2008 in Review

1. * The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2 1/2stars - Nice visuals, dull characters
   
2. * The Wrestler 4 stars - Safe word needed
   
3. * Four Holidays 3 stars - A bit of romcom fun
   
4. * Quantum of Solace 3 stars - Just shoot the bad guy already?!
   
5. * Australia 3 stars -Corny, bum numbling nice.
   
6. * Burn After Reading 3 1/2 stars - what a cluster fuck!
   
7. * Body of Lies 2 1/2 stars - a bit of downer...
   
8. * How to Lose Friends & Alienate People 3 stars - Not to be taken seriously
   
9. * The Duchess 4 stars - Biting period drama
   
10. * WALL E 5 stars - Best animation since Happy Feet
    
11. * Tropic Thunder 2 1/2 stars - Slightly amusing
    
12. * Taken 3 1/2 stars - So who wants to go travelling...?
    
13. * The Dark Knight 3 1/2 stars - Seriously fun
    
14. * Wanted 3 stars - Threads? Seriously? What? Screw it, it looks cool.
    
15. * Hancock 3 stars - Fun beginning, sappy ending
    
16. * The Happening 3 stars - Scary to a nothing conclusion
    
17. * The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian 3 stars - Forget the movies, Just read the books (Except Caspian is quite hot...)
    
18. * Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull 2 1/2 stars - Creating another level on the Suspension-of-Disbelief pole.
    
19. * Iron Man 4 1/2 stars - Awesome fun.
    
20. * Smart People 1 stars - Ugh, little redeeming factors here.
    
21. * Nim's Island 3 stars - Nice kids movie
    
22. * Vantage Point 3 stars - Was a great ride that side railed at the end.
    
23. * Run, Fatboy, Run 2 stars - Okay.
    
24. * Be Kind Rewind 3 1/2 stars - Sweded! Love the remakes.
    
25. * Jumper 2 stars - Just really don't care.
    
26. * Fools Gold 2 1/2 stars - The bimbo was funny
    
27. * Atonement 4 stars - Fantastic story, just fantastic
    
28. * Juno 4 stars - Quirky lovable fun
    

An Insight on...

To say I've had a slight obsession with this show, is an understatement of massive proportions. However I need to discuss the ins and outs of this show and what makes it work so well for me.

What makes this medical show any different from any other is the relationship between House, Cuddy and Wilson. Their banter, schemes, angst and general character flaws bouncing off one another make any ordinary episode entertaining and a joy to watch. This has improved throughout the seasons despite awful plot lines focusing on silly out-of-place authority figures (Volger & Tritter) or the over-analysis of House's actions and schemes. Yes, House is a jerk. Everyone knows... move on. As great or crappy as the cottages/ducklings/minions are (depending on your personal preference between old and new team) they still don't hold the interest level that the older three do. While Wilson used to play more of a role as House's conscience the show wisely have given him a bit more of a sense of humor. The moments, especially towards the end of season 3 were classic. One of my favourites is when Wilson kidnapped House's guitar. Awesome.



Cuddy adds to show not only as a love interest or easily played authority figure but as a genuine friend for both House and Wilson. Though I confess I am a "Huddy" fan (yay for last episode), the real juicy moments are all the UST moments, flirty retorts and odd show of affection. I think if they were to get official it wouldn't quite work. As long as they both 'secretly' care about it each oth it'll be fine. But I will be around to find out....

Stay tuned...

The Rare and Far Between...

A reality television show that doesn't suck.

I only really watch the odd reality show for mere amusement but 'So You Think You Can Dance' was such a good show this season I stayed tuned a little longer. Unlike most reality television the entertainment value was not on the conflict between the judges or the contestants but solely on the stories and passion shown on the floor. It was all about the dance, the choreography, the stage. The show had a unique bond between all the participants, including the judges and choreographers and they really felt like a big family.

Not to mention, for once, the top guy dancers were straight and very easy on the eyes.... that may have been a reason too...

Here are my favourites from what I've seen:

Josh & Courtney dancing the Rumba....( this dance got me hooked to the series.)



and the best....

Twitch & Katee

It's the Oddest Things....

I must admit, I get rather defensive when it comes to film. This usually happens when people make comments like:

"It was different then the book. It limited my imagination." - Totally different medias. Totally. Different.

