Colleenie's Couch

Song of the Week - Wouldn't It Be Good/Nik Kershaw

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

For some reason, my local radio station decided to play this song out of nowhere. This of course illicted a loud, "OHMYGOD! I LOVE this song!" from me. Oh so 80's, oh so good. I forgot what a totally awesome 80's video this song had too. If you weren't around in the 80's, doesn't this song make you wish you were?

Don't Mess With A Muppet

2012-01-30T20:08:00.000-08:00

The Descendants - Movie Review

2012-01-29T22:19:00.000-08:00

The Descendants - Drama "Lite"

A couple of weekends ago, I went on a movie frenzy. I had been falling behind on my movie going and I had to take drastic measures. Within five days I saw seven movies. The last film I saw, just hours before The Golden Globes, was The Descendants.

This was an odd little movie that delivered some great performances by George Clooney and Shailene Woodley, yet failed to connect on an emotional level.

Basically, I cry at the drop of a hat. I cry at almost everything, yet through this entire film I was dry as bone. It all felt very antiseptic to me. The story always stayed right on the surface and never really sunk its teeth into the subject matter.

Clooney plays Matt King, a barely present father who is thrust into the forefront of parenthood and the present state of his marriage, when his wife slips into a coma after a boating accident.

Through this tragedy, Clooney is also dealing with the stress of generations of family land owed in Hawaii. His family currently lives a very nice life in Hawaii but if he decides, along with a vote of relatives, to sell the pristine acreage, everyone will have a nice chunk of change. How this part of the story unfolds gives us our measuring tool for Matt’s personal growth. Who should they sell the land too, what will become of it, did he ever really appreciate it? What has this land meant to who he is as a person, and of course, hence the title, those who came before him?

Maybe there would have been a stronger emotional impact if I knew the mother/wife character even just a little bit. It was hard to feel the difficulty of their situation, yet this technique worked fine in The Big Chill so maybe that would not have helped.

Clooney gave a great performance and so did Shailene Woodley. I watched two full seasons of The Secret Life of the American Teenager and it was quite a surprise to find that she didn’t annoy me at all. I guess she is a good actress!

The best comparison I can make for this film is that it reminds me of As Good As It Gets. This, like The Descendants, was a good film with a talented cast. Both films however, got treated as much more than they really were. I walked away from both films being entertained, but the awards and accolades were a bit much. So, not a bad movie, but certainly not a great one. Strong acting, decent plot but, not award worthy.

Song of the Week - Simple Song /The Shins

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful Friday treat on my radio...a new song from The Shins! I can't believe I have to wait till March for the new album. Thankfully, February is a short month.

Beaty and the Beast 3D - Movie Review

2012-01-22T15:04:00.000-08:00

Beauty and the Beast has always had a special space in my heart. A golden time for Disney, when they decided to take their animation seriously again, Beauty and the Beast is sheer perfection. Now, Disney is finding a way to re-promote their films by re-issuing in 3D.

I enjoy 3D. Since my lasik eye surgery, I don’t have to put the 3D glasses on top of my specs, so that makes a big difference. Still, it’s not always necessary. The 3D was not working when I went to see Toy Story 3 last summer. I saw it in regular format and I don’t feel like it took anything away from my experience.

So my true motivation for seeing the recent release was simply to see my favorite Disney film in theaters again. Movie tickets are pricey these days though, so I understand that you have to offer the audience something different for their hard earned dough.

I’ve heard some arguments that 3D is as horrible a colorization because you are tampering with the original format of the film. I’m very much against colorization, but I haven’t to say I don’t feel the same about 3D.

Beauty and the Beast is a film I know well. For awhile, it was my daughter’s favorite video when she was young. It played in my home daily and I know it well. Watching it in 3D, I was able to appreciate some the more delicate intricacies’ of the outdoor scenes and even the rose covered borders in the opening sequence.

And don’t forget how wonderful this story is and how impressive the songs are. This is what holds some of the more current endeavors back. Tangled had a great story and good characters, yet failed to deliver a memorable song. This is what sets Beauty and the Beast apart from the rest. The first animated film to ever receive an Academy Award nomination, this film has romance, action, humor, songs you’ll be singing under your breath days after viewing and visual stunning scenes that you’ll never forget.

I’ve always loved this film a little more than the other Disney princess films because Belle had brown hair and brown eyes and her favorite pastime was reading. It’s been years since I’ve watched this film, but I still found myself instantly liking the spunky Belle once again. She certainly was not looking for any Prince Charming. Again, I was swept away by the story and Belle’s love for her father. Once at the castle, I was impressed by how much I could still enjoy, “Be Our Guest.” This scene gets so riotlessly out of control, you almost have to catch your breath as plates, cups and silverware go dizzyingly past the screen.

I also have to admit that I still teared up during the ballroom scene. For me, it’s not because the scene is touching, which it is. No, I am forever floored at how visually breathtaking it all is. It’s a scene that truly shows artists loving what they do. It’s a crown jewel in animation excellence.

So if you’re wondering, I’m saying yes this is worth you movie money to see again in the theater and in 3D. If you liked it the first time, this will remind you why. Hopefully, the 3D will make you see something you missed in 2D. As for me, it made me want to run home and whip out my sketch pad.

This film also included a short film follow up to Tangled. It was very cute and fun and I only hope they keep it at that. Tangled was an unexpected surprise for me and I certainly would not like it to be ruined with Tangled 2!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2012-01-20T21:58:00.000-08:00

Lots of things happened before I finally got to see David Fincher’s version of the widely famous Stieg Larsson, Girl with the Dragon Tattooo book. First, I had the bright idea that I would read all three books and see all three Swedish film adaptations before our American one hit the screen. Then reality set in. I was lucky to have the first extremely long book in time for the American release. I actually read it over the summer and instantly connected with the character of Lisbeth Salander. I was eager to see the Swedish film and even rented it a couple of times, but things always got in the way and I never ended up watching it. I thought it would be a great idea to watch both films and do a triple review for my book/movie combo segment.

Then I thought, why don’t I not watch the original film first? People are so often disappointed in a second version of anything. Why don’t I wait, see the new film then judge of the original is as superior as they say. So, for awhile this was the plan. Then I read a lengthy article in Entertainment Weekly and they mentioned the fact that the character of Lisbeth Salander is so fascinating that it’s tempting to add more than what the reader discovers in the first installment. EW went on the say that in the Swedish adaptation, something is revealed about Lisbeth the is not in the first book. What? These books are hella long and I don’t want any plot points ruined for me.

The decision was made. I would not view any of director’s Niels Arden Oplev installments until I read The Girl Who Played with Fire.

I was set to see the flick during its Christmas week release, but holiday commitments got in the way.

Well, finally I’ve sorted out what I wanted to do and I’m here to tell you this is definitely worth seeing. So far, the box office has been disappointing and I blame two factors. There are some very violent and disturbing scenes and I’ve heard feedback from friends that these scenes were very difficult for them. It’s always a challenge to bring the page to life and these books are brutal. I really felt that David Fincher did a fine job with the brutality without taking it over the top or exploiting how reprehensible these acts are. If you really have a problem with these kinds of scenes, I certainly would not try to talk you into this flick. For me, they were vital to understanding Lisbeth Salander. I’m so excited to get to the second installment, The Girl Who Played with Fire, because I want to see her exact her revenge.

I would have to say the second factor was timing. I know everything doesn’t have to be rosy for the holidays, but this was simply too dark and depressing to see after putting up your Christmas tree.

Rooney Mara really gave this part her all. I appreciate that Hollywood didn’t back down on this one and let an otherwise sweet, pretty girl look hardcore. I can’t think of anything she could have done better except be shorter.

I’ve had a tough time with the height thing. See, in the book Lisbeth is described as 4’11”. That’s my height and I felt instantly connected with her and her world view. Do you know anyone this size? If you, do it’s a major difference than Mara’s 5’3”. In some ways it makes Lisbeth a completely different character. Someone of this height is constantly looking up at the world. As an adult, you still have a child’s eye view. This also makes society look down on you figuratively and literally. You have to be tough to be taken seriously and those traits help define and understand how Lisbeth views the world. There’s also an added vulnerability that I wonder if audiences would have had a tough time with. The height would have made the character of Lisbeth Salander appear to be a child and that might have been going too far in the tougher scenes. I guess I understand if this was a deliberate choice, but I’m disappointed to finally have a kick ass character my size blown up to a more societal acceptable height. Well, you can’t have everything.

On to my thoughts on the film and the book. I’ve heard that Mara and Craig on board for the next two installments, but I believe you need Fincher to continue to bring Stieg Larsson vision to the page. I can never recall seeing a film, after reading the book, where everything looked just the way I pictured it. Vanger’s island and family cottages, Blomkvist offices and even the guest cottage. I have to credit the authors vivid details and the directors ability to bring those to the page. Sure, lots of material had to cut out, but I agree with what was shown and what was left out. The book was very long and I almost didn’t even read it when I saw a family tree included. The book, like the film, went by much faster than you would think. With the book, I found myself up at 7am on a Sunday, devouring the final hundred pages. With the film, I didn’t even look at my watch and I saw the last showing of the evening, on a work night! I didn’t even begin to nod off.

Whatever diehard fans disliked about this film version compared to the Swedish one or to the book, I will say that it left me anxious to visit these characters again. All let you know my thoughts on the Swedish film after I read the second book. Right now though, I’m on The Hunger Games.

Song of the Week - Video Games

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

I kept hearing about this song so I finally checked it out on YouTube and I have to say, I'm digging it! Then, I find out she's performing on SNL. The videos was filled with many cool images and held my interest. Her actual performance did not. I walked away before the song was done and I didn't listen to her second performance. I saw tons of backlash on the web the following morning. I hope this doesn't hurt her debut album later this month. We all have off days, right? Let's give her a break.

Another Year on The Couch

2012-01-14T09:59:00.000-08:00

New Year 2012

Well here we are in 2012. As you can see I was on a bit of a blogging break. At first, life seriously got in the way of blogging. Now, I must admit to losing a bit of my blogging mojo. I’m trying to get back on the horse. I need to do some serious catching up. Also, the last time I went to the movies was before Christmas. That’s a long break for me. I’m hoping to end that lock out by seeing a sick amount of movies over the 3-day weekend.

The odd thing is I’ve seen some of the best movies of 2011 and didn’t write anything about them. I’m working on loving reviews of The Muppets and The Artist. I want to compile my year’s best list, but it’s difficult when I still haven’t seen other buzz flicks like, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Warhorse, or The Descendants. I’ll get myself and you caught up on my opinions. I’m feeling a little bit under pressure because The Golden Globes are tomorrow. I actually might tape it for the first time so that I can watch three movies tomorrow.

So what’s new for 2012? I recently subscribed to Hulu Plus on my Xbox. There’s so many good TV shows lately, I can’t hold them all in my DVR cheque. I want to start watching Once Upon A Time, I’ve enjoyed the first three episodes of Grimm and Up All Night is a riot. Of course, if I keep going to the cinema, I’ll never catch up on all that TV watching. What shows have been on your must list these days? I can’t wait for Walking Dead’s return in February and the finale of American Horror Story totally creeped me out.

