Fox News Reporter Fired for Downloading Movie

Interesting story I came across. Fox News gossip columnist Roger Friedman said on air that he illegally downloaded a copy of the upcoming film 'Wolverine' off the internet and then proceded to to review it. Well, turns out he got fired! Check out the article here

Incident Report

Following up with my last post, Delaware Hall took things to a new level at the rez staff banquet last week. They did a parody of "Jizz in my Pants" by Lonely Island. There is a lot of staff lingo in the video so I don't know how many people would appreciate it but here it is anyway:

Back to the Zoo

Every year at the rez staff awards banquet each building presents a skit/video. I made one for my team playing off Back to the Future (kinda haha). If you know anything about that movie or Saugeen you might enjoy this:

Top 10 Exlosions of All Time

Everyone loves a good explosion in a movie don't they? A friend of mine sent me a link to a countdown of the top 10 best explosions ever. Unfortunately the embedded code isn't listed so you will have to see it the old fashioned way by clicking here

Soup of the Day

Today while surfing around YouTube I came across this sweet video made in Saugeen Maitland Hall at Western. Check it out!

Danny McBride - Hollywood's Next Big Funny Guy

You might have seen Danny McBride in this past summer's movies such as Tropic Thunder or Pineapple Express. He has become a regular in the Judd Apatow/Seth Rogen crew and really brings hilarity and quirkiness to all the roles he plays. He recently got his own show entitled Eastbound and Down where he plays a washed up baseball player who moves back to his home town to teach high school once his baseball career is over. This is an HBO production produced by Will Ferrell and his production company and is truly a hilarious show. There were only six episodes in the first season and I can't wait for the second season. If you like the humor in movies like Knocked Up or Anchorman then you must check out this new hit comedy.

Young Doctors Learn Medical Practice from TV!

An interesting article in the National Post came out the other day which talks about how young doctors in medical school are learning bad habits from things they see in television. A doctor did a study and a large amount of students admit to learning tips from television shows such as E.R. and Grey's Anatomy. I find it really interesting that fictional media can have such a huge impact in the real world and especially in something as important as medical practice. Looks like these kids could use some MIT training! Read the article here.

CBC Documentary - The End

CBC put out a documentary mini series focusing on the changing trends in technologies that have been around for a while. It is a three part series which focuses on print, radio, and television. CBC host Jian Ghomeshi interviews people in the industry as well as every day users of these technologies to get an insight in the direction the entertainment industry is heading.

Fun Fact: My dad went to high school with Jian Ghomeshi

Of the three parts, the one I felt most relatable to my blogging class was “The End of Print” one. One side of the argument was that because of mediums, such as blogs, the days of print media, such as newspapers or books, are over. I believe this to be semi true. I do think the amount of news papers, magazines, and books will decrease in the future, I still think there is a place for it in this world. I know that I love picking up the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine and keeping it for bathroom reading. You can’t bring a laptop into the bathroom to read news updates! (or can you?) I also don’t think I could get used to the idea of reading a novel on a screen. A few news articles here and there are fine, but I think I would rather have the actual book, just as Margaret Atwood mentions in the video.

I also feel the way about the radio segment. Although the world is moving towards more electronic and digital forms of music, there is a place for the traditional radio. Again, my bathroom is the perfect place for it. I always have it on while in the shower. I get to catch some news, hear a couple of tunes and it makes life a little more interesting. I can’t bring my ipod or a satellite radio into the bathroom.

All in all, I think for someone in my demographic, regular tv, traditional radio, and print media still are really relevant in my life.

All three parts of the documentary can be seen here

Songs I'm currently obsessed with

Have you ever just suddenly become obsessed with a particular song or two? I find it especially weird since it is never new songs, it's songs I have heard and known but all of a sudden are obsessed with. Currently, two songs are on non stop repeat on my iTunes. These are Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al" and Toto's "Africa". Below are a couple of great live versions of these tunes.

Will Ferrell's "You're Welcome America"

I recently saw (on TV) Will Ferrell's one man show he does about George W Bush. It is quite hilarious, if you come across it or can get your hands on a copy I really recommend it! Here is a short clip:

I Was Saying Boo-urns!

Don't you find that everything in life can relate back to a Simpsons episode? This a clip from the film festival episode "A Star is Burns" , one of my favorites!

20 Movies to be Released in 2009

I found this great video showing some titles and posters of upcoming movies in 2009. Anything in particular you are looking forward to? Personally, I can't wait to see Johnny Depp and Christian Bale in Public Enemies.

