Netflix

Inception-Love it. Love it. Must see again. Love it.
Wild Child-Some cute Emma Roberts comedy along the lines of a Mary-Kate and Ashley movie. I'll get this when I need a break from the heavy stuff.
Skins Vol 3-Netflix Instant. I'll try it again.

Welcome to Wonderland.

Burlesque

Burlesque is a fun distraction that manages to be enjoyable despite an awful screenplay.

Christina Aguilera gives an acceptable debut performance. The role doesn't call for much, but she's believable as a small-town girl with a big voice. Her performance was certainly better than Britney's debut in Crossroads. She has great chemistry with the film's more seasoned actors, including forever diva Cher. The two powerhouses play off each other well. It's great to see two generations of divas working together and seeing a torch passed.

Stanley Tucci is magic as usual. Cam Gigandet is sooo nice to watch...because he's foxy. Alan Cumming is great but totally underutilized. Finally, it's great to see Kristen Bell play someone other than a cute, nice blonde. She's a great dancer but I wish we could've heard her vocal talents. But this isn't a normal musical and clearly it's all about Cher and Christina.

The film isn't really a musical; characters mostly sing when they are supposed to, not because the moment feels right. But that doesn't stop the musical numbers from being pretty awesome. Catchy original and timeless songs sung by The Voice, Christina Aguilera. And Cher's still got it.

The script is just a dis-ast-uh. Cliche and cheese combine and produce the mess of the Burlesque script. I don't think Steve Antin has much writing experience and it certainly shows. And he used way too many establishing shots. Don't worry Steve, I haven't forgotten for the tenth time that we're at the Burlesque Lounge.

Burlesque really reminded me how great it is to be a girl sometimes. We get to wear stunning outfits adorned in pearls, feathers and a whole lot of sparkle. We get to paint beautiful canvases with lipstick, eyeliner and eye shadows and create works of art. Though dancing in little outfits in front of men isn't for everyone, it can be very empowering for some women, and the women in Burlesque were certainly powerful.

If you need to turn your brain of for about an hour and a half, look at pretty colors, watch dance moves you'll never be able to do and hear vocals you'll never be able to mimic BUT leave feeling satisfied, then see Burlesque.

Jeremy Renner in The Town

For the most part, I liked The Town but Renner made it a memorable film. He plays an incredibly unpredictable character with a fire in his eyes that scared me. He left behind a path of destruction and was like a lit firework in each scene. His accent was sometimes hard to understand but I'll take that as his dedication to the role. Another excellent performance from an immensely talented man.

Netflix

Going the Distance-I love Justin and Drew. This looked cute.
Enter the Void-Supposed to be super intense but David and Anne loved it.
Battlestar Galactica-Netflix Instant. Supposed to be sooo good. An upcoming TV project.

I wanna talk about how bad you make this room look.

Crazy Heart

Crazy Heart is a fairly predictable drama about an alcoholic country singer that won Jeff Bridges his Oscar.

I'd been wanting to see Crazy Heart for a while, but not because it looked interesting. I needed to see if Jeff Bridges beat Colin Firth because the performance was better or it was just "Jeff Bridges' turn." Jeff Bridges really is great. He inhabits Bad Blake and gives an honest and raw performance. Bridges pushes himself to the edge and the edge isn't pretty. He's the heart of the movie and he's a great musician. A fantastic performance, he carries the movie and few actors could've played this role. Bridges' also had great chemistry with Colin Farrell, his former protege. Farrell sings a mean country song and sounds 100% Southern. Kudos to his dialect or accent coach.

I maintain my stance that Colin Firth was better and Bridges' Oscar was an I.O.U. Bridges kicked ass but Firth's role required a deeper and higher level of emotional intensity and conflict than Bridges' in my opinion. I'm not as peeved that Bridges beat Firth after watching Crazy Heart, but I still would've rather heard Colin Firth's acceptance speech than Bridges'.

The story was fairly predictable and a lot like a country song. Guy is broken and needs to be saved by music and a fine woman. The love story turned me off. Seeing an overweight, alcoholic, dirty man rub his hands all over Maggie Gyllenhaal just didn't do it for me. Furthermore, this love story would never happen if the roles were reversed. Would an attractive man fall for an aged, slightly overweight and female character? Probably not. That's why I find the romances in Crazy Heart and The Wrestler, for example, a bit preposterous.

The soundtrack is phenomenal. This is real, bleeding heart country music. No Taylor Swift pop-country riff-raff. If you like country music, pick up this soundtrack. Even if you don't like country music, this is a must own film soundtrack.

Overall, the film is a strong B. Great performances but the story was too predictable for my taste.

Rupert Friend in The Young Victoria
While Emily Blunt is great in the titular role, Rupert Friend as Albert stole the film for me. His performance is very reserved and chivalrous, sweet and strong. I fell in love with him right along with Victoria. His eyes speak more than his words ever could and he's a strong, male feminist character. Albert seems like a role that anyone could've played but Friend made it his own. I really hope we get to see him in more.

