tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19322668214460701332024-03-13T00:35:42.374-07:00Colleenie's CouchWhere sitting on the couch is NOT a waste of time.Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.comBlogger474125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-46764578810349533332013-12-15T21:09:00.000-08:002013-12-15T21:10:39.873-08:00R.I.P. Peter O'ToolePeter O'Toole passed away today at the age of 81. I was fortunate enough to see "Lawrence of Arabia" on the big screen years ago in a theatrical re-release. It was easy to see what all the fuss was about. He was indeed a great actor and stunningly beautiful. My favorite O'Toole movie however, has always been, "My Favorite Year." For some reason, this movie has sort of faded away. If you've never seen this film, give <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNW7dLuX0HNQHVK6l1FSpcVS3AGszXWQgFRE-jlEajTzyi-zvPa0QHTNpAL7bTpxNwCGMTPFVVEWBUu2xEIocInGMyjFlmZs4KGMj_D9q6wEWpoU4rGA6AhG0yCPmxMG4qD7G2nHC544/s1600/movieposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNW7dLuX0HNQHVK6l1FSpcVS3AGszXWQgFRE-jlEajTzyi-zvPa0QHTNpAL7bTpxNwCGMTPFVVEWBUu2xEIocInGMyjFlmZs4KGMj_D9q6wEWpoU4rGA6AhG0yCPmxMG4qD7G2nHC544/s320/movieposter.jpg" /></a></div>yourself a treat. It's a wonderful comedy with a lot of heart. Come back and tell me what you think.Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-70471745966148314802013-02-24T20:36:00.000-08:002013-11-23T21:29:40.820-08:00Oscars 2013Well, some time ago I wrote that I was back and as you can see, I was jumping the gun a bit. I’m getting better each day, but I still can’t push my luck. Lately, I’ve been busier than usual at work, so I’m still searching for the right balance. <br />
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What’s hard is, this is my favorite time of year…OSCARS!<br />
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Yes folks, this is my Superbowl. Sunday is my day, I do not make plans, I do not make dinner, it’s all Oscars, all day. Since movie watching doesn’t hurt my arms or neck, I did manage to see all nine Best Picture nominated films. My goal was to take the nine days leading up to The Oscars and write a review for each. Since the telecast has started, that’s obviously never going to happen. Maybe the best way to get back into the swing of these is to give my reviews in a nutshell, sit back, enjoy the show and then let’s try to get back to regular posting soon.<br />
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I saw <b>Beasts of the Southern Wild </b>in the summertime. I heard great buzz about this film and its young star Quvenzhane Wallis. While this film was visually stunning and the young star certainly earned her Best Actress nomination, this is the type of film that is somewhat wasted on a simple moviegoer like me. Much like last year’s, Tree of Life, I appreciate the artistry and effort to do something different, but I can’t help but feel a little dumb when I see these kinds of films. Some of the content really does go over my head. I often have foreign and independent films high on my watch list, but a film like Beasts of the Southern Wild is best appreciated by those with a more sophisticated film palate than mine.<br />
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<b>Les Miserables </b>was a film I had hesitation about. I have a long love/hate relationship with musicals. Films like The Wizard of Oz and West Side Story are some of my all-time favorite films, but then films like Moulin Rouge, I can’t make it past 5 minutes! Les Miz was a risk for me because I don’t mind when characters sing an actual song, I despise sing songy lines of simple conversation and actions. This film had to work hard to win me over and it did. The opening scene blew me away visually. This is a film that should be seen in the theater. Not only are the visuals best enjoyed on the big screen, it’s a favor to yourself to be in a sequestered setting. This movie is long and it feels long, but since you’re in the theater, you have no choice but to give yourself over completely. As far as the knocks the actors received for their singing ability, I will say this. I felt the point of this project was to hire actors who could sing, not the other way around. I respect this decision that this was being adapted into a movie not simply filming a stage production. Everyone who signed on to this took such a chance and singing live and in the moment had to be so scary for all involved. So, do I wish Russell Crowe had a more commanding voice? Sure I do, but it took a lot of guts to do what he did. As for Anne Hathaway, she continues to “bring it” in roles people think she won’t be able to pull off. I think she’ll win tonight and all I can say for those who felt she desecrated “I Dreamed A Dream” with all her crying, it worked on me. It was gut-wrenchingly emotional and I felt completely destroyed when she was done. I wanted reach into the screen and save her.<br />
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I remember seeing a trailer for <b>Silver Linings Playbook </b>and thinking that Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence will probably want this film to be quickly forgotten. Honestly, these days you’re not even guaranteed a movie is good because Robert DeNiro is in it, that man makes a lot of crap! So what a pleasant surprise it was to get a film with strong writing and acting performances. Once in while a feel good movie works. This one does because of the pull no punches character development which is beautifully executed by superb acting performances. It’s no surprise that this is the only nominated film that snagged nods in all the acting categories. I think Lawrence really has a shot here and I don’t think her Golden Globe exclamation of, “I beat Meryl!” will hurt her one bit.<br />
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To be perfectly honest, the only reason I saw <b>Amour</b> is because it was one of the Best Picture nominees. I have nothing against subtitles or foreign films, however this subject matter was depressing. If making you feel completely deflated and hopeless is what the director was trying to achieve, then mission accomplished. Now, I will say this film was brave it how it dealt with aging and illness. This was, arguably, the most vividly honest film to deal with challenges of growing old and caring for those we love. That is why this film is nominated, but what a downer! <br />
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I’m a fan of Quentin Tarantino and Pulp Fiction is one of my all-time favorite films. My level of excitement was already pretty high for <b>Django Unchained </b>and boy did it deliver! I’m not a fan of gore, yet Tarantino always delivers a huge bloodfest and I love every minute of it! Jamie Foxx was made for the role of Django and he brought the maximum level of cool needed to pull off Taratino’s outrageous storylines. The real gem here though is Christoph Waltz. He was so complex, funny and badass cool. If he manages to wrangle the win away from Tommy Lee Jones, it will be my loudest yell of the evening.<br />
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You can yell at me but even though I write a movie blog, I never saw The Hurt Locker, okay smack my hand. I just never felt in the right mood to sit with that subject matter for two hours. I did break down though and see <b>Zero Dark Thirty</b>. Riveting and emotional for sure, but I feel as if something was missing because of our lack of knowledge. Jessica Chastain turned in a wonderful performance, as she always does, but she was so limited in what she could do with her character because we are not allowed to know these people as real people. As much as a liked this film, I felt a distance from it.<br />