"That couldn't happen in reality." -No shit. It's a movie- what's your point? Go outside the damn theater if you're so interested in reality. (However this comment is certainly applicable for the last Indy flick. Talk about suspending disbelief!)

"I don't like films with Mr/Mrs Whoever in it cause they do drugs/ believe in aliens/ jump on couches etc." Not watching a film because of an actors/actresses personal life means you'll miss out on some good films. Separate the actor from their character and judge them on their talent.

However I do have a few pet hates of my own:

-Bad Dialogue
-Heros that destroy half the bloody city that they're trying to save. Seriously, Wanted, I'm looking at you here. You can bend bloody bullets but can't even keep a damn train on it's tracks?
-Crappy remakes (being the majority of)
-Crappy sequels (also being the majority of)
-the fact that Hollywood would rather make crappy remakes and sequels then original work.

However with that in mind and since I've read about five millions lists since my last post. Here's some examples of where the remake/sequel equals or even surpasses the original....

I'm sure there are more.....

Can you really pick a favourite?

I hate getting non-personal e-mails (which means I just may have to actually reply to some email-pals... any how...) but I love getting the weekly newsletter in my inbox on Friday nights from the lovely down-to-earth people at Empire Magazine. This week they challenged us to think of our favourite top ten films. Here are mine listed below for the next... well... until I remember a fabulous film I forgot. My greatest movies of all time are...
1	The Shawshank Redemption Hope is right up there on my value system.
2	The Silence of the Lambs Will always give me the shivers. Fantastic everything.
3	The Sixth Sense I just adore the attention to detail to the best plot twist I've ever seen.
4	Kiss Kiss Bang Bang The snappiest script I've ever watched in motion with a stellar cast.
5	Sunset Blvd. The best obsession based film setting the perfect tone in every scene.
6	The Matrix I still like chunky boots and black leather coats nearly a decade on.
7	Ocean's Eleven Probably the film I've watched the most. Best use of characters and dialogue with the perfectly paced plot.
8	Galaxy Quest Every time I watch a sci-fi film or series, I think of this film.
9	Forrest Gump One of my first sentimental favourites.
10	A League of Their Own Best example of a fantastic lead female character with a perfect mix of drama and light comedy.

Great Cinematography: Powerful Scenes

Here are some powerful moments which are a visual treat.

(21 Grams
Listening to the last message from her deceased husband)

(The Curse of the Golden Flower
Gold and Silver dragon armour clashes representing the family feud.)

(Happy Feet
One giant leap to save the colony.)

(Little Miss Sunshine
A hug for a crushed dream)

(Moulin Rouge
Satines entrance.)

(Minority Report
The spyders get him)

(Perfume
Smelling the next victim)

(Se7en
A brush with John Doe)

(War of the Worlds
One life to save another)

The Shawshank Rap

Shawshank in a Minute
Uploaded by JibJab

Tight edits.

Trailers: Mashed or Sweded?

Drum roll please.....

Now presenting the best sweded and mish mashed trailers brought to you from the ever entertaining YouTube.com.

Watch and enjoy...

• Star Wars (Sweded)
  
  
• Garden State (Horror/Thriller)
• Edward Scissorhands (Sweded)
• The "new" James Bond

and my favorites

• The Princess Bride (Sweded)
• Toy Story Requiem
  

A Little Bit Desperate

I like Desperate Housewives. It's certainly been in danger of jumping the shark on several occasions, especially with that horrible storyline between Orson, his scary first wife Alma and his even scarier mother. Fortunately the writers literally put to death that one but here are some of the stories from each housewife that I liked....

Susan Mayer- I was originally a big fan since I loved watching Teri Hatcher in Lois and Clark when that was on television. No doubt I'd probably hate the cheesy plots and cardboard character now... just like I'm no longer a fan of stupid Susan in season 3. I did like the original storyline between Mike and herself, but more from that family I loved the very brief, slightly scary romance that blossomed between Julie and Zack. I guess when one starts waving loaded guns at your mother, it's time to call it quits.

Lynette Scavo- Probably the best would obviously be either the hurricane or the store shoot out. Felecity Huffman has certainly shone in those highly emotional scenes though my favourite would be the one where she accuses her new neighbour, Art, the same guy who saved her life, of petaphilia. I like the way that one was written, It really makes you think...

