MAD at EW

So... I was glancing through the Entertainment Weekly movie reviews and found their review for Battle: Los Angeles. They gave it a D!! Needless to say, I am not happy about it. How can it get a D? I thought it was so good, and usually my tastes are pretty similar to the magazine's. But anyway, they reduced the movie down to the fact that there is a lot of rubble and smoke. "If only there were an Oscar for Best Debris"--What do you expect? The movie is about aliens invading; there's gonna be some destruction, obviously. They also say that it is just a mix of a bunch of different alien/disaster movies. To that I say that you can say that about pretty much any movie ever made. It says it's a mix between War of the Worlds, Starship Troopers, District 9, Earthquake, and Independence Day (if I recall correctly, this is another nominee for Best Debris, perhaps?). The last thing that it says is that the aliens are "visually nondescript--just metal from another planet." I actually liked that. Not everything has to be like Alien or Independence Day.

Anyway, the review just really bothered me. I only read the little blurb in the magazine because apparently they didn't have a normal pre screening. You can read the whole review here:
Full Review

Battle: Los Angeles

Last night, my mom and I went to the movies to see Battle: Los Angeles. Very similar in storyline to Skyline that we watched the night before (What can I say, we like Sci-Fi), but Battle: LA was leaps and bounds better than Skyline. While Skyline was better than expected, but still not very good, Battle: LA was fantastic and totally blew me away. What I wasn't expecting, is that it was a full-scale militarized alien movie. The first of its kind I'm pretty sure. My mom argued that Aliens was the Marines and aliens, but I don't think that counts because they were in space. Yes ALL alien invasion movies have the military involved, as they are our only defense, but there are never any movies about the military and what they're doing. Needless to say, I thought that part was very interesting. This movie was gritty and action-packed like a war movie but it had aliens which always gives humans a sense of helplessness. This movie you never really know if they're going to prevail or not; in typical war movies, I feel like the outcome is already known or extremely predictable; not with this movie. It was suspensful and realistic. They didn't go too crazy with the aliens or the effects, which was good. I just really liked this movie. From the moment it started, I was totally engrossed, and I cared about all the characters. That's hard to do in a movie like this. This movie makes you feel like you are right there with them trying to make it through this city. I suggest that you see this movie. I know that aliens are a hard sell for some people, but it really is great. And if you don't like aliens, think of it as a war movie, which it most certainly is.

MmmMMmm Brains.

Tonight my mom and I were extremely bored, so we decided to check out On Demand. I saw Skyline and remembered being interested in it when it was in theaters. After we ordered it, I also remembered that it was in theaters for just a hot second. I did not have very high expectations. In fact, I had zero expectations at all, so maybe that has something to do with this, but I'll say it.... it wasn't that bad. It was a pretty good alien invasion movie. Parts of it reminded me of War of the Worlds-- mass human extermination and the aliens coming in to the homes and them having to hide were the parts that were like that. Unlike War of the Worlds, however, it felt too much like the aliens were singling this group of people out, and that bugged me. I realize the movie wouldn't necessarily SHOW what was happening to other groups of people, but at least with other movies, you can tell that other things are happening while this alien is after these people. For example, in War of the Worlds, when the alien was in Tim Robbins house, you could still hear the booms and things outside. It's like the aliens came to Earth solely to get these people. What was really interesting about this movie was WHY the aliens were there. **SPOILER ALERT** (If anyone is ever going to watch this movie) When the aliens took the humans, they were like harvesting their brains and using them to survive. I thought it was pretty interesting that they were using our own brain power to destroy us basically. Then you start to think that we aren't using our intelligence to its highest potential. I liked that a lot about this movie. It was so different from just the unprovoked or "we-want-your-natural-resources" type movie. All that being said, the movie was pretty good until they didn't know how to end it. Although part of me is glad that they finally explained the significance of the bad skin rash, it was just plain stupid. It also never ended, the same thing over and over. It basically almost ruined the whole thing, but I can see the good points of Skyline.

