The cast of THE AVENGERS knows they were underpaid for the film and although Robert Downey Jr. got $50 million for the film, keep in mind the movie made well over a billion dollars in ticket sales and probably just as much on DVD and Blu-ray, not to mention toy sales and other merchandising. But the other stars took in between $2 and $4 million. I don’t think the cast is expecting to get eight figures for their roles, but they do deserve their normal fee since the sequel is all but guaranteed to make as much money or more than the first. Basically, there’s a lot of pie to go around and the actors want a bigger piece, which is understandable. You and I would want more money if our companies started making more.

It has been reported that Robert Downey Jr. is acting like the ringleader for the group (this reminds me when Lisa Kudrow became the negotiator for the cast of ‘Friends’) and he’s demanding his cast mates get paid fairly before he signs on for any more films. The negotiation has already started, with Downey publicly insinuating that he’s done with Iron Man and Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige commenting that anyone can play Tony Stark, ala James Bond. Its nice posturing from both sides, but when all of the crap is cleared out, what we know is that Marvel needs the cast of the Avengers more than the cast needs Marvel. If Robert Downey Jr. is successful in uniting the cast, then Marvel will have no choice but to pay them what they want. THE AVENGERS 2 could work with a single different actor playing someone like Hawkeye, but it has no chance of working with different actors playing Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Nick Fury and The Hulk.

Marvel’s cheap stance works great on actors that need another chance (Robert Downey Jr. in the first IRON MAN), actors that are right on the brink of super-stardom (Chris Evans), or actors that clearly have a lot of potential and just need their big break (Chris Hemsworth). But Marvel has done something with THE AVENGERS and their standalone films by creating a connected, intertwined movie universe. THE AVENGERS worked so well because we recognize the faces and know the characters. It’s why the Justice League film makes fanboys so nervous; Warner Bros. hasn’t established most of the characters and a grand summer blockbuster is not the time to introduce popular, new characters. To put it clearly; Marvel was right to low ball the actors to get them on board, but now that they’re all superstars, they have to pay them.

Replacing Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth is not going to be as easy as Marvel is letting on. Iron Man works so well because of Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth made THOR watchable because of his charm and screen presence. These are two A-list superstars that carried their respective films. Without doing a complete reboot, I don’t see any way for Marvel to seamlessly insert new actors into these roles. And if they do, they’ll need A-list caliber actors, which will command the same salaries as RDJ and Hemsworth anyway. The other stars are important and I’d have a hard time imagining other actors in those roles, but they’re not quite as pivotal as Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth. Marvel has created a monster so to speak and they don’t really have a good way out.

I feel confident that when all of this is said and done, the entire cast will return for THE AVENGERS 2. The film has already been committed to by the CEO’s of Disney and Marvel to their shareholders and even if they take a hit financially on salaries, Marvel has to make the film. But that’s where my confidence stops. Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth did their standalone follow-ups (which supposedly involved very contentious negotiating), Robert Downey Jr. did IRON MAN 3 and so Phase 2 for Marvel is pretty much complete. But after THE AVENGERS 2, I don’t feel so optimistic. My guess is that Phase 2 will be the end of the Marvel franchise as we know it and in 2016, most if not all of the characters we know will be recast. That’s a sad thought, but we should be thankful for what Marvel gave us with Phase 1 and 2 and hope that they can duplicate that success with a new cast for Phase 3.

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9. BAD BOYS II (2003): After suffering the backlash from PEARL HARBOR and ARMAGEDDON, BAD BOYS II is Michael Bay’s F-you to the world. He took everything that people had been complaining about (senseless plot, mindless action, racist and misogynistic undertones) and threw it into the audience’s face. The result is a film that’s so bad, it’s good, but only if you can laugh along with Michael Bay.

8. TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON (2011): I’m in the minority with the Transformers films, but I enjoy the giant robots killing themselves and destroying the earth. But the third film in the franchise gets a little out of hand, culminating with the third act, which features a 45 minute battle scene in Chicago where Michael Bay pulls out every stop to make it as over the top as possible. But hey look; giant robots.

7. PEARL HARBOR (2001): He tried. PEARL HARBOR is Michael Bay’s TITANIC in that he tried to combine his trademarked extravagant action sequences with a touching love story. But the love triangle got uncomfortable really quick and the action felt out of place for a WWII film. It’s not as bad as the critics made it out to be, but it was still a sign that Michael Bay needed to focus on being Michael Bay.

6. TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN (2009): Now that he had the characters established, Michael Bay could get back to doing what he does; blow stuff up. The second Transformers film does just that slightly edges out the third film because of the great forest battle. The story got a little confusing and I wasn’t sure even Bay knew where it was going, but hey; giant robots.

5. THE ISLAND (2005): After the F-you that was BAD BOYS II, Michael Bay followed that up with THE ISLAND, where he wanted to merge his action style with a complex science fiction story with moral implications. But critics and fans rejected the film, pointing to outdated, overused action stunts, a plot that never really got going and empty lead characters. I cite this film as the reason Bay went all action and no plot with his Transformers movies; why bother if fans just want to see stuff blow up in new ways?

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11. ROSEMARY’S BABY (1968) – The deeply demented film by Roman Polanski finds Rosemary (Mia Farrow) pregnant with child.  Little does she know her child is literally the spawn of satan.  While searching for her newborn child, she walks into a room with a dinner party like atmosphere full of sophisticated elderly people chanting “hail satan,” a horror comes over her face at the first sight of her monstrous child.  But the very last look she gives her child is warm and motherly, which is just if not more creepy.

10. CARRIE (1976) – This ends more like a blockbuster culminating into a crazy blood bath of murder as Sissy Spacek’s Carrie finally embraces her powers and takes vengeance on the entire school after she is humiliated at her high school prom killing everyone who crosses her sightline.  I think this should be a tool used to stop bullying in schools.

9. THE THING (1982) – Kurt Russell stars in John Capenters story about a shape-shifting alien that poses as its victims among a group of Scientist in the Antartic.  The final scene leaves two survivors facing off not knowing if the creature is dead or pretending to be the other man.  The best part is, neither does the audience.  The final line resonates after one asks, “What should we do now?” The response, “Let’s just wait here for a minute, see what happens.”

8. THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999) – A pioneer of sorts with the handheld, found-footage style of filmmaking, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT is excellent example on how to create scares by showing other people’s fear.  The final shot is so subtle as the camera from our lead runs down the steps of an abandoned old home.  When she pans the area her friend is quietly standing with his nose in the corner referring back to a creepy lengend from earlier on.  Trust me, it works so much better visually. The film’s greatest success was convincing everyone it was real before it even came out.

7. THE OTHERS (2001) – A haunting ghost story that specializes in what you don’t see using shadows and silence as an ally.  Much like the THE SIXTH SENSE, the ending turns the whole story around discovering Nicole Kidman and her two children are not the one’s being tormented but rather the one’s who are unknowingly doing the haunting.  Brilliant ending.

6. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) – With no reason, the dead begin walking the earth eating the living. A small band of people are locked up in an old farmhouse fighting off the deathly zombies on the outside and arguing incessantly with each other on the inside.  When our lone survivor peeks out the window to see that he has been rescued with a group of men killing off the remaining zombies, he gets mistaken for one himself and is shot between the eyes.

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10. Drive – I’m amazed by how many people never knew about this show. Nathan Fillion did this after Firefly and it was actually really interesting. I don’t know where they were going to go with the illegal cross-country racing basis of the film, but with guest stars like Emma Stone, Melanie Lynskey and Amy Acker, the show was doing something right. Nathan Fillion should be bigger than he is, so maybe I’m just trying to find a creative way to get him into the movies.

9. Eerie, Indiana – Why not? This show has a surprising cult following and if any show could benefit from a venue where fans can prove their love for the show, this would be it. The show was hit and miss for me, but I’ll always remember the last episode which implied it was all a TV show. Brilliant! The show also benefits from the fact that none of its stars are famous now, although I’m not sure how we’d react to a grown up Marshall.

8. Brimstone – You probably don’t even remember this one, but it featured Peter Horton as a cop sentenced to hell for avenging the rape of his wife. But when 113 evil souls escape earth, The Devil (played fiendishly by John Glover) enlists his help to track them all down. The show was fantastic and the few episodes that aired are now relegated to SyFy reruns, but this could work as a movie. As for its ability to get Kickstarter funds? Well, it might need the full 30 days.

7. Deadwood – This one might be tough because stars Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane are relatively successful post-cancellation and might command a higher salary. That, and I’m not sure either of them have the emotional attachment to Deadwood that some of the other stars on this list have to their shows. But I hated the ending to Deadwood and I need a re-do. I want to see Seth, Al and Cy team up to get their revenge on George Hearst.

6. Freaks & Geeks / Undeclared – I almost begrudgingly put these on here, only because I know they’d get the funding in a nanosecond. If Judd Apatow stood up and said he wanted to make a movie of either of these shows and all he needed was a Kickstarter campaign, I think fans would crash Kickstarter’s servers.

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10. The Red Carpet (Worst) -  Technically this is before the Academy Awards but since the degree of awfulness was at such extreme heights and Kristin Chenoweth came back on stage at the end, it had to be said. I can’t stand red carpet questions in general, but Chenoweth and company brought the uncomfortableness to a whole new cringe-worthy level.  “What’s in the box? What’s in the Box?!”  (Side Note: I loved seeing Joseph Gordon-Levitt tweet a picture of Oscar Winner Sally Field tying his bow tie for him.  Adorable).

9. Jaws Theme (Best) – If a speech went too long, the orchestra tried a new tactic by playing the JAWS Theme.  Is this not the most brilliant thing ever?  It is sort of a built in clock for us to know when the end is near. Plus, it’s thoroughly entertaining!  The winners know they are pressed for time and it’s not like they just cured cancer. Get off the stage already.

8.  The Avengers (Worst) – All the presenters were pretty lame with flat deliveries and awkward humor (We need SNL alumni to present and host all awards).  Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson take the top prize because of the anticipation level that comes with the biggest superhero movie of the year.  Their banter was an all encompassing let down. Plus, No Chris Hemsworth?!

7.  Sketch Comedy (Best) – I’m not sure why, but I was tickled to death at the missing Von Trapp family referencing THE SOUND OF MUSIC .  Then the great Christopher Plummer walked out and gave a fabulous presentation to the Best Supporting Actress Nominees.  My favorite was a toss up between the sock puppet reenactment of FLIGHT and MacFarlane’s superfandom toward Sally Field as the FLYING NUN.

6. Bond Tribute (Best) - Although the Bond tribute was far too short without much pizazz, the fact that they had one was fantastic.  Shirley Bassey singing “Goldfinger” and Adele singing “Skyfall” were the two best musical numbers of the night.  Plus, SKYFALL won two awards. One was a tie for Sound Editing with ZERO DARK THIRTY, an occurrence that hasn’t happened since 1986 for Best Documentary.  The other was for Best Song, which a Bond film has never won.

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Bravo to the Academy Awards.  This year the list of nominees are a strong batch of contenders.  Most of the categories are still completely up in the air giving more than a glimmer of hope to all the nominees.  The Best Picture race contains nine very strong movies.  I think every category will be exciting and it is anyone’s guess who will be taking home the little gold statue for Best Director and Best Picture.  Not since 1989′s DRIVING MISS DAISY has a film won Best Picture without even being nominated for Best Director.  However, here we are a few days before the Academy Awards show with Ben Affleck’s thrilling ARGO as a frontrunner without a nomination in the directing category.  LINCOLN and LIFE OF PI have racked up the most nominations and seemed statistically primed to take home the award.  Couple that with Weinstein’s juggernaut SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK scoring nominations in the top seven categories, it appears on paper to be anyone’s game.  I’m exciting to see what happens when I watch most of my favorite films battle it out come February 24.

Watch the video to see my official prediction for Best Picture and Best Director.  Also, click the links to read my predictions for Best Supporting Acting, Best Actors, Best Screenplay as well as the Technical Categories Part 1 and Part 2

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LIFE OF PI and LINCOLN both have a real good chance at sweeping many of the awards as they battle it out with the most nominations through the technical categories.  Between the two, I’m rooting for the majestic visionary tale by Ang Lee in LIFE OF PI.  However, SKYFALL has a real shot to be a spoiler in many of the technical award categories.  While it didn’t quite make my top ten, it was the second best Bond film after CASINO ROYALE and well-deserving of its few nominations. Thomas Newman is one of our greatest composers (my personal favorite) and has yet to win an Academy Award.  With his tenth nomination for SKYFALL, This could be his year.

Watch the video to see my official predictions for Best Visual Effects, Score, Song, Sound Editing and Sound Mixing.  Also, click the links to read my predictions for Best Supporting Acting and Best Actors as well as Best Screenplay

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LINCOLN, ARGO, LIFE OF PI and LES MISÉRABLES all seem to be fighting for leverage through the technical awards. But there are a few categories that seem to never get any attention.  The Best Short films are three categories that are almost impossible to predict.  Most people and critics alike never get a chance to see them, but just for that tie-breaker sensibility, I’ll take this time to throw some random predictions. For Best Documentary Short Film, I’m choosing OPEN HEART but have also heard good things about INOCENTE and MONDAYS AT RACINE.   For Best Life-Action Short Film, I’m choosing DEATH OF A SHADOW.  For Best Animated Short, I’m choosing ADAM AND DOG, but I absolutely adored PAPERMAN. And of course, I wouldn’t be opposed to MAGGIE SIMPSON IN THE LONGEST DAYCARE picking up a golden statue.

Watch the video to see my official predictions for Best Cinematography, Editing, Costume, Production Design, and Hair and Makeup categories.  Also, click the links to read my predictions for Best Supporting Acting and Best Actors as well as Best Screenplay

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I feel compelled to remind everyone that music is much more subjective than film and choosing the “best” is really dependent on your tastes.  I generally consider myself to have a broad range of musical likes, but I fully admit that for every Bob Dylan album I own, I probably have a couple of cheesy 80’s albums to go along with it.

10. “Flashdance…What A Feeling” – FLASHDANCE 1983: It’s as cheesy as they come, but it’s also as catchy as they come.  Hot off the heels of the Oscar win for 1980’s “Fame”, Irene Cara followed with the theme from FLASHDANCE.  And yes, I went back and forth as to which one to put on the list since they sound a lot alike.  Watch the music video above and don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone that you danced along.

9. “My Heart Will Go On” – TITANIC – 1997: You might still be suffering from TITANIC nausea, but if you can step back from the image of pre-teen girls lining up to see the film, you might be able to see that this is actually a pretty decent song.  She didn’t write it, but Celine Dion sang this song so incredibly well that it was hard not to be impressed with her performance.

8. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” – NEPTUNE’S DAUGHTER – 1949: Most people didn’t know that the Christmas date rape song was actually first used in the forgotten film NEPTUNE’S DAUGHTER.  It’s a staple during the holidays, but have you ever actually listened to the lyrics?  They’re a little creepy if you ask me.  

 7. “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” – DIRTY DANCING – 1986: I think I lose my man card for admitting I like DIRTY DANCING, but it’s important to be comfortable with who you are.  Maybe it’s the nostalgia with this song, but every time I hear it on the radio, I find myself shimmying to the beat.  Watch the music video above.

6. “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” – THE LION KING – 1994: Much Like “My Heart Will Go On”, this song was so overplayed when it came out that I’m still sick of it.  And I’m not even sure it was the best song from the film, but it’s still a classic song used during a powerful moment in the movie.   I’ve always been a big Elton John fan and it was nice to see him get recognition from the Academy for his work on THE LION KING.

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Usually the Foreign and Documentary nominees are less seen by the average movie goer.  I admit even as a critic, I was unable to see many of the foreign films but with this years juggernaut in AMOUR (click the link to read my review), I can’t imagine anything being better.  However, the documentary category is usually full of unseen gems that I believe many will enjoy if they give it a chance.  The Best Animated Films were also an extremely strong category this year and I believe is anyone’s game (come on FRANKENWEENIE!).  One of my favorite categories is for Best Original and Best Adapted Screenplay.  Both of which usually have some unique contenders and are always among my favorite films of the year.  This year the battle happens to coincide with many of the Best Picture nominees. ARGO, LINCOLN, AMOUR, ZERO DARK THIRTY and many of the others all have a chance.

Check out the video for my official predictions and more thoughts about the race for Best Original and Adapted Screenplay, Animated, Documentary, and Foreign Feature at the 2013 Academy Awards.  Also, click the links to read my predictions for Best Supporting Acting and Best Actors.

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Despite exceptional performances from Denzel Washington, Joaquin Phoenix and Bradley Cooper, with Daniel Day-Lewis in the category, Best Actor in a Leading Role appears to be a foregone conclusion.   The race for Best Actress on the other hand, is a very finicky one indeed.  Yes, there is a frontrunner.  But Jennifer Lawrence for SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK should definitely be on spoiler alert as a few of the other contenders have picked up their own awards respectively.  Naomi Watts is beginning to pick up a little steam with her harrowing performance in THE IMPOSSIBLE, Jessica Chastain is clearly the overwhelming star of ZERO DARK THIRTY, the Oscar’s youngest nominee in Quvenzhane Wallis is the reason BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD is so memorable (technically, the director deserves that praise as well), and the Oscar’s oldest nominee in Emmanuelle Riva might get some respect for the very impressive and moving AMOUR.  I believe the last two nominees are ripe with surprise spoiler potential.

Check out the video to see my official predictions.  Also, click the link to check out my Best Supporting Acting predictions as well as my Best Screenplay and Animated predictions.

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Picking the winners for Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor couldn’t be further apart. In one case, the winner has practically been set in stone months in advance, winning just about every award possibly leading up to the 2013 Academy Awards.  The other category has had a variety of different winners throughout the award circuit.  For me, the Best Supporting Actor category might be the most difficult to predict and I wouldn’t be surprised if any of these nominees win. Alan Arkin could ride an overwhelming support wave for ARGO, Robert De Niro for SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK has the “remember how good I use to be” card to play, Christoph Waltz is just so darn charming and likable he could garner support from those who want DJANGO UNCHAINED not to go home empty handed, Philip Seymour Hoffman is basically the leading actor in THE MASTER, and Tommy Lee Jones is the lovable grump who managed to be memorable in a movie that had Daniel Day Lewis as LINCOLN.

Check out the video to see my official predictions for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.  Also, click the link to check out my Best Acting predictions as well as my Best Screenplay and Animated predictions.

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10. Ghost Rider – Nicolas Cage as Ghost Rider just doesn’t work.  I’m not a Cage-hater, but he’s had two chances and blown both of them.  I would suggest re-introducing this character in someone else’s movie, but he’s owned by Sony and all they have is Spider-Man, which wouldn’t work.  But I would like to see the character revamped (over at Marvel) and given the movie the character deserves.

9. Green Lantern – I didn’t mind Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern, but I thought the movie tried to do too much and ended up not doing enough.  My suggestion here is to acknowledge the film as the origins story and bring back Ryan Reynolds, but that’s it.  Bring in a new director, new vision and develop one of the more interesting DC characters.

8. Robin/Nightwing – Let’s forget all about Chris O’Donnell’s Robin and while we’re at it, let’s forget about the green tights Robin from the comics.  As I alluded to in another top ten list, Joseph Gordon-Levitt should be the next Batman, but I’d like to see them take some Robin/Nightwing elements to grow the character.  I’m not sure what he really was in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (calling him “Robin” at the very end doesn’t make him Robin), but if done properly, I think Robin/Nightwing could be great on film.

7. Nightcrawler – The first of a few X-Men on this list, Nightcrawler was my favorite member of the X-Men growing up and I thought he was represented very well in X-MEN 2.  Unfortunately, that was the last we’ve seen of him.  I doubt Alan Cumming would reprise the role (he had a falling out with Bryan Singer during filming), but recasting him and adding him to future X-men movies would work well.

6. Phoenix – X-MEN 3 was so bad that almost every character that showed up should be redone and the film stricken from memory.  But the character I was most disappointed in was Jean Grey’s transformation into Phoenix.  Phoenix is a great storyline and that could have been the basis for an entire film.  I’d like to see Bryan Singer revisit the Phoenix storyline, possibly several years in the future.

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10. WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE – This is arguably his best acting performance, but it’s never been one of my favorite films.  Still, I think everyone that saw this knew that a young Leonardo DiCaprio was going to be a huge star at some point.  Either that, or they were surprised that the kid from ‘Growing Pains’ was in the movies.

9. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD – A magnificent performance from Leonardo DiCaprio, reteaming him with his TITANIC costar, Kate Winslet.  The film unfolds like a stage play, putting a lot of pressure on the two leads, which they handle marvelously.  It’s a little difficult to watch given the subject matter, but it’s still a great film.

8. THE AVIATOR – His second teaming with Martin Scorsese really showed his range as an actor and was, in my opinion, his best shot at winning the Best Actor Oscar (eventually losing to Jamie Foxx).  The film tends to drag on at times, but it’s worth it for showcasing Leo’s great acting and wide range.

7. THE BASKETBALL DIARIES –  This is another good film that’s hard to watch due to its subject matter, but a young Leonardo DiCaprio really shines through in this tale about a drug addicted teenager.  Look closely and you can also see a young Mark Wahlberg show up.

6. DJANGO UNCHAINED – Django is a good movie, but of all the movies on this list, DiCaprio’s had the least to do with it.  He did well with what he had, but the role lacked the crazy pizazz that some of us were hoping for.  Still, starring in a Quentin Tarantino movie was a milestone for DiCaprio and it was nice to see him stretch himself as an actor.

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10. Steven Spielberg – Spielberg has lost his touch. I compare the genuine, touching and great E.T. to the nice but empty WAR HORSE as the best example of how he’s changed over the last 20 years. That said, he’s still better than 90% of the directors working today. But getting Spielberg on this series is kind of like the Wizards getting Michael Jordan. Yeah, it’s nice, but it’s just not the same. Confirmed

9. Michael Bay – Okay, I’m chuckling out loud as I write this, but here me out. Say what you want about Bay, but he can direct an action scene with style, which is something Star Wars needs. If Michael Arndt’s script is as incredible as I hope it is and if producer Kathleen Kennedy kept Bay in check, it could actually work. Not confirmed.

8. Sam Mendes – Why not? He’s at the top of his game, has already won an Oscar and handled a big budget, action franchise with last year’s SKYFALL. Imagine a Star Wars movie directed by Mendes and shot by Roger Deakins. Okay, let’s come back down to reality; Mendes is a great choice, but I can’t imagine him committing to the franchise long term. Plus, he’s already hinted that he wants to return to Bond. Not confirmed

7. Brad Bird – I like and respect Brad Bird, especially after MI4, but I can’t say he’s my first choice to handle Star Wars. He worked hard to break out of the Pixar pigeon hold, so I doubt he’d jump back into something that would require even more of his time and trap him into doing the same thing for the next ten years (or longer). Confirmed

6. Christopher Nolan – A boy can dream can’t he? After dedicating a significant part of his directing life to Batman, it’s unreasonable to think he’d dedicate another chunk to Star Wars. I think one of his issues with Batman is that it was too time consuming over too long of a period of time, so there’s no way he’d tackle something as huge as Star Wars. Plus, if he pumps out more films like INCEPTION, then I’d prefer he not do Star Wars. Not confirmed

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10. Helen Mirren in HITCHCOCK – This delightful film about the making of PSYCHO got lost in all the Oscar shuffle.  Any fans of the Master of Horror will be tickled to pieces at all the Hitchcock film references and subtle comedic parallels.  Anthony Hopkins does a nice satirical take as Alfred but Helen Mirren gives his wife Alma Reville a genuine gravitational weight that pulls the film together.

9. Joseph Gordon-Levitt in LOOPER – Clearly the filmmakers cast Bruce Willis because he is so good at playing action with charisma that pops off screen.  But the star of the film is Joseph Gordon-Levitt who was clearly hired as the talent, adapting mannerism, facial expressions and even the body type of a younger Bruce Willis.  No one plays Bruce Willis better than Bruce Willis but Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the closest you’ll get adding a much needed emotional depth.

8. Elle Fanning in GINGER & ROSA – Consistently churning out impressive performances, these Fanning girls are something else. As the younger sister to Dakota Fanning, Elle is equally as talented.  The relatively unseen film is a fairly direct story showcasing some amazing perfomances.  Most notably from Elle who portrays a young girl coming of age, bottling emotions with restrained maturity through unthinkable dramatic situations.

7. Ewan McGregor/Tom Holland in THE IMPOSSIBLE – Naomi Watts received a well-deserved nomination as the mother but Ewan McGregor also does an exceptional job as a father searching for his wife and son.  In one particular scene he uses a phone to call back home and the overwhelming weight of the situation overcomes him with frightened tears that are infectious.  Tom Holland as the eldest son is fabulous in a nearly leading role that finds his character growing up way too quickly. But his arc in helping others is one we can all learn from.

6. Michael Fassbender in PROMETHEUS – As the advanced android David, Michael Fassbender portrays emotionless with deep human understanding.  It’s a testament to his acting that he made a villainous, lifeless role the most likable character in the picture. It’s sick how good he is and his performance electrifies the screen, elevating the flawed film to better heights.

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10.  LINCOLN leads the pack! – With 12 nominations, the historical drama about the 16th American President’s fight to emancipate slaves is now the front-runner to win Best Picture (LIFE OF PI has 11 nominations).  Originally thought to be more in the middle of the pack, LINCOLN has snuck in and taken the lead away from favorite horses ZERO DARK THIRTY, ARGO and LES MISERABLE. That leads us to…

9. Best Director category gets Huge shake up – Ben Affleck for ARGO, Katherine Bigelow for ZERO DARK THIRTY and Tom Hooper for LES MISERABLES all were expected to receive nominations and were replaced by directors of smaller films in Benh Zeitlin for BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, Michael Haneke for the foreign film AMOUR and to a lesser extent David O. Russell for SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK. Affleck just won the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Director and I for one thought was competing with Bigelow for Director and Picture, the odds are clearly no longer in their favor.

8. Supporting Actor Category looks very familiar – Every nominee in this category has won a little golden guy statue before – Alan Arkin for LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, Christoph Waltz for INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, Tommy Lee Jones for THE FUGITIVE, Philip Seymour Hoffman for CAPOTE, and Robert De Niro for THE GODFATHER: PART II and RAGING BULL.  No matter the outcome someone will be adding another win.

7. Best Actress Category makes history twice -  9-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis is the youngest Oscar nominee for her role in BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD.  She will be competing against the oldest nominee in Oscar history in 85-year-old Emmanuelle Riva for her role in AMOUR. Another interesting fact – Unlike the Supporting Actor Nominees, none of these ladies have ever won the award and will be a first time recipient.

6. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES gets shut out – Despite some heavy campaigning, the third installment of the greatest superhero movie franchise of all time ended up not getting a single nomination anywhere.  It’s predecessor, THE DARK KNIGHT earned eight Oscar nominations with two wins and is perhaps the sole reason the Academy expanded their Best Picture nominees after it got snubbed from the list.  Unfortunately, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES apparently had too many flaws, causing voters to leave it off even the most obvious categories like Sound Editing and Sound Mixing. This also marks Director Christopher Nolan’s first film since 2002′s INSOMNIA not to have an Oscar Nomination.

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10. Child Actors - (Quvenshane Wallis – BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, Tom Holland – THE IMPOSSIBLE, Daniel Huttlestone and Isabelle Allen – LES MISÉRABLES, CJ Adams – THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN, The entire casts from MOONRISE KINGDOM and THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER…) This past year saw some of our nations most horrendous tragedies that are sad and unfathomable for any decent human being.  Everyone has potential at greatness in many forms starting at the youngest of ages.  The ten spot is reserved to all the child actors who amazed audiences with unthinkable performances for newcomers and in some cases at a very young age.

9. Rebel Wilson - (PITCH PERFECT, ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT, WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, SMALL APARTMENTS, BACHELORETTE) I wouldn’t go so far to say that audiences know her name yet. But clearly studios are taking notice since her scene-stealing stint on BRIDESMAIDS the previous year.  A lot of these movies were not terribly successful but Wilson is consistently funny.

8. Seth MacFarlane - (TED, Oscar Host) The creator of the long time running Family Guy, is finally being noticed in Hollywood.  He had one of the top grossing R-rated comedies voicing a talking stuffed teddy bear this past summer, did an amazing job hosting SNL (as did a few others on this list), and is now slated to host the Oscars.  His biggest feat of all is actually making me kind of like him.

7. Ben Affleck - (ARGO) He may be the only one on the list with one accomplishment but that one accomplishment was pretty huge.  Affleck directed and starred in a commercially successful suspense drama that is simultaneously a critically acclaimed juggernaut.  With his third film, Ben has washed away the stink as an average actor in GIGLI and solidified himself as a top director who will surely hear his name when the Academy announces nominations and possibly hear it a second time when they hand out the awards.

6. Anne Hathaway - (THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, LES MISERABLES) My dad’s in love with this girl and for good reason.  She puts up a formidable performance as the clever cat burglar Selina Kyle then steals the show in the otherwise average musical LES MISERABLES.  I have never felt so confident about a win in the Academy Awards as I guarantee in a few months she will be referred to as Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway.

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10. GANGSTER SQUAD/WORLD WAR Z – I combined these because these made my 2012 most anticipated movies list, but were both pushed back, albeit for two very different reasons. I’m still excited about them, but that excitement has waned since I’ve been waiting over a year. However, the first trailer for WORLD WAR Z reminded me why I had it on my 2012 list and GANGSTER SQUAD still looks like a fun movie, even if it’s not the Oscar material I thought it might be last year.

9. ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND CONTINUES – The first Anchorman has grown on me since its original release and with all of the comedians involved having grown over the years, I think they’ll be able to top what they did the first time. America loves Ron Burgundy; he’s kind of a big deal.

8. THOR: THE DARK WORLDS/IRON MAN 3/THE WOLVERINE – The start of “Phase 2” for Marvel begins with IRON MAN 3. All of the Marvel films are enjoyable and I consider these guaranteed to be a good time. As for THE WOLVERINE, I have hopes that this will be what X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE should have been. I like the idea of a darker, more adult Wolverine hitting the big screen.

7. STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS – I was never really that big of a fan of Star Trek growing up, but J.J. Arams made a believer out of me with his reboot. The first trailer for the sequel looks dark and sophisticated, two things the Star Trek franchise needs. I like all the actors in their respective roles and I think the Star Trek universe has unlimited potential.

6. ELYSIUM – DISTRICT 9 was a great film, so I’m anxious to see what Neill Blomkamp can do with more money and an A-list cast, led by Matt Damon. This one might get a little preachy, but Blomkamp has proven he can combine sci-fi and political commentary, so it has me excited.

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Don’t forget to check out Nathan’s top ten movies of 2012 for a different take on the year’s best.

10. TED – My ten spot is always reserved for the movie I had a blast watching, but wouldn’t necessarily consider a “good” movie.  This year, TED fits that description perfectly.  The talking bear had me rolling throughout and it’s one that I could re-watch over and over.  It also deserves special recognition for making me like Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane.

9. LES MISERABLES – Of all the movies on this list, LES MISERABLES is probably the one I fought with the most.  On one hand, I enjoyed the grandness of it all, but on the other hand, I think director Tom Hooper made some questionable decisions.  But the great performances from Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman place it on the top ten.

8. PROMISED LAND – The Matt Damon and John Krasinski film seems to have gotten lost in the Oscar shuffle, but I liked the environmental message and great performance from Damon.  It’s a “nice” film in that it’s important without being preachy and superficial enough to not lose too many audience members.  The battle between doing what’s right and doing what makes money is one a lot of us go through and PROMISED LAND told the story very well.

7. SKYFALL – It sounds ridiculous, but my biggest issue with Sam Mendes’ James Bond film is that it felt too much like a James Bond film.  That said, it’s still infinitely better than 21 of the previous 22 Bond films, coming just shy of besting CASINO ROYALE as my favorite Bond movie.  I liked seeing a more vulnerable Bond and then liked seeing that Bond kill everyone at the end.

6. 21 JUMP STREET – You might be thinking this is a movie better reserved for the ten spot, but I was so impressed by how funny and smart this movie was, I had to give it special recognition.  With all due respect to TED, 21 JUMP STREET was the funniest movie of the year and with some great performances and hilarious nods towards the show, it’s a comedy that actually deserves to be respected.

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Don’t forget to check out Brad’s top ten movies of 2012 for a different take on the year’s best.  The Ten Best Movies of 2012 are:

Honorable Mention:  LOOPER – Since I’ve seen this film, it has really stuck with me.  This was surprisingly far more enjoyable than expected and it is a highly creative and original take on the time travel genre.  There is always a special place in my heart for creative Sci-fi films. This one is excellent and is only furthered by Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s terrifically committed performance.

10. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES – I may catch some grief for this one, but no matter how many flaws this film has, I can’t help but love it.  Unlike most of Christopher Nolan films which are at the top of my list due to their exceptional quality in redefining filmmaking, the third installment in one of the greatest movie franchises of all time, plays more like a guilty pleasure. Still, TDKR has some exquisite cinematography, ambitious story telling and a villain whose ferocity in presence and voice had me irresistibly imitating.

9. THE AVENGERS – This was probably the most fun I had in the theater this year. While Nolan found a way to make the superhero genre relevant as a serious Oscar contender, Joss Whedon has perfected making the genre into entertaining comic book fun.   With a top notch cast, humorous dialogue and epic action sequences, this is any fanboys heaven.  There are numerous scenes worth watching over and over again and the best part is, they finally nailed the Hulk!   “That’s my secret, Cap. I’m always angry.”

8. AMOUR - The foreign film that will surely win the Oscar is an unsettling look at an elderly couple when one begins to fall ill with old age and the other is forced to take care of her.  The film is frighteningly real and a sad truth that has yet to be captured with such brutally relentless patience and calm honest darkness. Think the sad part in THE NOTEBOOK when the two lovers are an old couple, except now picture it for the whole film without any of the happiness.

7. ZERO DARK THIRTY – Intense from start to finish. An in-depth look at one woman’s plight to capture Osama Bin Laden,  From brutal interrogations to the patient desk work, ZERO DARK THIRTY captures every major behind the scene moment until finally culminating to the riveting SEAL Team Six secret mission.

6. LIFE OF PI - Arguably this year’s most inspirational film, LIFE OF PI might also be the most interesting story – a young Indian boy trapped on a lifeboat with a full grown Bengal Tiger.  Doing the impossible, Ang Lee adapted the best-selling novel to the big screen with mesmerizing visuals that capture the spiritual journey beautifully.

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For those who like an Action Christmas click the following link: Trifecta #12: Christmas Movies That Pack A Punch

For those who like a Scary Christmas click the following link: Trifecta #05: A Holly Jolly Halloween

10.THE HOLIDAY – Despite Cameron Diaz doing her best to ruin this film, I get completely caught up in the charming, humorous romances. Whether it be between the dreadful Diaz and charming Jude Law or the adorable Kate Winslet and surprisingly lovable Jack Black, I just can’t seem to get enough of all the gooey goofy goodness of everything. Did I mention Cameron Diaz is terrible?

9. LOVE ACTUALLY – For every unlikable story line (Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln stalking his best friend’s wife, Keira Knightley) there is a handful of adorably charming ones (Hugh Grant as a Prime Minister falling for one of his aids or Liam Neeson as a recently widowed father helping his son deal with a school crush) to take its place. The large ensemble more than commits to the ridiculousness and has me feeling Christmas in my fingers and my toes.

8. WHITE CHRISTMAS – Here’s a little secret, I don’t particularly love this film. Sure I like the music but that just means I like Christmas music. And I really like Christmas Music – I wish there was a station dedicated to the genre all year round. So why do I need to watch a boring film of everyone singing these songs when I can just listen to the radio? Anyway, I have very close family and friends who must watch this every year so I am obligated to put the classic on the list. And who doesn’t love Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye?

7. SCROOGED – I purposely did not put the traditional version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL on the list because while it may be good, I don’t know anyone who sits through that yawnfest drama every year. Bill Murray‘s dark comedic rendition of the classic tale on the otherhand, has me saying anything but bah humbug.

6. ELF – One of the more recent Christmas movies to capture the hearts of audiences. Will Ferrell‘s innocent Buddy raised by elves has an unwavering passion that is contagious. I am happy to not sit on a throne of lies when I agree with Buddy’s comment, “smiling is my favorite.”

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10. WRATH OF THE TITANS – Everything gets sequels these days, but Wrath might be the best reason not to make sequels to bad films.  The CLASH OF THE TITANS remake was actually worse, but WRATH OF THE TITANS offered nothing new and was just a series of one mindless stunt after another.

9. DARK TIDE – We’ve never considered Halle Berry the type of actress that can carry her own film, but we did expect more than DARK TIDE.  Her character is so unlikeable and the events are so cheesy that this is not something you would expect from an Oscar winner not named Cuba Gooding Jr.

8. BATTLESHIP – The first of two Taylor Kitsch movies to make the list, BATTLESHIP is a shining example of Hollywood excess and filmmakers having no idea what American audiences want.  We can handle mindless action, but with a bland lead actor, zero intensity and even less character development, BATTLESHIP couldn’t even fall into the “so bad it’s good” category.

7. VAMPS – When will Krysten Ritter get the break she deserves?  It’s not with VAMPS, the eye-rolling story of two vampire girls trying to find love in the big city shows just how far Amy Heckerling has dropped since CLUELESS.  This is unbearable and the cute likeability of Ritter and Alicia Silverstone can’t save it.

6. THIS MEANS WAR – Despite Tom Hardy’s best efforts, THIS MEANS WAR was a cliche riddled, groan-inducing film featuring three of the hottest stars working today.  Maybe McG doesn’t really understand storytelling or character development or maybe the script was just that bad.  Either way, THIS MEANS WAR was tough to get through.

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Honorable Mention:  JINGLE ALL THE WAY – A family film about a postal worker played by Sinbad and Arnold Schwarzenegger as a dad who forgot to get the latest sold out action figure for his son, the two go head, competing through all the last minute shopping chaos to find the toy sounds perfect for the list right?  Sadly, the best scene that came from this film is years later when Conan O’Brien had TV screen shot of Arnold proclaiming in perfectly poor Awnold voice, “Go see my new movie JINGLE ALL THE WAY!  It’s good movie!”

10. THE TOY – This film is wrong on so many levels and perhaps my inappropriate funny bone is speaking louder than it should.  When spoiled Master Bates is allowed to pick anything he wants in the store, he chooses the unassuming  janitor in Richard Pryer as his new toy.  I feel uncomfortable with just about every aspect of this description so I’m gonna move on.

9. SUPERBAD - “There’s not enough pants where there should be more pants.” Michael Cera explaining to a husky Jonah Hill trying on jeans that are far too tight is obviously funny, but I like the awkward scene afterward where they run into potential girlfriends shopping and the best friends successfully but sadly have to finally part ways.

8. BIG - The dreams of having adult money as a child and furnishing your room with bunkbeds and trampolines is heavenly.  While man-child Tom Hanks is shopping for more goodies, he runs into his boss and they accidentally walk onto an oversized walk-on piano providing an iconic scene for the child in all of us.

 7. SERENDIPITY - Last minute shopping always makes for a colorful experience that I ashamedly can identify with far too well.  The romantic in me loves the story of meeting that special someone, as you are both reaching for the last pair of gloves.  The cynic in me can’t stand Kate Beckinsale’s crazy idea to not give her number and leaving it to fate for them to find one another again.

6. CAN’T BUY ME LOVE - Giving up hard earned lawn mowing money just before purchasing his dream telescope,  high school nerd Patrick Dempsey chooses to buy an expensive replacement dress for the popular girl in exchange for a short stint as his pretend girlfriend.  The move catapults him to the top of the high school food chain where he met more girls, reveals flaws in the cool-kid hierarchy, learns a valuable life-lesson and still ends up with the girl.  Well played McDreamy.

5. PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE - When Magician and joke shop owner Amazing Larry brings out his “box for Pee-Wee,” we are treated to boomerrang bowties, night vision goggles, trick gum and other great items any normal adult child would snatch up in a heartbeat.

4. GREMLINS - There is a special place in my heart for this Spielberg produced horror/comedy.  As the father searches for a last minute gift, he makes his way through a creepy old shop ran by a freaky one eyed pipe smoking old man in Chinatown.  I’m sure I would find more than a few interesting things to get my wife but Gizmo was really the ultimate find.  However with those insane instructions, I’m not sure I could make the commitment.  “No light, especially sunlight.  Don’t get it wet. And whatever you do, never feed it after midnight.”  I’m sorry, but how do you expect us to hang out while I eat late night cheeseburger in my lighted hot tub?

3. CHRISTMAS VACATION - My absolute favorite scene is Chevy Chase trying to flirt with the busty sales clerk.  “It wouldn’t be the Christmas shopping season if the stores were any less hooter than they – HOTTER than they are.”

2. CRAZY STUPID LOVE - No secret around here, the team at Flix66 are big fans of Ryan Gosling (Click the link to read our Top Ten Ryan Gosling films…so far).  I would gladly hand over my credit card as his impeccable look in this film did not go unnoticed by females and males everywhere.  His middle-age man makeover on Steve Carrell is one that immediately made me rethink my own wardrobe and taught me to “be better than the Gap.”

1. PRETTY WOMAN - The quintessential montage that all chick flicks now contain, PRETTY WOMAN displays every female’s dream.  Julia Roberts being pampered and gushed upon as she tries on several outfits with cost being no consequence as the theme song is played is fun as it is.  But walking over to the store that rudely kicked you out and rubbing it in their face about the sales commision well…”Big mistake. Big. Huge!”

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Because of that, I decided to put together a list of reasons why Warner Bros needs Joseph Gordon-Levitt to be Batman.  For me, it just makes too much sense not to happen.

10. Warner Bros needs the Batman franchise to be great – Harry Potter is gone and they haven’t been able to successfully start up any of their other superhero franchises, so WB needs Batman to be great.  Rebooting the franchise is a risky proposition (see #8) and they could lose the fans they built up with Nolan’s films.  The easiest way to guarantee success with Batman is to have a familiar face don the Batsuit and surround him with talented filmmakers.

9. It will make you think differently of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES – TDKR was good, but I think most fans felt a bit letdown, especially after THE DARK KNIGHT.  But if you knew for sure that Blake was going to take over as Batman, wouldn’t that make you look at it differently?  All of a sudden, Blake’s involvement has more meaning and has a better impact to the trilogy.

8. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN – Stay with me on this one; THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN grossed $74 million less than SPIDER-MAN 3, and that’s with the help of higher 3D prices.  Virtually every review of TASM was that it was good, but completely unnecessary.  Fans were still interested in Raimi’s universe and wanted redemption for 3, but were never given the chance because Sony was so quick to remake a ten year-old film.  WB needs to take this as an example of what not to do with a superhero franchise.  If WB messes up the Batman reboot, they could lose some serious cash.

7. It’s what Christopher Nolan wants – I’m speculating here, but Nolan handed over the future of the franchise on a silver platter and although some people think he’d be upset if WB continues with his world, I think he intended it all along.  He’s been coy about it, but if he wanted his vision to end forever, he would have killed Bruce Wayne or at the very least, wouldn’t have bothered having Blake show up in the Batcave at the end.  He doesn’t want to direct any more Batman films, but I think he’ll always be a part of the Batman universe in some capacity.

6. It opens the door for other characters to reappear – Christian Bale has said he’s done.  Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman will do anything, but with Joseph Gordon-Levitt providing a link to Nolan’s trilogy, then anyone who appeared in the first three films is game to return.  Anne Hathaway wants her own spinoff, but making an appearance in a Gordon-Levitt Batman would help bridge that gap between TDKR and Catwoman.

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I won’t list all the things wrong with the prequels, but one of their challenges was not having any recognizable characters other than C-3PO and R2-D2.  As much as I love those little droids, they weren’t enough to satisfy fans’ desires to catch up with Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo.  Making a sequel trilogy without them would revert back to the same issue we had with the prequel trilogy; we don’t know anyone.  Obviously, time has passed and it has to be set far enough after RETURN OF THE JEDI to accommodate their age.  And clearly, we understand that all of the characters have grown up and have changed.  That’s fine; we don’t need them to be 20 years-old anymore, we just need a natural continuity between Episode VI and Episode VII.  Having the big three involved will give us that.

The next question is in regards to how much they need to be in the new trilogy.  I like the idea of the three leads carrying the films again, but it’s not necessarily a requirement for the films to be enjoyable.  At the very least, having them show up as minor characters is enough.  I would assume they’ll take elements from the novels such as Leia and Han being married with kids, Luke starting the Jedi council again, Leia leading the rebuilding of the republic, etc.  All of those things can happen with the three leads playing supporting roles.

Also, let’s get a little geeky for a second.  How cool would it be to see Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, wielding a lightsabre on the big screen again?  Or to see Harrison Ford and Billy Dee Williams as Han Solo and Lando Calrissian bantering back and forth?  There’s a million small moments that would make these Star Wars films everything the prequels weren’t.  Their involvement would also take the pressure off of a new cast that would be expected to carry the franchise into the future.  It’s easier to pass a baton than to try and build something from scratch.

We don’t know much, but we do know that George Lucas met with Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher over the summer, prior to making the deal.  No one will say exactly what was discussed, but I’m going to speculate that it was as much a head’s up to the stars as it was a discussion.  Doesn’t the timing of Carrie Fisher’s dramatic weight loss seem too convenient?  And is it just me, or does Mark Hamill even look thinner and more in shape than he did just a few months ago?  My guess is that Fisher and Hamill will appear in the next Star Wars films and even though Harrison Ford has said he wasn’t interested in playing Han Solo again (and then recently said he’d be open to it), I’d bet a dollar he’ll do it anyway.  Either way, we have a fun two and a half years ahead of us as we speculate on what’s going to happen with Star Wars.

To keep up on all the latest Star Wars news, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. If you missed any of the older news, you can click this link: STAR WARS and read all of the latest rumblings.

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With the recent release of THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, CLOUD ATLAS and TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2, I realized that there are more than a handful of films that feature titles directly from the shelves of my local library. I am extremely giddy; how will filmmakers interpret the text to something more tangible? Below are the top ten books to film that are coming soon to a theater near you.

10. FIFTY SHADES OF GREY - Word is that this TWILIGHT fan fiction has a movie scribe (Kelly Marcel, writer for television’s Terra Nova) and will be a feature film before we know it. The idea of watching this book come to life makes me want to poke out my eyeballs. The horribly written, absurd trilogy should not receive praise or recognition and each time I hear people reference this book I want to cry a little. What will be interesting are all the rumors surrounding who will play what character (Mila Kunis as Anastasia Steele?) and how the studios will market this naughty novel.

9. GONE GIRL - Speaking of rumored books to film… GONE GIRL is a flick I can get behind. An intriguingly smart and creepy storyline coupled with Reese Witherspoon holding producing rights to this picture makes me want to jump for joy.  I can totally picture Witherspoon as beautiful and crafty Amy and Witherspoon’s real life ex- Ryan Phillippe as Amy’s husband, Nick. I’ve got goose bumps just thinking of how awesome this picture could be as a feature film.

8. JACK REACHER - After MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL, I rediscovered how much fun Tom Cruise is on screen in an action role. With Cruise taking on the role of Reacher, a former military police officer turned drifter, the film sounds almost more fun than the books penned by Lee Child. Will these films become a series much like the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE franchise? If this flick is as good as it sounds, I hope so.

7. THE HOST - TWILIGHT author Stephanie Meyer brought us another teen lit book, except this synopsis actually sounds interesting.  With Saoirse Ronan in the lead role, it is encouraging to see a proven actress in this film. Almost every film she is in is excellent (from HANNA, ATONEMENT, LOVELY BONES and more) so I cannot fathom that she would pick a poor role. I am not much of a SCI-FI fan, but think I’ll make an exception for this flick

6. ANNA KARENINA - All of the fabulous costumes that surround Leo Tolstoy’s novel will soon enough grace the silver screen. Until then, they are getting me geared up for the release of ANNA KARENINA. Another book that I’m not too keen on, there are elements within the pages that I think will be better on screen than in the book. The costumes of course and seeing Jude Law play 20 years Keira Knightly’s senior as her affluent husband are all very interesting.  Plus, I’m curious to see the chemistry between Knightly and semi-newcomer Aaron Taylor-Johnson (KICK-ASS).

5. THE GREAT GATSBY – With one of the all time greatest actors (read: Leonardo DiCaprio) on board, already I’m interested in the movie. Add the very capable and impressive Baz Luhrmann (MOULIN ROUGE!) to the mix and I already know that I’ll be watching this flick.  If the glitz and glamour of the trailer didn’t grab your attention, perhaps the star studded cast will. Tobey Maguire seems like the perfect fit to play the Midwest honest man caught up in the craziness of Gatsby’s world.

4. THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK - Bradley Cooper. Jennifer Lawrence. Just those two names alone make me excited to see this film adapted from Matthew Quick’s novel of the same title. The premise of one man returning to his childhood home after spending time in a mental institution and believing his silver lining is to reunite with his estranged wife, pulls on my heart strings. Add a slew of talented actors and David O Russell directing (THE FIGHTER), I am eager to see how they transform this awesome story to screen.

3. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY - Who else is excited for another visit to Middle Earth? I became enchanted with Peter Jackson’s LORD OF THE RINGS long after the films were released thinking it was a genre outside of my scope of interests. Sad I pushed off the series for so long, yet happy to have finally watched them; I’m thrilled to see more of Jackson’s work in the upcoming film surrounding Bilbo Baggins and a new set of adventures with our hobbit friends.

2. LIFE OF PI - I must confess I have not fully read this book. My husband’s favorite novel, I am ashamed that I cannot get past India to see what else happens to Pi outside of his family’s zoo.  However, I’m beyond intrigued to see the film (even if I haven’t made it through the book) after seeing the trailer to Ang Lee’s adaptation of this book. Coming out right in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, we might be front and center to watch this picture come to life after eating some turkey and stuffing.

1. THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE - The young adult trilogy is smart and easy to read and filmmakers gave us a great show with the first motion picture.  Since the studio and actors provided such an excellent production, I’ve got nothing but great expectations for what will come when the second installment hits theaters.  I cannot wait to see Sam Claflin as Finnick. Watching Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson reprise their roles makes me super happy too. TEAM PEETA!

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10. Not having to watch Edward be super protective of Bella: This was tolerable for the first and second film, but it’s starting to get a little old. Does anyone else think Edward (Robert Pattinson) is a little too overprotective? And how can one girl get into so much trouble all the time? Thank goodness vampire Bella (Kristen Stewart) can take care of herself finally.

9. The cute little house Bella and Edward live in: This is a personal moment in the film I’m looking forward to, because in the books the little house Esme refurbishes for Edward and Bella’s wedding just sounds charming. I hope it’s as cute on screen as it is in my head.

8. Watching the growth of Renesmee: We all know that Renesmee has a super growth spurt in TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN PART 2, but it’ll be interesting to see if they just show her as a baby, then toddler, then age 5 until we see her at her finished age, or will they just jump forward without showing her aging at all?  The second would be the easy and practical choice, but I want to see more.

7. Meeting the other vampire clans: Aside from the Cullen’s, the Volturi and the three vampires we’ve met in the previous films, we don’t know any other vampires and new characters are fun.

6. Watching the other vampire’s powers: We know that in this world of vampires, special powers are not always common, but they are present. Some of the vampires in the various clans have some pretty cool powers that include changing the way others see their environment or moving the earth to fight. These scenes should be fun to watch.

5. Bella’s adjustment from human to vampire: After watching Bella be the weak human in four films, it’ll be nice to see her be able to actually take care of herself, this ties in a little with a previous point on the list, but watching her adjusting to being a vampire and then trying to be a human should be fun to watch.

4. The relationship between Jacob and Renesmee: In TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN PART1 we saw Jacob (Taylor Lautner) imprint on Renesmee, and usually imprinting means that the two people/creatures are mates for life. However, Jacob imprinting on a baby could be considered a little inappropriate so it has to be handled carefully. Maybe we’ll see Renesmee grow up at the end and Jacob can finally get the girl.

3. How they will showcase Bella’s special powers: For those who haven’t read the books or don’t know anyone who has, Bella has a pretty important power (that I won’t give away) that is vital to the final battle. However, it’s going to be fascinating to see how they translate this onto the screen.

2. Volturi battle: The big showdown with the Volturi and Cullen group should be fun, especially when you add in the wolves. Who doesn’t love to end a franchise with a big fight between good and evil?

1. The surprise ending: We’ve heard about the new ending for the film that doesn’t necessarily coincide with the end of the book, so that’s intriguing. For the record, I think this ending will be Renesmee grown up and her and Jacob living happily ever after in a little house next to Edward and Bella.

The post Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart’s reunion and ten more moments to look for in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 appeared first on Flix 66.