Gabrielle Solis- I think I would have a hard time relating to her if she was a person in real life but she certainly has had some interesting stories. My favourite moments would be after the divorce where Carlos tells her what type of flowers he would get her depending on the occasion. It's very sweet and I think their special moments mean a little more then the other housewives since they're both pretty swallow on the outside!

Bree Hodge- I think out of all the housewives, she has dealt with the most drama and is my favourite housewife. In saying that, I can't think of a storyline of hers that stands out. The writers need to lay off the angst in her life! I do think Orson and herself make the perfect couple though.

Alphabetical Favouritism

L'Appartment is a fantastic little French movie about hidden love and misunderstandings.
(Runner up: About A Boy)








Back to the Future is a classic mix of comedy and adventure.
(Runner up: A Beautiful Mind)








The Castle is an Aussie comedy where the little guy with good intentions wins.
(Runner up: The Curse of the Wererabbit)







I studied Dead Poets Society in high school and have loved it ever since. I started watching House MD because i wanted to see Robert Sean Leonard other works.
(Runner up: Dial 'M' for Murder)








The Emperor's New Groove is the funniest Disney movie yet.
(Runner up: Edward Scissorhands)








Forrest Gump is one of the best movies featuring CGI. It's overly sappy but I love it.
(Runner up: Finding Neverland)






Galaxy Quest is the movie satire on sci-fi series.
(Runner up: Gulliver's Travels)









Happy Feet is amazing all round from the beautiful visuals to the powerful story.
(Runner up: Howl's Moving Castle)






It's A Wonderful Life. The Ultimate Feel Good Movie!
(Runner up: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)









Just Friends. Silly silly fun.
(Runner up: Jumanji)








Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is one of the best examples of great dialogue.
(Runner up: King Kong)









A League of Their Own is a beautiful story with a talented cast.
(Runner up: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy)








The Matrix. Well duh...
(Runner up: Men in Black)







Napoleon Dynamite. "I see you're drinking one percent. Is that because you think you're fat? Because you're not. You could be drinking whole if you wanted to."
(Runner up: Notting Hill)








Ocean's Eleven is on of the best remakes I've seen.
(Runner up: Once Upon a Time in China)









Pan's Labyrinth is a chilling fantasy adventure about a young girls nightmarish reality.
(Runner up: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl)




Quills. I haven't really seen that many Q movies....
(Runner up: The Quiet American)









Raising Arizona is a funny, off-centred quirky flick.
(Runner up: Remains of the Day)








The Shawshank Redemption. My absolute favourite.
(Runner up: The Silence of the Lambs)







The Truman Show is a fascinating look at the media and reality television.
(Runner up: Toy Story)








United 93 is a haunting look at the story behind Flight 93 on 9/11.
(Runner up: Unforgiven)








Vertigo is one of the best Hitchcock film with a memorably haunting obsessive James Stewart.
(Runner up: The Village)









The Wedding Singer is just a fun rom com with great chemistry between the two leads.
(Runner up: Walk the Line)








X2. There wasn't really much competition for this one, though this is my favourite comic book movie.
(Runner up: X-men)







Young Frankenstein. Lot's of competition here too....









Zelery is a sweet story about a Jewish lady hiding in the countryside, married to a kind stranger.
(Runner up: Zoolander)

Mini Quotes Quiz

Guess which favourite films of mine these movie quotes are from:
(FOR ANSWERS HIGHLIGHT THE SECTION AFTER THE QUOTE)

1. "Sometimes, I guess there's just not enough rocks." (Forrest Gump)
   
2. "I'd like the coffin to be white, and I want it specially lined with satin. White... or pink. Maybe red! Bright flaming red! Let's make it gay!" (Sunset Blvd.)
   
3. "I peed on the corpse. Can they do, like, an ID from that?" (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang)
   
4. "Instead of something I want, can it be something I don't want?" (The Sixth Sense)
   
5. "People will say we're in love." (Silence of the Lambs)
   
6. "Pathetic? To die for love? How can you say so? What could be more glorious?" (Sense and Sensibility)
   
7. "They say it has no memory. That's where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory." (The Shawshank Redemption)
   
8. " Look! I have one job on this lousy ship, it's *stupid*, but I'm gonna do it! Okay?" (Galaxy Quest)
   
9. "Are they not suppose to be let out when they're grounded?" (Mean Girls)
   
10. "C'mon, he's insane. Look. Right now he's probably dancing around in his grandma's panties, yeah, rubbing himself in peanut butter." (Se7en)
    

Identification Please...