Netflix

Easy A-I enjoy Emma Stone and this was supposed to be better than it looked.
Eclipse-I know. For shame.
Les Miserables-Netflix Instant. Love the pairing of Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush.

There's a moment, there's always a moment.

Closer

One of my all-time favorites, this gritty drama is a brutally honest look at relationships and the hurt people cause each other. The film is filled with vulnerability, strength, brilliantly shot scenes and fantastic performances.

Jude Law is so unlikable as Dan, a man who's slimy but think he's a romantic. I think it takes serious acting skill to play an unlikable character. While he doesn't turn in the film's strongest performance, he does an exceptional job. And his chemistry with Natalie Portman is amazing.

What his character represents is what's best about him. I'm in an evolutionary psychology/communication class and we talk about cheating, what drives humans, and so forth. In lectures on relationships, we've learned that everyone cheats; it's in our nature to not be monogamous because we need to mate with the best genes to produce better offspring, etc. However, when it comes to cheating, men especially want to cheat but do not want their female partners to cheat. There's some kind of intrasexual competition between men to sleep with as many women as possible while holding onto their mate. Dan is this theory. He's driven mad imagining a woman he's with sleeping with another man; it leads to the downfall of his relationships in the film. It's always cool to see things you learn in school in real life.

I really respect Julia Roberts for going outside her box. She's never been my favorite of actresses because she plays the same role a lot. But she's different as Anna. She's a liar and depressed, not cutesy and lovable. Good role choice. Next step, play a serial killer, eyyy Julia?

Clive Owen is phenomenal as Larry the "caveman," a man with an unquenchable sexual thirst but deeper complexities. In the original play, Owen played Dan which I cannot imagine at all. Owen's got a kind of Cro-Magnon look to him. He plays his character clever and though he's sleazy, he's far more appealing than Dan.

Despite the other stellar performances, all roads lead to Natalie Portman. She's so gifted. Her character is manipulative and sweet, she traps men in her web of intrigue. The lyrics in the opening and closing song by Damien Rice, "I can't take my eyes off of you," totally applies to Portman's character. People see her and fall in love, she's a "vision." This was a really adult role for Portman. We always knew she was talented but she stepped her game with Closer. This has definitely groomed her for what looks like an even more adult and intense role in the my most anticipated Christmas time film, Black Swan. I love her in this role.

Patrick Marber wrote a very intimate screenplay. The dialogue is in your face but seems very private. I shouldn't be listening to these conversations, I'm a peeping tom for watching this scene. The meat of the film is in the dialogue; there's not one sex scene in the whole film.

Coupled with the intimate screenplay is the way Mike Nichols shot the film. Many of the scenes are filmed as if you're a bystander at a variety of distances. You could be sitting a the table in the restaurant watching and listening to Anna and Larry's conversation or you could be standing at the top of a staircase watching Anna and Dan greet each other. I kind of feel like I have to take a shower after watching Closer; I feel dirty invading these people's space.

Mike Nichols shot some really great scenes in Closer. The juxtaposition of the opening and closing scene with the Damien Rice song playing is just brilliant. Furthermore, the use of fish is interesting. Fish pop up in several scenes in the film, which made me think of the saying "There's other fish in the sea." Going along with the repeated Damien Rice lyric, "I can't take my eyes off of you," and the last lyric in the song, "'Til I find somebody else," the idea of there being other fish in the sea makes sense. You can love someone until the end of time, having eyes only for them until you meet someone new and the feelings start all over again, just with a different fish.

Closer is truly incredible but it can be scary. Do not see this if with a person you are having a relationship with. If the relationship is good, you'll look for cracks. If the relationship is bad, you will break up.

Jason Bateman on Arrested Development

Every actor on Arrested Development is a genius. That show is so well cast. But to balance out all those insane personalities in the Bluth family, you need a straight man. And Bateman is the perfect straight man. He created a dedicated and understated character in Michael Bluth who was full of love but grew flustered with his ridiculous family. It takes a really strong actor to hold their own with all those extroverts and still be funny. Please let Hollywood make that Arrested Development movie, I wasn't ready for the Bluth's story to end.

Netflix

Toy Story 3-Dislike the 2nd one but this has gotten such great reviews.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)-Supposed to be bad but I love Jackie Earle Haley.
The Girl Who Played with Fire-Netflix Instant. I won't see this for a long time. Still haven't finished the first book in the series or seen that movie. Winter break project?

Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.

Mean Girls

A comedy staple! My generation's Clueless! Mean Girls is a slightly exaggerated, though mostly spot on account of high school and all the gossip and social climbing students encounter through that four year minefield of high school.

What an amazing performance from Lindsay Lohan. This role firmly established her as a talented young actress and I'm sure opened up a world of professional opportunities. But we all know what happened, and it's a shame. She really is talented. She's believable as the likable and naive girl next door from Africa and the "regulation hottie" who has been influenced by the Plastics, the cool/mean girl clique at her high school. With more of the right roles, Lohan could've (and maybe still could) had a bright career. Her comedy skills are definitely on point.

