The Pop Culture Addict’s Blog

I’ve been holding on to this post for so long that now should add my Avatar and Nine impressions to it. Plus, I was anticipating True Blood Season 1 at the time and now I’ve watched 6 eps of it (I remember now I stopped after 3.5 eps because I did NOT see Eric or I probably would’ve kept watching.) So let me add Avatar and Nine below:

Avatar IMAX 3D
Another event movie that entailed a lot of planning and waiting but I knew I’d be amazed. James Cameron is no joke. If he can’t wow himself, he’s not going to put it out there. The glasses took a little acclimating but it was certainly worth the effort to get used to them. The effects were incredible and seamless. I felt for the Na’vi and felt like I was leaping around and flying with the characters. The story was interesting enough. It made me think of Hayao Miyazaki’s environmental themes and all the details in the fantasy worlds he creates. I did not catch all of the details in Pandora but I certainly appreciated the richness they provided the setting and story.

Nine
Nine was so disappointing. I loved how stunning the sets and costumes were. The actors were all beautiful too. But these elements could not combine to make a product worthy of them. I think the weakness is in the source material. The choreography was fun. Rob Marshall is a choreographer by training and that shows. But the songs were so uninspiring. I wanted to like this movie. In fact, I enjoyed the talent emitted by everyone. Judy Dench was funny and surprised me with her singing voice. Kate Hudson was adorable, chic also surprised me by being a good singer. Fergie rocked her song and character. Penelope Cruz played her hot-under-the-collar mistress role to a tee. Marion Cotillard is astoundingly talented as I learned after watching her Edith Piaf bio-pic. Nicole Kidman looked and sounded perfect. But Daniel Day-Lewis had a dull role and while his clothes looked fantastic, his storyline and songs were not. When I saw Chicago the movie, I found it entertaining if not a bit detached. Nine is very warm and engulfing. So good job on that aspect, Rob Marshall and company. But Chicago the musical has a lot going for it, great songs, great choreography, an intriguing story. Nine does not. So, in summary, I didn’t hate Nine as much as it sounds like from my review but I was let down. I liked bits and pieces but it wasn’t enough for me to feel fulfilled by this movie-going experience.

It’s Complicated
If you saw and liked Something’s Gotta Give with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton, you’ll like It’s Complicated also written and directed by Nancy Meyers. I do find Meryl Streep good in everything she does and Steve Martin is a wild and crazy guy who can make me laugh. Alec Baldwin has completely won me over as Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock. All three deliver. They carry the story which is pretty much explained in the trailer. The thing I found a bit distracting was how wealthy they all were especially Meryl Streep as much of the action takes place at her unbelievably gorgeous estate.

The Blind Side
Sandra Bullock is another actor I always find appealing except in maybe All About Steve, a movie I skipped. She has been receiving much acclaim for her role in The Blind Side so I was curious to see for myself. She does a very nice job. It did remind me of Precious although The Blind Side is based on a true story.

Up in the Air
A fellow Pop Culture Addict told me she doesn’t like the way George Clooney tilts his head when he talks among other traits. So Up in the Air is not high on her list of movies to see. I, on the other hand, am still exhilarated by his role in the magnificent Fantastic Mr. Fox. I thought he did a fine job in Up in the Air. The leads are all strong – Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga. The story itself is painfully topical especially with the inclusion of real life stories of being laid off. This was an interesting touch. It brought a level of humanity to it. I guess Anna Kendrick’s young executive wannabe thinks she can bear it but shows she doesn’t have to go the way of George Clooney’s glib, detached character. There is a slightly empty feeling to the story because of the superficial nature of the characters played by George Clooney and Vera Farmiga. But I find them both charming and they are talented actors. Anna Kendrick is also appealing. They combine with the other elements, direction, humor, other actors, etc. to make an interesting couple of hours.

The Lovely Bones
After hearing about it, I read The Lovely Bones and found it well-written but very stark and sad. I am a Peter Jackson fan so I was intrigued to see what he did with the story. Early reviews said it was unwatchable. I went in thinking I would probably find enough to like about it. I was right. I think the movie lingered too much in the in-between ghost world. But I enjoyed some of the visuals. Also, the characters are more fully developed in the book. I suppose this is a common observation in book to screen adaptations. But the praise for Saoirse Ronan is not unwarranted. She conveys this sad creature well. In the end, there is a somewhat superficial feeling to the story even though it is a deep topic.

Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 7
I finally got around to slamming through Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO On Demand. Larry was true to his character, questioning everything, quibbling with his closest of friends, agreeing to do a Seinfeld reunion solely to get his wife back. It was, as they say in the show, a non-lame reunion. It was the cleverest one ever because of the nature of Larry David’s show with its mix of realism and room for improve. Everyone is playing a character but there’s so much leeway for real interaction. On Curb it’s enjoyable to see that the actors are cracking each other up. Next, I am looking forward to giving True Blood Season 1 a second chance now that I am a converted fan. I drank up Season 2 like it was going out of style. I think S1 will be On Demand starting this week or next week. EDIT: As I mentioned, I’m gleefully watching True Blood from the beginning. I am a bigger fan of Bill now. From watching primarily Season 2, I had become a fan of both Eric and Sam.

Ella Fitzgerald: Twelve Nights in Hollywood
I am so in love with this newly released Ella Fitzgerald material Twelve Nights in Hollywood. If you’re already a fan, you will appreciate what it adds to your collection. If you’re uninitiated, this is a good way to start.

Lost Season 5
I almost forgot to hail the release of Lost Season 5 on dvd this month. It is so delicious to watch. I wait with bated breath to see what happens in the final season beginning February 2, 2010!!! Also, I must say I’m looking forward to Friday Night Lights as I do not have regularly access to DirecTV and rely on the network showing. Let me check the Eonline Winter TV Premiere schedule… d’oh. FNL doesn’t air on NBC until the summer. Okay, I have plenty to watch until then…ooh, Chuck (1/10 on NBC at 9pm EST) and Leverage (1/13 on TNT at 10pm EST). And I will just say “yippee” for the return of LOST!!!

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New Moon
It’s no secret I’m a sucker for event movies. I like experiencing the energy of the crowd, the anticipation before it starts, the clapping and yelling during the movie and the rush of reactions afterward. I saw Twilight before I read the book and found it somewhat diverting. Spike (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel fame) is my favorite vampire and Edward was fine but not as endearing and cool. Kristen Stewart played her part memorably in Into the Wild so I thought she would bring some chops to Bella. Not knowing the personality of Bella, I found Kristen Stewart to be unsure of how to play a reserved, insecure teenager. I expected more of her. Then I saw her in Adventureland and thought she was great. So it was something about the direction she received and her acting choices. She just couldn’t wrap her head around Bella. Then this year, actually this summer and fall, I read the Twilight books, all four of them. They went down nice and easy. I also found myself on Team Jacob. Of course then it was all explained by Renesmee. But frankly, I think the bond between Bella and Jacob was real. Anyway, I saw Twilight opening weekend and got a big kick out of the screaming and swooning so I was looking forward to seeing New Moon opening weekend. I went hardcore this time and saw it at 12:01am on opening day. There were two theaters at my particular venue and I was in the spillover one (both were sold out). It was decidedly more mellow. But the merchandise outside the theater was not. Wow, it was all about showing your side. However, I refrained from getting a Team Jacob shirt. It’s enough that I know. On to the movie, it was watchable. Bella was more bearable. There was some cool CGI with the wolves and I liked the Bella & Edward scenes in the water. Michael Sheen as Aro was far and away the best thing in the movie. It was almost comical how good he was in comparison to everyone else. But I don’t think the audience really cared. Jacob’s hunkiness was also comical. It’s so in-your-face even the über-fans were chuckling. Now you might be chuckling because I am attempting to separate myself from the über-fans even though I was at the same midnight show. But I think you see the difference. Anyway, New Moon was fairly true to the book but the book allows for more bonding time between Jacob and Bella. Also, the Cullens and Volturi are better described so I actually care about them whereas in the movie, they are just shown. It is almost assumed you already know the details. So reading the book is still the more satisfying experience especially if these particular actors are not quite capturing it for you. So was it worth the bleary-eyed experience? I admit it took me awhile to recover from my early morning outing on a weekday. But it was fun. I will be at Eclipse next year with the same attitude. Incidentally, I do enjoy Jimmy Fallon’s “Robert is bothered” shenanigans.

Red Cliff
I had been hearing of this John Woo movie for a while. I even have the dvd of Part I but it seemed too epic to watch on a small screen. So I went to see the international version combining the 4+ hours of Parts I and II into a 2.5 hour movie. I love watching Tony Leung. The story of three kingdoms is a famous one in Chinese history. I liked some of the battle scenes. It looked great. I admit I was recovering from seeing New Moon only hours before so I was on the tired side. Still, I was able to appreciate the cool aspects and even the more sentimental ones like when his wife flies into the arms of Tony Leung.