I have my favourite characters, as posted previously. Then I have characters who have situations or traits or something that I directly relate to. It's time to get a little more personal...

Kay Effiel
is a slightly eccentric, anti-social, published author who likes smoking, privacy and the odd character death.

I might just skip on the chain smoking, but the eccentric published author bit is exactly where I want to be a little further on in the future.

Lemuel Gulliver
is an exhausted surviver, struggling to grip with rules and reality of social standings whilst living in his own colourful adventure.
Okay, I haven't been locked up nor have I really been to the places in my head, but we're both looking for a home we're not even sure exists or finding a part in reality we don't wish to believe in.

James Barrie
is immersed in a land of make believe, entertaining children and audience alike yet slowly disconnecting from the adults in his life.
I want to be a successful playwriter just like him.

Joel Barish
"Why do I fall in love with every woman I see who shows me the least bit of attention?"
Give me a little smile and a nice word and you have a friend for life. Well, I think very highly of you anyway...

John Preston
lives in a world of hypocrisy, of control. He lives his life hiding his emotion, his feelings, his needs.
I lived like that for a long time and even now have difficultly saying how I truly feel.



Sayuri
grew deeply attached to an older man who gave her life hope and support yet was beyond her reach.
I fell for an older guy too, who I thought at one stage I would never see again. Like Sayuri, my story has a happy ending.

Any characters you particularly relate to?

Breaking Even with Corn, Cheese and a Side of Stoopid!

They're corny. They're badly written. They're cliche. But damn it, I love 'em. Screw the critics and take a read about the movies that weren't so admired....

Legally Blonde has the ever amazing Reese Witherspoon starring in this funny, snappy, cheesy comedy. The stereotypes are hardly new and the plot nothing original but damn, it's fun all the way to the cliche graduation ending. Now, we all ready? Bend and Snap!!

Classic scene: Elle's video tape for Harvard
IMDB rating: 6.3
Film Critic rating:***
Rotten Tomatoes: 68%

Hannibal is not as good as the original. I am with you there and sure, the plot isn't nearly as good as Lambs, nor the suspense. However having the misfortune of reading the novel.. .and it's ending... I gotta say Mr Scott did a nice job with that pile of vomit (I mean that in the nicest way Harris, I still love you dearly for Silence). But nonetheless I like this movie. I think Julianne Moore did a nice job though I still miss Jodie however Hopkins does such a great job as usual. The movie for me really begins once Hannibal comes back to the States and the hunt is on!

Classic scene: Brains anyone?
IMDB rating: 6.3
Film Critic rating:**1/2
Rotten Tomatoes: 38%

Where The Heart Is is corny, incredibly corny relying heavy on cliches and well... cliches. Some of the dialogue is so so sappy the screen starts to melt. While the characters may annoy other watchers I find them endearing. Even their odd little names. Plus I know you can't stay in department stores but it's always a cool thought- stupid alarm systems!

Classic scene: Grace before meals.
IMDB rating: 6.3
Film Critic rating: *
Rotten Tomatoes: 37%

Just Friends is nothing original in terms of plot. but with Ryan Reynolds, Anna Farris, brotherly love, a ditzy mother and toothpaste is concerned. Well, its funny, very funny, and corny but funny. It's bringing a smile to my face right now! I can see him singing

Classic scene: It's ok! She's got her toothpaste!
IMDB rating: 6.3
Film Critic rating: **1/2
Rotten Tomatoes: 43%


Zoolander is not corny just incredibly stupid. Rather like Derek. I gotta say, I am not a huge Ben Stiller fan but I do like Owen Wilson. The characters are great. The dialogue is so stupid it's awesome and people, look! They're break dance fighting..... and with ridiculously good looking style.

Classic scene:The Walk Off
IMDB rating:6.2
Film Critic rating: ***1/2
Rotten Tomatoes: 63%

All rated several smiley faces from me!

So folks out there....what's your filmic guilty (or not so popular) pleasures?