When CASINO ROYALE released I was skeptical of Daniel Craig filling in the shoes of the MI6 spy. All of that changed the minute I saw him on screen and again in QUANTUM OF SOLACE. With SKYFALL‘s upcoming release I cannot stop thinking about these double-oh-seven reasons why Daniel Craig is the ultimate James Bond.

007: Blonde & Blue - All my life I thought that Bond should be tall dark and handsome. The combination of Craig’s blonde hair and blue eyes are a welcome change to the features we’ve come to expect from the secret agent.

006: Shaken not Stirred - Since DR. NO audiences have grown accustomed to hearing Bond order his favorite cocktail of a vodka martini that is shaken, not stirred. With Craig, he couldn’t care less if the beverage is shaken, stirred or squashed, as long as it is in his hand.

005: Go-Go-Gadget - Seeing Bond have to be physical and use his quick intellect to track down the bad guys, I like that his gadgets are more practical than flashy. No fake toothpaste that turns into an explosive, this microchipped Bond utilizes a fabulous Omega watch that does some neat-o stuff and drives a killer Aston Martin. Craig’s Bond works all the technology fantastically.

004: Dude Likes His Ladies - In previous Bond films it’s almost offensive how Bond gets the girls in bed with him. Here, we see a Bond who has heart and tries to save various women. Craig has a great chemistry with the assorted Bond Girls. (Memorable moments: connecting with Vesper in CASINO ROYALE while sitting the the shower fully clothed and a fantastic boat rescue with Camille in QUANTUM OF SOLACE). I like that he has good intentions and acts on them.

 003: Tuxedos & Speedos - If there is one thing that a Bond man must be able to do is to wear a tuxedo well. Donned in suits and other handsomely cut threads, I think everyone can agree that Craig is one well dressed Bond and has mastered the art of sporting a tux. When he came from the surf to the beach in the powder blue square-legged speedo, we can all agree he also mastered swimwear. Oooh la la!

002: Cheeky - One thing that all Bonds have is a that bad boy charisma that makes the ladies weak in the knees and Craig is no exception. However, previous Bond films seem filled with cheap one liners. Hearing Craig deliver smart and sharp comments directed at his boss, M, as well as his assorted foes is a welcome change. His responses to Le Chiffre while being beat up sans clothes and tied to a chair are quite comical too.

001: Tough & Tender - It makes me happy to see that the franchise shows a more human side of Bond. Seeing Craig in hand to hand combat with assorted baddies or being strapped to a chair getting beat up while in the buff are all great Craig moments. However, it melts my heart to witness the scenes where he’s broken up over the death of Bond Girl Vesper Lynd. Watching Craig ache from the loss of his love is one of the major factors that propelled his Bond to the top of my list.

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11. DAVE – Kevin Kline – President Bill Mitch:  Technically, this one shouldn’t count because the main character Dave (Kevin Kline) isn’t actually the President.  Otherwise, it would be much higher on the list.  As a look-alike posing as the President who is in the coma, Kline is so charming, his pretend presidency of a fake president warranted a mention.

10. THE FIFTH ELEMENT – Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister – President Lindberg:  I remember Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister as Hulk Hogan’s nemesis in NO HOLDS BARRED.  Then again as Hogan’s nemesis within the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) known as Zeus.  He doesn’t speak much but has a knack for being big and scary looking.  It was inspired casting to make him President in the phenomenally fun THE FIFTH ELEMENT.

9. PRIMARY COLORS – John Travolta – President Jack Stanton:  Technically, Travolta is Governor Jack Stanton as he is running for the presidency the entire course of the film, but he does a great job and by the end he eventually becomes President Bill Clinton Jack Stanton (wink, nudge).

8. MARS ATTACKS! – Jack Nicholson – President James Dale: As usual Nicholson plays appropriately over-the-top as a couple of characters in Tim Burton’s quirky alien invasion flick. I think his president will mostly be remembered for his crazy death scene at the hands of an insanely freaky alien species planting a flag on his corpse.

7. DEEP IMPACT – Morgan Freeman – President Beck:  Before Barack Obama, Morgan Freeman could lay claim as the first African American president (actually, I’m sure some movie somewhere did it first), but nevertheless, how great would it be to hear Freeman’s soothing voice?  I think we all would be tuning into the Presidential National Address.  I know I would feel better if Freeman was the one informing me of my imminent death.

6. DICK – Dan Hedaya – President Richard Nixon:  Such an underrated comedic little gem of a movie that got lost in the shuffle of all the phenomenal films from 1999.  DICK stars Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams as two young girls who wander away during a White House tour only to unknowingly get involved in a national controversy involving President Nixon.  Dan Hedaya is an actor who may not be recognized by name but once you’ve seen him you realize he has been in everything awesome.

5. AMERICAN PRESIDENT – Michael Douglas – President Andrew Shepherd:  This romantic comedy shows the human side of the presidency.  It seems the best Presidents need a little love in order to find their way to do the right thing.  I’m not sure if that’s a good thing but the softy in me says the film is very endearing.

4. FROST/NIXON – Frank Langella – President Richard Nixon:  As the second of the two actors on the list to portray Nixon, Frank Langella knocked it out of the park as Richard Nixon, even being nominated for an Academy Award.  This lesser seen movie by Ron Howard is actually one of his best for brilliantly creating an insane amount of tension in what seemingly may sound like a mundane topic about an interview between David Frost (Michael Sheen) and Richard Nixon.

3. AIR FORCE ONE – Harrison Ford – President James Marshall:  “Get off my plane.”

2. DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB – Peter Sellers – President Merkin Muffley: Playing three different outlandish characters, Peter Sellers is ironic comedic gold in Stanley Kubrick’s classic satirical look at politcal warfare.  “Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room.”

1. INDEPENDENCE DAY – Bill Pullman – President Thomas J. Whitmore:  How cool is his speech at the end?  Sure we haven’t had an alien invasion to test our real presidents but I’m not sure many would be able to deliver an incredibly inspirational speech before recklessly hopping into a fighter jet to defend the planet from annihilation. “We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on! We’re going to survive! Today, we celebrate our Independence Day!”

The post The top ten movie Presidents appeared first on Flix 66.

Keep in mind that technically, Paramount still owns the rights to future Indiana Jones films, so the extent of Disney’s say-so with that property is still in question.  I’m assuming for the purpose of this article that they’ll have some creative input and will probably co-finance future films with Paramount.

10. Restore and release the original trilogy on Blu-ray – I’m not in the camp that really feels this is necessary, but this is how Disney gets off on the right foot and gets the fanboys on their side.  By doing this, they not only make a lot of quick cash, but fans will trust that they have their best interests in mind.

9. Don’t let George Lucas tinker with the films – This is kind of related to the first one, but again, Lucas is the biggest problem with Star Wars and now that Disney owns the rights, they need to keep him away from the films.

8. Plan the continuation of Indiana Jones – Shia LaBeouf is not the answer, but they need to think quickly about how to set up a new Indiana Jones (Chris Pine, anyone?).  Harrison Ford isn’t getting any younger and now that they’ve made the investment, they need to set it up for the future.

7. Read the Star Wars novels – Only the most obsessed fans have read all of the post RETURN OF THE JEDI novels, but within the pages of the 50 or so novels are some really great ideas to continue the franchise.  Personally, I think the original post Jedi trilogy is the best (The Thrawn trilogy), but the cast is too old to make that work.  They’re probably going to have to skip to Han and Leia’s kids being full grown, establishing a new generation of characters.  That’s fine, as long as they adhere to #3.

6. Avoid the “Luke going to the Dark Side” storyline – It didn’t work in the books and it won’t work in movies.  Don’t ruin the Luke character for the entire world by making clones of him.  Only those of us that read the books should suffer through that storyline.  And while we’re at it, let’s avoid clones completely.

5. Find a new director and creative team for Indiana Jones – This is pretty similar to #1, but this is key.  I don’t think Steven Spielberg is the answer any more and the franchise needs a director and creative team that understands the best Indy films are the ones based in a pseudo-reality.  We need another Raiders, not another Crystal Skull.

4. Make another Indiana Jones film, and fast – I wrote a top ten list entitled “Top ten franchises that should die” and on there I included Indiana Jones.  I did that because I knew there was no way the franchise would make it with George Lucas retaining 100% control.  Well, now he’s a consultant and the only decision he should be consulting on is what the crew eats for lunch.  Make another Indiana Jones film quickly while Harrison Ford is still able and before he has to shoot the Star Wars films…

3. Bring back the original Star Wars cast – This is what should have happened in the late 90′s, when the prequel trilogy was being developed.  People wanted to find out what happened to Luke, Leia, Han and Chewy and they wanted to catch up with the world they were familiar with, not be introduced to a new one.  They don’t necessarily have to be the main stars, but they need to be featured in some capacity.  Harrison Ford has dodged the question as to whether or not he’d return, but $20 million would change his mind.  And we know Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher would do it for a free lunch.

2. Find a director and creative team that cares and knows the material –Disney has proven they’re brave when it comes to hiring directors (Joss Whedon, anyone?) and that’s the key part to making this next trilogy successful.  You can have any actor you want in the lead roles, but if the director doesn’t understand the history or the characters, it won’t matter.

 1. Pace yourself – The tendency when taking over a huge franchise is to try and do everything at once.  Indiana Jones and Star Wars need a lot of TLC and although it’s possible to make the movies quickly over the next few years, it will require hiring a ton of people to manage them.  If they treat it like they have the Marvel properties, they should be fine.  Putting a lot of time and effort into one great movie will pay off more than slapping together several mediocre films.

Parting shot: This news makes me excited about Star Wars again, which I haven’t been since before THE PHANTOM MENACE came out.  Disney has a TON of work ahead of them to right the Star Wars and Indiana Jones ships, but it is possible.  Disney has a great opportunity here and I’m excited to see where they take it.

Read our Star Wars movie reviews by clicking the links: STAR WARS: EPISODE I – THE PHANTOM MENACE, STAR WARS: EPISODE II – ATTACK OF THE CLONES, STAR WARS: EPISODE III – REVENGE OF THE SITH, STAR WARS: EPISODE IV – A NEW HOPE, STAR WARS: EPISODE V – THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, STAR WARS: EPISODE VI – RETURN OF THE JEDI

The post The top ten things Disney can do to return Star Wars and Indiana Jones to their former glory appeared first on Flix 66.

10. TREMORS – I find movies that blend humor and horror are usually more funny than scary, so picking a movie like TREMORS is a safe bet.  It’s a fun, lighthearted movie and also, it’s hard to take giant, angry worms too seriously.

9. OPEN WATER – The great thing about OPEN WATER is that it sets a frightening tone throughout the film without ever showing you anything.  You’re scared for the two divers, but it’s not really a scary movie as much as it is a movie about survival.

8. MONSTER SQUAD – If kids can fight vampires, mummies and werewolves, then surely you can muster the courage to watch them.  MONSTER SQUAD is a classic 80’s film about a group of kids that fight various supernatural beings in their neighborhood.  I loved this as a kid and when I re-watched it a few years ago, I was surprised by how intense it was for an 80’s movie.

7. THE MIST – Most people that saw THE MIST wonder why it wasn’t more successful.  It’s an intense, exciting film about a strange mist that takes over a small town and the team of townsfolk that hold up in a supermarket.  It’s not very scary and like OPEN WATER, it’s more about what could happen than what actually happens.

6. CLOVERFIELD – Of all the found-footage films out there, I consider CLOVERFIELD to be the best.  For those that are looking for a semi-intense film that might be too much for young viewers, this should suffice.  It might be a stretch to consider this “scary”, but it’s a nice way to ease into the scary movie genre.

5. SIGNS – The first of two M. Knight Shyamalan movies on the list, SIGNS is another film that I never considered scary until I heard others label it as scary.  I consider it more of an alien-invasion film, but I can see how it might make some people jump.  The good news is that the intense scenes are dramatic without the gore, which should help those that don’t like the blood.

4. SCREAM – I just can’t take high school kids seriously, so there’s no way I can be scared by a movie that features random kids being killed in hilarious fashion.  Some might argue that this is scary, but I found it more funny and inventive (at the time, anyway) than most horror films.

3. ALIEN – ALIEN is not scary, it’s intense.  It was billed as a horror movie back in the day, but time has turned it into more of a science-fiction story than a horror story.  Be warned; it is a little gory at times, so if that makes you nervous, you might want to skip it.  However, if you’ve been avoiding it because you think it’s too scary, you’re doing yourself an injustice.

2. PSYCHO – This is a good one to suggest to friends because a) you’ll look smart for picking a Hitchcock movie and b) you won’t be scared because there’s no gore or blood.  The brilliance of the film is in Hitchcock’s direction, which means he made scenes look scary despite his limitations with the censors.  But it was made in 1960 and is black and white, so it’s obviously not that scary.

1. THE SIXTH SENSE – I consider this a drama, but I know a lot of people that would consider this a horror film.  It’s a creepy film, but I wouldn’t call it scary.  It’s another one that shouldn’t be missed just because you don’t like horror movies.  Hopefully, you don’t know the ending, but even if you do, you should still enjoy it.

The post The top ten scary movies for people that don’t like scary movies appeared first on Flix 66.

10. HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER – I’m a big fan of taking TV shows and ending them with movies.  I really wanted Lost to end with a movie and I think HIMYM would do well to end with a big movie.  We’ve been building to a big event (the actual meeting of the mother) for 9 years now and a movie seems to be the logical next step.

9. PUSHING DAISIES – I think this one would have done better to have started out as a movie, but the show never really had much of a chance.  It was too quirky and appealed to a very niche audience, making it nearly impossible to find mainstream success.  But the show was intelligent and would work well on the big screen.

8. DOWNTON ABBEY – Sometimes with British shows, it’s either a movie or a crappy American remake (or in the case of The Inbetweeners, both).  As much as Downton Abbey has grown in popularity, I think a movie would do it well to get the show more of the attention it deserves.  I also think they could take it further with a movie, which could do the series well.

7. TINY TOON ADVENTURES – How is it that all the b-level Nickelodeon characters can get their own film, but the classic WB Tiny Toons, produced by Steven Spielberg, don’t have their own movie yet?  WB has been trying to get Bugs, Daffy and the rest of their classic characters back into the mainstream for a while now and the easiest way to do that is to use their younger counterparts (and Spielberg).

6.  DEXTER – I struggled with this one because I think it works so fantastically as a TV show.  But Dexter has to end sometime and when it does, it needs to go out with a huge bang.  The only way to do that is with a movie.  They get away with a lot now, but with the budget a feature length film would bring, I think they could send the show off into the sunset with style.

5. CALIFORNICATION – This is my favorite show on television.  But sometimes I feel like they hold back or avoid taking it where they really want it to go.  David Duchovny is incredible as the sex-addicted author Hank Moody and with a carefully written screenplay and a big character arc for Moody, a movie could be great.

4. THE SOPRANOS – The show didn’t really end, they just stopped making episodes.  A movie would be a nice way to revisit Tony and the gang and to see how everyone is doing after the last scene in the diner.  This is also a movie franchise that could spawn sequels, which would keep stars James Gandolfini and Edie Falco interested.

3. BUFFY/ANGEL – This is a no-brainer for us Joss Whedon fans.  Buffy ended pretty well, but Angel left with a huge cliffhanger.  I would love to see what a more mature Joss Whedon would do with his cherished characters on the big screen.  And it’s not like Sarah Michelle Gellar is busy these days.

2. FRINGE – Fringe could suffer from the same fate as The X-Files in that if they go with the drama aspect of the show, it will alienate those that haven’t been following it.  But if they go with a standalone film, it might alienate fans of the show.  I still recommend a grand conclusion to the series via a feature length film so the budget can match the grandness of what the show tries to achieve.

1. COMMUNITY – The plight of Community is enough to make any TV fan go crazy.  If it was on any network but NBC, I have to believe this would be a huge hit.  As it is, it barely gets renewed each season and when it does, it’s usually as an afterthought.  A movie would be perfect to get the Greendale Human Beings back in action and without the confines of network television.

The post The top ten TV shows that actually need to be made into a movie appeared first on Flix 66.

10. TWILIGHT – For you Twi-hards out there; you’re welcome.  For others; I apologize.  But the series is insanely popular and it’s hard to ignore the copycats that the series has inspired.  Sure, I hate Bella, Edward and Jacob as much as the next guy, but the franchise’s success has to be respected.

9. MY BOYFRIEND’S BACK – Remember this one?  Featuring an unknown cast that remains unknown, this film hit theaters in 1993 and is about a high school boy that’s killed trying to win over the most popular girl in school.  It’s not until he comes back as a zombie that he’s able to succeed.  I liked it when I was a kid and I found it held up surprisingly well over the years.

8. CHANCES ARE – A lot of people don’t realize this, but Robert Downey Jr. had a lot of good movies in the 80’s.  One of them was CHANCES ARE, which featured RDJ as a reincarnated spirit that falls in love with his daughter.  Err…that does sound weird out of context, but the movie handles it surprisingly well.

7. ONDINE – A lot of people missed this Collin Farrell movie in 2009, but it’s one that stuck with me.  I could have put the much more lighthearted SPLASH on here, but I liked the seriousness of ONDINE better and I also liked how her mermaid status was always in question.

6. MEET JOE BLACK – I find this film gets a lot of hate from critics, but I’ve always liked it.  I loved the dialogue in the diner during the beginning, but I found the entire film still resonates with me.  And plus, you get to see Brad Pitt get hit by a car in hilarious fashion.  What’s not to like?

5. MANNEQUIN – What exactly was Emmy (Kim Cattrall, before Sex and the City) in the film?  I lean towards “witch”, which is why the film makes the list.  I watched this over and over as a kid and even though it doesn’t hold up quite as well today, it’s still a great take on the supernatural to human romantic angle.

4. TEEN WOLF – Like MANNEQUIN, this is one of my favorite 80’s movies and remember that this was way before the werewolf/vampire craze we’re in now.  Michael J. Fox really could do no wrong back in the 80’s and TEEN WOLF was another example of an outlandish idea made enjoyable by a great Fox performance.

3. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN – This one is a little creepy because I’m not sure how the romance angle works out, especially as the boy grows up, but the movie is fantastic, so it makes the list.  It’s helped by a fresh take on vampires, but the genuineness of the connection between the boy and the little vampire girl carries the film.

2. ALWAYS – When people claim to have seen every Steven Spielberg movie, I usually get them with this, 1941 or SUGARLAND EXPRESS.  It’s a shame because ALWAYS is a very sweet, romantic love story about a ghost (Richard Dreyfuss) coming to terms with his supernatural status.  And the love he has for Holly Hunter’s character is heartbreaking.

1. GHOST – I hate to be predictable with my top choice, but I can’t help it.  I’ve seen this movie a dozen times and it gets to me every time.  It’s hard to argue with Patrick Swayze in a romantic lead and GHOST is one of the better romantic dramas, let alone romantic supernatural to human romances.

The post The top ten supernatural to human romances appeared first on Flix 66.

10. THE PLAYER – The Tim Robbins starring, Robert Altman directed film about a blackmailed executive dealing with a disgruntled screenwriter is admittedly not one of my favorites.  I feel the whole film is a giant inside joke that only Hollywood executives get.  However, it makes the list because it fits exactly with the title of the list.

9. THE LAST SHOT – This is what ARGO would be if it were a comedy.  I was pleasantly surprised by this little gem that featured an aspiring film director (Matthew Broderick) excited to make a movie for a producer (Alec Baldwin) that turned out to be an FBI agent setting up the mob.  It’s humorous, without too many inside jokes.

8. 8 ½ – I could have put NINE on here as well, but I decided to give credit to Fellini’s masterpiece.  Personally, this isn’t one I could watch over and over, but upon initial viewing, the film commands respect.  It’s also one that every film buff should watch, just to experience one of the most influential directors of all time at the height of their career.

7. SUPER 8 – So maybe I’m counting this on a technicality, but to be fair, the kids are making a movie and that’s kind of a running theme throughout.  The kids and their obsession with making the movie is the highlight of the film for me, but once the movie-making aspect is sacrificed for the alien on the loose, I actually started to lose interest.

6. HUGO – This film is the tale of two halves and ironically, the half about making movies is the one I don’t enjoy.  Little Hugo discovers that the mean old toy shop owner was actually a famous director before talkies came along and that’s when we get into the details of making movies.

5. GET SHORTY – During Travolta’s string of great movies in the early 90’s, GET SHORTY was one that many of his fans consider their favorite.  This is another one where Hollywood pokes fun at itself, but the jokes are broad enough for everyone to follow along.

4. ADAPTATION – This is more about writing movies, but the conversations Charlie and Donald Kaufman (both Nicolas Cage) have with each other are priceless.  In typical Spike Jonze fashion, the plot weaves in and out of the movie within the movie and gets confusing, but Cage’s performance makes this worthwhile.

3. BOOGIE NIGHTS – I didn’t say what kind of movies, I just said movies.  The porn theme turned a lot of people off, but this is actually a great directorial and writing effort from Paul Thomas Anderson.  I love his long shots and slow, meticulous storytelling.  It was also nice he was able to set up some great characters that audiences would otherwise not care about.

2. TROPIC THUNDER – I know I probably rank this one higher than most people, but I can’t help it.  To me, this is one of the funniest movies in the last ten years and every time I see it, I still laugh uncontrollably.  The fake trailers in the beginning were genius and it’s fun to guess who each star is supposed to be representing in real life.

1. SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN – It’s tough to argue with this one.  This is actually the movie that made me like musicals.  It’s another film about silent stars dealing with the invention of the talkie, but it has some great performances and memorable songs.  One of the all time classics.

Honorable mention: KISS KISS BANG BANG, THE ARTIST, ED WOOD, BOWFINGER, BE KIND REWIND, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

The post The top ten movies about movies appeared first on Flix 66.

10. Running from the giant ball – RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK – Perhaps the most iconic and famous scene from his four films, this is the scene that solidified Indiana Jones’ place in movie history and it came barely 15 minutes into the first movie.  Reenacted by movie fans everywhere, this is perhaps one of the most recognizable scenes in movie history.

9. Bringing a gun to a sword fight – RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK – Maybe the funniest scene in the Indiana Jones films, this scene established Indy as a different kind of hero.  He wasn’t Superman and knew he couldn’t beat the guy with a sword, so he didn’t bother.  The scene in Doom where he reached for the pistol and it wasn’t there was a nice homage to this and worked just as well.

8. Kiss where it doesn’t hurt – RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK – One of my personal favorites, this established Indy as a ladies’ man as well as being a classy guy.  Because seriously, if a woman asked you to kiss a place that didn’t hurt, would you seriously point to your elbow?

7. Snakes, why’d it have to be snakes? – RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK – Seeing Indy face to face in a pit of snakes was another indication that Indy was an everyman type of hero.  Along with the majority of the world’s population, Indiana Jones is scared of snakes.  Somehow, that makes us like him even more.

6. Monkey brains – THE TEMPLE OF DOOM – A lot of Doom was hokey and out of place from its predecessor and successor, but the scene of the dinner party eating monkey brains was both shocking and memorable.  It was also great that Indiana Jones didn’t seem to mind.

5. Getting punched in the heart – THE TEMPLE OF DOOM – This might be my oddest selection, but I always found it funny that a) someone would punch someone else in the heart and b) Indy’s reaction to getting punched in the heart.  It was a simple moment that didn’t require Harrison Ford to do anything but gasp for air, but it’s one that stuck out to me as making Indy more relatable.

4. The sword fight on the bridge – THE TEMPLE OF DOOM – For pure action and intensity in the Indiana Jones films, this was one of the best moments.  I can barely remember seeing this for the first time, but I wasn’t expecting him to cut the rope.  I still get excited seeing it today, even though I’ve seen it at least 20 times.

3. An Austrian kiss versus a German kiss – THE LAST CRUSADE – The entire scene of Indy Jr. and Indy Sr. being tied together was cinematic perfection.  The amount of humor inserted into this scene made the intensity of the moment even better.

2. You must choose, but choose wisely – THE LAST CRUSADE – In your normal, day to day life, how often do you quote this scene?  Probably every time you ask someone to choose something.  Sunday school regulars knew the Cup of Christ wasn’t gold, making the scene even more exhilarating when Walter didn’t choose wisely.  Indiana Jones, of course, knows his history and made the right choice.

1. Leap of faith – THE LAST CRUSADE –  On some level, we knew that Indy was going to make it across the ledge, but I think everyone thought he’d find a way around/over/under it.  It was a great twist to make it a pure leap of faith for someone that relied on his cunning and intellect.  It showed how much he cared about his father and that he was willing to do anything to save him.  A beautiful moment in the Indiana Jones universe.

Footnote: Sorry, nothing from KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL.  It’s not a bad film, but I’d probably have to go 20 or 30 down to get to a “top” scene from the film.

The post The top ten most memorable Indiana Jones moments appeared first on Flix 66.

So with that in mind, here are a list of ten movie aliens I hope we don’t have to face off with during an alien invasion.

10. E.T. – Sure, he seems sweet and innocent, but remember that humans never really had a showdown with him and the dude can heal flowers.  Which means he and his ilk can probably heal themselves, which is going to make killing them hard, or at the very least, time consuming.

9. Stitch from LILO AND STITCH – Is it possible for an alien species to invade and just annoy humans to death?  If so, then I think that would be the strategy Stitch would take.  The little blue alien that Disney probably regrets was feisty and obnoxious, but if he invaded with a million of his friends, I think Earth would be in trouble.

8. The Thing – Again, this is one that we would need some serious numbers in order to take seriously.  One Thing isn’t going to do much more than piss a lot of happy dog owners off.  But imagine a spaceship dropping off a million Things into NYC?  I’m not sure how we deal with that.

7. The aliens from SKYLINE – SKYLINE is a horrible movie, but it makes this list because this is how I think an alien invasion would actually go down.  It would take a week or two and we’d launch a couple of missiles, but at the end of the day, if you have the capability to invade a planet, you’re going to beat us.  At least the SKYLINE aliens made it quick.

6. The Decepticons from TRANSFORMERS – Face it; without the Autobots, Earth wouldn’t stand a chance against the Decepticons.  The thing that separates them from, say the aliens in SKYLINE, is that we as earthlings would probably think we’d have a chance and would put up a long, drawn out fight.  That makes their invasion worse and more terrifying.  And without Michael Bay to make everything feel patriotic and epic, it just seems depressing.

5. Predator – I wrestled with this one for a while because the Predators are a mean, ruthless bunch.  But their hankering for sport makes them weak in my eyes, especially if we’re talking invasion.  I’m also not sure how many of them there are, since we’ve never seen more than a handful at a time.  If it’s 100 of them versus the entire earth, then I like our chances.  But if it’s a million of them versus earth, then we’d be in trouble.

4. The Tripods from WAR OF THE WORLDS – This is another tough one because technically (Spoiler Alert), the aliens can’t breathe earth’s air and therefore aren’t interested in staying, but how much damage would they really do before they realize that?  And that’s just one possible outcome.  My guess is that the aliens do some research beforehand, figure out some breathing apparatus and invade anyway.  I don’t really like our chances against them.

3. The body snatchers from INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS – Maybe this one is a personal fear of mine, but the aliens in this film do more psychological damage than physical.  I’d like to believe that we’d be able to come up with some sort of scanner that would detect when they take over a body, but how long would that take?  And how are we going to make something like that if we’re too scared to go to sleep?

2. Alien – I question the intelligence of the aliens from the ALIEN franchise, but what scares me about them is the sheer numbers and how fast they procreate.  That could be a problem for humans.  The good news is that we have weapons that can kill them, which is a plus.  The bad news is that they have big spaceships.

1. General Zod, Non and Ursa from SUPERMAN II – I know this might seem like an odd choice, but hear me out; without Superman, we’d be screwed because we’re basically facing off against three Supermans.  And remember, for the sake of this article, I’m imagining a world where the aliens are real, but the heroes and weapons in the films are not.  With that in mind, we’d have no chance against these three.  Numbers don’t come into play here because they would even that out pretty quickly.  I guess if there’s a bright side, it’s that they probably wouldn’t destroy the earth and the humans, they’d just make us all their slaves.  So there’s that.

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10. UNSTOPPABLE – His last film with Denzel Washington and his last film to hit theaters (although OUT OF THE FURNACE will be released in 2013), UNSTOPPABLE was an intense film about a runaway train, tailor made to suit Tony’s style.  By this time, Denzel and Tony were a dynamic duo and their films were all but guaranteed to be well worth the price of admission.  UNSTOPPABLE was no exception and it gave the audience exactly what they wanted; stylized action with a great performance from Denzel Washington.

9. THE FAN – It seemed the excitement leading up to 1996′s THE FAN was better than the actual movie, but Wesley Snipes and Robert De Niro did extremely well as the cocky baseball superstar and the obsessed fan that torments him respectively.  The film is exciting enough to hold the audience’s attention, even if it didn’t get the critical acclaim some thought it might before it was released.

8. BEVERLY HILLS COP II – The follow up to the very popular 1984 film got away from itself at times, but it still proved to be a fun sequel.  Eddie Murphy was in the midst of perfecting the action-comedy genre and Tony Scott was lucky to catch him before he stopped being funny.  Unfortunately, the sequel couldn’t live up the original, but it showed early signs of Tony’s style and prepared him for things to come.

7. DAYS OF THUNDER – Yes, it’s really just TOP GUN in Nascar, but can you imagine how huge this film would be if it were released today?  But back in 1990, Nascar wasn’t what it is now and the film got slammed for being a retelling of TOP GUN.  But it doesn’t matter, because the film is still fun.  And yes, I owned the toy cars from the film, and yes, I still have them sitting on my book shelf.

6. ENEMY OF THE STATE – After MEN IN BLACK and before WILD WILD WEST, Will Smith did a small, underrated spy thriller called ENEMY OF THE STATE, about a normal guy  in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I always wanted them to come out and say that Gene Hackman’s character was the same as it was in THE CONVERSATION, but even though it was never said, I always believed it to be.  The film itself is a quality spy thriller, even if it feels a little dated these days.

5. CRIMSON TIDE – When it first came out, I wasn’t that big of a fan of CRIMSON TIDE, but in my defense, I was 15 years old and had yet to serve in the military or work for an incompetent boss.  Now that I’ve done both, I understand what this film is about and it means a lot more to me.  Once again, Tony’s style brings the story of opposing officers on a submarine to life in a way that only he can.  This also marks his first outing with Denzel Washington, who would later go on to star in a total of five Tony Scott directed films.

4. MAN ON FIRE – I’ve seen MAN ON FIRE a few times and I still have to fight from breaking down into tears when a young Dakota Fanning is kidnapped.  The brilliance of that scene sets the tone for the rest of the film and each killing carried out by Creasy (Denzel Washington, at the top of his game) is so satisfying that I want to stand up and cheer.  This might be Tony Scott’s best directing effort because he turned a standard revenge thriller into so much more.

3. SPY GAME – This is a film that I don’t find too many people to agree with me on, but I love it anyway.  It’s a nail-biting spy thriller featuring solid turns from Robert Redford and Brad Pitt.  I tend to read a lot into this film, but I love how Tony Scott told a story about spies looking out for each other and falling in love without making it hokey or unbelievable.

2. TRUE ROMANCE – If you get a hold of the commentary track that writer Quentin Tarantino did for TRUE ROMANCE, then you can hear Tarantino talk about the decisions Tony made that QT wouldn’t have.  For example, in Tarantino’s version, Clarence dies, whereas Tony lets Clarance and Alabama live happily ever after.  Tarantino points out that it works for the movie Tony made and I couldn’t agree more.  Like most people, I caught this film after Tarantino exploded on the scene with PULP FICTION, but even today, it remains one of my all time favorites.

1. TOP GUN – Call me a sucker if you want to, but 26 years later, I still love watching TOP GUN.  I’m not sure this is a compliment, but I find it to be one of the easiest films to watch.  I still think Maverick is cool when he sings to Charlie, I still get sad when Goose dies, I still find Kelly McGillis attractive in the film and I still get goosebumps whenever I hear Kenny Loggins’ ‘Danger Zone’ on the radio.  The film did more for Navy recruiting than any commercial could ever hope for and the fact it’s such a relevant movie today is a testament to how much fun it is.

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Regardless of how you feel or whether or not you would avoid going to the theater because of one isolated incident in Colorado, the fact remains that there are probably millions of people out there that are making alternate weekend plans because of the shooting.  Mothers and fathers are trying to decide at this very moment, whether it’s worth taking the risk, regardless of how big a risk they perceive it to be.  And as CNN keeps breaking news about girlfriends, husbands, infants, toddlers and grandparents all dying for no reason, America keeps getting more scared.

So what does Warner Bros. do about this?  THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is one of the most anticipated movies of all time and WB can’t get people into theaters.  Theater chains are losing money hand over fist as it is and there’s no way they can afford to put security guards and metal detectors in front of every theater.  There is no way to convince the public this won’t happen again.  Which is why WB should make THE DARK KNIGHT RISES available via video on demand now.

This is the only option for Warner Bros.  If people were going to the theater anyway, the availability of the film on demand, via DirecTV, Netflix or the Playstation Network, isn’t going to change that.  But what it will do is get people to see the movie that are scared to go out.  Charge $50 or more for a two day rental; it doesn’t matter because families will pay for it, if only because that $50 is comparable to what it would cost to see it at a theater and it also give them what theaters can’t; piece of mind and security.  Theater owners will of course raise a stink about it, but theater owners don’t have an answer for what happened.  I’m not saying to do this for every film, but THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is a strange, once in a lifetime (hopefully) case and exceptions should be made.

I doubt this will happen, but it’s an idea WB should consider, if not now, then maybe next weekend or 30 days from now.  If WB is concerned about leaving money on the table, this is a quick, inexpensive way to make it back.

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With critics’ reviews popping up around the internet this week and the insane reactions some of the more negative reviews have received, I think the world needs to take a step back and take a deep breath.  Don’t go into THE DARK KNIGHT RISES thinking it’s going to be the greatest film ever made, or even the greatest superhero film ever made.  It’s unfair to Christopher Nolan and it’s unfair to yourself.  While we’re talking about fan reactions to critics, I feel compelled to remind everyone that THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is just a movie and nothing more.  It’s the vision of a particular character from a team of filmmakers.  Threatening the lives of critics that don’t agree with you is so far beyond asinine that it’s hard for me to comprehend the very notion.  And to add in the fact that the crazed fans haven’t even seen the movie makes it all the more unbelievable.

Judge the film for what it is; it’s the end of the story.  By their very nature, the third film in a true trilogy is usually the worst.  Using the original Star Wars trilogy and Godfather trilogy as examples, the films couldn’t live up to the promise of the second films in the series because there’s no longer any hope.  By the third film, the heroes have either won or lost and their stories have come to a close.  The problem is that not everyone is going to agree on how their favorite characters should end and without the promise of another sequel, the hope for a different outcome is gone.  THE GODFATHER PART 2, EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and THE DARK KNIGHT are so spectacular because their characters have already been developed and they end with many questions still left to be answered.  The third films don’t have that luxury.  There’s something definitive about ending a story and comparing the end film to the middle film isn’t always a fair comparison.  Remember that Christopher Nolan and his team were faced with the daunting task of ending the story of a very beloved character.  Like it or hate it, this is the ending they chose, so just appreciate what you’ve been given.

That doesn’t mean the film is a disappointment, it just means it’s the end.  So when you go out to see THE DARK KNIGHT RISES this weekend, keep that in mind and enjoy the film for what it is; the ending to what will probably go down as the greatest superhero trilogy of all time.

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10: Mr. Incredible – Craig T. Nelson: This animated hero is quite… incredible. Perhaps this is a bit of a stretch here but go with me on this one. The thing that makes THE INCREDIBLES Mr. Incredible one of the hottest superheroes is not his impressive strength or that he’s friends with Samuel L Jackson’s Frozone. What makes him hot (outside of having Craig T. Nelson as the voice behind the animation) is the love he has for his superhero wife and kids is far greater than that of his super strength. Talk about hot – a man who loves his family is super sexy.

9: Batman – Keaton/Kilmer/Clooney: Before the fanatics get all up in arms about this Batman selection, please briefly direct your attention to number 5 on this list.  Before Bale, there were the hunks that made up the campy version of Batman during the timespan of 1989 – 1997. During this time, all three gave the series a smoking hot man in a black leathery suit -  that shows off all their muscles.  These studs managed to look just as good when assuming the part of Bruce Wayne too. Holy Hotness Batman!

8: Incredible Hulk – Mark Ruffalo: I’m a sucker for the smoldering smart guys, which makes Mark Ruffalo’s tall, dark and handsome, Bruce Banner so appealing. Seeing this new Hulk in THE AVENGERS made me rethink this list and make room for the calm, quiet scientist. Even when transformed into his green alter-ego he’s charming as he smashes his way through buildings and into our hearts.

7: Wolverine – Hugh Jackman: Surly and brooding, Jackman’s Wolverine is one irresistible superhero bad boy. His wild hair, ornery smile and that wicked gleam in his eyes are just some of the features that this writer cannot resist. Sure, he’s a little hairy and he has sharp retractable metal claws but what guy doesn’t have his flaws? I am still a fan of this unaging heartthrob.

6: Iron Man – Robert Downey Jr: Playboy, philanthropist, genius, billionaire, oh yeah. The thing that makes Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Starke so attractive is the swagger and attitude he has outside his Iron Man suit. His razor sharp wit and silky smooth lines make him the guy your mama warned you about.

5: Batman – Christian Bale: This whispery caped crusader’s strong jaw line and dark eyes are all we see when he’s sporting the bat-suit that just-so-happens to outline his awesomely muscular upper-body region… Christian Bale ups the ante greatly with his portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman.  Sure there are amazing action sequences in this awesome film franchise but my favorite moments are when he’s shirtless and or in the aforementioned bat-suit.

4: Green Lantern – Ryan Reynolds: Even though the GREEN LANTERN was not a favorite among the masses, this list is looking solely at the hotness level, and this is one hot hero. A painted on green suit is by far the best way to appreciate the flawless physique of Ryan Reynolds. What could be more sexy than this smokin’ fella in his suit? How about the fact that he just wants peace within the universe?

3: Professor X -  James McAvoy : With piercing blue eyes and the ability to read people’s minds, I would blush scarlet if Professor X could hear my thoughts. James McAvoy brings a new twist to Professor X’s sophisticated character in X-MEN: FIRST CLASS. One bonus, seeing Charles Xavier with a full head of hair. I would like to enroll into your school for the gifted, Mr. Xavier… even though I don’t qualify.

2: Captain America – Chris Evans: Heart, courage, honor, and valor, what girl could resist Captain Steve Rogers? He was sweet and endearing before he became a medically engineered super soldier. After, he is the complete package. With 1940s manners, dreamy eyes and super strength, any girl that gets to bring Captain America home to meet her parents is one lucky lady.

1: Thor – Chris Hemsworth: Capturing my heart in his first moments of screen time in STAR TREK, I was pleasantly surprised when Chris Hemsworth stripped down to wear a cape and armor in THOR.  As a chiseled stubborn headstrong hammer wielding demigod, I swoon whenever the camera focuses in on his electrifying blue eyes. Or his giant arm muscles. Or his abs. . .sigh. Is it wrong that I am jealous whenever he smooches Natalie Portman?

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What bothers me about this news is that as a longtime supporter of Tom Cruise, I fear that this crap with his personal life will once again overshadow his greatness as a movie star.  We finally got past Tom Cruise’s couch-jumping incident and after MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL, I thought we’d have a string of very successful films, like JACK REACHER, OBLIVION and ALL YOU NEED IS KILL, which are all set to hit theaters in the next 18 months. It was an exciting time to be a Tom Cruise fan.

But here we are again, with the whole Scientology thing making Tom Cruise look like some kind of freak that worships aliens.  I don’t know anything about Scientology or how much Tom Cruise is really into it, other than what I read in the gossip columns, but what I do know is that everything surrounding it seems suspicious.  But when viewed from an outsider, every religion seems weird when you focus on the supernatural elements, so who are we to judge?  My general take on Tom Cruise is that he’s not gay or mean or even weird, he’s just probably kind of dumb.  And dumb people with millions of dollars have always been and always will be targets for people looking to make a quick buck.  The NBA and NFL are littered with superstar athletes that made millions in their career and now have nothing to show for it.  Hollywood isn’t much better, it’s just easier to make your money back as an aging actor than it is as an aging athlete.

So what should Tom Cruise do now?  I say he should tell Scientology to back off and look for love on his own.  Tom Cruise doesn’t need a pod person for a wife that will blindly do what ever the Church of Scientology tells her to, he needs someone that knows how to be famous and will actually love him for who he is.  Which is why I say that on his 50th birthday, he should try to find a woman closer to his age and one that has already lived several years in the spotlight.  But whatever he does, he needs to cut the shenanigans and drama and just continue making good movies.  I don’t care who Tom Cruise marries or what his sexuality is, just don’t make me sit through another KNIGHT AND DAY.

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Let’s review the films of Robert Pattinson, excluding the Twilight series and HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE.  He had HOW TO BE and LITTLE ASHES before Twilight, both of which made virtually nothing at the box office (and if you click the titles, you can read our reviews).  Focusing on post-Twilight films, he had REMEMBER ME ($19m domestic gross) in 2010, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS ($58.7m domestic gross) in 2011 and BEL AMI ($82k domestic gross, but still in theaters) in 2012.  Granted, those aren’t great numbers for any star, but I want to point out that all of those films are niche dramas from virtually unknown directors.  I couldn’t see any of them being box office smashes with any star.  In fact, the argument could be made for some of them that without Robert Pattinson, those films wouldn’t have been seen at all.

 If we’re going to judge R-Patz on the performances of his dramas, then why not hold other stars accountable or their under-performing dramas?  George Clooney (THE AMERICAN, $38m, among many others), Brad Pitt (SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET, $38m, among many others), Tom Cruise (MAGNOLIA, $22m) and Bruce Willis (STORY OF US $27m, among many others) have all had their share of dramas that struggled at the box office.  And sandwiched in all of their films have been big budget blockbusters like MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, DIE HARD, OCEAN’S 11, etc.  Isn’t the same true with Robert Pattinson and the Twilight films?  He has his money-making films and then he has the niche dramas that he wants to make.

The point is that we don’t know what Robert Pattinson can do at the box office post-Twilight because Twilight has consumed almost all his time up until now.  But now that he doesn’t have any commitments to the Twilight universe, he can focus his time on quality films with talented directors.  On the horizon, he has several projects, including the military interrogator drama MISSION: BLACKLIST, THE ROVER with Guy Pearce, an untitled re-teaming with David Cronenberg and a biopic on The Band.  If all of those films fail to impress critics and audiences alike, then maybe we can start writing his Hollywood obituary.  But until then, let’s give Robert Pattinson a fair chance to prove he’s more than Edward Cullen.

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Before I even get too far into this, let me make it clear that I feel DC has a much tougher task ahead of them than Marvel.  The DC superheroes that make up the Justice League are not nearly as “human” as the Marvel superheroes that make up The Avengers.  But the good news for DC is that they have what might be the most important aspect of any superhero film; Christopher Nolan.  If he leads the effort to bring a Justice League film to the big screen, then Warner Bros. can start spending the money now.  If THE AVENGERS taught us anything, it’s that giving the film to a director that knows and loves the material makes all the difference.

But they have some work to do first.  The most important thing for DC to solve right now is the Batman problem.  Christian Bale isn’t going to play Batman again after THE DARK KNIGHT RISES.  If they can’t persuade him with tons of cash, then they’re going to have a problem finding someone the fans like and respect to take over for the caped crusader.  There are rumors swirling around the net that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is going to put on the mask in the third film and if he does, then problem solved.  If not, then WB will have to find a solution and I’m not sure it’s going to be possible without rebooting the franchise (which I don’t really want).  The other problem is with Superman, but if MAN OF STEEL is a tenth as good as the Batman films, then Henry Cavill should be fine.  If Ryan Reynolds is game, then Green Lantern would be set as well.

When it came to THE AVENGERS, I felt that Marvel had to get standalone films for all the major characters.  For the Justice League, I think they’d be better to get MAN OF STEEL in theaters and then go straight to a Justice League film.  I’m not of a mindset that Wonder Woman can carry her own film, but she’d be great as part of an ensemble.  The same goes for Flash, Aquaman and Martian Manhunter and to be frank; I don’t think Aquaman or Manhunter should be in the film at all since their origins are far too complex for an ensemble film.

THE AVENGERS had a lot going for it, not the least of which was continuity with several other films that gave the fans a familiarity with all the characters.  DC isn’t going to have that luxury, but it’s never too late to start.  You can pull elements from the Batman films, GREEN LANTERN and the upcoming MAN OF STEEL and incorporate them into the JLA movie to give the feel of continuity without a Nick Fury-like character.

But if there’s one thing we’ve learned from Warner Bros. and DC, it’s that they don’t really know what to do with their superheroes.  WB got lucky with Christopher Nolan, but other than that, their decisions with their superheroes have been head scratchers.  But a JLA movie can work and if they take Marvel’s lead, they can have a movie that rival the success of THE AVENGERS.

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WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD – Do not read this if you haven’t read THE HUNGER GAMES books.

10. The Reaping: As we’ve seen in the trailer, it’s evident that Jennifer Lawrence was able to capture the compassionate, raw emotion of Katniss as her sister Prim is chosen as the District 12 tribute for the Hunger Games.  Her ability to control her hysteria as she realizes what is unfolding around her is palpable.

9.  The Capitol: The Capitol is known for elaborate food, fun and fashion.  Most of the citizens appear to be cartoon-like and have little regard for the less fortunate.  I think the costume, make-up, hair style and set design will be out of this world.

8. The Arena: The Arena is where slaying, mutilation and murder takes place.  I understand that Collins’ novels were written for young adults, but her words were descriptive enough to conjure up disturbing visions of the horrible things seen and heard in this mysterious place.  The directors had to walk a fine line between PG-13 and R-rated scenes.  Here’s hoping they don’t dumb down THE HUNGER GAMES so much that the epic pieces of the story are not lost.

7. Caesar Flickerman : Stanley Tucci rarely turns in a drab performance, even in the least celebrated movies he’s in.  (Burlesque anyone?)  I’m looking forward to his interaction with Peeta and his portrayal of Caesar’s intricate dance of both “concerned interviewer” and “entertainer extraordinaire.”  He seems like a great fit for THE HUNGER GAMES.

6. Careers: No one likes a bully.  And no one REALLY likes a bully who kills innocent people left and right.  I think the transition of these awful kids into the mutant muts should be pretty exciting.  My fingers are crossed that it’s not as cheesy as the wolves in Twilight.

5. Cinna: Casting Lenny Kravitz in THE HUNGER GAMES was a brilliant move by producers.  His sweet relationship with Katniss was one of my favorite parts of the book.  I can’t wait for their “fiery” debut at the Capitol.

4. Haymitch: Call me crazy, but I think Woody Harrelson is going to make a great drunk.

3. Gale: My assumption is that Gale will not be a strong feature in the first movie.  I trust that those in the audience will be able to identify with his strong connection to Katniss.  It’s going to be hard because that bond is so often found in silent moments of complete trust.

2. Rue: The death scene.  Enough said.

1. The Cave: I’m extremely excited to see this romance bloom as Katniss finds sanctuary in the cave with her co-tribute.  Jennifer and Josh Hutcherson’s chemistry off-stage seems to be solid, so I can’t imagine their on-screen chemistry would be any different.  TEAM PEETA FOREVER!  Oh, and here’s hoping the odds are in favor of THE HUNGER GAMES being everything we want it to be.

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When Billy Crystal was announced as host after Eddie Murphy dropped out, I felt a warm happy sensation.  While I was definitely curious of what Murphy could do, I knew without a doubt that Crystal was a safe bet to restore some much needed respect and entertainment to the award show.  Unfortunately, the term “safe bet” turned into a negative rather than a positive defining this year’s show as a predictable snoozefest. Yes some of the jokes were funny but only in a pleasant smile sort of way.  Crystal did his usual comedic elements that made him popular before like inserting himself into some of the nominated films, singing about all the Best Pictures and giving us an idea what the stars are thinking.  I’m not knocking these routines; in fact, I was hoping to see them again.  However, each one lacked a sense of energy, originality and in the case of the songs, basic humor.  Jimmy Kimmel’s faux MOVIE: THE MOVIE trailer on his show was funnier than anything on the Academy Awards.

As far as the actual awards go, they were equally as safe as the hosting duties. While I didn’t outright hate any of the nominees, I wasn’t necessarily wowed by any either (other than THE TREE OF LIFE).  I understand the Academy can’t help the hand they are given with movies that come out that year but I would have liked to seen some smaller films like DRIVE and WARRIOR a bit more in the mix.  Overall the films nominated were a fine batch dividing the awards between HUGO and THE ARTIST.  My biggest mistake within my own predictions was not always going with the clear favorite.  Other than Editing not going to the Best Picture winner and instead to the well deserved THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, the favorite or close second favorite won in just about every category.

While Meryl Streep was the second favorite to win for Best Actress, I think most people thought Viola Davis was a near lock.  Streep was wonderful, but it’s odd that after so many nominations that her third win will be in such a poor empty film.  For the record, THE IRON LADY received an Oscar for Makeup as well.  Thankfully, Streep never disappoints when giving acceptant speeches.

No matter how many checks and balances one might do you always come across a few snags in a live telecast.  But the problem with the microphone should have immediately been fixed after the first commercial break.  Struggling to understand each word there was a constant distraction through the entire opening number and subsequent award presentations with the reverb through everyone’s audio.  While Cirque du Soleil was extremely impressive it didn’t completely connect and all the interviews about movies fell flat when actors explained their feelings rather than specific films (I adored Reese Witherspoon’s admiration for OVERBOARD). These are a few mistakes that are avoidable.

I love the Academy Awards and I usually defend them vehemently so it pains me to see such a decline the last couple of years.  I completely admit laughing through Crystal’s opening schtick but it wasn’t long when I embarrassingly realized that my passionate hope for it to be good was forcing me into a fake laughter rather than a natural one.

I recognize that hosting the Oscars is a tough thankless gig.  You are working a nervous uncomfortable crowd who are without food or alcohol and have cameras in their face while 4 out 5 of them continue to lose throughout the night.  There are few people who can pull off the challenge and Crystal happens to be one of them but he was a little bland with a few too many thank yous this go around.  I’m not saying he was terrible but I would have like to seen a little more effort, a little more excitement and a little more relevance in such a beloved ceremony.

By Nathan Swank

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Original Screenplay:  THE ARTIST, BRIDESMAIDS, MARGIN CALL, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, A SEPARATION

Projected Winner:  MIDNIGHT IN PARIS – History would inform me that THE ARTIST should win because nearly every film that wins best picture wins a best screenplay.  But seriously, the screenplay was the weakest part of the film since it just copied age-old formula and almost duplicated films we’ve seen in the past.  I think Hollywood will reward their crush, Woody Allen in hopes that he might actually show up.  While I think A SEPARATION is clearly the best finding gray areas in a very serious situation, this might be Allen’s last shot at one of these and his charmingly whimsical script is quite good.

Adapted Screenplay:  THE DESCENDANTS, HUGO, THE IDES OF MARCH, MONEYBALL, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

Projected Winner: THE DESCENDANTS – I don’t think three of these belong, but HUGO does have a lot of momentum behind it.  No I think this is a race between Aaron Sorkin’s incredibly fascinating MONEYBALL and Alexander Payne’s humorously depressing THE DESCENDANT.  Since I believe Clooney will lose best actor, the Academy member will want to reward THE DESCENDANTS in some capacity.  And because Sorkin won last year for THE SOCIAL NETWORK, I think Payne will get his second win since SIDEWAYS.

Director:  Michael Hazanavicius for THE ARTIST, Alexander Payne for THE DESCENDANTS, Martin Scorsese for HUGO, Woody Allen for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, Terrence Malick for THE TREE OF LIFE

Projected Winner: Michael Hazanavicius for THE ARTIST – I cannot believe Allen got nominated here.  A nice script but one of the top five directed films it is not even close.  In my humble opinion Malick is clearly the most deserving however, Picture and Director nearly always go hand in hand.  Other than a slight upset chance from the beloved Martin Scorsese I foresee this going to the one relatively unknown director.