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This was not the case with the wonderful <b>Argo</b>. This shows the different time can make. Whereas the subject of Zero Dark Thirty may still have been too fresh for a film adaptation, the de-classified records for Argo seemed to scream to be made into a film. Ben Affleck really knows his way around as a director not to mention how many fine character actors he peppered this film with. You can’t imagine how great it was for me to see Bryan Cranston and Philip Baker Hall in the same scene. As a Seinfeld maniac I couldn’t even hear what they were saying because I was thinking, “Oh my God, Bookman, The Library Cop and Tim Whatley, DDS are in the same room!” This movie was so intense, yet fun. To know this was a true story really added to the enjoyment. It was great to know what some people will put on the line to do what’s right. I think Lincoln is a lock for Best Picture, but I have to say, I would not be shocked to see this one pull it out of left field.<br />
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<b>Life of Pi </b>was a pleasant surprise. So many films this year proved how important it is to still see movies in the theater. Life of Pi was a visual treat and lent itself great to the revived and trendy 3-D format. When it seems like so many films are in 3-D just because they can be, for this film, it actually added a special quality. To feel as if you too where trapped on the boat with the Bengal tiger really helped you buy into the film. I loved the overall message and I have to say Ang Lee did have one of the toughest director challenges this year.<br />
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Lastly, <b>Lincoln</b> was a collaboration of A-listers: Spielberg, Day-Lewis, Field, Jones and the most wonderful movie music maker of all time, John Williams. Why this movie garnered the most nominations is because it accomplished the task of taking someone who is an iconic legend and making him a very real, relatable person. My honey since the 80’s, Daniel Day-Lewis deserves the Oscar for bringing Abraham Lincoln to life. This movie really has no action and may be boring to those not interested in this part of history, however you would do yourself a disservice to miss this wonderfully executed biopic. I started crying in the opening scene. There were so many beautiful tiny moments that you felt to your core. I think this will walk away with the Best Picture award. Although some may think it’s because it’s tailor made for awards, not true. This is an example of the wonderful magic movies can give us. Taking us back to the Civil War Era and making us feel everything that was on the line was a monumental feet and it delivered.<br />
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This is going out a bit late. It was quite a task when I haven’t posted in so long, but hey everyone….enjoy the Oscars!<br />
Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-1380577650256075762013-01-11T08:12:00.000-08:002013-11-23T21:32:52.795-08:00Where Have I Been?Wow! It’s hard to believe my last blog post was October 5th of last year. Where have I been and what have I been doing? Well, I’m still watching movies and catching up on favorite TV shows. I’m still reading great books and blasting my favorite music. I’m doing almost everything the same except blogging.<br />
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For the past few years, I have suffered from neck pain. My doctor said it was normal wear and tear associated with my age. I felt this was a load of crap, but there’s not much I could do. I pushed on and would have bouts of pain that would lay me up briefly. I learned to manage the pain and would back-off whenever I felt things were escalating.<br />
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Recently, the pain has increased. My left arm has been painful from the shoulder all the way down to my fingers. It was tender to the touch and my hand was almost entirely numb causing me to drop almost everything I picked up. After two appointments complaining of pain, my doctor finally ordered an MIR. <br />
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Well I have a bone spur in one part of my neck and severe nerve pinching in two other parts. It’s actually affecting both of my arms, but the pain on my left side far outweighs anything on my right. I’m now on nerve medication and I started acupuncture which immediately banished the numbness in my hand! <br />
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This week I start a beginning yoga class and I’m going to give meditation a try. What does all this mean for Colleenie’s Couch? Well, I had to force myself to take a break. I have a full-time job that keeps me on the computer for most of the day. By the time I get home, I physically could not bang on these keys no matter how much I wanted to. I have hated not writing about the things I love and not reading everyone’s wonderful blogs, but I had no choice.<br />
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Now, I would like to try to come back. I think if I pace myself properly and continue to try new methods, I might be able to do it all. I would love your feedback. What helps you? Have you experienced any of these pain issues? I’m thinking about purchasing Dragon Naturally Speaking Software and I’d love to know if any of you have tried it.<br />
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So, for now I’m back. I’ve missed all of you and I’m going to try to get things back in flow once again. I’m very behind with my reviews so some of my posts may be “old news.” <br />
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Wish me luck!<br />
Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-24377625358272017772012-10-05T12:55:00.000-07:002013-11-23T21:31:19.188-08:00Colleenie Ghoulie Rises from the Grave!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Snwt_AoIAJWzKkeEGwlRSEhpFmcD23sOLgEiLYsvaxGpgb7nPVudkZc_bZa7vEzPMBrcxS2URVpfoVDVNeZyKf18ICo9DtdOS-jEmYJOZ4YD0GE1rSpPI1u1tfo9hP6LmMeJrby09-0/s1600/Monster+House++Movie+Poster%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Snwt_AoIAJWzKkeEGwlRSEhpFmcD23sOLgEiLYsvaxGpgb7nPVudkZc_bZa7vEzPMBrcxS2URVpfoVDVNeZyKf18ICo9DtdOS-jEmYJOZ4YD0GE1rSpPI1u1tfo9hP6LmMeJrby09-0/s320/Monster+House++Movie+Poster%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Hello my fiends! Regulars to Colleenie’s Couch know that October is a special month. Not only is it my birthday month, but I love all things Halloween. This is my third year devoted each Friday in October to wonderful Halloween goodness.<br />
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The last two years I focused on truly scary films. This year however, I’m inspired by the release of Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, so I decided to focus on some great family-friendly Halloween flicks.<br />
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First up, 2006’s Monster House. This film may have slipped by you in its original release. Movie studios churn out so much crap for kids, it can be difficult to find films that are entertaining and have a great story. Monster House fits the bill perfectly. Even if you don’t have children, Monster House is funny, scary and has such a touching story that really got to me. <br />
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I hope you’ll check this one out and let me know what you think. Remember to come back each Friday for more Ghoulie fun. Throughout October, I’ll be talking about all kinds of scary fare. Next weekend is The Walking Dead and American Horror Story is close behind.<br />