Mac Vs PC

Mac vs PC seems to be a topic that never seems to go away. I am an avid Apple fan and came across these great images making fun of Windows. Feel free to discuss your opinion on the Mac vs PC War!

An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube

There was a really interesting video I came across entitled "An Anthropological Introduction to Youtube". It is a presentation by Dr. Michael Wesch who I have been following for a while and he is a cultural anthropologist and media ecologist who focuses on how online communities effect the real world. For a while now I have been very interested in Dr. Wesch's work and this video shows him giving a presentation about the impact of YouTube. In this presentation he really explains the power of social networking and how a lot of the YouTube sensations came to be and what that means. Currently, I am a Residence Don at Western at Saugeen Maitland Hall. Part of my job is to build a community with first year students and an environment of inclusivity, diversity, and leadership. I have been very interesting in developing online communities to supplement my goals when building my community in residence. In fact, In January I did a presentation entitled "Rez 2.0" which showed how things such as YouTube can have an impact in a residence community. I have seen a few other videos by Dr. Wesch and all have intrigued me very much. The impact that YouTube has had really changes a lot of things. The way television shows and movies are being made are largley affected by the success YouTube is experiencing. I would love to be a part of Dr. Wesch's classes, I think it would be really facinating! Here is the "Anthropological Introduction to Youtube" video along with some other videos by Wesch and his digital ethnography group:

Lousy Smarch Weather

Anyone getting tired of the weather yet? I hate Smarch!

Quote: "Lousy Smarch weather…"

Episode: "Treehouse Of Horror VI" (10/30/95)

Context: Spoken by a chilly Homer, looking at misprinted 13-month calendars purchased by Springfield Elementary.

Real-life uses: A fun way to bitch about the weather—particularly during an unseasonably chilly Midwestern "spring," when every day feels like Smarch.

Source: (www.avclub.com)

My Favorite Movies of 2008

Since I have taken a lot of flak for my comments against Slumdog Millionaire I thought I should share with everyone my favorite movies of 2008 and what I had in mind when comparing "Slumdog". Now undoubtedly my two favorite movies of 2008 were Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Burn After Reading. These aren't really Academy favorites so I will list my top 5 "Academy" contenders:

5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button


When this movie first came out it had a ton of buzz but then it sort of died down. It failed to pick up any major awards during awards season which was a pretty big hint to it not picking up Best Picture at the Oscars. I still think it was a pretty good movie. A lot of criticisim had it saying it was too "Hollywood" and very similar to another film by "Benjamin Button's" screenwriter...Forrst Gump. However, the visual effects were outstanding and they were recognized with that at the Oscars picking up the awards for best Art Direction and Best Makeup. I really did enjoy this story even though it might have been the most "original" I enjoy Brad Pitt better in his smaller, more quirky roles (see Burn After Reading or Snatch) but he is still capable of being a leading man. Even though it was 3 hours long, it was still very enjoyable and deserving of any praise it gets.


4. Slumdog Millionaire

Yup, it only appears 4th on my list. I've said it before, this movie is visually stunning. Editing, cineamatography, directing, everything technical about this movie was very well done. It was an interesting story and it gave us a look at something outside the world we usually see. However, the reason why it does not rank higher on my list is because it is weak in the categories I really like in movies, such as writing and acting. Mind you this was an adapted story from the book "Q & A" but I didn't feel there was anything special about the dioulouge. There were some interesting characters for sure and it was very unique but it wasn't the greatest movie of the year for me. Again, very technically sound but I felt there could have been a lot more to it.




3. Milk

This movie really caught me off guard. I heard a lot of buzz about Sean Penn's acting but other than that I didn't hear too much about it. I saw it and really enjoyed it. It is an extremley well written film and every single character in it has great development. It was totally deserving of the best screenplay and the best acting Oscars it won. I wasn't familiar with the story of Harvey Milk until I saw this movie but it is a really powerful story and is really brought to life by director Gus Van Sant. There is a lot of great imagery and the movie brings a lot of my favorite themes to the forefront of this movie (politics, counter culture, social activism, etc...) A lot of people are only giving this movie credit for it's great acting but it deserves a lot more as it is a great all around movie.





2. Frost/Nixon

A lot of people probably wouldn't put this movie this high on their list, but I personally think this movie deserved a lot more. It failed to pick up any major award but it was a fantastic political movie released at the right time. Frank Langella did an amazing job as Richard Nixon and the movie as a whole did a great job of showcasing the Frost/Nixon interviews of 1977. Especially as a Media Studies student, this film kept me interested the entire time because a major theme was how the media can affect an entire nation's government. These sets of interviews changed the way Nixon was perceived and was a big victory for millions of Americans who wan't to see Nixon admit his guilt. Perhaps it wasn't as facinating to people who don't have much interest in the media or politics, but anyone interested in pursuing a career in either would really dig this flick. I was pulling for it in the Best Picture category at the Oscars but knew it didn't stand much of a chance.

