First of all, I experienced some Twitter problems on Sunday and that's why I was not able to tweet during the Golden Globes. I don't have time to resolve right now. I guess that's a weekend project.
Now, on to Song of the Week. So why is there a movie poster here? Well, this questionable flick from the 80's sports one of my favorite movie soundtracks of all time. This one is hard to get your hands on, but if you find it in a bargain bin somewhere...snatch it up!
Nothing tops the delicious duet Loco de Amour between the unusual pairing of David Bryne of The Talking Heads and the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz. Seriously, I can't tell you how often I still play this song! I had the honor of meeting Ms. Cruz back in the day. I went to a small performance and she blew me away. AZUCAR!
I'm still trying to catch up on all my reviews. Yesterday, I should have spent the day with the laptop, but instead I went to see The Fighter. So, now I have another review to get too! Well, today isn't looking much better. I'm attempting to sneak away to San Francisco for a few hours. I received a gift card to the art supply store for Christmas and it's buring a hole in my pocket! I will be home in time for The Golden Globes though. An evening with Ricky Gervais is always high on my list. Hey, I'll be tweeting during the show. If you haven't followed me yet on Twitter, why don't you start now? You'll find me at Colleenie41. See you tonight!
I'm still having a tough time getting back into the swing of blogging. I know Song of the Week is late, but maybe Florence and the Machine can kick me back in shape. Hey folks, I have a three day weekend coming up and I feeling like having a catch-up blogging frenzy!
Dog Days Are Over – Florence and the MachineYeah, I know this is a new song and everyone has heard it. You know what though? I’ve had a crappy last several years. I’m happy to not start just a new year, but a whole new decade! Bring it on. My dog days are over. So are yours. Let’s turn this decade out!
My father was a BIG John Wayne fan. Due to that fact, I had to watch a lot of John Wayne films growing up. I enjoyed his later work the most and my three favorites are, in order; The Shootist, The Cowboys and numero uno…True Grit. I’m not a big fan of westerns, but I have watched the 1969 original many times. However, I did feel Jeff Bridges would be a worthy opponent and I was okay with a remake.
Here’s what I found interesting though, there wasn’t much difference! I’ve included the original trailer because I can’t believe how many scenes were almost identical. Jeff Bridges did a fine job, he really did. Yet, nothing gets me jumping out of my seat like The Duke putting those reins in his mouth and saying, “Fill your hands you son of a bitch!”
I was enjoying this remake. The scenes were beautifully shot and the performances were outstanding. Jeff Bridges truly was grittier, making the character of Rooster Cogburn his own, and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld was a kick ass Mattie Ross. Matt Damon held his own in what could have been a throwaway role as overly proud Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf.
The pace of the film was perfect and I never found my mind wandering. I was right there with the characters watching the tension build. This film, although similar, truly was a formidable remake until the last five minutes.
Now I certainly don’t want to blow anything here, but I will say that I felt cut off. I did not have a satisfying ending like the original provided. Look, sometimes there’s a good reason why you veer from a book. A movie is a different beast and I have to agree with the original changes the filmmakers made in 1969. The Coen Brothers basically had the same movie right up till the end and if they wanted to be truer to the book, I’m fine with that, I just don’t feel they did a good job of it. For the reputations they have, the ending felt thrown together for me. I would like to have these two movies stand alone, but really they didn’t change the story very much at all and if you’ve seen them both I’d be happy to tell you an alternative ending that I think could have worked better.
This film was worth seeing. I think Colin Firth will snag the Best Actor Oscar this time around, but Bridges will get and deserves a nod. I’d love to see Ms. Steinfeld receive a nomination, even though it’s going to Natalie Portman for Black Swan. So maybe I shouldn’t compare at all, but when you take on The Duke, it’s kind of hard not too.
One other tiny thing about this film bothered me. If you’re really looking for gritty authenticity, everyone, with the exception of maybe Mattie, would have had some messed up teeth. I’m just saying.
Well it’s been an interesting year for Colleenie’s Couch. I visually revamped the site and definitely posted more than ever. I realize now that it would be wise to schedule blog posts ahead of time for the holidays. Oh, well. Since I can’t go back, I guess I’ll just move forward. I have tons of reviews backlogged and new things to look forward to.
I’ll be continuing my weekly Tuesday feature, Song of the Week. If you’re new to the couch, each week I like to highlight an old or lesser known song that you may want to give a spin. In 2011, I do hope to do more album reviews. It’s not something I have much experience with writing, but I’d like to give it a shot.
I’ll be rolling out some brand new features too, like: Can You Believe That I haven’t Seen… This new monthly feature will focus on films I’ve never seen. As a big film buff, I try to see so many films and sometimes, for various reasons, some seem to slip away. I will watch, review and hopefully supply a good excuse for what took me so long. First up for January - The ShawshankRedemption. I know, I know, you can’t believe it!
Also in the movie category, look for Maybe You Missed. This new feature will spotlight big stars in smaller, great movies, that may have slipped under your radar.
The Saturday Wrap Up will focus on you. I’ll highlight some of my favorite and relevant blog picks for the week, so look for your great posts there.
Sitcom Breakdown will highlight some of my all-time cherished shows in a dying genre.
Lastly, of course, my regular reviews of movies, books, TV, music and all of my strange musings. I hope to build a stronger community with my readers in 2011. I look forward to your input and opinions and I hope you’ll be having a seat on my couch on a regular basis!
Andrews Sisters Christmas For a jazzy, swinging good Christmas time, nothing beats this Andrews Sisters CD. They scat their way through the classic Christmastime tunes and frankly, I can’t imagine a party without this one. The Andrew Sisters version of "Jingle Bells" has got to be the jazziest out of control Jingle Bells of them all! Let loose ladies! Also, don’t miss,“The Toys Gave A Party For Poppa Santa Claus,” a rollicking number with Bing Crosby.
This was a cute surprise. Two funny guys with nice musical abilities. Download this on iTunes to benefit Blue Star Families, an organization that helps military families. Good going Black & Segal!
Christmas Time with The Judds Yeah, I said it. I’m highlighted The Judds Christmas album. Now, I cannot name one single song that The Judds ever recorded, but this 1987 release, is one of my all time favorite Christmas albums.
I originally had this on cassette and then actually repurchased it in the late 90’s on CD. My Christmas music collection is quite vast and I love dipping into lesser known genres. This one fits the bill to a tee!
Give this a try. Their harmonies are simply gorgeous and the tracks “Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem” and “Silver Bells” are some of my favorite renditions.
I’m one of those people that refuse to do anything Christmasy until it’s officially December. Well… it’s December! Look for lots of holiday goodies this month.
I’ll be talking about some of my favorite holiday specials and point out some things you may have missed.
Also, Song of the Week will be transformed to Christmas CD of the Week!
I hope you’ll join me and share some of your favorite holiday specials, music and traditions.
In honor of the beginning of Hanukkah, I bring you one of my favorite Saturday Night Live clips. Sadly, they did not put up the whole clip.