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I will also be providing links to some past creepy stuff so I hope you’ll be around a lot. Right now though the sun is really bothering me, I better slip back into my coffin until nightfall. <br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Gy61DFpIE_8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-15393710621944202142012-09-18T19:36:00.001-07:002012-09-18T19:36:04.672-07:00Song of the Week - Oh Love/Green Day<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IWwMqa-_210" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
It doesn't get much better than new Green Day, right? I can't wait for the new album. Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-593922168183178062012-09-12T11:14:00.000-07:002013-11-23T21:36:34.637-08:00The Words - Movie Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYFFaWlAKiTV6LVfvvtj4LUj54XSq2MX4A13oyY0nCetXrZkx3Sjw5zVj2q36wvcUKgEhtia0bIiP_v6il3eqVXprAQ3H_JPsIpKsLycv-yhvnRIAy1fKKZFzFbqCQp-iI-v5l1pnW48/s1600/12003%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYFFaWlAKiTV6LVfvvtj4LUj54XSq2MX4A13oyY0nCetXrZkx3Sjw5zVj2q36wvcUKgEhtia0bIiP_v6il3eqVXprAQ3H_JPsIpKsLycv-yhvnRIAy1fKKZFzFbqCQp-iI-v5l1pnW48/s320/12003%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Hollywood loves to make movies about writers. Since watching someone write is only slightly more exciting than watching paint dry, it’s amazing how many films show people sitting at a desk, struggling to bring words to life.<br />
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The new Bradley Cooper film, The Words, deals not only with the struggles of writing, but moral dilemmas. If you had a hard time making it big in the literally world and you stumbled onto to an old manuscript that was brilliant, would you pass it off as your own? We all know that once an author has one wildly successful book, publishers will often release older works that never made it into print. So could this manuscript serve as a gateway and would the ends justify the means?<br />
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Cooper plays, Rory Jansen, a struggling young author trying to live in New York and be a literary genius to his new wife (Zoe Saldana). However, this is simply a story being read to an audience by an older established author, Clay Hammond (Dennis Quaid). This is where <i>The Words </i>runs into some problems.<br />
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The trailer gives the impression that the film is about Bradley Copper’s character, and it is, but when you realize in the opening that Quaid is reading from his new fictional novel, something is immediately lost. Of course most fiction is derived from real life and questioning Quaid as to whether he’s telling a story, or writing a cathartic autobiography is pivotal to the film. Still, a lack of connection exists for the viewer. <br />
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We have two stories now and yet we will be told a third by Old Man (Jeremy Irons), the author of the lost manuscript. His story is told with heart and you feel the passion he has for love, family and art. The film is only 97 minutes though, so it’s a lot of people to cram into one cohesive story and you don’t get to be with anyone long enough to get too emotional attached.<br />
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I saw this movie with my daughter and it just didn’t work for her. Myself, being a constant struggling writer, I was able to feel the pain and betrayal these characters felt. It did all come together for me in the end and I could see how Quaid’s successful author was necessary to the storytelling. I thought the film portrayed the act of writing and writers better than most films and I really did like the story and the moral dilemmas it presented. If this is subject matter you enjoy, I think you will feel very satisfied with this film. <br />
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Of course my critical eye had some problems that I couldn’t let go of. How could Rory (Bradley Copper) and Dora(Zoe Saldana) afford to go to Paris for their honeymoon? Seriously, we keep hearing about how broke they are and how much they’re struggling and they go to Paris and they have money to buy stuff? Even my 19 year old daughter leaned over and said to me, “How could they afford to go to Paris?” Take a moment to say it was a wedding gift from the parents or something because that was just too unbelievable.<br />
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Secondly, even non-writers know that publishing houses are suffering. It is next too impossible for an unknown author to be traditionally published these days. What actual writers know is that all writers have day jobs to pay the bills. That’s one of the reasons writing is so hard! So, to think Rory would be writing full-time after college, live in New York City and think that’s going to work out for him, makes him unbelievable about the current state of writing these days. Heck, this guy doesn’t even have an agent! Wasn’t this type if thing discussed in his classes? All of his professors are writers AND they are teaching! <br />
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It sounds like I didn’t like this film, but I actual did. The acting was great and the emotions from all three main characters, Quaid, Copper and Irons felt very real. It had a great jumping off point and I wanted it to be better. I’m glad I saw it though and I would probably watch it again on DVD, I only wish I could have extracted a bit more from it.<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gjmrDDD9o_k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-25439990910736041672012-09-11T22:38:00.002-07:002012-09-11T22:38:34.806-07:00Song of the Week - Tuesday Morning/Melissa Etheridge<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BuvBTfN9C0c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
I heard this on my local radio station this morning in rememberance of 9/11. What a beautiful song and tribute. I've never heard this song before. When Etheridge sings a song she really puts her soul in it.Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-83589565909152449222012-09-10T20:31:00.002-07:002012-09-10T20:31:38.129-07:00First Lincoln Teaser<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AqXiUdoKUVY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
Man I can't wait!Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-64821522621754665262012-09-04T21:08:00.001-07:002012-09-04T21:08:29.911-07:00Song of the Week - Littlest Things/Lily Allen<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/N7SA3IaOWYY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
Yesterday I saw <i>Celeste and Jesse Forever</i>. It had a killer soundtrack, which I don't seem to be able to find anywhere. At least you can count on the internet to provide people's personal lists of songs. I found out that the song Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg sing in the car is this great song by Lily Allen. I hope my iPod is ready to play this one over and over again.Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-50114921865383610542012-09-03T21:30:00.000-07:002013-11-23T21:33:44.751-08:00Labor Day Roundup!Labor Day officially marks the end of the summer movie season. I saw a lot of the movies this summer. I reviewed a great number of them, I'm behind on writing up a few, and some I missed altogether. I about a million times I planned to see The Dark Knight Rises, but it never seemed to materialize. I ended the season with seeing, Celeste and Jesse Forever. I'll try to review that this week. Here's a list of what I did see. What were your favorites of the summer? What were the duds? Let me know.<br />
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<a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-amazing-spiderman-movie-review.html">The Amazing Spiderman</a><br />