Best Picture: THE ARTIST, THE DESCENDANTS, EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE, THE HELP, HUGO, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, MONEYBALL, THE TREE OF LIFE, WAR HORSE

Projected Winner:  THE ARTIST – Nine nominated films that all feel like very safe run of the mill choices. Not that I’m completely complaining about the choices it’s just that the year didn’t provide much luster with the one exception of my favorite THE TREE OF LIFE.  I know there is no way that it has a shot to win with so many hating the confusing abstract cinematic spectacle.  Even I initially wasn’t feeling it but as the film went on and time continues to pass, I realize how much it moved me emotionally and intellectually.  For now I’ll just be thankful for the multiple nominations but it is the one film that truly did something different and I think will be remembered.  With that said, THE DESCENDANTS and MONEYBALL were excellent films and I would be happy if either pulled off a win but again for the most part all clean and safe.  THE HELP and EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE dealt with unfortunate tragic issues but handled them in mostly a sweet kind of way.  And is it me or are we living in the past with our filmmaking?  And the Academy members are eating it up.  WARHORSE is an overdramatic sentimental epic in the vain of earlier films, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS is about a man wishing he lived in an earlier time period and this year’s runner up is a kid’s movie about preserving film in HUGO.  Perhaps the oldest and cleanest, although not the safest being a silent black & white film, is also this year’s most widely liked and odds on favorite to win THE ARTIST.  It may not be the best choice but it’s the safest choice among a very “nice guys” kind of group

Oscar Predictions Part 1: Documentary, Foreign Language Film and Animated Feature

Oscar Predictions Part 2: Visual Effects, Score, Cinematography and other Technical Awards

Oscar Predictions Part 3:  Acting and Supporting Acting Awards

By Nathan Swank

The post The Artist and Woody Allen to take home Picture and Screenplay Awards in our final Oscar Predictions appeared first on Flix 66.

Actor in a Leading Role: Demián Bichir in A BETTER LIFE, George Clooney in THE DESCENDANTS, Jean Dujardin in THE ARTIST, Gary Oldman in TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, Brad Pitt in MONEYBALL

Projected Winner: Jean Dujardin in THE ARTIST.  Some great talent is in this category.  Bichir is a surprise nomination but he’s also a great unconventional choice who gave a great performance.  I love Oldman but he didn’t do much other than sit quietly while giving pensive looks. Pitt was phenomenal in two films this year with MONEYBALL and THE TREE OF LIFE but the roles were too familiar. I think Clooney is the favorite to win but not by much.  My pick is the winner of the SAG Awards who will slip in and win this because his charming silent performance is deserving.

Actor in a Supporting Role: Kenneth Branagh in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, Jonah Hill in MONEYBALL, Nick Nolte in WARRIOR, Christopher Plummer in BEGINNERS, Max von Sydow in EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

Projected Winner:  Christopher Plummer in BEGINNERS.  Jonah Hill was great as the nervous young right hand man to Pitt’s Billy Beane but his nomination is an honor in itself.  I have no idea why Kenneth Branagh was even considered and Nolte and Sydow were solid but they can’t compete in what is the biggest lock of all the categories in Plummer.  He is a highly respected veteran who never won with a delightfully deserving performance as a gay father dying of cancer.

Actress in a Supporting Role: Bérénice Bejo in THE ARTIST, Jessica Chastain in THE HELP, Melissa McCarthy in BRIDESMAIDS, Janet McTeer in ALBERT NOBBS, Octavia Spencer in THE HELP

Projected Winner:  Octavia Spencer in THE HELP.  Chastain had a breakout year with several great performances in some excellent movies.  While I named her as a potential nominee back in the summer, the fact that she is up against her fellow cast member with a much larger and impactful part gives her no chance.  McCarthy owns BRIDESMAIDS but the nomination is the reward.  I thought Bejo should have been nominated in the lead category and is the one person with the possibility to pull out an upset over Spencer who has gone relatively undefeated in all the other awards.

Actress in a Leading Role: Glenn Close in ALBERT NOBBS, Viola Davis in THE HELP, Rooney Mara in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, Meryl Streep in THE IRON LADY, Michelle Williams in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

Projected Winner:  Viola Davis in THE HELP.  Some might say this is a close race but while Streep’s performance was magnificent as usual the film was a bore, likewise for Williams as Marilyn Monroe.  Close did a great job but no one saw her film and my personal favorite performance of the year from Mara is widely considered a lucky to be nominated role, so Davis has this in the bag.  She was excellent as well.

Check back for Best Picture, Director and Screenplay

Oscar Predictions Part 1: Documentary, Foreign Language Film and Animated Feature

Oscar Predictions Part 2: Visual Effects, Score, Cinematography and other Technical Awards

By Nathan Swank

The post Jean Dujardin and Viola Davis are the smart bets to take home Oscars appeared first on Flix 66.

Visual Effects

Nominees:  HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2, HUGO, REAL STEAL, RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

Projected Winner:  RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

I have this odd feeling that the final HARRY POTTER film could pull a win out somewhere just as a generous recognition for making such a fun series and finale.  But ROTPOTA was just too phenomenal with its CGI apes due in part to another incredible motion capture performance by Andy Serkis.

Sound Editing

Nominees:  DRIVE, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, HUGO, TRANSFORMSERS: DARK OF THE MOON, WAR HORSE

Projected Winner: HUGO

Sound Mixing

Nominees:  THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, HUGO, MONEYBALL, TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON, WAR HORSE

Projected Winner: HUGO

Art Direction

Nominees:  THE ARTIST, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2, HUGO, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, WAR HORSE

Projected Winner: HUGO

While I love DRIVE and THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, HUGO is the favorite here with a lot of support from the Academy.  The art direction was fabulous.  WAR HORSE is a second choice in these categories and could possibly pull one out somewhere but I just don’t think enough people loved the film as a whole, which will prevent it from winning anything.

Original Song

Nominees:  “Man or Muppet” – THE MUPPETS, “Real in Rio” – RIO

Projected Winner:  THE MUPPETS

I was partial to “Life’s A Happy Song” from THE MUPPETS but I’m happy for any win for the wonderfully nostalgic film.  There is a 50/50 shot at getting this one wrong, which prompts me to say 50 percent of the time I’m right every time.

Original Score

Nominees:  THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, THE ARTIST, HUGO, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, WAR HORSE

Projected Winner:  THE ARTIST

Being that the film has no dialogue sound and only music to push the story along, I don’t see how it could lose.

Makeup

Nominees:  ALBERT NOBBS, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2, THE IRON LADY

Projected Winner:  HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2

Yes, I know I’m going off the beaten path here a bit but I have a feeling THE IRON LADY and ALBERT NOBBS are going to split the votes from the Academy Members that prefer natural aging or changing a female to a male making way for the more extravagant Potter film to finally get its “good job for all the films” award.

Costume

Nominees:  ANONYMOUS, THE ARTIST, HUGO, JANE EYRE, W.E.

Projected Winner: JANE EYRE

HUGO has a good shot here as well but is more recognizable for other achievements.  The fact that THE ARTIST is colorless actually hurts its chances.  History has shown classical period pieces win this one, which bows well for JANE EYRE or ANONYMOUS.

Editing

Nominees:  THE ARTIST, THE DESCENDANTS, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, HUGO, MONEYBALL

Projected Winner: THE ARTIST

Editing almost always goes to the (spoiler alert) Best Picture winner.

Cinematography

Nominees:  THE ARTIST, THE GRIL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, HUGO, THE TREE OF LIFE, WAR HORSE

Projected Winner: THE TREE OF LIFE

As my favorite film of the year, I could very well be voting with my heart rather than my brain.  While the other nominees are excellent choices, it will be an absolute travesty if TTOL loses.  This is the award that I will be most nervous for during the ceremony.

Oscar Predictions Part One: Documentary, Foreign Language Film and Animated Feature

Oscar Predictions Part 3:  Acting and Supporting Acting Awards

Check back for predictions on Supporting Actors and Screenplays

By Nathan Swank

The post Oscar Predictions Part 2: Visual Effects, Score, Cinematography and other Technical Awards appeared first on Flix 66.

Foreign Language Film

Nominees:  BULLHEAD, FOOTNOTE, IN DARKNESS, MONSIEUR, A SEPARATION

Projected Winner: A SEPARATION

As the only nominee with a nomination in another category (Original Screenplay), A SEPARATION appears to be a no brainer.  However, in years past an odd upset is not unusual (multi-nominated and beloved AMELIE lost to relatively obscure NO MAN’S LAND).  I’m sticking with it though because it is so deserving and one my personal top ten favorite films of the year.

Documentary

Nominees:  HELL AND BACK AGAIN, IF A TREE FALLS: A STORY OF THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT, PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY, PINA, UNDEFEATED

Projected Winner: PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY

I watched a lot of documentaries this year and wasn’t really blown away by any.  With a few decent nominees, I’m giving it to the doc that covers a story that has progressively gotten more Hollywood backing and support.  After three documentaries, the horrific story about three Arkansas boys know as the West Memphis Three wrongly convicted of murder from shady evidence, will be rewarded for bringing the topic to light.  And for actually making a difference by freeing the lives of these three men who have spent twenty years in prison.

Animated Feature

Nominees:  A CAT IN PARIS, CHICO & RITA, KUNG FU PANDA 2, PUSS IN BOOTS, RANGO

Projected Winner:  RANGO

What an absolute abysmal year for animated films.  In a world where Pixar is King, deservingly beating all it’s competition year to year, they finally put out an absolute stinker in CAR 2 and have given someone else a shot.  Sadly, it’s also the first year where there wasn’t anyone else that deserves the shot.  I haven’t seen the two obscure foreign animated films, so my hope is that they are good and beat the very average RANGO.  But as it stands the momentum and other awards are pointing toward a victory for the DreamWorks picture.

Short Film (Animated)

Nominees:  DIMANCHE/SUNDAY, THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE, LA LUNA, A MORNING STROLL, WILD LIFE

Projected Winner:  THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE

Short Film (Life Action)

Nominees:  PENTECOST, RAJU, THE SHORE, TIME FREAK, TUBA ATLANTIC

Projected Winner:  RAJU

Documentary Short

Nominees:  THE BARBER OF BIRMINGHAM: FOOT SOLDIER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, GOD IS THE BIGGER ELVIS, INCIDENT IN NEW BAGHDAD, SAVING FACE, THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM

Projected Winner:  SAVING FACE

These last three categories are usually held as tiebreakers in most Oscar pools and it is rare for anyone to get all three correct.  My expertise goes as far as reading the synopsis on all of them so clearly my opinion counts.

Be sure to check back for picks in the rest of the categories including Cinematography, Actor and Picture.

Oscar Predictions Part 2: Visual Effects, Score, Cinematography and other Technical Awards

Oscar Predictions Part 3:  Acting and Supporting Acting Awards

By Nathan Swank

The post Oscar Predictions Part 1: Documentaries, Foreign Language Film and Animated Feature appeared first on Flix 66.

11. Jessica Chastain in THE HELP, TREE OF LIFE, THE DEBT, TAKE SHELTER, CORIOLANUS, TEXAS KILLING FIELDS – Yes, I know she was nominated for THE HELP and that’s why I’m putting her at number eleven, technically not on the list. But all good things go to eleven.  Did you know relatively unknown Jessica was in seven movies this past year? And she was absolutely phenomenal in all of them.

10. Ryan Gosling in DRIVE, IDES OF MARCH, CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE – Gosling is destined to win himself an Oscar one of these days (check out my Top Ten Gosling Movies). Putting in solid performances in some of the better films this year, the man is unstoppable.  Unfortunately, the characters just weren’t bait worthy material for the Academy.

9. Elizabeth Olsen in MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE – Clearly a more talented actress than her sisters, Mary Kate and Ashley, Elizabeth Olsen gives an amazing portrayal of a girl confused, frightened and broken after escaping from a cult led by the always impressive John Hawkes.

8. Shailene Woodley in THE DESCENDANTS – As the foul mouthed and opinionated teenage daughter, Woodley more than holds her own against front-runner Oscar contender George Clooney.

7. Leonardo DiCaprio in J.EDGAR – Leo is always good. In fact, he is so good this time that he actually makes you believe he’s an overweight, aging J. Edgar Hoover.  Trust me, the make-up does not deserve the credit. It’s all Leo.

6. Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 50/50 – His understated performance of a lonely young man discovering he has cancer, is unnervingly down played to perfection. Gordon-Levitt continues to prove why he is one of the greatest young actors working today.

5. Michael Fassbender in SHAME, X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, JANE EYRE, A DANGEROUS METHOD – He also was in hand full of good films this past year and was great in all of them.  But the one that was most impressive was his performance of a man painfully hiding from his sex addiction in the acting vehicle SHAME.

4. Alan Rickman in HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 – The poor guy has virtually gone unnoticed.  Can’t we get a little love to arguably the best character in one of the biggest movie series of all time? Without many words and very limited screen time, Rickman gives an incredibly emotional performance in possibly the best film of the series.

3. Mia Wasikowska in JANE EYRE – There’s a reason Meryl Streep said Mia’s name so many times during her Golden Globe acceptance speech.  She perfectly portrays age-old wisdom from a trialed life within a young woman.

2. Albert Brooks in DRIVE – The only one of these I would call an outright snub.  He clearly should have been nominated and probably other than Christopher Plummer could even be the frontrunner to win it.

1. Michael Shannon in TAKE SHELTER – He may have given the best performance of the year as a man slowly losing his mind with visions of a massive storm that will destroy millions.  It’s a crime he was left off so many ballots and that the film went relatively unnoticed.

By Nathan Swank

The post Ryan Gosling, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender and the Top Ten Performances from 2011 not to receive an Oscar Nomination appeared first on Flix 66.

The old saying that too much of a good thing is never a good thing is never more true than in Hollywood. But Hollywood is famous for taking a series and beating it to death and then beating it a little more.  In some cases, you can never have enough sequels (James Bond, for example), but those are few and far between.  Too many times, sequels are more of an afterthought of some studio executive that wants to make a quick buck.  So they cut costs, overpay the lead actor and then hope for the best.  Below is a list of 10 franchises that should end, or in some cases, should have ended a long time ago.  And for the record, I’m staying away from the hardcore horror movies because they would populate the entire list.

10. Happy Feet – It was a toss-up between ICE AGE and HAPPY FEET, but in the end, I had to go with the annoying, pointless, dancing penguins.  These movies anger me on many levels, but none more so than when someone says they like them because “the penguins are cute” or “the message is positive”.  Both true, but we deserve more from our animated films than cheap scenes of penguins dancing.

9. Tomb Raider – A scantily clad hot girl with big guns; I get it.  But if Angelina Jolie can’t make the franchise work, then chances are good it’s not going to happen.  Hopes of redoing the franchise with someone else is going to end in the same results; bad action and worse acting.

8. Beverly Hills Cop – Any time you have a third film in the franchise that is completely horrible (which is a common theme with this list), then you should probably just hang it up.  Such is the case with BEVERLY HILLS COP series.  In the beginning, it was fun to see Eddie Murphy’s natural humor and charm come through as an out of water detective from Detroit.  But the third film was sad as a snotty, mature Murphy tried to play himself from 10 years ago.  There’s talk of a fourth film on the way, but hopefully cooler heads will prevail.

7. Rocky/Rambo – I have to lump these together because they should end for the same reason; Stallone is too old and the characters are completely played out.  I feel comfortable that Rocky is gone for good, but there’s still a hint that Rambo might make a comeback and I can’t handle that again.  Let the guy retire down to Florida where he only has to worry about fighting with Medicare and Medicaid.

6. Scream – Admittedly, the fourth film was a nice revisit to what I thought was a franchise that was already over, but Wes Craven has to give it up at this point.  I pretty much feel that all horror films should stop at two or three sequels, but it’s especially true for the Scream franchise.  We get it; Sydney has the worst life of all time, let’s move on.

5. American Pie – I halfway like the idea of bringing everyone back together for a reunion, but after AMERICAN REUNION, the madness has to stop.  AMERICAN WEDDING was atrocious and at this point, the Pie franchise seems a little sad, especially since no one from the original film was able to make it, with the possible exception of Seann William Scott.

4. Toy Story – I know many will disagree with this, but there’s something to be said for going out on top.  TS3 was a perfect ending and revisiting it without Andy is going to come off like they’re trying to sell more toys (see CARS 2 for example).  Let the franchise go down as one of the greatest trilogies of all time.

3. Die Hard – Sorry, Bruce, but this needs to stop.  I’d be open to making a fifth film if it wrapped up his character in some way (maybe bring back Bonnie Bedelia) or showed him retiring.  But going to Russia to save his son?  Give me a break.  The fourth film turned McClane into a superhero and the fifth looks like it’s going to turn him into James Bond.

2. Indiana Jones – I love Indiana as much as the next guy, but KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL ruined the franchise.  There’s no way to recover from that unless you go back and pretend it never happened.  But passing it off to Shia isn’t going to work and no one wants to see Indiana battle aliens.  Throw him in another religious-themed mystery adventure and maybe I’ll bite, but I’d prefer to imagine LAST CRUSADE was the last time we’ll see Indy in action.

1. Pirates of the Caribbean – I know Jack Sparrow has his fans and all he really has to do at this point is walk around a beach for 2 hours and people will pay to see him.  But On Stranger Tides proved that the franchise has no legs and that Sparrow alone isn’t enough to keep it going.  Depp has all the money he needs, he shouldn’t relegate himself to another Pirates film.

The post Die Hard, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean and the top ten movie franchises that should end appeared first on Flix 66.

Reports came out earlier yesterday that Universal was working on huge movie tie-ins with just about anyone that would listen.  Coke Zero, Cisco, Subway, Kraft, Nestle, Chevron, the USO and of course, the US Navy are all partners with Universal in promoting the film on the radio, online and on television (remember that Comcast is under the same NBC umbrella).  All total, this saves Universal about $50 million in advertising costs.  In other words, over the next few months, instead of seeing an ad for Coke Zero, you’ll see an ad for Coke Zero that will also push the movie.  This isn’t unusual at all for a studio and look no further than BMW and Paramount for their teaming up to promote MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL.  What is unusual is the extreme nature of the partnerships and the sheer number.  In theory, you could watch a 30 minute sitcom and see nothing but BATTLESHIP commercials.

If that wasn’t enough, Universal is reportedly severing ties with Hasbro (the owners of such boardgames as Battleship, Clue, Monopoly, Ouija, among others) and to do so, they’re paying millions.  There are a few red flags to this news, the first being that Hollywood studios usually don’t pay lump-sum, million dollar settlements to not make movies.  But the writing is on the wall for Universal and it’s clear that BATTLESHIP has them nervous and now they’re avoiding making future flops films like MONOPOLY (with Ridley Scott directing) and OUIJA (with McG attached to direct).

And who can blame them?  The executive who thought it would be a good idea to take the name of a classic board game and spend $200 million to make an alien-invasion film that looks and sounds exactly like TRANSFORMERS should be fired.  And why would they cast B-level stars like Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Brooklyn Decker and Rihanna and expect them to sell tickets?  Yes, Liam Neeson adds some class to the film, but I’m afraid he’s not going to be enough to make this successful.  Universal is behind every other studio when it comes to tentpoles and franchises and BATTLESHIP is another reason why.

However, with all of this said; I have not seen the film, nor was I privy to the footage director Peter Berg showed to companies as he was out trying to sell the film.  It’s possible BATTLESHIP will be a fantastic film and will be a great way to pass a couple of hours.  But the lesson Universal (and all studios) need to learn is that taking brands/names people know and then twisting them to the point where they’re unrecognizable is not a recipe for success.  I hope BATTLESHIP proves me wrong, but right now, all signs point to another rough summer for Universal.

By Brad Sturdivant

The post Universal has a right to be worried about Battleship, which stars Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard and Rihanna appeared first on Flix 66.

10. HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (1941) – A family drama about the hardships living in a mining town doesn’t quite have the impact as it’s fellow nominees.  This is sort of an obligatory entry not because it’s a bad film but because of who it beat out.  I’m guessing many of you don’t know much about this film, but I’m sure you’ve heard plenty about a few of the other nominees.

What Should Have Won: CITIZEN KANE, THE MALTESE FALCON  (DUMBO wasn’t nominated)

9. THE HURT LOCKER (2008) – I don’t think this is a bad film, I just think it’s an OK film.  In retrospect it wasn’t the best year for film and the best movies were ones that would never win by Oscar standards.  You can read my rant from two years ago about why “THE HURT LOCKER doesn’t deserve Best Picture” and my long list of better war films that never won.

What Should Have Won: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

8. CALVACADE (1934) - Another drawn out film about a couple of British aristocrats and life’s hardships over thirty years.  Even describing it irritates me.

What Should Have Won:  42^ND STREET, I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GAIN, LITTLE WOMEN (KING KONG wasn’t nominated)

7. KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1979) – I actually like this movie, however when comparing it to all the other best pictures one would have to scratch their head why?  A fine film but hardly great and the story of a father (Dustin Hoffman) winning custody of his son over the mother (Meryl Streep) seems pretty dated.

What Should Have Won:  APOCALYPSE NOW

6. THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952) - Perhaps in 1952, this dramatic tale from Cecil B. DeMille of the lives within a circus was far more impactful than today.  But looking back now, it’s not necessarily terrible but it definitely isn’t what the title suggests.

What Should Have Won: HIGH NOON (SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN wasn’t nominated)

5. AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951) - I love Gene Kelly so it pains me to say this one.  I really enjoy the music but that is no reason to win Best Picture.  When beautiful Paris is shot mostly on a soundstage you know there’s a problem.  For the record, several other musicals that won could be on this list like GIGI (1958), THE BROADWAY MELODY (1929) and THE GREAT ZIEGFELD (1936) but I decided to only pick the one with the most notoriety to save space.

What Should Have Won:  A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, A PLACE IN THE SUN (AFRICAN QUEEN wasn’t nominated)

4. AROUND THE WORLD IN THE 80 DAYS (1956) - Sometimes it’s more about how time treats you as a film.  When looking back at the other films compared to a guy flying around the world in a balloon, it’s obvious this is the one less remembered.

What Should Have Won: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE KING AND I, GIANT

3. CRASH (2004) – I saw this small, unknown film the spring before it won and I liked it quite a bit.  After it won, I thought wow I don’t remember it being that good and upon second viewing, I realized my first assessment was completely wrong.  CRASH is a giant leap backwards in stereotypes and over dramatization.  This not only shouldn’t have won but it shouldn’t have been nominated.

What Should Have Won:  BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

2. CHARIOTS OF FIRE (1981) – This overblown excuse for a sports film is now only remembered for it’s inspiring score – hardly a reason to win best picture.  Another film that is far too long and far too boring.

What Should Have Won: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK

1. A BEAUTIFUL MIND (2001) - In my opinion, the absolute worst film to ever win best picture.  I’ll admit Ron Howard did some surprising stylistic directing and Russell Crowe delivered a strong performance.  But the film is outright dull without a point.  It neither inspires nor tells a greater story.  I saw it once and hated it. Then I watched it again and found it unbearable.

What Should Have Won:  LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, MOULIN ROUGE (MEMENTO wasn’t nominated).

By Nathan Swank

The post A Beautiful Mind, Crash, The Hurt Locker and the Top Ten Worst Best Picture Winners appeared first on Flix 66.

9.  Community star earns writing nom for THE DESCENDANTS – Yeah you know the guy who plays the flamboyantly silly Dean in the tragically underrated television comedy Community?  No, well his name is Jim Rash and he is sharing writing credits with Nat Faxon and Alexander Payne for THE DESCENDANTS.

8. The Academy still loves Woody – It’s the only explanation why Woody Allen’s cutesy but flawed MIDNIGHT IN PARIS received so much attention.

7. Gary Oldman earned his first nomination – The man who I have said before is one of our greatest living actors has shockingly been overlooked for all his wonderful performances (BRAM STROKER’S DRACULA, TRUE ROMANCE, LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL, THE FIFTH ELEMENT, THE DARK KNIGHT and HARRY POTTER to name a few).  Granted he can sometimes be a bit over the top but he really is a chameleon when it comes to his performances.  Ironically, this film, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, is one of his least impactful.

6. The animated films were terrible – When even Pixar produces a film that is unworthy to be nominated among an already thin field (RANGO, KUNG FU PANDA 2, PUSS IN BOOTS) you know we have problems.  I am so thankful we got a couple of obscure foreign animated films (A CAT IN PARIS, CHICO & RITA) to enjoy because I did not like a single one of the mainstream options.

5. I’m not the only one who thought Tilda Swinton and Kirsten Dunst didn’t deserve awards – As these two fine actresses were racking up support and recognitions for their performances in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN and MELANCHOLIA, I felt very alone in my profession thinking their performances were adequate at best.  In their defense, I hated their two films more than their performances.  Thankfully the Academy agreed and did not give them any nominations, while awarding the wonderful Rooney Mara in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO with one.

4. Everyone loves Bridesmaids – With such a strong pool for Supporting Actress, Melissa McCarthy’s nomination along with that of Kristin Wiig and Annie Mumolo for Original Screenplay proves to be massive support from the Academy who usually snubs comedies.

3. They finally figured out that no one cares about the song category - With only two nominations this is now shaping up to be the best year ever for the category.  “Man or Muppet” from THE MUPPETS and “Real in Rio” from RIO were the only two songs deserving, therefore the only two songs to get nominated.  That’s how it should be and now we don’t have to waste so much time with people’s annoying singing during the show.  You get a pass Billy Crystal.

2. Between Brad Pitt and George Clooney this is the best looking actor category ever – Seriously, these are some handsome men and I’m not afraid to say it.  With the two super star besties battling it out in MONEYBALL and THE DESCENDANTS, I just hope they keep the blows away from the face.  If only Ryan Gosling could have been nominated.

1. Hollywood is living in the past – And the Academy loves it.  How else can you explain such praise and love for the two most nominated films HUGO, a story about preserving old movies, and THE ARTIST, a black and white silent film. Even MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, is a movie basically about how the artists of the past are better than the present.

By Nathan Swank

The post Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Gary Oldman And The Top Ten Random Things I Learned From The 2012 Oscar Nominations appeared first on Flix 66.

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Nick Nolte – WARRIOR, Ben Kingsly – HUGO, Albert Brooks – DRIVE, Christopher Plummer – BEGINNERS, Jonah Hill – MONEYBALL

I truly enjoyed all the performances in this category.  But I think I’m most excited for Plummer who after such an impressive body of work, I believe is a lock to have his first win.

For Your Consideration:  Alan Rickman in HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 – Rickman conveys more restrained emotion than any one else this year.  He has limited screen time in a huge blockbuster and is able to bring tears to your eyes.  Lets show some respect to a great ending in an entertaining series.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Octavia Spencer – THE HELP, Jessica Chastain – THE HELP, Melissa McCarthy – BRIDESMAIDS, Shailene Woodley – THE DESCENDANTS, Berenico Bejo – THE ARTIST

This is the category with the stiffest competition.  Jessica Chastain has been great in everything this past year.  TAKE SHELTER, THE DEBT, THE TREE OF LIFE and THE HELP.  Who really knows for which one she will be nominated?  Since THE HELP deserves nominations for its entire cast my guess they will slide that one her way.

For Your Consideration:  Cicely Tyson in THE HELP – Like I said before, I think you could plug just about anyone from THE HELP but the weight of emotion Tyson exudes in such a short amount of time carries the film in a pivotal way.

ACTOR: Jean Dujardin – THE ARTIST, George Clooney – THE DESCENDANTS, Brad Pitt – MONEYBALL, Michael Fassbender – SHAME, Leonardo DiCaprio – J. EDGAR

Pitt, Clooney and DiCaprio are superstars that once again prove they are more than just a just a pretty face.  Fassbender had a year full of great performances and will beat out some of the tough competition based on the quantity.  Then of course Dujardin is simply charming without ever having to say a word.

For Your Consideration:  Michael Shannon in TAKE SHELTER – In what might be my favorite performance of the year, Shannon encompasses a man losing his grip on reality while trying to maintain his dignity, courage and strength for his family.

ACTRESS: Michelle Williams – MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, Viola Davis – THE HELP, Meryl Streep – THE IRON LADY, Glenn Close – ALBERT NOBBS, Kirsten Dunst – MELANCHOLIA

Other than THE HELP, I didn’t think the rest of these movies were all that great.  Even Tilda Swinton for WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN who has been on many critics’ lists was left off here because the film was simply not good enough.

For Your Consideration:  Rooney Mara in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO – This one may seem silly because some consider her a favorite to be nominated.  Unfortunately, I keep seeing her left off other nominations and I fear my favorite performance of one of the greatest characters is going to be forgotten.

PICTURE/DIRECTOR:   THE DESCENDANTS, THE ARTIST, HUGO, THE TREE OF LIFE, THE HELP

This year instead of 5 or 10, it will be based on percentage of votes with a minimum of 5 but the possibility of more.  So a few others like WARHORSE and MONEYBALL could be added to the mix.  I’m confident about these 5 not only because of the high acclaims they have already received but also for the deeper emotional meaning they all convey.  They tell a greater story that on some level inspire the audience, at least in the eyes of the Academy.

For Your Consideration:  Best Picture: WARRIOR – I’m not sure why no one saw this film but for me it beats out all the numerous nominated or winning boxing films before it.

For Your Consideration:  Best Director: Nicolas Winding Refn for DRIVE – The acting and story are all well and fine but it is the strong stylish directing that makes the film so riveting, smart and entertaining.

By Nathan Swank

The post George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Michelle Williams should all expect Academy Award nominations on January 24th appeared first on Flix 66.

2011 has come and gone and admittedly, it was a weak year in movies.  Aside from MI4, none of the big budget blockbusters lived up to their potential.  And with a few exceptions, none of the dramatic Oscar contenders managed to impress.  So with another year behind us, it’s time to look ahead to what promises to be a huge year at the cinema.  Sequels and prequels alone will dominate the box office, as will remakes, TV to big screen adaptations and surprises that we don’t even know about yet.

Below is a list of the top ten movies I’m looking forward to in 2012 (click the title to watch the trailer where available):

10. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY – This is probably #1 on most people’s list, but for me, it’s more of an afterthought.  I know, I know, that’s sacrilege in some circles, but I think this film has a lot to live up to and although Peter Jackson is a professional, I have concerns that he was so reluctant to take on the project.  But everything we’ve seen so far is exciting, so I’ll be there in line with everyone else when it hits theaters on December 14th.

9. ARGO – Ben Affleck’s last starring/directing effort was THE TOWN, which was one of the best movies of 2010, so his follow up gets a place on the most anticipated of 2012.  I love the 70′s setting and the story of a CIA rescue mission, so everything is set up for Affleck to knock this out of the park.

8. THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS – The trailer had me laughing out loud and if this is even close to the level of CHICKEN RUN, audiences will be in for a treat.  Featuring an unrecognizable voice effort from Hugh Grant, Pirates promises to be one of the better kids movies of 2012.

7. WORLD WAR Z – I never thought this film would actually get made, but since Brad Pitt wanted it to be so, it was so.  Zombies are the new vampires in 2012 and who better to take us through a post-apocalyptic zombie world than Brad Pitt?  I’m excited to see where they go with the story and from the set photos, it looks like they’re going all out on making this famous novel come to life.

6. HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION (Now called GET THE GRINGO) – After 2011′s THE BEAVER, Mel Gibson officially re-established himself as one of the best actors working today.  Yeah, I know he has some off-screen “issues”, but the guy commands the screen and any project of his is a must-see.  Early word on Summer Vacation is that it’s a great film with an incredible performance from Gibson, so let’s hope audiences don’t pass it up like they did THE BEAVER.

5. THE HUNGER GAMES – When this was first announced, I had very little interest in seeing the film.  But give credit to the legion of fans and to Lionsgate, who has marketed the film so efficiently, because now it’s one of my most anticipated films of 2012.  Expectations for this are super high, but Jennifer Lawrence and company should be able to pull it off.

4. THE AVENGERS – I don’t think there’s a movie in 2012 that’s more ripe with potential pitfalls than Joss Whedon’s superhero ensemble film THE AVENGERS.  All of those stars can carry a movie on their own, but can they work together?  I’m still disappointed that The Hulk wasn’t the villain in the film and I’m concerned Loki isn’t compelling enough to make a formidable villain, but I have trust in Whedon and can’t wait to see if he pulls it off.

3. GANGSTER SQUAD – Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Josh Brolin; need I say more?  After winning over millions of fans in 2011 with three great films, Ryan Gosling is officially one to watch for in 2012.  I love the idea of an old school gangster film with a talented cast, the likes of which we haven’t seen in a long time.

2. DJANGO UNCHAINED – The only reason Tarantino’s next film isn’t #1 is because of Batman.  Otherwise, anything Tarantino does automatically goes on the top of the must-see list.  Django promises to be his most controversial film to date and if he sticks to his guns, it could be one of the most difficult to watch with racism, violence, rape and brutality running rampant throughout the film.  In other words, typical Tarantino.

1. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES – One thing you may not know about me is that I didn’t think THE DARK KNIGHT was the best movie of 2008, let alone the best comic book movie ever made.  But I liked it and I’m very interested to see where Nolan goes with the story.  Plus, the mere thought that Bane might break Batman’s back has me foaming at the mouth with anticipation.  I have the sneaking suspicion that Nolan is going to deliver the movie everyone is expecting.

Special mention: Terrence Malick’s next film (which might be called THE BURIAL), PROMETHEUS (I need more evidence before I get too excited for this one), THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2 (because finally, it’s the end of the Twilight series), 21 JUMP STREET (the trailer is great).

by Brad Sturdivant

The post The Dark Knight Rises, The Hunger Games, The Hobbit and the top ten movies to look forward to in 2012 appeared first on Flix 66.

As 2011 draws to a close, I think we can now safely say that it was a rather rough year at the cinema.  As much as I like the movies listed below, there’s nothing this year that stands out as a truly great film.  In fact, 2011 is a year full of disappointments as many of the big blockbusters of the summer proved to be less than what we had hoped for.  As for Oscar contenders, picking a Best Picture winner is going to be tough and will have more to do with the marketing than the actual film (thus giving a huge advantage to The Weinsteins).  But even though 2011 wasn’t a great year for movies, it was a great year for performances, featuring some great turns from seasoned vets like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton and Viola Davis, along with impressive turns from relative newcomers Elizabeth Olsen, Rooney Mara and Jean Dujardin.  And of course, Mr. It Boy himself, Ryan Gosling, who turned in three great performances.  But the focus here is on the movies, and the top ten movies of 2011 are:

10. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL – The tenth spot is always reserved for the most entertaining film of the year, and this year the prize goes to the fourth Mission Impossible film.  I left the theater exhausted after watching Tom Cruise go from one crazy stunt to another.  Yeah, the film lacked a legit story and the transitions from plot point to plot point were rushed, but when the action started, it never let up.

9. EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE – Although I’ve never seen a more consistently depressing movie, I couldn’t help but love this film.  Kudos has to be given to the filmmakers for handling the 9/11 tragedy well and for giving us great characters that furthered a magnificent story.  Add to that impressive performances from newcomer Thomas Horn and vets Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, and this is easily one of the best films of the year.

8. MARGIN CALL – Even though I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, director and writer J.C. Chandor did a fantastic job replicating the business atmosphere.  Intense at times and thought provoking at others, MARGIN CALL is a film that will challenge you on an intellectual level.  This is highly recommended for anyone that has ever sat at an executive roundtable.

7. BRIDESMAIDS – Comedies are strange in the sense that if you don’t see them before the hype starts, then they can rarely live up to your expectations.  I was fortunate enough to see BRIDESMAIDS two months before it hit theaters and at that time, no one was talking about it.  I laughed so hard I cried in the theater and I find it still holds up to multiple viewings.

6. WARRIOR – The saddest thing about WARRIOR is that so few people saw it.  It’s a great film and using MMA fighting as the replacement for boxing worked well to add excitement to a genre that we’re all too familiar with.  But in addition to the great fight scenes, we get a heartfelt story about two brothers struggling with life and the scars their estranged father made on them.  It’s heavy stuff for a sports movie.

5. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 – I was severely disappointed with Part 1, but the second part more than made up for it.  The Harry Potter franchise is a mixed bag of movies, but I was in awe as to how wonderful the last film in the series was.  It was a perfect ending to the world of Harry Potter and satisfied even the most die-hard Potter fans.

4. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO – David Fincher’s English language remake of the Swedish film was a rousing success, and that’s coming from someone that loved the original.  As much as I liked Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig in their roles, the star of the film was Fincher’s directing, which was enough to make this already good film great.

3. THE ARTIST – The silent, black and white film from director Michel Hazavinicius caught me completely off guard.  I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to stomach 90 minutes without dialogue or color, but as it turns out, it’s possible to make a great film without either.  I’m curious to see how this film will be received by the mass public, especially if it gets some Oscar love.

2. THE TREE OF LIFE – This is one of the most polarizing films to come along in recent memory, but the more I think about it, the more I love it.  Terrence Malick’s existential film about the meaning of life isn’t for everyone, but for those up to the task, it’s an impressive visual journey that will stick with you long after you see it.

1. DRIVE – The Cannes darling managed to make it through the end of year Oscar push and come out as the best movie of the year.  Director Nicolas Winding Refn won over a lot of fans and anyone that wasn’t already on the Ryan Gosling bandwagon was officially on board after watching this film.  The beauty of it is that it didn’t do anything different or new, it just did everything better.

The post Drive, The Artist, The Tree of Life and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo make our list of the top ten movies of 2011 appeared first on Flix 66.

The long standing rift between critics and Hollywood studios took an interesting turn today when respected movie critic David Denby came under fire from famed producer Scott Rudin because his publication, The New Yorker, is going to run a very early review of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO in Monday’s issue.  The Playlist has the email correspondence between the two, but basically Rudin takes a few shots at Denby’s integrity because Denby signed a waiver saying he wouldn’t post a review and Denby responds by saying it’s really all Hollywood’s fault because they release all the big Oscar movies in the last 8 days of the year.

For those that aren’t aware, all critics that are part of accredited film critics societies (there are two accredited critics on the Flix66 staff) get early screenings of films.  Sometimes it’s a few days before the film’s release, sometimes it can be a few months, depending on the situation and the time of year.  As awards season draws close, more and more screeners are sent out or set up for critics to get their movies in before the end of year voting begins.  Hollywood studios set what’s called an “embargo” on reviews so they can maximize the buzz for a film within a day or two of the film’s release.  Running a review early can lead to you getting kicked out of the film critics society or being “blacklisted” from screenings.  Either of which can ruin the career of a movie critic.

But any critic or editor will tell you that the embargoes are one of the most poorly managed “rules” that exists.  Depending on what area of the country you live in, your embargo could be different.  Traditionally, critics in New York and LA have earlier embargoes than those in smaller market towns.  Why?  No one can answer that and the general response when questioned is always; that’s what the producer/studio wants, even though no one really knows what the producer/studio wants and a lot of the embargoes are set by a variety of people, including the PR firm that’s representing the film.  Studios counter by pointing out that reviews (positive or negative) are part of the marketing process and releasing a review too early can throw off the film’s campaign.  You’ll have to do your own deductive reasoning to determine which group you sympathize with.

My concern is that Hollywood studios should have no say so or power when it comes to when a review runs.  After all, the point of a critic is to remain objective about a film and judge it for its merits, not for any drama or favoritism that goes on behind the scenes.  But most studios know they have the critic’s livelihood in their hands because they ultimately control who does and doesn’t see an advanced screening.  And so we as movie critics suck it up and play along.  After all, the competition is too stiff amongst movie news/reviews publications to be able to survive such an extreme disadvantage as seeing a movie after your competition.

But if the Denby vs. Rudin situation does anything, hopefully it will prove that the timing of a review has little or nothing to do with how well the film performs.  If anything, wouldn’t you want people to talk about your movie in the weeks leading up to the release?  This drama alone will bring attention to the film and get people talking about it.  Perhaps studios should revisit their antiquated embargo policy and let publications run reviews when they want.  Wouldn’t it be better to release 10-20 reviews a day in the weeks leading up to a film’s release than over 1,000 reviews on the release date?  Who reads 1,000 reviews in one day?  Alright, I’ll get off my soapbox, because as it turns out, I still haven’t gotten my screening invite to THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO…

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I firmly believe we have already seen a few of the Oscar contenders this year in TREE OF LIFE, MONEYBALL and THE HELP.  However, there are at least ten Oscar picture potentials still to be released. And no matter how much I’m excited for MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL or even SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS, I doubt they’re vying for a Best Picture spot so I’m gonna break down my list of the films that I anticipate have the best shot.

Click the title of the movie to see the trailer

10. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN – What if your teenager ended up being a mass murderer?  This film explores two estranged parents, played by Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly, as they try to figure out what went wrong with person they love most in the world.  Release Date:  Dec. 9

9. YOUNG ADULT – Charlize Theron tries to win back her married high school sweetheart.  That topic kind of disgusts me but the trailer was kind of funny with Theron acting like an adolescent.  But Jason Reitman who directed UP IN THE AIR, JUNO and THANK YOU FOR SMOKING is reteaming with JUNO screenwriter Diablo Cody and I trust that track record.  Release Date:  Dec. 9

8. TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY – Gary Oldman is a recently retired veteran spy who is attempting to expose a mole within the organization.  Who doesn’t love an intelligent espionage film?  Release Date: Dec. 9

7. CARNAGE – Academy Award Director Roman Polanski puts four of our greatest actors into a room and let them hash it out.  Academy Award winners Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, Jodie Foster and Academy Award nominee John C. Reilly are parents discussing their sons schoolyard fight.  I’m excited to see what this talented team can do.  Release Date: Dec. 9

6. EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE – A young boy who’s father (Tom Hanks) died in the 9/11 terrorist attack is on a journey to figure out why he was left a mysterious key.  This sounds like it has a family tearjerker quality with a positive message.  Release Date: Dec. 25

5. WE BOUGHT A ZOO – After losing his wife, Matt Damon plays a broken man who moves his family into his recently purchased rundown zoo.  Cameron Crowe, who hasn’t directed a feature film since 2005’s forgettable ELIZABETHTOWN, returns behind the camera.  I will see anything from the man who brought us ALMOST FAMOUS, JERRY MAGUIRE and SAY ANYTHING.  Release Date: Dec. 23

4. THE ARTIST – This is a black-and-white silent film similar to the one’s of old Hollywood.  I might question the idea of going backwards in technology when we have progressed so far in filmmaking but it has been getting rave reviews with a charming cast and love story. Color me intrigued.  Release Date: Nov. 25.

3. WAR HORSE – I know Steven Spielberg has caught grief recently but the fact remains that this man has directed not just some, but many of the greatest films ever made.  He blends quality with good popcorn entertainment.  And a horse sent into battle during World War I is sure to be a people pleaser.  Release Date: Dec. 25

2. THE DESCENDANTS – Alexander Payne has written and directed ELECTION, ABOUT SCHMIDT and SIDEWAYS.  He brings another character driven film about a man (George Clooney) who must not only deal with the fact that his wife recently went into an unrecoverable coma but also the new knowledge that she had been cheating on him.  Release Date: Nov. 16 (yes, I know this has already come out, but it’s still hard to see in some markets)

1.  THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO – Based on the popular best selling book series by Stieg Larsson, the film stars Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara as an unlikely team solving the mystery of a missing girl from forty years ago.  The Swedish version was really good but it definitely could have been better and I will put my faith into anything that director David Fincher touches.  Release Date: Dec. 21

The post Young Adult, War Horse, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and the Top Ten Oscar films still to come appeared first on Flix 66.

With the excitement surrounding the release of THE MUPPETS, I have taken it upon myself to list my top ten personal favorite Muppet characters.   While I’m thrilled to see Jason Segel’s passion in returning the Muppets, I must first thank the brilliant Jim Henson, who created these beloved characters and the amazing THE MUPPET SHOW.  Picking one’s favorite Muppet character is like picking your favorite child – you love them all and you can easily rank them to your favorite.  However unlike ranking your favorite children, limiting the Muppet characters is extremely difficult.  So if you are a fan of Skooter, loveable piano playing Rowlf, monstrous Sweetums, cranky Sam the Eagle or Lew Zeeland and his boomerang fish, I feel your pain.  Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough numbers to give them all love.

10. RIZZO THE RAT – With a New Jersey accent and a sarcastic attitude, Rizzo has a tendency to steel scenes with his background shenanigans.  He’s a great supporting player that continually steps in for a laugh when needed.  Like a real rat, he tries to stay hidden but you always know he’s there.

Positive Attributes:  Always obeyed his mother and never carried the plague not even once!

9. PEPE THE KING PRAWN – As one of the newest members of the Muppet family, Pepe got his start in 1996 and is quickly rising the charts.  As a sassy Spaniard and self-proclaimed crustacean Casanova, Pepe always has a scheme up his shell, probably why he landed the job as the spokesman for Long John Silver’s commercials.

Common Misconception:   He is not a shrimp and/or an appetizer.

8. BEAKER – Poor Beaker, He is so worried all the time.  I guess it’s from the constant electrocutions and explosions brought on by Dr. Bunsen.   His bulging eyes, frizzy red hair and inability to speak properly, makes me laugh as soon as he’s on screen.  Bless his little heart.

Catchphrase:  “Mee-mee-mee mee”

7. SWEEDISH CHEF – “Birdie, Birdie, Birdie.”  He is the only impression I’ve ever been able to nail until I realized he wasn’t saying the Spanish word for green – “Verde, Verde, Verde.”  Who doesn’t love a guy running around the kitchen wielding a butcher knife trying to cut up live chickens?

Fun Fact:  Has human hands.

6. GONZO – Speaking of chickens.  Did you know Gonzo’s girlfriend is a chicken?  Yeah, Camille the chicken.  It’s this sort of sick crazy weird stuff that makes Mr. Gonzo the Great… awesome.

Famous Quote: “I shall now eat a rubber tire to the music of The Flight of the Bumblebee…music, maestro!”

5. MISS PIGGY – When I was younger, I hated her bossy attitude but I realize now that she embodies all women, strong and independent yet always craving to be treated like a princess.  Her conceited, better-than-everyone attitude coupled with her psychotic love for the little green frog make me too scared not to pick her.

Fun Fact: Has explained that her first name is actually “Pigathia” the more feminine-sounding version of Pigathius, from the Greek, meaning ‘river of passion’

4. FOZZIE THE BEAR – His jokes are always bad which is why I love him. But his commitment toward corny humor and others disgusted response in turn, help make Fozzie one of the most endearing characters of the group.  However in my experience, thinking a joke is funnier the more others hate it, has gotten me in a lot of trouble in my lifetime.

Catchphrase:  “Wocka Wocka Wocka”

3. ANIMAL – The crazy drummer from The Electric Mayhem Band is always the life of the party and regularly must be chained to his drum set. But lets not forget the rest of the band who complete many scenes in their own right.  Lips on Trumpet, Zoot playing the saxophone, Sgt. Floyd Pepper on guitar, Dr. Teeth playing a mean keyboard and Janice doing a little guitar and great vocals.  However, Animal has no fear and has perfected timing to interrupt any scene with his chaos and unbridled appetite for life, specifically for “Woo-maaaan!”

Common Misconception:  His favorite painter is Renoir not Rembrandt

2. KERMIT THE FROG – Aahhh yes, the frog that started it all.  The leader of the gang taught us at an early age that it isn’t easy being green.  Kermit is the quintessential straight man in a room full of nut jobs  (kinda like Jason Bateman as Michael Bluth in Arrested Development).  But that by no means insinuates he is boring or uninteresting, nay, he is constantly keeping the team together while pulling in his own share of laughs through his exasperated reactions and clever wit.

Fun Fact: Kermit guest hosted both The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and CNN’s Larry King Live.

1. STATLER AND WALDORF – Who else would you expect coming from a film critic?  In a way, they are who I aspire to be.  No holds bar, they tells it like they sees it and everything they see is bad.  But they sure tickle themselves as they expose everyone’s vulnerability.  With biting wit and clever comebacks, these two grouchy old men sit in the balcony and pass judgment as the funniest heckling critics ever to exist.

Famous Quote:

Statler: This show is awful!

Waldorf: Terrible!

Statler: Disgusting!

Waldorf: See you next week?

Statler: Of course.

The post Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie and our Top Ten favorite Muppet characters appeared first on Flix 66.

I’d be willing to bet that there is a gaggle of best friends who have convinced their parents that camping out and forming a line to catch a glimpse of the Twilight Trinity on opening night of the new BREAKING DAWN movie opening this weekend is a completely normal idea.  I imagine they’ve christened their adventure “Bestie Festie 2011!” and are giddy with the anticipation that grows with each passing day.  One girl fluffs her “Real Men Glisten in the Sunlight” pillow case as she takes a sip from her Mrs. Cullen water bottle.  Her friend, even though a bestie, rolls her eyes and adjust her “Imprint This” t-shirt before vowing her eternal allegiance to the wolf pack.  For the hundredth time, they discuss and predict the most memorable parts of PART 1:

Warning: this top ten list contains spoilers for those that have not read the books.

10. THE WEDDING: From the BREAKING DAWN trailer, you can tell that Bella and Edward’s wedding is going to be gorgeous.  The fact that the two main characters are dating in real life should make the event extra swoon worthy for those tweens in the audience.

9. JACOB SAYING GOODBYE: One of the sweeter moments in Breaking Dawn was when Jacob swallows his pride and attends Bella’s wedding reception so he can say goodbye to her before she becomes a blood sucker.  He’s trying everything he can to soak up his Bella while she just stands there and breaks his heart.  Oh I forgot to mention…TEAM JACOB.

8. ISLE ESME: Everyone from the tweens to the 30-somethings who claim they neither read the books nor watch the movies is looking forward to this segment of the film.  Edward and Bella’s honeymoon should be a bit different from the book.  Otherwise it would have rated R for sure.

7. BABY ON BOARD: One of the things I’m looking forward to is Bella’s discovery of her pregnancy.  It should be interesting to see her new relationship with Rosalie and Edward’s agony over his wife’s protection of what is growing in her womb.  Here’s hoping the actors have the chops to pull it off.

6. WOLF PACK: We didn’t get any of the wolf pack telepathy in NEW MOON or ECLIPSE.  I wonder if the director will even go there.  I would think he would have to since Jacob leaves his pack to become Alpha and later is in wolf form talking to Seth and Leah for a good portion of the book.  I don’t know how it’s going to work without being cheesey if they do attempt it.

5. BLOOD THIRST: I hope they include the part where the fetus wants blood, so Bella has to drink it out of a styrofoam cup.  That was one of the more surprising plot twists for me in the book and I’d love to see that in action.

4. BLONDIE: Another dynamic I’m eager to see played out on film is the one between Rosalie and Jacob.  When the writers allow him to be sarcastic, it really brings a breath of fresh air to  such a forlorn storyline.

3. WOMB TALK: It was totally weird but I loved how unexpected it was when Edward was able to hear/feel the baby before she was born.  Sort of creepy, but a fun twist nonetheless.

2. BIRTH: From my understanding, BREAKING DAWN: PART 1 ends with the birth of Bella’s baby.  Birthing scenes are never anything to write home about in my opinion, but I feel like this one could be really good if it’s acted and directed well.  Jacob and Edward panicking together to save their love is definitely going to be a crowd favorite.

1. IMPRINTING: I would love for the last scene of the movie to be Jacob imprinting on Renesme.  And then the screen goes to black.  I have no idea if it’s part one or two, but that would be a clear way to end the show on an adrenaline rush.  Tweens, babysitters, closet Twilighters and Flix66.com writers would totally be in line for the midnight showing of the next one if they ended that way.  I’m just saying.

The post Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart’s honeymoon and the Top Ten moments to look for in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 appeared first on Flix 66.

Almost immediately following the announcement that Brett Ratner was out as producer of the 84^th Academy Awards telecast and the subsequent departure of Eddie Murphy as host (who I was curiously excited to see and root for some old school standup from the once funny man), we get word that veteran host Billy Crystal will be the replacement, once again taking over hosting duties.

The announcement was so fast that I would have guessed they already knew Murphy would be leaving with his recruiter beforehand.  Unfortunately, I was unable to post my top ten candidates for the job (perhaps next year) but I can safely say that Billy Crystal was on my list.  “Safe” being the key word.  He is not necessarily my first choice (I love Steve Martin) but I think there are more than a few reasons why America will be extremely pleased.

I think it’s safe to say after last year’s debacle of perhaps the worst Academy Awards telecast in history, anyone would be a step up.  Crystal will be a nice way to get the show back on track.  In his short moment on stage last year commemorating hosts of years past it was painfully obvious he was far superior to Anne Hathaway and James Franco.

There is clearly a lot of planning and preparation that goes into an Academy Awards production.  Why else would they have a producer and host locked down over two months ago?   It’s not an easy job and it’s also a very scrutinized job, which is why it’s so hard to bring a successful host back year after year (including Crystal who has turned the job down several times).  So we must consider ourselves lucky that we got someone so respected and reliable in such short notice.

Reliable is exactly what the 9^th time returning host will bring.  I’m not the biggest fan of musical numbers, however I realize I’m in the minority and Crystal will surely have an opening song full of clever wordplay using actors and films.  Hopefully we will also be getting Crystal inserting himself into different scenes from the nominees.  He will have an insight on the stars in the audience and won’t be afraid to give them a light ribbing.  And a ribbing they will happily take because unlike other hosts, they respect Crystal.

Crystal is like a warm fire that you can cozy up next to and feel that everything will be right in the world.   It won’t be the greatest telecast ever but it will have a guarantee stamped on it despite the possibility of boring winners and losers.  I’m guessing a standing ovation will occur when the beloved Crystal appears on stage.  And I can absolutely guarantee the Academy Awards will be more entertaining than last year.