I’ll continue to do my book/movie combo reviews. I only got in a couple of those last year. I’m currently reading The Hunger Games and after that I’m moving on to The Girl Who Played with Fire. I’m actually hoping to make some good headway today with reading in between showtimes.

A new feature I’ll be adding is full week blocks of one director or one actor. I realized there are lots of films out there that slip by me and what better way to catch up then to see seven in a row? Just yesterday I saw a great list of Kevin Spacey performances over at Anomalous Material. I realize that I haven’t seen a bunch of the ones on the list, so I guess Mr. Spacey will be added to my list. First up though will be Woody Allen. The success of Midnight in Paris made me want to go back and watch more of his recent films that I didn’t pay attention too. I’ve already seen my picks so look for it soon. After loving the sick and delicious, The Skin I Live In, I’m currently viewing a crop of Pedro Almodóvar films. This is going a bit slow though because it’s hard to watch a lot of those at once. I hope you’ll chime in on the week long segments with ideas and suggestions.

One of my new features last year was, Can You Believe I Haven’t Seen…, this fell a bit by the wayside, but I’ll be picking it up again. There’s still tons of films out there that I really should have seen by my age.

On the music front I’ll keep you abreast of my all-over-the-map taste. Two of my favorite bands, The Shins and The Killers will have new music in 2012 and I can’t wait.

My reading is still slow but I finally joined the ranks of the ereaders! My wonderful children got me a Nook for Christmas! And they used their own money so there’s no guilt on my part. I’ve wanted one for a long time, but with my enormous collection of “next on my list,” actual books lying around everywhere, I simply could not justify such a purchase.

Whew! I think that’s a good dose for now. I hope you’ll join me this year and I can’t wait to catch up with all of you. Your blogs always teach and inspire me.

Well, I’m off to see three flicks today. Hugo and My Week with Marilyn and then depending on showtimes, the third pick will either be Warhorse or Tin Tin. Here’s to a sore butt! Later…

So what are YOU doing New Year's Eve?

2011-12-31T19:28:00.000-08:00

You all know my love for Zooey Deschanel. How happy am I to cap off the year with this adorable duet with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I know I've been absent for awhile, but a New Year brings new starts and hopefully, I'll be blessed with time to blog again. I miss checking in on all of you. I'll be spending a quiet evening at home with the hubby and The Twilight Zone Marathon on SyFy network. I have some bubbly to bust out at midnight. I hope you're ringing in the new year right in your neck of the woods. Cheers!

Morrissey on Conan

2011-11-30T19:47:00.000-08:00

I know my blog still has been filled with cobwebs. Now my PC is in the shop so I must relinquish the laptop to the teenager for homework purposes. Priorities, man.

Anyway, I had to sneak this tidbit on. Morrissey was on Conan last night. Yes you heard that right, MORRISSEY was on Conan last night. I'm a Smiths/Morrissey fan from back in the day. Morrissey can still work the stage and kick ass! This song is awesome. His last CD was fantastic. He stills keeps himself relevant. You go Morrissey! I'll love you forever.

I hope to be back with all of you soon.

Song of the Week - Life's A Happy Song

2011-11-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm so thankful and it's not even Thanksgiving yet! Bret McKenzie AND Kermit? What more could a girl ask for? I miss Flight of the Conchords so much, but this makes up for it in some small way. I was planning to see the new Muppet movie on Friday, but I'm getting so excited I may have to sneak away on Wednesday.

Where Have I Been?

2011-11-21T20:45:00.001-08:00

I had to take a bit of a blogging break recently. Life got in the way and those are the times I always wish that I had posts already sitting in the hopper. That’s a blogging fantasy though. The reality is that I’m usually behind in writing my posts, so if something trips me up, it’s all going to fall apart.

So I haven’t been writing or visiting blogs the last couple of weeks. I’m trying to get back in the swing. I have a four day weekend coming up which looks promising, but I also plan to The Muppet Movie and Like Crazy, so I’ll be away from the computer a lot.

Even though I haven’t been on the computer much, or writing anything, I still have been watching, reading and listening to loads of cool new things that I can’t wait to tell you about. I have a long list of posts.

I’m looking forward to catching up with all of you on your blogs and I hope you’ll catch up with me.

See you soon!

Song of the Week - I Put a Spell on You/She & Him

2011-11-01T22:50:00.000-07:00

I was thinking of Zooey Deschanel all day because New Girl is back on tonight! My thoughts turned sad though when I heard the announcement this afternoon that she and Death Cabie Cutie frontman, Ben Gibbard, are ending their two year marriage.

On a brighter note, I purchased the new She & Him Christmas album with my birthday iTunes card! I haven't listen to it yet because it's WAY to early for Christmas songs. It's nice to know it's there when I'm ready though.

For now I'm still digging their regular tunes, like this one. Enjoy!

Colleenie Ghoulie Week 4 - Dead Ringers

2011-10-28T22:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the last installment of this year’s Colleenie Ghoulie. I’m sad to say that I tried to save the best for last, but it didn’t work out that way.

The last film for October is the 1988 David Cronenberg thriller, Dead Ringers. I remember renting this movie in 1989 and it totally creeped me out and I haven’t watched it since.

I have to say, watching it 22 years later, I can’t believe I stayed with this really slow, boring film.

To be fair, maybe I need to remember that things just weren’t as in your face as they are now. Still, a good film should stand the test of time.

This was a tour de force performance by Jeremy Irons playing gynecologists twin brothers, Elliott and Beverly Mantle. From a young age, these twins are different and never fit in. As adults Elliott becomes the extrovert socialite but Beverly always remains awkward and withdrawn. The brothers constantly cover for each. Elliott helps Beverly by stepping in as him in social settings and even giving him his female castoffs. Beverly repays his brother by doing the bulk of their medical research which has made them famous. They are the “go to” doctors for infertile women, which brings the actress Claire (Genevieve Bujold) to them. She hopes they are the ones who can finally help her have a child.

Of course this is where the problems begin for the brothers and unfortunately, for the movie. Claire’s infertility really seems to be discarded when it no longer serves the plot and her entire character is so convoluted that it’s difficult to have any emotions for her.

Jeremy Irons does a fine acting job, but also his twins are so socially polarizing, it’s hard to feel for them. As for what I found so disturbing, maybe the abnormal examination tools Beverly has hand crafted for him? I also thought something really big happened, but now, I couldn’t tell you what that is.

The whole film felt like it was leading up to something, but I didn’t feel a payoff. I’m sorry I can’t recommend this one. Have you seen it? Am I missing something? Please feel free to sound off in the comments.

Song of the Week - Read My Mind/The Killers

2011-10-26T21:26:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it! I originally wrote this post a couple of weeks ago and scheduled it to post yesterday. Poof! It's gone. I have no idea where it is. So a day late, but my final entry for bands with Halloween sounding names. I saved the best for last. This is not only my favorite song from The Killers, it's one of my all time favorite songs. I love Brandon Flowers voice. The kind of voice that wouldn't last a week on American Idol. There's so much emotion behind it, yet unique. I know Mr. Brightside seems like a better Halloween choice because of the costumes. This one though has a dude dressed as Elvis and whatever that green thing is supposed to be. This fits all my parameters. Sorry it's late. It's awesomeness should make up for it.

Colleenie Ghoulie Week 3 - Brimstone and Treacle

2011-10-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

A sick, twisted little tale

Here we are at week 3 of Colleenie Ghoulie. This week’s selection is definitely a dip into the creepy and twisted. The 1982 cult classic, Brimstone and Treacle,
starring Sting.

What can I say about this movie? There’s simply something about its delicious creepiness that draws me in. The British are masters at making feeling uncomfortable a form of entertainment and this film is a prime example.

Based on a stage play and originally banned from a BBC broadcast, this film eventually found a theatrical release and let me tell you, it’s not for everyone.

Told like a dark fable, we meet Martin. Martin wanders the streets and tries to convince strangers that they know him. This is how he worms his way into your home and life. This time Martin bumps into Tom Bates, who not only has many secrets that he would not want others to find out about, he also has an invalid daughter at home just about Martin’s age.

Sting overacts his devilish Martin to the hilt and it works. If he made his character too realistic the audience simply would not be able to stomach the plots twist and turns. Horrendous things are going on here, but it’s clear that we are witnessing is a morality tale. What price must man pay for his sins? This film is disturbing, but in an “I know it’s wrong but I can’t look away” kind of way.

There’s also a fine performance by my wonderful Marcus Brody (Denholm Elloitt), playing a completely different character than my sweetie from Raiders of the Lost Ark. What acting chops!

I hadn’t seen this movie in years and I actually really enjoyed watching it again which made me feel like, “What the hell is wrong with me?” I saw this when I was 17 or 18 and I think is was a cinema defiance for me. Yes, I was branching out and seeing films from other countries, but I could choose films that did not fit the norm. So for me there’s nostalgia wrapped up in it too.

Also, don’t forget this film boasts one hell of a soundtrack! The Go-Go’s, Squeeze and songs from Sting like, “I Burn For You” and “Spread a Little Happiness” are true gems. There’s also a cool narration from Sting on the CD. Say what you want, but Sting really threw himself into this project!

If you’re thick skinned, give this one a watch or at the very least look up some of songs on YouTube. I found an awesome post of an early 80’s Sting performing “Spread a Little Happiness” in a soup kitchen.

We only have one more Ghoulie pick left and it just arrived in my mailbox. I only saw this movie once and it totally creeped me out. What movie is it? Well of course you’ll have to check back Friday to found out.

Pee Wee Herman is a Visionary!

2011-10-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

I have to give a big thank you to Pee Wee. I wasn't having a good night last night. I trudged to my bedroom ready to throw in the towel on a crappy evening. You can say all the bad things you want, but I have a TV in my bedroom and I do fall asleep to it. It helps me relax and last night was a perfect example. I was ready to doze off to a little Conan, but when I clicked on my TV it was on VH1 with a broadcast of the Spike Scream Awards. I have no idea what those are, but lo and behold, my beautiful Pee Wee won a special Visionary Award. He made me laugh so hard, all my troubles fell away. Thank you Pee Wee, I was able to drift off to wonderful slumber. It was almost like being cradled by Chairy.

Song of the Week - Lives of Crime/Fruit Bats

2011-10-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, week three and I found yet another appropriately Halloween named band...The Fruit Bats! It's an extra treat though because this song and video are awesome. Enjoy!

Take Shelter - A Slow, Compelling Burn

2011-10-16T20:12:00.000-07:00

If you’re having horrifying dreams that an impending doom is on the way, would you think they are visions, or would you think you’re going crazy?

This is the main question in the new film, Take Shelter. This is a slow film and the only action is the nightmares that plague Curtis (Michael Shannon).

Be prepared to sit back and spend you’re time getting into the head of your main character. As the film opens, Curtis is a hard working family man. He has a deaf daughter and we see touching scenes of him signing with her. He has friends and a good relationship with his wife. As the dreams increase, Curtis is torn as to how to react to them. They don’t really feel like dreams at all, but more like visions.

Of course, maybe he’s just losing his mind. This is the easier solution as opposed to the catastrophic disaster that only he is privy too.