<a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2012/05/avengers-movie-review.html">The Avengers</a><br />
<a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2012/06/bully-movie-review.html">Bully</a><br />
<a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2012/08/magic-mike-movie-review.html">Magic Mike</a><br />
<a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2012/06/moonrise-kingdom-movie-review.html">Moonrise Kingdom</a><br />
<a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-odd-life-of-timothy-green-movie.html">The Odd Life of Timothy Green</a><br />
<a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2012/08/ruby-sparks-movie-review.html">Ruby Sparks</a><br />
<a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2012/06/safety-not-guaranteed-movie-review.html">Safety Not Guaranteed</a><br />
<a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2012/08/so-deal-i-made-with-my-teenage-son-was.html">Ted</a><br />
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**I'm working on my review of Beasts of the Southern Wild, Your Sister's Sister and Celeste and Jesse Forever, look for those later this week. My favorite surprise gem of the summer was <i>Safety Not Guaranteed</i>. I actually went and saw it a second time. Now on to the serious Fall Flicks!<br />
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-59315443241290571792012-08-28T22:09:00.002-07:002012-08-28T22:09:52.289-07:00Song of the Week - Karma Police/Radiohead<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IBH97ma9YiI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
It never fails. Every summer I become obsessed with an old song and I can't stop listening to it. If you recall, in 2009, I was stuck on a <a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-post.html">Night Ranger </a>song!<br />
Well this summer is no different. I can't get this Radiohead song at of my head. I keep going about my day mumbling, "This is what you get when you mess with us." Do you have anything stuck in your head right now?Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-76030580798934791442012-08-18T13:18:00.002-07:002012-08-18T13:18:57.142-07:00Sleepwalk with Me - Trailer and Boycott?<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pj6_020FFXU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
This seems like a nice film. Why is Wheldon so against it? If it was about a sleepwalking superhero, then would he be on board? <br />
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What do you think? Would you see this film? I think it's great what fans can do these days.Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-13606540183266476082012-08-16T23:51:00.000-07:002012-10-01T22:32:57.764-07:00Ruby Sparks - Movie Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0fAnyKPgX254TjJQmORmcrVEYylkb4Q111TxuSP2kzi0msBFH5PXw-Yp-67BEhG1T58YXCRM2xpBC5f6dKCZ33jcoFmSitxcNU30MgM3fAg37zZ6LqcrKaHT9z5jpwIy1MEq-5AOYus/s1600/MV5BMjE2OTM5OTUyOF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODI4Nzg3Nw%2540%2540._V1._SY317_%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="317" width="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0fAnyKPgX254TjJQmORmcrVEYylkb4Q111TxuSP2kzi0msBFH5PXw-Yp-67BEhG1T58YXCRM2xpBC5f6dKCZ33jcoFmSitxcNU30MgM3fAg37zZ6LqcrKaHT9z5jpwIy1MEq-5AOYus/s320/MV5BMjE2OTM5OTUyOF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODI4Nzg3Nw%2540%2540._V1._SY317_%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Funny enough, the next film I saw after <a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-odd-life-of-timothy-green-movie.html">The Odd Life of Timothy Green</a>, is also about a person who materializes from someone’s imagination. <i>Ruby Sparks </i>is the story of a writer who creates the perfect woman on the page and in morning finds her in his kitchen.<br />
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Calvin (Paul Dano) is a young writer who has one novel under his belt. It’s a great novel. It catapulted him to genius status and everyone can’t wait to see what his next book will be. Problem is, he has writer’s block. He’s in therapy and trying to get over a failed relationship. <br />
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He begins to dream about a sweet, pretty girl and starts to write about her. He quickly becomes obsessed. All he wants to do is write more about her so that they can spend time together. Then one day, he comes downstairs and she’s in his kitchen! <br />
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I can easily accept crazy premises in films when they are done well and at first, this was going okay for me. The script is written by Zoe Kazan (Ruby Sparks) and co-stars Dano who is her boyfriend in real life. It starts out being cute and slowly tries to say a lot about relationships and what can often be unrealistic expectations we put on our partners. All of this was fine. My problem was that the story began to write it self into a box that it could not get out of. <br />
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It was nice that everyone could see Ruby because I hate when characters talk to invisible people. Ruby has a whole backstory that Calvin created for her, but when she wants to spend some time at her apartment and take an art class, there’s no explanation as to how she has a real apartment and where she would get money? I know it’s a fantasy, but if you’re writing a fun story with a modern, intellectual slant, you need to cover your bases. I would’ve enjoyed seeing clever ways for Calvin to solve these challenges so that Ruby can continue to believe her own existence. <br />
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By the end, there were too many unexplained issues gnawing at my brain. I saw some bright spots and I’m sure Ms. Kazan will grow as a screenwriter. She's a good actress and her and Dano were great onscreen. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7suMwv4K7Pxo0YrTDbvTuczG7Iceh9wW-qCzub3nCB1BBrDhBg9Wk8Ob9p-ZUme6VzrJE_agPfhusArb_Ne3kLumAE9hWDxl7Pwm4grBzOfZ34FDOzMgXOopz-TzeoSCSCR5gGnwQqCQ/s1600/Antonio-Banderas%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="166" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7suMwv4K7Pxo0YrTDbvTuczG7Iceh9wW-qCzub3nCB1BBrDhBg9Wk8Ob9p-ZUme6VzrJE_agPfhusArb_Ne3kLumAE9hWDxl7Pwm4grBzOfZ34FDOzMgXOopz-TzeoSCSCR5gGnwQqCQ/s320/Antonio-Banderas%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I was really looking forward to this film, but in the end it didn’t measure up. There was a really cute dog in the film and he did look a lot like Antonio Banderas, especially when he wore his glasses!<br />
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Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-26241960053156706932012-08-15T11:16:00.000-07:002012-08-15T11:16:10.896-07:00The Odd Life of Timothy Green - Movie Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7PRVbmQri3Bde4ar4mbAVcXVRytomFx3JQXg4u9pJe5jWE9fwWR_2x9A9IMN2NXUaTdLQc9pznhHpo2Rt15qezxjb5aDPu3RBHtiIHoD1H7QUlvifAx9NX3NrQ1iGcPxHKJLys4HGz0/s1600/images%255B10%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="274" width="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7PRVbmQri3Bde4ar4mbAVcXVRytomFx3JQXg4u9pJe5jWE9fwWR_2x9A9IMN2NXUaTdLQc9pznhHpo2Rt15qezxjb5aDPu3RBHtiIHoD1H7QUlvifAx9NX3NrQ1iGcPxHKJLys4HGz0/s320/images%255B10%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I was fortunate enough to go to an advanced screening of the new Disney film <i>The Odd Life of Timothy Green</i>. While there’s no greater joy for me than to see a film before its official release, this screening was a bit chaotic. <br />