Waiting for Superman

So I've been really in to documentaries lately. In the past two weeks, I've watched Food, Inc. and Restrepo, and today I decided to watch Waiting for Superman. It is a documentary about the education system in America. It just absolutely blew me away. I never knew any of this stuff about the system. Like I knew that inner-city schools weren't doing as well as other schools, but I had no idea that there are schools all over the country that have 40% or higher DROP OUT rates. It also amazed me that these kids' futures were decided by a lottery system. Why do the good schools have such few spaces if they have so many applicants? It seems to me that if they're getting so many applicants, they would have the resources to open up their schools and make them bigger to give kids a better chance. The lottery part of the movie was just heartbreaking. The looks on the kids' faces-- they were so hopeful and then so disappointed. This film just really made me appreciate everything that I have had in my life. I know that a lot of people take their education for granted, but you just can't do that, and this movie just really brought that all to light. Also, the kids and their families that they were following were so inspiring. The kids actually WANTED to go to school and better themselves, and their parents were stopping at nothing to get their kids the best education that they could. I know that not all kids are like that, but it is just great that there are people who really value their education. I just loved this movie...more than I thought I would. It was just riveting, which you don't always get with documentaries. Also, I feel like they actually paid close attention to the look of this movie. Sometimes I feel like with documentaries, the cinematography is basically just an afterthought, but this was different. All- around just a great, moving and inspiring movie.

I Dropped My Camera...

So, I haven't watched any movies lately, but I want to post because I'm bored and don't feel like writing notes for Anatomy. But here's what else is going on.

This semester, I am taking a digital photography class. When I originally signed up, I thought it would be a good, Illinois-an, way to like learn how to frame shots and stuff, and I've always been interested in photography, so I thought this class would help me decide if I really wanted to invest in the hobby. I was expecting the class to be a lot different than it is. See in high school, I took a class that let me check out a camera and we had a new assignment like every week. This is not like that at all. First, we had to have our own cameras. Looking back on it, I should have known that, but I didn't. Luckily, I had this awful Kodak that I bought a while back. It was awful. I did the first two projects with it, and just wasn't really happy with the pictures. Finally, while shooting for a project, it kept turning off in between pictures, and when it didn't turn off, it took like a minute before I could shoot again. So I got fed up. I decided that it was time to invest. I took a couple of hours to really think about it; if I could really afford it or not, if I was really going to stick with it, etc. I came to the conclusion that it was definitely worth it. I know how to use the different settings now, and I have reasons to be shooting, and I really do want to stick with it because I think its really fun. I went out to Best Buy and got a Nikon D3100, an extra lens, a memory card, and a bag all for about 900 bucks. Done pretty good I think. So that's that. I love my new camera, and taking pictures. It is my goal to get a Flickr account going and to actually print my photos for myself and for my parents. My FAVORITE thing to take pictures of is Cooper and Carl. I have some pretty good ones so far, but I'm trying to expand my picture-taking. My friend from work also just got a new camera, and so I hope that we can go out shooting together.

It has been my goal to really start being more creative. Photography and even this blog are helping me with that. I want to get better and more knowledgeable about what I want to do. I'm trying to expand what type of movies I watch, and also expanding my other interests. The photos in this post are my favorites from my trip to Arizona last week.

Taking Advantage of the Big City

As many of you may know, the state of Illinois south of Chicago (with a few exceptions) is a cultural void. Mostly this bugs me when it comes to what movies come to BloNo. A lot of movies that I get really excited for either never come or come way late. Number one example: 127 Hours. Did you know that movie actually came out in NOVEMBER??? It was so frustrating that it didn't come out at home until the end of January. Ridiculous. A lot of the movies this year did that. But that was the most extreme and upsetting.

So, being in the Phoenix area, one of the first or second run cities in the U.S, we went and saw two movies that will probably never see the light of day (or I guess the light of the projector) in Bloomington. When I was at school last year, it was awesome because I actually got all the movies. (Paranormal Activity being the most notable. I saw it a month before people here saw it!)