1. The Wrestler

The indie favorite of the year was also my favorite. This is an extreemley human movie which showcases a ton of emotion from it's cast. "The Wrestler" picked up a ton of independent awards and deserved every one of them. The only oscars it was up for was Marisa Tomei for Best Supporting Actress and Mickey Rourke for Best Lead Actor. It didn't win either one but both put on great preformances. On top of this incredibly emotional picture, the soundtrack attatched was fantastic. I don't know how Bruce Springsteen's "The Wrestler" didn't get nominated for Best Original Song but it was a perfect song to fit the ending of the movie. I really enjoyed this movie for the human quality displayed through it's characters. Rourke's character was really well developed and relatable even though I have never been in any of the circumstances he has been in. It is one of the best movies I've seen in a while and my favorite movie of 2008.

Oscar Recap and why "Slumdog" is overrated

Last night at the 81st Academy Awards saw the movie Slumdog Millionaire pick up the award for best picture among numerous other awards. This movie has been gaining a lot of buzz and momentum all year long and everyone seems to be in awe over this film. Now, I don't mean to be a snobby film student here but I do think this movie was overrated. I think that the hype kept getting built up and it is at such a high that when people watch it they feel like it is a great movie just because of the reputation that preceded it. For most people this is one of the few movies they have seen that have been produced outside of Hollywood and by talking about how they saw it and loved it makes them appear cultured and educated. However, "Slumdog" was a very good film, I just don't feel it was best picture worthy. I think it's win was a product of hype and buzz. It deserved the technical awards it won such as sound and cinematography, it was a very beautifuly shot film. I just don't think it was the best overall film of the year. Later this week I will post my top movies of 2008. But for now, thoughts on the Oscars?

Some Great Movie Quotes

Here are some great quotes from some movies I love:

1."The only true currency in this bankrupt world... is what you share with someone else when you're uncool"
-Almost Famous

2. "Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should"
-Jurassic Park

3. "Marvin, you gotta play. See that's where they kiss for the first time on the dance floor. And if there's no music, they can't dance. If they can't dance, they can't kiss. If they can't kiss they can't fall in love, and I'm history"
-Back to the Future

4. "I said that I would see you because I had heard that you were a serious man. A man to be treated with respect but I must say no to you and I will give you my reasons. It's true, I have a lot of friends in politics. But they wouldn't be so friendly if they knew my business was drugs instead of gambling which they consider a harmless vice but drugs, that's a dirty business"
The Godfather

5. "There are many things my father taught me here in this room. He taught me: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer"
-The Godfather II

6. "Look, I'm not stupid. It's the Big Man's wife. I'm gonna sit across from her, chew my food with my mouth closed, laugh at her fucking jokes, and that's it. "
-Pulp Fiction

7. "What are ya thinkin' about? Ya keep lookin'. Where the fuck you going? You're dead! You're married! You're a married man, it's all over. Leave the young girls for me"
Raging Bull

8. "Some people say weird shit during sex. I once called this chick "mom" "
-Clerks

9. "There's an old joke - um... two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of 'em says, "Boy, the food at this place is really terrible." The other one says, "Yeah, I know; and such small portions." Well, that's essentially how I feel about life - full of loneliness, and misery, and suffering, and unhappiness, and it's all over much too quickly."
-Annie Hall

10. "Come on. Why don't you take a look around. You know what's about to happen, what they're up against. They could use a good pilot like you, you're turning your back on them." -Star Wars

11. "Anything? Well, uh I guess I, deep down, am feeling a little confused. I mean, suddenly, you get married, and you're supposed to be this entirely different guy. I don't feel different. I mean, take yesterday for example. We were out at the Olive Garden for dinner, which was lovely. And uh, I happen to look over at a certain point during the meal and see a waitress taking an order, and I found myself wondering what color her underpants might be. Her panties. Uh, odds are they are probably basic white, cotton, underpants. But I sort of think well maybe they're silk panties, maybe it's a thong. Maybe it's something really cool that I don't even know about. You know, and uh, and I started feeling... what? what I thought we were in the trust tree in the nest, were we not? "
-Old School

12. "Who the fuck cares? I'll dig the fuckin' hole. I don't give a fuck. What is it, the first hole I dug? Not the first time I dug a hole. I'll fuckin' dig a hole. Where are the shovels?"
-Goodfellas