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The first clue that I was going to have my work cut out for me, was a late afternoon email informing me that the revenue had changed. The new theater was only blocks away from the original so no biggie there. I had to take BART (our subway system) from the burbs into San Francisco right after work. The screening wasn’t until 7:30pm though so I wasn’t worried. I arrived downtown by 6pm, grabbed a quick bite and walked around a little to enjoy the nice SF breeze. I had just left 105 degrees, so the cool off was much needed. I also used the restroom at Bloomies before heading upstairs to the theater at 6:30pm. <br />
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Well it was a madhouse. The line wrapped all the way around in to an un-air-conditioned corridor and there was another large group of people in their own line who were on a special invite list. After standing for awhile, I began talking to the people around me. Some people had hand stamps, I did not. Then I realized some people’s passes said the theater we were at. So now I’m thinking they scheduled two screenings and one was cancelled. That’s why there were so many people. I seriously considered leaving, but I didn’t have anything else to do now, so I thought I’d chance it. I was one of the very last people admitted! I guess a sign of the times, I had to open my backpack and I was swiped with a metal detector. I found a seat in the third row, which I knew me and my neck would pay for later, but I accomplished my goal.<br />
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The movie was very sweet and definitely buoyed by the actors. Not everyone could pull this unbelievable tale off. It all came together though, solid story and a great performance by CJ Adams in the title role. This kid could have easily been annoying or sickly sweet, but he wasn’t. He balanced the performance well and you felt like you too would like this kid.<br />
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The always adorable Jennifer Garner is a new Mom you’re happy to root for. You quickly feel her pain when the film opens and we see Cindy (Garner) and Jim (Joel Edgarton) being told by their physician that becoming pregnant is never going to happen for them. You can tell it’s been a long road for these two and they’re willing to accept their fate, but they spend one last night “dreaming” about what their child would have been like. When the child actually materializes, they are of course dumbstruck, yet quickly aware that their dream is coming true right before their eyes. <br />
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Young Timothy is sweet, easy-going kid who takes life in stride. He touches the people he meets mostly because of his sheer joy of life, love and the world around him.<br />
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The film is adapted from a story idea by Ahmet Zappa and written and directed by Peter Hedges (Dan in Real Life). It’s more a film about learning how to be a parent and how no one feels they are ever getting it right. <br />
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I laughed a lot during this film. I’m a hard sell on these cute types of stories, so I would not be at all surprised if this one gets eaten up in the review. However, I bought in to Timothy’s charming story. Once in awhile it’s nice to see a film that is tender and kind and teaches good lessons and is as opposite from <a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2012/08/so-deal-i-made-with-my-teenage-son-was.html">Ted</a> as you can get. But, remember, I really liked that too!<br />
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Lastly, if you’ve seen the previews or the poster you know Timothy wears long socks all the time. Disney partnered with Hanes and asked people on their tickets to bring a pair of socks to donate when attending the film. Since I was doing back-to-school shopping anyway, I picked up a whole pack. I never saw where to put my socks! I carried them around all night and had to take them home. I didn’t see anyone else with socks. It was printed right on the ticket! I bought a smaller size than my kids wear so I’ll have to see if maybe my local theater is collecting them. All in all, a poorly organized screening. I don’t blame the theater though, it really seemed like some last minute things happened and the staff did well handling the chaos. I did witness quite a few people in the lobby complaining. Somehow, there still managed to be empty seats even though people were turned away and the film started 15 minutes late. I always wanted to be a regular at pre-screenings, but I’m beginning to second guess that idea. <br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mMSkbH0LuTc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-79072584423760933142012-08-14T11:44:00.000-07:002012-08-14T11:44:09.862-07:00Song of the Week - Settle Down/Kimbra<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yHV04eSGzAA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
You might only know Kimbra as the female vocal who Goyte "screwed over" in <i>Somebody That I Used to Know</i>, but she's a great solo artist in her own right.<br />
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I'm really enjoying her new CD, <i>Vows</i>. I know this video is pretty creepy, but I appreciate the artistic quality and song is great. But the dolls...oh the dolls!Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-52241025998769343892012-08-09T22:26:00.001-07:002012-08-09T22:26:14.762-07:00Degrassi Showdown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TI9lAaCRTIzaFmr_xIicrlpCROCxt3mFLHbDA87AzajVHkE9qxmSZpmSA7Jq-1mo7lXYapaSE0MSFA7sxouBspQvk17Uj8ZxkIgKZmA8imKPZVKgjF8gURRCsevBjpCjLzRlD9EJvgM/s1600/degrassi-showdown-mar529-promo-rcm2%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TI9lAaCRTIzaFmr_xIicrlpCROCxt3mFLHbDA87AzajVHkE9qxmSZpmSA7Jq-1mo7lXYapaSE0MSFA7sxouBspQvk17Uj8ZxkIgKZmA8imKPZVKgjF8gURRCsevBjpCjLzRlD9EJvgM/s320/degrassi-showdown-mar529-promo-rcm2%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Full disclosure, this is not my first post about <a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2010/08/degrassi-boiling-point.html">Degrassi</a>. I know I’m 44, but Degrassi transcends age. It’s actually one of the few shows I watch with my 19 year old daughter and my 15 year old son. They can’t agree on anything, but Degrassi has a way of bringing everyone together.<br />
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The creative forces at <i>Degrass</i>i and <a href="http://www.teennick.com/shows/degrassi/">TeenNick</a> have found a way to really pump up summer television. A new half hour episode Monday through Thursday with a grand finale before school starts. <br />
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Degrassi gets it right, by having their cast graduate after four years and touching on every single topic under the sun. Last summer we had hoarding, someone was stabbed and the un-topable…someone peed themself!<br />
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We always like to try to guess the upcoming plot points from the rapid-fire promos. My son won this summer when he guessed there would be a fight over recycle. Yes, you read that right. There is really no subject matter off limits. If they really want to make their website user friendly, they should create a huge data base that can be searched by condition. Gambling addiction, alcoholism, abuse of erectile dysfunction meds, it would really be a huge resource of information.<br />