Mean Girls gives me reason number 537873 to love Rachel McAdams. The girl is amazing, talented, flawless and so on. She shines as the glamorous mean girl Regina George. She has a knack for comedy. Even though Regina George is so awful, I can't help but like her because Rachel McAdams is just so good. Rachel McAdams can do anything.

The rest of the cast are as exceptional as the leads. Lacey Chabert gains audience sympathy as the desperate Gretchen Wieners, whose hair is full of secrets. Great debut from Amanda Seyfried, an actress who's creating a great career for herself. Her dead pan humor brings the laughs. Amy Poehler is a goddess and is not used enough. Her spot on portrayal as a (wannabe) "cool mom" is kind of horrifying but simultaneously hilarious. Finally, we have the current queen bee of comedy, Tina Fey. I just have no words. Fey is practically perfect in every way.

Tina Fey's script is genius. There are so many great lines that my friends and I recite to this day; my roommate is always looking for an excuse to say, "You can go shave your back now," while I take pleasure in saying "And none for (insert name), BYE!" And I don't know any girl who doesn't laugh at "I can't go to Taco Bell, I'm on an all carb diet. God Karen, you're so stupid!" Rachel McAdams says stupid in a very weird way and that makes the joke funnier. Even after viewing this classic countless times, the jokes are still hilarious.

Not only do the jokes continue to be funny, but the depiction of high school always amazes me. Mean Girls IS high school, exaggerated of course. The overt and subtle bullying, the ridiculousness of people's behavior, the desire to find yourself and fit in along the way...all true. There's a darkness to high school that Tina Fey shows but accompanies with comedy, but we get the point. This movie spoke to my generation. It might not define it, but Mean Girls definitely rings true.

The serious line that always stuck with me is at the end, after all the chaos with the Burn Book and the "girls going wild." In a voiceover, the Lindsay Lohan character says, "Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter. And ruining Regina George's life definitely didn't make me any happier. All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you." Why do we call each other fat then? Does it really make us feel better about our weight? There's this competition between girls that is just alarming. We put each other down to feel better about ourselves but the feeling goes away. We have to be better and we can only be better by making other people lower. This competition is at its worse in high school, but it doesn't always end there. One just needs to be comfortable with oneself, not comparing them self to others or putting others down, and just solve the problem in front of you.

Mean Girls joins Clueless and Heathers as some of the finest comedy and teen cinema. They help the genre get taken seriously. Mean Girls is intelligent, funny, and eye-opening.

Claire Danes in Temple Grandin
I've never been a Claire Danes fan. I've ripped her apart when I've had the chance. But she is in fine form in Temple Grandin. Playing a real person is a challenge, but a real person with autism, that a whole other level of challenging. Claire Danes truly shows her acting chops in this HBO original movie. Throughout most of the movie I forgot I was watching Claire Danes. If you see any interviews or footage of the real Temple Grandin, you see how amazing Danes' performance is. She needs to turn out more work like this.

Netflix

Winter's Bone-Jennifer Lawrence is getting Oscar buzz.
Robin Hood-Missed this in theaters.
Some Kind of Wonderful-Netflix Instant. A John Hughes film not mentioned as much as his Molly Ringwald projects.

Times change, we need to change as well.

Invictus

I had wanted to see Clint Eastwood's inspirational sports movie starring God and Will Hunting last December when it came out but it was one of the couple that I missed. After seeing Invictus last weekend, I'm glad I saw it on DVD and skipped paying $11.00

Morgan Freeman is absolutely amazing as Mandela. It's the role he was born to play. Not only do the two resemble each other, but Freeman completely embodies the South African leader. We are so used to seeing Morgan Freeman play a wise man and say, "Ah, that's Morgan Freeman doing his Morgan Freeman thing, he's great." But there were times I forgot I was watching Morgan Freeman. He takes his typical wise man role to the next level. He's magical, authoritative, and engrossing. I've always found Nelson Mandela fascinating and seeing one of America's most beloved actors portray one of the world's most beloved people adds an extra emotional layer to the role. One negative, Freeman's accent faded in and out a few times, but that's easily forgivable. Definitely one of Freeman's best performances.

Matt Damon does the best with what he's given but so much of the writing and focus is on Freeman. They are both leaders leading broken people and while Matt Damon does portray his character's motivation clearly, his character's writing isn't as strong as Freeman's and doesn't really go anywhere with the role. Damon maintained a solid accent though.

Beyond the performances, the film has its highs and lows. Apparently, pretty much everything Invictus showed really happened, so good for Eastwood for trying to be authentic. The voice over of the poem that inspired Mandela, Invictus, is a great way to pull heart strings. The film is predictable as are most inspirational sports movies but enjoyable as are most inspirational sports movies.