13. "Maybe I'm spending too much of my time starting up clubs and putting on plays. I should probably be trying harder to score chicks. "
-Rushmore

14. "If I hear so much as a mouse fart in here the rest of the night I swear by God and sonny Jesus you will all visit the infirmary. Every last motherfucker in here"
-The Shawshank Redemption

15. "You know it's funny what a young man recollects? 'Cause I don't remember bein' born. I don't recall what I got for my first Christmas and I don't know when I went on my first outdoor picnic. But I do remember the first time I heard the sweetest voice in the wide world"
-Forrest Gump

16. "Stern, if this factory ever produces a shell that can actually be fired, I'll be very unhappy"
-Schindler's List

17. "You should never underestimate the predictability of stupidity"
-Snatch

18. "Every day I come by your house and I pick you up. And we go out. We have a few drinks, and a few laughs, and it's great. But you know what the best part of my day is? For about ten seconds, from when I pull up to the curb and when I get to your door, 'cause I think, maybe I'll get up there and I'll knock on the door and you won't be there. No goodbye. No see you later. No nothing. You just left. I don't know much, but I know that."
-Good Will Hunting

19. "You're way too conservative for that girl. She's been around and seen things we've only read about in a book"
-Chasing Amy

20. "We're gonna need a bigger boat"
-Jaws

21. "It was one of those days when it's a minute away from snowing and there's this electricity in the air, you can almost hear it. And this bag was, like, dancing with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. And that's the day I knew there was this entire life behind things, and... this incredibly benevolent force, that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever. Video's a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember... and I need to remember... Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in. "
-American Beauty

22. "Am I supposed to be a man, am I supposed to say, it's OK, I don't mind. I don't mind. Well I mind! I mind big time? And you know what the worst part is? I NEVER LEARNED TO READ"
- Wayne's World

23. "Listen kid, I'm not gonna bullshit you, all right? I don't give a good fuck what you know, or don't know, but I'm gonna torture you anyway, regardless. Not to get information. It's amusing, to me, to torture a cop. You can say anything you want cause I've heard it all before. All you can do is pray for a quick death, which you ain't gonna get."
-Reservoir Dogs

24. "He better be worth it. He better go home and cure a disease, or invent a longer-lasting light bulb"
- Saving Private Ryan

25. "I think we make a real sharp couple of coconuts - I'm dumb, you're shy, whaddaya think, huh?"
- Rocky

26. "Whoa. Y'all take a chill. You got to cool that shit off. And that's the double-truth, Ruth. "
- Do The Right Thing

27. "Well you figure, you sleep one-third of your life, that knocks out eight years of marriage right there. So you're, y'know, down to 16 in change. You know you're just a teenager, at marriage, you can drive it but there's still the occasional accident"
- Lost in Translation

28. "the truck drivers come in to eat greasy burgers and they kid you and you kid them back, but they're stupid and dumb, boys with big tattoos all over 'em, and you don't like it... And they ask you for dates and sometimes you go... but you mostly don't, and all they ever try is to get into your pants whether you want to or not... and you go home and sit in your room and think, when and how will I ever get away from this?... And now you know."
Bonnie & Clyde

29. "I guess you think you're... you know, like an authority figure, with that stupid fuckin' uniform, huh buddy? King clip-on-tie there, big fuckin' man, huh? You know these are the limits of your life, man. The rule of your little fuckin' gate here. Here's your four dollars, you pathetic piece of shit. "
- Fargo

30. "I am a star. I'm a star, I'm a star, I'm a star. I am a big, bright, shining star. That's right"
- Boogie Nights

He's Just Not That Into You

The chick flick that everyone's been talking about is finally out. He's Just Not That Into You features an all star cast and a story of multiple women dealing with rejection, loneliness, and their desperation for a man's approval. Although this movie is targeted towards women, it isn't as sappy as The Notebook and is a fairly bearable chick flick. There are some funny moments which even a male audience can appreciate but for the most part it is meant to warm the hearts of women everywhere. It was cheap Tuesday AND I had a giftcard so when a few (female) friends wanted to see it I tagged along with them. So, if your special lady friend is wanting to see it, I suggest taking her as it really isn't a horrible couple of hours spent. Here is the trailer:

Private Eye Films

This year I've been taking a course entitled "Film Genres". Basically the entire year was split up into four units:

1. Silent Comedy
2. Screwball Comedy
3. Private Eye
4. Woody Allen

The reason I took this class is because last year one of the units was gangster films. This is my most favorite genre ever. On the first day when we got the syllabus and gangster film was not on there I nearly dropped the course. But, the Woody Allen unit caught my eye and I felt it would be worth it to suck it up with the other units and enjoy the Woody Allen unit. This was a big mistake. We currently just finished the "Private Eye" unit and we need to write an essay on three films from this genre. There is a problem with this. All those movies are boring as hell!!! My goal during reading week was to finish this essay to get it over with, but I can't even get through 20 minuts of one movie let alone three! Ahhh!!!