We fall Curtis as he makes the decisions he feel he must to protect his family. One by one, we see the deep emotional impact these decisions has and how they slowly alienate Curtis from everyone he cares about.

I really don’t want to give away much of plot here because I think it’s important that you immerse yourself into Curtis’ mindset. Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain give fine performance and all the characters are easily relatable. You can easily see yourself knowing these people. No one is over the top and Curtis’ actions are believable. It’s not like he starts building an ark.

I found the ending very satisfying and the images and dreams stayed with me long after the credits stopped rolling. I also recommend this one for the theater. The sound of the storm was incredible and it kept creeping up on me. Several times I turned around because I could hear it behind me. I would not be surprised if this received and Academy Award Nomination for Sound or Sound Editing.

Colleenie Ghoulie Week 2 - The Seventh Sign

2011-10-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

It’s already week two of Colleenie Ghoulie. October is flying by and I hope I’m able to fit in all my ghoulish delights.

This week’s movie is a bit of a departure. The Seventh Sign is a 1988 apocalyptic tale starring Demi Moore. Moore made this film while actually pregnant, which just makes me think she’s nuts. Seriously, you’re going to play a woman who has frequent miscarriages and there’s now something mysterious with the current child you’re carrying? Superstition aside, I still think it’s sort of ballsy (crazy) to explore that kind of territory when you are actually pregnant.

You may have heard of this film, but it’s a bit under the radar. If you think this was a direct to video piece of junk, you’d be wrong. This film totally delivers.

Demi Moore plays, Abby Quinn, a young, married woman in the final stages of pregnancy. The viewer is told that Abby lost her first child and although she says she feels good about her current pregnancy, her stress in apparent. We also see the strain it puts on her marriage. Her husband, Russell Quinn (played by Michael Biehn) tries to be supportive, but his job as a lawyer, literally has someone’s life on the line and it’s leaving little time for Abby.

Additional storylines of a Down Syndrome murder on death row and a traveling priest gathering signs of the apocalypse, keep this 97 minute flick going at a fast pace.

These all come to a head driven mostly by Abby and Russell’s new over the garage apartment renter, Jürgen. This creepy world traveler doesn’t have much to say, but he seems to be brought into Abby’s life, and more importantly, her unborn child’s, for a very specific reason. The question is, is he good or bad?

This is not a scary film and I don’t know why it gets categorized as horror. It’s a dramatic thriller with religious overtones. It nicely blends Catholicism and Judaism and has both religions working together to save humanity. There’s also a strong message of hope for yourself and the world. I chose this as a ghoulie movie because of the end of the world theme is pretty popular these days. I think The Seventh Sign gives a much quieter take on the whole gloom and doom stuff and instead focuses on how much difference one person can make in the world.

Also, if you simply didn’t see enough of Demi’s nudie pregnant bod on her infamous Vanity Fair cover, she gives you everything here.

Lastly, be a bit forgiving with the atrociously absent background check for the new renter. Yeah, he’s pretty creepy and you’d never rent to this guy, but we have to get where we need to get to plot wise, alright?

Have you seen this movie? If so, please give me your thoughts. If not, I encourage you to give it a whirl and come back for a chat.

Need more Colleenie Ghoulie? Check last year's week two post here.

Song of the Week - Holiday/Vampire Weekend

2011-10-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

Last week Smashing Pumpkins, this week Vampire Weekend. It seems easier to find Halloween sounding band names than it is to find scary songs. I guess if I listened to Heavy Metal, but that and Country & Western are the two genres of music I don't normally delve into. This song works on two levels. Band name and they're wearing costumes. What a bargain!

Colleenie Ghoulie Week 1 - The Abominable Dr. Phibes

2011-10-07T21:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a second year of Colleenie Ghoulie. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, (even though technically I guess it’s not really a holiday) maybe it’s because it’s also my birthday month, regardless, I really like to do it up for Halloween.

TV is cooperating nicely. This week brought the particularly creepy, American Horror Story and next weekend has the long awaited return of AMC’s The Walking Dead.

I’m planning some fun stuff for the month and one of them is the return of my Friday feature, Colleenie Ghoulie. Every Friday in October, I will focus on a great horror film. Last year I highlighted the films that scared me the most. This year, I’m going to focus on four horror films you may have missed. I’m re-watching these this month because, although I remember thinking they were pretty darn good; I haven’t watched them in many years.

First up, the 1971 Vincent Price film, The Abominable Dr. Phibes. I’ve mentioned my mom before and her love of horror films. I remember her toting me along to see this in the theater. She would never miss a new Vincent Price film and this one was his 100th film. I remember two scenes from this film. I remember the guy dying by frog mask (you would just have to see for yourself) and Dr. Phibes pouring goo all over the sleeping lady and then unleashing THE LOCUS! The interesting part about remembering these scenes is that in 1971, I was only four years old.

Seeing this as an adult it was pretty tame compared to me taking one of my children to a horror film in the 90’s when they were four. Still, it’s apparent that some of this stuff made an impression on me. I found two things quite interesting. First of all, I did not realize what a humorous tone there was to this film. It was never taking itself too seriously. Secondly, the lack of explanation for Dr. Phibes actions and current lifestyle was curiously absent. There were a lot of plot points that you had to accept at face value.

Dr. Phibes is taking vengeance on the entire surgical team that operated, unsuccessfully, on his deceased wife. The movie never explains why he feels the medical staff was so negligent that they need to be killed in heinous ways. We also never get an explanation about the young and beautiful assistant helping him in these deadly tasks. With all that aside though, this movie still proved to be pretty creative for it’s time.

You also have to be very forgiving of the costumes and set designs. Everything looks like it’s made of cardboard and it’s nearly impossible to determine what year this film is supposed to be set in. In listening closely I finally deduced that it was 1925. All the sets have an art-deco look but no one bothered to be authentic with props and most of the outfits look like early 1970’s, not an attempt for a 20’s feel.

This is a fun old-time horror movie and I recommend you give it a whirl. It’s only an hour and 35 minutes so I think you can sneak it into your Halloween viewing. If you do, please come back and talk to me about the obvious inspiration SAW got from this film. Does that seem weird? Just watch it and you’ll see what I mean. Check in next Friday for another scary find.

Colleenie Ghoulie Week 1 - 2010

American Horror Story - Fall TV Review Part 5

2011-10-06T18:34:00.000-07:00

What the……

You guys need to help me out here. I never watched Nip/Tuck, if I had, maybe the new show from creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk would not have been as much of a shock.

I was an avid Twin Peaks fan back in 1990, so I’m okay with the weird and creepy. This show however, left me feeling kind of dirty. I really can’t describe it any other way. I watched it alone and I kept looking around me in a, “Did you see that?” fashion, but no one else was there to bounce this off of.

First of all, how does FX get away with so much? Why can they say s**t whenever they please? Do you pay an additional upfront fee to the FCC and then you get a green light? And I’m not complaining, but they showed Dylan McDermott’s ass like three times! The horror scenes were very graphic and gory and the situations were very adult. Seriously, this seemed like it was on HBO.

The story is intriguing. The Harmon family went through some tough times recently. Between a miscarriage and Dr. Harmon’s subsequent affair, they decide to have a fresh start. They move from Boston to a discounted manor in Los Angeles. Why so cheap? No, it’s not the down turned economy, it’s because the previous owners died brutally; murder/suicide.

There are so many creepy storylines going on it’s hard to keep track. Everyone from the neighbors to the help and even Dr. Harmon’s teenage patient all have something disturbing up their sleeve. The question though, is any of it connected?

There are also quick flashes of gross looking scenes and creatures. These are shown so quickly they are almost subliminal. It’s a field day for anyone who wants to pause their DVR to get a better look.

For now I’m interested enough to keep watching. We’ll see how long I keep watching and live with myself the next morning.

Arrested Development - More Than We Asked For

2011-10-05T21:39:00.000-07:00

Although it's still not official, yesterday it was announced that not only would fans get the long awaited movie, but now 10 TV episodes leading up to it.

Now here's the thing. Do we want this? It's been so long and the show has become so legendary, are we risking a tarnished image? I have faith that they'll do this thing right, but there's still this part of me that doesn't want them to mess with perfection.

Song of the Week - 1979/Smashing Pumpkins

2011-10-04T06:37:00.000-07:00

Colleenie Ghoulie is back and taking over Song of the Week for all of October. Last year we focused on some creepy songs. This year the theme is bands with Halloweenish names. First up...Smashing Pumpkins with one of my favorite songs 1979.

Check out this Song of the Week from last year.

VH1 Pop Up Video is Back!

2011-10-03T21:16:00.001-07:00

Get More: Britney Spears, Pop Up Video, Till The World Ends (Pop Up Video), Free Music Videos

I loved VH1's Pop Up Video. It was an awesome waste of time. Well it's back and what a way to kick it off, with Brit-Brit! I missed that popping sound.

New Girl - Fall TV Review Part 4

2011-10-02T15:23:00.000-07:00

I've already added this show to my list. First let me say if you find Zooey Deschanel annoying in any way, this is not the show for you. On the other hand, if you're like me and you found her totally adorable in 500 Days of Summer and Elf, and you own every She & Him CD, then this is the show for you.

Deschanel plays Jess, a recently single girl who decides to move in with three male roommates she finds on Craigslist. Jess is a very strange girl and the guys are trying to help her behave more normal around the opposite sex. Jess in her own way, is trying to help the guys chill-out and learn to accept people and their quirky ways.

The show works for me. Deschanel is extremely likeable and so far I've enjoyed the storylines. I was a bit confused in the second episode when Damon Wayans Jr. was M.I.A. A little research turned up the fact that Wayans is also on Happy Endings which was recently picked up by ABC. Hats off to Fox for not re-casting his character, only replacing him, that way the door is always open for him to return. I'm sure there has got to be some unwritten Wayans rule on the books over at Fox.

Insidious - DVD Review

2011-10-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

I thought I would start off October on Colleenie’s Couch with a review a horror film I recently saw. Unlike my review for Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, this film did not even come close to my expectations.

Insidious received so much hype when it was in theaters. It was billed as a good ol’fashion horror flick and the tiny film raked in a much nicer chunk of revenue than expected. I was really looking forward to checking this out, but was quickly disappointed in finding out that the storyline was weak.

When the Lambert family moves into a new home, strange things start to happen. All of the strange goings on seem to be centered around the family’s young son, Dalton (Ty Simpkins). In a rare occurrence in horror films, the family leaves what they feel was a haunted house. Things are not better though in the new home and young Dalton still seems to be the target.

One of the first things that bugged me about this movie is the trailers and posters would lead you to believe this is a possessed, creepy kid film. However, young Dalton slips into a coma early in the film and he basically is just lying there while things continue to happen around him.

The other problem I had was most of the scares had nothing to do with the plot. Ghosts and other occurrences seemed to be added in for the sole purpose of making you jump. Once you learn the true plot and what’s really going on, these extra ghosts make even less sense. I felt like I was being completely manipulated and I was more on a scary ride than a story with any substance. I’m all for a good scare, but they really dropped the ball on this one.

