water for elephants, the historical novel about a traveling circus set in depression-era u.s., easily one of the best novels i’ve read in my life (my very quick review here), is being adapted for the big screen as we speak. of course, if you are one of the bat-sh** crazy robert pattinson fangirls, you know this by now.

the book, written by sara gruen, itself has gained a following even before talks of a movie adaptation surfaced. but when it was confirmed some time ago that mr. edward cullen himself was playing jacob, the following increased probably ten-fold thanks to the world’s most ravenous fans.

Read the rest of this entry »

the wait is finally over. taking the place of tobey maguire as peter parker in one of the most lucrative movie franchises in history is andrew garfield.

Read the rest of this entry »

last night we watched julie and julia on dvd. i am not getting off the couch to give a standing ovation and i’d most likely not remember it by tomorrow, but i have to say i did get a few moments of realization watching it.

oh, and daylight savings time ended this morning.

please excuse the semi-personal tone and the randomness of this entry. inasmuch as i would like to maintain a considerable emotional distance from this site, my personal blog is not worth its own domain, therefore is still feeling the residual effects of censorship. so this one would have to feel the cathartic blow in behalf of its alter ego.

Read the rest of this entry »

the geek gods. actors who have played literary, video game and/or cult movie roles geek dreams are made of. these are the actors who have been, in turn, leotard-clad/reinforced torso comic book characters, inter-stellar spacers in human forms, profound/eccentric/ethereal individuals from timeless fiction and computer games…

of course there are leonard nimoy, mark hamill, etc. “hall of fame” geek-worshipped actors that will put even the most aloof of fanboys in starstruck mode to last for weeks. but the modern age of graphic effects has brought us an onslaught of films that will rock einstein and newton in their graves; along with it, a whole slew of movie personalities that make the thousand-sit-ups-a-day routine some backyard hobby for any aspiring actor.

here are the top ten sci-fi fantasy, literary cult actors still active today who, based on my humble opinion, landed the coolest, most enviable roles:

update: i wanted to keep this a top ten, but now that i think about it carefully, there are two more actors who deserve to be adored by geeks. so here’s the top 12, the coolest dozen:

12. gerard butler

Read the rest of this entry »

it started with ricky gervais hosting and mo’nique giving the speech to end all speeches. then it ended with avatar winning best picture. i know, i know, i have said all i can say here. i wrote that still all agog with inglourious basterds, but i’m not so bad considering i am biased towards quentin tarantino because now i can admit that i honestly think the hurt locker should have nabbed the best picture. my thoughts summarized by a comment here that goes:

The Hurt Locker should have won for Best Motion Picture – Drama, and Kathryn Bigelow should have gotten the Best Director win, period.

Instead, Avatar, which I call “Titanic: Take 2″, won for Best Motion Picture – Drama, and James Cameron wins for Best Director. I’m sorely tempted to believe Avatar’s win was a triumph of glossy, shallow style and overinflated hype over serious substance and thoughtful intelligence…

and the hangover winning against (500) days of summer? and qt not getting best screenplay, having lost to one that was adapted? i don’t rant like other buffs who hate the idea of distinguishing drama from comedy/musical saying a good movie should be a good movie no matter what genre, but i’m beginning to see the irony in failing to distinguish original from adapted screenplay. i really don’t know what’s up with the foreign press, i am tempted to take ricky gervais’ joke about buying the awards seriously.

anyhow, i think i can get over this and i think the only real upset that can occur in this year’s awards show is if christoph waltz loses to whoever in the world. winning for his supporting role in inglourious basterds was a no-brainer.

and since i can’t say anything good about avatar taking the plum, i might as well move on to the red carpet…

there were less black and more pales this year. the ones who wore color wore them loud and proud. the ones who wore crystals wore them plenty. i like that more ladies were taking to prints. and oh, i loved very much that it rained because i am crazy about scenes with umbrellas. look at the gentlemen keep their ladies from getting wet!

images from zimbio.

i like…

shaun robinson. i’m into layering different textures and this one created a beautiful rosebud effect in the most royal shades of blue.

dianna agron. i would have chosen a more youthful color and hairstyle, but the empire cut and flowy drape of her dress more than make up for it.

chloe sevigny. at first, i didn’t know what to make of the ruffles extending down to her sides, but it just kind of grew on me eventually. especially after she declared onstage that someone ripped her dress.

tina fey. i like this best. length and silhouette are reminiscent of the 40′s and 50′s, but the cut and print are very modern. and the shoes are gorgeous!