Shine A Light

For my documentary film class I am writing a paper comparing two documentaries about The Rolling Stones: Gimme Shelter (1970) and Shine a Light (2008). Now you've heard me go on and on about Martin Scorsese, but Scorsese (director of Shine a Light) does an amazing job with this documentary. It is just so nicely put together. It has some great archival footage as well as some fun backstage stuff. For anyone that is a fan of the band I suggest you check this documentary out!

Shift of Focus

So lately I have had a hard time coming up with movie topics without sounding like just a reporter. So I've decided that there will be a slight shift of focus on my blog. Instead of it just being about movies, it will be more "A day in the life of a film student" type thing. Of course the main theme will still be movies but there will be more of an insight into my personal life instead of me just reporting movie news! Hopefully this will help me be able to post more often and post more interesting things. Any advice on particular topics or ideas you'd like to see discussed??

My Favorite Filmmakers

Being a film student and in the middle of essay crunch time, two separate essays I'm currently working on are both focused on my favorite filmmaker of all time, Martin Scorsese. All of my recent research and writing has reaffirmed my love for this man and everything he creates and made me think of the people responsible for my love of film. In three years taking film classes this is the first time I've had a chance to study Scorsese so even though it sucks to have to write essays, the usual stress isn't on since I love learning about him and his movies. So other than Scorsese, here are my five favorite filmmakers:

5. Francis Ford Coppola

Favorite Movies by Coppola:

The Godfather (1972)
The Godfather II (1974)
Apocalypse Now (1979)




4. Steven Spielberg

Favorite Movies by Spielberg:

Jaws (1975)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Jurassic Park (1993)




3. Wes Anderson

Favorite Movies by Anderson:

Rushmore (1998)
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
The Life Aquatic (2004)


2. Kevin Smith

Favorite Movies by Smith:

Clerks (1994)
Chasing Amy (1997)
Dogma (1999)






1. Martin Scorsese

Favorite Movies by Scorsese:

Raging Bull (1980)
Goodfellas (1990)
The Departed (2006)





So there it is. Anyone else have a particular filmmaker they will be sure to see anything and everything made by them?

The Web 2.0 Revoloution

This article describing the direction the “blogosphere” is heading is an incredibly interesting read. It discusses the dynamic growth blogs are experiencing and what factors contribute to it’s growth. The article cites that 1.4 new blogs are made every second. This is an astounding number and something I never really thought of before seeing this article. It is especially interesting to see the different parts of the world that have incorporated blogs as an important piece of their every day life. In the article there is a mention of the amount of blogs that are written in particular languages. What was really surprising was that Japanese was the #1 blogging language coming in at 37% of all blogs – followed by English at 33%. The whole Web 2.0 movement and the idea that the online world is becoming a place of community for collaboration and creativity is a very humbling one. To know that I am a part of this massive but yet close community is pretty mind blowing. Above just the written blogs, the idea of tags and tagging really brings everything closer together. Instead of having to type out your thoughts, you click on pictures, words, links, and more “tags” are presented to you. This really connects everything in an extremely fast and efficient way. To think that the computer learns all of my thoughts and interests to much, it knows which new ideas and interests to present to me. The Internet is expanding so rapidly every day, but because of all of these Web 2.0 technologies it is really bringing everything closer to home.

Vicky Christina Barcelona

If you haven't seen this movie (or even heard of it) now is the time to check it out. I had a couple of hours to spare today so I checked out Woddy Allen's latest and it really didn't fail to amuse. The movie stars Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz, and Javier Bardem (Oscar winner last year for No Country for Old Men) and is a great little flick. Some great acting and a very interesting story accompanied with a typically quricky Woody Allen screenplay makes this a very enjoyable watch. It shows how two friends (Johansson and Rebecca Hall) spend a summer in Spain looking to change their lives and the end we realize that some things never really change. It is a really cleaver look at coming of age and different people's perspective on life. Cruz is up for a best supporting actress award at the Oscars for her performance in the movie. Check it out if you're looking for a light but really worthwhile film!