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This season is no exception. It looks like the new Christian girl who is against the Romeo and Jules play with two male leads, is going to develop a crush on Adam. Since she’s new, she has no idea that Adam is a transgender teen. Also, that damm hockey team! They have created so much havoc and they’re close to pushing their sweet young star player over the edge. Plus, why did it take Degrassi so long to get a hockey team?<br />
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Anyway, I’m in for the long haul. Degrassi has been able to successfully do what so many others fail at. They change their cast before everyone sleeps with each other (well close I guess), and they graduate before they rack up too many dramas to become completely unbelievable. This is the main reason I don’t watch <a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2009/03/amys-having-baby.html">The Secret the Life of the American Teenager</a> anymore!<br />
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Long live Degrassi! <br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6x3DlO7U3Tg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-5403444280022475472012-08-08T06:00:00.000-07:002012-08-08T08:00:02.116-07:00Ted - Movie Review<br />
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So the deal I made with my teenage son was that if he didn’t complain too much during vacation, I would take him to see <i>Ted</i> when we returned.<br />
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Every summer we spend a week in Carmel, California. Although I bring my laptop and we watch movies, it’s more of a laid back atmosphere. We eat out and take long walks, we talk and spend time together, things that do not really excite a teenage boy.<br />
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Too my son’s credit, I really pushed it this year. We spent one whole afternoon at the Cannery Row Antique Mall in Monterey. This was sheer torture for my poor son. We returned from our trip on a Thursday and as promised, Friday afternoon we were in our seats waiting for Ted to start.<br />
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I had my reservations about this film. I don’t really watch Family Guy, although <a href="http://colleeniescouch.blogspot.com/2010/07/stewie-falls-down-stairs.html">Stewie falling down the stairs</a>, is about my most favorite clip ever! Still, this really seemed like it could be a huge bomb. I actually wouldn’t be surprised if you told me you hated it. I’m also not a fan of stupid humor, but once in awhile, something like Dumb and Dumber or Tropic Thunder, totally clicks with me. I must admit, Ted did the same.<br />
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When appreciating low-brow humor, I look under the surface for a little something more. What Ted gave me was a storyline that didn’t go for the usual plot of Ted being real to only the main character. Everyone can engage in conversations with Ted and interact with him just as much as the main character. <br />
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John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) makes a childhood wish for his teddy bear to talk. When the wish comes true, John and Ted make a promise to be lifelong friends. Even as Ted becomes famous, he always keeps his promise to John. Now that bear and are in their 30’s, the friendship is stunting John’s final leap into adulthood.<br />
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Lori (Mila Kunis), is John’s very accepting girlfriend. She is actually okay with Ted in theory. She’s fine with having a live teddy bear in her life, just not one that sits on the couch all day smoking pot and bringing skanks to the apartment at night. <br />
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Really, this is a simple tale about growing up and becoming a man. What makes this film different is that we watch the maturity of a man and a teddy bear. Also, it’s frickin’ hysterical! For some reason this movie totally got me. I thought it would be mildly amusing and the “joke” would wear off after a few minutes but I laughed hard and loud through this whole thing. <br />
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I enjoyed many plot points. I liked that Mila Kunis’ character didn’t need John to be some six figure earning guy. She makes the money and she appreciates him being kind and sweet. All she wants is for him to take his life seriously. <br />
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I also liked the twisted friendship of John and Ted. Ted is certainly a bad influence, but he really loves John and he would do anything for him. <br />
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It probably sounds like I’m making this film out to be more than it is, but in my world of inane comedy, I do need a little more and this film delivered.<br />
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I can’t begin to explain how hard I laughed during the fight scene. I was almost embarrassed with how much I was laughing. <br />
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My son was happy, I was happy, a good time was had by all. Seth MacFarlane was able to bring it big time and I’m glad he did. <br />
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Try not to be offended by this clip. I know LOTS of girls with these names!<br />
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Lastly, I'm going to put this picture here of Mila Kunis because she is just smoking hot. If anyone knows how I can replicate the smoky eyes she does, please give me a link! I think I'm a bit old (and not blessed with the same gene pool) to get that level of hotness, but I'd like to give it a shot!Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-32493550926737816982012-08-07T06:00:00.000-07:002012-08-07T19:36:49.604-07:00Song of the Week - Next to Me/Emeli Sande<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-nwdjQmc_N8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
I'm a sucker for anything that sounds like classic R&B. This new song hits the nail on the head. Happy Tuesday everyone!Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-20170750160897451362012-08-01T22:22:00.000-07:002012-08-02T21:16:15.638-07:00Magic Mike - Movie Review<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOpMYyaqgWJ6nkOFv6ECwUUphBL1iVc6GKSPgmibJHlT7eanH8E_EAYtd5ZLzZlSyCvzhoQfsIYMcoPVuTLgEc_ancrHeLf8jcE10218wa0jBIaKsOi4GOXL3V4X7Nv6O6QDym7mitJs/s1600/magic-mike-movie-poster%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOpMYyaqgWJ6nkOFv6ECwUUphBL1iVc6GKSPgmibJHlT7eanH8E_EAYtd5ZLzZlSyCvzhoQfsIYMcoPVuTLgEc_ancrHeLf8jcE10218wa0jBIaKsOi4GOXL3V4X7Nv6O6QDym7mitJs/s320/magic-mike-movie-poster%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Honestly, this was not high on my list of must-see summer films, but I kept hearing that this was actually a fully realized film and not simply a showcase for Channing Tatum to shake his tight butt (not that there’s anything wrong with that). I was also curious that the film was loosely based on Tatum’s own experience as a young stripper. The challenge was, who could I go with to see this film? Because I see so many movies, I often go alone and sometimes my husband accompanies me. The husband would be out for this one, I would not even bother to ask, but going alone? I would look sort of creepy. My daughter, who has been a Channing fan since <i>Step Up</i>, was definitely interested, but she’s 19 so she was going with girlfriends.<br />
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As luck would have it, her plans fell threw and we decided on a mother/daughter outing, weird as it may be. I forgot that our nearby theater is also the place for the Thursday Night Farmer’s Market, so we got stuck in a traffic jam and missed the first minute of the film. For me, this is unacceptable. I HATE missing any part of a movie. For my daughter, it was the devastation of missing the opening shot of Channing Tatum’s naked butt. Normally, I would skip the film altogether if I missed any portion of it, but who knew when I’d have another evening with my daughter.<br />