fergie. i actually think the tan brunette look is working for her, though i’d probably miss her being blond and wish she goes back to being one again later. the lavender brings out the blue of her eyes. that’s josh duhamel’s hand holding out the brolly for her.

amy adams. she was one of the few who attended the ceremony in a short dress. i love her shabby updo with the side-swept bangs! and the copper of her clutch and shoes are the best.

drew barrymore. my second favorite. i didn’t know what to think about the anemone sprouting from her hip at first, but like chloe’s ruffles, the strangeness grew on me and i like the overall effect. it’s the perfect sheer and scattered crystals.

lara spencer. the plain white dress made the perfect canvas for her blue cuff and necklace, as well as the pink of her clutch and cocktail ring.

ginnifer goodwin. my favorite photo moment. the blue of her dress provided a very sharp contrast against the red of the carpet. and her striking black hair, shoes and brolly with her fair skin made her stand out.

maria menounos. her dress, on the other hand, matched the carpet. props to her for braving the weather even if the train of her gorgeous dress was getting all soggy!

toni colette. i’m loving the art deco-inspired gold sparkle!

jane adams. she could have done without the necklace and carried a smaller clutch. but it’s a very pretty dress nevertheless.

jaime pressly. i wasn’t so keen on the dress, but when i saw the shoes, i was smitten. and i have always thought she had the most beautiful legs in hollywood!

olivia wilde. the slink and sparkle of the dress is very studio 54, i like! and she carried the coolest clutch of the night.

maggie gyllenhaal. if there is one lady who can pull off an unorthodox design like this, that would be maggie. she’s just too cool like that.

kate hudson. this is a dress that takes getting used to. because this is kate, known to be very ballsy with her wardrobe choices, i’m going to say i like this ensemble, feathers and all. i think she has the best arms and shoulders in hollywood.

felicity huffman. wait, i change my mind, i think felicity huffman has the best arms and shoulders in hollywood.

christina hendricks. she owns this look! she and nicole kidman had the same shade of dress, same shade of hair and same shade of skin that night, but i think christina was more exciting to see.

christina aguilera. another christina, only this one’s a music superstar. which means she can get away with more outlandish designs. i like the married with children classy christina aguilera! such a far cry from her dirrrty persona.

emily blunt. okay, by this time, i’m getting tired of strapless column dresses, but i just have to toss emily in. because she wore just the right amount of deconstruction (unlike zoe saldana) and she wore awesome cuffs.

sophia loren. this era, sophia will never do wrong in my eyes. she is 75 years old and still rocks more than you and me combined!

unlike younger celebs now who hold a clutch in one hand while the other is pressed to the waist, she carries a shoulder evening bag and waves to the crowd more than she poses! that’s old school hollywood, when good movies had good performances and good stories… wait, don’t get me started.

did i mention that she’s 75?

before the golden globes later, see how your favorites fared in the earlier awards shows…

people’s choice awards are voted by the people and critics’ choice awards are voted by critics. duh. i just had to explain why twilight wins somewhere. it’s hard to swallow, but the people has spoken.

i will not waste your time.

here are the major winners of the 2010 critics choice awards:

best picture: the hurt locker

best director: kathryn bigelow (the hurt locker)

best original screenplay: quentin tarantino (inglourious basterds)

best actor: jeff bridges (crazy heart)

best actress: meryl streep (julie & julia) and sandra bullock (the blind side)

best supporting actor: christoph waltz (inglourious basterds)

best supporting actress: mo’nique (precious)

best acting ensemble: inglourious basterds

best adapted screenplay: jason reitman and sheldon turner (up in the air)

major winners of the people’s choice awards:

favorite talk show: the ellen degeneres show

favorite on screen team: the twilight saga

favorite tv comedy: the big bang theory

favorite r&b artist: mariah carey

favorite tv comedy actor: steve carrell

favorite tv comedy actress: alyson hannigan

favorite country artist: carrie underwood

favorite tv drama actor: hugh laurie

favorite tv drama: house

favorite movie actress: sandra bullock

favorite movie actor: johnny depp

favorite male artist: eminem / keith urban

favorite female artist: taylor swift

favorite comedic star: jim carrey

favorite rock band: paramore

favorite comedy movie: the proposal

favorite movie: twilight

favorite tv drama actress: katherine heigl

favorite independent movie: inglourious basterds

favorite pop artist: lady gaga

and for those of you whose time i have wasted with the winners because they would rather see the red carpet dresses, below are the ones i find interesting in one way or another. unlike the golden globes and the oscars, the earlier awards shows are less formal. thus, since the ladies can wear short dresses, we get to see more shoes.