There were some fairly awkward moments scattered throughout Invictus. There's an incredibly cheesy and distractingly out of place song, an awkward dance sequence, and unnecessary slow motion. While I like slow motion, there's just too much of it and when slow motion is overdone, it's distracting and annoying. On top of the slow motion is slowed down grunting noises from the rugby players...lots of them and for a long time. Yeah. Too much slow motion isn't leaving me tense and on the edge of my seat.

Furthermore, there's a lot of CGI in the climactic rugby game...and one can easily tell it's CGI. Clint Eastwood is a powerful, rich, and respected director. You think he could've done a better job of making the CGI look real.

This movie does remind us of the power of sports. Besides all the race relations and tensions (perfectly depicted between the white and black security guards), sports have a powerful way of uniting people and nations. Everyone backing their nation's team creates a sense of comradery and brother/sisterhood, even just for a little while. People who might not normally get along gather around radios and televisions (as shown in the movie) with something in common. Even more powerful is that that comradery can last after the team wins, as show in the movie. Beyond all BS regarding insane salaries, team/manager politics, steroids, betting, and so on, sports are a wonderful display of athletic prowess and are more important and have more potential than we give them credit for.

Definitely glad I saw Invictus, definitely better than some of Clint Eastwood's more recent work, definitely glad I didn't spend money on it.

Carey Mulligan in Never Let Me Go

This sad, ethical question raising film is filled with strong performances but they were lead by the outstanding Carey Mulligan. She again shows a wisdom beyond her years and handles heavy and complex emotional material with subtlety and restraint when one's instinct might be to scream and breakdown, much like Andrew Garfield's character (who was also incredible, he's one to watch). It's really exciting to watch Carey Mulligan get started in her roles, I feel like I'm watching the early growth and development of the next Kate Winslet or Meryl Streep. Mulligan is not only one the most talent young actresses currently working, she's better than a lot of the working actresses out there right now. I cannot wait to see what roles she takes on. She's a gift to the film industry.

Netflix

Leaves of Grass-An Edward Norton comedy where he plays twin brothers. Cool.
Boogie Nights-I love Mark Wahlburg and this was his big break. Plus it was one of Paul Thomas Anderson's first films.
The Breakfast Club-Netflix Instant. Freaking love this movie. And I still think it would make a great play.

The internet's written in ink.

The Social Network

After the stunning trailer, I had very high expectations for The Social Network, David Fincher's film about the founding of Facebook. The film met and far exceeded my expectations, creating a compelling story and fascinating characters.

Jesse Eisenberg is a revelation as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Ever since I saw him in The Squid and The Whale, I didn't like him. His character was a damaged asshole and I could not separate Eisenberg from the character in The Squid and The Whale. But seeing him play a different damaged asshole in The Social Network, suddenly something clicked; this guy is unbelievable! He's not the neurotic guy we've seen in the past; he's a driven, calculating, determined genius driving an unstoppable train towards fame and fortune. He's an ass and he's the antagonist, but Eisenberg makes him incredibly human. As strongly evidenced in the beginning, the end, and at various points throughout the film, Zuckerberg has human motives for the things he does and one feels sorry for him. That's totally a credit to Eisenberg, making the audience feel bad for the bad guy.

The supporting actors all held their own against the acting powerhouse of Jesse Eisenberg. Andrew Garfield wonderfully plays the "protagonist" character. He's really burst onto the scene this year and he's got a long career ahead of him. Very, very talented. Armie Hammer took on the daunting task of playing twin brothers who were very different but were totally dependent on one another. He made them individuals through his performances. Max Minghella provided some necessary comic relief.

The big question on audience's mind is how will Justin Timberlake do? I'm pleased to say he was very, very good. There were times when I forgot he was Justin Timberlake. He worked very hard to disappear into the role. He does not deserve an Oscar nomination for this performance but I applaud him for taking on a serious and pivotal role. If he keeps going in this direction and picking movies like The Social Network, he'll have a successful acting career.

For a movie about the founding of a website, writer Aaron Sorkin sure found a way to make it all interesting. The dialogue is witty but not unbelievable. The film is an excellent presentation of greed, ambition, and friendship and how those three rarely combine and end well. It was fascinating to watch Zuckerberg come up with the elements of Facebook users have been used to from the beginning, like the relationship status and "the wall." Furthermore, watching a character freak out about a relationship status on Facebook accurately portrays the internal and sometimes external freak outs Facebook users go through. A great way to laugh at oneself.

However, it's really important as an audience member to do your research before or immediately after you see The Social Network. This is not a 100% true story. This is fictionalized account and it's based on a book from Eduardo Saverin's perspective, the guy who gets screwed. It's very bias. If one can do the research, separate the fact from the fiction and look at the film as mostly fiction, it will be very enjoyable. Dislike the "character" of Mark Zuckerberg, not the real Mark Zuckerberg.

Furthermore, Trent Reznor's score was hypnotic. The best parts of Nine Inch Nails and then some. I definitely see an Oscar nomination in his future.

In a year of a lot of movie disappointments, The Social Network is a breath of fresh air and definitely one of my favorites of 2010. A must-see, but take everything with a grain of salt.