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Mike (Channing Tatum) is a construction worker by day and a stripper by night. Of course Mike doesn’t want to be a stripper, he dreams of owning his own furniture company and gyrating his hot bod is a great way to build his nest egg. Mike is also a good guy, so when he meets down on his luck Adam (Alex Pettyfer) he decides to take the kid under his wing. <br />
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The audience gets to see two sides of the stripping lifestyle. Mike is not quite tainted, however we see the compromises he's made with himself in order to justify his chosen profession. He seems shocked when Adam’s older sister doesn’t want to hang out with him. She thinks their lifestyles are too different and Mike is surprised to find out that society will judge him as a person because of his chosen profession. He also doesn't seem to realize that he's really leading Adam down a dangerous path and just because he can separate his work and personal life doesn't mean someone as inmature as Adam can.<br />
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Adam on the other hand is like a kid in a candy store. He feels he’s fallen into easy money, women and drugs and he wants it all…now! Adam’s sister Brooke, (Cody Horn) spends the entire film trying to “save” her brother, but he does not have the character and foresight of Mike, so we know it’s going to be tough.<br />
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I like that this film did not show this as a rosy career choice and even took the time to illustrate how difficult it is to break free even if you think it’s something you can do for just a little while.<br />
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So that’s the serious part and the storyline, but you came here to hear about the stripping right? Well, this film will not disappoint. Channing Tatum is such an amazing dancer that he doesn’t need to take his clothes off, but I’m not going to protest. Unlike female stripping, all the acts seem to come with a good dose of humor and fun. If you’re embarrassed to watch this, trust me, you’ll be giggling away because it’s all done in a party type of atmosphere. I heard that Matthew McConaughey was not being asked to strip for his role, but felt very comfortable by the end and was willing to go for it. Now, I know many ladies disagree with me, but I have never found McConaughey attractive. It’s funny that he plays such a swarmy character here, because he always seems that way for me. What I will say though, he’s a real team player and gave it his all with a pretty impressive striptease. If your fan, you’ll find yourself very happy.<br />
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This was a pretty good film. I did feel there were a few too many close-ups Brooke’s party-pooper face used as the viewer's moral compass, but other than that, a far better film than I thought it would be. <br />
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I’m pretty sure I’ll be renting this on DVD so my daughter can glimpse that missed Channing butt shot! <br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fDUMabRaUnY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-10249322745523472892012-07-31T07:56:00.000-07:002012-07-31T07:56:00.861-07:00Song of the Week - Runaways/The KillersI'm sorry I've been lackadaisical about my blog lately. I promise to catch you up on all the great things I did this summer. Anyway, here's the latest and greatest from The Killers. Wow, this feels like a big, giant 80's song, so of course I love it! I know Brandon Flowers' solo effort feel a bit flat, but it's nice to see him back with the boys and making the music I love!<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TMbyWSGYUgc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-53655410615070418132012-07-24T21:52:00.000-07:002012-07-24T21:57:12.760-07:00RIP - Sherman Hemsley<div style="background-color:#000000;width:520px;"><div style="padding:4px;"><iframe src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:cms:video:tvland.com:21661" width="512" height="288" frameborder="0"></iframe><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:4px;margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><b><a href="http://www.tvland.com/shows/jeffersons">The Jeffersons</a></b><br/>Get More: <a href='http://www.tvland.com/full-episodes'>Free Full Episodes</a>,<a href='http://www.tvland.com/video-clips'>Classic Video Clips</a>,<a href='http://www.tvland.com/tv-schedule'>TV Land Schedule</a></p></div></div>Show those angels how to get down Mr. Hemsley! Thanks for the laughs.Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-45574873027554525422012-07-22T23:13:00.001-07:002012-07-22T23:13:35.031-07:00The Resurgence of the Typewriter?I've noticed an a lot of typewriters popping up in movie trailers lately. Not too long ago, teens and young adults had no idea what this relic was. Now, is it a retro trend, like vinyl? <br />
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You be the judge.<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gjmrDDD9o_k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-60362870391016327672012-07-19T07:17:00.000-07:002012-07-19T07:17:55.501-07:00The Amazing Spiderman - Movie Review<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-tnxzJ0SSOw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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If you’ve noticed my posts being a little light for a couple of weeks, it’s because I’ve been on vacation. Of course the week leading up to vacation caused me to be extra busy at work and then, the writing I planned to do while in beautiful Carmel, California, was met with intermittent internet access. It’s all good though, because a real vacation should be from everything. So, I’m heading home soon. I thought while everyone is packing around me, I could maybe knock out this review. <br />
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Even though I was surrounded by the calming sea and gorgeous nature, I still couldn’t wait to see The Amazing Spiderman. Yes, I went opening day, expecting a large crowd, but it was just a normal amount of people.<br />
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I’m a huge fan of the original Spiderman (2002) films and I’m of a certain age, so I grew up with the 70’s cartoon and Spidey showing up on The Electric Company was normal for me. I waited my whole life for a Spiderman film and I was so excited when they made the first film. Tobey Maguire, Kristen Dunst and James Franco were a rare event of perfect casting. As satisfied as I was with the first Spiderman film, all my expectations were far surpassed with Spiderman 2! <br />
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As you can see, I really didn’t need a Spiderman reboot. Luckily, they cast two of my favorite young actors and that alone put my butt in the theater. <br />
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There’s some story tweaking in the re-boot. Peter Parker’s love interest is Gwen Stacy, in the comics this was an earlier love of his so it fits well with the high school setting. Although they are not teenagers in real life, Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are a bit more believable of the young age then Maguire and Dunst. And the chemistry between these too is hot! Their budding relationship is really the core of this new edition. Stone and Garfield sizzle in their scenes together and being directed by Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer), guarantees that the viewer is going to have a great time watching this relationship blossom.<br />