Goodfellas Wins Out

In my American Cinema course, each term we have to choose a film to focus our writings and research on. Throughout the term we have to write a couple of essays on a particular film and the time period surrounding it. In the first term we had to choose a film that was made between 1920-1959 and in the second term pick a film from 1960-1990. In first term I did Rebel Without a Cause and over the last couple of weeks had to choose a film to study for this term. Since Martin Scorsese is one of my favorite filmmakers and I haven't had a chance to study his work yet, it was a natural decision to choose one of his films. But which one!! There were a few options but in the end went with Goodfellas because the gangster genre is my favorite one and figured I probably won't get a chance to focus on that genre ever again. So tonight I spent the night watching Goodfellas and really can't get over how amazing this movie is. From the beginning until end it had me captured and every time I see this movie I learn new things and pick up on things I haven't seen before. This was probably my fifth time seeing it and it still blows me away. What a great story.

My Boring Ass Life - Why Kevin Smith Rules My World

I honestly have to say I think Kevin Smith is one of the best filmmakers of all time. I got his book "My Boring Ass Life - The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith" for Christmas and it has been a great read. It is about 500 pages long and is a daily account of his life. It has great anecdotes and thoughts from him and as an aspiring writer it is really great to see the process he goes through to get a film made and even just what he does in his off time. Away from the book, I really enjoy Smith's movies. I especially like the universe he has created linking characters throughout all of his movies. His films are funny and sincere, just the sort of story's I want to tell. His movies are always extremely well written and have such great raw emotion in them that it has me really interested in the whole universe he has created. Anyone who hasn't heard of him should really check out Clerks and go from there! One of the great things about Smith is that he uses the internet as a resource to connect with his fans. On his message boards he posts regularly and keeps in contact with his fans. Anyone have a favorite Kevin Smith flick?

Greatest Badass of All Time

MTV is running an interesting poll to try and find out the greatest badass character of all time. Names such as Batman, Dirty Harry, and Wolverine are mentioned in their kick off blog to the contest. I've gotta say Harrison Ford is the most badass actor of all time so maybe someone like Han Solo or Indiana Jones should be on that list. Anyone have any favorite badasses?

New Bonnie and Clyde Film Coming

No, this is not a re-make of the classic Bonnie and Clyde but it is a twist of the famous story of the gangster duo. The Cinematical Blog reported that Hillary Duff (!!????) and Kevin Zegers have signed on to play the infamous duo. Tonya S Holly, the director of this film became intrigued with the story when she found out the actual Bonnie and Clyde spent some time hiding out in an abandoned house that used to belong to her family. But seriously, Hillary Duff?? She is cute for kids movies maybe, but in such a serious and great role like this couldn't they have gotten someone better? Apparently this isn't re-make, it's just a telling of stories that weren't told in the original film. I really don't like the sound of this!!!

Oscar Party Invitations

Here are some great oscar party invitations I found. Click on them to see the bigger version!

Oscar Nominations Snub

So big day today for movie fans. Oscar nominations! Like always, there is a lot of talk about who didn't make the list as opposed to who did. A lot of talk out there for a snub to Leonardo DiCaprio's acting in Revolutionary Road and Clint Eastwood's acting and directing in Gran Torino. I haven't seen either film yet but I usually make it a point to see all of the films that have a lot of nominations so I can make an educated opinion on it all. I haven't seen most of the movies nominated yet, but between now and Oscar night (Feb 22) I will make it a point to see most of them!

Hollywood Out To See Obama's Inauguration

Really interesting to see all of the celebrities out during yesterday's festivities at the inauguration of Barrack Obama. It is especially to see the amazing influence these celebrities have on every day people when it came to voting. Many of them voiced their political opinion and a lot of people did follow what they say. Why would someone take advice on who to vote for by such celebrities. We don't know them as people. We only know them from the roles they play in the movies. Just because Coach Boone (Denzel Washington in Remember the Titans) was a good guy, does that neccesairly mean Denzel himself is a smart guy? I'm not saying he's not, but how do we really know. Now no one will say outright "I'm voting for _____ because ______ hollywood celebrity is, but the idea is that there is a little bit of infleunce when they voice opinions. We all need to take a step back and critically analyze everything we see and hear because at the end of the day, these people are actors - not people we should be looking to for advice on who to vote for.