Can You Believe I Haven't Seen - Babe

2011-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

**Okay, I really have to stop being so optimistic about my blogging. I sent this post up over weekend when I grabbed the picture. Sure, no problem, I’ll write this review by the end of the week. Why wouldn’t I? I seem to keep forgetting that I’m a mother and I have a job. Yeah, life got in the way this week and this post went live this morning with no review attached. So here it is a bit late.

Well last month it was a toss up between Babe and Easy Rider for my September pick. That may sound like widely different choices, but Easy Rider came on cable so I set my DVR to tape it and Babe I borrowed from the library. I didn’t watch Babe in the allotted time and had to return it. So for most of the month it looked like it would be Easy Rider, then I went to the library again and decided to check it and give it another go.

One of my all time favorite films is, Charlotte’s Web, so I’m on bored with a movie with a pig as the main character.

Babe’s cuteness did not disappoint. The shots of his little pink piggy butt with that curly tail made me long to own a little piggy myself.

The storyline was quirky and fun. I enjoyed that it was a smart script and not dumbed down for a potential kid audience.

Where I did feel let down was in the end. **Spoiler Alert**

Even though we were dealing with talking animals, the film kept a good sense of reality. Then out of nowhere there’s a “magic” phrase that makes all sheep obey? I must admit I was let down by that plot twist.

I’m still glad I finally watched it. I thought it was inventive and I liked the feel of a small independent film but with a family friendly theme.

So for October you’re probably assuming it will be Easy Rider, but not so. In keeping with a Halloween theme for the month, I’ll be watching The Corpse Bride. Check back on Halloween to see what I thought.

Gleeking out with "Somewhere"

2011-09-28T21:35:00.000-07:00

I tried to go to Fox.com to find this clip. I could put it on Facebook, Digg, Stumble Upon and whatever else except simply having the embed code so I can share it on my blog! I was in Gleek heaven. My all time favorite musical sung by these two awesome voices. I will be downloading this from iTunes this weekend.

I can't really put my finger on what's missing this season. Maybe it has run it's course? I enjoy it while I'm watching it, but honestly, if it were gone tomorrow, I'd be okay. This performance certainly helped boost my waning love.

How are you feeling about Glee this season? Are you as big a fan as ever or is the shine wearing off for you too?

**UPDATE

I found the embed code on HULU. Enjoy!

Song of the Week - DJ Got Us Falling In Love Again/Usher featuring Pitbull

2011-09-27T06:32:00.000-07:00

I’m almost embarrassed to admit how much I love this song. Man, I’m going to be 44 next month. I shouldn’t be digging on Usher so much. And I’ll argue with you till the sun comes up, this is a much better song than “Yeah.” I like that song too, but this one is the bomb!

Pan Am - Fall TV Review Part 3

2011-09-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

ABC has a knack for finding shows that can deliver grand premiere opening sequences. The first few minutes of Pan Am certainly delivered for everyone waiting to check out this show. Calling all the stewardesses to action, transporting one to make the flight via helicopter and an unexpectedly married tryst boarding the plane, Pan Am easily had you settling in for the next hour.

The Playboy Club failed to make the bunnies real people. They instead decided to go for shock first and then let us slowly learn about them as people. Pan Am did it right by giving us snippets of back story so that the viewer had some type of emotions for the characters right off the bat.

Also, unlike The Playboy Club, we saw more behind the scenes of what the flight attendants endured working a job like that in the 1960’s.

Maybe it was better because most of the stories were based on fact. Maybe the acting was better. Christina Ricci owned that role instantly! Or maybe they managed to make a great pilot and they won’t be able to retain that level of interest once we know everything that goes in to being a Pan Am Stewardess.

Regardless, I’ll be there for the second episode.

The Playboy Club - Fall TV Review Part 2

2011-09-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

One show already off my list is NBC’s The Playboy Club. I checked out the first episode last Monday night and the first hour failed to keep my interest. After about 45 minutes, I wandered over to the computer and I vaguely listened to next week’s previews.

Don’t get me wrong. The premiere episode was not slow-paced. It was exactly the opposite. The opening scene we witness a self-defense murder and are then taken on a roller-coaster ride of secrets and juicy storylines to ride out the whole first season.

They made one mistake.

We don’t know or care about the characters yet! Come on, working at The Playboy Club had to be an interesting and risqué career choice for a young woman in the 1960’s. How about giving us a little background as to why some of characters decided to work there? Also, I’m sure it must have been a tough gig to get. Why not show us that interview process? With a subject matter as interesting as Playboy, it’s odd that the creators chose a simply a backdrop for a bloated soap opera.

Really, everyone working there has some deep dark secret? This formula works for Desperate Housewives because they have never taken themselves too seriously. The Playboy Club though, does take it’s self seriously and it’s missing the mark big time.

My Two Cents on Netflix and Qwikster

2011-09-21T22:21:00.000-07:00

Well it was only a matter of time before I’d have to throw my hat into the ring. I sort of kept quiet during all this pricing and streaming fiasco going on at Netflix.

I love movies. Hell, I blog about how much I love movies. I need Netflix. I also need Redbox and Blockbuster kiosks. See I’m a film addict and I’ll get my movies any way I can. It seems like Reed Hastings knows this. He’s my pusher. He gave me a taste of how easy streaming is. Funny though, he held back just a little. I can’t stream everything. He only gave me a taste. Once I saw how easy it was to simply push a button to watch a movie, he went and jacked the price up on me.

Everyone has a story in the naked city. This is mine.

I have a crappy fifteen year old TV. I don’t have a BlueRay player. Believe it or not, I still have a dual DVD/VCR deck. Until a few months ago, if I streamed anything on Netflix, it was on my laptop. I’m not a gamer so I didn’t have an Xbox or any other type of game console. Then my daughter purchased a laptop for college and got a free Xbox. She’s not a gamer either so she was going to sell it. I convinced her to give it to me for a cheap price. Finally, I’d be able to stream just like the people with those fancy flat screens. Then I found out I needed a $60 per year Xbox Live membership. I’m in it with both feet now, what am I going to do? So, now I’m finally set up and then Netflix raises their prices by 60%! I’m in this for a lot a dough at this point. What am I going to do if I nix the streaming? I already paid for a year on Xbox. Sorry, but I’m not going to start playing Gears of War! So while everyone was jumping ship I kept my mouth shut. I was currently a three-disc at a time unlimited streaming member. If I dropped down to 2 discs, I could recoup my losses.

Then yesterday Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix sends me an email. No more rate increases but now they have decided to split into two companies. What? I understand that they want to maintain the Netflix name for streaming because that is certainly the future, but what kind of a name is Quikster? Plus, are you going to import my list? I have 469 movies in my queue right now and I’m not rebuilding it all over again. Plus, how does the streaming queue list work since there are maybe only one out of twenty-five movies I browse that are available for streaming? Will I need to toggle between two lists back and forth when I see that what I want is not available for streaming? Sigh. Hey Netflix, maybe I would have that kind of time if I didn’t have a job, but then if I didn’t have a job I certainly could afford your rates. See how that works Netflix? I’ve been a loyal customer for a long time and I’ve always stuck up for you guys. Now I feel you’re sort of testing the limits of our relationship.

I saw this last night on Conan. Netflix, pay attention. You’re going to need to do a lot to make this one up to us.

Song of the Week - Keane/Stop For A Minute

2011-09-20T06:37:00.000-07:00

I know this song is hardly new, but for some reason I can't get it out of my head. It's in heavy rotation on the iPod right now.

I Almost Missed Louis on Letterman!

2011-09-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

The Comedy Gods where looking out for me last night. I was up way longer than I should've been(thank you 8:15pm latte). For some reason, there's nothing good on at midnight. Letterman is already on so unless I started from the beginning, I'm not usually going to watch it. This was a repeat from July, so the scary thing is I almost missed this twice! You all know my deep love and respect for Louis C.K., right? For me, there's no one doing better stand-up right now. Close, but they're not Louie. Who else could make lions attacking us seem like it just might be a good idea?

Adam Levine and the Best Mother in the World

2011-09-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

When a woman decides to have children, she knows she’ll be making sacrifices for the benefit of her child. It’s important to accept that your needs can’t always be first and often, hard decisions must be made for the good of child.

I recently had to make one such difficult choice.

I don’t go to many concerts. Frankly, they are too expensive and the to and from is usually a pain in the ass. However, tonight Train and Maroon 5 will be performing and my huge crush for Adam Levine had to be fed. I purchased my ticket on July 15th. It’s an outdoor concert with inexpensive lawn seats. I even made a date to attend with a couple of friends. This would’ve been a rare night out for mom!

My daughter also wanted to attend, but she really wanted to go with a friend of hers and her Thursday class runs late so she’d probably miss the opening act, Matt Nathanson! We agreeded to go our separate ways on this one.

Guess what? My daughter bought her ticket, but her friend forgot and then it was sold out! Now this friend leaves for college soon and this will most likely be the last night her and my daughter spend together. What’s a mom to do?

Yes folks, even though it was my destiny to be with Adam Levine, even though I know he’s singing just to me in Moves Like Jaggar, I alas have made the ultimate sacrifice…I gave my ticket to my daughter’s friend.

So I will spend the evening watching this video over and over again

Maybe this will be one of those stories that goes viral in the blogsphere and Adam will show up at my door with roses and his shirt off!

I guess I could watch the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia premiere.

Ringer - Fall TV Review Part 1

2011-09-14T21:00:00.000-07:00

The summer movie season is over so Colleenie’s Couch will be focusing a bit more on the Fall TV season. One of the mistakes I make is reading the Fall TV Preview issue of Entertainment Weekly. Every show sounds intriguing enough to check out. All in all though, I don’t really watch a lot of shows. I usually stay away from the hour long dramas because after working all day, cooking dinner and the occasional homework assistance, I really want to kick back and simply have a laugh or two.

I’ve seen enough medical, cop and law dramas. I will NOT add any of those to my “must see” list. I usually go for something different. I was a big fan of Lost and I loved Reaper before its premature cancellation. Sometimes, I start to watch a show like 24 or Mad Men, but life gets in the way and I miss a few. I feel like those shows need so much of my attention that I have to wait for the DVDs. Then there are shows like Fringe or Supernatural that I never watch because I don’t believe they’ll make it. Then I’m sadly left out of the loop.

So I can’t promise you that I’m going to continue to watch all these new shows, but many of them caught my attention.

Last night I watched Ringer, with Sarah Michelle Gellar. Here she plays identical twin sisters, Bridget and Siobhan. In the premiere we are introduced to Bridget, a woman trying to rebuild her troubled life. She reunites and mends fences with her estranged sister Siobhan, but we quickly see that things are not what they seem.

The first episode had some cleaver twists and turns and I did find myself wanting to tune in next week. They set up hints at enough secrets that they can easily go the whole season solely on everything we saw last night. Historically, I tend to bore quickly with storylines involving secrets. There are only so many skeletons someone can believably have in their closet. This is when I always wish American TV would adapt the Telenova format and not let these shows go on for too long.

Apparently, the ratings weren’t that great for last night’s episode which is another risk factor. Sometimes, they yank the rug so quickly; you never get to find out what was going.

Right now, I plan to watch again next week, but we’ll see how long Ringer can keep me coming back.

Did you check out this show? What did you think?

The next new show on my list is the new comedy, Up All Night. Come on back for the review!