With that said, I would like to mention a few fresh faces that could take over the reigns improving upon the prestigious show.  Funny girl Tina Fey has proven herself time and time again that she has the brains and comedic chops for either hosting or writing the gig and deserves a shot.  Scene stealing Neil Patrick Harris has been the stand out gem on everything he touches.  Whether it be hosting the Tonys or Emmys or a supporting role in a Harold and Kumar film or TV show How I Met Your Mother, NPH as host would be Legen… wait for it… dary.  And my number one pick would be the Muppets.  Yeah that’s right, throw Jason Segel into the mix if you like.  Could you imagine having a real life Muppet Show hosting the Oscars? Kermit and the gang would be in front and behind the curtain putting together the Academy Awards with Statler and Waldorf in the balcony making fun of the winners and losers.  Epic.

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Full fledged musicals have been popular since the invention of the “talkie”, but we shouldn’t forget that some of the best musical moments in film history have actually occurred in some surprising films.  You don’t have to live in a world where everyone sings and dances, sometimes it’s okay to just bust out into a song and have some fun.

10. GREMLINS 2: The New Batch – ‘New York, New York’:  Is there anything better than watching a building full of green monsters belting out Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” before heading out on the town to wreak havoc?  The sequel is filled with funny and out of the blue scenes, but the musical number was one of the best.

9. FIRST WIVE’S CLUB – ‘You Don’t Own Me’:  Watching Diane Keaton, Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn finish off the movie with this gem was cute and left this song stuck in my head for days after.  This is the first of two spontaneous end-of-movie songs on the list…

8. 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN – ‘Age of Aquarius’: The last scene of the movie has Steve Carell blurting out a “victory” song after his conquest and bringing in all of his friends for the music video style sequence.  The best part about this scene is that nothing we witnessed before this gave us any indication we were going to end with a musical number.

7. FLETCH LIVES – ‘Zip-a-dee-doo-dah’ :  The Fletch movies feature Chevy Chase at his sarcastic best, but let’s not forget that they have some hilarious and spontaneous comedy sprinkled throughout as well.  One such moment came with Fletch daydreaming about bluebirds on his shoulder and the subsequent song that had the audience laughing.

6. ARMAGEDDON – ‘Leavin’ on a Jetplane’: Perhaps appealing to my romantic side, Bay managed to pull the audience back into reality with a heartfelt embrace and song from Ben Affleck to Liv Tyler.  He even got some chorus help from his space-traveling pals.  For a minute, just a minute, we forgot how ridiculous the film was.

5. BACK TO THE FUTURE – ‘Johnny B. Good”: BTF is filled with many memorable moments, but one of the best is when Marty McFly picked up the guitar at his parents’ prom and rocked the classic Chubby Checker song.  And then he topped it off with the great line “your kids are going to love it”.

4. FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF – ‘Danke Schoen/Twist and Shout’: I hesitated putting this on here because technically Broderick is lip-syncing the classic Beatles’ song, but it was a great moment in a great 80’s movie, so it had to make the list.  I’m still not sure how he snuck away from his friends long enough to arrange this or why no one questioned the fact he sounded just like John Lennon, but hey, it was the 80’s.

3. TOP GUN – ‘You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling’: I’ve seen the movie so many times now that this scene doesn’t surprise me anymore, but I can imagine being in the theater when this was first released and realizing that Maverick is even cooler than we originally thought.  Not many guys can sing one verse of one song to a girl in a bar and not “crash and burn”, but Tom Cruise actually pulled it off.

2. MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING – ‘I Say A Little Prayer For You’: If we were ranking purely on “impromptu”, then this would technically be #1.  The movie itself was decent, but when they busted out this song at the dinner table, I was taken aback by the spontaneity of it.  It was a great moment that made a forgettable film memorable.

1. ALMOST FAMOUS – ‘Tiny Dancer’: This should be an obvious choice given how it was a pivotal scene in the movie and the moment most people remember from the film.  It also doesn’t hurt that it’s one of the greatest songs ever recorded and one of the best movies of the last twenty years.  But it came at such a perfect moment in the movie and as soon as the music starts, it’s hard not to sing along with the band.  It’s a great scene in movie history.

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One of the films this year that has gotten enormous critical support is Nicolas Winding Refn’s DRIVE, and rightfully so.  There aren’t enough superlatives to describe how enjoyable the film is.  But like with many of the critically successful films, DRIVE couldn’t find an audience in theaters and so we’ll have to wait and see what happens come awards season and when it eventually hits Blu-ray.  But today, news came out that should have every movie fan up in arms, not only because of what it says about the intelligence of moviegoers, but for what it says about the intelligence (or lack of) of our entire society.

A Michigan woman (I’m not going to print her name because she doesn’t deserve it) with apparently too much time on her hands, has filed a lawsuit against Film District for their promotion of the film DRIVE.  In her lawsuit, she claims that the trailers for the film sold it as similar to FAST AND FURIOUS and that the film bore very little similarity to a chase or race action film because the movie contained very little racing or action (I’ve included trailers for DRIVE and FAST FIVE below for you to make up your own mind).  Therefore, she’s hired a lawyer and decided to sue, not only for a refund of her movie ticket, but hopes to end all misleading trailers.  I’ve heard the complaint from people that “it didn’t have enough action” but are we at a point where any time there’s a movie about cars, we have to go Fast and Furious with it?  If that wasn’t enough, she’s gone on to say that the film promotes violence towards the Jewish community.  In the film, Ron Perlman’s character is Jewish and he happens to be the bad guy.

My first instinct in this situation is to go on a heated tirade against this woman and rattle off a series of expletives describing her and her place in society.  But that’s not going to drive any points home or make this lawsuit go away.  At the end of the day, it’s yet another disheartening reminder that people can sue for anything and there’s always a lawyer and court around to hear these cases.  But what about Detroit’s WDIV-TV?  Should we direct some of our anger towards them for taking the time to put this on the news and then actually take it seriously?  Quick side rant: who watches local news anymore?  The only time people watch local news is when one of their videos makes it viral and then it’s just to laugh at how embarrassing it is.  But I digress.

Obviously, this lawsuit is ridiculous and will hopefully be dismissed by the first judge to see it.  But we should pity this woman for her attention-hungry lawsuit and for clearly not being able to read movie reviews or understand what a trailer is trying to sell her.  What’s worse is that we can all come up with 20 examples of films that had a trailer sell the film as one thing and then delivery something completely different.  DRIVE is not one of them.  Maybe we could at least give her the benefit of the doubt if she had picked an instance that made sense.  And as far as the movie being anti-sematic?  No.  The bad guy happened to be Jewish.  Why not just claim the movie is racist against whites because the bad guys happened to be white?

So the next time you eat at a restaurant and your burger doesn’t taste juicy and delicious, sue the restaurant for a misleading commercial.  Or the next time you take a Five Hour Energy and it lasts 4.5 hours, go ahead and sue.  That’s apparently what we’ve come to.  As for me, I’ll stick to doing this little thing called “research”.  It’s a complicated idea, but basically, you “read” about something before you buy it.  I know, it’s crazy, but I didn’t invent it.  Apparently, it has been around for a while.

Source: WDIV-TV

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When I was in 8^th grade, a girl had her friends ask my friends if I liked her.  You can imagine my elated glee upon this news and I swiftly asked her if she would “go with me.”  Now this phrase in 8^th grade basically means we will talk on the phone and in between classes, as we cannot actually drive yet to go on real dates. That is until a special Friday night school dance.  To my shame, I promptly realized I have no idea what to say to a girl once I know she likes me.  However, everyone assured me that she would love for me to kiss her.  I was inexperienced at the organic act of kissing as my only small experience was from the forced action during a game of Truth Or Dare.  Taking tips from BACK TO THE FUTURE, my plan was to make my grand romantic gesture during a slow song at the big dance.  With my sweaty palms and silk shirt, I had delayed the inevitable awkwardness until the final song.  As “End of the Road” by Boyz II Men was coming to an end, the song spoke to me.  With my hands on her hips, her hands on my shoulders and my head looking up from prayer to my Lord to give me strength, I swoop down to go for the intimate earth-shattering kiss I knew I had in me.  However, in this action I realized one small problem…  She had no idea it was coming.  As she was casually turning her head to the side, my momentum had already gotten the best of me and I gave her ear a tonguey wet surprise.  Needless to say she broke up with me the following week.  I think the tetanus shots following the debacle were a little much on her part.   Here are my Top Ten Awkward Kiss Moments in film history.

10.  SPIDER-MAN – Yes, it is always talked about but the upside down kiss is one to marvel (pun intended).  I have no idea how hanging upside down as rain is pouring up your nose with a mask half way around your face could be anything pleasant but Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst make is look like magic.

9.  THE LITTLE MERMAID – Now, technically the two don’t kiss in this moment but how uncomfortable and awkward would it be to be canoeing down a river with your new honey while all the swamp animals sing to you?  The pressure from my friends was hard enough let alone some creepy lobster telling me I’m not making my move fast enough and “You’ve Got To Kiss The Girl.”

8.  RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK – So Indiana (Harrison Ford) has outrun boulders, fought off snakes and battled Nazis.  He’s obviously a little banged up and sore.  The poor guy is in desperate need of some R&R when his dame starts kissing his wounds. It’s a pretty smooth move telling her the places it doesn’t hurt so she can kiss them but the awkward part is when he falls asleep during a surefire good time.

7.  MY GIRL – Practicing on my arm, threatened to be pounded and giving the Pledge of Allegiance afterwards – this film eerily knew exactly what my wife would demand from me years later.  I once had a girl kiss my hand in a game of girls chase boys during recess.  At that age it was all fun and games until I went home with a full-blown case of Cooties.  This was a risk that our two cute lovebirds played by Anna Chlumsky and Macaulay Culkin were apparently willing to take

6.  SUPERMAN – At the end of the film, Superman’s secret identity as Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) has been compromised to Louis Lane so how can we fix this mistake…I know lets kiss her so passionately that she forgets the whole thing.  However, she can’t shake the sneaking suspicion someone has violated her mouth.  Well-done sir.

5.  SPECIES - Definitely the most gruesome on the list but there is no denying the horrific style in which this kiss goes down.  Natasha Henstring is the alien species and as she is kissing a random tool of a man she proceeds to penetrate the back of his skull with her tongue.  I saw this film at far too young of an age because from then on I kiss with a helmet.

4.  DUMB AND DUMBER – The eating face kiss scene is one that to a lesser extent I’m sure many of us have experienced or perhaps even sloppily performed.  Lloyd’s (Jim Carrey) fantasy of such kiss is one to behold.

3.  THE SANDLOT – This kid is my personal hero.  Michael ‘Squints’ Palledorous (Chauncey Leopardi) halfway commits suicide by jumping off the high dive into the deep end knowing full well that the unusually hot lifeguard Wendy Peffercorn (Marley Shelton) will try to save his live by giving him CPR.  Then when the time is right he makes his make out move.  How awkward would it be to be saving a 12 year olds life when he sticks his tongue down your throat?

2.  THE GODFATHER: PART II  - The kiss of death.  This is a kiss from brother to brother and it is definitely heart felt but also tragically sinister.  Mob boss Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) discovers his older brother Fredo (John Cazale) has betrayed him, walks over in a crowed room, forcefully kisses him and says, “I know it was you Fredo. You broke my heart.”  Enough said.

1.  BACK TO THE FUTURE - Yes, I would rather be kissed by my brother before he killed me than kissed by mother because she is sexually attracted to me.  Michael J. Fox’s face after the deed has been done is priceless.  In retrospect, he deserves a lifetime achievement award for this moment alone.

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Picking Ryan Gosling’s best performance in a film is like choosing your favorite child… It’s always the most recent one.  Since Gosling is nothing less than amazing in every film no matter how good or bad the movie is, I’m going to order 10 of his best films by year.  By his own excelling standards, I am eagerly awaiting the release of his 3rd film from 2011, THE IDES OF MARCH directed by George Clooney.  So sit back and enjoy as you see the growth and glory from my personal man crush, Ryan Gosling.

REMEMBER THE TITANS (2000):  Following the first race integrated high school football team, this feel good sports film starring Denzel Washington is Gosling’s first feature.  His part is small but he oozes charisma as a goofy white country boy that can’t dance.

THE BELIEVER (2001) Far from his Disney days on the Mickey Mouse Club, Gosling’s next picture is an indie film about a young Jewish anti-sematic who struggles with his identity.  Full of hate and self-loathing, Gosling already proves he will be a force in Hollywood.  This underrated and unseen film will definitely make you think with a haunting final scene that still sticks with me to this day. I highly recommend it.

MURDER BY NUMBERS (2002) This is the film that started to get audiences, critics and Hollywood turning their heads.  Staring opposite Sandra Bullock, who he won over on and off the screen, Gosling has controlled confidence as one of two teenagers who are the prime suspects to a murder.

THE NOTEBOOK  (2004) Leave it to millions of women to make the guy with puppy dog eyes a superstar.  THE NOTEBOOK is a modern classic of romantic dramas and Gosling plays Noah, the bad boy with a heart of gold longing who is fully committed to the woman he loves (Rachel McAdams), to perfection.

HALF NELSON  (2006) Stepping back out of the spotlight, Gosling chose this independent film that honored him with his first, but I’m sure not last, Academy Award Nomination.  As a troubled drug addicted teacher trying to make a difference in his student’s lives, the actor manages to make you simultaneously disgusted and sympathize with his character.

FRACTURE  (2007) With a slight deviation from his indie cred, Gosling accepts a bigger paycheck and does one for the studio.  The film might be forgettable but as an attorney trying to prove another man’s guilt, it’s still decently entertaining giving him the opportunity to play opposite Anthony Hopkins.

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL  (2007) A wonderfully sweet and quirky film about an introverted young man who believes he is in love with a lifelike doll.  The way the town supports and helps this troubled young soul will make you believe in the goodness of humanity.

BLUE VALENTINE  (2010) Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling star in a film paralleling the sweet beginnings of love and then years later to the heartbreaking brutal separation.  Gosling immerses himself as a balding out of shape sad man fighting for the scraps of what is left of his marriage.

CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE (2011) Male or Female, I’m not sure how you cannot fall in love with Mr. Gosling after seeing this contagiously fun loving picture.   As a womanizer who unlocks a secret sensitive side and “photo shopped abs” he’s not only funny but his wardrobe is flawless.  Plus the film stars Steve Carell, Julianne Moore and the adorable, magnetic Emma Stone. 

DRIVE  (2011) As a nameless getaway driver, Gosling tackles more of a sophisticated action hero.  Gosling knows how to pick roles and excels in indie flicks and this is no different.  Thanks to some great direction by Nicolas Winding Refn this could quite possibly be his best film to date.

The post Ryan Gosling’s top ten movie performances…so far appeared first on Flix 66.

The season of self-written vows, tiered frosted cakes and strongly encouraged requests to perform the “Chicken Dance” with your fellow attendants is officially upon us.  That’s right…wedding season!  The bride says “I do,” they share a kiss and we all discuss how back in the day we used to throw rice at the lovely couple until someone told us it makes the birds explode.  We wonder if that’s true as we try not to burn our neighbor with the going-away sparkler or suffer severe retinal damage with tiny little commemorative bottles of bubbles.

It is with great enthusiasm and joy that we cordially invite you to review our list of the Top 10 Wedding Movies according to Flix66.com.

10.  BRIDESMAIDS (2011) – Showcasing the comedic timing of current and former SNL cast members Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph, this raunchy yet somewhat realistic peek into the role of a reluctant maid of honor and a band of her fellow bridesmaids is hilarious as it is poignant.  Between an uncomfortable scene that revolves around the entire ensemble coping with the ill effects of food poisoning and the memorable one-liners from swarthy bridesmaid Megan, the end result is an entertaining trip down the isle.

9.  WEDDING SINGER (1998) – What’s not to love?  Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, signature 80s tunes and a cameo by Billie Idol are clearly the staples needed to make a lasting wedding movie.  You’ll laugh at the ridiculous bridesmaid dresses, tuxedoes and awe-inspiring veils that you somewhat recollect from pages of your older cousin’s wedding album.  You sing along with Robbie Hart as he serenades wedding guests.  To this day, when you meet someone named Julia, you’ll always think “Julia Gulia.”

8.  RUNAWAY BRIDE (1999) – Speaking of Julia, this wedding flick paired Ms. Roberts with Richard Gere, director Gary Marshall and the majority of the entire Pretty Woman cast and crew roughly 10 years after her first big break.  Maggie Carpenter is a bride who has a tendency to not make it all the way down the aisle.  But on newspaper writer Ike Graham’s second attempt, he finally wins the heart of the woman he originally vowed to loathe.

7.  WEDDING PLANNER (2001) – For me, this movie just oozes charm.  Matthew McConaughney and Jennifer Lopez share a palpable chemistry from the time he saves the wedding planner and her shoe from a runaway dumpster.  Of course wacky hijinks ensue when a pesky fiancé gets in the way of their true love, but he presses on, catches a ride on a motor scooter and they share a romantic kiss in the outdoor pavilion where the town plays old movies.  Sigh.

6.  THE PROPOSAL (2009) – Sandra Bullock plays an evil boss to her assistant Ryan Reynolds.  Oh if we could all have an assistant like Ryan Reynolds, the world would be a better place, right?  A discarded Visa status rears its ugly head threatening to terminate her power job status and Margaret Tate forces Andrew Paxton to take her hand in marriage.  We ride along a road of hatred, intrigue, totally unexpected “just out of the shower” moment, attraction and finally acceptance.  Bullocks vulnerability and Reynolds wit are a perfect match.

5.  MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING (2002) – This independent flick actually started off as a one-woman play written by the main actress Nia Vardalos who plays Toula in the film.  It features the inner workings of what goes into planning a huge Greek wedding and the ginormous family that comes along with it.  To quote the bride, “It’s big, it’s loud and everyone is in your business.”  Opa!

4.  WEDDING CRASHERS (2005) – Wedding Crashers is brilliantly funny.  Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn convincingly play womanizers who find their vulnerable next victims at wedding receptions they crash.  Wilson soon falls for a girl (Rachel McAdams) and convinces Vaughn to infiltrate the family.  Bradley Cooper plays a terrific smarmy boyfriend to McAdams and as always, Christopher Walken is amazing as her father.  Uproariously entertaining and for a Top 10 list that is slightly skewed to the female demographic, this one is definitely co-ed friendly.

3.  SWEET HOME ALABAMA (2002) – Anyone who grew up in Small Town, USA will be able to relate to Melanie Smooter’s (Reese Witherspoon) desire to leave her hick town in order to live her dreams in New York City.  With a new Tiffany diamond on her finger, she must return home to divorce the man she fell in love with so long ago.  Broodingly played by the wonderful Josh Lucas, it’s hard not to tear up when Jake tells Melanie that it’s okay to have roots and wings.  Between Lucas and her current fiancé played by Patrick Dempsey, it’s fun to try and figure out which piece of eye candy Melanie will end up choosing.

2.  MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING (1997) – Julia Roberts makes her second appearance on our Top 10 list as Julianne, a food critic who finally realizes she may love and definitely harbors a deep possession of her best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney).  In a matter of days, she steps in as the maid of honor to the young, chirpy bride (beautifully played by an almost unknown Cameron Diaz), fakes an intimate relationship with her gay friend George and viciously works to steal back the man of her dreams before he walks down the aisle and out of her heart forever with another woman on his arm.

1.  FATHER OF THE BRIDE (1991) – Father of the Bride is a sweet story that follows the surprise engagement, extravagant wedding planning and fairytale nuptials of George and Nina Banks’ daughter Annie.  Steve Martin manages to tap into his trademark slapstick comedy as he deals with the financial stress and demands of a unique wedding planner (Martin Short) yet also melts into softer moments when coping with the fact that his daughter (played by Kimberly Williams) is growing up and starting her life with someone else.  In the end, he knows the extravagance is definitely worth helping his Annie transform from his little girl to blushing bride.

(Editor’s Note: There was much debate about FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, but ultimately, we had to agree to disagree)

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With the release of the new Blu-ray set coupled with a recent writer’s confession to never seeing the STAR WARS SAGA, I feel that it is my duty to convince said person to watch the film that has influenced millions and changed movie making as a whole.  The simple notion of its epic grandness, notoriety and overall historical importance doesn’t seem to be enough reasons.  So instead of slapping this person (mostly because I will lose that slap battle), I have come up with TEN REASONS WHY MY WIFE SHOULD WATCH STAR WARS.

So lets go over the groundwork for the list.  First, I’m only speaking of the original trilogy: A NEW HOPE, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and (what she so wrongfully called “the one with the Ewoks”) RETURN OF THE JEDI.  There will be absolutely no referencing the embarrassing prequels.  Secondly, the ten reasons are what I believe will appeal to my wife and not necessarily the things the average fan loves like cool light saber battles and villains. Hopefully along the way I can entertain current fans while convincing others who have yet to view the glory that is STAR WARS.

10. Scenery – We can skip the vacations to foreign lands.  Spain, Italy and the Bahamas have got nothing on the wide vast of places STAR WARS will take us.  Through the sandy deserts of Tatooine, the beautiful sky in Cloud City, the clean white snow of Hoth and the rich forests of Endor, we will be traveling to all these stars through freakin Space!  And through the plethora of planets, we will witness different fashion senses, exotic languages, multi cultural beings and maybe a few delicacies.

9. Music – From one of the most famous musical scores to the simplistic Cantina band on Mos Eisley, STAR WARS presents a wide range of music that can provoke energy, tension and elated joy.  Forget the current pop status of Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga or DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Composer John Williams provides an easily recognizable sound that never gets old.  Plus the lead singer of the Max Rebo Band in Jabba’s Palace has lips that put Mick Jagger to shame.

8. Comic Relief – All the characters are rich with personalities, giving appropriate jabs and jokes at the most opportune moment with the occasional visual gag and funny looking creature here and there.  The droids of C-3PO and R2-D2 are many times a nice little break into the action.  Perhaps I’m overselling it but they seem to have a give and take similar to Abbott and Costello or if you prefer, the funny antics of Ellen DeGeneres and Chelsea Handler.

7. Ewoks – From Yoda to Salacious Crumb, the STAR WARS Universe is full of fun little interesting looking characters to choose from but since the Ewoks are my wife’s only memory of the films they must be doing something right.  Many might say this is blasphemes, as they consider the Ewoks to be the beginning step toward the demise of STAR WARS.  I confess that as I have gotten older that I am not their strongest supporter.  However, no one can deny the fury creatures cuteness and their cuddly teddy bear effects.

6. Friendships – There are many friendships and bonds in the STAR WARS universe.  As mentioned before, there is the teaming of R2-D2 and C-3PO, the mentor to student relationship between Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi or even the annoyance to gradual progressive friendship between Luke and Han. But my personal favorite is the bond between Han Solo and his Co-pilot Chewbacca.  As a giant hairy Wookie who makes a dog gargle-like speech, Chewy is Han’s best fuzz ball of a friend just as little Chief Brody is to our family.

5. Family – Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Darth Vader are all related and boy are they dysfunctional.  Yes, I realize that would be considered a huge spoiler for those who have not seen the film, but the fact is everyone knows that.  Which again speaks volumes of the reach and influence that STAR WARS has, because even those who have never seen it know when TOMMY BOY speaks “Luke, I am your father” into the fan.  The lines have been replicated, the story has been spoofed and the idea has been stolen countless times.  Remember TOY STORY 2?  Yeah they didn’t originate that concept.

4. The Love Story- At first there is a bit of a love triangle between Luke, Leia and Han. But at the core we have a will they or won’t they, Rachel and Ross scenario between Han Solo and Princess Leia.  The tension is thick as they continually move through a love/hate relationship.  Irritated yet compelled, the two have dynamite chemistry and quick-witted repartee.  And yes, I still have three more reasons even better than the greatest love story.

3. Jedi Mind Trick – An ultimate fantasy for any woman.  Imagine, with the wave of a hand and a simple command that all weak-minded men are subject to do exactly as you say.  Who am I kidding, you practically have that power now, only you might choose other body parts to wave in front of me.

2. Han Solo – This Nerf herder is by no means scruffy-looking.  Harrison Ford plays the handsome rogue smuggler with smarmy charm and a hint of goofiness.  Usually looking out for himself, Han always ends up fighting for the good guys.  He’s the ultimate bad boy with a hidden heart of gold.  The epitome of coolness.  In fact, he transcends cool.  Women want to be with him and men want to be with him.

1. Because You Love Me – When the force is with you, it can make you so much sexier.  Princess Leia dressed in a slave costume might be the sexiest fantasy for any guy.  So please take some joy in our nerdisms over this classic good vs. evil tale.  You will be surprised how much you can get away with in return, but more importantly watch it to strengthen our relationship.  Yes, we love a woman who will cook a great meal and laugh at our jokes but the light speediest way to a man’s heart is through STAR WARS.

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If you’ve followed Flix66.com for a while, then you know that the Oscars are kind of a big deal around here.  We love the telecast and predicting who will take home the statuettes.  We also love critiquing the hosts, but we actually prefer the hosts be somewhat competent.  So I reacted with mixed emotions when I heard that Eddie Murphy was the frontrunner to host next year’s Academy Awards.  On one hand, Eddie is a seasoned veteran of the stage and can handle the pressure that comes with hosting a live telecast viewed by millions.  On the other hand, he’s Eddie Murphy; a comedian that hasn’t been funny in over 20 years and has alienated his entire fanbase.

When it comes to hosting the Oscars, I have one demand; the host MUST have experience on a stage and dealing with a large audience.  Actors are not stage performers.  And even if they’ve done some Broadway plays or musical concerts, there’s a big difference between performing for a crowd and talking to a crowd.  Really, the only entertainment profession that allows you to do that is standup comedian.  There’s a reason why Bob Hope, Billy Crystal and Steve Martin (my personal favorite host) were so great; they used to do it for a living.

And lest you forget, Eddie Murphy used to be a standup comedian, and he was pretty good at it too.  Yes, it’s true; the star of such disasters as PLUTO NASH and DADDY DAY CARE actually used to be a really great comedian.  RAW and DELIRIOUS are still two of the best standup performances of all time and if you go back and watch them, you can see how natural it was for Eddie to perform on stage and how comfortable he looked up there.  So even though it would take a gun pointed at my head for me to watch an Eddie Murphy movie, I don’t think I’d mind him hosting the Academy Awards.

If anything, people should be upset about Brett Ratner being a producer.  I’ll refrain from trashing the guy, but my fear is that he’ll turn it into a shameless self-promotion and will spend his time selling his next movie (TOWER HEIST, starring…you guessed it; Eddie Murphy) or lavishing praise on people he’s friends with.  The Academy has always been accused of being out of touch and I’m not sure bringing in someone that most movie fans hate is the best way to regain the trust of your audience.  But I digress.

The point is that Eddie Murphy is not the worst choice to host the Oscars.  In fact, I’ll make the argument that he’s actually a pretty good choice.  He can be funny (although not recently), he has a great laugh and he can react to what’s going on around him.  That’s really all you need in a good host, so if Eddie is the choice, I’m okay with it.

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The internet is abuzz today after some hardcore Star Wars fans started an online petition/movement to encourage people to boycott the STAR WARS Blu-ray release. This came hot off the heels that series creator George Lucas had once again gone back to the original trilogy and altered the films. The proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back is the addition of Darth Vader yelling “noooo” when he picks up the Emperor in RETURN OF THE JEDI. Of course, he’s done other tweaks to the films, including replacing the puppet Yoda in THE PHANTOM MENACE with a CGI version, but fans don’t seem to care too much about the new trilogy since most have already written them off as a lost cause.

But is now the time to stand up and finally take a stand against George Lucas?  Some fans think so (they even have their own FaceBook page).  Before addressing the issue, it’s worth pointing out that George Lucas is beyond wealthy and can do whatever he wants. He’s ignored fan complaints before and even seems to enjoy sticking it to them. This was evident when promoting INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL when he joked with Spielberg “fans are going to hate this movie”. In other words, he knew no one was going to like it, but he didn’t care; he was making it for himself, not the millions of fans that have supported him over the years.

As for Star Wars, I defended the first alterations because I could see his point. He didn’t have the technology at the time to do what he wanted, so he went back and touched up the effects and added some other things to make the films more “modern”. What I didn’t understand was having Han shoot first or adding in some of the deleted scenes. The more of that kind of stuff you do, the more you change the pacing of the film and the integrity of what you originally created. Obviously, fans reacted poorly to the changes and everyone was very vocal about how horrible the changes were. Lucas heard the complaints and when he released the original versions on DVD a few years ago, I thought he was finally trying to make amends with the fans.

Which brings us to present day and now I have no reason to defend the guy. He knew people hated the first round of changes and he still went back and tinkered with the films. At this point, I might actually have to acknowledge the argument that he’s doing this just to spite his fans. I would like to think a grown man with as much success as Lucas wouldn’t do such a thing, but it’s getting hard to give him the benefit of the doubt. It’s also frustrating because he used to be a big advocate of preserving film in its original form, but he has since abandoned that notion.

So as much as it pains me to support the boycott, I can honestly say that this writer has not decided whether or not he will be purchasing the STAR WARS Blu-ray set. It’s not that I’m considering making a grand stand against Lucas, it’s more that I don’t have much interest in the set anymore. I think Lucas has finally managed to alter the fun out of the series.

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When I received the task to come up with a Top 10 list that consisted of Hollywood’s most impressive male abs, I committed right then and there to research relentlessly in order to form the perfect assembly of six packs for this assignment.  If it took hours upon hours to pour over images of gorgeous silver screen actors in order to narrow down the field to just 10 finalists, I was willing to sacrifice the time.

And of course, if this isn’t your cup of tea, you can also check out our list of the Ten Most Beautiful Women in Movie History.

It is without further adieu that I present to you said list:

10. Ryan Gosling – CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE: Anyone who has seen CRAZY STUPID LOVE understands why Ryan Gosling kicks off the list.  When he takes his shirt off I have to agree with his co-star Emma Stone who interjects, “Come on!  It’s like your photoshopped!”

9. Daniel Craig – CASINO ROYALE: Daniel Craig has been a welcome breath of fresh air into the James Bond franchise.  In CASINO ROYALE, there was a moment when he popped up out of the ocean wearing ice blue shorty shorts and slowly made his way to the beach.  That was when I decided that I like my 007 blonde and ripped.

8. The Rock – THE SCORPION KING: Of course I first noticed Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a WWE wrestler back in the day.  I’m thrilled that his agents and managers convinced him to audition for movies like SCORPION KING and FAST 5.  Otherwise his handsome physique would never be displayed 70 feet in the air for all of us to ogle.

7. Matthew McConaughey – FOOL’S GOLD: Mr. McConaughey is the resident poster child for notable abs.  Gossip magazines or websites will almost always have a few gratuitous shots of Matthew surfing or practicing yoga on the beach.  However, there are only a few of his movies that actually showcase his mighty mid-drift.  Might I suggest FOOL’S GOLD in which Matthew’s wardrobe is a pair of swim trunks and a smile?

6. Chris Evans – CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER: You may have heard of a little movie called CAPTAIN AMERICA which debuted this summer.  In both the movie and trailer, Steve Rogers transitions from gangly weakling to strapping, shirtless super soldier with patriotic charm in front of a group of government officials.  Peggy (his love interest) can’t help but reach out and touch his new, glistening, muscular body.  I totally get it and would have done the same thing had I been standing there.

5. Mark Wahlberg – THE FIGHTER: Four words:  Calvin Klein underwear billboard.  Yes, yes, I remember that this is a movie Top 10, but I had to get that image into your head so you could appreciate the fact that Mark Wahlberg is still abdominally gifted after an ad that was shot when he was 20 years old.  Two of my current favorites are THE FIGHTER and his scene stealing shirtless moment when he opens the door in DATE NIGHT.

4. Taylor Lautner – THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON: Is it wrong for me to have Taylor so far down on my list?  Why don’t you search images for “Jacob Black” and TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON and then get back with me.

3. Brad Pitt – FIGHT CLUB: With a washboard reputation that rivals the great McConaughey, Brad Pitt had me at THELMA AND LOUISE and then again in TROY.  It’s almost unfair how pretty he is.

2. Gerard Butler – 300: I think that we can all agree that after Gerard Butler starred in 300, men became really interested in abdominal workouts and women became really interested in Spartan history.  Butler’s abs are about as epic as the movie if not more so.

1. Ryan Reynolds – BLADE TRINITY: AMITYVILLE HORROR, BLADE TRINITY or the infamous scene in THE PROPOSAL…all offer an array of different stages of Ryan Reynolds’ abdominal blessings.  I think I let out an audible shout when he was shirtless in GREEN LANTERN.  This guy is the total package with looks, humor, charm, smarts and abs that put washboards to shame.  Check out his photo shoot from Entertainment Weekly and say hello to my new screen saver.  Is that too much information?

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If you’re a dog lover like me, then you get excited every time you see a dog on the big screen.  Dogs have had an impact on movies for generations now and have a unique ability to invoke emotion from the audience, especially when they face peril.  Below is a list of some of the best canine performances in movie history, each providing their own element to their respective films.

Note: It’s important to point out this is a list of the best performance by a dog.  You can’t blame a dog if the movie they’re in is bad.

10. Lou – Beagle – CATS & DOGS: Although I’m partial to Golden Retrievers and Border Collies, there’s nothing cuter on earth than a Beagle puppy.  The filmmakers of CATS & DOGS knew this, which is why they cast a Beagle puppy to carry the film.  Lou’s cuteness masked the otherwise lameness of the film.  Well, that and a hilarious evil cat.

9. Yeller – Yellow Labrador Retriever – OLD YELLER: I saw OLD YELLER once as a little boy and cried for weeks afterwards…seriously.  I think it was in 1985 and I was maybe 6 or 7 years-old.  It was horrible.  If anyone is thinking of picking this up, then I highly recommend you stop watching with about 15 minutes left.

8. Barkley – Jack Russell Terrier – CLEAN SLATE: Barkley was great for a few laughs in Dana Carvey’s 1994 film CLEAN SLATE.  The dog with an eye patch that had trouble with depth perception (and therefore trouble with not walking into things) stole every scene he was in.  I’m sure they had to reiterate the standard disclaimer of “no animals were hurt in making this movie”.

7. Hachi – Akita – HACHI: A DOG’S TALE: Although the film is hard to get through since it’s so incredibly sad, it tells a great (and true) story of an Akita that met his owner every day after work.  But when his owner unexpectedly dies, Hachi still goes back to the same place every day to meet him.  Geesh, my eyes are getting watery just writing this.  Moving on…

6. Shadow – Golden Retriever – HOMEWARD BOUND: Before Air Bud made Golden Retrievers in movies a bit of a joke, Shadow actually depicted the breed as old and wise in HOMEWARD BOUND.  Voiced by the legendary Don Ameche, Shadow was the rock that helped his two younger family members find their way home.  Chance had the comedy and Sassy the cat had the attitude, but it was Shadow that held them together.

5. Hooch – French Mastiff – TURNER & HOOCH: K9, TOP DOG and TURNER & HOOCH are essentially the same film, but of the three, TURNER & HOOCH had Tom Hanks and arguably the more endearing dog, Hooch.  I’m not sure Hooch was a good role model to other aspiring canine actors (he did, after all, drink beer), but he was fun to watch in a somewhat forgotten Hanks comedy.

4. Fly – Border Collie – BABE: Although Babe the pig is the focus of the film, he wouldn’t have been much without the support of the motherly Fly and her grumpy mate Rex.  BABE is such a charming and simple film filled with cute animals that we sometimes forget what a great story it is.

3. Dug – Mutt – UP: Although technically Dug is an animated dog, his impact on the film UP is without question.  Virtually everything that Dug said was laugh-out-loud funny and his story added yet another character that we cared about.  His redemption at the end…squirrel!…was heartwarming and he’s one of the few supporting characters in the Pixar-verse that could probably carry his own film.

2. Sam – German Shepherd – I AM LEGEND: Personally, I don’t think being the lone survivor in a world overrun by zombies would be such a bad thing, especially if I was able to run around NYC with my trusty canine companion.  This film had more heart than what you would think a Will Smith blockbuster would have and one of the reasons is the connection between Sam and Robert (Smith).

1. Benji – Mutt – BENJI: Benji holds a special place in my heart because as a kid, I loved dogs.  But my mother wouldn’t allow dogs in her house or anywhere near her for that matter.  So the only way I could experience the boy-dog relationship was through movies (a common theme in my life) and when it came to dogs in movies, Benji was my hero.  It was amazing the tricks they taught the little mutt and even more amazing how his facial expressions seemed to actually convey emotion.  Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t stand up as well after watching it today, but Benji’s story and performance are just as impressive as ever.

Honorable Mention:  Toto – Cairn Terrier – THE WIZARD OF OZ: I was going to avoid putting Toto on here because I thought it was too obvious, but after doing some research, I discovered that Terry (the dog that played Toto) starred in about a dozen films and even has an “autobiography”.  So we have to give respect to the dog that kind of started it all as far as canine movie stars are concerned.

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Over the past couple of months, we’ve had a rash of leaked trailers, starting with David Fincher’s THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (although this one may have been intentional), then going into MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (click the link to watch the trailer: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES), THE AVENGERS and finally, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN.  One leaked trailer could be a fluke, but four leaked trailers for major blockbuster films means this is officially a problem.  Hollywood recognizes this is a problem, which is why they’ve spent a lot of time and money to police the internet and send violating websites strongly worded letters that they need to remove the content.

But they’re going about this problem completely wrong.  Although I agree we as webmasters shouldn’t post pirated content like, the problem is that if only one site posts it, then everyone is at a disadvantage if they don’t post it.  And even if they managed to control every movie website, you’re still going to have random bloggers and forum members post the video.  The simple fact is that it’s too easy to post videos online now and once something leaks, policing it is nearly impossible and trying to only drives a wedge between the studios and movie fans.

The other big initiative seems to come from tougher security around promo and press screenings.  First, an accredited critic is not going to pirate a trailer, film or film clip.  There’s too much to lose and if a writer has managed to obtain an official accreditation, they’re not going to risk losing it for a pirated trailer.  However, the random members of the public that get invited to these promo screenings to “raise awareness” don’t care and will (and do) actively try to record anything they can.  Even if you stop the video, you can’t stop them from recording the audio.  In short, it’s a losing battle and one that has proven to be ineffective at stopping pirated promotional material.

The answer is for all of the Hollywood studios to make some slight changes to their marketing strategy.  Hollywood shouldn’t be fighting online media outlets, they should be debuting their trailers through online media outlets.  Why in the world would France get a first look at MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 4 nearly a whole week before it debuted to American audiences?  What possible strategy would that support?  Debut it through one of the bigger online media outlets and it will be posted on all the movie sites within an hour.  Instead, millions of people got their first taste of MI4, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES and THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN via a poor quality, pirated video clip.

Online media (not just movie sites, but ALL movie fans with Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and blogs) are not the enemy.  If used properly, online media can be a great (and free) way of debuting a movie trailer and spreading word of mouth about your film.  If the RIAA (music industry) has taught us anything, it’s that waging a war against your fans is not a good business case.  Embrace the glory of the internet and for Pete’s sake; don’t debut trailers in small, foreign markets.

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Many aspects of film can be debated, but one area of film that seems to be a source of contention is who the most beautiful actress of all time is.  This question can range from the crass to the classy, but before I attempt to settle the age-old debate, I think we have to set some parameters.  So here are some rules I used when making this list:

1. This is a measure of the actress’s beauty, not her talent.  One does not always equal the other.

2. This is a snapshot in time; an actress in a particular role at a very specific moment in her career.  This is not her on the red carpet or a look at the overall beauty of an actress; that’s a separate debate.

3. The actress’s part in the film has to be as the main actress in the film.

10. Carrie Fisher – RETURN OF THE JEDI – 1983: This one makes the list because I’m a geek.  Princess Leia in a slave girl outfit is the epitome of fantasy and it’s made possible by Carrie Fisher.  Even outside of that scene, she was still beautiful, wearing full camouflage when hanging with the ewoks.

9. Julia Roberts – PRETTY WOMAN – 1990: It’s tough to remember, but Julia Roberts used to be America’s sweetheart.  She got that label by playing the hooker-that-cares in PRETTY WOMAN.  True, looking at her today is slightly disappointing, but that’s the beauty of film; we can remember what we want to remember.

8. Bette Davis – ALL ABOUT EVE – 1950: One of the few actresses that have had a hit song written for a specific feature, Bette Davis has yet to be matched in terms of combining beauty and confidence on film.  Eve was her most popular and impressive performance and it was a perfect reminder that a special feature above the neckline can actually be sexier than anything below it.

7. Jennifer Lopez – OUT OF SIGHT – 1998:  We all know how horrible of a person J-Lo is these days, so we have to close our eyes and remember back to the late 90’s when she was smoking hot in OUT OF SIGHT.  Soderbergh knows how to make people look good and he was never more successful than he was with J-Lo.

6. Zhang Ziyi – 2046 – 2004: Zhang Ziyi’s presence in 2046 was hypnotizing, which was exactly what director Kar Wai Wong wanted her to be.  As we followed a lonely man longing for the love of his life, we couldn’t help but be mesmerized any time Ziyi came on screen.

5. Marilyn Monroe – BUS STOP – 1956:  This is a tough one, only because Marilyn was breathtaking in all of her films.  But I grew up in a household that loved classic movies and BUS STOP is always the one that sticks out for me.

4. Grace Kelly – HIGH NOON – 1952:  Much like Marilyn Monroe, any film that Grace Kelly appeared in could be on this list.  I know REAR WINDOW is the popular choice, but after I watched HIGH NOON, the only thing I could talk about was how beautiful Grace Kelly was.  I actually had to watch the movie again just to form an opinion on it.

3. Megan Fox – TRANSFORMERS – 2007: I know it’s cool to hate on Megan Fox because she’s hated by just about everyone.  And yeah, even I’m a little embarrassed to put her on here, especially with the other actresses on the list, but this isn’t a measurement of her niceness or talent, it’s a measurement of her beauty and she looked incredible in TRANSFORMERS.

2. Olivia Newton-John – GREASE – 1978:  “Innocent Sandy” was my fantasy girl for the longest time and the fact she changed herself to “Slutty Sandy” at the end was very disappointing for me.  As much as I love the tight leather pants, nothing beats the poodle skirt and sweater.  Throw in a cheerleading outfit and the fantasy is complete.

1.  Audrey Hepburn – BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S – 1961:  No actress captured the sexiness of a generation better than Audrey Hepburn in Tiffany’s.  In film history, this actress, in this film, defines classy (yes, even though she technically was a prostitute).  The classic black and white dress and the innocent smile is enough to drive any man completely crazy.

Runner-Ups: (I usually don’t do runner-ups, but in this case I think it’s appropriate) Halle Berry – SWORDFISH, Phoebe Cates – FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, Elizabeth Taylor – GIANT, Natalie Portman – CLOSER, Diane Lane – UNFAITHFUL, Salma Hayek – FROM DUSK TIL DAWN.

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For some, July 15 marks the beginning of another fun-filled weekend.  Sand, surf and sun!  If you’re a Muggle, July 15 marks the end of an era.  Horcruxes, hallows and Hogwarts.  The final film of the globally dominated Harry Potter phenomenon comes to a close.  The magical world created by J.K. Rowling will reach its final chapter, marking the end of an era.

Since the seventh book was split into two movies, the expectation for this particular film to deliver key plot developments has been building for months.  We’ve come up with the top 10 most anticipated moments for HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2.

ACCIO LIST!

****WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD****

10.  Room of Requirement: The search for horcruxes finally leads our favorite trio back to Hogwarts in order to find the lost diadem of Ravenclaw.  Harry learns that Voldemort has placed part of his soul in a crown and has hidden it in the Room of Requirement.  Ron and Hermione join him rummaging through mountains of discarded treasures left for centuries by sneaky Hogwarts students and teachers.  When they locate the evil item, they are discovered by Malfoy and Crabbe, who immediately casts a dark magic spell to end Harry’s life.  Fiendfyre is cursed fire that, as luck would have it, destroys horcruxes.  Our heroes make it out alive on broomsticks, saving Malfoy in the process.

9.  Breaking into Gringotts Bank: The bank scene should be cinematically enchanting with the goblins alone.  There’s also a blind dragon guarding the door of the Lestrange vault which is filled with booby traps surrounding yet another horcrux Harry is determined to steal.  But I have to say I’m more excited about seeing Hermione transform into Bellatrix Lestrange after taking Polyjuice Potion.  I’m sure Helena Bonham Carter playing Hermione as Bellatrix Lestrange is going to be highly entertaining.

8.  The Death of Fred: Pull out the tissues.  This is going to be extremely emotion with George by his side.  Hopefully, the moment will be as poignant as Dobby’s death.

7.  Hogwarts Fighting Back: Hogwarts rallies at the end of Deathly Hallows and I’m excited to see Neville finally get to shine as a leader and proud Gryffindor.  Professor McGonagall commanding the troops, the Order of Phoenix standing proud and members of Dumbledore’s Army fighting side-by-side to save Harry and end You Know Who is going to be epic.

6.  Molly Weasley: Will the movie accurately portray the chilling words Molly Weasley shouts to Bellatrix Lestrange as she duals her daughter?  Surely they will stay true to the power of that moment.

5.  The Death of Snape: Alan Rickman is the perfect Severus Snape.  His transition from unforgiving professor, to stealthy death eater to Voldemort’s pawn in an evil game of chess is remarkable acting.  Here’s hoping his death is just as memorable.

4.  The Forbidden Forest: When Harry finally realizes that his death is inevitable and he makes that long, slow trek into the Forbidden Forest to face Voldemort, he seeks the companionship of his deceased parents and beloved godfather Sirius who walk alongside him until the end.  A tender moment among destruction.  Perfect.

3.  Hermione and Ron Kiss: Please, PLEASE let be as good as we all imagined it in the book!

2.  The Final Battle With Harry and Voldemort: Of course the demise of Voldemort will have everyone on the edge of their seats.  It all comes to this…the battle between good and evil will finally conclude with audiences around the globe cheering for Harry to reign victorious.

1.  Epilogue: I absolutely loved this extra nugget that J.K. Rowling left for us at the end of our journey.  Seeing all of our beloved actors aged almost 20 years will be interesting, but I’m eager to see Harry’s interaction with his kids.  Could there be a next generation Potter series in our near future?  One can only hope.

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I’ve been looking forward to this July 4^th weekend for quite some time now.  No, it’s not because I’m looking forward to eating hotdogs and potato salad with a group of old friends, it’s because the Extended Edition of the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy hit Blu-ray this past Tuesday and that means I can finally do that LOTR marathon I’ve been planning.  Sad?  Maybe.  But movie marathons are a blast and what better way to test your movie stamina than with over 12 hours worth of LOTR goodness?

Oh, and if you haven’t bought the Extended Editions on Blu-ray yet, click the image below and get them in time for next weekend or click this link: LORD OF THE RINGS EXTENDED EDITION BLU-RAYS.

10. Peter Jackson wants you to – Even though he’s off filming THE HOBBIT, Peter took time out to supervise the Blu-ray transfer of the Extended Editions and gave it his seal of approval.  I’ve always looked at the EE’s as the way he wanted the films to be presented and Blu-ray as the format they should be viewed in.  Who am I to argue with Peter Jackson?

9. Because you can – I guess that all but sums it up.  If you’ve invested into an HD TV and you have the surround sound set up, then you should get your money’s worth and pop in the LOTR films.  Blu-ray was made for films of this caliber.  Plus, these films look so good that you could open up your house and charge admission for those that haven’t jumped on the Blu-ray bandwagon yet.

8. I don’t remember anything about RETURN OF THE KING –  Okay, maybe this one only applies to me.  I saw ROTK in theaters, but haven’t watched it since.  I never even saw the extended edition.  Does it really have 87 endings?  I just can’t remember.  I bought the DVD when it first came out, but I just never got around to it.  Then Blu-ray took over and I kept telling myself I’d wait for the Blu-ray.

7. Trilogies are the only way to see Orlando Bloom in a meaningful role – What happened to Orlando Bloom?  LOTR should have catapulted him to stardom, but after this and Pirates, he couldn’t find decent roles.  I actually thought he was a talented actor with some charisma, but apparently Hollywood executives didn’t feel the same way.

6. It’s really, really hot outside – I know the 4^th of July weekend is traditionally when everyone wants to go outside and do fun activities like jet-skiing, hiking, watch a baseball game, have a picnic, etc.,  but it’s almost 100 degrees in some parts of the world and frankly, I’d rather sit in a nice air-conditioned house and let atrophy sit in while I bask in the glory of the LOTR.

5. Aragorn motivates me – After wasting an entire weekend watching movies, I’ll need motivation to return to the real world and actually accomplish something.  Who better to motivate you than the King himself, Aragorn?  The role that launched Viggo Mortensen is one of the best examples of leadership on film and is enough to get even the laziest bums off their…bum.

4. Surround sound – Theaters are too inconsistent with sound.  Some theaters get it right and give you a great sound experience, but too many of them screw it up and barely have the surround channels working.  As it turns out, I actually know how to set up and calibrate my surround sound system and watching the battles in TWO TOWERS in full 7.1 glory is the stuff movie dreams are made of.

3. The first part of THE HOBBIT is still a year and a half away – Although I’m not looking forward to THE HOBBIT as much as some people, I’m still excited about revisiting Middle Earth.  But the first part of the two-part prequel doesn’t come out until December 14^th, 2012, so the only way to get back to Middle Earth is via the original trilogy.

2. 4^th of July celebrations are lame – That isn’t un-patriotic, it’s just true.  I’ve never been a fireworks guy and I can’t stand hotdogs.  Getting dragged to a late night fireworks show where I spend my time fighting mosquitoes and obnoxious, drunk rednecks is not my idea of a good time.  Plus, the fireworks scare my dog and that’s not cool.  So sitting on my couch, eating take-out and watching three of the greatest movies of all time sounds like a lot more fun.

1. Because Blu-ray is awesome – This goes without saying, but when I sit down on Saturday morning to start the trilogy, this will be the best I’ve ever seen these films.  Some will argue that the theatrical presentation was better, but I disagree completely.  Blu-ray is the best way to watch movies these days and I’m excited to see the LOTR films like Peter Jackson intended them.

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It is that time of year when we celebrate everything dad related: BBQ grills, neckties, power tools and you guessed it, movies.  My dad has long been described as ‘quite the character’ which prompted me to wonder which iconic father figure in film would my padre represent? Finding it beyond difficult to pick just one I’ve decided that George Banks meets Tevye (minus the beard) times Clark Griswald would equal my dad as a movie character. This list highlights the lengths dads will go to for their kids, the fun they have, and the wackiness that is being a dad.

10. 3 MEN AND A BABY – When it comes to multiple father figures, how can you top this picture? Steve Guttenberg! Ted Danson! Tom Selleck! Tom Selleck’s mustache! When a baby has been left at the bachelors’ front door wacky antics ensue as they learn the ropes in a crash course on how to raise an infant.  The best moment has to be when they sing Mary to sleep “Good night sweetheart, good night…”  Toss in a little action to keep it from being a total sap-fest and you’ve got a movie with three amazing dads.

9. FANTASTIC MR. FOX – Director Wes Anderson takes Roald Dahl’s classic children’s story and puts his unique storytelling twist to make this great film. When Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) learns that wife, Mrs. Fox (voiced by Meryl Streep) is pregnant, he promises to give up his chicken hunting ways and stay out of trouble. I love the wacky relationship he has with his odd-ball son (voiced by Anderson alum, Jason Schwartzman).  It is great that no matter how much Mr. Fox screws up; his son is there clinging to every word thinking his dad is awesome.

8. MY FATHER THE HERO – Before Katherine Heigl was saving lives on Grey’s Anatomy or getting KNOCKED UP, she was the spoiled, lovesick teen, Nicole in MY FATHER THE HERO. While on vacation with her divorced father Andre (Gérard Depardieu) she lies to a boy she has a crush on, claiming she is on vacation with her lover . . . not her father. This lie spreads throughout the island and through a series of mistaken moments we get a fun and lighthearted movie.  Depardieu is wonderful in this picture and  each time he does anything the resort guests and employees seem more and more disgusted with this older man and his young ‘mistress’.

7. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – Set in 1905, we follow Tevye, a poor Jewish man who works hard to maintain his family and find suitable husbands for his daughters. With wonderful and memorable music these tunes will stick with you long after the movie is over. Personally, I cannot tell you how many times I have heard my dad sing musical numbers from this soundtrack over the years. Hard working and caring, I think this movie character sums up most every dad I know.