First we saw Blue Valentine. It stars Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. She was even nominated for best actress; however, she got virtually NO attention. I remember first getting excited about it when Entertainment Weekly gave it rave reviews and named it one of the 25 movies you should see before the Oscars. It's about a failing relationship. Its kind of a slow moving, dramatic film, but I definitely got invested in the characters. I found myself trying to figure out their story and trying to see what went wrong along the line. I was right there with Michelle in her embarrassment, regret, and sadness. Boy, was it sad. I think it was very good because it reminded me a lot of my own life, and I think it's pretty relatable for a lot of people. I liked it because it was very realistic; it wasn't one of those cookie-cutter movies. Ryan and Michelle had great chemistry and they both had great performances. Especially Michelle.

The other movie we saw, which was like the polar opposite of Blue Valentine, was Cedar Rapids. It is about an insurance convention in, you guessed it, Cedar Rapids. It stars Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, and Anne Hesche, and it's just a really fun, funny movie. Ed Helms plays Tom Lippe, a insurance salesman from a very small town in Wisconsin who has never left that town. So, when he gets to the "big city," mayhem ensues. This movie was extremely funny. I loved how they glorified Cedar Rapids like it is Las Vegas or something. The case is definitely what made this movie, especially John C. Reilly. He had some great lines. He really is just an awesome actor. Ronald was really funny, too. The way he spoke was hilarious. The one thing that bothered me was that the movie tried to incorporate serious elements where they just didn't fit. They tried to have John C. Reilly sad about his ex wife, but it was just awkward. It only worked when he was saying bad things about her. Then, they brought it up, and never revisited it again. That being said, apart from that minor speed bump, it was awesome. I highly recommend that you watch it if you're looking for a good time.

I'll Be Back.

So I've been busy the past few days because I'm on vacation with my mom in Arizona! We got here on Sunday pretty early and have been busy busy ever since. Sunday when we first got here we did just a little bit of shopping and then went out to dinner with some family at Carrabba's. Which is a delicious italian restaurant. Monday, we headed to Sedona and I took pictures for my photography assignment. That went pretty well, too. Yesterday, we did some serious shopping (a Verry successful trip, I might add). Then saw a movie (I'll get to that later), and then I went back to ASU!!

Now, last year, I actually went to school at Arizona State. I was in the Film and Media Studies program. I made the best friends, and had the best time. My roommate and I got along great, and I know that she, as well as a few others will be great friends for life. I made the best memories. I loved my classes. I loved campus. Loved the weather. You might be thinking, "Well, if everything was so great...what are you doing right now?"To answer that question simply: I convinced myself that I wasn't really happy out there, and that if I went home, all of my problems would be solved because I would be with someone I loved. Looking back on it, yes, it was a mistake to come back. (Hindsight is 20/20, right?) But at the same time, if I hadn't come back, I wouldn't have Carl right now, I wouldn't have my fantastic job that I LOVE, I wouldn't have had the experience of really living on my own, and I wouldn't be close with someone that I really enjoy talking to. So, there is good and bad. But ultimately, for what I want to do, which is something involved with film (The only thing about my academic career that hasn't changed, haha), living in Bloomington, Illinois is not going to get me to where I want to be. Plain and simple. Also, I just feel like I need a new start.

So... I've decided to go back. I have registered for classes, and today we looked at places to live next year. I'm really excited. Of course I will miss my friends, I'll miss work, and I'll miss home. But this is really what is best for me. And I am confident in my friendships, both old and new, and I know that I will be friends with these people even if I'm away at school. My new friends at Starbucks are some of the best, and most fun people I've ever met. I love going to work every day; we have a blast. And we're all just really a big family, and I loved that I felt welcomed and like I belonged there from day one. I wish I could transfer my whole store out here with me. My old friends, we've done it before, and I know that it will be just as fine as it was. Like I said, I will be missing my friends, but really and truly, being down at campus last night, has really made most of my doubts disappear. I felt so great being there last night. I loved being with my friends, I loved being on campus again. It was like I never left. So I'm feeling really good right now. I can't wait to come back, and we found this really awesome place today, and we're looking again tomorrow.