Song of the Week - Why Does It Always Rain On Me/Travis

2011-09-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Travis seems to be following me everywhere. Recently my friend burned me a CD of tunes and their were several Travis tunes. Then, as I mentioned before, I listen to Alice Chill on my work computer everyday. Every time this sohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifng comes on I click my minimized button to see who it is. Then I'm always reminded, "That's right, it's Travis." Then when I read the book "One Day" they also mentioned Travis! So, I'm going to put it in your head now.

American Vampire - Book Review

2011-09-12T22:42:00.000-07:00

As we all know vampires are everywhere now. Books, TV, movies, and yet I’m less interested than I was twenty years ago. One of my favorite books of all time is Interview with the Vampire. With the exception of Kristin Dunst, I was not a fan of horribly miscast film adaptation. I’ve spent years craving the type of vampire story I enjoy. I was excited when True Blood premiered. At the time, I still had the luxury of a Showtime subscription, but that show didn’t click with me either. Twilight is too tame for me so I’m not even going to go there.

My vampire landscape is pretty bleak. Sometimes, I like to pick up genre paperbacks to see what’s new and what makes people by them. I was intrigued by Jennifer Armitrout’s new novel, American Vampire. Maybe this is what I’ve been seeking?

Sadly, this book felt like a romance novel wrapped into a vampire story. Which by the way, this was barely a vampire novel! We never saw the vampire lifestyle because Graff, our only blood sucker in the story, gets trapped in a town called Penance, very early on.

Apparently, the whole town is trapped by a monster that once described I could only picture as the smoke monster from the TV show Lost. The story was really about this monster, the townspeople and Jessa, our tough girl and possible love interest or victim for Graff.

**Spoiler Alert! Graff does not bite anyone till page 192! I have less of a problem with the plot not really being about vampires if the title of the book was not American Vampire!

This was not my type of story and so the search goes on. I’ve now found out that there’s a graphic novel of the same name, but does not have the same storyline at all. I might try that next. Wish me luck.

Another Challenge?

2011-09-10T22:34:00.000-07:00

For time to time I like to do blog challenges. I've been a member of SITS for over a year now. I've learned a lot, found tons of great blogs to read and have increased my blog traffic.

I did the 31 Day ProBlogger Challenge with SITS before. Now they have a new challenge to coincide with the new Problogger book, "Problogger's Guide To Your First Week of Blogging." I'm hardly a newbie, so why would my three year old blog do this challenge? Well, when I started this blog, I new nothing about blogging. Three years later I'm at about 10%! I constantly feel like there are so many things I don't know or that I'm probably doing wrong. Basically, I need this challenge.

I'm planning lots of overhauling and changes to this blog over the next couple of months. I have many new ideas for regular features and ways to interact with you more. So it seems like the perfect time to re-introduce my blog to you so you know if this is the place for you.

Movies, music, books and TV are great passions for me. I have strong opinions about what I like and frankly, what sucks! For years, friends and family have asked for my opinion. Sometimes I think only because my passionate soapboxing is entertaining for them. Anyway, as an aspiring writer and someone who believes that film critic would be the most perfect job in the world, I decided to start a blog.

As much as I love the entertainment world, one thing I don't care for is celebrity gossip. I believe celebrities should be left alone when they are not working and when they are out with their families. My blog only focuses on the work itself. Don't get me wrong, this is no stuffed shirt, monocle wearing site. When you're sitting on Colleenie's Couch, I want you to feel like you're talking to a good friend. One who happens to have stellar taste and won't let you accept some of the lazy crap Hollywood churns out. If we expect better, we'll get better.

I'm a mom, a wife and a full time office dweller. My blog comes from a deep place of love and a desire to interact with others who feel as strongly as I do about movies, music, TV and books. Believe me it's an obsession, because I seriously do not have time!

My humor can be dark and twisted. I love shows like "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and comedians like Louie C.K. I read books from many genres and my musical taste are all over the map. I don't think my blog is ever "R" rated, but I'm sometimes "PG-13."

I hope I've enticed you to come by often. Please take a look around and voice your opinions. Right now I have two regular features. Every Tuesday is Song of the Week, the last day of each month is "I Can't Believe I Haven't Seen," and I recently introduced an occasional feature, "Movie/Book Combo." I have some new things on the horizons so check back in. Thanks for reading this. If you leave a comment, I'll know who you are and I'll come check you out!

Clearing Out The DVR

2011-09-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

Short and sweet tonight! I'm starting to worry. My DVR is almost at full capacity and the Fall Television Season is about to start. Since The Emmys are next week, I thought this weekend would be a good time to buckle down and watch some of my taped content.

I really want to see Contagion, but I won't. Can I admit that I almost said catch and I was going to put it in quotation marks? I refrained. That was close.

I also promised myself I would not rent a movie. I watched so many DVDs that I have not written reviews for! I'm a movie addict though and I could not resist renting Everything Must Go. In some sort of crazy karma, the disc messed up right at a pivotal scene. I have to try it on another DVD player, but maybe I'm being punished.

So what do I have to watch? Well, I taped every episode of Falling Skies and haven't seen one minute of it. I also have about eight episodes of Wilfred, a show I'm totally digging, it's just not a must see right now. I also have about six episodes of Awkward, currently on MTV. This showed looked potential funny to me.

What else? Ah, movies, movies and more movies. If I see something good is coming up I tape it. I recorded Easy Rider for my "Can You Believe I Haven't seen" series. Then I got super excited when I saw that, My Beautiful Launderette was coming on. I haven't seen that in years. I can't wait to watch it with my daughter. Same goes for The Closet. Hilarious movie that I'd love to see again.

Could I possibly have anything else? Well I have some real old stuff I still haven't watched. I have three episodes of Our America with Lisa Ling. I also never finished The Kids in the Hall mini-series Death Comes To Town. Oh, I just remembered I have a few episodes of Rhett & Link from IFC. Wow, I really have my work cut out for me.

How about you? Are you as bad as I am? Do you load up tons of stuff, planning to watch and then your back is against the wall? Tell me some of the stuff you have and still haven't watched. It will really make me feel better!

Song of the Week - Len/Steal My Sunshine

2011-09-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Get More: Len, Steal My Sunshine, Free Music Videos

Sorry kiddies but summer is officially over! Still, I want to leave you on a good note. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area we always have a hella hot September, so no gray days and crunchy leaves just yet. But most of you have to face reality.

I have watched VH1's "One Hit Wonders - The 90's" more times than I care to admit. Last time was a few weeks ago when I threw my back out so cut me some slack. Anyway, everytime I watch it I'm reminded of this awesome summer song by brother and sister duo Len. I always tell myself to go download it and then I forget. I can't think of a better way to end the summer. I always fantasize that one day my son and daughter will spend a fun day chillin' together. A mother can dream right?

Summer Movie Wrap Up

2011-09-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day!

I hope everyone is enjoying a day of leisure. I know Fall doesn't officially begin until September 23rd, but we all know that after Labor Day most of shed our summer fun and go back to school and busy days crammed with errands, meetings and overall busyness. So it's sad to say that yesterday's viewing of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark will be the last movie I can officially include in my summer viewing. Personally, I thought this summer was the best in awhile. Let's take a look back at what I managed to make it to the theater for.

Bridesmaids
Captain America
Conan O'Brien Can't Stop
Cowboys and Aliens
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Green Lantern
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two
Horrible Bosses
Midnight In Paris
One Day
Project Nim
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Super 8

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark - Movie Review

2011-09-04T23:06:00.000-07:00

Since tomorrow is Labor Day, this is my last official summer movie and I almost didn’t see it! It was getting such horrible reviews, I was afraid I’d be wasting my time. I’m glad I snuck this one in. While this isn’t going to win any awards, I had a creepy good time. This is the kind of horror film I’m looking for. I did read some reviews that talked about how troubling the opening was. I find this confusing since I didn’t hear those types of comments when Final Destination 5 came out a few weeks back. As a lover of classic horror comics, the opening sequence gave a very gritty, authentic feel of a story that could have been lifted from an issue of Vault of Horror, or Black Magic. I seriously don’t see why anyone would find the opening more disturbing than any other current horror offering. This comic book feel is not by chance. Director, Troy Nixey is a former comic book artist and collaborated with Del Torro on the creation of the creatures.

Although Guillermo Del Torro is not in the director’s chair this time, he did co-write the screenplay and his signature look is all over the place. If you are not a fan of his films, I don’t expect you would like this.

Most of you are probably unfamiliar with the source materiel. Since I have the benefit of being old, I’m a fan of the original 1973 TV movie of the same name. Also, because I have a brother-in-law who is obsessed with the same crap as me, I was able to borrow his video cassette for a re-watch. I’m sorry, if you are truly a connoisseur of film, I would think you still own a VCR. There are simply some things that are still unavailable in newer formats.

If you have never seen the original, it’s a scant 76 minutes long, but if you saw it as a kid, it stuck with you forever. The creatures are not very scary by today’s standards, but they sure worked in 1973! What viewers always remembered about the original was the creepy whispering and the creatures dragging the defenseless Kim Darby across the living room. Watching this in modern times and as an adult, I was more bothered by the way Alex (Jim Hutton) was treating his wife (Kim Darby). This could be why Del Torro chose to make Sally a child in the big screen adaptation. The way the wife is being treated in the original makes you feel she’d be better off with the creatures than her asshole husband.

In the newly big budget flick, Del Torro took a little story and ran with it. He gives the house and the creature lurking beneath an elaborate backstory. So much so that he made an entire graphic novel entitled, Blackwood's Guide to Dangerous Fairies. I have not read this, but I’m digging the idea and I might have to check it out.

The update gives us a much larger, much creepier house. I mean this house looks like it would have creatures lurking in its basement! Guy Pearce, (whose character is named Alex as in the original) plays a designer renovating the mansion with his girlfriend played by Katie Holmes (she’s a new character not in the original and she is named Kim, which I can only believe is a nod to Kim Darby, but I haven’t found proof of this). While undergoing this major renovation, Alex is asked by his ex-wife to take his troubled daughter, Sally (Bailee Madison) full time. The job pressure of the male character remains intact in both films. The Sally character has not only has been changed to a little girl, she also is withdrawn and does not fit in with kids her own age. Although these are common character traits for kids in horror films, it’s especially important here because it makes Sally’s claims of creatures much easier to believe they would be passed off as something else then the adult character in the original.

Although she’s playing a clichéd movie character, Bailee Madison is very convincing as a terrified child. You almost want to start yelling at the screen because you want someone to help her. As bland as Katie Holmes was in Batman Begins, I liked her in this role. She was the only one taking Sally’s claims as possibly something more and that was a much needed addition to the storyline. The original did have Kim Darby’s friend believing her, but it came off more as patronizing.

Now to the creatures. The creepy whispering is kept intact and once again, I was glad to pay attention to the end credits because I found out Del Torro lent his voice in what must have been a blast! The audience gets good shots of these gruesome little guys and they will make you cringe!