Kristen Bell in Veronica Mars

I've been on a TV kick in this section lately. I love Kristen Bell and my love began with Veronica Mars. Bell was witty, intelligent, and lovable as the young sleuth. It's a shame that her film roles haven't been as complex or shown off her talent the way Veronica Mars did, because this show proves she can act. She created a fabulous female role model in Veronica, a strong and smart young women with human imperfections. I'll love KBell forever for this role.



Netflix
Babies-Great trailer!
Notes on a Scandal-Want to see again.
Damages-Netflix Instant. I hear good things.

Don't look this bitch in the eye.

Clash of the Titans

I totally understand why Hollywood felt the need to remake Clash of the Titans. It's an epic story which could benefit from updated special effects. But the remake is just...crap. Crap, crap, crap.

One problem I had is with Sam Worthington as Perseus. Yes he's foxy, comparable to a young Harry Hamlin. But the hair. Why would his hair be buzzed? All the other Greek characters have long, gorgeous, thick and braided hair. I get that they are trying to make Perseus stand out from all the other characters (he's the hero and a demi-god after all) but the hair is a huge problem. It doesn't make sense with the time period and Worthington is much more attractive with long hair. The proof is in Avatar.

Furthermore, Worthington's acting leaves lots to be desired. He's a very grunty hero, doesn't connect too much with the audience. At least Hamlin was slightly broody and put some emotion into the role. Worthington just pouts a bit, mostly grunts, and runs around. Even his growing love story with Io, the replacement for Bubo the owl, seemed forced and unnatural on his part. I know my opinion matters so much to Sam Worthington, but he really needs to prove himself to me. Action stars can make decent actors (hello Bruce Willis). I read reviews of Last Night, Worthington's upcoming relationship drama and critics weren't fawning over his performance.

The special effects were lackluster is my eyes. The scorpians are big and intimidating, but they look so fake. In the original, they looked much more real. Caron is all special effects; he looks like a cross between a tree and a skeleton. Big deal. Being a cloaked ferryman is far more intimidating, like in the original. We get few glimpses of him and all we see is creepy, lifelike bone. In Caron's case, less is more. And Medusa. She looks far more like a woman in the remake, which adds a humanistic touch but the audience doesn't need that with Medusa. She's a means to an end. Making her all reptile-esque like the original brought the scares better in my opinion. The one special effects improvement I saw was the Kraken. Much more intimidating with all the CGI. Those teeth, so sharp, so scary!

The story and writing was a bit of a disappointment in my eyes. Perseus and Pegasus meet for about five seconds and then the work together; no relationship development. Andromeda, totally useless. Yeah, she's a sacrifice and all, but no love story between her and Perseus. And I would've liked a little more focus on the other Gods.

I did enjoy seeing some fine actors making use of bad material. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes had good chemistry and Zeus and Hades. And I did like the inclusion of Hades in this remake. Mads Mikkelson did fine as Draco, a mentor and fellow warrior to Perseus. Finally, it's nice to see Hans Matheson getting work in a big project, even if his character did get turned into stone by Medusa.

Maybe it's because I grew up loving the original and nothing will ever replace it in my heart. But this remake was a serious disappointment.


Michael C. Hall as Dexter

Dexter returns tonight! I'm so excited, I love this show. I don't love it just for the compelling story of a serial killer but for Michael C. Hall's performance in the titular role. He can play any emotion he's given and any situation he's in. He completely inhabits the role from the outside and in, as evident through Hall's excellent voice over work. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the day he wins his Emmy.

Netflix

Me and Orson Wells-I have faith that Zac Efron is more than a pretty face.
A Single Man-A must see for a second time.
The Thin Red Line-Netflix Instant. Can't go wrong with Terrence Malik.

Once you have signed up to terror, your mind closes right down. It becomes only our story that matters, not their story.

Five Minutes of Heaven

A powerful and thrilling meditation on revenge and redemption, Five Minutes of Heaven tells the story of Alistair Little, a former UVF member who killed Joe Griffen's brother. Twenty-five years later, the media arrange a reunion between the two changed men.

Five Minutes of Heaven looks at the difficulty of forgiveness and letting go, and how hate and regret can come together and be resolved. This is all portrayed in the fabulous performances by Liam Neeson as Little and James Nesbitt as Griffen. Neeson, brilliant as always, uses physicality and voice to portray his regret. His hands shake, his eyes droop down, his body and face scream sad. But he will not physically be at the mercy of Griffen. Despite his regret, Neeson carries Little as a strong man who has been through hell but wants to live. Similarly, Nesbitt gives a superb performance that relies heavily on physicality and voice. Lots of twitching, shouting, and nervous ticks color Joe Griffen through James Nesbitt. I haven't seen Nesbitt in much, but he did make an impression on me in his small but important role as a detective in Match Point.