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I would have to say that the overall casting is probably some of the best I’ve ever seen. Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben and Sally Field as Aunt May, are simply wonderful to see in action. It’s nice to see these roles given to heavy weight actors. They deliver on really making you feel their love and concern for the young Peter. Denis Leary has come along way in his career and it’s awesome to see a former stand-up comedian in a huge blockbuster film. We know he has his tough cop act down pact, but he’s so believable as Captain Stacy, that he still manages to impress.<br />
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If Andrew Garfield was looking for his break out role, this is certainly it. He brings his awkward, hyper, pent up anger of Peter Parker to a new level. I’ve recently found out that a lot people did not like Tobey Maguire in the Spiderman role. While that shocks me, I don’t see how anyone can complain about Garfield. He embodies the role with sarcasm, innocence and the arrogance of youth. <br />
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What I found interesting about this installment was that the special effects seemed to focus more on how Spiderman could move about and less about huge action sequences. Don’t get me wrong, there are big effects and smashing and all that, but there didn’t seem to big any “wows” in the effect department when it came to Spidey taking on bad guys. <br />
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I really liked The Amazing Spiderman and I would definitely buy another ticket to see Garfield and Stone again, yet there was still this emptiness I felt at the end. Something was missing. Then I came home and FX was showing Spiderman 2. I have to say, I think it’s my all time favorite super hero film. I sat down and re-watched the whole thing. That fight scene on the train? Phenomenal! Then when the people on the train carry Spiderman…it’s a scene of sheer beauty. Maybe it’s unfair to compare the two. Maybe the second installment will also blow me away. Time will tell. <br />
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Lastly, I did appreciate the filmmakers showing that pic of a young Martin Sheen on Peter Parkers wall. It’s important that a new generation gets to see how hot he was!<br />
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Oh I lied, one more thing. Why was I they only one to shout “Ponyboy” during the bridge scene? How soon we forget.<br />
<br />Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-12194017522008902492012-07-18T22:48:00.002-07:002012-07-18T22:48:45.854-07:00Song of the Week - Some Nights/fun.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qQkBeOisNM0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
Well fun. is shaping up to be a new band that I really like. I didn't even know this was them when I first heard so it's completely unbiased enjoyment!Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1932266821446070133.post-17462405096989149002012-07-17T22:36:00.000-07:002012-07-17T22:37:46.865-07:00Friends With Kids - Movie Review**I saw this movie when it came out in theaters and I wrote this review for an online magazine that never came out. Regular readers of this blog will notice this is written in a very different voice then my other couch reviews. Still, I thought it would be nice to read a different style of writing from me and most importantly, I didn't feel like writing the whole thing again!<br />
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If you follow politics at all, you’ll know that one of the biggest topics these days is the current state of The American Family. <br />
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The notion that Hollywood has always had a liberal bias is solidified by a crop of films that focus on non-traditional families.<br />
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Both Juno and The Kids Are All Right, focused on family situations not often seen on the big screen. While teen pregnancy and same-sex parents are hot button political topics, these films did well at the box office and each garnered a Best Picture Academy Award nomination. <br />
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Now, in 2011, we have writer, director and star, Jennifer Westfeldt’s take on modern parenting. Her new film Friends with Kids, confronts the question, “Does having children destroy a romantic relationship?”<br />
Fans of last year’s surprise hit, Bridesmaids, will be happy to see Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, John Hamm and Chris O’Dowd back on screen together. This film is not quite the laugh fest that Bridesmaids was. Instead, Friends with Kids focuses on the trials of three types of couples with children. This film provides more drama than Bridesmaids, but will certainly give you some laughs.<br />
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Missy (Wiig) and Ben (Hamm) are a married couple that can’t keep their hands off of each other prior to having children. Leslie (Rudolph) and Alex (O’Dowd) are ready to take the plunge into parenthood and promise their friends that they will remain the same. Fast forward four years and these two couples are living overwhelmed lives, snapping at each other and not having a lot of sex. The transformation of their friends is witnessed by the horrified Julie (Westfeldt) and Jason (a stand-out performance by the adorable Adam Scott). These two have never been romantically involved with each other and have remained platonic best friends since college. They feel they have cracked the code to modern parenting. They could have a child together, share the time, expense and responsibilities, yet be free to keep searching for “The One.” They are confident that the challenges a relationship faces when trying to raise young children leads to a bitter and unhappy marriage. Their theory is strongly supported by the ongoing deterioration of their married friends’ relationships. <br />
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Their experiment is played out in a very satisfying way for the viewer. The reactions of their friends, potential mates and themselves are heavily explored.<br />
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The film does have some contrived moments and you can even make a case for it being just another formulaic romantic comedy, but it’s nice to see a romantic comedy smart up to its audience instead of dumbing down for a change. The language is saucy, the characters fight like real people and nothing is too unrealistic that you can’t relate to it.<br />
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What does this movie say about the state of the American family? There’s a scene where Julie, Jason and their son open Julie’s Birthday present together. This is the best example of today’s American family. We may be wrapped all different ways. There are so many different styles of wrapping paper out there. Heck, sometimes people don’t even use wrapping paper; they use old newspaper! Still, it all tears away so easily. No matter how fancy or untraditionally it may be wrapped, we care about what’s on the inside. The outside is merely presentation. What all these films strive to show us is that every family finds its own way to make their dynamic work. It seems like the more we see many different types of families, the more they really all seem to be the same in their goal to nurture and love.<br />
<br />Colleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06632981523532521040noreply@blogger.com3