This is a film I thoroughly enjoyed and I don’t see why it isn’t getting better reviews or doing better at the box office. There’s no blood and no one gets hacked up, yet it garnered an R rating for its overall terror inducing feel. Unfortunately, for us older folks, there were no warnings or ratings for TV in 1973. We innocently plopped ourselves in front of this and were forever scarred. I don’t know though, we are a pretty cool generation and some us grew up to make good films like Guillermo Del Torro did. Maybe it’s a character builder to “safely” have the crap scared out of you when you’re young.

Last year I unveiled Colleenie Ghoulie for Halloween. Since I was talking about the scariest stuff ever, of course I mentioned the original.

Check it out here: Colleenie Ghoulie Week #2

Also, there's only a few weeks before there will be all new installments of Colleenie Ghoulie! I'm working hard to unearth some nice scary stuff for you!

Crazy Stupid Love - Movie Review

2011-09-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

What makes a good romantic comedy? I’m sure there are many posts in the blogsphere that dissect this topic. For the most part, it’s a personal thing. Some people want the couple to get together no matter what. Others want exotic locations or fish-out-of-water scenarios. And some people actually watch ones with Katherine Hiegel in them!

For me, it has to be a bit classier than the normal stuff they churn out. When in Rome? No. No Strings Attached? Pass. These movies tell you everything in the trailer and they simply would be a waste of my time.

My taste lean more towards the likes of 500 Days of Summer. So when I saw the trailer for Crazy Stupid Love, I had high hopes. Although I’m one of the few people who can’t stand Steve Carell in The Office, I like him otherwise and he’s done a good job in the lead role in Date Night and Dan in Real Life. Also, the supporting cast has clout. Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and Julianne Moore, I had high hopes for this one.

Definitely, uplifted by the acting, this film does work as a better-than-average romantic comedy. I’m a bit hesitant in my praise for this film because some of the storylines were too unbelievable. So anyone who wants to come at me with, “Really? You liked this contrived pabulum?” I don’t really have a leg to stand on in my argument. What I will say though is some of these types of movies simply work, I think it’s based on chemistry. A movie like Pretty Woman should not work at all, yet it does.

Carell stars as Cal, a loving husband with a beautiful family who gets a bombshell dropped on him. His wife and high school sweetheart, (Julianne Moore) wants a divorce. Cal has a tough time adjusting to single life until he meets the ultimate single guy, Jacob (Ryan Gosling). Jacob feels so sorry for Cal’s inept ways with the ladies that he forces his mentoring on Cal.

Cal’s storyline serves as the anchor for all the other storylines in the film. Some work, some don’t. Cal’s young son in love with his babysitter, did not work for me. The wise beyond his years, young kid bit is really wearing thin on me. Plus, the things he does to express his love are completely unbelievable.

The film immediately gains points in the “working” category when the lovely Emma Stone comes on screen. Her character, Hannah is a newly minted lawyer at a crossroads in life and her chemistry with Gosling is fantastic. They were funny and cute together.

As for the main characters Cal and Emily, I felt that Julianne Moore delivered a believable performance as a middle aged woman who’s not sure what she wants, she just knows she’s unhappy. As for Cal, some of his character traits worked. He’s a believable portrait of a loving husband and father, yet I have a hard time accepting that this character would hang out at an ultra-trendy club. I actually see Cal as someone who wouldn’t even be interested in dating for awhile. But then of course, we have no movie.

So, if the viewer can overlook these flaws, I think you could walk away quite satisfied with this one.

One Day - Book/Movie Combo

2011-09-01T23:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a new feature at Collenie’s Couch, Movie Book Combo. So many films are made from books, right? Well, I always wonder what is better. Should I read the book first? It’s common knowledge that the movie never seems to live up to the book, but what are we going to do? I’m sure readers of this blog equally love books and movies. I’ve decided to dissect both in this feature. I actually started this with Never Let Me Go, but I didn’t quite finish that post. Look for it in the near future. I’m trying to finish up all my summer movie reviews first and then I’ll back track to some posts I never completed.

Instead, we’re going to kick this off with David Nicholls book and the current film starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess…One Day.

First, the book.

My daughter read this first and passed it on to me. It was one of the few books that sucked me in immediately. We meet Emma and Dexter on July 15th, the day they graduate from college 1998. The book checks in on them every July 15th through 2006. It’s a wonderful premise and Nicholls handles it brilliantly. Since it’s always the same day, important life milestones can’t always happen and this creates a very different path for a book. You may think small snippets of a large period of time would make it difficult to feel a deep connection with the main characters, but this is not the case. We hear Emma’s story and Dexter’s story. Sometimes they are in each other’s lives and other times they are not. The dialogue is biting and witty and I often laughed out loud no matter where I was reading. Also, their inner dialogue with themselves was often funnier than what was being spoken. It was also fun to read all the UK references. Emma didn’t wear glasses, she wore spectacles! Characters snogged and shagged, for me it was a wonderful change. I loved spending time with the characters, the story was well fleshed out…it really was one of the best books I’ve read in quite a while.

Now, the movie.

Well, my daughter and I were already worried that this would not transfer well to screen. Yet, how could we not see it? This film was basically a shining example of why some books should never be brought to the screen. As far as Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess go, they were wonderful! They had great chemistry and were completely believable as Emma and Dexter. The problem was trying to cover almost twenty years in less than two hours. I hope someone reading this has seen the movie without reading the book. It’s hard for me to know, because I feel if you didn’t read the book, you find it all very confusing. I’d like to know what you thought if you saw it. Minor characters were very miscast. Ian had no redeeming qualities whatsoever, Sylvie wasn’t quite cold enough and Suki was way too tall. The whole point of her was how loud she was in comparison with her small size. None of it really matters though because you saw such brief moments of them, they had no impact. Also, I realize you have to pick and choose when you transfer a book to screen, but a major event that happened to Emma’s character was taken out. This really made a difference as to who she was as a person and thus changes your perception of the character. Some scenes and dialogue were lifted straight from the book and they were great. The visualization of Dexter’s TV show “Largin’ It” was spot on. Sadly, the scene was so brief, I don’t think viewers even got a chance to digest it.

In the end, the book works. The movie does not. What are your thoughts? Have you read One Day, or seen the movie? Sound off. What do think of this new feature? Am I asking too many questions?

Can You Believe I Haven't Seen - The Big Lebowski

2011-08-31T22:29:00.000-07:00

The Big Lebowski

Well, I wrote almost this entire post and then I thought, “Hey I haven’t saved this yet.” So I hit “SAVE” but it opened another window so I said “no” to saving document 2, but then it erased both! I know this has nothing to do with my movie review, but I must vent. Seriously, I was 90% done!

It’s the last day of the month and time for my review of another flick that I really should have seen by now. I’m realizing that I missed a lot of films that came out in the 1990’s. My kids were small then so it’s understandable. What’s funny though is I had Showtime and HBO, but it was before the DVR pause feature, so an entire film was a challenge.

This month I watched The Big Lebowski. I like The Coen Brothers and every actor in this film so it’s amazing I still never found the time for this one.

Jeff Bridges plays schlub Jeff Lebowski who is mistaken for millionaire Jeff Lebowski. This mistaken identity turns their lives and everyone around them completely upside down.

It was great to see John Goodman in such a sizable role as Bridges’ lunatic friend. I must admit to being disappointed in Steve Busemi’s role. He was wasted! He barely had a dozen words in the whole film!

I have a hard time judging this movie fairly. I enjoyed it and I loved the whole “Dude” persona. I was surprised that bowling did not play as central a role as I thought, however, this film has gained such a cult status over the years that a lot of expectations have built up since its original release in 1998. I’m not sure it would have stuck with me the way it has with others. I’ve also heard it’s a love it or hate type of film and I must day I can’t agree with that. I had a good time, but I wasn’t rolling around with laughter. It didn’t strike the same chord with me as Fargo or O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Time will tell if certain things stick with me, or if I feel compelled to watch it again.

I’m not sure what’s in store for September. Maybe I’ll let you guys decide. Here are two films that couldn’t be more different, but the one thing they have in common, I haven’t seen them! So next month, should I check out Babe or Easy Rider?

Chris Issak - Free Download

2011-08-31T22:02:00.000-07:00

I've always been a big fan of Chris Issak. I even watched his Showtime TV show. I think I was the only one. Unfortunately, I've never seen him in concert. It's a goal of mine. Anyway, he has a new album coming out soon. Download his new song Live It Up for free!

Song of the Week - Mat Kearney/Hey Mama

2011-08-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

A nice toe-tapping diddy from Mat Kearney. You know this one makes you want to get up and move!

Louie Season One - TV Review

2011-08-28T11:01:00.001-07:00

Louie

*As I went to write my review for Season Two of Louie, I found this entirely written post on my impressions of Season One. For some reason, it never got posted. So, tonight I will post this old one and tomorrow I’ll post my insights on Season Two.

I realize this show is certainly not for everyone, heck Louis C.K. is not for everyone, but some of us need him.

See I was raised to be a connoisseur of comedy. My father loved stand-up comedy and funny was funny, there was no censoring in my house. I grew up listening to comedy albums by clean comics like Bill Crosby and The Smothers Brothers, but there was also, George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Red Foxx. Believe me; Red Foxx’s stand up was nothing like his character in Sanford and Son! In our house comedy was king and stand-up was a true art form. All this needs to be taken in to account when you spend time with Louis C.K.

Watching his new FX show made me want to really dive into to his comedic history. I remember watching a few episodes of his short-lived HBO show Lucky Louie, but at the time it didn’t stick with me. I went back and watched every episode and all of his stand- up specials. He’s truly a comic’s comic.

Look, there’s a lot of stuff he says that I find offensive, but when he hits that right thing…man! His observations on parenthood are spot on. Really listen to him, this guy loves his kids, but it doesn’t mean they don’t work your every last nerve. We know that’s true, you’re just not supposed to say it. This is where I respect Louie as a comedian. He is raw and really puts it out there. To not censor yourself the way he does is amazingly impressive. I think even he’s not okay with some of the things he says, but to be true to the process he’s putting it all out there.

Louis C.K. has been around for a long time and has done a lot of writing for other comedians and TV shows. In the past, it would have been difficult for a guy like him to get a show, but with shows, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia and Tosh.0the masses have finally come around the accepting his type of crude un-censored humor.

The first season has been a bit of a hit and miss. The 5th episode where he does a gig in the South was hysterical! But then on the flip side, I don’t think episode 11, dealing with religion, really came across well. I appreciate the creativity though, I really feel like there’s something new and fresh going on here and I’m willing to let the creators work it out.

Another interesting note, much like a Seinfeld episode, each episode of Louie is interspersed with clips of him doing his stand-up act. Unlike Seinfeld, these are often the best part of the show. His bits are fall down funny. I’m often rewinding to hear the jokes again and again. Remember how cheesy Jerry Seinfeld’s bits were? You would groan and hope they would hurry back to the great sitcom banter.

I look forward to season two. The first season ended so sweetly with Louie eating pancakes with his daughters at a diner at 4:00am. It truly warmed my heart. I certainly do not want or expect the show to go in a more gentle and sweet direction, but these tiny touches, thrown in with the brashness, really feels authentic.

Lastly, I enjoy reading credits. You can pick up a lot of interesting facts. It’s common to see an actor has directed a particular episode, but I was surprised to see Louis C.K. with the credit of editor on most of the episodes. That’s different!