images from zimbio.

critics’ choice awards red carpet

people’s choice awards red carpet

ok, ok, there is avatar, 12 years after james cameron brought us titanic in 1997, another year when it was personal to me. not because there was one particular film then that i wanted to win, but because i wanted titanic in particular to lose. there, i said it. the only oscar winner in history whose screenplay wasn’t even nominated. meaning, the story sucked. there, i said it. it won solely on its technical merits.

this is just my humble opinion. here’s my problem with movies whose only advantages are technical in nature: they don’t age gracefully. i watched titanic again a few weeks ago and i didn’t find the sinking scenes as impressive as i once did. that’s because filmmaking evolves, they advance rapidly. in a few years, many of the groundbreaking techniques now will be rendered obsolete and replaced by other groundbreaking techniques. so if you watch a technically charged movie with a flat story, say, ten years from now, all you get is a boring film with tired old effects. as opposed to movies whose clear advantages are their screenplay and the actors’ performances: they become classic. you can watch casablanca then, now and in the future, it would strike you the same way it did audiences over fifty years ago. not to say movies with a lot of sfx have no potential to become classic. look at star wars. puppetronics have since been replaced by cgi and the original jabba looks somewhat amateurish by today’s standards, but its story and character development make it timeless. i’d say the same for the lord of the rings. or maybe i’m just a geek.

this time, there is a lot of talk about avatar pulling another titanic on us. a very visually engaging show with lackluster story running for best picture but nowhere in sight for best screenplay nor its actors for best performance. admittedly, the movie was stunningly beautiful… on the surface. i did like it and even recommend it to my friends (as opposed to: i discouraged my friends from watching titanic. and they hate me for it). i am quick to emphasize that the sfx will blow their socks off, but the story is meh. it’s like ferngully in another habitable planet (or was that a moon?). or reverse dances with wolves as many critics put it. i do consider it one of the best films of 2009, simply because the whole spectacle was riveting. but i couldn’t stand the idea that it might win over

inglourious basterds.

it will break me in half. sfx, no matter how magnificent, should never precede a good story. titanic has done it before to l.a. confidential. please don’t let mr. cameron do it again. i have tremendous respect for him and his craft, he is indeed a visionary director, but we just can’t let sappy stories with full-on effects get in the way of our good judgment. i like james cameron for terminator and arnold schwarzenegger, but that feels like a very distant past now.

although, for the life of me, i don’t know how a “historical fantasy” can take the plum, especially one that strikes extra-sensitive chords. especially one that takes liberties with its free rein on historical facts surcharged with moral and ethical considerations, it’s almost sacrilege. it doesn’t help that it was written and directed by quentin tarantino, of course. i think it’s about time he gets the award. he ought to win one eventually, right? what better chance to do it than for this film.

here’s another extra-juicy bite to the unfurling awards red carpet: best picture forerunner the hurt locker, touted as the most powerful movie about the war in iraq, is directed by kathryn bigelow, only the third female ever to be nominated for best director. experts surmise she might just become the first female to win a major award for that category (she has bagged the earlier awards to support that claim). she happens to be james cameron’s ex-wife. ooooohh… wouldn’t it be too succulent to have an ex-wife pull the rug from under the ex-husband’s feet? i am also rooting for you, ms. bigelow! because i love uncanny plot twists!

the second-largest awards ceremony, the golden globes, announced their picks last december 15. as we all know, this is a reliable preamble to the oscars, although there have been occasions when one and the other disagreed on best picture (like sense and sensibility won the gg, then braveheart won the oscar in 1995, yet another year when the awards was personal to me).