6. FLY AWAY HOME – Based on true events, when 13 year old Amy Alden’s mother dies in a tragic accident, Amy (Anna Paquin) moves to live with her estranged artistic father, Tom (Jeff Daniels).  Unsure of how to act around one another, the duo find common ground when the forest nearby gets bulldozed without permission leaving a nest of geese eggs exposed to the elements. Together, they raise the geese and take them on a migratory route south to a bird sanctuary in North Carolina.  Racing against time and other obstacles, Tom and Amy become a fantastic father-daughter team.

5. MR. MOM – I know we highlighted this film in the brilliant Michael Keaton Driver’s EDitorial, but how can you keep this off the awesome dad’s of film list? In this classic 80s comedy, Jack, father of three does not know how to be a stay at home parent. When he is laid off, his wife (Terri Garr) goes to work throwing him into the role and he must sink or swim. I find this entire movie to be wonderful and love ever minute that has the great Keaton in it.

4. TAKEN – A former intelligence agent’s teen daughter (Maggie Grace) is kidnapped while vacationing in Europe with a friend. Knowing that time is his greatest enemy, he must work quickly to guarantee his daughter does not become a statistic and is never seen again. Unlucky for the bad guys but lucky for Bryan Mills (the fantastic Liam Neeson) he has a specific set of skills from his former career. He vows to track and kill the men responsible for this – all while saving his daughter’s life. This high action and tense drama really highlights the lengths any father would do for his child if he had the means. Such a great movie – it makes you want to hug your dad after watching, then high-five him for being such a rock star.

3. FATHER OF THE BRIDE – I cannot tell you how many times my family has watched this film, how annoyed my dad is at Frank (Martin Short) and how frequently this flick was referenced when planning my own wedding. In this delightful film featuring Steve Martin as George Banks, we see a man unravel at the seams when trying to put together the perfect wedding for his daughter, Annie (Kimberly Williams – Paisley).  Most fathers can probably relate to the zany antics George gets into even though they might not be as extreme or awkward.  If you are in the planning stages of your wedding and you have not done this yet, sit down with your pop, watch this picture and take notes on how not to behave when meeting the in-laws.

2. STAR WARS – This next phrase will probably get me kicked out as a writer for this site but here it goes. I have never watched the entire STAR WARS trilogy. I’ve seen bits and pieces and watched the one with the ewoks as part of course curriculum for a leadership class I took long ago.  Despite my lack of STAR WARS knowledge, I have to mention this film for two reasons. 1. Your dad probably loves it. 2. “Luke, I am your father”.

1. VACATION – Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) is epitome of the well-meaning dad with large ambitions and good intentions that sometimes get carried away.  In the film that kicked off the stream of Griswold family films to follow, VACATION is at the top of my dad-movie list. When the family decides to drive across the country to get to the world famous amusement park, Walley World, things start off bad and just get worse along the way.  With hilarious supporting characters and more than a handful of quotable moments how can you not enjoy the wonderful Griswold family? One of the best ‘dad’ moments is when Clark races his son to the entrance of Walley World, Clark puts his hand in front of Rusty to slow him down a bit. Classic.

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This past week, the governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted to “add a new twist” to the Best Picture nominees (read the Academy’s official statement).  Essentially the 10 nominees will now become anywhere between 5-10 nominees.  Meaning that in order to receive a nomination a film must receive at least 5 percent first place votes from Academy voters.  For example, if only seven films receive the correct amount of votes only seven will be nominated.

After about 65 years of only having five nominees, The Academy reverted back to a ten nominations format that many believe started because THE DARK KNIGHT and WALL-E were left off the ballet in 2008.  I admit I am one of those people that was filled with a diseased rage as both films made my Top 10 Films of the Decade.  But we don’t need to get me started on that rant again.  On the plus side, The Academy realized this blunder and opened the Best Picture category from 5 to 10.  Ok, not bad.  Now we will definitely see some films that deserve some recognition.  However, with every groundbreaking original piece of work like DISTRICT 9 that gets in, we also have to stomach an overplayed generic safe Hollywood piece like THE BLIND SIDE (I’m sorry mothers everywhere but it’s not “best film of the year” good).  Now a door has been opened where an obvious unqualified film gets in and we are flooded with too many movies that clearly have no shot.  It didn’t help that the poor selection of movies from 2008 got the first ten-nominee treatment.  I mean would THE HURT LOCKER really have won any other year?

THE HURT LOCKER, A SERIOUS MAN, AVATAR, AN EDUCATION, DISTRICT 9, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, PRECIOUS, THE BLIND SIDE, UP, UP IN THE AIR

Oh yeah, I could easily cut this in half.

The Academy is attempting to right their wrongs and I can appreciate that.  Who’s to say you have to have an even number?  Personally, I had four movies above the rest from last year and every year it’s different.  Sure it’s nice to make top 10 lists but sometimes there just isn’t enough worthy to make the cut.  Or if you add this mediocre flick you might feel obligated to add another mediocre one.  I like the fact that our Academy Awards tries to be selective and snooty.  Why shouldn’t only the best films get in?   As long as we have a host to make fun of the overly self-important prestigious event, I’m in.

THE KING’S SPEECH, SOCIAL NETWORK, BLACK SWAN, TRUE GRIT, THE FIGHTER, INCEPTION, 127 HOURS, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, TOY STORY 3, WINTER’S BONE

Then again last year saw 10 films that overall I was relatively pleased with.  I personally could have cut two films from the 10 but I have a feeling the Academy would have cut two different films devastating my opinion.  Against popular belief, I think THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT and TRUE GRIT were the weakest of the bunch but according to the Best Director category Grit would be in and Christopher Nolan’s amazing INCEPTION would tragically be out.  And what about the captivating indie WINTER’S BONE, what place would it have had? I’m betting it missed the cut.

Overall, I believe moving to 10 was a step in the right direction and the sliding scale is a step even closer to fairly include only the best.  However, time will only tell because it all comes down to if their opinion matches mine.  And isn’t that what we all care about?  The 10 nominees made everyone feel more involved because nearly everyone had a horse to root for no matter how lame that horse may be.  I guess I can get behind putting a rifle to a couple of these films…as long as I decide.  But since I don’t, I’ll continue to complain when things don’t go my way.

Now we need to get the other categories in shape, specifically Best Director. The suspense is sort of taken away when the Best Picture and Best Director nominees don’t sync up.  But that’s another story.  In the meantime, my love affair for you Oscar will continue to beat heavily.

The post Oscars’ rule changes will make the Academy Awards better appeared first on Flix 66.

When I first read the news that Juan Carlos Fresnadillo was going to be leading the charge on a reboot of THE CROW, I didn’t give it two thoughts.  Miramax/Dimension have been trying to milk the franchise for all its worth ever since the original film pulled a profit at the box office.  But each sequel has been a joke of a film, with the last going straight to DVD.  So I expected the same from this one, which probably would have been the case…until now.  It looks like Bradley Cooper is seriously considering taking the male lead in the reboot.

The only way this film will be legitimized is if an A-list actor, or near A-list actor, takes the lead role.  That will lead to a near A-list actress, which will lead to a near A-list male lead in a villain role and the next thing you know, the whole film will be an event.  But Bradley Cooper is being set up for failure with this film.  I’m sure he’s read the script and I’m sure Fresnadillo has talked a good game, but at the end of the day, THE CROW is not a mainstream franchise and the chances of rebooting something in this genre and having success are very slim.

The biggest question throbbing in my head right now is; why in the world would a rising star like Bradley Cooper take on a role like this?  Like him or hate him, you have to admit that Cooper has charm and has done well in the roles he’s been given.  He’s already a big star, but he continues to rise with successes like LIMITLESS, which proved he can carry his own film.  The Crow reboot is for an actor that’s trying to make it and needs some help, not someone that has already made it.  This is a giant leap backwards for Cooper and if the movie fails (which I think it will, regardless of how good it is) it’s going to be blamed on Cooper.  Hollywood won’t care that it’s a dying franchise that people have lost interest in, they’re going to associate the failure with Cooper.  Remember; Edward Furlong was the main star in the last feature length Crow film.

And the film will fail.  The original version of THE CROW appealed to a small niche audience that was either familiar with the comic or familiar with Brandon Lee.  It gained popularity on DVD and has become somewhat of a classic, but that doesn’t mean the film is ripe to be remade or rebooted.  The film isn’t even 20 years old at this point and even if it were older, the franchise has retreated into B-movie territory with all the lame sequels.  It’d be like trying to reboot the AIR BUD franchise; don’t bother, it’s fine on the straight to DVD market.

I love the original THE CROW and I’m a big Bradley Cooper fan, but the two don’t mix.  Cooper is a rising star that can do much, much better and THE CROW franchise was over long ago.  If Hollywood wants to remake it, then it’s their prerogative, but Cooper doesn’t need to help them.

The post Bradley Cooper should stay away from The Crow reboot appeared first on Flix 66.

Trifecta #21: FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF + MAJOR LEAGUE + HOT SHOTS!

With all of Charlie Sheen’s recent explanations about his grandiose life, magic from his fingertips and WINNING Duh, I thought it might be a good idea to match some of his extremely outrageous quotes to some of his films.  From quality (PLATOON, WALL STREET) to dreadful (TERMINAL VELOCITY, SCARY MOVIE 3) Sheen has a wide body of work.  He hasn’t needed an accent (THE THREE MUSKETEERS) nor has he necessarily even needed to play a character (BEING JOHN MALKOVICH).  In fact, he has been able to skip auditions and work with his brother Emilio (MEN AT WORK, YOUNG GUNS, RATED X).  Maybe he’s earned this ego.  However, I’m not sure he will ever play a role that isn’t him.  So it’s amazing he thinks so highly of himself.  But as he said, “My success rate is 100 percent. Do the Math.“

When going through his recent quotes I realized I probably could match all his films with an outlandish line but that seemed far too exhausting.  So I took some of his more precious gems and represented them with his best comedies.  You will be surprised at how much his films have been inspiration for his recent rants.  If you are missing that void of crazy Charlie Sheen interviews and are finally tired of the incomprehensibly successful TWO AND HALF MEN episodes, kick your troll like feet up, pop these films in like a pill and take the Charlie Sheen Drug.

“I will not believe that if I do something then I have to follow a certain path because it was written for normal people.  People who aren’t special.  People who don’t have tiger blood and Adonis DNA.”

FERRIS BULLER’S DAY OFF – Technically, this isn’t really Sheen’s movie.  In fact, he is barely in it but his who cares what other’s think attitude is the motivation Jennifer Grey needs to finally support her brother.  Sheen is the bad boy busted for drugs that makes out with the high school chick in the police waiting room while acting as her psychiatrist.  You don’t get any badder than that.  We see he had his “Tiger Blood” at an early age as well as picking difficult roles that do not represent him in the slightest.

“Oh wait, can’t process it. Losers. WINNING. Buh bye.”

MAJOR LEAGUE- I love the fact that his glasses have a cross bone skulls in the middle.  I think that might affect my line of sight while pitching but what do I know.  Fresh out of the California Penal League, we see his first experience as a self-proclaimed winner by Bi-Winning (winning here and winning there), as the Cleveland Indians win the whole thing with a bunch of has-beens and never-will-bes.  Sleeping around and not wearing caps and sleeves, Sheen stretches his acting chops once again and is undeniably the Wild Thing Ricky Vaughn.  Sheen has been spouting on about making another but I’m wagering that film isn’t happening and if so, he’ll probably get fired from it but at least once he helped a team of losers become winners.

“I’m dealing with fools and trolls.  I’m dealing with soft targets, and it’s just strafing runs in my underwear before my first cup of coffee… they lay down with their ugly wives and their ugly children and just look at their loser lives and then they look at me and “ I CAN’T PROCESS IT,” well, no, you never will, just stop trying.  Sit back and enjoy the show.”

HOT SHOTS! – What better than a nonsensical parody film to round out Charlie Sheen’s random comments?  What does this quote even mean?  I don’t know but I love it about as much as I love HOT SHOTS!   Personally, I’ve always thought of Sheen as a poor man’s Tom Cruise so it’s only fitting that he plays in a parody film of TOP GUN.  The question is, is he in on the joke?  I believe he is.  He knows the media is trying to bait him and he’s beating them to the punch embracing the Rock Star lifestyle.  Will people ever laugh with him rather than at him?  I’m not sure but his films were representing his quotes well before he ever said them.  And yet we mock him. But as he said, “The run I was on made Sinatra, Flynn, Jagger and Richards look like droopy-eyed armless children.”  Wait, that’s not the line I wanted.  He said, “I’m still alive and that’s pretty cool.”

The post Remember when Charlie Sheen was a movie star? appeared first on Flix 66.

First, let me make it clear that I’m not writing this rant to piss off any pre-teen girl that thinks Robert Pattinson or Alex Pettyfer is the perfect prince charming.  If you honestly believe that and are infatuated with either actor, then there’s really nothing I can do for you.  There are plenty of self-help websites on the internet that you should be looking at that would gladly help you with your problem.  But I guess in some sense this rant applies to you just as much as the Hollywood executives out there that have lost their ability to find talented young actors and instead, rely on the whimsy of every teen girl that tells them someone is talented.  How else do you explain Justin Bieber?

But I see Hollywood taking an unusual and unfortunate turn with the sudden success of Robert Pattinson, Alex Pettyfer, Taylor Lautner and maybe even Justin Bieber.  Although to be fair, the Biebs needs more movie roles before he falls into this category.  I just don’t understand how Pettyfer can be handed the keys to some promising franchises when the only movie on his resume was the disappointing ALEX RIDER.  And all we heard before I AM NUMBER FOUR came out was how Pettyfer was the next big star, then when the movie came out, adults were left scratching their head as to why a modestly-talented kid would get such a role in a blockbuster-type film.

I hate to keep bringing everything back to Twilight, but Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner are reaping the benefits of starring in movies that only appeal to a niche audience.  There’s nothing wrong with them finding success post-Twilight, but I have to remind everyone that neither of them have a successful movie under the belt that doesn’t have “Twilight” in the title (yes, Patty was in Harry Potter – not his movie).  They’ve achieved international fame, a handful of movie roles a piece and yet still don’t have a successful movie to show for it.

The teenage girl market is the most powerful marketing niche in the world.  I’m okay if they dictate the plotlines of the latest Disney movie or what color girls should be painting their walls.  But I’m not okay with the teenage girl niche dictating which actor is starring in my movies.  What happened to the days where Hollywood would actually find talented actors?  I know the casting process is excruciatingly painful for everyone involved, but there are actually good-looking and talented actors out there that deserve better roles than what they’re getting.

And for everyone that thinks I’m way off base with my insulting the talent level of Alex Pettyfer and Robert Pattinson; can you honestly say you think they’re talented actors?  Take an honest step back and ignore your infatuation and the droopy eyes and then ask yourself; does this actor actually have talent when compared to his peers?  Could you see him in a variety of roles that required him to do more than stare broodingly?  I just don’t see it, and it’s only a matter of time before Hollywood figures it out as well.

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Charlie Sheen just announced a few more stops on his insanity tour, or as he calls it “My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not An Option Show” for which he’s going to make almost $7 million from.  This, of course, takes his craziness to uncharted territory when it comes to celebrities destroying themselves.  He’s making even the baddest of bad boys seem like a little puppy dog as he goes spouting ridiculous soliloquies about drugs, tiger blood, porn stars and “winning”.  But while his craziness has brought about a series of reactions from everyone and even led to his firing from his embarrassingly bad show ‘Two and a Half Men’, my only feeling on his antics is that they’re refreshing.

Let’s face it; the celebrities that we as a society tend to worship are douche-bags.  That cool, suave, earth-saving actor that you get excited about every time you see him in a movie preview is probably snorting coke right now.  That beautiful, charming and funny actress that you wish you could be with has probably been passed around town more than the latest YouTube video.  Don’t ever think that a celebrity is perfect.  Most of them are more like Charlie Sheen than their publicists would have you believe.  The only thing keeping them in check is a great management team and the threat of losing millions if anyone ever found out.  Society has unfair expectations on celebrities and then we get surprised when they turn out to be normal and/or crazy.

But Charlie Sheen doesn’t care.  He knows that he has money and will continue to have money for the rest of his life.  He doesn’t care that the world found out about his debauchery and he’s not going to insult our intelligence by checking into a rehab program he won’t finish anyway.  This isn’t Warren Beatty hiding from every tabloid rumor that had him sleeping with every beautiful woman in the 60’s and 70’s.  This isn’t Marv Albert in the 90′s getting caught in a hotel with two hookers and then apologizing profusely for the next two years.  This isn’t even Lindsay Lohan doing all kinds of stupid things and then denying them the next day, despite the fact there are hundreds of pictures and videos of her doing said stupid things.  We’re lambasted with celebrity “scandals” and Charlie Sheen has finally had enough.  He flipped the switch on the media and instead of hiding from the scandals and letting the paparazzi get the best of him, he’s attacking the media with an onslaught of interviews and media appearances.  He has said and done so much already that there’s nothing he can do or say at this point that will be even remotely newsworthy.

I also loved that he came out and criticized his hit TV show.  Yes, it made him a fortune, but it was a mind-numbingly dumb show and he was right to say he was embarrassed to be on it.  And we all know that other sitcom stars in TV land feel the same way.  They just haven’t done enough drugs to say it publicly.  But don’t get me wrong; Charlie Sheen is still crazy and what he’s doing is sad to watch.  He clearly has a few screws loose and whether he’s suffering Ozzy-like repercussions from too many drugs or he hasn’t stopped taking drugs, he’s still insane by any normal standard.  But he’s definitely not the first actor to say something stupid or to be caught with porn stars; he’s just the first that embraces it and there’s something refreshing about that.

The post Charlie Sheen’s craziness is refreshing appeared first on Flix 66.

I knew this after I saw I AM NUMBER FOUR, but it seems the rest of America is catching on to the fact that current Hollywood it-boy Alex Pettyfer is not a movie star.  Okay, technically starring in a movie makes you a movie “star” and sure, he’s good looking, but he has no charisma and can’t carry his own film.  What’s frustrating about this to me is that it’s quite obvious the guy doesn’t have that elusive “it” quality that publicists talk about, yet before his first movie hit theaters, Hollywood execs were naming him the next big thing.  What exactly did/do they see in the guy that no one else seems to?  Or maybe the bigger question is how long is it going to take for them to realize what the rest of us already know?

I’m not sure anyone can answer that question.  Several media outlets have reported that Pettyfer is a general pain in the rear to work with.  Reports have surfaced that he has refused to work until he got a pay raise and is generally obnoxious and difficult.  This alone isn’t enough to derail an actor’s career, but couple that with the cold reception his movies have gotten and it’s clear the kid doesn’t have a long career ahead of him.  America can look the other way when Christian Bale yells at his cinematographer or Shia LaBeouf wrecks his car; they were famous before their indiscretions.  Hearing that Alex Pettyfer locked himself in his trailer when he found out someone in the movie was making more money than him is inexcusable when you have zero hits on your film resume.  It’s also troubling that his house caught fire and he’s going crazy on Diana Agron.  You can’t mess with the Gleeks.

The sure sign that Alex Pettyfer isn’t a movie star is quite simple and obvious; his first two movies have been critical flops.  I AM NUMBER FOUR and BEASTLY aren’t the types of movies that would set box office records, but studio estimates had Four placing much higher than the $19.5 million it took in on its opening weekend and early numbers for BEASTLY are pointing to an $8 million opening.  But I could have looked the other way if there had been a variety of reasons the films were bad, other than the fact they starred Alex Pettyfer.  But his emotionless, dry portrayals of an alien teenager and a love struck teen did nothing to enhance the movies he was in.  He just doesn’t have the leading man quality that actors need in Hollywood.

Sometimes you see an actor in a movie and you just know they’re going to be stars some day.  Colin Farrell in TIGERLAND is a good, recent example of someone you just knew was going to be a star.  Heck, you even find them on TV in small parts, such as Bradley Cooper in ‘Alias’.  And sometimes you see someone that Hollywood wants you to think is a star that just doesn’t have it.  Alex Pettyfer is one such person.

The post I Am Number Four and Beastly prove that Alex Pettyfer is not a movie star appeared first on Flix 66.

I love the Academy Awards as much as one person can.  My bio explains that I date my life according to films and the Oscars are one way I keep track of that.  I understand I haven’t bore witness to as many Academy Awards as a lot of people but for me this was easily the worst telecast ever.

The funny thing is, my picks were pretty close and my favorite films did all the winning.  Sure my absolute favorite film INCEPTION didn’t win Best Picture but it did tie for the most wins with four.  Plus my next five favorite films won the rest of the awards: BLACK SWAN – 1, THE KING’S SPEECH – 4, THE SOCIAL NETWORK – 3, TOY STORY 3 – 2, THE FIGHTER – 2.  So one would think I would be happy as a clam.

Recently, I visited a restaurant that had amazing food but atrocious service.  Now I would always prefer quality food to quality service but that doesn’t mean I will return.  I liken this to this years Academy Awards, the films were great but the presentation was poor, possibly setting up many viewers to not return for next years telecast.  Let’s take a look at went wrong.

I’m confused when the show has consistently been entertaining and funny with recent hosts such as Ellen DeGeneres, Jon Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin that it would digress and change everything that was working.  Beginning with the hosts who are young, extremely talented actors in Hollywood.  Gushing over every single person, Anne Hathaway was far too wide-eyed and excitable, especially when she has been nominated even previously performing on the Oscar stage.  The awards show itself is the epitome of gushing over the Hollywood stars already, plus the winners usually act a little more important than they actually are.  The job of the host is not to perpetuate the ideal that these people and moments are bigger than life but to ground the industry and lighten the mood so we don’t all take it too seriously.

With that said, I did appreciate Hathaway’s energy, dress changes and enthusiasm she put into the night unlike her co-host James Franco who was barely on stage and didn’t seem to care one bit.  And when he spouts out a possibly funny line like “Good job Nerds,” to the technical winners, rather than coming off humorous he seems mean.  Young actors don’t have the clout to tease people who have been working hard in the business for years finally getting recognition.

Furthermore, whenever our two young hosts went off the apparent restricted script, we quickly learn they have zero improvising skills.  Those transitions between acceptance speeches and presenters were in badly need of a Bob Hope or Billy Crystal whose appearance accentuated that fact in a segment that basically said, “Remember how good the shows host use to be?”

Now onto the production, which seemed to capture odd angles with a misguided hand unaware of its presentation or theme.  Somewhat random on when an old Academy winner was highlighted, the show lacked order and humor.  The opening skit was a clever idea but should have definitely been funnier.  Hathaway’s musical number, while sung beautifully, was awkward and unnecessary.  The only real laugh came from the remix of films into songs like HARRY POTTER and TWILIGHT.  Also the band tended to play off winners of smaller categories who were actually entertaining like the Best Live Action Short winner while they let the Supporting Actress winner ramble on uncomfortably.

Sometimes the Academy Awards has no surprises.  Sometimes all the speeches are boring.  But that is precisely why it is important to have a host or hosts who are quick on their feet that the audience feels comfortable with so they can find moments to keep the show light and entertaining.  It also doesn’t hurt to actually highlight the films you are rewarding.  The Best Picture nominees had a quick mash up together at the beginning and end of the broadcast never being dwelled on individually.  Even the Memoriam left out the split screen of the films from the ones who passed away were famous for.

Every year people complain about the show, usually that it’s too long or boring.  Sadly, this year I finally felt the same way.  As a hard-core movie lover that always sees nearly every film nominated in every category, it’s usually not long enough.  I’m grinning ear to ear in eager anticipation during the entire telecast.  I almost always disagree with some of the winners and in the case of the previous year, was absolutely livid, but I always… always enjoy the show.  Thankfully when looking back, the films of the 83^rd Academy Awards will be what is remembered.  However, as Comic Book Guy would say, Worst. Show. Ever.

The post James Franco and Anne Hathaway gave us the worst Oscars ever appeared first on Flix 66.

Well, the 83^rd Annual Academy Awards are officially behind us and as normal with the awards, there were virtually zero surprises.  The Oscars are typically a “whatever is hot right now” award show and THE KING’S SPEECH peeked right at the perfect moment.  It’s frustrating because I liked it when I saw it in December, but all of this hype makes me kind of sick of it at this point.  Keeping with Flix66 tradition, let’s recap the night’s events and give our own wrap up to the 2010 movies.

This is the first year that Oscar went “young” with the hosts and chose two non-comedians in James Franco and Anne Hathaway.  I thought they hired them to be hosts in order to attract a younger audience and to keep the show hip and fast paced, but after watching them host, it was clear that they hired them to do commercials for the show.  I can’t remember a time watching the Oscars that the show has taken it so far out of the hands of the host(s) than this year.  They really had little to nothing to say and even the opening bit was overly short.  They didn’t have much of a monologue and aside from Anne’s quick number halfway through, they didn’t really put on a show.  As for their actual performance, I thought Anne Hathaway was surprisingly good while Franco looked like he was stoned the entire show.  For a guy full of emotion and spunk, he looked like he was sleepwalking through the entire thing.  Overall, having them up there was awkward and a little boring, at least when compared to last year’s duo of Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.

This year was also one of the most boring as far as speeches go.  The closest thing we had to controversy was Melissa Leo dropping an F-bomb on the audience for no apparent reason.  Poor Leo, after her embarrassing self-promotion for the award, she goes up there and reminds the world she’s white trash.  I think everyone in Hollywood lost what little respect they had for her.  Everyone else gave the typical thank-you-everyone acceptance speech and shied away from controversy.  It should be noted that I did like Randy Newman’s quick speech, even though he didn’t really say anything.  The presenters kept it pretty tight as well, although I did enjoy Sandra Bullock’s presentation of Best Actor.  She seemed calm and comfortable up there when compared to some of her peers.

As for the winners, there were zero surprises.  I think we can make the argument that Tom Hooper winning for THE KING’S SPEECH instead of DAVID FINCHER for THE SOCIAL NETWORK was a bit of an upset, but Speech won Best Picture and those awards are usually tied together.  But when I say there were no surprises, that’s not to say there weren’t any disappointments.  I think every award INCEPTION didn’t get is a disappointment, but it was a real travesty it didn’t get Best Original Screenplay.  I always think of that award as the film the Academy wishes they had the guts to name Best Picture, so I was hoping to hang my hat on that win for Nolan.

Overall, I felt the ceremony was boring.  It’s the Oscars, so I get excited no matter what, but I think they really messed up with the hosts.  I like the opening numbers and witty jokes that guys like Billy Crystal, Steve Martin and even Hugh Jackman sprinkle throughout.  Let’s hope one of them can make a comeback next year.

The post 2011 Oscar Roundup appeared first on Flix 66.

Now it is time for the big categories that moviegoers look forward to most.  A lot can happen the closer the date gets to the actual ceremony.  The Academy Award ballots aren’t even due until Tuesday, February 22, which is less than a week before the big event.  For example, Melissa Leo practically sabotaged herself by releasing self-promoting ads of her wearing fur – a definite faux pas in today’s Hollywood that responded with high criticism.  So needless to say the battle can shift from week to week.  I think there were some strong nominees in every category.  In the Acting categories, who I picked to win also happens to be who I think will win.  As for the Picture and Director picks, well they are both in my top four films so I can’t be too upset.  In fact, unless one film takes most of the wins, I don’t think I will be terribly disappointed no matter the outcome.  But for the record, I believe most of here at FLIX66 will be rooting for INCEPTION.

Read Part 1 of our Oscar Predictions here.

Actress in a Supporting Role: Amy Adams, THE FIGHTER; Helena Bonham Carter, THE KING’S SPEECH; Melissa Leo, THE FIGHTER; Hailee Steinfeld, TRUE GRIT; Jackie Weaver, ANIMAL KINGDOM

Melissa Leo in THE FIGHTER – Leo’s recent self-promotion might be just enough backlash to give it to Hailee Steinfeld, who was amazing.  But she’s too new and too young and I think voters will reluctantly stick with the best performance.

Actor in a Supporting Role: Christian Bale, THE FIGHTER; John Hawkes, WINTER’S BONE; Jeremy Renner, THE TOWN; Mark Ruffalo, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT; Geoffrey Rush, THE KING’S SPEECH

Christian Bale in THE FIGHTER – As the meth-addicted ex-fighter, Bale finally gets to showcase why he is one of the best actors living today.  Yes Rush is great but Bale clearly owns this.

Actress in a Leading Role: Annette Bening, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT; Nicole Kidman, RABBIT HOLE; Jennifer Lawrence, WINTER’S BONE; Natalie Portman, BLACK SWAN; Michelle Williams, BLUE VALENTINE

Natalie Portman in BLACK SWAN – No one comes close.  Poor Annette Bening just can’t seem to win garnering her fourth nomination.  This will be no different.  I can’t imagine anyone pulling off the levels of emotion and change Portman does in BLACK SWAN.  It’s unfortunate this may be the films only win.

Actor in a Leading Role: Javier Bardem, BIUTIFUL; Jeff Bridges, TRUE GRIT; Jesse Eisenberg, THE SOCIAL NETWORK; Colin Firth, THE KING’S SPEECH; James Franco, 127 HOURS

Colin Firth in THE KING’S SPEECH – Historic figure – check.  Physical handicap -check.  Being rewarded after many great performances in Hollywood – triple check.  The other nominees were absolutely terrific but Firth deserves this.

Best Directing: Darren Aronofsky, BLACK SWAN; David O’Russel, THE FIGHTER; Tom Hooper, THE KING’S SPEECH; David Fincher, THE SOCIAL NETWORK; Joel and Ethan Coen, TRUE GRIT

David Fincher for THE SOCIAL NETWORK – The battle for Best Picture is usually decided here.  It’s possible this year could provide a split between the two categories.  I keep going back and forth between THE KING’S SPEECH and THE SOCIAL NETWORK.  In fact I’m writing this vague synopsis just so I can plug whichever name I like right before I hit submit.  Fincher is consistently masterful when it comes to directing.

Best Picture: BLACK SWAN, THE FIGHTER, INCEPTION , THE KID’S ARE ALL RIGHT, THE KING’S SPEECH, 127 HOURS, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, TOY STORY 3, TRUE GRIT, WINTER’S BONE

THE KING’S SPEECH – Heart will win out this year and THE KING’S SPEECH is the perfect quality sentiment piece that Oscar voters will lap up.  At first, believing no one would see it; I foolishly thought I was doing the film a favor by promoting it.  However, it has quickly snowballed into much deserved attention.

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The movies for 2010 are rounding their last moment of recognition with the 2011 83^rd annual Academy Awards airing Sunday, February 27.  For the first time in recent memory, The Academy has mostly gotten the nominees right, besides a minimal amount of Oscar Snubs.  And although I loved INCEPTION and BLACK SWAN, this is a battle between THE KING’S SPEECH vs. THE SOCIAL NETWORK – two very deserving films that many are saying is a heart vs. head fight for the win.

Overall, unlike last year, we should hopefully see the Oscar go to a nice variety of recipients throughout the night.  Without further adieu, I present a surefire way to win your Oscar pool (I promise to try to do better than last year).  We will begin with the less popular categories.  I suggest using Documentary Short, Live-Action Short and Animated Short as tiebreakers, which your guess is as good as mine, therefore absent from my predictions.

But if you must have something then: Documentary Short Subject- STRANGERS NO MORE, Animated Short Film- DAY & NIGHT, Live Action Short Film- THE CONFESSION.  Onto Part 1:

Documentary Feature: EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP, GASLAND, INSIDE JOB, RESTREPO, WASTE LAND

INSIDE JOB – After recently viewing WAITING FOR SUPERMAN, I can easily say it was clearly snubbed from a nomination.  While I haven’t seen all the nominees, WAITING FOR SUPERMAN is better than the few I did see.  All the documentaries have been praised this year but I’ve heard the most about INSIDE JOB.  EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP could be an upset just because it would be an interesting acceptance speech.

Foreign Language Film: BIUTIFUL, DOGTOOTH, IN A BETTER WORLD, INCENDIES, OUTSIDE THE LAW

BIUTIFUL – IN A BETTER WORLD has gotten some praise but Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has been nominated before for directing BABEL in 2006.  The Academy clearly likes him and as the only film with two nominations, I’m thinking it will pull off the win.

Sound Editing: INCEPTION, TOY STORY 3 , TRON: LEGACY, TRUE GRIT, UNSTOPPABLE

INCEPTION – With a different theme for each layer of dream levels complimenting the amazing effects within a newly created world, sound played an impactful part.

Sound Mixing: INCEPTION, THE KING’S SPEECH, SALT, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, TRUE GRIT

INCEPTION – The film played almost as an opera.  On a side note, if I was gutsy I would pick THE KING’S SPEECH – Words and silence were never so important to be heard.   The public and radio microphone sound were detrimental in making this picture work and the sweeping classical music combined with the final speech is what makes this film evoke tears.

Visual Effects: ALICE IN WONDERLAND, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1, HEREAFTER, INCEPTION, IRON MAN 2

INCEPTION – The other nominees were fun but INCEPTION created new things yet to be seen on screen.

Makeup: BARNEY’S VERSION, THE WAY BACK, THE WOLFMAN

THE WOLFMAN – History has shown aging doesn’t usually win against creature films and most films about werewolves do the trick.  While the film was poor the makeup was great.

Original Song: “Coming Home” COUNTRY STRONG, “I See the Light” TANGLED, “If I Rise” 127 HOURS, “We Belong Together” TOY STORY 3

127 HOURS – Frankly, I’m not too sure about this one and am probably wrong.  Personally, I like “If I Rise” and would like to see 127 HOURS win at least one award.  Randy Newman could get it for TOY STORY 3 but while I like the song, I can’t stomach his voice.

Original Score: John Powell, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON; Hans Zimmer, INCEPTION; Alexandre Desplat, THE KING’S SPEECH; A.R. Rahman, 127 HOURS; Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, THE SOCIAL NETWORK

THE SOCIAL NETWORK – Hanz Zimmer has been around forever with countless nominations and one win already.  So although I absolutely loved INCEPTION’s score it will not win.  This is another battle between our top two contenders.  The Academy will use this spot for a hip pick choosing Reznor and Ross over THE KING’S SPEECH.

Film Editing: BLACK SWAN, THE FIGHTER, THE KING’S SPEECH, 127 HOURS, THE SOCIAL NETWORK

THE SOCIAL NETWORK – The fact that the film consists mostly of conversation but it moves briskly with excitement is a testament to the pacing and editing.

Costume Design: ALICE IN WONDERLAND, I AM LOVE, THE KING’S SPEECH, THE TEMPEST, TRUE GRIT

THE KING’S SPEECH – Period pieces nearly always wins in the costume department so ALICE IN WONDERLAND will just miss with its unique vision.

Cinematography: BLACK SWAN, INCEPTION, THE KING’S SPEECH, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, TRUE GRIT

TRUE GRIT – Although I liked it, I do not share the infatuation that the Academy and public seem to have with this film.  With 10 nominations, it’s bound to win one (unfortunately probably more).  So the western film will likely beat out the other four nominees who I believe to be more deserving.

Art Direction: ALICE IN WONDERLAND, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1, INCEPTION, THE KING’S SPEECH, TRUE GRIT

ALICE IN WONDERLAND – These are all great nominees.  And although INCEPTION created most of its world via props and set I would be wrong to choose against Tim Burton who nearly always wins this category.

Animated Feature Film: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, THE ILLUSIONIST, TOY STORY 3

TOY STORY 3 – It’s Pixar, meaning it is clearly better than everything else.  Being also nominated for Best Picture makes this an easy call.

Adapted Screenplay: 127 HOURS, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, TOY STORY 3, TRUE GRIT, WINTER’S BONE

THE SOCIAL NETWORK  – The story about computer programming and betrayal is complex, interesting and entertaining, a definite triple threat.

Original Screenplay: ANOTHER YEAR, THE FIGHTER, INCEPTION, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, THE KINGS SPEECH

THE KING’S SPEECH – No coincidence that the two films that win Screenplay are the same ones battling for Best Picture.  But by the definition of “original” it will be ridiculous when INCEPTION doesn’t win.

Read Part 2 of our Oscar Predictions here.

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American audiences have become so self-obsessed and unaware of their surroundings that going to a sold-out theater to see a movie can be one of the most obnoxious experiences for a movie fan these days.  Between the texting, whispering, having the back of your seat kicked, crinkling of candy wrappers and a variety of other annoyances, just making it through a movie can be a daunting task.  But while much has been written about how obnoxious theater goers are, it deserves to be said that we as movie fans need to chill out.

On Tuesday, a 42-year-old man was shot dead in a theater in Latvia because he was eating his popcorn too loudly.  The incident occurred during a showing of BLACK SWAN as the credits were rolling and supposedly, the two men got into an argument and the annoyed man had finally had enough.  It should be known that Latvia, for those that don’t know, is not a desolate, war-torn country.  It’s part of the EU and has barely 2 million people.  Gun violence is low and it’s a relatively peaceful country.

This news can be met with shocked horror that a man could lose his life because he can’t close his mouth while he eats popcorn, but I think there’s a small part of all of us that understand it.  We don’t condone it, but we understand.  I watched a lot of movies growing up and popcorn was a staple at the Sturdivant household.  Well, it was a staple for my dad because my mother and I hate the stuff.  But my dad would chew the popcorn like a cow chews grass, smacking down on each kernel to maximize the sound.  As a kid, it drove me crazy to the point I refused to watch movies with my dad if he ate popcorn.  I was 5.

The Chinese used to use (maybe they still do, I don’t know) a torture technique that was simply locking a prisoner in a quiet room and turning on a dripping faucet.  The idea was that a constant, interrupting sound could drive someone mad and they would do anything to turn the faucet off, including divulging top secret information.  So imagine sitting through BLACK SWAN, a film that is showing a character slowly spiraling out of control, and having someone smack their popcorn next to you the whole time.  And you have a gun.  I’m not saying it was right, but I understand (those of you that watch Chris Rock’s standup will hopefully get this reference).

But joking aside, we as movie buffs, the ones that catch all the new movies, write reviews or just truly love the movie experience, have to stand up and be stronger than those around us.  We have to remember that movies are a form of entertainment for people and some people just want to go to the theater and have a good time.  They don’t want to go home and write a thousand words on whether or not DUE DATE has some deeper sociological meaning on society.  They just want to smack their popcorn and laugh a little bit.  And then we have to remember that Tuesday matinee shows are made for people like us.

The post Attention annoying US moviegoers: be glad you’re not in Latvia appeared first on Flix 66.

After the rousing success of the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, some fans started asking for Peter Jackson to make Tolkien’s other Middle Earth book, ‘The Hobbit’, into a movie that would rival the greatness of the LOTR trilogy.  Even then, I couldn’t count myself in the camp that actually wanted to see ‘The Hobbit’ turned into a movie.  I should probably also point out that as much as I loved the LOTR trilogy, I don’t think they’re the greatest movies ever made, or even the greatest trilogy.  They’re great films, but some people go nuts for them.  And I know it’s against popular opinion, but I still don’t see THE HOBBIT coming close to the success of the LOTR trilogy.

We don’t get anything new with ‘The Hobbit’.  Part of what made LOTR so great was that every scene was something we hadn’t seen before.  Just the idea of turning a classic fantasy novel into a well-made motion picture was something foreign in today’s Hollywood.  Throw in the special effects from stunts as simple as showing hobbits consistently shorter than everyone else (in my opinion, the most impressive effect in the trilogy as it has been done so poorly in the past) or the incredible battles in TWO TOWERS and each film and each scene was an achievement in filmmaking.  So where does The Hobbit go from there?  The stunts and effects have been used and the surprise of creating a new world has already been revealed.  Also, don’t forget that even if you haven’t read the book, if you’ve seen the LOTR trilogy, you know how THE HOBBIT is going to end.  I’m sure Jackson has some other tricks up his sleeve, but the basic “wow” factor of LOTR is over.

As much as we all love the LOTR books, can anyone really say that they loved ‘The Hobbit’ nearly as much?  Before the movies came out, people would refer to the trilogy and then as an afterthought, say something like “Tolkien also wrote ‘The Hobbit’, but it’s not as good…”.  That’s not necessarily a slam to ‘The Hobbit’, it’s more of a compliment to the LOTR trilogy.  The point is that there’s a reason Jackson made the LOTR films first and then went back to ‘The Hobbit’ as an afterthought.  I’m also concerned that Peter Jackson didn’t even want to direct THE HOBBIT.  Yes, he’s on board now and everything is coming up roses, but Jackson fought for a long time to avoid making the movies himself.  He’s professional enough to not let that take away from his work on the film, but I can’t help but question if he has the same passion for ‘The Hobbit’ as he did for LOTR

Finally, there’s Martin Freeman, who has won the coveted role of Bilbo Baggins in the prequel and will be the main star of the films.  Again, I might be going against popular opinion, but I’m not a fan of Martin Freeman.  I couldn’t stand the British version of ‘The Office’ and he was the glaring problem in THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY.  I find him to be annoying and I question whether he has the range to pull off the character.  James McAvoy was rumored to be the favorite to play Bilbo since RETURN OF THE KING came out and that would have been great casting.  Maybe Martin will surprise me and knock the role out of the park, but I think we would have been better off with McAvoy in the lead role.

Overall, I just have this “blah” feeling about the movie.  It’s kind of like the saying you can never go home.  Because when you’ve been away for a while and then go back, everything looks the same, even though you’re different.  I think that’s what Peter Jackson is going to run into when he travels back to Middle Earth.

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For some, food is just something to consume in order to survive. For others, food is an all consuming passion.  I am in the second category.  The category of people who are in the middle of lunch discussing what will be for dinner, the category where recipes, the Food Network and menu planning could fill an entire afternoon or two, the category where going to deluxe grocery stores or farmer’s markets and just being with the food is like a trip to Disney.

How does all of this food talk relate to movies? Much like fava beans and a nice chianti, food and movies have gone hand in hand for quite a while. Haven’t you ever watched a movie and wanted to dive into the screen and be a part of the meal? To enjoy each flavor, inhale the fragrances of delicious culinary creations? Keep in mind we are discussing food not acting chops. It is my great pleasure to serve you the best food movies of the past decade. The films are not in any particular order, but are arranged in the order that each course was served. Bon Appetit.

WOMAN ON TOP (2000) Vertigo impaired yet talented Brazilian chef, Isabella Oliveira (Penélope Cruz) flees to San Francisco from Brazil once she catches her husband cheating on her.  While in California her cooking talents lead to a television show giving her remorseful husband a way to track her down. The food takes me back to Brazil and I can almost taste the heat of the chili pepper and salt from the sea. Even though the story is a bit hokey the food looks incredibly tasty.

CHOCOLAT (2000) Anyone who walks away from this film not craving chocolate and wanting to put cocoa powder in everything from steak rubs to coffee is crazy. Vivanne (Juliette Binoche) and her daughter move into a small and morally strict French town and shake things up when they avoid church and open up a chocolate shop. The dinner scene honoring Armande (Judi Dench) has to be a favorite movie dining experience. I want to eat every food item in this movie. Nom nomnom nom.

TORTILLA SOUP (2001) TORTILLA SOUP is the American version of Ang Lee’s 1994 EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN. Both films have similar storylines but one has Taiwanese food, the other Mexican.  In the first nine minutes of this movie we are introduced to the three different daughters of Chef Martin Naranjo (Hector Elizondo) and most importantly, we see him prepare multiple elaborate Mexican dishes. The kitchen in this house is amazing and the food looks divine.  When Elizondo’s character prepares a school lunch for a family friend’s young daughter, I want to knock that little girl out of the way and steal her food. Delish!

MOSTLY MARTHA (2001) This German film (originally billed BELLA MARTHA) opens up with delightful descriptions of how to prepare quail and instantly I’m salivating. From the scenes in the restaurant kitchen to dishes created in the comforts of Martha’s apartment you will be craving her culinary creations. The story follows Martha (Martina Gedeck), a stubborn and established chef. Her world is flipped upside down when her sister dies in a car crash leaving her daughter in Martha’s care.  Throw in a bit of kitchen competition and a little romance and this story will more than satisfy your craving for a great film.

HAROLD & KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE (2004) Oh the shenanigans that a drug induced White Castle run can create! In this flick we follow Harold Lee (John Cho) and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn) as they attempt to reach White Castle on a random Friday night. I’m not going to list all the hilarious and over the top obstacles they face but you know they mean business when it comes to their craving. I’ve never been much of a White Castle gal, but I know what it feels like to crave a specific food and how the craving can grow and become something of an obsession until you finally get to eat that exact meal. Seeing them down the enormous White Castle order deserves a slow clap or standing ovation.

NO RESERVATIONS (2007) Even though this is the remake of 2001’s MOSTLY MARTHA, the food makes me hungry just the same. Kate is the hard as nails chef (Catherine Zeta-Jones) who gets an attitude adjustment by the charismatic Nick (Aaron Eckhart). The spaghetti Nick makes for Kate’s niece Zoe (Abigail Breslin) is mouthwatering and I want to have a taste.  I prefer the original film but enjoyed this one all the same and the growling sensation in my stomach made this film a must to add to this list.

RATATOUILLE  (2007) Pixar does not disappoint in this fun food filled film. We get to follow Remy the rat pursue his culinary dream while assisting kitchen inept Linguini get the girl and run the restaurant. Even though the food is animated, it still makes me hungry all the same. I can totally relate to this rat. When Remy dreams of assorted food combinations and gets caught up in his menus without much attention for his surroundings I feel like we are kindred spirits.

WAITRESS (2007) This movie has heart, hope and…PIES! Keri Russell tackles the role of Jenna Hunterson, an unhappily married pregnant waitress in a small town. Employed by a local diner, Jenna creates unusual pies that are a sensation for all who enjoy eating them. The visual of seeing how each pie is created and named is a delight. From pie crust, filling and toppings your mouth will be watering.  I’ve never been much of a pie person but after watching this movie I changed my mind.  I’ll take a slice (or two?)please.

JULIE & JULIA (2009) Inspired by the book of the same name, this movie follows Julie Powell, a woman in current day New York  intertwining with the story of Julia Child and how she became a household name and icon. Julie (Amy Adams) is precious and relatable. Who hasn’t had a too tiny kitchen and made a mess of a meal before? Or had over ambitious culinary goals? Seeing Julia (Meryl Streep) find her footing and develop the cookbook Mastering The Art Of French Cooking is a joy. When she first arrives in Paris, orders the fish and exhales the word “butter” I know that I want to eat that very meal. Butter plus anything equals delicious.

EAT PRAY LOVE (2010) Granted, I am not the biggest fan of this film (see my Blu-ray review); I am a huge fan of the culinary montages while Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) visits Italy.  Gelato! Pizza! Pasta! Figs & Prosciutto! Even when she and her friends host Thanksgiving I’m daydreaming of all the side dishes that accompany yummy turkey.  When Liz says “I’m having a relationship with my pizza” truer words were never spoken; I know I’ve fallen in love with food before and cannot wait for my next food crush.

The post Best Food Films of the Decade appeared first on Flix 66.

Communication is important in all aspects of life.  Among parents, children, spouses, friends and in the work arena, most would agree communication is one area where they could improve on.  The Oscar race for the films of 2010 has come down to two films about this specific subject.  THE SOCIAL NETWORK is a modern day look at communication using technology in the foreground.  THE KING’S SPEECH follows communication in its most primal form via the spoken word.  Neither is done face to face through their key subject matter but rather use Internet and radio for their communication paths.  Most importantly both show the importance and effects of communication whatever form it might take.

Although I’m still a strong supporter of INCEPTION and believe it to be the best film of the year, I do realize it has yet to win any of the award ceremonies leading up to the Academy Awards and has a glaring omission for director.  So I do concede that INCEPTION is not a front-runner to win Best Picture.  Thus the battle belongs to THE SOCIAL NETWORK and THE KING’S SPEECH.  Both are worthy opponents and along with BLACK SWAN are interchangeable on my personal 2, 3 and 4 spots.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK took the lead quickly possibly due to the fact that it was released earlier.  Hailed as the best movie of the year by many critics, it has won nearly every smaller award circuits including BSFC, CFCA, DFWFCA, FFCC, KCFCC, LAFCA, NBR OFCS, PFCS, TFCA, WAFCA and The Golden Globes.  With a respectable eight Academy Award nominations, THE SOCIAL NETWORK is looking to be a sure bet.

THE KING’S SPEECH on the other hand, has taken a late surge by winning the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award, Producer’s Guild of America (PGA) Award and Director’s Guild of America (DGA) Award.  These three are widely considered a little more important than all the previously named awards.  Now leading the Academy Awards pack with a whopping twelve nominations, THE KING’S SPEECH has done the seemingly impossible task coming from behind to be an unlikely frontrunner.

Both films are technically sound.  THE SOCIAL NETWORK is more complex with many layers about how we treat one another while THE KING’S SPEECH is cleverly simple in its more direct approach.  Older audiences and voters may not connect to the youngness of the SOCIAL NETWORK.  Heck they may not even know what facebook is.  And they surely don’t recognize the young faces staring in the film.  And THE KING’S SPEECH may seem too stuffy and old school for younger audiences to care about or even feel relevance in today’s modern day.  Who uses radio to speak to people?

Yes, what we have here is a bona-fide Oscar Race.  I believe this to be one of the closest races the Academy has seen.  Thankfully unlike other years, both films are well deserving and no matter the results I will feel both happy for the winner and sad for the loser.  Unless of course the upset winner is INCEPTION where I will only be happy.  So what film do you think deserves the golden statue?

The post The battle for best picture: The King’s Speech vs. The Social Network appeared first on Flix 66.

Before I even begin, I want to clear something up; the Golden Globes are a joke.  They are not a legitimate awards show and their sole purpose is to make money off TV viewers.  They have no say-so on legitimate awards shows and have even less influence.  They’ve been shrouded in controversy over the years, with the BUTTERFLY scandal in 1981, the SCENT OF A WOMAN scandal in 1992 and culminating with the lawsuit earlier this year by their former publicists, not to mention the investigations that have deemed the show to be a fraud.  The Hollywood Foreign Press sounds like an official critics society, but don’t let the name fool you.  The awards and nominations are for sale to the highest bidder.

But that doesn’t change the fact that the show is actually fun to watch.  Without that, then the Golden Globes have zero purpose.  So with that in mind, Ricky Gervais is the perfect host.  He’s funny, he doesn’t care what people say about him and he brings in viewers.  In the two years he’s been host, viewership for the Globes has increased.  Bring him back next year and it will be up even more.  People that have never watched a Golden Globes telecast will be glued to the TV to see what everyone was talking about last year.  And when he rips someone and that person gets offended and makes a big deal over it, it’s what everyone will be talking about the next day.  For a joke of an awards show, that’s about as big of a compliment as you can get.

I’m not contending the Globes should shut down or try to legitimize themselves, I’m saying the exact opposite.  Stop trying to pretend you’re something you’re not and just milk this for all it’s worth.  The HFPA has something “golden” here with Ricky Gervais.  People are still taking about this meaningless show weeks after it aired.  People don’t even talk about the Oscars that long and that award actually means something to the people that get them.  Why would you even consider not bringing Ricky back?  I know he angered people in the industry, but most actors and actresses take themselves too seriously anyway.  Even if they hate Ricky Gervais, they’re still going to show up.  An actor or actress will never miss a chance to be in front of a camera and promote their movie.

So pay the guy whatever he wants and give him free reign to say and do whatever he feels like.  The HFPA needs to stop pretending like they’re not loving this attention.  If he wants to insult and embarrass Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr. and Angelina Jolie all in one shot, then let him have at it.  But what would be better for the HFPA and for the viewers is if the actors and actresses receiving these awards start taunting him right back.  People stopped caring about these awards a long time ago, but with Ricky Gervais, there might be a way to get people to still watch the show.

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TRIFECTA #21: ALIEN 3 + THE GAME + ZODIAC

David Fincher is on top of the world with the very successful THE SOCIAL NETWORK cleaning up every award possible this year. In honor of his current height of fame, I thought it would be nice to take a look at some of his lesser-known work. The trick here is all of his work is pretty well known and usually is pretty successful at the box office. SEVEN, PANIC ROOM (which has already been honored in Trifecta #19) and THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON have all rightfully done very well. I’m sure his upcoming remake of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO will also be received positively. Technically FIGHT CLUB did not do all that well at the theater (1999 was a stiff year for competition), however as time has progressed it has proven itself very successful as one of the best films of all times. It has gone beyond just a cult favorite and has put a permanent mark in film history influencing a generation. So that will not be on the list, but mostly because “you do not talk about Fight Club.” As I said, the three films listed are Fincher’s less profitable and more forgotten films among a very impressive body of work.

ALIEN 3 – Granted the ALIEN franchise is pretty well known, however who directed them is not. What is great about all the ALIEN films is that they are so different in style from one another and that’s due greatly to four very different talented directors all who have proven their ability over time. For his first feature film, David Fincher helmed ALIEN 3 and while it is not as good as the first two (sequels rarely are), it definitely is fun and creative in its own right. Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley crash lands on an imprisoned planet full of male criminals. They all must work together to destroy the alien before it eats the face off all of them. With no weapons the crew must find creative means using themselves as bait running through the halls like a maze in order to trap the creature.