I did write about Louie a couple of times last summer. You can check those out here and here.

Song of the Week - It's Good to be in Love/Frou Frou

2011-08-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Post script*8/27/11
What a bad blogger I am! I scheduled this video in advance and never added text to it. I'm in the processing of trying to catch up since my back injury. What I wanted to say originally, is how much I love Imogen Heap's voice. She has a unique sound that I find very soothing. I'm a full time cubicle dweller. I NEED music to get me through my day, but I have to keep the volume pretty low. Frou Frou is perfect for keeping it chilling without it being too "elevator!"

Joss Stone LP1 - Album Review

2011-08-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

So if Adele isn't quite bluesy enough for you, give Joss Stone's new album a try. She continally puts out stellar music. Her voice is a little less formal. I can easily picture her at a bus station sing her heart out with a cup on the ground. For this album she paired with Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics fame. I found an interesting video of their collaboration on "Landlord," clearly the break out song on this offering. Also check out "Karma" and "Boatyard."

Do you have this album? What do you think? What are your favorite tracks?

Song of the Week - Jason Mraz/The Remedy

2011-08-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

The best songs of the week are the old ones that I've forgotten about. This song came on the radio last week and my reaction was of course, "I love this song! I haven't heard this in forever!" To me, this is why there could never be a replacement for radio. The whole mystery aspect and uncovering buried treasure, is something that can never be replaced by an iPod.
I was not able to embed the original video, but I did find this live performance. He doesn't quite hit that high note in the chorus...
On a side note, I have some old posts that are half done. I threw my back out on Friday, so sitting long periods at the computer were not an option. I'm feeling old, but I'm on the mend. So, look for some backdated posts for last weekend. I'm hoping to get them all up tomorrow. I'm also working on Woody Week. I have three more Woody Allen movies to watch and hopefully, I'll be ready to launch this Sunday.
I'm also dealing with back to school. Tomorrow is a half school day and then "the getting of the school supplies!" Is everyone else's life this crazy right now?

Ric Ocasek Sits Down With Stephen Colbert

2011-08-11T06:04:00.000-07:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Ric Ocasek

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I enjoyed Ric Ocasek's recent interview on The Colbert Report. It was interesting to see because I saw The Cars in concert back in their heyday the 80's. It was the worst concert I ever went to. This was in large because of Ocasek. He clearly did not want to be there and he actually sat on a stool and glared at the audience when he wasn't singing. I felt that he was ungrateful for his fame and wasn't giving his fans their money's worth. Now this was pre-interenet so I never heard anything about that night. For all I know he was very sick, but in "the show must go on" mode. I was a kid and I judged solely by what I saw that night and so he was always an asshole after that to me. Getting older can be a wonderful thing though. Maybe he became sweet or maybe I'm more open minded that something must have been going on that night. Anyways, he won me over and I was ecstatic to hear that he was still married to supermodel Paulina Porizkova. How many of those marriages last? By the way, that woman looks fantastic! So Ric, you're back in my good graces. I also totally dug the new Cars song. I just might download that album. I've put it here for your listening pleasure.

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Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

The Cars - "Keep on Knocking"

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Also, enjoy one of their classics. If you happen to be young and reading this blog, maybe you didn't know who I've been rambling on about. If you listen to this you'll say, "Oh yeah! I've heard that song!" Don't they sound amazing for a bunch of old geezers?

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Exclusive - The Cars - "My Best Friend's Girl"

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Cowboys and Aliens - Movie Review

2011-08-10T22:09:00.000-07:00

It seems like summer 2011 is all about fun at the movies. Cowboys and Aliens is yet another, popcorn-munching, special effects extravaganza.

I think a lot of people were on the fence about this one. Seriously, a western involving alien attacks? Even with the star quality of Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig and Jon Favreau in the director’s chair, this still could have been a huge stinker.

Surprisingly, the concept works. Largely, this is because the western storyline is very strong. The aliens didn’t need to show up to make this movie compelling. You have all the right elements of a great western. A struggling town, stranger with a past and an overbearing colonel making the whole town jump to his orders.

Craig and Ford turn in strong performances and play well off of each other. You can always count on Ford to bring a little bit more. His character is not one-sided. His scenes with his son, his assistant and the young boy in town are his strongest moments.

I haven’t seen a Daniel Craig film so I was not familiar with his work. I’m also one of the few women to not find him attractive; he’s a bit rough around the edges for my taste. Frankly, I’ll still take Ford over Craig! I was impressed though and I feel pretty good now about him taking over the lead for the American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. He was a believable cowboy and tough guy. He played the role straight, as did all the actors, so that even in the midst of alien absurdity, the plot stayed grounded in some form of reality.

We do need to talk about those aliens though don’t we? Well they were pretty cool. They were cringe inducing and made me jump few times. The audience does have to buy into the fact that this is where this movie is going to go. A little crazy and different, yet accepting it fully will guarantee you one fun day at the cinema.

So what are your thoughts? Did you see it? Did the concept work for you?

Song of the Week - Comeback Kid/ Brett Dennen

2011-08-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

Comeback Kid – Brett Dennen

"Comeback Kid (That's My Dog)" Official Music Video from Brett Dennen on Vimeo.

This guy always seems to make fun songs that just make me feel good.

In Time - Trailer

2011-08-08T22:33:00.000-07:00

I got my first glimpse at this trailer when I went to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes. This movie looks very interesting. I was quite impressed with Justin Timberlake's acting skills in The Social Network and it will be interesting to see if he carry a whole film. Since I'm not a fan of his music, yet enjoy his SNL stints, I would be completely okay if ditched bringing sexy back and concentrated on acting. How about you? Will you see this? Do you think Timberlake can handle a lead role?

David Cook - This Loud Morning

2011-08-07T21:29:00.001-07:00

CD Review

Something funny happened while I was listening to David Cook’s new CD, This Loud Morning. The first listen I found myself disappointed and none of the songs really stood out. However, when I went to give it a second go round, I found myself excited as each song started. The whole album seemed to have really stuck in my head without me realizing it.

David Cook has a very sexy voice and I think I want his songs to showcase that sexy quality, but he tends towards a more rocker edge. His sound is very middle of the road so it works for me since I don’t listen to a lot of heavy rock. We Believe, Fade Into Me and Take Me As I am are all solid songs and the first single The Last Goodbye is definitely one you’ll be humming. It looks like Mr. Cook won’t be fading into post American Idol obscurity just yet.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

2011-08-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

This has been the best summer for movies in years. It’s a shame they can’t stretch these out over a few summers instead of cramming them all in now. Yesterday, my husband had to work from home so my immediate thought was, “What’s the earliest time we can see Rise of the Planet of the Apes once I get home from work?” There was a 6:20pm showing that seemed like it would work.

I have to take a moment here to mention how spoiled I’ve been lately. I live in a cluster of small towns in the San Francisco East Bay. I currently live in one of the older, larger towns, because of this we had the first multiplex theater (but I wasn’t living here yet). Over the years some of the neighboring towns have built up and become quite fancy. My downtown now seems shabby in comparison to their sleek, modern stores and state of the art movie houses. And you know what? I love it!

My theater in no ghost town, but it doesn’t offer the “see and be seen” aspect of some of the newer ones. Due to this fact, there’s never a line and I can literally leave my house 15 to 10 minutes before showtime. Friday, we left around 6pm (20 minutes early) to see Rise of the Planet of Apes, because it was opening night, yet all three of us got good seats. Plus, because we are no longer one the hipper areas, we get incentives to patronize the downtown area. We get free parking that is easy to find and our theater lowered ticket prices to $8.50! Since I boycott overpriced movie food, it’s actually affordable for me to go the movies. I spent the week convincing my teenage son to join us. At his age, he pretty much protests anything I say will be cool. I told him he didn’t want to miss this one. He caved and went along.

Talk about an effective trailer. I saw it months ago and I just knew this film was going to awesome and you know what, it was? It’s the first film this summer I would happily go see in the theater again, right now! The best review I can give is simply to say you should stop reading this and run out to see it right now.

There were many pleasant surprises in this film and I don’t want to give anything away. It a great film that unfolds in its own way and should be viewed as such. The first half is gut-wrenching as you watch the relationship between scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) his subject, a chimp named Ceasar and Will’s father he is in the final stages of Alzheimers.

I cried a lot during the beginning part of this film and my husband informed me I’m no longer allowed to see movies that feature monkeys because I always break down in this way. It’s these strong emotions however, that serve the viewer well in the second half. The CGI in this movie goes to a whole new level. There are no real apes in the film at all, which opens a whole new arena for future films that could be made if you did not need to use trained animals. Of course, the computer alone is not what makes this film better than any other CGI film. The genius of Andy Serkis as Ceasar makes me believe that this performance could garner an Oscar nomination. If you don’t believe Cesar you don’t buy into this entire movie. It completely rests on Serkis’ shoulders and he delivers big time!

It was so much fun to see the apes wreck havoc on San Francisco. This movie holds nothing back on the ape rampage and it is the ultimate summer movie fun. The only complaint I had was the lovely Freda Pinto as a compassionate veterinarian was a completely wasted and undeveloped character. It was unnecessary to give Will a love interest simply to have a love interest. Other than that, the summer movies seem to keep one upping each other. I’m not sure any will top this one. Don’t be Afraid of the Dark? Maybe. Probably not.

Beavis and Butthead Are Back!

2011-08-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

Get More: Beavis and Butt-Head, MTV Shows

This clip was recently unveiled at Comic-Con. MTV is bringing the boys back!

Look, I know I’m a grown woman, but dang if that Beavis & Butthead don’t still know how to me crack up. As happy as I am to see some new Cornholio, please watch to the end of this clip when they start riffing on Jersey Shore. They played just the audio on my local radio station and I was laughing so hard in my car, I almost had to pull over. I can’t wait till these guys are back on MTV.

A Stolen Life - Jaycee Dugard

2011-08-04T21:59:00.000-07:00

Book Review

I recently read the new memoir by Jaycee Dugard. Her story is amazing.

Jaycee Dugard was eleven years old when she was kidnapped while walking to the school bus stop in Lake Tahoe, California. For eighteen years she would endure a life that no one should ever have to go through, let alone a child. She was a victim of horrible sexual and emotional abuse from her captor, Phillip Garrido. His wife, Nancy Garrido, aided in the abduction of this innocent child and spent years helping him satisfy his sick desire for young girls.

It’s amazing that Jaycee was held captive for eighteen years by this monster. Her story is difficult to read and it will make you angry. You will be angry that someone this sick exists. You will be angry that law enforcement had opportunities to discover her and they didn’t. You will be angry that she never tried to escape and that Nancy, Phillip’s wife, never tried to free her, especially when Garrido was in prison for months. There are many reasons this book will make you angry and that’s okay. What you can’t do while reading this book is judge Jaycee Dugard.

You are not allowed to second guess any decisions she made or emotions she has felt unless you too were held captive for eighteen years and made a sex slave to a pervert. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking there were times when she could have escaped or tried to contact someone, but that is not fair to this amazing woman.

As I read this, I tried to recall my eleven year self. I tried to be honest with what I knew and how easy it would be to manipulate someone so young. This woman had no contact with other human being other than these sickos, for years. It’s impossible to know what you would do to survive this type of situation.