This quiet, nearly scoreless movie creates ample tension through the performances and the direction. Tight shots follow Griffen as he descends towards Little. Griffen contemplates killing Little much in the way young Little contemplated going through with the murder twenty-five years ago. The two men mirror each other in an almost creepy way. The film is very intimate, like one is eavesdropping or watching from a distance all this go down. Five Minutes of Heaven's writing and shots reminded me of a Patrick Marber (Closer, Notes on a Scandal) script. As a viewer, one feels as if they are intruding and could interrupt a crucial moment at any second.

This film ponders whether enemies can become friends, media exploitation of grief and misery, is it possible to truly forgive and the power of redemption. Those are some pretty serious themes to deal with in a ninety-nine minute movie. Five Minutes of Heaven's length is its Achilles' heel. All the listed themes are vital to the film, so an extra thirty minutes might've been a good idea.

I highly recommend this film. Five Minutes of Heaven leaves a lasting impression.

Jane Lynch on Glee

This is one of the most obvious good performances I've written about. Lynch is fabulous as the hateful but sympathetic Sue Sylvester. Her humor is obvious and dry, simple and intelligent. Her height matches her big personality and she's one of the two, formerly three, reasons I continue to watch Glee. With all the TV I watch, I'd be easy for me to just forget a show that I wasn't enjoying as much anymore. But Lynch is hilarious and makes Glee more than bearable for me. I love her in all the Christopher Guest movies, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Arrested Development, etc. It's nice that I know her now as Jane Lynch and not "that funny, tall, blonde lady."

Netflix

My Wife is an Actress-I enjoy Charlotte Gainsbourg and I enjoy French cinema.
Temple Grandin-Well, it won all those Emmys.
This Is England-Netflix Instant. Keeps getting recommended to me.

You think I want to sell stolen wheelchairs for the rest of my life?

Date Night

Date Night is a comedy about a married couple looking to have a little fun but end up being chased around New York City by mobsters and crooked cops due to a mistaken identity. The film, with a fairly predictable plot and decent jokes, is given all its magic through the king and queen of TV comedy, Steve Carrell and Tina Fey.

Carrell and Fey have their prestigious titles for a reason. They each have their own brand of awkward but intelligent humor that can be watered down or magnified to reach audiences of most ages and IQ levels. In Date Night, their humor is slightly dumbed down but hilarious none the less. They have wonderful, natural chemistry and easily slip into the role of a married couple, The Fosters, stuck in routines. But when this boring, normal, and believable couple are thrown into an extreme situation, the comedy sparks start flying.

But along with this comedy comes a heartwarming feeling. The Fosters are clearly in love, they've just lost each other a little bit. And they do not want to become what their newly separated friends became, "Really awesome roommates." Watching the Fosters run around in their extreme situation brings the laughs but seeing them work so well together as a couple brings the "awws." This shows that Carrell and Fey aren't just funny, but good actors as well.

The supporting cast also brings the laughs. Mila Kunis and James Franco make a hilarious appearance as a trashy couple with the answer to the Foster's problems. Mark Wahlburg's hotness is almost too much to handle and William Fitchner, yet again, shows that he can do anything, even pervy comedy.

Lots of couples go through sparkless ruts like the Fosters. Hopefully lots are lucky enough to get it back and rediscover each other.

Paul Rudd in Dinner for Schmucks

While this was an ensemble film with laughs from all actors, Paul Rudd stood out. His character, Tim, was a bit of an asshole, something we aren't used to seeing from Rudd. His character in the original French version is waaayy more of a dick, but Tim is an ass. It's nice to see Paul Rudd try to be more than a nice or cluelessly funny guy, and be believable at it. Though he has his nice guy moments and turns out to be a nice guy in the end, props to Rudd for trying something different.

Netflix

A Prophet-A supposedly brilliant French film.
The Ghost Writer-Regardless of who Polanski is as a person, he's a genius behind the camera.
The Young Victoria-Netflix Instant. I didn't wanna see this in theaters but I'll check it out since it's on Instant.

You know it's not easy being your friend.

The Expendables

This testosterone filled action movie has bad acting, overly dramatic music, poor writing, minimal and cliched character development (if any) and action vets who need to renew their AARP membership. The Expendables is just...bad.

But who cares?

Yes, this "film" is a total mess. I was seriously worried about Sly Stallone's veins popping out of his skin, not to mention him blowing his knee out or maybe having a heart attack.

The story and script are your typical action movie stories and script...explosion explosion, fight scene fight scene, explosion explosion, dangerous dictators that need to be taken out, fight scene, a woman, explosion explosion, the end. But the fight scenes, although ridiculous, are pretty fantastic and exceptionally well choreographed. The explosions are never ending and always appreciated. The guns are loud and the knives are accurate. It's really just one thing after another and the scenes just get better and more ludicrous.

What's most important about The Expendables is its conceit--which is really kind of genius. Screenwriter Stallone is saying, "Let's get all these old and almost old action stars (and athletes) into one movie doing all the things they did when they were younger. Let's throw dictators plus a million and one explosions into the mix. Let's be totally ridiculous and off the wall and dumb for the sake of entertainment." In other words, The Expendables is totally campy and self aware; it knows what it is and embraces it whole heartedly. That awareness makes the movie intentionally and unintentionally hilarious simultaneously. The dramatic lines are just too dramatic to be serious and therefore I laugh. The action scenes are too over the top to be shocking and therefore I laugh. Some of the intentional jokes are really funny--and therefore I laugh.