THE GAME – For some reason bored and disinterested in the somewhat complex mystery, I was not the biggest supporter of the film when it first came out. I get frustrated when things have to follow exactly as planned in scenarios that pose a lot of “what ifs” but I now look at it as a fun clever original idea. Michael Douglas, a wealthy lonely banker, is given a very unusual birthday gift from his troublesome brother played by Sean Penn. The gift is entertainment as a living interactive game from a strange company called Consumer Recreation Service (CRS). Through a series of bad events, “the game” appears to get off track and becomes life threatening in this suspense thriller.

ZODIAC – Among a resume of excellent movies, ZODIAC is not only one of my favorites from Mr. Fincher but also from the last decade and it is the lowest grossing. I’m still confused why it did so poorly in the box office and at award season. Definitely one of the best directed films from 2007, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr. all aspects from the art direction to the costuming and music truly capture the time period during the famous Zodiac killings. This movie is not only great as a story time line about a serial killer but also as a police procedural drama. The murder scenes along with the research of the killer were more realistic and chilling than any other horror flick.

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Being die hard Oscar Fans who always look forward to the Academy Awards, the second best day for us at FLIX66.com is when the nominations are announced, which happened to be Monday morning.  If I can, I actually wake up and watch them.  Unfortunately, I had to work this time but I can promise you that I definitely slacked at my job while continuing to look up all the nominations on my phone.  The Academy and I have a love/hate relationship.  They usually give half of my favorite films recognition but nearly always snub my absolute favorite.  On the contrary, this year most of my favorites are being recognized.  With no huge surprises, I agree with almost all the nominations.  So a congratulations is in order for the Academy Awards.  That being said, one can always find some missteps.  The following are the rights and wrongs on who got snubbed in the six major categories.

Actress in a Supporting Role: Amy Adams, THE FIGHTER, Helena Bonham Carter,THE KING’S SPEECH, Melissa Leo, THE FIGHTER, Hailee Steinfeld, TRUE GRIT and Jackie Weaver, ANIMAL KINGDOM

SNUBBED: Dale Dickey, WINTER’S BONE – Many might say Mila Kunis for BLACK SWAN is missing.  While Mila did a great job I don’t believe her performance was too much of a “stretch” compared to the hard nosed meth addict who lets a sliver of heart pour through her tough exterior performed by Dickey.  The Academy got it right not nominating Kunis but Dickey was a miss.

Actor in a Supporting Role: Christian Bale, THE FIGHTER, John Hawkes, WINTER’S BONE, Jeremy Renner, THE TOWN, Mark Ruffalo, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT and Geoffrey Rush, THE KING’S SPEECH

SNUBBED: Andrew Garfield, THE SOCIAL NETWORK – His performance as the cheated friend and partner in creating Facebook was the perfect underplayed “good guy” opposite the Jesse Eisenberg’s selfish conceited “bad guy.”  Garfield proved that the new SPIDERMAN will at least have a good actor going for it.  Vincent Cassel in BLACK SWAN did a magnificent job as well and has gone widely unappreciated.

Actress in a Leading Role: Annette Bening, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, Nicole Kidman, RABBIT HOLE, Jennifer Lawrence, WINTER’S BONE, Natalie Portman, BLACK SWAN and Michelle Williams, BLUE VALENTINE

SNUBBED: Diane Lane, SECRETARIAT – I do believe the five nominated are the best choices but Diane Lane’s performance along with other aspects of SECRETARIAT has sadly been overlooked for some positive feedback.  So I thought I would take this time to give her and the film some props.

Actor in a Leading Role: Javier Bardem, BIUTIFUL, Jeff Bridges, TRUE GRIT, Jesse Eisenberg, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, Colin Firth, THE KING’S SPEECH and James Franco, 127 HOURS

SNUBBED: Robert Duvall, GET LOW, Ryan Gosling, BLUE VALENTINE, Aaron Eckhart, RABBIT HOLE – Definitely one of the toughest categories.  I think GET LOW just wasn’t a good enough film to get Duvall recognized for his amazing performance.  Gosling and Eckhart played opposite to leading ladies who were nominated in the actress category.  Clearly they did something right since both films required great chemistry and performances in order for the other to excel.

Best Directing: Darren Aronofsky, BLACK SWAN, David O’Russel, THE FIGHTER, Tom Hooper, THE KING’S SPEECH, David Fincher, THE SOCIAL NETWORK and Joel and Ethan Coen, TRUE GRIT

SNUBBED: Christopher Nolan, INCEPTION – This one seemed to be the obvious no-brainer.  How do you not recognize the director who gave us the most complex film of the year and put it together so it wasn’t only easy to understand but filled with the most continuous tension any film has had in years?  On that note, how was INCEPTION not nominated for Editing?  I like the Coen brother’s but TRUE GRIT did not require the skills the rest of the nominees achieved.

Best Picture: BLACK SWAN, THE FIGHTER, INCEPTION,  THE KID’S ARE ALL RIGHT, THE KING’S SPEECH, 127 HOURS, THE SOCIAL NETWORK, TOY STORY 3, TRUE GRIT and WINTER’S BONE

SNUBBED:THE TOWN – With ten nominees, I understand that a few will probably be filler.  I have only two films on this list that I disagree with, which is really a miracle in itself.  One I mentioned in the directing category. THE KID’S ARE ALL RIGHT is the second, receiving excessive praise for being mediocre at best.  Ben Affleck’s second directorial effort in THE TOWN is a fine piece of work.  While not groundbreaking, it is technically sound, being both entertaining and clever.

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Creating a top ten list of any sorts is no easy task when you take it as seriously as I do.  So trying to think of the top films from the last decade 2001-2010, cutting films that I adore was excruciatingly painful.  I was able to knock it down to 30 quite easily.  So if you don’t see your film, remember there are about 20 others hovering around the border.  Because I truly love all 30 films, to help with the narrowing process, I gave myself some guidelines.  I tried to spread the love somewhat and only allowed directors and Pixar to be represented once, usually allowing emotions to override technical aspects.

10. 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN (2005) – I definitely have films that I personally love more but straight up comedies rarely get attention from critics and this choice represents the return of great comedy.  Judd Apatow has brought a team of funny people and consistently brings the comedy genre in the forefront of one of the best films for each year.  Whether it be writing, directing or producing, he has had his hand in ANCHORMAN, KNOCKED UP, SUPERBAD and FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL.  40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN is what kicked that off by being absolutely hilarious while keeping its heart.

9.  MOULIN ROUGE! (2001) – I’m sure this will be a controversial one because for as many people that love this film there seems to be just as many that hates it.  One thing is certain Baz Lurman’s MOULIN ROUGE! brought back the musical genre in a fresh and exciting way that paved the way for the likes of CHICAGO, MAMA MIA and GLEE.  So you have to thank him for that.

8.  BEFORE SUNSET (2004)- The follow up to BEFORE SUNRISE finds the one-night lovers older and more complacent in their separate lives.  Far superior, this film is able to stand alone following two people that once knew each other is a refreshing take than the obvious origins of a relationship.  They run into one another again this time spending the day reconnecting walking through beautiful Paris.  The dialogue and acting is some of the best ever put on film.

7.  ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004)– Writer Charlie Kaufman takes us on another one of his mind tripping journeys.  This time in a world where people can hire a company to erase specific memories that may be too painful.  Watching one’s subconscious attempt to hang on to those memories is funny, sad, strange and uniquely creative.

6.  AMELIE (2001)– A wonderfully quirky film about doing good and finding love with a silly uplifting romantic narrative.  The cinematography and editing is gorgeous.  Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Audrey Tautou is absolutely adorable.

5.   INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009)– Quentin Tarantino knows how to make movies fun.  KILL BILL VOL 1 & 2 (2003 & 2004) are prime examples of pure colorful violent entertainment.  They would be on this list if it weren’t for my previous rule.  INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS was highly impressive with great dialogue, tension, humor and wit all with the help from some fantastic ensemble acting.

4.  THE DEPARTED (2006)– Martin Scorsese finally wins his Oscar and I’m someone that actually believes it was given to him appropriately for this title.  A clever script combined with amazing performances, THE DEPARTED was highly entertaining full of extreme tension due to great directing.

3.  WALL-E (2008)- I could name every single Pixar movie because they undoubtedly are consistently one of the best films for every year.  MONSTERS INC., FINDING NEMO, THE INCREDIBLES, UP and TOY STORY 3 are all tops.  But for me WALL-E is the one that reached another world even for Pixar standards. With hardly any dialogue, combing humor with serious themes while being visually stimulating, I felt more love for two animated robots, the planet and a cockroach than I ever have for real people in any other picture. Bravo Pixar

2.  MEMENTO (2001), THE DARK KNIGHT (2008),INCEPTION (2010) – Yes I cheated by putting three movie titles rather than just one.  But do you really want me using up my entire list with Christopher Nolan movies?  …Because I’ll do it.  Even BATMAN BEGINS and THE PRESTIGE were awesome!  So yes the one common denominator is director and writer Christopher Nolan.  MEMENTO reversed what we thought about story telling.  DARK KNIGHT proves a super hero film can be smart and sophisticated.  INCEPTION gave us another original idea in a world of sequels, remakes and bio pics.  Nolan continues to turn story telling and film making up on its head and spins it.

1.  LORD OF THE RINGS:  THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001)- How can I not choose the film (films) that might possibly have taken the reign from STAR WARS as the greatest epic of all time.  Yeah I said it.  THE TWO TOWERS and THE RETURN OF THE KING are fantastic as well but the feeling I had watching Fellowship is unmatched.  I quickly knew I was witnessing one of the greatest films in history and counted myself lucky that I would get to experience two more.

The post The Lord of the Rings and Christopher Nolan lead the ten best films of the decade appeared first on Flix 66.

I’ve been a fan of Mr. Keaton ever since MR. MOM back in 1983.  I would watch it over and over as a child carrying my own wubbie.  The way he reasoned with his son to let go of his prized blanket along with Keaton’s battle against the vacuum cleaner has always been inspiration to me.  I knew then that this is a funny man who I enjoy watching on screen.  Keaton has an impressive body of work through the 80’s and 90’s that has seemed to back off considerably in the new millennium.  Thankfully, the all-knowing Pixar continues to cast him in voice-over work or we would have nothing.  So my plea is for some great director to cast Mr. Keaton in a quality studio picture so the world may see his dramatic and comedic talent once again.

Let’s first take a look at his work beginning in the 1980’s.  He started off immediately stealing scenes from the Fonz himself, Henry Winkler, in NIGHT SHIFT.  Gracing us with fun little gems like MR. MOM, JOHNY DANGEROUSLY, GUNG-HO, THE SQUEEZE and THE DREAM TEAM, it was clear he knew comedy as a charismatic leading man.  Then a wonderful collaboration was struck between him and director Tim Burton beginning with one of his best roles in BEETLEJUICE.  I still don’t even think of him as that character, he is so unrecognizably repulsive and humorous.  But he showed real versatility in that same year with a dramatic side in CLEAN AND SOBER.   These roles earned him a National Society of Film Critics Award.  He then reteamed with Burton who cast him as the famous caped crusader in BATMAN.  Fanboys everywhere were angrily flipping out, calling it a ridiculous choice.  All were quickly quieted after the film came out and Keaton’s Batman held his own against the great Jack Nicholson as the most notoriously crazy villain the Joker.

This brings us to the 90’s where Keaton reprises his Bruce Wayne role in BATMAN RETURNS.  The naysayers before will all admit he was a far better Batman than his predecessors, Kilmer and Clooney.  (Obviously Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale’s BATMAN BEGINS and DARK KNIGHT are on a whole other movie making playing field).  He then switches gears with Shakespeare’s MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, the dramatically touching MY LIFE and the comedic ensemble THE PAPER.  Playing four different versions of himself in hilarious convincing fashion he then tackles MULTIPLICITY.  Before portraying a serious villain in the thriller DESPERATE MEASURES, Keaton finally gets to act in Quentin Tarantino’s underrated JACKIE BROWN, a role he reprises unaccredited in Steven Soderbergh’s OUT OF SIGHT.

I firmly believe every film I mentioned has merit and I didn’t even name them all.  Well starting at the end of 1998, Keaton starred in the atrocious JACK FROST, as a neglectful dad trapped in a snowman.  That led us into the 2000’s where he had supporting roles in FIRST DAUGHTER and HERBIE FULLY LOADED that no one even knew he was cast.  He also did the pathetic horror film WHITE NOISE.  After those and a couple of other unrecognizable films Keaton was even asked in an interview, “Where have you been?”  He had to name those movies.

To his credit he did star in a few critically acclaimed television miniseries even receiving a Golden Globe nomination for LIVE FROM BAGHDAD and a Screen Actor’s Guild nomination for THE COMPANY.  But those are TV miniseries and nobody watches those.  Even in CARS, TOY STORY 3 and the upcoming CARS 2 he is heard but never seen.

I know I basically listed his resume but the powers that be need to take note.  Despite all these credentials Michael Keaton is an underrated actor.  He deserves better than a small part in last summer’s THE OTHER GUYS.  When looking at his body of work, one quickly realizes this guy is great.  He is one of the most likeable, commanding and versatile actors to watch.  Why does no one talk about him?  I’m guessing his asking price is pretty low and he would be a steal in any film.  Studios, directors and casting agents, please take note and cast Michael Keaton in a leading role again.  Audiences will love him and your film will be better for it.

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Making a list of the worst movies in a particular year is much harder than making a list of the best movies of 2010.  This is true mainly because there’s more competition when it comes to bad movies and if you’re lucky, there’s usually about 15 good movies to choose from.  Narrowing down the 150 other bad movies into only 10 is a challenge.  Before I get into the worst movies of the year, you need to know that the most important things that makes a movie “bad” is when it tries to do something and fails.  In other words, VAMPIRES SUCK isn’t on my list because even though it was atrocious and never should have been made, it tried to be a stupid spoof movie.  So saying it was the worst of the year is just playing into the film’s intentions.  As far as movie failures, here’s a list of the worst movies of 2010:

10.  GREENBERG – Ben Stiller and Greta Gerwig had no business being in this film.  Not that two other actors could have done better with this misguided film from Noah Baumbach, but the film had no chance with these two in the lead roles.  Baumbach’s films are an acquired taste that I thought I had, but he may have lost me with this one.

9.  THE TOURIST – I never would have thought Depp and Jolie could stink up a film as bad as they did with this, but there’s a reason so many A-listers passed on the script before it finally wound up in their hands.  As beautiful as they are, they couldn’t save this film from an amateur director and a predictable plot.

8. JONAH HEX – I almost feel bad for Josh Brolin and Megan Fox for getting caught up in the travesty that is Jonah Hex.  On paper, this could have been a fun film but nothing about this movie went right.  They found a way to make Megan Fox unsexy and make an action movie boring.  This film was plagued with problems throughout and suffered a few delays.  Now we know why.

7. THE BOUNTY HUNTER – I actually defended Jennifer Aniston earlier this year, but there’s no defending THE BOUNTY HUNTER.  But like I said in the article; this wasn’t so much her fault as it was Gerard Butler’s.  300 aside, Butler has stunk up everything he’s touched and I dare you to watch this film without being overcome with the urge to punch him in the face.

6. SEX AND THE CITY 2 – I will sheepishly admit that I actually liked the TV show and the first movie wasn’t bad.  And I love that women love this series so much.  So maybe that’s why I hated the sequel so much; they completely spit in the face of all their fans by taking a quality series and making a mockery of it.  Nothing went right for the sequel and now even the most die-hard fans are going to have to reconsider watching another sequel.

5. FURRY VENGEANCE – This isn’t Brendan Fraser’s first ride on a top 5 worst list and probably won’t be his last.  Even with his horrible filmography, I couldn’t help but ask why he would do such a bad film.  I appreciate the message of going green and loving the environment, but when your movie is this bad, it might have the opposite effect on people.

4. SOMEWHERE – Yes, the film that won Cannes this year is without a doubt one of the worst movie of the year.  This film makes me so angry I can hardly stand it.  It’s a film about nothing, but not in that Seinfeld-funny way, but in the way that makes you long to get that 100 minutes of your life back.  And again, anyone that tells you this film has deeper meaning is being swindled and/or paid by Sofia Coppola.

3. GENTLEMAN BRONCOS – I came into Broncos convinced I was going to like it.  I like Jemaine Clement and Sam Rockwell and felt that this film would be a great lesser-known gem.  Boy, was I wrong.  This film could have been made by a 12 year-old with a camcorder and still looked more professional.  The dialogue was embarrassing and the worst part about it is the fact they had a good idea and just couldn’t execute.

2. MARMADUKE – This gets ranked so high because of the blatant attempt to cash in on a name and forego all effort of making a decent film.  I love dogs, and talking dogs are always cute, but even a dog lover like me couldn’t stomach Marmaduke.  And just because you have cute dogs in your film, it doesn’t mean you have to make every human despicable.

1. THE BACK-UP PLAN – I have no problem with Jennifer Lopez.  In fact, I used to enjoy some of her romantic comedies.  But those days are long gone as Lopez is just a pale reflection of her former self.  This film was hard to get through and they managed to offend just about every woman in the world.  I would say Lopez should be ashamed of herself, but after taking on American Idol, I’m sure she’s past the point of shame.

Honorable mentions – GREENZONE, COP OUT, WHEN IN ROME, GROWN UPS, THE LAST AIRBENDER

The post Somewhere, The Tourist and The Back-Up Plan Lead The Ten Worst Movies of 2010 appeared first on Flix 66.

It seems sacrilege to write anything scathing about one of the nicest, most charming actors in Hollywood, but I guess I’ve finally grown tired of the bad roles Johnny Depp has chosen since he reached galactic fame in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN.  Even with so many lackluster performances, audiences still love him and many people still hail Depp as their favorite actor.  But lately I’ve challenged Depp fans by asking them to be specific in what movies they like of Depp’s.  Inevitably, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN is the first response and a good response at that.  Depp was/is great as the quirky Jack Sparrow and knowing Sparrow was a creation of Depp’s makes it all the more impressive.  Aside from Pirates, we then get a string of Tim Burton movies that people love, but then the list dries up.  So I’ve come to the conclusion that audiences love Johnny Depp as long as he’s not being Johnny Depp.

I can’t think of an actor in recent memory that was more famous for playing characters that made them virtually unrecognizable, but Depp has managed to pull it off.  Movies where he’s basically being Depp, such as SECRET WINDOW, PUBLIC ENEMIES, THE LIBERTINE, THE TOURIST, etc. have all been mediocre or worse.   It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why Depp being Depp doesn’t work, but for an actor who made a point to choose quirky, unorthodox roles early in his career, he’s making a habit of choosing the blandest, most boring roles possible now that he’s reached A-list status (again, excluding Burton and Pirates films).  It’s odd because most actors sell out in the beginning and then do the smaller films after they make their millions (Clooney being the best example of this).

Even going back through his pre-Pirates resume, it’s hard to be impressed.  None of his non-Burton or Pirates films have achieved box office success, but most of them haven’t received critical praise either.  Until recently, I always chalked up his taste in movies to him rebuking the Hollywood system and wanting to do roles that challenged him as an actor.  But now I’m thinking that he just isn’t very good at choosing scripts.  Maybe he never really was an actor’s actor that just wanted to do small, character driven pieces like we thought.  Maybe he always wanted to be an A-list actor that chose unchallenging, embarrassingly simple roles like THE TOURIST.  His inability to carry a non-Burton or Pirates movie on his own is what sets him apart from his A-list counterparts, and not in a good way.

All indicators are that Depp is a class act; a truly great person that people like and like being around.  He seems like a nice guy and is arguably the most charismatic actor working today.  So it’s tough to sit back and judge his filmography with an unbiased eye.  But when you do, you can’t help but be disappointed with what you see.   We all know he’s a handsome man and charming in a way that few humans are, but if someone doesn’t help him choose his scripts better, his looks and charm may not be enough to keep audiences coming to the theaters.

The post I Have Lost Faith in Johnny Depp appeared first on Flix 66.

Top ten lists are a dime a dozen these days, but when recapping a year, the first thing anyone should do is look back and decide what the best movies were.  In the case of 2010, we had some great films, but oddly enough we didn’t have many summer blockbusters that stood out.  It was definitely the year for the smaller, more character driven films.  So without further adieu, let’s take a look back at the best films of 2010 (click the titles to read the full reviews):

10. KICK-ASS – The tenth spot on my list is reserved for the “fun” movie of the year and there’s no better choice than KICK-ASS.  It was a blast and rebuked typical superhero rules in favor of telling an honest story about a kid trying to make a difference.  Of course, it was fun seeing him get the snot beat out of him, but watching Chloe Moretz burst on the scene and take on everyone in her path was even better.

9. TOY STORY 3 – Never bet against Pixar.  While most franchises would be stretching to justify a third film, Pixar made it seem like the Toy Story franchise needed one all along.  Just thinking about the toys holding hands on the way to the incinerator makes me want to cry.  This is another notch in the Pixar belt and a welcomed addition to the franchise.

8. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO – I don’t really know what year’s list to put these films on considering they’ve been out overseas for a while now.  But technically, they’re eligible for Oscars this year, so they’re on the list.  These films are exciting, sad and extremely disturbing all at once, but you can’t help but be glued to the screen the entire time.  And it’s impossible to watch them and not fall in love with Noomi Rapace.

7. THE FIGHTER – Boxing movies keep coming and although I’m sick of them, I can’t help but be excited by them.  This time around, director David O. Russell put the focus on the boxer’s brother and let Christian Bale shine as Dicky Eklund.  Bale’s performance was the best of the year and he carried this movie and made it so much more than just another boxing film.

6. BLACK SWAN – I have to say that Swan receives such a high mark from me not because I enjoyed it, but more because I respect it so much.  It was flawlessly executed and told in such an innovative manner that you can’t help but be in awe at the film.  Throw in a great performance from Natalie Portman and you have a film that will stick with you long after the end credits roll.

5. TRUE GRIT – Most of the top 10 movies all feature one thing in common; amazing performances.  Once again, Jeff Bridges shows us he’s one of the best actors of his generation with his great turn as Rooster Cogburn.  I think this film tends to be a little overrated because of the Coen Brothers, but it’s still a fun time at the theater and one of the best Westerns we’ve seen in a while.

4. THE TOWN – What a roller coaster of a career Ben Affleck has had.  He started out with the drama GOOD WILL HUNTING, then went on to do a series of mindless blockbusters, only to fall into a pit of horrible movies and then wound up on the other side as an extremely talented director.  But what he showed us in 2010 is that he can still act, giving great performances here and in THE COMPANY MEN.  THE TOWN is a great film that features a new take on bank robberies and features a great ending and powerful storytelling.

3. THE SOCIAL NETWORK – The “Facebook movie” proved to be about so much more than just Facebook and ended up being a fascinating character study about one person’s refusal to cave into the system that he so desperately wanted to be a part of.  But the best part of the film is not the top caliber acting and directing, but the wonderfully clever script from Aaron Sorkin.  Rarely has a dialogue-only film made you feel like you just watched a summer action movie.

2. 127 HOURS – The film that I was so skeptical of before its release turned out to be one of the best films of the year, thanks in large part to a creative style from Danny Boyle and a career performance from James Franco.  It’s such a simple story, but it’s told so well that you can’t help but to react emotionally to the events that transpire.  Whether you find yourself inspired, humbled or even disgusted, this film is sure to get to even the most cynical of moviegoers.

1. INCEPTION – This is a no-brainer for me.  The first film to receive a perfect “10” rating from me is obviously going to be the best film of the year.  As much praise as the film has received, I still don’t think it’s appreciated for how truly brilliant it is.  Filming a 15 minute action scene that can hold an audience’s attention is difficult enough, but filming three 15 minute scenes and intertwining them is a nearly impossible task that Nolan pulled off flawlessly.  Ten years from now, people are going to look at this film as being revolutionary for how it changed Hollywood.  People wanted more from their summer blockbusters and INCEPTION finally gave it to them.

The post Inception, 127 Hours and The Social Network are the best movies of 2010 appeared first on Flix 66.

When I realized I was inspired to write this editorial, I had to peek outside my window to see if Armageddon hadn’t swept through the world.  Me defending Jennifer Aniston has to be a signal to the end of the world.  I’ve bashed her relentlessly since the 6^th or 7^th season of ‘Friends’ and for the longest time, I’ve found her to be a very obnoxious, uppity person with a horrible screen presence.  But as I’ve watched her last few movies, I’ve come to realize that I was wrong.  What’s surprising about this is that now we find ourselves in a time where it seems like everyone else hates her.  Critics and fans alike want to blame her for the box office bombs she’s appeared in lately and even her die-hard fans are questioning whether or not she’ll ever strike box office gold.  But let me let you in on a little secret; it’s not her fault.

When I say “not her fault”, let me be clear by saying it’s not her fault the movies were either a) bad movies or b) box office flops.  One can make the argument that it’s her fault for even choosing to do the films, which I wouldn’t argue with.  But saying they failed because of something she did or didn’t do is unfair to Aniston.  Her last 8 or 9 movies have suffered for a variety of reasons.  THE SWITCH and LOVE HAPPENS just didn’t have the broad appeal that most romantic comedies have and I wouldn’t have expected them to be huge successes with any actress.  But on top of that, they weren’t her movies.  At best, she was a supporting character for Jason Bateman and Aaron Eckhart.  It should also be noted that both movies were actually pretty decent.

But let’s look at some that weren’t so great; THE BOUNTY HUNTER and MARLEY & ME.  In these films, she did fine for what was asked of her.  Nothing, and no one, could make THE BOUNTY HUNTER bearable as long as Gerard Butler was in the lead role.  As for Marley, they took the most depressing, boring elements of the book and made a movie out of it, leaving out everything that made the book fun.  No one wants to watch a two hour movie with a 45 minute doggie death scene.  But blaming Aniston for these films isn’t right.  If anything, she should be criticized for not taking roles that feature her more prominently.  I think she can carry a film and a role focused on her instead of her male lead would be a better measure of her star power.

But Jennifer Aniston doesn’t do herself any favors in the public’s eye.  She has that snotty, spoiled, cheerleader personality type that is only exacerbated whenever Brad Pitt or any of her other boyfriends are brought up.  But there’s a line between how a celebrity acts in real life and how they perform in front of a camera.  Even though I’m not her biggest fan, I for one, have to take a moment and reflect before I dismiss her next film just because she’s in it.  I know it’s fun to hate her, but blaming her is not always justified.

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I wanted to get a review out to the public during the week. I was blessed with a break in my always busy schedule and attempted to watch CATS & DOGS: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE to write the review and get it to the public (whom I love so dearly) so that they might make an informed decision at the box office. I’m sorry, good people, but I have let you down. I had to leave CATS & DOGS 2 twenty minutes into the thing. And in those twenty minutes, as I watched the inane blather of what the narrator of FIGHT CLUB called “the snooty cat and the courageous dog with the celebrity voices,” I thought about Los Angeles for a bit, and became instantly enraged. So I had to leave the theater to put my rage into a more coherent thought. I would like to share that thought with you now.

I thought about Los Angeles and I thought about New York. And I thought about the countless waiters and hostesses and busboys and hat check girls (they still have hat check girls, right?) that are working their way through these cities, toiling at minimum wage/minimum hours jobs and focusing their off time on writing scripts to be made into movies of which they can be proud. I thought about the waiter from Carmine’s that dropped a plate of Chicken Parmesan when I last visited New York, no doubt lost in thought over the classic dénouement he was putting on a script concerning the tortured relationship of a father and son. I thought about the woman writing a romantic comedy that was empowering to women but also touched on the classic contradictions in human relationships…and I thought about the nights she spends serving drinks at bar on Ventura, enduring all the cheesy come-ons and ogling customers. And I respect those people on those boulevards of broken dreams, and encourage them to keep at it a little while longer.

Other writers give up on their passion projects of emotional or complicated themes to write fluff like CATS & DOGS or this month’s ridiculous STEP UP 3D (though I did watch that, because “one move can set a whole generation free”). And maybe they get the payday, and maybe they get out of work at the bar on Ventura, but a little piece of the most successful art we have going on right now dies. The release of Christopher Nolan’s INCEPTION has invigorated people’s faith in Hollywood’s ability to create an original, captivating story with genuine emotion that excites the visual senses as well as a part of your brain that maybe you’d forgotten about. You mean to tell me Chris Nolan is the only guy that can come up with that? I say “No!” I’m glad he’s out there, but I say there are more. Check out your bars and restaurants. Check out the clerks in book stores or Best Buys in the big entertainment centers of America. I’ll bet you there out there, suffering at menial jobs with flexible hours so they can spend the majority of their day working on their screenplays. And you guys and gals keep fighting the good fight. As a culture we will rise above the CATS & DOGS movies of the world, and you will help us. Keep hope alive! Keep bussing those tables, keep serving those drinks, and take comfort in the fact that true artistic brilliance usually comes with a period of suffering…and your time at The Olive Garden is yours. Table for two, please.

The post Despite Step-Up 3D and Cats and Dogs 2, Stay strong, Would-Be Screenwriters! appeared first on Flix 66.

Once again, I find myself in the familiar position of defending Tom Cruise.  The very first article I ever posted on the internet was about how unfair the media reacted to Tom Cruise and his couch-jumping incident over five years ago.  We’ve come a long way since then, but the fact remains that the media absolutely hates the guy.  Cruise is in a position now that whatever he does is going to be scrutinized and used as proof that his career is over.  The most recent example of this is the poor performance of his latest film KNIGHT AND DAY.  But let’s look a little closer at KNIGHT AND DAY and try to break down exactly why it “only” pulled in $28 million in its first five days.

First, we have an overplayed, pedestrian story.  The oddity here is that Tom Cruise has made a career out of choosing great scripts and appearing in quality, original films.  So he shouldn’t go completely unpunished because he could have said “no” when asked to star in this.  Regardless, he didn’t write the script, he just misjudged it.  The “overplayed” notion was highlighted this year when KILLERS, with Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl opened up barely 45 days earlier to only $15 million.  The two films have virtually the exact same plot where a superspy teams up with an unwilling woman to perform a specific mission.  I’d suspect that no actor could pull this off, especially with Cameron Diaz.

Which brings me to my next point; America does not like Cameron Diaz.  For years, Hollywood has tried to convince us that Cameron Diaz is both beautiful and a movie star.  She is neither.  She has never opened her own film and audiences haven’t enjoyed her since THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY.  And the truth to that film is that any actress in that role, reciting those lines would endear themselves to the male population.  Since the female lead in KNIGHT AND DAY was such a predominant character, it needed someone the audience liked and was attracted to.  Diaz fulfilled neither of those needs.  If Hollywood learns a lesson here, let it be that Cameron Diaz is not a female lead and should not be used as such.

Finally, there’s the marketing of the film.  Was it just me, or did it feel like an episode of a bad TV show during the trailer and on the TV spots?  At one point, I saw them compare this character to Jerry Maguire.  Why would you compare an action role to a romantic role?  It’s not like Cruise has only done two movies and you had to stretch to find something comparable; the guy has done dozens of films, many of them action movies.  Even I, as a die-hard Cruise supporter, wasn’t excited about this film because of the poor marketing.  To make it worse, while watching the film, I realized a trailer could have been put together to make this look like a real movie, not a dopey action comedy.  Someone at Fox should be fired for their marketing campaign.

Rumors now persist that the poor showing of KNIGHT AND DAY is going to lead Paramount to backing out of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 4.  That’s a shame because a lot of people are excited about catching up with Ethan Hunt again.  Tom Cruise is not done as an actor.  He’s still one of the biggest and most successful movie stars in the history of film and one lackluster film does not a career ruin.  Tom will be back, and I’ll happily be waiting at the theater.

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Trifecta #20: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS + WHAT ABOUT BOB? + DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

Most people have heard of the Muppets. For people of my generation (whatever that’s called), it is almost impossible not to know about them. One of my favorite things about the Muppets was the close relationship between two of the main puppeteers, creator Jim Henson and Frank Oz. This relationship translated beautifully in their collaborations, with Henson as Kermit the Frog and Rowlf the Dog and Oz as Fozzie Bear (note: not Fozzie the Bear).  Later, George Lucas would tap into the puppetry for Yoda in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), and continue to use Oz for all the following Star Wars movies, working the puppet in JEDI and PHANTOM MENACE, and just as the voice for the computer-generated Yoda of CLONES and SITH. But Oz truly broke out in the 80’s and 90’s as a director, with some of the funniest collaborations with great comic actors. And though Fozzie Bear will always hold a place in our hearts, let’s not forget the man directing him, also directed characters not made of fabric-covered foam rubber, and directed them pretty well.

The Frank Oz trifecta begins with his first foray into non-Muppet directing (he first co-directed THE DARK CRYSTAL and directed THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN), which was 1986’s LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Yes, it’s a musical, and yes there is a giant talking plant, but it’s the love story between lovable schlub Seymour (typecast schlub Rick Moranis) and Audrey (Ellen Greene) that carries the plot. The big plant is merely an obstacle. Another obstacle is Audrey’s abusive boyfriend, Orin Scrivello, DDS (sadistic dentist Steve Martin) who has hilarious scenes with his jet black hair singing an ode to dentistry and torturing a masochistic patient in Bill Murray. Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops did the voice for the plant who runs amok (if plants could run) and the two lovers must try to find their way through these impediments. But along the way we have James Belushi, John Candy and Christopher Guest doing funny cameos, and yes, even little Tisha Campbell singing as a recurring chorus girl (“Damn, Gina!”). This movie has everything.

The next stop into the wonderful world of Oz is a head trip taken by Richard Dreyfuss and Bill Murray in WHAT ABOUT BOB?(1991). This hilarious pic has the pompous Dr. Leo Marvin (Dreyfuss) taking on clingy new patient Bob Wiley (Murray) who apparently suffers from crippling fears of everything. Dr. Marvin thinks he’s so good he can toss Bob aside with a copy of his book and a contrived prescription (a vacation from his problems), but that’s when the doctor/patient line is truly crossed, as Bob follows Dr. Marvin on vacation to Lake Winnepasakee (sp?) and becomes everyone’s favorite new person. Leo loses his family, his house and his sanity thanks to Bob’s lovable, schmucky ways, including reciting poetry (“Roses are red, Violets are blue, I’m a schizophrenic, and so am I.”) And though Bill Murray has the fun playing crazy but lovable, it’s truly hilarious watching Richard Dreyfuss’ slow descent into madness, with that vintage Dreyfuss laugh in full maniacal glee. He’s even crazier here than when he was making mountains out of mashed potatoes.

Finally, the best comedy in Frank Oz’s bag of tricks is DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS (1988) with Steve Martin and Michael Caine playing con artists working the French Riviera. Watching Steve Martin’s first con in a dining car on a train is hilarious enough as he talks about his sick grandmother, but he trumps it later as a disabled Naval officer. But Michael Caine is not to be outdone, as the smooth professional teaching Martin the intricacies of the big con, and using Martin to get out of relationship obligations by playing Ruprect, the “special” brother of Caine’s fabricated prince who needs every penny to free his enslaved people. Con movies are great, and when played for comedy, they can be hilarious, and Steve Martin plays a liar better than any other comic actor you will ever see (watch him weave his deceptions in Oz’s HOUSESITTER and BOWFINGER as well). And the final twist that almost always comes in con movies truly catches you off guard. Just a great finish to a great night of comedy, directed by the man who once delivered his comedy bits from a muppet named Fozzie Bear.

Trifecta time: 302 minutes

You can’t go out and party every weekend, so on those nights you want to take it easy, Flix66.com has put together a bi-weekly column to help you with your movie selection. The Trifecta is a recommendation of three movies that set a mood, that showcase an actor or director, that acquaint the viewer with a geographic location, or maybe even have some obscure link like a Best Boy or Key Grip.

The post The Wizard That is Frank Oz appeared first on Flix 66.

Trifecta #19: THE ADVENTURES OF SHARKBOY AND LAVAGIRL + HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE + PANIC ROOM

With all the craze surrounding the most popular kids in school who happen to be monsters in a romantic love triangle, we figured it was a good time to share where these little love mongers got their start.  If you are living blissfully ignorant and unaware, I am speaking about Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, the dreamboats of The Munsters crossbred with the 90210esque films called The TWILIGHT SAGA.  It’s no secret that we here at Flix are not the biggest fans of the films, so I’m gonna give you three alternative films where each of your favorite stars got their big breaks.  Warning: Teen angst, deep emotional feelings and brooding will be absent.

THE ADVENTURES OF SHARKBOY AND LAVAGIRL 3-D (Team Jacob)- A young boy’s dream world comes to life and he must help his favorite superheroes; Sharkboy (Lautner) and Lavagirl, save their perfect dream world, Planet Drool.  Directed by Robert Rodriguez unique style, this film is less like his DESPERADO and more like his SPY KIDS.  OK, so this might be more for those new moms that don’t want to subject their children who are too young for a love/vamp movie but still need a Taylor Lautner fix while keeping their perverted crush.  TL’s all of 13 years old so one would be kind of sick for this action, but hey he was all of 16 years old for the first Twilight. Guess What?  He’s still illegal ladies…and fellas.

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE (Team Edward)- This is the fourth Harry Potter installment and probably the most pivotal because Voldermort has risen and is finally revealed.  Robert Pattinson plays Cedric Diggory, the most talented contender for Hogwarts in The Triwizard Tournament.  Personally, I still think this is Bob Patty’s best performance.  He doesn’t do much, but maybe that’s what makes the performance better- he doesn’t try so hard (REMEMBER ME, LITTLE ASHES, TWILIGHT’S).  He’s charismatic, subtle and charming helping out another troubled unique teen in his own right, Potter.  SPOILER ALERT:  Unfortunately, his best scene is lying on the ground dead as his father screams, “IT’S MY BOY!”

PANIC ROOM (Team Bella)- The great David Fincher (SEVEN, FIGHT CLUB, all of his movies) directed this underrated gem about a mother (Jodie Foster) and her child locked in a highly secure panic room inside their own home while a few criminals (Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, Dwight Yoakam) invade their home.  What the criminals desire happens to be inside that very room.  The ambiguous boy/girl child of Jodie Foster is played none other than Kristen Stewart.  K Stew does a great job in this suspense thriller, but it did take me half the film to finally figure out she was a little girl rather than a little boy.

For the record, I’m Team Alice (Ashley Greene) and you can find her in her first staring role in the USA Canadian slasher flick SUMMER’S BLOOD.  Greene plays the title character, who is being stalked by a family of Serial Killers.  To be honest, I have yet to see this film, but that doesn’t stop Ashy G from being super hot and that seems to be all the necessary criteria to root for your team.

The post Get it Started With Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart appeared first on Flix 66.

Alright, let’s just get this out in the open so everybody knows: I like musicals. There, I said it. I get to New York City every once in a while and it’s a foregone conclusion that I will see a Broadway musical. In fact, Hollywood has used such musicals to create some genuine movie classics, especially the musicals of yesteryear. From the ridiculously choreographed basketball court scene at the beginning of WEST SIDE STORY, to Marlon Brando singing in GUYS AND DOLLS, to Bing Crosby and Sinatra dancing to Louis Armstrong songs in HIGH SOCIETY, these are all scenes that use Broadway musicals to provide a truly enjoyable movie-going experience. And I don’t think I should have to apologize for liking that! Sorry, I’ve taken some flak from the other guys on the site for this article, I didn’t mean to yell. But Hollywood has fueled a resurgence of these song and dance favorites in recent years, to include a Best Picture Academy Award winner in 2002’s CHICAGO, to commercial successes in 2007’s HAIRSPRAY and the worldwide box office juggernaut that was MAMMA MIA!. And the latter did so despite a magnificently horrible singing performance by Pierce Brosnan (sorry, Thomas Crown, a singer you ain’t).

So, piggybacking off of this trend of bringing more current Broadway musicals to the big screen, I suggest the next adaptation be one that finds its roots in the 1939 silver screen classic THE WIZARD OF OZ, the smash musical “Wicked.” This global phenomenon has won countless theatrical awards, including three Tony Awards in 2004. It has been named by Entertainment Weekly as this decade’s Best Stage Musical.  It has broken numerous box office records in its openings in Chicago, San Francisco and London, and it has even blown away packed audiences as far away as Germany, Japan and Australia. And it is the highest weekly grossing Broadway Musical in the history of the Great White Way. Tell me that wouldn’t put asses in the seats should this mammoth success become a movie.

The story, for those who haven’t been among the record crowds for this event, involves a different take on the Wicked Witch of the West from the original THE WIZARD OF OZ, and mostly focuses on the events that occurred before Dorothy’s house flew in and crushed the witch’s sister. It’s a plot that plays on modern themes as well as a classic friendship tale between two girls; the one an outcast, the other the most popular girl…ever, in her mind. Since the music in this play has been so pivotal to its success, for casting I’d suggest bringing back the original cast from the Platinum selling soundtrack: Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Joel Grey (still alive, by the way) and Norbert Leo Butz (yes, his real name). The soundtrack did after all win the Grammy for Best Musical Show Album back in 2005, and the songs have made a resurgence thanks to the hit single “Defying Gravity” being performed on “Glee” in its first season.

Basically, all the ingredients are there. This is a ready-made hit, with guaranteed blockbuster and maybe even critical success if done right. So before they start to green light something like another HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, maybe Hollywood should try to bring this tale of a misunderstood green girl to the big screen. And no, just to reiterate, there is nothing wrong with a grown man liking musicals…except the Streisand ones. I mean, really, come on.

The post Bring Wicked to the Big Screen! appeared first on Flix 66.

If you have a love for travel and don’t mind subtitles, or can speak Spanish fluently, this is the movie for you. After watching this film you will want to pack your bags for an adventure of your own where you will “embark on a journey to the farthest reaches of the human spirit where we will encounter new lands, hear new anthems, eat new fruits…” Based on the biographies of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevera and Alberto Granado, this true-life story documents two friends and their incredible motorcycled journey throughout South America in 1952.  This is the story before Guevera became the political activist that most remember.

The plan: travel 8000km in four months, traveling on a beat-up 20 year old motorcycle through Argentina, Chile and Peru, ending in Venezuela. From the opening scene to the closing credits (featuring the Oscar winning Best Original Song “Al Otro Lado Del Río”) I’m captivated. The cinematography is beautiful. The way the landscape, motorcycle, city and everything in between are shot creates a longing to revisit these countries, perhaps do the same route of Guevera and Granado.  Hats off to director Walter Salles, this film does a top-notch job capturing the spirit, humor, heartache and love at the pulse of the South American countries the improvising duo visit.

As I’m only familiar with only two other works of Gael Garcia Bernal (Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN and RUDO Y CURSI) I loved seeing him tackle the role of this famed Argentinean. He gave Guevera a naivety, honesty and heart that I had not seen in Bernal’s previous performances.  Even though I am not an expert, from my untrained ear, Bernal was able to switch from his recognizable Mexican accent to Argentinean with an added a bit of softness.  Generally I find voiceovers in a film annoying, however, hearing Che’s letters to his mother add a depth to the story that doesn’t feel cheesy or unnecessary. Rather, the letters are heart wrenching and poetic all at once.  Watching Bernal and Rodrigo de la Serna (Granado) perform you would think they had been friends for years and had truly gone through this rough, wearing and rewarding adventure together.   The most impressive scene to me is the swim across the river, Granado cursing and doubting that his asthmatic friend can make it across, those on the other side of the river cheering Guevera on. When Guevera makes it across and Granado grins and says “I knew he’d make it” I find myself grinning like a fool. De la Serna is the perfect sidekick: chubby with a mischievous grin and heartfelt laugh, simultaneously cheering on and taunting the lead character. He has the right amount of b.s. to his swagger making him all the more loveable.  When De la Serna weeps over his motorcycle “The Mighty One” as they part ways you feel the loss and sadness of saying goodbye to a longtime friend.

I completely enjoy the way this story is told, the black and white clips feel like I’m thumbing through an old album or diary, and as seen in the credits, actual photos of the adventures are a great end to a marvelous ride.

The post One You Might’ve Missed #19: The Motorcycle Diaries appeared first on Flix 66.

I have to say that these articles have been fun to write.  I’ve been impressed with the responses I’ve gotten from them.  I expected some blind hatred (which I’ve gotten), but I’ve been surprised with how some of these stars’ biggest fans can take a logical look at their careers and realize there are some trouble ahead for them.

I think the biggest question mark is still with the two biggest stars, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.  I actually went back and watched a couple of Rob’s movies (LITTLE ASHES and HOW TO BE) and…wow…they were horrible.  Hopefully you guys see something in him that I don’t.  As for Taylor Lautner and Ashley Greene, I think most people agreed with my assessment and that we’re in kind of a “wait and see” mode.

The last of my three-part editorial is by far and away the hardest because they’re the “forgotten” stars of the series.  The main four get so much credit, but these two have started to line up some projects that might shoot them past their co-stars if everything goes right.

KELLAN LUTZ

Before Twilight: I had never heard of Kellan before the Twilight series, but he’s been around for a while.  He started out doing bit parts on TV shows, but then did a couple of tweenie-films with STICK-IT and ACCEPTED.  His biggest break (before Twilight, obviously) was as Cpl. Lilley in ‘Generation Kill’, which gives hope that he has some acting talent.

After Twilight: Kellan has also done a fine job of lining up projects at a brisk pace.  Following in Lautner’s “accept any offer” mold, Lutz has accepted parts in DEATHGAMES, WARRIOR, IMMORTALS and LOVE, WEDDING, MARRIAGE.  So that’s two action movies and one rom-com, which isn’t bad for someone like Kellan.  He’s already proven he can act, so getting a chance to shine in IMMORTALS should be a good break for him.

Prediction: This depends on what Kellan wants to do.  I really think he could be a big action star in the vein of Dwayne Johnson or Jason Statham if he wants to go that route.  There’s a void in the action movie genre that Kellan could fill.  But we still need to see him carry his own film (DEATHGAMES should take care of that) before I have too much confidence.  But his future is pretty bright and I give him a 50% chance of being relevant after TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN.

NIKKI REED

Before Twilight: Nikki probably had the most interesting and diverse career before Twilight.  She broke onto the scene with 2003’s THIRTEEN, which she also wrote (at 13), then went away for a little bit and then came back in LORDS OF DOGTOWN.  She’s done several smaller films, but hardly what I would consider a mainstream career.

After Twilight: Again, not a whole lot going on.  She did a smaller film (LAST DAY OF SUMMER) and has a couple of upcoming projects; PRIVELEDGED and CHAIN LETTER, but I can’t say I’m blown away by either role.  But I’m not sure this is because she’s intentionally not choosing bigger roles or if she’s not getting offers.

Prediction: Of the six stars I’ve talked about so far, I have to say that Nikki is the hardest to predict.  I want to give her a lot of credit for THIRTEEN and say that she’ll have a career based off that alone.  But I have to remind myself that THIRTEEN was seven years ago and she still hasn’t taken off.  But with the Twilight films and some other projects coming up, I think Nikki has a good chance to break out of the mold and I give her a 60% chance of being relevant after Twilight: Breaking Dawn is over.

So now you might be wondering why I haven’t talked about Peter Facinelli, Anna Kendrick, Dakota Fanning or Michael Sheen.  To be honest, I think all four of them have clearly distanced themselves from Twilight to the point that the saga now has no impact on them.  For right or wrong, I think all of them will be fine from here on out.

Read part 1: Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart

Read part 2: Taylor Lautner and Ashley Greene

The post What Will Happen to Kellan Lutz and Nikki Reed After Twilight: Breaking Dawn? appeared first on Flix 66.

Last week, we looked at the careers of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart and gave some mild predictions as to where they’re going to end up after the Twilight series is over.  Today we look at the other two heartthrobs from the series, Taylor Lautner and Ashley Greene.

TAYLOR LAUTNER

Before Twilight: I don’t think it’s up to debate, but no one has benefited more from the Twilight series than Mr. Lautner.  His character was barely an afterthought in the first film and rumor had it that he wasn’t even going to be invited back for the second.  But he put on some muscle and convinced everyone to let him back in.  But without that sequence of events, I can’t imagine Lautner would have been able to break into Hollywood.  Although, people tend to forget that he was Sharkboy in Robert Rodriguez’s SHARKBOY AND LAVA GIRL.

After Twilight: More than any other Twilight alum, Lautner has lined up the projects at a lightning fast pace.  STRETCH ARMSTRONG, CANCUN, ABDUCTION and the on again/off again MAX STEELE are just a few of his upcoming projects.  The best part about what he’s doing is that they seem to be a variety of roles, thus giving him a chance to prove he’s more than just a shy werewolf.  Oh, and he had a decent turn in VALENTINE’S DAY, although it was rough because of how bad Taylor Swift was.

Prediction: It’s really too early to tell because we need him to do a big project that will give him a chance to shine.  He’s the bright spot in the Twilight series, but that’s not saying much.  Based solely off the numerous projects he has lined up, I give Taylor a 60% chance of being relevant after TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN part 2.  That may seem low, but I will say that he has the best chance of being a huge star, it’s just too early to say since he hasn’t done anything yet.

ASHLEY GREENE

Before Twilight: Well, this is short because she didn’t really do anything before her turn in TWILIGHT.  She had a bit part in an episode of ‘Crossing Jordan’ and then an even smaller part in the Michael Douglas film KING OF CALIFORNIA.  But other than that, nothing.

After Twilight: I guess when Sobe Water comes calling, you don’t ignore them.  Ashley Greene made headlines and turned some heads when she signed on to be the official Sobe Water model.  Her ads were on SI.com for weeks.  If you look closely (and I know you will), you can see that she’s not wearing a swimsuit in the ads, but rather that’s body paint.  As for movies, she did the horror film SUMMER’S BLOOD, which is better than nothing…I guess.

Prediction: There’s always room for beautiful women in Hollywood, but the question remains as to what she’s going to do with it.  Other alumni have lined up projects, but Greene hasn’t done much more than advertise water. I think her best chance to “make it” is to do television.  I can see her as the quirky hot girl in a sitcom.  Unfortunately for her, I give her a 20% chance of being relevant in movies after TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN.

Check back next week when we wrap our post-Twilight predictions with a look at Kellan Lutz and Nikki Reed.

Read part 1: Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart

Read part 3: Kellan Lutz and Nikki Reed

The post What will happen to Taylor Lautner and Ashley Greene after Twilight: Breaking Dawn? appeared first on Flix 66.

With the insane hype surrounding anything with the Twilight series, I thought it would be fun to go through some of the series’ main stars and review what they’ve done and try and predict where they’re going.  I want to be clear that I’m not a Twilight fan, but am going to attempt to clearly critique each star and the potential each of them possess.  They’re huge now and every pre-teen girl loves them, but after THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE and the two TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN movies, the Twilight gravy train will be dry.  It’s always nice to guess who will be the next Mark Hamill and who will be the next Harrison Ford.

So to start things off, we’ll look at the two main stars of the film; Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.  After the Twilight series is over, neither of these stars will have to work again.  They can spend their days watching soap operas and then hit up the Twilight conventions when they need money.  But both of them seem to have a desire to have successful careers, but I’m not sure either will succeed.

KRISTEN STEWART

Before Twilight: Kristen was really the only Twilight alum to have a career before the series began.  Others had done a movie or two, but she actually had some great performances in a variety of films.  Her debut was in David Fincher’s PANIC ROOM where she played the sickly daughter of Jodie Foster.  It was a great debut and she followed it up with a couple of kids movies and then as the troubled, tomboy in IN THE LAND OF WOMEN.

After Twilight: She continued to get roles that required her to play the quiet, whiny high-school girl in films like ADVENTURELAND and INTO THE WILD.  She did well in both films, garnering some critical acclaim for each.  But the most exciting non-Twilight role is in the upcoming THE RUNAWAYS where she plays Joan Jett.  Aside from that, she continues to do the same types of roles and that could prove to be her downfall. Obviously, everyone gets old and she’s eventually going to have to stretch her talents to something more than playing a troubled teenager.

Prediction: It’s tough to gauge her acting talent because she’s milked the teenage-angst angle so much over the past five years.  Her role in THE RUNAWAYS didn’t do as much for me as I was hoping and it was basically Bella, but with a butch hair cut.  However, given her non-Twilight success already, I give her an 80% chance of being remembered 5 years after part 2 of BREAKING DAWN.

ROBERT PATTINSON

Before Twilight: Robert had the honor to have a key role in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as Cedric Diggory.  In what might be the weakest of the Potters, Bob Patty was actually the bright spot in the film.

After Twilight: Much like Stewart, Pattinson seems determined to play similar characters that are reserved and pouty.  I was disappointed he chose to do REMEMBER ME and figured he would have chosen a role that could show off his acting chops and not something that cloned his Edward character.