Dugard did survive and she raised two daughters that Garrido fathered. Since she was found in 2009, she has been reunited with her mother and younger sister. Dugard not only goes through the painful years in her book, but also gives you a glimpse into her life now. To know that now she is still not truly “free” because she is dogged by the media is quite troubling. I hope as the fascination of her experience wears off she can live in peace.

As far as a book goes, Dugard talks in a very frank and simple style. She’s also careful to keep her experiences in the same way they appeared to her as an innocent young girl. At the end of each chapter she shares a reflection of how she now views the situation. This is not a long book, yet I was compelled to read it quickly. It’s hard to stay in Dugard’s world for long, it’s amazing she was able to.

Her story has an even deeper connection for me because Antioch, California where she was held captive for 18 years, is only a few towns over from where I live. I felt if she was brave enough to tell her story I owed her my time to read it. I’m so impressed with her as a human being and because of her laws will be changed and we can only hope this will never happen to another child.

I wish peace and love to be in her life and after learning a bit about her, I’m confident that she’ll know how to make this happen for her and her family. In the end, this is a story about hope and never giving up. It’s a tough read, but I hope you will read it. I’ve also included her sit down interview with Diane Sawyer.

Captain America - Movie Review

2011-08-03T22:49:00.000-07:00

If everyone has been telling you that Captain American is a much better film than you would expect, hold on while I jump on that bandwagon.

I loved the first Iron Man film and the rebooted Hulk with Ed Norton. I’m down with The Avengers movie next summer, but I didn’t feel pressured to see ALL of the movies. Thor looked a bit far-fetched to me, but then I heard some good things. By the time I finally decided to give it a try, I missed it. I’ll have to catch it on DVD, but since I have a dinosaur of a TV, something will be lost.

I also wasn’t quite sure about Captain American. The suit looks a bit cheesy and Chris Evans already played Human Torch in The Fantastic Four. I had a lot of other summer movies on my list…then I saw the trailer.

I have a general knowledge of super heroes, meaning that I have at least heard of them. As far as origins go, I’m a bit weak. I did not know that Captain America takes place during World War II and that he was created to fight Nazis. This already had my interest. Then when I found out he was a scrawny little guy who becomes a fine fighting machine, I was sold. I’m a tiny woman and I always like seeing the little guy kick some ass!

If you wonder why Chris Evans was cast as another superhero, you’ll understand early into this film. This guy is not simply a gob of muscles. He’s very likeable and quite funny. He manages to make character Steve Rogers, sensitive, tough and heroic. You want to see this guy whip the Nazi’s, save his friends and hopefully, get the girl.

There was also a deeper story than I initially thought. It’s not as simple as they pump this guy up and then let him loose. Every bit of the story is well earned and if you’re looking for a super creepy villain that gives you goosebumps, this is your film. True, Stephen Colbert accurately referred to him as a sunburnt James Carville, Red Skull is one menacing dude!

Even with a great a hero and villain, you still need the supporting characters to be interesting and well-rounded. Here too, this movie delivers. Stanley Tucci as Dr. Erskine, doesn’t disappoint as a German scientist who refuses to help Hitler’s army, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, is a tough British female officer, who just may be falling for our hero and Sebastin Stan is simply delicious as Steve Rogers devoted friend and fellow solider Bucky. Captain American had a few too many muscles for me. My eyes were on Stan whenever he was on the screen. Funny, when I looked him up later, I discovered I’d seen every film he’s been in! The only one I can remember noticing him in was Hot Tub Time Machine, because he stood out as the only good looking guy in the film.

The special effects were amazing and truly offered every type of action chase scene you could want, except for maybe outer space! Speeding trains, car chases and airplane sequences were gorgeously filmed and kept me on the edge of my seat. I even inadvertently cheered out loud a couple of times.

This definitely got me more revved up than ever for The Avengers movie next summer. I was a bit shocked at how many people left the theater as soon as the credits started to roll. I can’t be the only nerd who knows they show a clip of the next installment at the end of each film. One couple stayed for 90% of the credits and then walked out! Maybe they all saw it at Comic-Con? Anyway, don’t worry, there’s a juicy bit for you if you stay till the end.

Now I liked Green Lantern, but Captain American truly did surpass it in every way. The storyline, the acting and the special effects, were all high class. Plus, as far-fetched as super hero movies can be this one never took itself too seriously. First Harry Potter, than this, I’m on a summer roll!

Song of the Week - Skyscraper/Demi Lovato

2011-08-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

There are so many teen singers right now and kids starring in shows on The Disney Channel and Teen Nick, that’s it’s next to impossible to keep track of them all. Now that my kids are older they do not watch these shows so it’s even harder to know who half of these fresh-faced teens are. Demi Lovato we all know though because she famously stepped away from the teen bubble and sought treatment from bulimia and other speculated issues. Apparently, her rock bottom doesn’t even come close to what we’re use to seeing these days in Hollywood. Now she’s back with a song that’s growing on me a little more every time I hear it. I think it’s because she now has what these other teenyboppers lack, wisdom and personal pain to draw on. You can hear it in her voice. You go Demi!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part Two

2011-08-01T19:28:00.000-07:00

It was a long journey with young Harry Potter. I’ve been there since the beginning and just as Harry and his classmates have grown and changed, my life is also different.

When the first film came out my kids were 8 and 5. Now, I’m the mother of an adult who was working and couldn’t go with me and a teenager who had no interest in attending the final film with his parents. The first film was a family event with my brother-in-law and close family friend in attendance. We kept that intact through the first few films. Slowly, things changed. Our busy lives found us struggling to make sure we saw the films on the big screen. My oldest stopped reading the books as school work became more difficult, but she’s remained a fan. My son doesn’t seem to care what happens to Potter and the gang, what are you going to do?

So it was my husband, me and my brother-in-law, no kids, to sit down and find out how it all ends. Lately, I’ve wanted to stay away from the 3-D gimmick, but since this was the last one, we all decided to go for it. I’m glad we did because the 3-D quality was top-notch.

I had a lot of problems with The Deathly Hallows Part One. Just because you title something Part One doesn’t mean you can get away with it not being a stand alone movie. The entire film was all build up without any payoff. If they wanted to do it that way then they needed to release the films much closer together.

However, the long wait was over and where part one was meandering, part two was a roller-coaster ride. Harry, Hermione and Ron are ready to do battle against the evil Voldermort and they will not back down.

What has always set the Harry Potter films apart is the fully fleshed out storylines. Nothing ever seems to be the easiest way to tie up a story. The characters are complex and while there were no knock me out of my seat surprises, the final installment did take me places I didn’t expect.

I’m sure I’m the last person on the planet to have seen this, but I’m still not going to give anyway any plot points. I will say that I think you will be satisfied with the conclusion. I have not read the books, I’m saving them for my retirement years. I’m sure the book readers did not feel all their desires were met, but how could you possibly cover all that materiel?

It will be interesting to see where Radcliffe, Watson and Grint go from here. I know Radcliffe is making quite a name for himself on Broadway. I like that he’s okay with being attached to Harry Potter and seems to appreciate the opportunities it has provide him. He’s also a pretty funny guy. Check out this great interview from The Daily Show.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Daniel Radcliffe

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

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Check another review of Harry Potter over at Top 10 Films.

Can You Believe I Haven't Seen - Schindler's List

2011-07-31T21:16:00.000-07:00

This was originally supposed to be a monthly feature and where I definitely have a long list on my bulletin board of movies for this feature, my schedule lately has made this harder than I thought it would be. There are so many new movies to see and I’m currently reading four books simultaneously, that I’m beginning to understand how so many films passed me by.

For July, I watched Steven Spielberg’s 1993 Best Picture, Schindler’s List. I have always wanted to see this movie. It came out at a time when I was a new mother and going to the movies was not on my “to do” list. All the years later, I honestly have never felt up to watching it. You know going in that it’s going to be horribly depressing. I’ve actually felt a little guilty to be honest. It’s an important film that everyone should see. I finally righted the wrong and watched it Saturday night with my husband, who was also viewing it for the first time.

It was different than I expected. Although I knew the film chronicled the life of Oskar Schindler (played by Liam Neeson) during World War II, I did not know that the film basically only focused on this story.

Schindler was a shrewd business man who found a unique way to profit from the war; he employed Jewish refugees in his factory. He was not portrayed in a favorable light at first. He distanced himself from the violence and unfair treatment of the Jewish people, so much so, that he even befriended German Officer Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes), a horrible, evil Nazi that revels in torture and power. However, over time Oskar cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the atrocities being done to the Jewish people, especially his accountant and hard working factory employees. He begins to regard them as his friends. He sees their hard work ethic and devotion to each other and to him. As the war rages on, Schindler’s factory fails to make money for him and instead, transforms into a safe haven. Then, when even this idea is no longer adequate, Schindler begins a personal quest to save as many Jewish prisoners as he can.

It’s a fascinating study of the transformation of one human being and a reminder to all of us of the horrors that took place during World War II. I’m a person who cries at the drop of a hat, but while watching this, I was so transfixed and horrified that I was simply frozen. It was hard enough to watch what was going on screen, then to spend a moment ruminating on what was not being shown, was overwhelming.

I never realized that Ralph Fiennes was in this film. I really like Fiennes and it was difficult for me to see him play this character. He did a fantastic job. As did Liam Neeson. For the most part he ended up making the type of films I don’t really watch. I think the last film I saw him in was Nell and that sucked! It was nice to be reminded of what a wonderful actor he is. He made his emotions so believable and as Oskar Schindler morphed into a hero, Neeson never went over the top or made him seem less than a real person doing an extraordinary thing.

So I finally watched this and I’m glad I did. I’m going to try to keep this up with a movie per month. For August, I think I’m going to have to do a complete 180 though. This was very heavy material. Maybe next month, The Big Lebowski?

If you'd like to catch up on other posts in this series click on these!
The Godfather
The Shawshank Redemption
Saw

It's My 3 Year Blog-A-Versary!

2011-07-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Today is my Blogaversary!

Well it’s been three years since I started spouting my opinions and reviews here on the couch. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long. I’ve learned so much and talked to so many great people in the blog world.

Blogs are always growing and changing. I’ve tried things that didn’t work and I’m always ready to launch a million new ideas.

I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of getting my blog out there. This may still be a tiny blog, but it’s always a work in progress.

I hope you will continue to read, follow and interact with me. If you are here, I am here. Have a seat and hand over the popcorn!

In celebration, I thought you might enjoy my very first review from this very day, three years ago.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Song of the Week - April Come She Will/ Simon and Garfunkel

2011-07-26T22:05:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I watched a repeat episode of Parks and Recreation. It was the one where April and Andy get married. When April walked down the aisle, I heard this song playing and I knew it was Simon and Garfunkel, but I couldn't quite place the tune. It's not one of their more popular ones, still, it's lush and beautiful nonetheless. I know it can be hard to get pass Art Garfunkel's angelic voice, but can I point out Paul Simon's brillant guitar playing! It took me years to realize what a genius he is on the guitar. He can make it sound like a whole band is playing. Parks and Recreation is the the coolest show on right now and that they used this song only solidifies it!