Spring Breakers

Can James Franco make up for Oz: The Great & Powerful with this teen(under)age girl robbery flick?

Oz - The Great & Powerful

Sam Raimi directs this glossy prequel to The Wiz... ard of Oz.

The Amazing Spiderman 2

Yup, I've already seen it. 

A Good Day To Die Hard

Bruce Willis is back as John McClaine in An Unnecessary Die Hard Movie.

The Last Stand

The Austrian Oak's triumphant return to moviedom. 

Jack Reacher

The inaugural video review: Tom Cruise's Jack Reacher.

Rest In Peace, Mrs. Murphy

.

I will be the first to admit that Brittany Murphy was not a constant blip on my Hollywood-related radar. I'm probably most familiar with Brittany Murphy's acting career through her voice-over work as Luanne Platter on King of the Hill. I always found Luanne to be one of the funnier characters on that show. Of all her movies, I've probably only seen one all the way through. Clueless. That's not to say I couldn't sit through any of her movies, that's just how it is. However, due to her untimely death yesterday (apparently due to cardiac arrest), I've re-watched some clips from Clueless. I think they display not only how funny of a person she probably was, but she was a pretty adorable person, too.

----------

A friend of mine died from cardiac arrest when I was in my early teens. It was an incredibly shocking and difficult type of death to deal with as there were no symptoms or warnings beforehand & no way of stopping it once it started. My heart goes out to Brittany Murphy's family & friends.

R.I.P. - Andy Hallett (1975 - 2009)

.

Andy Hallett, who played the lovable Lorne (or, if you prefer, Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan) on the WB's Angel, passed away last night of heart failure. He was 33.

I never got into Buffy: The Vampire Slayer like I did with Angel. Maybe it's just cuz I'm a guy & I like the brooding stuff. But definitely one of the main reasons I liked the show was because of Andy Hallett's character, Lorne. Lorne was The Host at a trendy nightclub that tailored to vampires, demons & such. If someone got up and sang karaoke, Lorne was able to read their auras, and their futures. Lorne was great in every episode he was in, bringing most of the comic relief to the show, but the one episode that will always stick out in my mind as Lorne's best is Life of the Party in season 5. Lorne's lack of sleep causes his subconscious to use his powers differently. Instead of reading destinies, he starts to write them, granting him a sort of mind control/suggestion power. Lorne's grip on reality gets steadily worse throughout the episode & Andy played it very well.

As a side note - I worked with a guy last year named Evan and he reminded me of Lorne so much because he had the same basic build as Lorne and would sing and do little dance moves around in a very Lorne-ish style. It was pretty cool.

And The Oscar Goes To Heath Ledger.

.

Congratulations, Heath. And thanx for the good times at the movies.

People and Their Stupid Attitudes

Ok, I didn't know Heath Ledger at all. Only saw him in a few movies, so I have no real personal connection to him. He was, however, a great actor and a unique screen presence. Since his untimely death yesterday it has obviously been a topic of conversation. The autopsy has been inconclusive and they need to do more tests. Whatever the outcome (which, I believe will be an accidental overdose of mixing the wrong medications together), some people's reactions have really begun to piss me off.

Two reactions from people I work with -

"Who cares, he's dead. People die everyday. If I was in that Brokeback Mountain movie I probably would have too."

"Are you guys still talking about Heath Ledger? It's over, he's dead."

and from a friend of my aunt's -

"I don't care about that, he was in that Brokeback Mountain movie."

You people sicken me. What a horrible attitude to have. Whether you knew Heath Ledger or not, liked him or hated him, or never even saw a movie he was in, he was still a human being and by all accounts a good one. Just because he may have been in movies that you didn't like or made decisions that were contrary to your beliefs that doesn't give you the right to be so cold, or to tell me that in some way my caring about it is wrong somehow. If he was someone you knew personally that had lived the same life he had, that might have been in some way against your beliefs , etc. would you be so callous then? I haven't seen Brokeback Mountain and for obvious reasons I hadn't wanted to see it, but in the last year or so, I have wanted to. If, for no other reason to understand someone I know who has had a similar life struggle. Admittedly, I have been a little prejudiced about the movie's subject matter. So, I rented it today. I haven't watched it yet, but I will.

(EDIT - 4/10/08 - I did watch it then and it was an amazing piece of film. Whether you agree with the subject matter of two men being in love, is really irrelevant if you want to understand and come to understand another human beings existence. Granted, it's a work of fiction, but undoubtedly, it conveys a struggle that many people, man or woman have dealt with in their lives for generations. It's not my struggle, but despite that, I need to understand. And now, to a better degree, I do.)