Prediction: Pattinson’s biggest obstacle to making it as an A-list actor is his looks.  I know that sounds strange, but the guy looks like a porcelain doll and I don’t think he’ll be playing any action heroes any time soon.  That leaves serious dramas and love stories, which really limits what he can do.  However, I can see him taking over the romantic comedy genre from Hugh Grant in a few years.  Also, pre-teen girls are a finicky bunch and heartthrobs don’t tend to last very long.  I give him a 40% chance of being relevant 5 years after BREAKING DAWN.

Read part 2:  Taylor Lautner and Ashley Greene.

Read part 3: Kellan Lutz and Nikki Reed

The post What will happen to Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart after Twilight: Breaking Dawn? appeared first on Flix 66.

I typically try to avoid reading tabloid gossip.  First, it’s usually amateurish drivel designed to sell magazines and has no real relevance to society.  Second, I think it’s important to separate an actor’s off camera life from their work on camera.  To be honest, I don’t care what anyone does in their spare time, I’m going to judge an actor or an actress based off their body of work and how much I like their last film.  But I find the current situation with Sandra Bullock to be disheartening on many levels and even though I’m sure Sandy will pull through this  unscathed, you can’t help but feel bad for her.

Bullock, more than most actresses, has endeared herself to American audiences over the years.  Many of us fell in love with her in the low-budget rom-com LOVE POTION #9, but those that didn’t catch that gem noticed her in SPEED.  She’s credited with making the token female lead in action movies more than just a wasted character.  SPEED 2 aside, she went on a string of rom-coms, playing the hapless, average woman that was just looking for love while trying to live a normal life.  American females love her bubbly personality and her charm and have made her one of the most successful actresses of our generation.

Despite the success, Bullock was never happy as a rom-com queen and managed to break out and do more dramatic films like CRASH.  But her career was validated with THE BLIND SIDE, for which she won an Oscar.  After a couple of years out of A-list status, Sandy was back and finally had the recognition she deserved.  America shared in her success and movie fans were happy to see her win the award.  Heck, even I liked her more after her wonderfully sweet acceptance speech.  It’s rare for an actress to be so humble and that’s one of the many reasons we love her so much.

So watching her life unravel because she married white trash is very depressing for her fans.  Elin Nordegren didn’t get the same kind of sympathy because, frankly, we didn’t know or like her.  Plus, as Tiger’s mistresses started piling up, it became a bit of a freak show and we didn’t care about anyone involved.  But with Bullock and Jesse James, it almost feels like a family member is being disgraced.  And the way the media and especially Michelle McGee are milking this for all it’s worth is shameful on so many levels.  It’s a testament to Sandra Bullock’s star power that we feel this way about her.  I doubt we’d care so much if this happened to Julia Roberts.  But it has gotten so bad, some are wondering if Bullock is going to be able to recover from this public humiliation.

My answer to that is; yes.  Bullock will be fine.  She’ll eventually address the media and in a self deprecating, slightly humorous, yet still sad speech, she will remind everyone why we like her so much.  Then she’ll do another movie that everyone will see and we’ll eventually forget about this.  Because she knows, just like Tiger Woods knows, that the best way to get people to stop talking about your personal life is to achieve more professional success.

The post Jesse James and Michelle “Bombshell” McGee are a disgrace to Sandra Bullock appeared first on Flix 66.

I don’t like the Twilight films.  I want to make that clear before anyone thinks this is going to be some love-letter to anyone involved with the series.  I hate that Stephenie Meyer has made a fortune off of these books and that people (mostly young women) continue to pour their money into a series that lacks originality or common sense and I despise the world that she’s created.  Sparkling vampires…really?  But putting aside my hatred, I have to acknowledge that the Twilight series is popular and that it has a very large and influential fan base.  So with that in mind, Summit Entertainment owes it to their fan base and to movie fans everywhere to do something special with THE TWILIGHT SERIES: BREAKING DAWN.

I understand why the first one was so poorly made; they didn’t have much of a budget.  No one knew that the film would blow up like it did and therefore they had to cut corners while making the film.  The director, screenwriter and even the actors were all inexperienced and for the most part, amateurs.  Summit is not a large powerhouse of a studio like Paramount or Fox, so they can’t pour hundreds of millions of dollars into a small film like this. It made sense and I accepted the first one for it.  It was something that I thought fans could like in spite of the filmmaking failures and I had faith Summit would correct those problems in the sequel.

But the second film wasn’t much better and Summit didn’t have any of the same excuses.  Everyone knew it would make money and the actors involved had done a few movies in-between, so everything should have been better, especially the acting.   One thing that was common amongst all of the actors (in both films) is that every single one of them seemed to constantly miss their mark.  In a movie or in a theatrical play or even on a TV show, there’s always a “mark” for the actors to say their lines.  Saying your lines in the right place, at the right time is one of the most important aspects of acting and everyone that appeared in this film missed their marks almost every single time.  It was as if there was a pause before and after they said something while they tried to figure out what to do next.  Can you imagine me writing something like that about a film directed by someone like Francis Ford Coppola, Quentin Tarantino, David Fincher or any number of talented directors?

I have little to no faith in David Slade and THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE.  I liked HARD CANDY, but judging by the trailer, I think we’re in for more of the same.  So all the hopes for the series to end with a good film fall on BREAKING DAWN parts 1 and 2.  The first thing we have to do is get rid of screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg.  She’s qualified to write episodes or ‘The O.C.’, but not a major Hollywood film like this.  She’s failed twice (and probably thrice) already and we have to stop the bleeding.  Once we get a decent screenwriter, then we need a talented director.

They need a big name director for the two part finale to the Twilight saga.  I’m not going to list all of the directors that could do a better job, but there’s about 25 names I’m thinking of and Summit would do well to take some of that cash they’ve made and throw it at a good director.  They owe it to themselves and to the fans to make the best movie possible.  As much as I don’t like the story, I do think it’s possible to make a quality film with the actors and storylines involved.  It just hasn’t been done yet.

The post Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart Need a Better Director for Twilight: Breaking Dawn appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Jeremey Gingrich

The only time we really hear about the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is when they have a seemingly juvenile dispute with Kevin Smith over the title of a movie (COP OUT was originally A COUPLE OF DICKS, and they hated ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO and its posters) or when a director really wants to keep a nude scene or sex scene in a flick and the MPAA wants to give the film a rating of NC-17. In both of those cases it’s easy to view them as a No-Fun type of organization, made up of old timers with no libido and no sense of humor, but I saw something the other night that made me change my way of thinking.

While watching the recent release BROOKLYN’S FINEST, a scene occurred in which Richard Gere (no stranger to prostitution after AMERICAN GIGOLO and PRETTY WOMAN) has graphic – and yet still sensual – sex with a prostitute played by Shannon Kane. Immediately after this scene, Gere tells her about his day while she performs a “service” for him. As this scene progressed, a mother of two kids got up in the audience and informed her kids, and the theater, that they were leaving. The kids were vocal in their objections and confusion as to why they were leaving as they worked their way through the aisles on their way out. The audience got a laugh out of it, and though it was a distraction from the movie, which I’m not really a fan of, it brought up an interesting issue regarding the MPAA and their ratings. They were actually looking out for this mother of two. BROOKLYN’S FINEST was rated R, specifically listed “Rated R for bloody violence throughout, strong sexuality, nudity, drug content and pervasive language.” This is what they’re here for.

One of the actual stated purposes of the MPAA, as listed on their website, is “to help parents make informed decisions about what their kids watch.” Not having kids, I cannot say with exact certainty that when/if I do, and I take them out to the movies, I will only see G rated films in their earlier years. But when I do decide to take the kids to something of a stronger rating, you better believe I’ll be paying attention to that little blurb of information provided by the MPAA. I suggest other parents do the same. Maybe if my parents did that, I wouldn’t have seen THE ACCUSED at age 10. I’ve never looked at pinball machines the same way since.

The post Hollywood and the MPAA Aren’t Always to Blame appeared first on Flix 66.

Well the Academy Awards are over and I found myself crying in the corner on Monday, which was just about the only prediction I got right.  I’ve decided to gather myself together and vent out my frustrations with a little bit of love as well.

Firstly, I’m gonna tackle the big issue which will probably alienate more than half the readers.  I’m talking about the vastly overrated THE HURT LOCKER.  I feel very alone in my view of thinking this movie was just OK.  I know a few of us here at Flix66 didn’t feel the impact of this film that everyone else did.  So let me ask you this, is THE HURT LOCKER better than a few of these films: BLACK HAWK DOWN, THE THIN RED LINE, THREE KINGS, GLORY, FULL METAL JACKET, DAS BOOT, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and APOCALYPSE NOW?  Let me tell you a little secret, none of these movies won Best Picture.   Most of these didn’t deserve to win except maybe SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and APOCALYPSE NOW but I do think all are better war films than THE HURT LOCKER.  THL also won 6 awards Sunday night.  These are a just a few Best Picture winners that THL won more Oscars than: BRAVEHEART, CASABLANCA, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, GLADIATOR, and THE GODFATHER.  Trust me, I could continue on.  Now lets fast forward ten years from now and look back at this year’s films and decide what movie people will still be remembering and influenced by.  Exactly.  Hurt what?  I’m not taking anything away from Katherine Bigelow being the first female director to win the award.  I congratulate her on the great achievement.  Plus everyone is a little annoyed at James Cameron’s public speaking ability, but I can name 6 films that were nominated for best picture that were better with a more lasting impression than THL.  If we had our normal 5 it would be all of them.  I don’t always agree with the top winner.  I understand that my favorite can’t always win, it rarely does but not since A BEAUTIFUL MIND won in 2001 have I felt the Academy and public alike have got it so wrong.  Think about how many still talk or care about that film.  Now how many talk about the loser films THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING or MOULIN ROUGE?  Exactly.  I could keep my statistics going but realize I probably just sound like a whiney baby so I will shut up and move on.

Here are a few highlights, lowlights and questions that popped up during the telecast.

The night kicked off in a great fashion with the always entertaining, Neil Patrick Harris singing the opening number.  Seriously, can he get a full time gig hosting all awards show?  NPH makes everything infinitely better.

Our two hosts have a musical lead in as they angelically descend from the rafters.  Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, I thought did a fantastic job, if only they could have been given a little more time toward the end of the evening.  Martin: “Precious and I have something in common, we both grew up a poor black child.”

Supporting Actor goes to the best performance of the year, Christoph Waltz in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS.  He wins classiest speech as well.

Martin: “There’s that damn Helen Mirren”.  Baldwin: “That’s Dame, Dame Helen Mirren.”  These types of jokes continue on and I love every minute of it.

Original Screenplay goes to THE HURT LOCKER and not INGLOURIOUS BASTERS or any of the other nominees.  I realize then it’s going to be a long night of THL winning and unhappiness ensues.  Explain to me what this screenplay consisted of other than a soldier diffusing bombs.  I respect that soldier’s job but the film did not technically tell a story.  Side note:  THL is being sued by a soldier who claims the story is about him.

Best Costume winner, Sandy Powell for YOUNG VICTORIA, struts up, brags how it’s her third award and seems put off that she has to carry this thing around.

MoNique wins Supporting Actress and ruins all the goodwill she has garnered by basically saying if anyone else had won, it would have been political and undeserved.  Wow, that was one of the rudest things I’ve ever heard anyone say at the Academy Awards.  I want to personally slap all other nominees in this category in the face.

Ben Stiller in full on AVATAR makeup.  He has no shame and I am thankful.  Yay, STAR TREK wins that award.

Best Documentary Short director gets interrupted by the producer of the same film during speech.  Apparently they didn’t get along.  It was definitely awkward but they were on the same team.  That’s a new one.

What was the deal with George Clooney and his grumpy faces?

My personal favorite moment was a video consisting of a night camera set up a la PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, catching what the two hosts do while they sleep together.  I was cry laughing during the entire scene, topping it off with Martin staring over Baldwin and ending with a slap to the face.  Good times.

The constant ribbing on Meryl Streep.  She is the best in every sense of the word

The Dude, Jeff Bridges, finally wins an Oscar.

Sandra Bullock wins Best Actress, and although I still don’t think her performance warranted the award or nomination her humility, wit and charm during her acceptance speech won me over.  Bravo Sandy.

Katherine Bigelow is the first female to win Best Director award

Finally THL wins picture, the event that causes my rant at the start of this article.  I cry alone.

Irony= I usually hate the blockbuster film that wins and root for the small town favorite that loses.  This year the opposite happens.

The post Oscar Wrap-up; The Hurt Locker didn’t deserve Best Picture, Sandra Bullock is great appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Jeremey Gingrich

You can’t go out and party every weekend, so on those nights you want to take it easy, Flix66.com has put together a bi-weekly column to help you with your movie selection. The Trifecta is a recommendation of three movies that set a mood, that showcase an actor or director, that acquaint the viewer with a geographic location, or maybe even have some obscure link like a Best Boy or Key Grip.

Trifecta #18: WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE + AWAY WE GO + UP IN THE AIR

Folks, as much as we like to think of movies as purely entertainment, sometimes they can touch at parts of our psyches and act as either a mirror or a foil to our lives that lead us to a level of introspection that therapists can’t break through no matter how many sessions they bill you for. 2009 had no shortage of such movies, and they ran the gamut through the stages of development, and if you’re prepared for it, if you can wrap your head around it and emotionally prepare yourself, you can take that emotional head trip in 311 minutes of movies that showcase characters in diverse situations but still hit on the hopes and fears of the average human being, and to do that in the same medium that produces stuff like DUDE, WHERE’S MY CAR? is a feat to be respected.

To tackle this celluloid exploration into the human psyche chronologically (by developmental stage), we will start with the recently released Blu-Ray WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, directed by Spike Jonze. Jonze is no stranger to the realm of psychological filmmaking after helming ADAPTATION back in 2002, but here he helped pen the script with Dave Eggers based on only 10 sentences from Maurice Sendak’s famed children’s book. In the film, young Max, played with a myriad of emotions by Max Records, deals with his loneliness and confusion by creating an imaginary world of frightening creatures, all of which represent the different emotions he himself is experiencing. A licensed therapist would charge you $100 bucks a session for this ability, to remove yourself from your situation, to look at it as an outsider, and grow from that aspect as a spectator. Catherine Keener plays the struggling single mother with exasperation which gains instant sympathy, even in limited screen time, and her cathartic ending with her son will have you interrupting your trifecta to make a phone call back to Mommy Dearest (not a reference to the movie MOMMY DEAREST).

AWAY WE GO is our second foray into the human mind, but this time viewing growth through the newfound realization of parenthood. John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph play new parents as Rudolph is pregnant through most of the film as they try to find a new place to call home to raise their child. They visit friends in Phoenix, Tucson, Wisconsin, Montreal and Miami, with each visit giving us examples of the different types of parents or adults they could be. The close of the movie has one of the best parental moments as Burt and Verona help their niece through a tough time, and then contrast that with their fears of becoming new parents; fears most every new parent has, but expressed in a realistic and funny way. The close of this movie makes us wish for the happiness of this couple as we would wish for the impending happiness of every average, regular couple. It’s their ability to represent that average couple that makes us applaud their efforts, and love the ending of this gentle film that much more.

The last film in the trifecta comes out on DVD and Blu-Ray on March 9^th, so you’ll have to wait a bit on this one, folks. It’s UP IN THE AIR, starring George Clooney and directed by a man who has done no wrong from THANK YOU FOR SMOKING to JUNO and now with this great film. Clooney still looks like Clooney, but he still has to deal with the question of settling down or living his life of travel and random hook ups. He then finds what could be the way out in a sexy Vera Farmiga, but her cool exterior hides something inside that maybe we aren’t ready for. But that doesn’t even matter. What matters is Clooney’s journey, best seen in the marriage of his sister, and that journey, perfectly conveyed through something as simple as facial expressions, is what gives the viewer the best opportunity to look inward and see what he himself is made of. I know I’m ending a lot of sentences with prepositions but it just flows that way. Such films need to be expressed in that way.

So how will you react to this trifecta? Will you weep uncontrollably at the futility of attempting to solve life’s mysteries in 311 minutes? Or will you simply fold to one way of thinking over another? Psychiatrists would prescribe medicine either way. The important thing is continuing to use movies to look inward, not just outward. And let the ProZac rain down like dollar bills in a strip club.

The post Become a Man With Spike Jonze, John Krasinski and George Clooney appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Rebeca Surber

Finding diamonds in the rough is a wonderful feeling, but in order to do so, you usually have to watch a lot of bad movies. Flix66.com takes the pain away by recommending a movie that you may have never heard of, or missed when it first came out.

Once upon a time Reese Witherspoon (WALK THE LINE) decided to produce and take on a very small part in a fairy tale that captured my heart with the unique twist on a standard storyline, imaginative scenes and perfectly cast actors. PENELOPE is the tale of an aristocratic family cursed by their great, great, great grandfather after he rejects the servant girl and marries another instead. Legend has it that the servant girl’s mother, the town witch, cast a spell commanding the next daughter born in the Wilhern family would have the face of a pig so they would endure the pain & rejection her daughter experienced. The spell would only be broken when one of their own kind claims his daughter as their own til death do they part. As predicted, the curse comes true generations later with the birth of the first Wilhern girl, Penelope, (Christina Ricci).

To keep reporters at bay, they fake Penelope’s death and keep her hidden away; grooming her for the day she will find love and the curse will be broken. The world created within the mansion for Penelope is visually impressive; her room is rich in color and whimsical fantasy. Lush greens, rare flowers, butterflies and a large swing hanging from the ceiling give the room a fresh outdoor ambiance.

Match-making ensues as the family interprets that the curse can only be broken by blue bloods – one of their own kind. Catherine O’Hara (BEST IN SHOW, HOME ALONE) is her usual brilliant self playing Penelope’s forever meaning well, over-bearing, loud mother and controller of the match-making despite witnessing the constant rejection Penelope faces once her potential suitors see her snout and run. After one suitor gets away without signing a legal gag swearing him to secrecy he teams up with a reporter (Peter Dinklage) hatching a plan to capture a picture of Penelope to show the world. They find Max Campion (the ever hot James McAvoy), a down and out blue blood, to go in as a spy for a small sum. The chemistry between Ricci and McAvoy, though slow to develop is charming and sweet. From their first encounter I’m rooting for their relationship to develop into something life-changing for the two characters.

When Max rejects Penelope’s proposal for reasons not yet explained, she flees her home, the only place she had known for 20-something years and discovers a whole new world of stores, parks, pubs, street fairs and friends. She teams up with Annie (Reese Witherspoon) and learns how to be on her own all while hiding her swine like features.

Ricci is wonderful as the tender hearted, optimistic Penelope. Witherspoon on the other hand, tries too hard to be the tough chick image she chose for her character. It seems a bit forced and unnatural. McAvoy always does well as the wrong guy who finds love then rejection (as seen in BECOMING JANE or ATTONEMENT) is once again perfect in this role. His facial scruff, blue eyes and fresh attitude make him irresistible to Penelope (and this viewer). In short, this movie is full of heart and the underlining theme of liking yourself as you are (pig snout and all) is touching and a good reminder to us all.

The post One You Might’ve Missed #18: Penelope appeared first on Flix 66.

It’s time for the big guns!  The 6 major categories are somewhat usually decided beforehand with a lot of clear front-runners.  The key is picking the upsets or the close races.  Unfortunately, I don’t see any true upsets but there are some close races.  The Picture and Director are the two categories that do not seem to have one clear front-runner.  So without further ado, here are my picks for the final 6 major categories.  You can thank me by giving me a portion of your office pool or Vegas winnings.  If you lose, you can cry alone in a corner as I usually do on Mondays.

Supporting Actress – Penelope Cruz in NINE, Vera Farmiga in UP IN THE AIR, Maggie Gyllenhaal in CRAZY HEART, Anna Kendrick in UP IN THE AIR, Mo’Nique in PRECIOUS:  BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE

Monique in PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE- While the two girls from UP IN THE AIR are great and Penelope is always beautifully terrific, Mo’Nique has this one in the bag.  She was a villain that I have never fully been aware of, which is scarier because her character exists everywhere more than we realize.  I’m not quite sure why Maggie Gyllenhaal was nominated.  It’s ironic because she has had plenty of better performances that have never been nominated.

Supporting Actor – Matt Damon in INVICTUS, Woody Harrelson in THE MESSENGER, Christopher Plummer in THE LAST STATION, Stanley Tucci in THE LOVELY BONES, Christoph Waltz in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

Christoph Waltz in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS- Waltz had the best performance of all the acting nominees in every category.  He was wickedly evil while being charismatically charming.  One of the most captivating performances I have ever seen.

Actress – Sandra Bullock in THE BLIND SIDE; Helen Mirren in THE LAST STATION, Carey Mulligan in AN EDUCATION, Gabourey Sidibe in PRECIOUS:  BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE, Meryl Streep in JULIE & JULIA

Sandra Bullock in THE BLIND SIDE- Completely ridiculous that Bullock is going to win, let alone even being nominated, especially when all the other nominees were far more impressive with such stronger performances.  Each of these women were amazing in their respective roles.  If Carey Mulligan and Gabourey Sidibe had a little more experience they would easily win in different years.  If Meryl Streep wasn’t so revered having been nominated a whopping 16 times and won twice, she would win.  I hope I’m wrong.  I so hope I’m wrong.  I would gladly lose any Oscar pool, as long as it’s because I was wrong in this category.

Actor – Jeff Bridges in CRAZY HEART, George Clooney in UP IN THE AIR, Colin Firth in A SINGLE MAN, Morgan Freeman in INVICTUS, Jeremy Renner in THE HURT LOCKER

Jeff Bridges in CRAZY HEART- He did do a fantastic job but this is still more of a win for his lifetime of work.  Jeremy Renner might have been an upset if Bridges had won before.  Clooney had one of his strongest performances to date and Colin Firth was amazing- I foresee an eventual win for him in the future.  Bridges is well deserved of this award.

Director – James Cameron for AVATAR, Kathryn Bigelow for THE HURT LOCKER, Quentin Tarantino for INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, Lee Daniels for PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE, Jason Reitman for UP IN THE AIR

Kathryn Bigelow for THE HURT LOCKER- I keep going back and forth on this one.  As much as I would love to see Tarantino win, it’s between the one time husband and wife, James Cameron or Kathryn Bigelow.  Cameron totally deserves it; he’s been working on this film for 10 years.  He made a movie that people love, becoming the top grossing film of all time beating the record set by him.  He invented new technology for filmmaking.  But he is just so awkward and unlikeable when receiving awards.  His speech from his TITANIC Oscar and his AVATAR Golden Globe makes you not want to vote for him.  He himself has gone on record supporting his ex-wife Bigelow to win this award because he already has one.  I’m sure he thinks that’s sweet but it comes off more egotistical than anything.  Here is how I think it will go down.  They announce Cameron as the winner but he does something unknowingly pompous, embarrassing and stupid by offering his award to Bigelow.  She would be the first female to win this award, but I’m sure that is not how she would want to win it- pity from her ex-husband.

Picture – AVATAR, THE BLIND SIDE, DISTRICT 9, AN EDUCATION, THE HURT LOCKER, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS , PRECIOUS:  BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE, A SERIOUS MAN, UP, UP IN THE AIR

AVATAR- I do hope it wins over the slightly over rated THE HURT LOCKER.  It’s ironic, that most years I root for a smaller film that never wins and this year a smaller film that I won’t be rooting for, THE HURTLOCKER, could pull off the win.  I would be disgusted if AVATAR loses…unless of course it’s to the all around great film INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS.  How come the Academy never seems to agree with me? Easy on the smart-alec answers.

Click here to read Part 1 of our Oscar Predictions

The post Oscar Predictions Part 2: Avatar Will Win Best Picture appeared first on Flix 66.

I love the Oscars.  I don’t think there are many people who can really say that.  Every year I hear criticism about it being too long and boring or not caring about any of the movies nominated.  Well, I love the entire thing through in through, the whole kit and caboodle.  It’s never too long for me (I wish it could be longer), I laugh at all the host’s lame jokes, and I always see nearly every movie with a nomination (because I’m a nerd).  Seriously it’s like another Super Bowl for me except I actually have a few teams with a shot at winning every year.  With that said, the Academy did do something that I’m not completely sure I agree with, and that is bump the Best Picture nominations from 5 to 10.  Now I know they want to boost the shows ratings and maybe honor a few films that are deserving and never get a shot (last year’s WALL-E and THE DARK KNIGHT).  OK I understand some of that but aren’t you hurting the integrity of the award if you’re just picking them to please people?  Isn’t that pretty much what the PEOPLE’S CHOICE or MTV Awards are all about?  Nonetheless, I was a little excited thinking a few of my favorite films will now get a shot at some of those open spots (DISTRICT 9).  But my excitement changed to disappointment at the apparent sacrifice of allowing films that are nowhere near deserving (THE BLIND SIDE).  After seeing THE BLIND SIDE recently it made me appreciate PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE” far more.  I hope that all of you who are rooting for the sweet, corny flawless characters in THE BLIND SIDE check out the raw, heart wrenching flawed characters in PRECIOUS.  But I digress and my love for the Oscars continues on.

If you read my top 10 list you will have a good idea what I think was snubbed or who I will be rooting for, but I am going to get a little more specific with each of these categories.  For the record, I will be rooting mainly for INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS along with DISTRICT 9 but completely respect AVATAR winning.  I think 10 years from now those are the three films nominated that will be remembered.

I begin my predictions with all the smaller categories.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

THE HURT LOCKER, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, THE MESSENGER, A SERIOUS MAN, UP

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS- There is no denying this was by far and away the most well written script, as is most Tarantino films.  I just hope it doesn’t lose out to the momentum of THE HURT LOCKER, which while a great film with an insight to an endlessly dangerous job, the story itself and character development was lacking.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

DISTRICT 9, AN EDUCATION, IN THE LOOP, PRECIOUS:  BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE, UP IN THE AIR

UP IN THE AIR- An excellent script and probably the only chance this film has at an award, but I will be rooting for DISTRICT 9 which probably won’t win any.

ANIMATED

CORALINE, FANTASTIC MR. FOX, THE PRINCESS AND THE FOG, THE SECRET OF KELLS, UP

UP- I really enjoyed CORALINE and thought FANTASTIC MR FOX was great, but when you’re up against a Pixar film, you just don’t stand a chance.

EDITING

AVATAR, DISTRICT 9, THE HURT LOCKER, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE

THE HURT LOCKER- This is one category where THE HURT LOCKER did achieve greatness.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

AVATAR, HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, THE HURT LOCKER, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, THE WHITE RIBBON

THE HURT LOCKER- AVATAR could win but may be too computer generated to pull off this award. I hope I’m wrong and IGLOURIOUS BASTERDS wins.

SCORE

AVATAR, FANTASTIC MR. FOX, THE HURT LOCKER, SHERLOCK HOLMES, UP

UP- I love the music from FANTASTIC MR. FOX but mostly the non-original stuff.

ART DIRECTION

AVATAR, THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS, NINE, SHERLOCK HOLMES, THE YOUNG VICTORIA

AVATAR- Odd, eccentric films like THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASUS often win but that mostly happens when Tim Burton is at the helm.  AVATAR was breathtaking beauty that no one can deny.

COSTUME

BRIGHT STAR, COCO BEFORE CHANEL, THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASUS, NINE, THE YOUNG VICTORIA

YOUNG VICTORIA- The Victorian time period always wins when it comes to costuming.

MAKEUP

IL DIVO, STAR TREK, THE YOUNG VICTORIA

STAR TREK- It’s the only nominee with interesting unusual makeup and one of my favorite films of the year.

VISUAL EFFECTS

AVATAR, DISTRICT 9, STAR TREK

AVATAR- DISTRICT 9 was so seemless in its achievement that I never once thought I was watching special effects, but actual Aliens interacting with humans.  Unfortunately it came out the same year AVATAR invented new technology advancing the way films will be seen forever.

SOUND EDITING

AVATAR, THE HURT LOCKER, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, STAR TREK, UP

AVATAR- STAR TREK and THE HURT LOCKER were good but AVATAR will dominate all categories technically.

SOUND MIXING

AVATAR, THE HURT LOCKER, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, STAR TREK, TRANSFORMERS:  REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

AVATAR- See above

SONG

“Almost There” from THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, “Down In New Orleans” from THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, “Loin De Paname” from PARIS 36, “Take It All” from NINE, “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from CRAZY HEART

“The Weary Kind” from CRAZY HEART- I also really enjoyed “Almost There” from THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG but it will ultimately loose out because everyone wants to announce the writer T-Bone as the winner.

FOREIGN

AJAMI, EL SECRETO DE SUS OJOS, THE MILK OF SORROW, UN PROPHETE, THE WHITE RIBBON

THE WHITE RIBBON- I saw the previews and it looked pretty magnificent.  Plus, it’s the only foreign film with two nominations.

DOCUMENTARY

BURMA VJ, THE COVE, FOOD, INC, THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA:  DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS, WHICH WAY HOME

THE COVE- The crew goes to great lengths with advance technology to capture evidence of some horrific treatment to dolphins in a Cove in Japan.  We owe them at least an award for endangering themselves to bring us this shocking animal abuse and danger to human health.

DOCUMENTARY SHORT

CHINA’S UNNATURAL DISASTER:  THE TEARS OF SICHUAN PROVINCE, THE LAST CAMPAIGN OF GOVERNOR BOOTH GARDNER, THE LAST TRUCK:  CLOSING OF A GM PLANT, MUSIC BY PRUDENCE, RABBIT A LA BERLIN

CHINA’S UNNATURAL DISASTER: THE TEARS OF SICHUAN PROVINCE- The next 3 categories are basically decided by me reading their synopsis.  RABBIT A LA BERLIN sounded interesting but CUDTTOSP seems to be more relevant with all the terrible natural disasters our world continues to face.

ANIMATED SHORT

FRENCH ROAST, GRANNY O’GRIMM’S SLEEPING BEAUTY, THE LADY AND THE REAPER (LA DAMA Y LA MUERTE), LOGORAMA, A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH

A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH- Wallace and Gromit rule all and have a history of doing so during award ceremonies.

LIVE ACTION SHORT

THE DOOR, INSTEAD OF ABRACADABRA, KAVI, MIRACLE FISH, THE NEW TENANTS

KAVI- The story sounds a little like the beginning of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE when the leads were children and it won Best Picture…so why not?

Check back tomorrow for the rest of the predictions, including Best Picture and Best Director

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by: Nathan Swank and Rebeca Surber

He Said/She Said is a weekly column where a male and female reviewer from the site team up to debate the merits of a particular film.

HE SAID

I don’t know what happened to Adam Sandler.  For the record, I think he is a talented guy.  He showed so much promise on SNL.  Then he went on to Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, which I love.  Then to a lesser extent he had the Wedding Singer.  Then the films started to go down hill- I know I’m in the minority when I say BIG DADDY was just ok.  After that everything his Happy Madison Company produces is awful (THE HOT CHICK, BENCHWARMERS, YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN) save for a few funny moments…and GRANDMA’S BOY.  But regardless if you disagree with my take on his films as a whole lets look at them one by one and today let’s start with MR. DEEDS.

The jokes are so forced and sophomoric (a kitty landing safely in an afro), which don’t get me wrong I can appreciate at times but it’s as if no effort was given at all.  I can respect that Sandler uses all of his friends in his movies, giving them work, making them money but it also proves the point that he may not be trying to make anything of quality rather than just goof off with friends.  I’m okay with that as well, but lets not pretend that the work they are doing is good. Winona Ryder is completely out of her element. And using the term “wicked” before every comment doesn’t mean you’re using a funny New England accent.  But I’m obviously missing something because his films keep raking in the dough

The laughs all seem pretty cheap (Crazy Eyes likes pizza with odd combinations).  We’ve progressed too far with comedies to waste our time with these cheap laughs.  Why pick this one to watch, when it lacks cleverness, creativity and humor.  If a 4 year old wrote these jokes I would find it funny and I would giggle because it’s cute what a little girl finds funny.  Kids do say the darndest things; unfortunately successful adults wrote these darndest things, which make it more sad than funny.  On a positive note it does give everyone out there without originality or wit, hope that they too can live the dream of getting paid to produce crap.

SHE SAID

Being a tried and true Adam Sandler fan, from his SNL days and early films (GOING OVERBOARD) I am always excited to see Sandler and his Happy Madison entourage in new movies. MR. DEEDS is the story of an absurdly wealthy gentleman, Preston Blake, dying as he climbs Mount Everest without a will thereby leaving his 40-billion dollar fortune to his long lost great-nephew, pizza shop owner Longfellow Deeds (Sandler). Deeds must survive those who try to swindle the small-town heir out of his money; from the executives at his great-uncle’s company (Peter Gallagher and Erick Avari) to a tabloid television anchor (Winona Ryder) and her producer.  Gallagher (and his fantastic eyebrows) is a superb ‘villain’; his character is overacted to the perfect degree when compared to Sandler’s nice guy routine. It is fun to see Ryder (REALITY BITES, BEETLEJUICE) tackling a goof-off role and having a good time playing opposite of Sandler.

Always willing to help, Deeds’ do-good actions tend to get him into trouble thanks to the undercover camera footage carefully edited by Rider’s character, Babe Bennett.  This movie is fun, easy and loaded with laughs. Sandler does the typical performance that I always love, including the random and unnecessary wicked sick ‘black foot’. His character’s desire to be a greeting card writer for Hallmark is hysterical, but my favorite character in this movie is John Turturro’s Emilio, butler to the late Preston Blake. Emilio’s “sneaky-sneaky” tag line and desire to change everyone’s socks is hilarious.  Seeing the rest of the Sandler crew in tow is fun – you never know which role his pals will assume in these films.

The hokey ending to this movie, where everyone chimes in with what they wanted to be when they grew up, is a bit off and totally overacted but it makes me grin nonetheless.

The post He Said/She Said #20: Mr. Deeds (2002) appeared first on Flix 66.

It is time for my top 10 list of 2009.  I know we are into February of 2010, but it usually takes another month after the New Year to see all those “Oscar” contending movies that the studios cram in before the year is up.  It really didn’t make much of a difference since most of those films did not make my list, but I believe I saw most everything I think would matter with the exception of a few stragglers.  This year was a fairly decent year.  Overall, I liked more movies this year than last, however my top couple of movies last year may have been better than my top few this year.  At first, I felt there were no overwhelming standouts but after some time and a few repeat viewings, I disagree with that notion.  Surprisingly, the Horror/Sci Fi genre represents half my list.  Which is unusual but definitely makes for a more people friendly list than usual with all films that are rewatchable.  The Academy Awards decided to nominate 10 Best Pictures this year.  So if I were in sole control of the Academy, these would be my nominees.  I will count them down.  You can click on any of the titles to read their full reviews.

Honorable Mentions: (In no particular order but all struck a chord with me in some fasion)

Precious: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE, Food Inc., This Is It, The Hurt Locker, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Road

10.  Up In The Air- I like this film more as time goes on.  I can relate and appreciate the concept of being your own island without any material possession, traveling, just being responsible for you.  However not being able to share those good moments with people you love ultimately loses any argument for that life style.  Good performances all around and an interesting insight to a job of firing people.

9.  Zombieland- Wild, crazy, brain-bashing fun!  I can’t wait for the sequel.  A how to hand guide on what to do and what not to do when the world is over run by zombies, which will obviously happen in our lifetime, so we better start preparing.  Quite possibly contains the best cameo ever.

If some of you think this would be a ridiculous nomination, you can plug in PRECIOUS instead…or you can just shut up and deal with it.

8.  Up- It has its flaws but a Pixar film with flaws is still better than most any other movie out there.  There is an 11-minute opening montage that has more character development, story, depth and heart than most films have in 2 hours.  I’ll admit I teared up but then Dug the talking dog and his fellow canines entered the scene with brilliant laughable gems like, “Ha, it is funny because the Squirrel gets dead” or “I like you temporarily.”  Oh the loveable positivity and short term attention of dogs. “Squirrel!”

7.  The Hangover- I love it when a comedy comes together.  How many of us were a little disappointed when the bachelor party is about to start their night only to cut to the next morning?  Shame on us for that inkling of doubt because the journey of discovering what they went through was like a comedic LOST episode only actually tying up all the loose ends.

6.  500 Days of Summer- The opening says, “This is not a love story.”  But it’s my favorite love story I’ve seen in a very long time.  Told in a clever fashion by randomly pulling out days within the 500 to see the gauntlet of emotions one goes through in a relationship.  Whether or not we are meant to be with someone they might just be the reason we find the right one.  The editing, structure, and style mixed in with great actors and an awesome soundtrack makes it hard not to smile all the way through this film.

5.  Star Trek- Wow what a ride!  This is funny without being cheesy, action filled without being ridiculous, smart without ever loosing the plot.  All summer blockbusters should take note, this is how to make a fun action movie but still have a brain.  Dare I say, Best Star Trek Ever.  Ok, maybe I should rewatch WRATH OF KHAN.

4.  Avatar- I struggled with where I wanted to put this one, but the overall movie theater experience in 3D was one of the best I’ve had in so many years.  Sure the story has been told before but never with so much style.  So I have to give it up for Avatar, especially since I had my doubts.  James Cameron created a world where we would all want to live and with the 3D technology we get just that for 3 hours.

3.  Paranormal Activity- I think I’m in the minority putting this film at number 3 or even in my 10 list at all, but this is the scariest movie I’ve seen in a loooong time.  I don’t care about you naysayers.  This is not overhyped and I will gladly argue against whatever film you put it up against.  Not since the Exorcist has a film affected me after I saw it.  I dare you to try to sleep alone peacefully the first night after watching this one.

2.  District 9- A film truly ahead of it’s time, touching on so many political and social aspects.  I have to appreciate the originality and raw realism even when dealing with aliens.  The effects are the best I’ve ever seen because it was seemless interaction between humans and CGI.  It’s a film that makes you see both sides of every story making it difficult to know just what to root for.

1.  Inglorious Basterds- What can I say, Quentin Tarantino can do no wrong in my book.  Easily my favorite film of the year.  Interesting story, great dialogue, humorous, dramatic, with action and continuous tension, this film is typical greatness for Tarantino.  He has the ability to keep me on the edge of my seat no matter what the scene is.  This is entertainment and creativity at it’s best with a brilliant ensemble cast.  If only this was how things really went down during WWII.

The post Inglourious Basterds and District 9 are the tops of 2009 appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Brad Sturdivant and Kristy Sturdivant

He Said/She Said is a bi-weekly column where a male and female reviewer from the site team up to debate the merits of a particular film.

HE SAID

I feel that THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE is one of the most misunderstood films of the 90’s.  Maybe it’s the star power of Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron that threw people off.  I think people saw their names and naturally assumed that this was going to be a summer blockbuster with quick editing and maybe a couple of fistfights.  Instead, they got a deeply moving film about finding who you are and overcoming past mistakes to achieve success.  It’s a golf movie, but golf here is purely a metaphor for finding that balance in life that sets all of us straight.  It sounds corny, but the movie makes it work.

Matt Damon is Rannulph Junuh, a down and out former prodigal golfer that now spends his days drinking and gambling, but turns to golf to get his life back on track.  That’s the basic premise and what you’ll see on the back cover.  But the real story is Rannulph’s use of golf as a physical metaphor for reaching a turning point in your life when you stop feeling sorry for yourself and start living your life.  Will Smith is Bagger Vance, a mysterious caddy that helps him get his swing back.  But Bagger Vance is more of an “angel” that guides and inspires Rannulph on his journey.  The “swing” is just another way of saying “life”, “spirit”, “mojo” or whatever word you want to use to describe that inner quality we all have that inspire us to be successful or to live a good life.

With two talented actors turning in great performances, Robert Redford was left focusing on beautiful scenery and captivating art direction.  Even if you don’t buy into the deeper meaning (which I obviously did), the beautifully shot golf scenes and landscapes are worth the price of admission.  Many films are more than what they appear, such is the case with THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE.

SHE SAID

I couldn’t stomach THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE and I’m not completely sure why.  I like Damon, Smith, Theron and Redford but there was something about this film that just didn’t work.  Probably the fact that it was about golf and it ran over two hours- when there isn’t a lot of interesting stuff going on, two hours really seems like an eternity.

The scenery was the only redeeming quality of this film which really shouldn’t be the case with stars like Damon and Smith.  These characters felt shallow and unauthentic for the entire movie.  I love Will Smith but seeing him as a meek and mellow character is unacceptable, I would have had enjoyed the film more had the roles of Damon and Smith been reversed.  I expect this kind of character more from Damon than Smith.  I like Smith intense and full of emotion and a role like this just doesn’t work for him.  He has a lot of emotional range as an actor, but this isn’t the range of emotions moviegoers like to see from him. But even if you can buy Smith in this role, the film still feels awkward and pointless. There were times when it wanted to be more than a sports movie but it just didn’t know how to get there.

The post He Said/She Said #19: The Legend of Bagger Vance appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Nathan Swank

You can’t go out and party every weekend, so on those nights you want to take it easy, Flix66.com has put together a bi-weekly column to help you with your movie selection. The Trifecta is a recommendation of three movies that set a mood, that showcase an actor or director, that acquaint the viewer with a geographic location, or maybe even have some obscure link like a Best Boy or Key Grip.

The eyeballs are a disgusting little body part.  They are just fine inside our head but once they pop out of our eye socket they become a whole other world of disgusting.  These are three films that feature the eyeball being removed yet still functional in some memorable scenes.  Lets be clear, the eyeball must still be functional.  Movies like KILL BILL VOL. 2, HOSTEL and I’m sure countless horror films where the eye is being gruesomely destroyed are out of contention.  This may seem like an R rated discussion but I will cover the spectrum so people of all ages can enjoy an eyeball out its socket.

THE DARK CRYSTAL-  This PG rated Jim Henson Muppet world was a classic in our household.  It’s a wonderment to behold with some very strange and scary creatures.  Even the plants are Muppet made.  One such odd creature is Aughra, the wise old lady wizard, who helps one of the last Gelflings, Jen; pick out a shard to a crystal on his path to heal their world.  Aughra has the unusual talent of popping her eyeball out.  She can hold it or set it down and it will still see things.  It’s like a little mobile camera.  These are oddly dark creatures in a sort of a creepy film and I appreciate Jim Henson adding these characters in his children/family movies.  I was raised on them and I’m a better person for it.  Now if only the nightmares would stop.

MINORITY REPORT-  An undervalued intelligent sci-fi thriller, directed by the always great Steven Spielberg, this PG- 13 film is full of scenes involving the eyes or happening because of the eyes.  In the future everything identifies you by one’s optical organs.  Even walking down the street, advertisements can scan your eye then advertise directly toward you.  Police are able to stop murder crimes before they happen with the aid of Pre Cogs who can see the future.  This system is called Pre-Crime and raises the question that if you stop something before it happens does it exist?  Could there be a flaw in the system?  Tom Cruise must find out to prove his innocence before being hunted down by his peers in the Pre-Crime division.  The only way to not be identified is to replace his eyeballs from an unlicensed surgeon about as trusty as Dr. Nic of Simpsons fame.  He then uses his old eyeballs to get back into the Pre Crime agency and kidnap a Pre Cog.  All very exhilarating with eyeball cringe-inducing importance, especially when his eyeballs slip from his fingers as they go rolling away.

PAN’S LABYRINTH-  Directed by the imaginative Guillermo del Toro, this is an R rated story about a little girl who creates a horrific fantasy world to deal with an even more horrific real world in 1944 Spain.  The specific scene in reference is when the little girl is on a mission to retrieve a blade from a mysterious room underneath the floor of her bedroom.  She retrieves the blade but stops and steals some food, awakening the pale man, who is a tall man like monster with yellowish skin and no eyes….well so you think.  His eyes are resting on a small plate in front of him as he sits motionless in front of a large table full of food.  The little girl steals a couple of grapes, which I can’t imagine how hungry you have to be to steal from a child-eating monster.  This awakens the creature, who picks up his eyes and inserts them into his eye sockets.  Did I mention his eye sockets are located in the palm of his hand?  Yeah, freaky.  He chases her down the hall eating a couple of fairy friends along the way.  Mmmmmm.  I’m getting hungry.

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by: Rebeca Surber

Finding diamonds in the rough is a wonderful feeling, but in order to do so, you usually have to watch a lot of bad movies. Flix66.com takes the pain away by recommending a movie that you may have never heard of, or missed when it first came out.

One Valentine’s Day some of us gals were tired of feeling left out during the romantic holiday and decided it was time to figure out how to get a guy. Naturally we looked to the movies for inspiration. A few bottles of Boone’s Farm and several Google searches later we came across the Betty Grable, Lauren Bacall and Marilyn Monroe gem HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE. What a perfect ‘how to’ taught by iconic vixens! We were ready to learn. We weren’t, however, ready to be swept off our feet by this classic comedy and were thrilled when we were!

In this film, the gold-digging trio design a fool proof plan to land wealthy husbands. They rent a fully furnished apartment in a swanky part of New York to up the odds of meeting men with deep pockets. What they don’t consider is the plan taking longer than anticipated and that love and money might not coexist.  Throughout their quest the fashionable dames (seriously awesome wardrobes in this flick) meet a variety of men ranging from dirt poor, filthy rich and the one random guy who sports a fake eye patch for no explained reason.

Loco Dempsey (Grable) plays up the sweet as can be bubbly airhead with theatrical perfection. With her sugar and spice attitude, she manages to get guys to buy her everything from groceries to furs and takes the time to introduce the hunks to her roommates Schatze Page (Bacall) and Pola Debevoise (Monroe). Bacall’s run as the haughty ringleader of the group is phenomenal, demanding attention in every scene. She is the pickiest out of the bunch dictating who each girl should date by setting the ground rules with things like “gentleman callers have got to wear a necktie”. We wrote that tip down for our Valentine’s induced quest for love. Bacall’s blunt attitude toward the men she dates or avoids dating is fun to watch; you never know what will come out of her mouth. She is steely and keeps her eye on the prize doing what she can to keep her distance from the one who makes her weak in the knees.

Having only been introduced to Monroe in posters of her dress blowing in the infamous scene from THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH or her breathy version of Happy Birthday, I was pleasantly surprised with her comedic timing.  Her character is blind as a bat yet she refuses to wear her glasses fearing it will destroy any chance she has with a man creating some surprise slapstick moments that make her all the more endearing and loveable; she is a favorite of mine in this movie. Grable, Bacall and Monroe as a team are fantastic, each playing her part flawlessly.

From the opening orchestra scene to the closing credits we fell in love. This is the best single girls Valentine’s Day film. It is not overly sappy or heart wrenching but makes you happy and optimistic for love.

The post One You Might’ve Missed #17: How To Marry A Millionaire appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Brad Sturdivant and Kristy Sturdivant

He Said/She Said is a bi-weekly column where a male and female reviewer from the site team up to debate the merits of a particular film.

HE SAID

I’ve never been a huge fan of cross-dressing.  I mean, I have no problem with people that are sexually confused or make it a part of their lifestyle.  To each his/her own.  But when it comes to cross-dressing in a movie, I feel that too often the movie never gets past the idea of a man/woman pretending to be a woman/man.  Therefore, we’re left with the standard fare of jokes, usually involving the man/woman possessing an ability (strength, fashion sense, etc.) that members of the opposite sex do not and then there’s invariably an awkward nudity at some point.  TOOTSIE is the most famous of the cross-dressing bunch and I’m not really a fan of that either (another article, another time), but the cross-dressing movie of the 90’s was MRS. DOUBTFIRE.

This film just grates on me from start to finish.  I think many men have been in situations where they can’t spend enough time with their kids, but I don’t think many men choose to dress up like an old English nanny to do it.  But even if you buy into that, the jokes hit with such a void of originality that they can’t even muster a snicker.  Yeah, we get it; Mrs. Doubtfire can throw a ball and is unusually limber.  I also think you have to be a big Robin Williams fan to really get into the movie.  Aside from Genie in ALADDIN, I can’t say I’m his biggest fan and his “wacky” humor and physical comedy wore on me in this.

I know the film has it’s fans, but I’m definitely not one of them.  The well-trodden jokes and shameless attempt at evoking tears from the audience were immediate turn-offs that the film couldn’t get past.  The best thing I can say about MRS. DOUBTFIRE is that it wasn’t BIG MOMMA’S HOUSE.

SHE SAID

I think MRS. DOUBTFIRE has some quality performances from not only Robin Williams but Sally Field, but also some quality lessons that can be taken away.  Unlike other cross-dressing movies where the character is trying to advance their career (TOOTSIE) or catch a criminal (BIG MOMMA’S HOUSE), MRS. DOUBTFIRE is about a father messing up and then trying to make it right by his family.  The family eventually realizes that the dad isn’t such a bad guy and he really does love his kids and wants to be in their lives, this is not always a trait found in workaholics and the character arc in this film is exceptional.  Granted, dressing up as an English nanny may not have been the easiest method to accomplish the task, but the thought was there which gave this movie an endearing quality.

This was at the height of Robin Williams’ career and after this he was never really able to bounce back into the limelight.  I thought this film had the right amount of heartfelt tenderness as well as enough comedy relief without going over the top.  If you just look at it as a guy out on his luck who just wants to spend some time with his kids then you have a pretty decent film, but if you can’t get past the dressing up in the opposite gender that’s understandable.

The post He Said/She Said #18: Mrs. Doubtfire appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Brad Sturdivant

Our Driver’s EDitorial is a weekly column designed to express our opinion on something going on in Hollywood today. Sometimes we whine and complain about something we wish was different, other times we heap praise on the system for getting it right.

You should know that I’m a little biased when it comes to Tom Cruise.  Like I’ve said before, he’s been my favorite actor for over two decades now and I’ve spent the better part of the last 10 years defending him to all of his critics.  It was easy during the JERRY MAGUIRE years, but the whole Oprah-couch thing made it a real challenge.  It’s surprising that he still hasn’t lived that down, despite the fact he’s made some good movies since then and he’s stayed relatively quiet as far as his off-screen antics are concerned.  It’s frustrating that one of the greatest actors of our generation is better known for jumping on Oprah’s couch than for making great films.

But the point of this is to say that anyone concerned or disinterested in a fourth Mission Impossible movie should give the guy, and the franchise, a little faith.  Tom Cruise isn’t in the business of making bad movies.  Put the scientology and Katie Holmes stuff aside for a second and just look at his filmography; for a single actor, it’s probably the most impressive collection of movies in the history of cinema.  Then remember that he only has one franchise and the majority of those films toppled the $100 million mark without the benefit of recognizable characters or previously written comic books.  Tom is a true movie star and it’s time the public recognize that.

In less than 24 hours time, we’ve already gotten some negative skepticism about the merits of a fourth Mission Impossible movie.  This isn’t the Bourne franchise, where each film mimics its predecessor and a fourth movie would be more of the same.  The beauty of the MI franchise is that they constantly reinvent themselves, thus leading to the possibility that if you don’t like one, you may love the other.  That also means you can’t say the fourth one will be bad because you didn’t like the first, second or third.  Aside from Cruise and Ving Rhames, they really have nothing in common.  Keeping the movies independent of each other is what allows Cruise the freedom needed to keep the movies fresh.

We don’t know what the fourth movie will be about, or even who will direct it.  But I have faith that Cruise will settle on a story, script and director that will completely reinvent the franchise and that the fourth film will blow us away.  He has so much he can do with it and so many directions he can take Ethan Hunt.  Personally, I’d like to see him take it in one of two opposite directions.  First, he can put Ethan in a tough, gritty role, and make it more of a cop-drama type film (like the first, but darker).  Or, he can go a completely different direction and make it an epic action movie with a Michael Bay feel to it (like the second, but bigger).  If he goes the second route, how about a reteam with Tony Scott?

Whatever happens, I’m looking forward to a fourth Mission Impossible film and will continue to look forward to future MI movies as long as Cruise is involved.  And now that he has the creative mind of J.J. Abrams to help him with the franchise, I think we’re in for some great movies for as long as they want to keep making them.  And if KNIGHT AND DAY is a good film, then he should get an award for making Cameron Diaz anything less than annoying.

The post Driver’s EDitorial #20: Don’t Worry, Tom Cruise Will be Great in Mission Impossible 4 appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Brad Sturdivant and Kristy Sturdivant

He Said/She Said is a bi-weekly column where a male and female reviewer from the site team up to debate the merits of a particular film.

HE SAID

You either like spoof movies or you don’t.  For me, the key to a good spoof movie is to pick a particular film (STAR WARS, LETHAL WEAPON, TOP GUN) and go with it.  When you start switching from movie to movie, you get in trouble.  For an example of exactly what not to do, watch any movie involving Jason Friedberg and/or Aaron Seltzer.  Almost all of the ridiculous spoof movies of late involve these two “writers” and that’s why the art of the spoof movie has disintegrated into nothing.  It’s times like these that make me long for the days of HOT SHOTS.