OUTFOXED: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism

Outfoxed is a documentary on the Fox News channel and how they go about reporting the news. The majority of documentary is spent focusing on how the producers of the show present “facts” and encourage their reporters to heavily lean their views to favor the Republican Party. I always knew that the Fox News Channel was extremely right wing but until I saw this I never thought something like a news channel could be so deceitful. Not only does this news show have round about ways to telling the truth, they often tell downright lies. The section of this documentary that especially caught my attention was Bill O’Reilly’s interview with Jeremy Glick. Just because Glick had different views to that of O’Reilly and the Fox News Channel, O’Reilly yelled at him on air, called for his mic to be cut, and waved the security guards over. Then, after Glick was no longer on the show, O’Reilly lied to the audience saying that Glick became unreasonable and began to spit on the floor of the studio. It is so obvious that O’Reilly is lying that it makes him even worse than when he told Glick he was a disgrace to his family (a family who O’Reilly hasn’t even met). This sort of reporting is absolutely appalling and hopefully because of this documentary, viewers will watch this show, and other news reports alike and be able to critically analyze what they are seeing.

Link to the Full Video

Violence in Film:Opening of "Notorious"

Link to story

The new film, "Notorious", which is the story of rapper Notorious B.I.G., opened this past weekend and two acts of violence has caused theaters to re-think when and where they screen certain movies. So called "urban films" have caused much controversy (see "8 Mile" or "Boyz in the Hood") and this new film has studios and theaters discussing the possibility of reshaping the practices associated with premieres of these films. This is really interesting that this piece of media can have such an effect on an audience watching. Even though the events portrayed in the film happened well over 10 years ago, the release of this movie caused heated arguments, one leading to an eventual death. Violence in the media has always been a hot topic and I don't think that a happy medium will ever be achieved. The studios had the idea of opening "urban films" on Wednesdays instead of the usual Fridays but this really won't have much of an effect. This topic is too deep to have such a simple solution and until people can realize that what they see is just a movie, people will still be heavily influenced by images they see on the big screen.

Top Ten Films - Part 2

Sorry it took so long to update this badboy but here is the second installment to my top 10 favorite films. First a quick recap:

10. Annie Hall (1977, Woody Allen)
9. Jurassic Park (1993, Steven Spielberg)
8. Do The Right Thing (1989, Spike Lee)
7. Goodfellas (1990, Martin Scorsese)
6. Clerks (1994, Kevin Smith)

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5. Pulp Fiction (1994, Quintin Tarantino)


Stars: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel

Memorable Quote: "You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with cheese in France? "

Why I Love This Film: Pulp Fiction is one of the best examples of "smart cinema". I really enjoy the witty dialogue and raw action of this movie. The most enjoyable aspect of this movie is how everything comes together in the end. It has gained great acclaim and achieved "cult" classic status and will remain one of the top viewed films among most movie fans. The all star cast and top notch directing from Tarantino really makes this an amazing film.





4. The Godfather - Part II (1974, Francis Ford Coppola)

Stars: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Robert Duval, Diane Keaton

Memorable Quote: "There are many things my father taught me here in this room. He taught me: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer"

Why I Love This Film: It is really hard to not consider The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974) as my top two favorite films, but I wanted to give some props to the other movies coming up so that's why this one is at #4. I like this movie so much because of how much of an impact it made as a sequel. Most sequels never come close to being as good as the original and in some people's books, this film is even better than the first one. The acting is nothing short of brilliant and every time I see this movie I am glued to it and nothing can distract me for it. The powerful acting with an equally powerful story has helped this movie franchise stand the test of time.

3. Almost Famous (2000, Cameron Crowe)


Stars: Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Memorable Quote: "The only true currency in this bankrupt world... is what you share with someone else when you're uncool"

Why I Love This Film: Not the most predictable movie to be on a top 10 list, let alone this high but this movie does so many great things. As you may have noticed, this list favors films with great screenplays and this is the best feature of this movie. What also makes this movie for me, and most people, is the great soundtrack accompianed with it. A great mix of rock songs from the time period in the film works so well with the story and helps in bringing it together in the end. A must watch for anyone a fan of writing, music, or movies in general.




2. Back to the Future (1985, Robert Zemeckis)

Stars: Michael J Fox, Christopher Lloyd

Memorable Quote: "The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?"

Why I Love This Film: Again, not a movie you see at #2 on most people's favorite movies but this movie franchise has been close to my heart since a very young age. My parents tell me the story of how they took me to see Back to the Future Part III when it came out in theaters (when I was a mere age of 3) and I could not keep my eyes away from what I was seeing. Since then, I have seen this movie multiple times and every time the sheer awesomeness of it gets me. I love the little themes and stories that run their way throughout this movie - and the trilogy - and the originality of it. A movie about this subject has rarely been done with such a great response. Comedy, Action, Drama, this film has it all and will continue to stay with me as one of my favorites of all time.