Whether it's something you agree with or not, I don't really care. Are we not all children of the same God? Are we not all taught tolerance and forgiveness? I am so sick and tired of people judging people and causing hatred among the human race. If it helps me to understand my fellow man that is different than I happen to be, then I will consider it a positive experience. And I can skip some parts if I need to.

While I admired Heath for his talents, I didn't see him as a walking God. But, he was a child of God. And yes, maybe people do die everyday. Just because of that, we should stop caring when someone dies suddenly? Especially when every sign points to it being an accident.

Sadly, it seems that his dedication to acting is what might have led to his death. For The Dark Knight, he devoted himself 110% to create The Joker. He started losing sleep and became exhausted. So, finding sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medicine isn't entirely a surprise. My friend that has done some acting told me in creating a performance, you don't leave it all at work, part of it is in you. In that sense, it's a real tragedy. He loved what he did and it seems that it was his downfall.

So to all the people that think those thoughts about Heath Ledger or anyone that passes away, and forget the tragedy of someone's death (whether it's self-inflicted or accidental) and the pain their loved ones are enduring, to you I say:

Remind me to think that way when you die.

R.I.P. - Heath Ledger

Actor Heath Ledger was found dead this afternoon in his New York apartment. He was found by his housekeeper who was waking him for an appointment with a masseuse. He was declared dead at around 3:30 pm by emergency medical personnel. Pills of some nature were found near his body. It's not known yet what type they were, possibly sleeping pills. Heath has a daughter with fellow Brokeback Mountain actress Michelle Williams. The couple split in September of last year.


This is just really sad and unfortunate news. I've always liked Heath Ledger's performances in the movies I have seen him in. The first movie I saw him in was The Patriot. He was stellar and very memorable as Mel Gibson's son.


And, of course, this summer we will all see what will end up being his final performance on the big screen as The Joker in The Dark Knight. Critics and Bat-fans were skeptical of Heath as Christopher Nolan's Clown Prince of Crime and up until last month's premiere of the trailer for the movie, no one was quite sure if he could pull it off or out-do Jack Nicholson's legacy. Internet buzz after the trailer debuted was just incredibly positive. Heath just seems to disappear into character. I was able to see the first 5 minutes of the film with the IMAX presentation of I Am Legend. He owns those minutes.


I fully believe that Heath Ledger will own this summer with his performance as The Joker and it will stand as a testament, along with his other roles, to his amazing acting ability. He definitely had a lot more to offer the world, and whatever is declared the official cause of his death, he will be missed by the world as a whole, in Hollywood, and by those who knew him and were close to him, in particular, his 2 year old daughter, Matilda. My condolences and prayers go out to her and Heath's loved ones.


Here are some quotes from Heath and one of his last interviews:

[on playing The Joker in The Dark Knight] "The Joker, so far, is definitely the most fun I've had with any character. He's just out of control -- no empathy, he's a sociopath, a psychotic, mass-murdering clown. And, I'm just thoroughly, thoroughly enjoying it. It's just exceeded any expectations I had of what the experience would be like."

[On daughter Matilda and being a father] "Matilda is adorable, and beautifully observant and wise. Michelle and I love her so much. Becoming a father exceeds all my expectations. It's the most remarkable experience I've ever had - it's marvelous."

"I only do this because I'm having fun. The day I stop having fun, I'll just walk away. ..I don't want to do this for the rest of my life....I don't want to spend the rest of my youth doing this in this industry. There's so much I want to discover." - Vanity Fair (August 2000)

(This is for his part in the Bob Dylan biopic "I'm Not There" and he also talks about The Joker. And, I think it's really funny how figgity he is. Biting the clothes pin and whatnot. Just click on the picture.)


Little known Heath Ledger trivia - he tried out for the role of Max Evans on the short-lived hit sci-fi show Roswell, but lost out to Jason Behr.

You Know Why I Love Musicals??

Well, I like them for a lot reasons, (like breaking into spontaneous, yet simultaneous, choreographed dance routines in the middle of the street) but I'm listening to the soundtrack to West Side Story and when Tony and Maria are on the balcony outside her family's apartment and she's telling him to be quiet or her Dad will hear them. Then SHE starts singing this song and he joins in and they're just belting it away. And I am sitting there thinking, "Won't her Dad surely hear THAT!?!?" Anyways, I just found it funny.

Anyways, just a random commentary.

I nearly went into convulsions today....