The Starry Messenger
Kenneth Lonergan’s play This Is Our Youth was the spot for young Hollywood to hone its acting chops when it was playing in London’s West End a few years back. I saw it with Mark Ruffalo and Missy Yager (I can’t recall the third right now) at the high recommendation of a fellow PCA. He said it reminded him of his older siblings and their friends when they were in high school. Anyway, from that moment on, I was a Kenneth Lonergan fan and supporter. I loved his movie You Can Count on Me and found the play Lobby Hero interesting enough. I missed that painting play but was excited to go see The Starry Messenger. Apparently it had negative buzz but it didn’t deter me. Matthew Broderick and the lead from Maria Full of Grace (Catalina Sandino Moreno) have an easy connection and rapport. The woman playing Matthew Broderick’s wife, Kenneth Lonergan’s real world wife (J. Smith-Cameron), is also at ease. The lighting is stunning. The actual set is interesting too in its mundane details. The story is about regular people in NYC interacting and going about their lives. Kieran Culkin who was great in You Can Count On Me and did a stint in This Is Our Youth is memorable in both of his roles as a student of Matthew Broderick’s astronomy instructor at the planetarium and his never-seen-only-heard son. The writing and direction are solid. Another plus is that it is Off-Broadway making it slightly more affordable.

Fantastic Mr. Fox
I just had to see this brilliant, perhaps flawless movie again in the theater. I loved everything about it a second time.

Me and Orson Welles
I thought this movie had already come and gone. I remember hearing about it so long ago. I guess it has only been a two years since it was made and a year since it played in the Toronto Film Festival. I think this is Richard Linklater’s first period piece. I loved the 1937 New York City set. It was all a pleasant surprise. Christian McKay has a decent accent although he looks older than 21 which is how old Orson Welles was when he directed his Mercury Theater version of Julius Caesar. Zac Efron does a fine job too. It reminded me that he was in a bit part on Joss Whedon’s Firefly before the High School Musical hype. I do like things about those movies but my favorites are Sharpay/Ashley Tisdale and Ryan/Lucas Grabeel. A fellow PCA and Orson Welles aficionado pointed out various factual inconsistencies in the movie but agreed it was perfectly enjoyable to watch.

The League
I kept seeing the promos for The League when I was watching It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia as it was planned I’m sure. I thought the cast looked good but the subject matter of fantasy football was not high on my list of things to do or watch shows about. But I must say the ads were really amusing so I started watching it and haven’t missed an episode yet. My lack of knowledge or interest in fantasy football hardly matters. It is a show about friendship. It’s like Entourage if Vincent Chase et al never left Queens, got married, had kids and played fantasy football together. It has sharp writing, ridiculous and outrageous storylines and dialogue. I can’t believe what it allowed by the censors on FX. I guess because FX is a paid cable channel, it has more leeway. Anyway, it’s another fine new show this season.

Arrested Development on IFC
I love catching bits and pieces of Arrested Development on IFC channel. In fact, I started re-watching my dvds and have powered though seasons 1 and 2 already. I have one more disc left of season 3. What a phenomenal show.

The Road
I haven’t read the book which I hear is much better and actually more than enough to keep your mind freaked out and spinning. Viggo Mortensen was amazing in a difficult role. The setting was pretty relentless. The boy did a fine job also in a difficult role. It certainly made me think about what I would do if I lived in a post-Apocalyptic world. It was strange and perversely interesting to see the ravaged towns, stores and environment. The apocalypse is never described. It could be global warming or a war. Nothing seems to be growing. It is nothing like I Am Legend where there is some glamour and amenities left for Will Smith’s character. I didn’t read the book I Am Legend so I can’t speak to those details. It is more like Road Warrior/Mad Max where it is dusty and people are out for themselves in order to survive. I think I will read the book when I get off of my re-reading of Anne Perry’s William Monk books (let alone the latest one Execution Dock). That’s a whole other thing. Anyway, The Road is interesting but dismal and not at all pleasant to watch. It is also pretty spare in story. I guess if you read the book, you will already know what to expect tonally. Even if you didn’t, it is clear from the trailer this is not a rom-com. Use your judgment. It’s not like Fantastic Mr. Fox which I urge everyone to see because it is utterly delightful!

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