1. The Godfather (1972, Francis Ford Coppola)

Stars: Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Al Pacino, James Cann


Memorable Quote: "I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse"


Why I Love This Film: Maybe it was typical or easy to pick this as my favorite film of all time but the truth is these top 3 move around every day for me and it just so happens I wrote this on a day that caught the Godfather at #1. There have been many things said about this movie and I could go on for hours listing the things that make it so great. The power portrayed through the acting, directing, and editing bring together this amazing piece of work. The character development is fantastic and the barriers this film broke paved the way for so many great movies to come. Without this movie, the film industry would be a very different place and for that I am thankful.




So there you have it. My favorite 10 movies!!

Kicking Things Off

Throughout the course of this blog I will be putting lists of my favorite things about film including actors, directors, soundtracks, ect... To kick it off I figured I would put my top ten favorite films and why I love them. It is a good chance for people to get a sense of my style and what I look for in films. For tonight 10-6 will be shown and will leave everyone in suspense to see 5-1 tomorrow. Feel free to post why you agree/disagree with my choices!!

10.Annie Hall (1977, Woody Allen)

Stars: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton

Memorable Quote: "The... the other important joke, for me, is one that's usually attributed to Groucho Marx; but, I think it appears originally in Freud's "Wit and Its Relation to the Unconscious," and it goes like this - I'm paraphrasing - um, "I would never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member." That's the key joke of my adult life, in terms of my relationships with women"

Why I Love This Film: One of the best written films of all time, Keaton and Allen's chemistry is excellent and keeps you interested in their lives throughout the entire film. Amazing character development and witty dialouge is the most impressive aspect of this film for me. I really enjoy watching how their lives unfold and the unforgetable impact they have on eachother. An interesting spin on your typical Hollywood love story and it's fresh writing is what is helping this film continue to stand the test of time.

9. Jurassic Park (1993, Steven Spielberg)

Stars: Sam Neil, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum

Memorable Quote: "The lack of humility before nature that's being displayed here, uh... staggers me"

Why I Love This Film: Steven Spielberg at the top of his game in this film. A simply breathtaking use of special effects truly brought the dinosaurs to life. The theme of science vs man runs prevelent throughout the story and in the end creates a great message to juxtapose the great action sequences and cinematography. The always brilliant John Williams scores the film and created one of the most memorable theme songs in film history. Special effects and the humanizing qualities given to the scientists make this film special and memorable.

8. Do The Right Thing (1989, Spike Lee)

Stars: Spike Lee, Danny Aiello

Memorable Quote: "My people, my people, what can I say, say what I can. I saw it but didn't believe it, I didn't believe what I saw. Are we gonna live together, together are we gonna live?"

Why I Love This Film: Simply one of the best social and political films of the last 20 years. A great look at the daily life of residents of the Brooklyn neighbour hood Bed Stuy on a hot summer day. Racial tensions reach an all time high for this community and Lee's visual style brilliantly displays the power strugle happening in the community. A great use of camera work and visual techniques sets new standards for filmmaking and Lee's message does not go unheard. An extreemly underrated and unnoticed film, Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing is a must see for people interested in seeing a story told from all sides.

7. Goodfellas (1990, Martin Scorsese)

Stars: Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci

Memorable Quote: "As far as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster"

Why I Love This Film: A fantastic display of acting, storytelling, and editing makes this one of the most completley well done films I have ever seen. I believe that this is Martin Scorsese's best work and his filmmaking skills set the standard for anyone to follow. Goodfellas follows the mob film blueprint showcasing the rise and fall of the mobster but what sets this one apart from others is the amazing human quality Scorsese adds to his characters. Coupled with a fantastic dialouge and an outstanding supporting cast, Goodfellas stands out as a fantastic film not just for fans of mafia movies.

6. Clerks (1994, Kevin Smith)

Stars: Jeff Anderson, Brian O'Halloran, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith

Memorable Quote: "People say crazy shit during sex. One time I called this girl "Mom."

Why I Love This Film: This will not be the last time Kevin Smith or any of his genius films will be mentioned in this blog. Quite possibly the single greatest screenplay every written, Kevin Smith brings out the raw feelings of two every day clerks at a convience store. The story of the production of this film is a true inspiration for any aspiring fiilmmakers. Vulgar, yet endeering, Kevin Smith begins his cult classic status with this witty, truthful, and heart warming story of Randal Graves and Dante Hicks and the first appearance of Jay and Silent Bob. This film wouldn't appear on most film students top 10 list but it really is their loss because this film or filmmaker do not get the credit it deserves for achieving this great cult status. Clerks along with the rest of the films associated with Smith's "View Askewniverse" are classics and must sees for anyone interested in the true human condition.

There are the bottom five films in my top 10. Check back tomrorow for the top five movies!!