I was watching the end of a show on ABC Family. I can't recall what it was now, but I went into my room after it ended and left the TV on. Well, I was busy doing something and didn't go back to turn the TV off. I sat through 10 minutes of the Gilmore Girls' inane banter and had to run into the living room to shut it off!! I seriously couldn't take it anymore. I've never liked the show, but 10 minutes was all I could take of their "hip & witty" ramblings. Syndication sucks for this reason. If Fox can cancel The OC, surely the CW can do us all a favor and axe the Girls.

That is all.

Update - Woo hoo!!!! They did!!!!

R.I.P. - Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter 1962 - 2006

Steve Irwin, the Australian television personality and environmentalist known as The Crocodile Hunter, was killed Monday by a stingray during a diving expedition, Australian media said. He was 44.

I always got a kick outta old Steve. I even saw his movie that they made a few years back. He was a daredevil of the highest order. Messin' with crocs and snakes, and all sorts of creepy-crawly creatures was like playing with fire. Everyone who ever watched him probably thought what I thought. How long until he actually gets a fatal bite or something and doesn't pull through? They even made a soda commercial or something joking about that. But, he loved his calling and knew the risks.

Kudos Steve, you were an original. You will be missed.

The 3 Perfect Movies of 2005

Hey Peeps

There were, in my opinion, 3 perfect movies that came out in the year 2005. By perfect, I mean that they were lacking in no area. The two that came from published works were faithful to them in every respect.

In the order that they were released:


1) BATMAN BEGINS

This is by far, the most faithful adaptation of the Batman mythology to date. Granted, I will always think of Michael Keaton as Batman, but what can ya do? Christian Bale is a great runner-up. And really only a runner-up do to childhood nostalgia. He brings the exact mix of brooding and heart to the role of Bruce Wayne. He's very believable as the young man waging a war with himself as well as with those who harm others. And the scene where he strings up the fat corrupt cop in the alley way is pure unadulterated Dark Knight.

The city is in fact, Gotham, it's not just New York or a series of set pieces. It's believable.

My biggest kudo to Warner Brothers is the casting of Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon. I always liked the Gordon of the comics or the Animated Series. But, the fat old guy from the previous movies just never did it for me. Oldman was Gordon is every way, he looked exactly like the comics version. Even the report he has with Batman, not sure if he's totally on the level was well done.

Katie Holmes is just simply HOT. And a good actress.

All the other actors add to the great foundation to make it a great film. My only gripe is that it ended and I have to wait a few years for more.


2) SERENITY

Now, to begin with, I had virtually no knowledge of the story of Firefly, the precursor TV series. JD had to fill me in on the way to the movie. Not having seen anything before the movie, I was surprised by how much I was liking it. The acting was great. I think Nathan Fillion was awesome and will likely be seen more often now. As the basic anchor of the film, he did a great job. Summer Glau as River was great and she needed to be. Not only can she kick some serious highney, but she's very good at playing the crazy girl with a serious need for a therapist.

Joss Whedon, who excelled at Buffy and Angel did a fine job with his direction, it was superbly filmed. While it is another in a slew of "spaceships in space" films, it didn't seem typical to me. I loved the whole Reaver chase sequence.

The Operative, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, was excellent. I loved the samurai aspect they applied to him. The nobility he put in his cause and the "good death" ideology, especially the fights with Mal and his decision at the end of the film. Very cool.


3) HARRY POTTER and the GOBLET of FIRE

Alright, I am a big Potterhead. The movies are great and the books are great. The movies have gotten progressively better and more intense. Prisoner of Azkaban was awesome. Goblet of Fire took all that and cranked it up a notch. All the actors were better. The main trio was good as always, but were improved where they needed to be. I was really impressed with the secondary students, like Neville and the Weasley twins.

The new actors this time around were great. I loved Mad Eye Moody. Brendan Gleeson was a great choice. The new students were just right. I especially felt the Harry/Cho awkardness was genuine. Kudos to them.

Now, to Voldemort. As I am sure everyone who has followed the books did, I went into it hopeful, but not sure if I'd like the interpretation of He Who Must Not Be Named. Would he look like I imagined, or would it just look like Ralph Fiennes in make up? When he emerged from the cauldron's flames, he was so slimy and nasty. It was excellent. I literally thought to myself, "Nice!". Ralph was spot on. "Skin and bones", snake-like without the nose. I still don't know how they did that so well.

Anyways, can you tell I was impressed? Again, my only gripe was that it ended. Another year or two until The Order of the Phoenix. Can't wait.

That is all.

Smallville tonight

Ok, this is my first blog. What up?

I am just re-watching the season opener of Smallville, how friggin sweet was it? All the Superman stuff, Lex's evilness, and the fact that I love Depeche Mode's song there at the end only made it sweeter. So, the Disciples of Zod & Brainiac will be back soon. Should be groovy stuff. Later.