Obviously, HOT SHOTS is a rip of TOP GUN.  As much as I like TOP GUN, if there ever was a movie that needed to be made fun of, it’s TOP GUN.  HOT SHOTS takes some over-the-top swipes, but manages to create its own “story” that at times makes you forget you’re watching a spoof.  But at the end of the day, it is a spoof movie so the jokes come flying at you with little or no rhyme or reason.  You’re not meant to laugh at every single attempt at humor, but when the movie’s over, you should look back on it and realized you laughed more than not.  I don’t see how anyone can make it through this film and not laugh at least a dozen times.

HOT SHOTS was also the moment we realized that Charlie Sheen has some comedic timing to him.  Of course, he now has to rely on that to make a living, but back in the early 90’s, he was known more as a drama/action star than a comedian.  As for relevance today…well, I’m not too sure.  I think some of the jokes (Eagle river!) hold up well, but some falter from being dated and copied too many times since.  I can still pop it in the DVD player and get a kick out of it, but then again, I was a preteen boy when I first saw this and back then, it was hilarious.

SHE SAID

I hate parody movies with a passion.  I find them to be unoriginal and unfunny and I’m not sure why they are such a staple in the movie industry.  There’s no doubt they have been overdone as of late, but even the early one’s like HOT SHOTS or NAKED GUN are juvenile and lame with no redeeming qualities.  I can’t understand why the movie watchers would want to subject themselves to two hours of slapstick nothingness.

HOT SHOTS is not the worst parody ever made but it’s up there with the rest of them.  Making fun of a movie line or character is one thing, but to rely on this tactic for an entire film is just too much.  Throwing one-liners or physical humor at the audience at such a fast pace not only gets tiring but eventually becomes nothing more than stupid.  I can’t think of a single moment where I chuckled and I remember having to force myself to stay awake because it was dragging on so long…which is bad when a film only lasts 84 min. long.  If I could make one plea it would be for people to stop watching this genre so we would’nt have to sit through SCARY MOVIE 24 or DISASTER MOVIE 3D.  It’s bad enough when the original movie sucked but to have to watch a spoof of a crappy movie is just criminal and I can’t decide who I’m more annoyed with- Hollywood for churning them out or the American public for continuing to pay for it.

The post He Said/She Said #17: Hot Shots appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Jeremey Gingrich

You can’t go out and party every weekend, so on those nights you want to take it easy, Flix66.com has put together a bi-weekly column to help you with your movie selection. The Trifecta is a recommendation of three movies that set a mood, that showcase an actor or director, that acquaint the viewer with a geographic location, or maybe even have some obscure link like a Best Boy or Key Grip.

The vest is an underrated article of clothing. I, however, count myself as one of the few remaining vest proponents – an aficionado, actually. Every suit is a three-piece, fall and winters I sport the sweater vest, and in the privacy of my own home I sport a leather vest as I belt out the tunes of the Village People. And why not? The vest is a respected sleeveless accessory in many films, with protagonists sporting them to fight crime, ditch school, or to assist a rebellion in an intergalactic civil war. Below is the trifecta that pays due respect to this beloved fashion staple, by heroes who know how to sport it with pride.

Our first vested champion is the rebellious teen Ferris Bueller in John Hughes’ 1986 comedy FERRIS BUELLER’s DAY OFF. After Ferris leads us through the steps to fake an illness to get a day off from school, he grabs his best friend, Cameron (Alan Ruck), and his sweetheart (Mia Sara) to play hooky in downtown Chicago. Ferris travels in style in a 1961 Ferrari GT California and a leopard print vest over a plain white T. No wonder he gets the prettiest girl in school. With the intrepid Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) on his heels, trying to beat his parents and sister Jeannie (pre-nose job Jennifer Grey)home, he flies through the air in slow-motion and we can truly appreciate the vest in that long shot. Despite its simple framing, this pic is about so much more than just a kid skipping school, as referenced in his famous phrase (once even paraphrased by Barbara Bush) “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around every once in a while, you just might miss it.” And wear a vest while you do it.

The beginning and end of 1983’s LONE WOLF MCQUADE are awesome, vintage Chuck Norris action scenes, and in both he’s wearing a tactical vest with the namestrip “McQuade” displayed prominently over the badge of a Texas Ranger. In the opening action sequence he saves a patrol of state police from murderous horse thieves (yes, horse thieves), walking down to them with the Texas sun behind him as he takes down a crew of at least 13 villains all by himself (the head horse thief also wears a vest). The final fight scene is against evil drug/gun runner Rawley Wilkes, played as the snake rather than the snake charmer in KILL BILL by David Carradine and the only person who can pull off a fight scene in an argyle V-neck sweater. The only thing that accentuates the scene more than McQuade’s vest is the score by Francesco De Masi, played as music we could swear we’ve heard in the Sergio Leone Westerns. As a side note: I am lobbying to make this film required viewing for all Texas Rangers (not the baseball players, the law enforcement personnel). This film makes me want to be one…as opposed to every episode of “Walker, Texas Ranger.”

The third installment in the trifecta is an iconic vest enthusiast, a man you know as Han Solo, played by some carpenter named Harrison Ford in the original release STAR WARS, later fully titled STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE (if you’re not into the whole brevity thing). We first see this smug smuggler in that dive bar on Tatooine, seated comfortably in his black vest on white shirt combo – that horrible music playing in the background – as he coolly guns down the bounty hunter Greedo… and yes we all know Han shot first. Solo later takes his black on white fashion combo (perhaps a metaphor for his moral ambiguity, if you’re into that sort of thing) to the Death Star to rescue and exchange sexually tense banter with Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher, who started dating Paul Simon at the release of this film, then later broke his heart. Bad form, Carrie). Han, of course, delivers the pinnacle exchange with Leia in EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, as she says she loves him to which he only says “I know.” But he wore the vest more in A NEW HOPE, so that’s how we round out our evening.

So next time you’re sporting a sweater vest or rocking the three piece suit at some formal function and you notice you are in the vested minority, you go ahead and wear your vest with pride, knowing that great fictional men have worn them before you.

Time of trifecta: 332 minutes

The post Trifecta #16: The Vest is Best appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Brad Sturdivant

Finding diamonds in the rough is a wonderful feeling, but in order to do so, you usually have to watch a lot of bad movies. Flix66.com takes the pain away by recommending a movie that you may have never heard of, or missed when it first came out.

This is a tough movie to recommend for many reasons, most notably for how it’s filmed and the difficulty some audiences will have in getting used to it.  When you couple that with the fact it deals with some very adult issues, you’re left with a film that appeals to a small part of the population.  As it turns, I happened to have really enjoyed the film and found it to be a welcomed surprise.

So I guess I should explain exactly what you’re in for.  Although DOGVILLE stars Nicole Kidman and Paul Bettany, it’s not what I would call a mainstream Hollywood film.  It’s actually more of a play and is filmed as such.  There are a lot of overhead shots and theater angles, with very few props and zero special effects.  The houses and the town they live in are identified simply by thin walls or even tape on the ground.  Like I said, this is not your typical Hollywood film.

Assuming you haven’t already stopped reading, the plot of the film might turn you off.  Nicole Kidman plays Grace Margaret Mulligan; a traveler on the run from the mob, seeking a new beginning in a small Colorado town.  The town is mostly isolated and Grace finds it to be a nice change from what she is used to.  But when the mob comes looking for her, the town begins to take advantage of her and the price they charge to keep her secret is nothing short of disturbing.  It should be noted that there are strong, graphic scenes (no nudity) and those faint of heart shouldn’t even consider this.

However, if you’re up to it, and can handle the long run time, you’re going to be in for a fantastic character study.  Director Lars Von Trier crafts a great story that shocks the audience without showing you too much.  We know what’s happening to Grace and we sympathize with her plight, but Von Trier doesn’t beat you over the head with it.  He was able to get away with some subtlety because of the astonishing performances from his actors.  To be honest, I’ve never really thought much of the ability of a lot of the actors in the film, but seeing them here was proof that they really do have talent.

We as an audience get spoiled by some of the tricks involved with major Hollywood productions.  In many cases, it’s tough to even gauge an actor’s performance because of the overuse of makeup, fast edits and special effects.  But when you put an actor on a stage with no props, makeup, effects or anything else to aid their performance, you put the pressure on them to really deliver their lines and give a great performance.  We don’t see that very often in movies and typically, the only way to see that is to go to a theater performance.  But one of the best aspects of this film is the play-like setting and the chance to witness fine actors like Kidman, Bettany, Lauren Bacall, James Caan, Patricia Clarkson, Jeremy Davies and Philip Baker Hall immerse themselves into the performance and really deliver.

If you can get past the three challenges in the movie (play-like setting, subject matter, long run time), I think you’ll be impressed with the film.  Anyone who loves a good acting performance should appreciate what Von Trier has crafted here.  And trust me when I say that it has one of the most satisfying endings you’re likely to come across.

The post One You Might’ve Missed #16: Dogville appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Brad Sturdivant

Our Driver’s EDitorial is a weekly column designed to express our opinion on something going on in Hollywood today. Sometimes we whine and complain about something we wish was different, other times we heap praise on the system for getting it right.

I’m surprised we’ve gone almost six months and we haven’t heard news of a studio buying the rights or hiring a screenwriter to pen the King of Pop’s music biography.  Richie Valens, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, and other musicians have had music bios made about them because they had interesting stories, loyal fans and were big enough celebrities to draw in a crowd.  Michael Jackson not only supersedes them on all accounts, but does so by such a wide margin that it’s hard to compare.  Hollywood jumps on this kind of stuff mercilessly and usually without tact, so what’s taking them so long?

When it comes to telling Michael’s story, the studios really have their work cut out for them.  Do you remember how horrible those old, made for TV movies that popped up during the 90’s were?  They were proof enough that it’s tough to make a movie about Michael Jackson and even tougher to make a movie that’s not shrouded in heresy and speculation.  But the true stories about Michael are way more interesting than anything we could make up. Of course, that could be a problem because none of us really know what’s true and what’s not.  So that means whoever gets the nod to write the script is going to have to have some ability to investigate and tell an unbiased story.  Easier said than done.

And any article about Michael’s life has to touch on his alleged child molesting.  I don’t know if he did it or not, but I think the fame and the attention he received at a young age screwed him up and he could never get over it.  For him, sleeping in the same bed as a little boy was okay because he wanted a childhood.  It’s easy as a bystander to accept that Michael had a skewed reality, but if you’re the little boy’s father, it probably doesn’t make a difference.  That’s the hardest part any screenwriter will encounter when writing about Michael.  How do you address that without making him seem completely innocent or completely guilty?  I think the answer is you focus on his mental issues and what drove him to think/act like he did later in life.

But the biggest challenge with a Michael Jackson biography is finding someone to play Michael.  Not just for the physical resemblance, but as witnessed in THIS IS IT, not even professional dancers could keep up with him or match his dancing intensity.  That can be glossed over with some tricky editing, but they really need to go the WALK THE LINE route and have the actor sing his songs.  That makes it even harder because Michael had such a unique and amazing voice.  Oh, and the guy has to be able to act and pull off a variety of emotions and maturities, portraying Michael throughout his life.  There’s a reason Michael was so revered; there was only one of him.

I’m still calling for a bio on The Beatles and Bob Dylan, but I think a bio on Michael Jackson would be more successful than any bio before it.  Even a film made up of rehearsal footage was insanely successful.  If this fell into the hands of the right creative team, it would be incredible.  So I guess now the only thing left is to decide who will write it, direct it and star in it…

The post Driver’s EDitorial #19: Get Going With a Michael Jackson movie! appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Nathan Swank

You can’t go out and party every weekend, so on those nights you want to take it easy, Flix66.com has put together a bi-weekly column to help you with your movie selection. The Trifecta is a recommendation of three movies that set a mood, that showcase an actor or director, that acquaint the viewer with a geographic location, or maybe even have some obscure link like a Best Boy or Key Grip.

Last week’s Trifecta: The Eyepatch made me think about the fakers- characters that put on the patch without actually having lost an eye.  These characters are not near as tough and for some reason have names that are… well, a little less cool.  It’s quite the funny correlation how a name and awesomeness are drastically different depending on how necessary is one’s eye patch.  Kramer from the TV series Seinfeld is a great example.  He put one on to spice up and enhance his look but was mostly missing his step and running into things.  Unlike the no-nonsense attitude and strength a necessary eyepatch brings, an unnecessary eyepatch usually evokes, pity and ridiculousness, but thankfully induces us to laugh hysterically at them.  Who knew a simple eye cover could bring such a variety of weight to a character?  Here are three films with scenes where the characters fake the eyewear, not surprisingly all are comedies.

SPIES LIKE US-  Emmett Fitz-Hume (Chevy Chase) is a slacker U.S. government employee.  In order to pass a government skills test he uses every pathetic trick in the book to cheat.  Fitz-Hume enters with a cheat sheet concealed in his mouth, another in a cast with his fake burnt arm and then a few answers written on the back side of his fake eye patch that he has to pull away from his eye so he can actually read the answers.  He then attempts to indiscreetly cheat off his neighbor Austin Millbare played by Dan Aykroyd.  This little stunt gets them both thrown in as two clueless decoy U.S. spies to prevent a Nuclear War.  This spy parody takes place during the Cold War Era and back when Chevy Chase was funny.  Luckily he is finding his groove back in the current television series Community.

DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY-  Steve the Pirate (Alan Tudyk) is part of a misfit team trying to win in dodgeball to keep their gym.  He doesn’t wear the patch for long because it would be quite the hindrance playing the game of Dodgeball competitively.  When throwing or dodging a ball it is important to have good judgment on one’s space and time.  It’s much easier when using two eyes.  Steve’s reason for wearing a fake eye patch is simple, he believes he is a fake pirate and it is part of his fake pirate outfit.  He dresses and talks like a pirate at all times.  Waiting for those key moments within conversations so he might be able to reference any common pirate traits.  I’m sure real life pirates were offended at the blatant stereotype.

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS-  Freddy Benson (Steve Martin) and Lawrence Jamieson (Michael Caine) con rich old ladies out of their money.  Through most of the film they are in competition with each other but for a short while they team up.  Benson always seems to draw the short bus, I mean straw.  In a specific con Martin pretends to be Cain’s troubled slow little brother, Ruprecht (another funny name).  Ruprecht believes the marked lady is his mother, carries a trident, uses a fork with a cork- to protect himself and others, and wears an eye patch…oh and politely asks permission before wetting himself.  Cue corked fork popping him in the patch-covered eye.  I laugh out loud everytime I watch this sequence.

The post Trifecta #15: The Fake Eyepatch appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Brad Sturdivant

Finding diamonds in the rough is a wonderful feeling, but in order to do so, you usually have to watch a lot of bad movies. Flix66.com takes the pain away by recommending a movie that you may have never heard of, or missed when it first came out.

You have to be careful with “inspirational” movies.  If the movie is, in fact, inspiring, then the filmmakers probably know that.  A lot of filmmakers have a tendency to really play up that angle and the result is usually a sappy mess.  Other times, you have an inspirational movie that’s actually a religious movie.  Those turn out to be propaganda films and if you happen upon one you don’t agree with, you’ll be in for a long two hours.

But a good inspirational film is one that tells the story like it is and it just happens to be inspiring.  Such is the case with PEACEFUL WARRIOR.  It’s a pretty simple story about Dan Millman (Scott Mechlowicz), who is a talented collegiate gymnast, living the dream life.  But his world is turned upside down when he gets in a horrible accident and his gymnastic career is seemingly over.  But he learns to overcome his injury with the help of a mysterious mentor (Nick Nolte) and his mentor’s beautiful daughter (Amy Smart).

Some of you will recognize Scott Mechlowicz from the teen movie EUROTRIP, but he has some acting skills and he shows them here.  Dan’s character arc is a joy to watch as he goes from the spoiled, jock brat to the enlightened soul, appreciative of the second chance life has given him.  When you keep in mind that the story you’re witnessing is true (for the most part), it’s that much more fascinating.

So what makes this sports story different from countless other sports stories that feature athletes overcoming the odds?  On the basic level, nothing.  What this movie does that others sometimes fail to do is take us through the range of emotions and the changes that Dan went through.  He didn’t just overcome an injury, he actually learned a whole new way of living his life, which is really what the film is about.  And that’s also what sets this sports movie apart from the rest.  It’s great to overcome odds to achieve athletic success, but it’s even better to live a better life in the process.

Like I mentioned, the film does have a spiritual side to it that is a little hit or miss.  It’s not religious by any means, but there are some supernatural elements to what he goes through that could possibly be a detractor to naysayers.  It’s tough to explain exactly what I mean by “spiritual”, but Nolte’s character represents a cleaner, more focused way of living your life.  It’s not linked to any specific religion, it’s really just an “enlightened” way of living.  I think even the director (Victor Silva) had a tough time explaining it because he attempted several different ways of explaining it, each working to a varying degree of success.

Personally, I felt certain elements were exaggerated for dramatic effect, but the overall message was that of strength, honor and overcoming life’s challenges to find success.  Regardless of how those messages are wrapped, it’s a message that all of us need to be reminded of once in a while.

The post One You Might’ve Missed #15: Peaceful Warrior appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Kristy Sturdivant

Our Driver’s EDitorial is a weekly column designed to express our opinion on something going on in Hollywood today. Sometimes we whine and complain about something we wish was different, other times we heap praise on the system for getting it right.

Back in the day there was a short period in my life where I watched WWF wrestling (when it was still WWF). I’m embarrassed to say that I partook in this activity because of a guy but there it is.  And although I look back with a bit of shame I will admit that I enjoyed watching Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson “laying the smack down” and giving “the People’s Elbow” to his opponents as well as some of the other “athletes”. But The Rock set himself apart from the rest of the “cast” in the wrestling world because he was a true entertainer, and he was so much fun to watch.

At the time I thought to myself, “Hey this guy is entertaining-he should be in movies.”  He has the presence and charisma to lead a feature film.  Skip ahead to the Summer of 2001 where we see Mr. Johnson in his breakout role in the blockbuster THE MUMMY RETURNS, a small part but he did a great job (minus the CGI).  So when he signed that contract for THE SCORPION KING I was sure he was going to be the next action star following in the footsteps of the greats like Schwarzenegger and Stallone…so what happened?

You see, since Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone left the over-the-top, but still fun action movie world, we haven’t seen their replacements.  Yeah, we have Tom Cruise and Matt Damon running around shooting people, but there’s just something satisfying in watching an over-muscled, dimwitted guy beat the heck out of someone.  But you can’t just throw in any guy on steroids, you have to have someone with charisma and charm that can say those cheesy one-liners with a straight face.  Arnold and Sly filled those roles with unprecedented success, but the void isn’t the fault of a lack of able bodies, the problem is that no one seems to want to fill the void.  That’s where Dwayne Johnson was supposed to step in.

He seemed to be going somewhat strong with roles in WALKING TALL, DOOM and GRINDIRON GANG.  Not great movies, but movies that showcased his toughness and coolness.  I didn’t mind him in GET SMART because even Sly and Arnold did their comedies, but then he did RACE TO WITCHMOUNTAIN and THE GAME PLAN.  This is when something happened.  He fell into the Disney trap.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Disney and am usually the one who defends those kiddie type movies, but I can’t tolerate their abduction of potential action stars like Dwayne Johnson or Vin Diesel (a whole other story).  When I saw that Johnson was going to star in the 2010 film TOOTH FAIRY, his third kids movie, I knew something had to be said.

With action films behind him like DOOM and the RUNDOWN, I think Mr. Johnson has shed his wrestling persona and catapulted into a legit Hollywood actor.  He’s a great leading man with a knack for stunts so why isn’t he doing more action type movies instead of ankle biter films?  I blame this on Disney.  All I can think is that they are throwing large sums of money his way and hopefully after he pads his bank account he will begin making movies that will let him go down in Hollywood history as an action star—not a big screen babysitter.

The post Driver’s EDitorial #18: Disney, Please Release Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson! appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Nathan Swank and Rebeca Surber

He Said/She Said is a weekly column where a male and female reviewer from the site team up to debate the merits of a particular film.

HE SAID:

I have to admit that I am surprised to be defending GREASE.  I personally have never thought about why GREASE is so great because it is so widely accepted.  There is no need to explain the premise everyone has seen and loved this film.

The biggest argument for GREASE is that we may not have John Travolta as Vincent Vega in PULP FICTION, his greatest character ever in possibly the greatest movie ever.  We would be specifically without his great dance sequence with Uma Thurman.  As far as Travolta and dancing goes, GREASE begat SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER and SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER begat PULP FICTION.  I know we are missing STAYING ALIVE and the LOOK WHO’S TALKING series, but I only have so much room.  And where would be without Olivia Newton-John?  I’ll tell you where. We would be without XANADU or her hit single Physical.  Without GREASE we would never have GREASE 2!  And that’s a world I don’t want to live in.  OK, maybe I’m not helping my argument.

In all seriousness, GREASE is great for the feeling it brings to everyone.  In one word, nostalgia.  But over that, it brings a good message.  Pretending to be someone you’re not but can’t fight the peer pressure of your surrounding friends.  The conservative hot girl wants to let loose and come out of her shell.  The cool guy wants to be in love and sing…well I guess they all want to sing. You get my point.  The film breaks down those social barriers teens seem to flock to within clicks.  Regardless of what you think of the songs, they are identifiable.  Everyone knows them and everyone gets involved singing together like Tiny Dancer does for the band Stillwater in ALMOST FAMOUS.  Grease transcends people into a happier moment in life.

SHE SAID:

This story of summer lovin’ gone awry when girl (Olivia Newton-John) re-meets boy (John Travolta) after she transfers to his high school (plus all the miscellaneous side stories) makes me want to puke Exorcist style. For the life of me I cannot grasp what induces gagging more: the songs & story-line or the fact that I suffer through the Greased Lightning re-mix at almost any dance, party or reception I attend, reconfirming my disgust with this ‘classic’. It’s a toss up. Both are awful.

What were my parents thinking, allowing us to watch this movie at a young age when this movie is loaded with catchy tunes containing inappropriate lyrics?  I don’t think I realized exactly what was being said in the aforementioned song until many years after my first viewing. Ewww.  What is the message in this beloved film?  If you have a hot car you’ll get the girl?  That you can get the guy in the end if you slut it up a bit? (Guys, quit nodding your heads). The only story line I can get behind in GREASE is the push for Didi Conn’s character, Frenchy, and for the beauty school drop out to go back to high school.

I must confess, however, there are a few things I enjoyed in this film. They are: 1. Stockard Channing. Unlike syrupy sweet Sandy (Newton-John), Stockard’s performance as the brash, opinionated and independent Rizzo is brilliant. She is fiery yet vulnerable all at once. Hard to believe she was 33 when taking on this legendary role.  2. The flaky secretary and her xylophone. 3. The dance competition, because, well, I am a sucker for all dance related scenes in a film, annoying hand-jive and all.  And…that will wrap up the list.

Realizing I’m in the minority and have probably broken some alliance sworn by girls across the globe to honor this movie till death do us part, I apologize if I’ve hurt anyone who has strong ties to this film. It’s just that I can find one million other ways to waste my time than to ever re-watch GREASE.

The post He Said/She Said #16: Grease appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Nathan Swank

You can’t go out and party every weekend, so on those nights you want to take it easy, Flix66.com has put together a bi-weekly column to help you with your movie selection. The Trifecta is a recommendation of three movies that set a mood, that showcase an actor or director, that acquaint the viewer with a geographic location, or maybe even have some obscure link like a Best Boy or Key Grip.

If you come across someone wearing an eye patch, you do not want to mess with them.  The eye patch gives off a mystic coolness that strikes fear into others.  I personally have always related to Mikey checking behind the patch of One Eyed Willie’s skeleton in THE GOONIES.   There is definitely a strange fascination with the patch.  It brings up so many questions: What kind of crazy scenario happened for them to lose the eye?  What’s behind the patch?  How do they deal so well with the lack of depth perception?  Apparently in order to wear an eye patch you must be able to kill a man, have a tough as nails attitude and be the proprietor of a wicked awesome name, which thankfully means I will never lose an eye…or maybe I will.  Or perhaps all those talents come after adorning the magic eye wear.  Here are three films featuring the best one eyed, patch wearing characters.

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK- Snake Plissken is for me the quintessential eye patch wearing bad mamma jamma.  I had a friend dress as Snake for Halloween and I must say he was infinitely cooler that night than he has ever been.  Kurt Russell deserves his own section on our site for how cool he is.  The eye patch was apparently even Russel’s idea.  This is not his only eye patch character either.  Captain Ron anyone?  In the future, crime has gotten so bad that New York City has become a maximum-security prison.  The President of the United States is being held captive there.  In a trade for freedom, Snake, an ex soldier and convicted criminal himself must free the President in 22 hours or a bomb attached to him will detonate.  Nothing like a bad guy hired by good guys to take down more bad guys.

TRUE GRIT- “Rooster” Cogburn might be the classic staple for a patch wearing commanding brute.  John Wayne earned his only Academy Award for portraying this drunkard tough U.S. Marshall.  The film is about a teenage girl who is out to avenge her father’s death.  She hires “Rooster” for help because he has true “grit” and always takes care of business.  Look for Dennis Hopper and Robert Duvall as part of the bandit outlaws Rooster must face.  I’ll be honest, I threw this 1969 flick in to appeal to a broader audience.  I’m not sure my dad is our demographic but these old films should never be overlooked.

KILL BILL: VOL. 2- Elle Driver is not the lead in the Kill Bill movies but in Vol. 2 she totally shines as an evil baddie.  She is good with a sword, has a tongue just as sharp and can whistle with perfect pitch.  I dated a girl that dressed as Elle for Halloween, she was infinitely sexier.  Elle (Daryl Hannah) is one of five eccentrically different villains that the Bride (Uma Thurman) must seek revenge on for one of the worst wedding crashes ever.  They killed everyone in attendance and left the Bride for dead.  Elle is the last obstacle in the Bride’s way before facing her boss (David Carradine).  Elle went through some of the same training as the Bride, however, Elle did not always obey, so her master yanked her eyeball out, thus the patch.  She then has arguably the best battle scene against the Bride using samurai swords inside a cramped trailer with a loose deadly black mamba snake.  The Kill Bill films are rich with great characters, action and dialogue.  I’m sure they will be mentioned again in future trifecta lists.

The post Trifecta #14: The Eyepatch appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Jeremey Gingrich

This year saw the release of two films by two of the consummate chick flick directors: JULIE & JULIA by Nora Ephron and IT’S COMPLICATED by Nancy Meyers. And while I’m sure the sisterhood supports solidarity, especially in a field dominated by men, I imagine there’s also that inherent competition between the two of them to be crowned Queen of the Chick Flicks. And upon review of their stats, it’s quite a horse race.

Starting with their writing credits, Nancy Meyers was the first out of the gate. She received an Academy Award nomination for her original screenplay for PRIVATE BENJAMIN in 1980 and actually won the Writer’s Guild Award that year. However, Nora Ephron is a three-time Oscar nominee for Original Screenplay, first for SILKWOOD in 1983, then WHEN HARRY MET SALLY… in ’89, and SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE in ’93. Furthermore, it is likely she’ll get an adapted screenplay nomination this year for her combination of Julie Powell’s book Julie & Julia and Meryl Streep’s My Life in France. But that covers the writing, let’s get down to the director’s chair.

When it came to directing, Nancy Meyers started off with a family pic which remade the old Haley Mills’ Disney film THE PARENT TRAP, with a bright, young star in a Lindsey Lohan…prior to her coke-induced breakdown. Ephron, on the other hand, started with a passion project she liked about a woman trying out and succeeding in stand up comedy in THIS IS MY LIFE, starring Julie Kavner (voice of Marge Simpson). Dan Akroyd puts in a great comedic performance as her agent with Carrie Fisher appearing as his agent. Kavner cannot help but be funny, but there is also an emotional aspect that Ephron puts in all her films to give it that extra appeal to female viewers.

Nancy Meyers is no slouch, though. Before Catherine Hardwicke released TWILIGHT and capitalized on teenage girls with money to burn, Myers’ film WHAT WOMEN WANT was the most successful film ever directed by a woman. It rode the wave of Mel Gibson’s winsome smile (pre-Anti-Semitic rant) to a gross of $183 million domestic and $374 million worldwide. Even Ephron’s magnum opus in SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE only managed $228 million worldwide.

The follow up works were mediocre entertainments: Myers doing THE HOLIDAY and SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE, although the latter did well to introduce more mature actors to the romantic comedy arena; while Ephron rehashed SLEEPLESS with YOU’VE GOT MAIL and then did horribly in LUCKY NUMBERS and BEWITCHED. However, both seemed to have rebounded well this year, with Meryl Streep turning in a great performance in J&J, and Myers capitalizing on the comic talents of Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin to again tackle more mature characters in complex relationships in IT’S COMPLICATED.

But if it’s me (and it is), if I were crowning one of these directors as the Queen of Feminine Cinema, I would go with the one who, upon even the mere mention of their film’s title, inspired deep emotion and fond nostalgia…and between these two, that’s Nora Ephron’s SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE. The perfect combination of acting and plot to come together to form the perfect chick flick…and even in a movie with a dialogue that makes fun of chick flick’s. Congrats, Ms. Ephron, and yes, I cried too at THE DIRTY DOZEN.

The post Driver’s EDitorial #17: The Battle for Directing Queen-Nancy Meyers vs. Nora Ephron appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Brad Sturdivant and Kristy Sturdivant

He Said/She Said is a bi-weekly column where a male and female reviewer from the site team up to debate the merits of a particular film.

HE SAID

I’ve never actually met anyone that didn’t like the quintessential 80′s teen romantic film SAY ANYTHING, so I find myself in new territory having to defend it.  I keep wanting to write “but it’s SAY ANYTHING!” over and over and somehow, I don’t think that’s going to get my point across.  There are so many things that make this film great, but keep in mind that it came out in a time of John Hughes movies where the characters were interesting but fake in a way that distanced them from the audience.  I’m a big Hughes fan, but I never felt he captured the reality behind all the teenage angst and drama he so often focused on.  Cameron Crowe, however, perfectly captured it.

Cameron Crowe has made three films with three different characters that so accurately capture what it means to be those people that every audience member instantly relates to them.  Of course, those characters are; Lloyd Dobler (SAY ANYTHING), Jerry Maguire (JERRY MAGUIRE) and William Miller (ALMOST FAMOUS).  But the focus here is on SAY ANYTHING.  Dobler is not a loser or nerd and is definitely not a popular jock.  He, like 98% of the world, falls somewhere in-between; caught between the two extremes.  As most of us know, that middle ground has its own drama and that’s what Crowe captures so well, all set to a great soundtrack.

It didn’t hurt that he had a young John Cusack that turns in a performance that makes you instantly like him.  We root for the love between Dobler and Diane Court and the father is instantly vilified for trying to keep our lovers apart.  Of course, all of this is highlighted by the amazing scene of Cusack holding the boombox above his head while Peter Gabriel sings out ‘In Your Eyes’.  A great song, an incredible movie moment and worth the price of admission alone.

SHE SAID

The first time I saw this film I was in my mid-20′s and I was excited because I had heard so many good things about it.  It was supposed to have a great story, great characters and of course the famous scene with the boombox and I was looking forward to falling in love with it just like the rest of America.  However, I just didn’t like it.  I couldn’t relate with the characters, with their love-torn plight and quite honestly I thought the entire boombox scene was absolutely ridiculous. Who would do such a corny thing?  Is that supposed to be romantic?  It was so over the top I laugh and cringe every single time I see it.  I almost feel embarrassed for Cusak for having to live with it for the rest of his life.

I think what really bothered me about the film was Diane Court played by Ione Skye-I hated her.  I found her to be extremely snotty and was unable to relate with her, and I couldn’t understand what Dobler found so interesting in her character.  I love Cameron Crowe, and in all of his other films I could sympathize or connect to his characters but none of the characters in SAY ANTHING rang true with me.  This film really isn’t that different from what John Hughes was doing, it’s just not done as well as we’re used to.  These characters are basically the same and deal with the same things as anyone in a Hughes film.  SAY ANYTHING is just too far-fetched and sappy.

The post He Said/She Said #15: Say Anthing appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Jeremey Gingrich

You can’t go out and party every weekend, so on those nights you want to take it easy, Flix66.com has put together a bi-weekly column to help you with your movie selection. The Trifecta is a recommendation of three movies that set a mood, that showcase an actor or director, that acquaint the viewer with a geographic location, or maybe even have some obscure link like a Best Boy or Key Grip.

Musical talent has never been something I’ve possessed. I love music (Who doesn’t?), but I could never knuckle down and learn an instrument. Too much practice, too much work, and I have the attention span of a field mouse when it comes to things that don’t come easy. I have always harbored the desire to learn guitar most of all; partly out of respect for the instrument, but mostly out of knowledge that women are drawn to guitars like moths to a flame. You take a woman back to your place, she sees the guitar, you casually mention you play a little bit, she convinces you to (reluctantly, of course) play her a song, and somehow things just work out. End of story. Game, set, match: guitar. This trifecta combines three movies with my favorite scenes of guitar performances, some more obvious, some hidden treasures in a movie you didn’t expect.

The situation described above, girls drawn to a guy with a guitar, is almost exactly what happened in a surprising acting turn by Will Ferrell in Marc Forster’s STRANGER THAN FICTION. Ferrell plays Harold Crick, a numbers man who learns he is a character in a novel, written by Emma Thompson’s author, Karen Eiffel. He also learns, in hearing her narration in his head, that he is going to die. He takes this last chance opportunity to learn the guitar and to actively pursue his love interest, a baker named Ana Pascal (Maggie Gyllenhal). In having dinner with Ms. Pascal, he sees her guitar in the living room and realizing there will soon be no tomorrow for him, plays her a song. He plays “Whole Wide World” by Wreckless Eric and sings along softly with his eyes closed. He opens his eyes in time to see Ms. Pascal, sitting next to him on the couch, mesmerized by him… and the clothes melt away as Wreckless Eric belts out the main chorus. Also, Harold Crick uses the simple yet effective line to pick up Ms. Pascal, “I want you.” Not to be confused with Ron Burgundy’s “I want to be on you.”

A surprising entry into the guitar scene trifecta comes from the Sean Penn movie INTO THE WILD. Emile Hirsch plays Christopher McCandless/Alexander Supertramp in a great turn as the true story of a man who abandoned material possessions, burned or gave away his money to live and eventually die in Alaska. As he makes his way to the frozen North, he stays at a commune with two freethinking lovers played by Catherine Keener (in a great but small performance) and Brian H. Dierker. At the commune he meets Kristen Stewart’s young character, Tracy Tatro, and she falls hard for him. But alas nothing shall deter Supertramp from his goal, but he does offer to play and sing a song with her. He accompanies on piano, while Kristen Stewart (who proves here and in ADVENTURELAND that she is more than the TWILIGHT movies) plays guitar and sings the John Prine song “Angel from Montgomery.” This song is a sweet, tender country/folk song with a heartbreaking chorus, harmonized well by Hirsch and Stewart, and made me head out to iTunes to buy the song, the Bonnie Raitt version, which is saying a lot… because I hate Alabama.

The last entry focuses on a scene from the 2006 film BLACK SNAKE MOAN, directed by Crag Brewer. The movie itself is a tribute to the redemptive quality of music, and the lead characters, played by Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci, are people in need of redemption. Jackson plays Lazarus, an old blues guitar player angry at the world over his wife leaving him for his brother and has “lost his swing” in regards to playing. Ricci plays Rae, a girl whose boyfriend (played well by Justin Timberlake) is deployed with the Tennessee National Guard, and deals with past parental sexual abuse by crawling into a variety of beds with a variety of people (“bed” is actually a loose term). The film’s titular song is an old Blind Lemon Jefferson tune from 1927, but Sam L. pulls out his old blues guitar and plays it for Rae with such passion and sorrow that you can see the emotions reflected in Ricci’s eyes as she flashes back to her years of abuse. The shots are even framed perfectly, as Rae is sprawled out on the open floor in front of Lazarus, who howls the lyrics as a storm brews outside. Every time I watch this scene I flirt with the idea of learning the guitar, if only for this one song.

Trifecta Length: 378 minutes (INTO THE WILD is 148)

The post Trifecta #13: The Guitar, Man appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Rebeca Surber

Finding diamonds in the rough is a wonderful feeling, but in order to do so, you usually have to watch a lot of bad movies. Flix66.com takes the pain away by recommending a movie that you may have never heard of, or missed when it first came out.

After watching FOREVER STRONG I walked away feeling inspired, alive and wanting to be the best “me” I could be. Though at times cheesy, FOREVER STRONG is an uplifting treat.

This teen sports drama, based on actual events, features Sean Faris as Rick Penning, high school student and hot shot rugby player. Rick is the best player on his Arizona high school team with his ice cold father (Neal McDonough) as the coach.  Rick’s leisure lifestyle is ripped from him after his second DWI where his car is trashed and his girlfriend injured. He is sentenced to become a ward of the court and must move to a juvenile detention center in Utah. His haughty attitude lands him a lot of time cleaning toilets in the detention center, ran by Marcus (Sean Astin), former rugby player and current rugby enthusiast. Marcus pulls some strings and allows Rick the chance to play for the infamous Highland rugby team under Coach Larry Gelwix (Gary Cole). Loving Cole in OFFICE SPACE I was a bit leery with what he would do with Gelwix’s character. I was pleasantly surprised that Cole could emote a strong, kind, grandfatherly persona without hamming it up. It’s actors like Cole and Astin that help keep this film from being overacted.

Gelwix’s coaching tactics are the complete opposite of what Rick was accustomed. Coach wants to produce champion men, not a champion team. The team has high standards, morals and sense of brotherhood. The players are not to do anything that would embarrass them, the team or their family. What a fantastic way to practice each life decision, big or small. If only I had this bit of wisdom in my younger years… I would have survived 2005 without it being the most embarrassing year of my life.

It takes time for Rick to see the drills Gelwix has them do makes them better rugby players in a “wax on, wax off” fashion. From landscaping the hospital grounds, reading to sick children and helping fix flat tires, Rick slowly learns how to give up the old way of “me me me” thinking to doing what he can to enhance the almost unstoppable team. During Rick’s transformation montage (I love a good montage – who doesn’t?), I find myself cheering him on and overjoyed he is turning over a new leaf. Throughout the year in Utah, Rick finds out how to be a friend, ‘listen hard’, cope with loss, and discover how to forgive among the long list of lessons learned.

Knowing that in typical sports drama fashion, Rick will have to play his father’s team, I cannot stop rooting for Highland and jeering at the douchery that comes from his old teammates.  This movie is great to watch with family, friends, sports enthusiasts… heck –tween girls will go bananas over this movie for the good lookin’ guys alone. It’s a moving film that makes me tear up and celebrate all at once.

The post One You Might’ve Missed #14: Forever Strong appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Brad Sturdivant

Our Driver’s EDitorial is a weekly column designed to express our opinion on something going on in Hollywood today. Sometimes we whine and complain about something we wish was different, other times we heap praise on the system for getting it right.

Now that Disney has purchased Marvel Studios, there are a lot of questions surrounding the state of some of the more lucrative Marvel franchises and the new movies they’ll produce.  If the latest movie trailer we saw is any indication, we can assume that Iron Man will continue strong with Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. continuing to be involved, but there should be growing concerns regarding every fan’s dream movie: The Avengers.

In order to do the film properly, Marvel and Disney are going to have to tread very carefully.  To start with, they have to stay focused on telling a good story.  This is probably the key point in making a film as ambitious as The Avengers.  If they add too many characters and develop a convoluted plot, they risk under-using all of the characters and giving audiences a sense of disappointment.  Reading a movie review for a recent comic book movie proves that audiences and critics alike prefer character driven comic book films.

Also, now is not the time to do origin stories.  Any character appearing in an Avengers film must already have an origins film under his/her belt.  This brings up another conundrum in that they can’t make an Avengers film without Captain America and his feature film seems to be the only one that hasn’t gotten the fast track.  We learned a while ago that Joe Johnston is directing the film and they start in June, so this is a good thing.  Now if only they could cast the lead…

Next, they have to make sure the same actors portray all the important heroes and villains.  We have to have Robert Downey Jr., Edward Norton, Samuel L. Jackson and others come back and reprise their roles.  Without them, the film will seem cheap and will lose a little luster.  The last thing we need is to try and accept new actors in the roles we’ve already associated with other stars.

So now that we have a simple story and we know we only need five or so heroes, now we need a villain.  This is a little tougher because every villain has to have a little bit of an origin story, so it would work best to focus on a villain that already has an origin story; The Hulk.  They kind of already set him up to be a villain in the latest Hulk film, so it seems like a natural fit.  Plus, how cool would it be to see Iron Man, Captain America and Thor battle The Hulk?

The Avengers film has the potential to be the greatest comic book film of all time, or the biggest comic book bust of all time.  But if Marvel and Disney take the time and put in the effort, it could be something special.  Say what you want about Disney, but they know how to take care of their franchises and aren’t afraid to spend money when necessary.  Of course, sorting out all the rights to the various Marvel characters is a whole other issue…

The post Driver’s EDitorial #16: Let’s Get the Avengers Movie Going appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Nathan Swank and Rebeca Surber

He Said/She Said is a bi-weekly column where a male and female reviewer from the site team up to debate the merits of a particular film.

HE SAID

What is this movie?  I don’t get it.  Who is the target audience?  It’s far too boring to be a kid’s movie and far too stupid and sophomoric to be a movie for adults.  I think the big sell is Michael Cain, Robert Duvall and Haley Joel Osment, which among them have 13 Academy Award Nominations and 3 wins.  Haley Joel has only one of those (SIXTH SENSE), but is probably the most known.  However, he is absolutely horrible in this film and overacts terribly.  I think he was trying way too hard.  Every reaction was a dumbfound look or forced emotion.  Seriously, this is some of the worst acting I have ever seen.  It’s no wonder that he has not worked in the last seven years since this movie came out.  I actually think all his previous works were great so I don’t think he is a bad actor but his performance in SECONDHAND LIONS is undoubtedly bad.  Michael Cain doesn’t fair too much better, I can hear his British accent seep through his attempt at a Texan drawl every now and then.  Robert Duvall is the only one who seems to be working but that doesn’t matter because THIS STORY IS POINTLESS!

An unfit mother drops her son off to live in the country with two kooky uncles.  She tells him to get close to them and find their gold.  The boy watches the uncles be slightly crazy (fly planes and shoot at salesman, who doesn’t want to do that) and listens to a story about their adventures in Africa as one of them finds true love.  The flashbacks are uninspiring, the characters lack intelligence or motivation and the production value is worse than a made for TV after school special.  I’m angry for watching this.

SHE SAID

How can anyone NOT like this movie? It is so cute! SECONDHAND LIONS is a movie that sucks me in anytime it is on TV or I feel the need to add it to my Netflix queue. Two allegedly wealthy brothers, Garth and Hub (Michael Cain and Robert Duvall respectively), spend their days shooting at traveling salesmen and fighting off advances of money hungry relatives find their world upside down when their great-nephew, Walter, (Haley Joel Osment) moves in. These two brothers are not used to a relative who isn’t money hungry like abandoned Walter who is looking for acceptance, love and a place to call home.

At first using Walter to annoy the gold digging relatives we see two tough, weathered men find a soft spot in their hearts for him. At the suggestion of Walter, Garth and Hub deviate from shooting at the salesmen to testing the peddled goods.  They discover, at times, buying the wares is more fun than using the salesmen as shooting targets. When Walter’s mother (Kyra Sedgwick) returns for him and they leave, I get all sappy seeing the gruff men hold back their sadness.  This film ends in a fashion that usually gets on my nerves, everything wrapping up nicely with a big red bow: Were the stories Walter heard all his life from his eccentric uncles true? Did they get their money from robbing banks, mafia ties or steal from a sheik?

Semi-bad acting aside, I think it is an adorable film with happy laughs. Plus, the money hungry relatives are a stitch to watch. When they visit Hub in the hospital and hear the news that “he’s no longer with us” is priceless.  This story is pointless only if you do not have a heart.

The post He Said/She Said #14: Secondhand Lions appeared first on Flix 66.

It has already started.  Movie critics and fanboys around the internet are already starting to bash AVATAR for a myriad of reasons including “it’s too long”, “it relies too heavily on special effects”, “it has the same story as DANCES WITH WOLVES”, and the list goes on.  I don’t know what’s more frustrating; that people are saying things like this, or that some of these people actually have voices that others listen to.  Perhaps what’s most frustrating is that some people are going to listen to these whiney naysayers and miss out on what is possibly the movie event of the decade.

I saw a similar thing happen with TITANIC.  I remember seeing it on opening weekend and being blown away by the sheer grandness of the film.  I told everyone that would listen and over the next 30 days or so, everyone was hailing it as an amazing achievement in filmmaking (which it is).  But soon people got sick of TITANIC-mania and couldn’t stomach hearing one more teenage girl swoon over dreamy Leo.  Of course, Cameron yelling “I’m king of the world” during his Oscar speech didn’t help matters.  Even now, I find myself debating with people on whether or not TITANIC was a great film, which was inconceivable in December of 1997. Twelve years later, AVATAR is starting to get the same kind of backlash.

Over the years, I’ve been accused of being an elitist movie snob by my friends and family because nine times out of ten I will choose a historical drama over a summer blockbuster.  Also, I hate going to the movie theater for a variety of reasons, but it really boils down to the fact that there are too many external factors at your local Cineplex that impede the movie watching experience.  I mention that to set up the point of this article, which is; go see AVATAR in 3D Imax.  Don’t search on the internet for various reviews and don’t get caught up in the backlash the movie is already getting.  Just find the closest Imax theater (I drove 1.5 hours), buy the tickets online and enjoy yourself.  Even if you don’t like movies, you will appreciate the event that is AVATAR.

Yes, you can pick the movie apart and yes, the plot will feel a little familiar.  But this is hands down the greatest achievement in filmmaking since…well…TITANIC.  James Cameron has created an amazing world and through advanced technology, he has made you (the audience) a part of it.  Some have said this film will be embarrassing in 30 years.  My answer to that?  Maybe so, but it will be respected.  1927′s THE JAZZ SINGER is not considered the greatest “talkie” ever and watching it today is rough, but it’s respected as being ground breaking and for taking cinema into a new world.  Our grandkids will look back at AVATAR and acknowledge it for doing the same thing.

As much as I love running a movie website and being a part of the online movie community, sometimes I think people lose sight of how great it is to be a movie fan.  I’ll admit that I’ve become bitter and cynical about movies over the years.  Heck, this very column is usually dedicated to complaining about Hollywood.  But AVATAR has reminded me how special movies can be.  For 2.5 hours, I was in a different world, caught up in the events unfolding on a glorious 3D Imax screen and I was happy to be there.  I’m sure later on I’ll take the time to discuss the plot holes or the various mistakes in the film, but for right now, I’m proud to recommend this film to anyone that will listen.

The post Driver’s EDitorial #15: Go See Avatar in 3D Imax appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Jeremey Gingrich

Our Driver’s EDitorial is a weekly column designed to express our opinion on something going on in Hollywood today. Sometimes we whine and complain about something we wish was different, other times we heap praise on the system for getting it right.

Really, I never wanted to be this guy. I love the movies. Not only do I love the experience of directors, writers, actors, producers, key grips coming together to create an entertainment, but I even enjoy sharing that entertainment in an auditorium of fellow movie-goers. Experiencing a movie on your own can be an academic as well as entertaining experience, as you can pay astute attention to even the most minute of details; but you don’t get the communal experience of sharing the laughs, the thrills, the tears with an audience going through those same emotions for the first time. That’s one of my favorite things about the movies, and the times I get to experience that the most are during the summer, with the crowded theaters for the summer blockbusters, and during the Christmas releases. At this time of year, everyone has countless days off, the Academy Award nominees start coming out, and it just feels good after the big Christmas feast to leave the dishes in the sink and just escape for two hours to a world of your choosing. Plus, after the unpleasant conversations most families have around the collective dinner table, sometimes it’s just good to sit in silence for two hours.

However, on three separate occasions during this holiday movie season, some audience members (one of my favorite aspects of the movies) have sullied my movie-going experience. I’m not the guy that points this stuff out, either. I love the movies so much, that these are usually the things I overlook to justify my continued attendance at the multiplexes across America to this site’s main proprietor, Brad Sturdivant, who is adamant on his premise that people ruin the movies. However, given these last few experiences, and don’t tell Brad this, I’m actually coming around a bit to his way of thinking.

My biggest problem, my HUGEST problem, is with cell phones. Cell phones in the God blessed movie theaters! Listen, American movie goers, I counted and there is not one, not two, but three reminders before the start of your movie to turn off/silence your cell phones. Some of which are done in creative and funny ways, such as the movietickets.com ads with the fictional Happy the Hedgehog movies and ROBOTS FROM SPACE in which they blow up the actual Mount Rushmore. Then there’s the requisite reminder before and after the previews to turn off your cell phones with the recently added caveat of NO TEXTS, as well. The “no texts” bit is genius, by the way, as a lit up screen on a cell phone with someone clickety-clacking away at a text during a movie is unbearable.

But on these three recent occasions, the intrusion into my movie was so egregious, I felt the need to write this editorial, the main bullet point to which is TURN OFF YOUR DAMN CELL PHONES. I mean, it really is quite simple. I remember to do it and I’m as simple a creature as you’ll ever find. And if I think I’m going to receive an important phone call in the 2 hour movie (rare for all of us as, face it, none of us are that important) I will put it on vibrate and hold it in my hand so when I get the call I can walk out of the theater and take the call in the lobby. Is that really such a difficult plan to formulate? Apparently so, as when I was in UP IN THE AIR recently a woman behind me felt her phone call, announced to me by her “Party in the USA” ring tone, was so important she had to take the call during the movie, during a pivotal exchange between George Clooney and Anna Kendrick. I would have scolded her over movie theater etiquette but she was with her children and I would have felt bad. Either that or the children would have beat the hell out of me.

Other recent situations were more benign, both of which were simply phones ringing during the movie, one a regular ring tone and one a Jackson 5 song, and though I like the Jackson 5 and the offenders quickly and awkwardly fumbled around to turn off the sound, the sound was still there. And these three occasions combined to inspire me to work as another reminder to movie-goers to please silence your cell phones when you are in the car pulling up to the theater. Don’t wait until you’re in the building, just shut it off! Shut it off as soon as you make the decision to go to the movies! Think of this as a grand gesture of man’s humanity toward his fellow man. Think of it as following basic instructions. Or just think of it as a simple gesture of common decency. Just do it, okay? This has been a public service announcement from your good friends at Flix66.com. But again, don’t tell Brad.

The post Driver’s EDitorial #14: Cell Phones. Seriously? appeared first on Flix 66.

by: Nathan Swank

You can’t go out and party every weekend, so on those nights you want to take it easy, Flix66.com has put together a bi-weekly column to help you with your movie selection. The Trifecta is a recommendation of three movies that set a mood, that showcase an actor or director, that acquaint the viewer with a geographic location, or maybe even have some obscure link like a Best Boy or Key Grip.

With the release of AVATAR a week before Christmas and SHERLOCK HOLMES on Christmas day, it feels like Hollywood may have forgotten what season it is.  Dramatic Oscar bait is meant for winter and blockbuster action movies are reserved for summer, right?  Well apparently not this year, but this began me thinking about action movies that have celebrated Christmas.  If you are one of those people that need some action all year round, this Trifecta is meant for you.  Sorry folks, but although HOME ALONE does have some great action, I’m vetoing it for it’s family friendly content.  Only ‘R’ rated Christmas action on this list.  Tis the season to shoot, rob and blow things up.

DIE HARD is quite possibly the quintessential best action film ever.  It’s basically what all action films strive to be, so much so that they will use DIE HARD’s name to describe their own film in a different location – “It’s DIE HARD on a boat” or “DIE HARD on a plane.” Which ironically DIE HARD 2 and 3 did have a plane and a boat.  John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his (separated from) wife at her company Christmas party in a high rise building in L.A. when a team of foreign terrorists hijack the building and McClane has to disassemble the group one by one hiding throughout the building.

Best Christmas Moment:  Listening to the epitome of all bad guys, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) read a blood written message on a dead henchman’s body sent by McClane.   (In a German accent) “Now I have a machine gun HO – HO – HO.”

It also introduced me to the song, “Christmas in Hollis” by Run-DMC

REINDEER GAMES isn’t quite the quality action film that DIE HARD is; in fact, it’s not very good at all… ok it’s awful.   But it is entertaining in that cheese factor sort of way.  You can sit around and laugh at all the ridiculously absurd and yet predictable plot points.  Gary Sinise heads up a group of bad for the sake of being bad guys, planning on robbing a casino in full on Santa Clause attire.  They kidnap Ben Affleck who recently was released from prison to be there vault guy in a case of mistaken identity.  Affleck is pretending to be his dead cellmate to hook up with his girl – and he’s supposed to be our hero, what a winner.

Best Christmas Moment:  Charlize Theron in an absolutely unnecessary, gratuitous nude sex scene to the song, “Let It Snow” by Dean Martin…  I just really like that song.