The Expendables is crap...golden crap. I recommend it if you need an engrossing distraction and want to turn your brain off.

Sigourney Weaver in Working Girl

Sigourney Weaver is just so cool. She's likable and she totally kicks ass in the Alien films (so I've heard). But geez, she's such a bitch in Working Girl. Not only is she is a bitch but Weaver plays her as a completely single-minded woman. She's number one, she's the only person that matters and you're in trouble if you cross her. I wouldn't want to cross her. But Weaver is so masterful in this role because we usually love her characters, but Katherine has no redeeming qualities. And Weaver made sure of that.


Netflix

After.Life-Liam Neeson as a bad guy? Okay!
The Dinner Game-The original French film that Dinner for Schmucks is based on. I loved Dinner for Schmucks so I'm curious to see the original.
Doctor Who-Netflix Instant. They have all the seasons available and since I hear such great things I should check it out.

And I will lead them on a merry chase.

I have been so sucky with this blog this summer. Apologies.

Inception

But on a more serious note, if you haven't seen Inception, the greatest film of the summer, probably the year and one of the most important cinematic experiences of my life, then DO NOT read on. I refuse to spoil this movie for anyone who hasn't seen it. But seriously, if you haven't seen it, get your butt to a movie theater immediately. How could you have waited so long?

The film is an absolute masterpiece. An original storyline (though I think Chris Nolan might've been inspired by Roswell), a flawless cast, mind blowing special effects, powerful music, Inception has saved 2010 from being one of the weakest movie years.

First off, this GQ cast. Hottest cast since Star Trek, hands down. Everyone is beautiful in their unique ways, even Ellen Page. Looks aside, this cast is incredibly talented and all turn in exceptional performances. This is one of Leonardo DiCaprio's finest roles. His character, an extractor named Dom, comes with heavy emotional baggage and DiCaprio handles it perfectly. He's great at playing a broken man, his eyes say it all. Though Dom is the main character and DiCaprio gives an Oscar worthy performance, I don't know if he'll get his much deserved statue for this, because though Dom is the main character, Inception cannot function without all the other characters. This is truly masterful ensemble work.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is charming (as usual) but is definitely not the same Joseph Gordon-Levitt we've seen before. He is charming but he has a suave and debonairness to him. Furthermore, he executes his action scenes perfectly, like he'd been doing him since birth. Inception could definitely catapult him to the A-List, though he's been on my A-List for years. Ellen Page ALMOST made me forget she was Juno, so that says a lot. I loved her character and Page held her own in her company.

Marion Cotillard is heartbreakingly beautiful and that look was necessary for her character, Mal. She was well cast in her role. She took on a huge weight with the role, because she was one of (if not the most) important characters. Cotillard's talents were put to good use, I could see her getting nominated for an Oscar for this. Anyone who thought her character was annoying just didn't get it.

I could go on and on about the other actors but then I'd be writing all day. To sum it up, Ken Watanabe was superb and Hollywood needs to put him in more films. Cillian Murphy gave an excellent spin on a fairly stereotypical role. Michael Caine was barely in Inception, but his few moments on screen were enjoyable as usual. Newcomer Tom Hardy has left a strong impact on audiences and Hollywood. I wouldn't be surprised if he exploded in the next couple years. He brought a necessary light and humor to a very heavy film.

On to the special effects. Mind bending, mind blowing, inspiring, unlike anything I've seen before. But these aren't your Michael Bay special effects. Not only are these awe inspiring but they add to the story. Inception and its concept cannot exist without these special effects. Bending cities, gravity-less fights, epic chase sequences in houses, the streets, and snow, I don't have the adequate words to write how great they are. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's gravity-less fight scene two levels down was just incredible. How they filmed it, I don't care to know, I'd rather just live in the dream. Definitely one of the best fight scenes I've ever seen.

Hans Zimmer composed an impeccable soundtrack, which I'm listening to as I write. Heartbreaking songs but also pieces that get your blood pumping, each song fits right in with its scene, especially "Time," the last song. Zimmer apparently designed the film's distinct noise, and most of the soundtrack, around "Non Je Ne Regrette Rein," the Edith Piaf song (the woman Marion Cotillard got her Oscar for playing) that's used as the musical cue. This soundtrack is essential to any serious movie goer's collection.

The costumes are note-perfect. Great tailoring, beautiful to look at, and each piece fitting their character's personality.