Identity Crisis

So... now that they Oscars are over, I'm trying to decide exactly what I want this blog to be. I don't have the awards to focus on anymore. So what to do, what to do. I really want to start keeping up with this thing better. I've been working on watching more movies lately, and also watching different types of movies. I have seen a couple good ones lately. I saw I Love You, Phillip Morris about a week ago, and It's Kind of a Funny Story a couple days ago. I wish that I had written about Phillip Morris when I saw it, because it was absolutely great! It was so funny and very surprising. It wasn't what I was expecting at all...in a good way. I can't wait to see it again. It's Kind of a Funny Story was alright. Again, not what I was expecting. It wasn't funny really at all but it was cute. A nice surprise: Zach Galifinakis can actually act! Who'da thunk it? So that's it, I guess I will be doing just random movies. As well as some other stuff. :)

And The Oscar Goes To...

Best Picture- The King's Speech.... This, I have to admit, was disappointing. I really wanted Social Network to win, but oh well. This movie was very good as well.

Best Actor- Colin Firth

Best Supporting Actor- Christian Bale... YAY!

Best Actress- Natalie Portman

Best Supporting Actress- Melissa Leo

Best Director- Tom Hooper... This is truly a shame in my opinion. David Fincher should have won. He got the shaft, yet again. 

Best Original Screenplay- The King's Speech

Best Adapted Screenplay- The Social Network

Film Editing- The Social Network

Animated Feature- Toy Story 3

Art Direction- Alice in Wonderland.... This was very surprising. I assumed that Inception would win all of the technical awards. 

Cinematography- Inception

Documentary Feature- Inception

Original Score- The Social Network

Original Song- "We Belong Together"- Toy Story 3

There weren't really any surprises or upsets. I think that I was pretty right on with all of my predictions. I think that makes the show less interesting, too. I was reading Entertainment Weekly and they brought up an interesting point. If the ceremony were BEFORE all of the other awards, then it would be less predictable. By the time the show is actually on, everyone knows who is going to win. I think it would be a great thing to move it into the front of the awards season. 

Soorrrry.

Okay. I'm officially done slacking. Unfortunately, the Oscars were kind of underwhelming...so it's been hard to find the motivation to write about them. Also, I missed a lot of them because there was a stupid storm. Since they were already a week ago, I won't spend too much time. But, I want to share a few of my favorite and least favorite dresses. First, my favorites. I loved Mila Kunis' dress. It was absolutely gorgeous. At first glance, I was skeptical, but it was really beautiful. Natalie Portman was also really beautiful in purple. Her gown was a great color and really made her body look great. Another one that I absolutely loved was Jennifer Lawrence from Winter's Bone. I barely even recognized her. She looked so different from how she looked in the movie; she was absolutely stunning. I can't believe I loved such a simple dress, but it really was great. It fit her perfectly and really made her stand out. Amy Adams was one that I liked that no one else did. All of the fashion people were caught up on her jewelry, but I didn't mind that at all. I thought the dress was really cool and pretty. 

A couple that I HATED were Cate Blanchett and Scarlet Johanssen. Cate's was just plain weird, and Scarlet looked like a street walker or something. It was just not fit for the Oscars.

Another thing I'd like to mention were Anne Hathaway's dresses. My favorites were the bright blue one and the thin red one that she wore to after parties. I really didn't like the turtle neck one. it was weird, and I'm not a big fringe person. I liked her in her tux; I thought that was cute. For the most part, I thought that she, and James Franco did a good job. I mean, they aren't really funny people, so I guess they did the best they could do. They weren't the same type of hosts that the show normally has. In the past they've had comedians, and Hugh Jackman was a stage performer. Anne Hathaway is a talented singer and dancer, but they barely used that. I liked the opening thing when they were in all the movies, but it wasn't as good as Billy Crystal doing that in the past. I hope they figure out the whole hosting thing pretty soon. Even though I watch every year with great attention, I know not many other people do, and I don't want them to have to like cut things. I would rather them just try to get a good host and make the existing show entertaining. I really didn't mind this show as much as everyone else did. It was fine. I guess I'm more invested in it than other people, so I don't need all the fru fru stuff. Plus, I was so pissed because the stupid channel wasn't working. I missed about an hour of the whole show. What did you think of the show?