Finally, the story. The story and all its complexities. Seeing Inception twice already has definitely helped me understand everything better. There is just so much going on both in front of you and themes of guilt, metaphors, etc. All the dreams within a dream, the different levels and time, limbo, totems, each character's role, I can't imagine what studio execs and the actors thought the first time they read it. And the ending...my God the ending. I believe that Dom is still in limbo, he never made it out. But it doesn't matter. His character made an incredible transformation. At the beginning, he was obsessed with always knowing what was reality and what was a dream but after everything he's gone through in the film, he throws in the towel; what makes him happy is what's real. And whether that's being awake or being asleep, it doesn't matter. This is a character who was very broken, ready to shoot himself in the head if he wasn't in reality and he did a complete 180. I do not think the whole film was a dream, with the dream being Dom's way of dealing with his guilt over Mal. While I would not be disappointed and I don't see it as a cop out, I just simply don't believe it. However, if it were all a dream, that would not make the film any less powerful or Dom's catharsis any less meaningful.

Some have written that Inception is a metaphor for filmmaking, with each character representing an integral part of film. Saito is the money guy, Dom the director, Ariadne (Page) the screenwriter, Fischer the audience, Arthur (Gordon-Levitt) the producer, and Eames (Hardy) the actor. They all work together to create this imaginary world for Fischer as the audience. Dom and the others take Fischer through an exciting and mind blowing journey that leaves him a changed man, much like a director and his team take an audience through a journey in a great film. Furthermore, the notion of playing with dreams makes the dreamer aware that he is in a dream is like how audiences lose focus on a film when there is an implausible or unnecessary scene, they come back to reality. Below are two articles that will help audiences with any confusions they have about Inception and further explain Inception as a metaphor for filmmaking.

Inception Explained
Filmmaking

Chris Nolan, you continue to outdo yourself and raise the bar for filmmaking. You are incapable of making a bad movie. Thanks for giving sharing your gift with us and please keep sharing.

I'm glad I saw Inception twice and I hope to see it again. I will be good every time but nothing will ever be as good as the very first time, when I had no idea what to except and I saw everything unfold in front of me for the first time. Inception will withstand the test of time and is an instant classic.

George Clooney in Michael Clayton

I'm all about scenery chewing, give me Al Pacino in nearly anything and I'll be satisfied. But I love, love, love a strong and believable performances that's mostly subtly. My mind constantly goes back to George Clooney as the title role in Michael Clayton when I think of strong subtly. His last scene alone, as the credits role, is enough for me to write about him. After everything that's happened, he sits in cab and tells the cabbie to just drive. If I hadn't seen one minute of the film and I just saw this last part, I'd know that this character just went through hell. Clooney writes it all over his face; his eyes, cheeks, mouth, his gaze, the placement of his hand. But there are no tears, no words, no noises; it's all coming from within Clooney.

Netflix

Five Minutes of Heaven-Irish film with Liam Neeson. Looks promising.
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief-Missed this. I love Greek gods.
Pushing Daisies-Netflix Instant. Lee Pace is a fox and I always wanted to watch this short lived comedy.

We're doomed.

Star Wars: Episode IV-A New Hope

I was enjoying Star Wars at cardio cinema this week and while I was running on the treadmill, I realized how long it had been since I'd even seen Star Wars. And it's good! So, so good! Star Wars was revolutionary for its time and will be revolutionary forever. Special effects and storytelling techniques made it a trailblazer and contributed to its icon status, along with casting and music.

Star Wars was soooooo well cast, especially with Harrison Ford as bad ass, charming space cowboy, Han Solo. He's charismatic and delivers those one liners like no other. Harrison Ford is an icon, a star. Carrie Fisher is simultaneously bold and sophisticated, she's not your typical princess. Mark Hamil, very very good as a whiny dreamer whose destiny finds him sooner than he thought. He's great at developing his character as the film progresses. Very natural and believable. And James Earl Jones...that voice. The voice says it all.

Viewers now are totally spoiled by special effects. If the latest action or sci fi/fantasy film's effects are not as good as the film that came out last week, we rip the effects apart. For its time, Star Wars' special effects were amazing. Everything looked pretty real, and it definitely amazed me as a kid. But Star Wars is timeless, and the special effects are a part of that timelessness. They are still quite mesmerizing. If I saw them in a film now, I wouldn't complain.

The story is great and the techniques used to tell the story are revolutionary. All the back story is seamlessly woven in. We meet these characters who have history and all this craziness has already taken place. Telling the story out of order was relatively new and just created intense intrigue without distracting from the film on the screen. It's too bad Lucas' writing talent didn't carry over to episode 1-3.

I don't know if I could call myself a fan girl, but I definitely geek out over some sci-fi and Star Wars is one of them. Great storytelling, acting, filming, etc. One of the best films ever made.

Mark Wahlberg in The Departed

First person to appear twice! Seriously, never has a character whose every other word is a curse word sounded so poetic. And he saves the day. Enough said. Put Mark Wahlberg in everything.


Netflix

The Happening-Yes, this movie is 100% absolute crap. But with the plot that it has...it's like a car wreck. I just can't not look.
The Golden Child-Recommended by someone with similar taste to mine, even though I dislike Eddie Murphy.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-Netflix Instant. Must read the book. Must see the movie.