here are the nominees for golden globe 2010:

best picture – drama:
avatar
the hurt locker
inglourious basterds
precious
up in the air

best picture – comedy or musical:
(500) days of summer
the hangover
it’s complicated
julie and julia
nine

best director:
james cameron – avatar
kathryn bigelow – the hurt locker
quentin tarantino – inglourious basterds
clint eastwood – invictus
jason reitman – up in the air

best screenplay:
it’s complicated
the hurt locker
inglourious basterds
up in the air
district 9

best actor – drama:
jeff bridges – crazy heart
george clooney – up in the air
colin firth – a single man
morgan freeman – invictus
tobey maguire – brothers

best actress – drama:
emily blunt – the young victoria
sandra bullock – the blind side
helen mirren – the last station
carey mulligan – an education
gabourey sidibe – precious

best actor – comedy or musical:
matt damon – the informant!
daniel day-lewis – nine
robert downey, jr. – sherlock holmes
joseph gordon-levitt – (500) days of summer
michael stuhlbarg – a serious man

best actress – comedy or musical:
sandra bullock – the proposal
marion cotillard – nine
julia roberts – duplicity
meryl streep – it’s complicated
meryl streep – julie and julia

best supporting actor:
matt damon – invictus
woody harrelson – the messenger
christopher plummer – the last station
stanley tucci – the lovely bones
christoph waltz – inglourious basterds

best supporting actress:
penelope cruz – nine
vera farmiga – up in the air
anna kendrick – up in the air
mo’nique – precious
julianne moore – a single man

some (insignificant) comments:

a deep and resounding yesssss for christoph waltz! he has won all supporting actor trophies so far, he should get the major ones too. he is nominated for both the screen actors guild and the golden globe, he’d likely be nominated for the oscar. he is downright fantastic, he is terrifying and hilarious in parts as an ss. who would have thought someone could pull off a role like that? thank you, mr. tarantino for picking up a little-known talent from austria and giving him a big break!

i’m somewhat tired of seeing merryl streep every year among the nominees. she’s a fantastic actress, no doubt, but it seems as if they just put her in because they can’t find anyone else to fill the slot. and i don’t want her to tie katharine hepburn’s long standing record for most oscar acting awards… that’s just me.

check out, mo’nique in the highly acclaimed precious! that darn funny girl can give a darn good drama performance too!

seriously, sandra bullock? was the year really that slack for actresses in comedy? i love sandra bullock, i think she’s funny and relevant in the film industry, but her performance in the proposal isn’t so good it could warrant a nomination.

come to think of it… looks like a weak year for comedy altogether. nine gets a nod despite all the bad press and the mainstream frivolity the hangover is there with it. don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing bad about the hangover, i just thought this category was for films along the caliber of four weddings and a funeral and moulin rouge.

hey look, tobey maguire’s up for best actor. i won’t say anything for nor against it, but didn’t jeremy renner for the hurt locker give a more critically acclaimed and more talked-about performance? shouldn’t his name be up there instead?

here’s hoping too that inglourious basterds win for best ensemble cast in sag!

yes, like many of you michael jackson blokes, i turned up on the weekend of this is it and turned on the waterworks when the opening strains of man in the mirror came into play. and i sobbed through the entire song up until the end credits.

it really hurts to know what could have been.

i probably am not the best person to write a film review, what with my deeply rooted biases, so i wouldn’t even attempt to. for those of you who have loved michael jackson even a little bit growing up, and those who kept abreast of his life and times and stuck by him through his legal battles and personal ordeals, you should watch this movie. in fact, you might want to watch it twice in the cinema.

if there is any moral lesson we can gather from this production, it is speaking to people kindly even if you mean to criticize them. i asked my husband, the music and concert tour geek, if indeed michael jackson was that nice to production staff… or are they just playing up his niceness to leave a remarkable impression of saintly behavior to his fans? whatever the reality, only michael can correct a guitarist and say, “do it for love” at the end of his comment; or call out to the sound guys about ramming his inner ears then say, “i’m saying that with love, L-O-V-E.” indeed, only michael can get away with saying that.

another thing we can learn is synergy. from the dancers, the singers, the musicians, the technical staff, heck from the mind-blowing pyrotech guys, everything and everyone somehow melded into one workable unit. of course, if there had been any heated arguments or pouty walking out, the disruptions wouldn’t have made it into final production. but that wouldn’t have affected my opinion that the entire group was so synergistic and extremely supportive of each other, all teams the world over should sit up and take notes.

one of my biggest frustrations about this concert not coming into fruition, which i think i will carry until my last breath, is the fact that we won’t see michael in the fantastic costumes designed for him and the other performers, along with some classics recreated with greater intensity especially for this tour. the bedazzled gloves and socks, the iconic “thriller” red jacket embedded with fiber-optic lights that flash in time to the beat, the regimental regalia for “i just can’t stop loving you”, and what seems to be a cosmos-inspired white suit for “billie jean” heavy laden with thousands of swarovski crystals and led lights.

perhaps the most significant feeling i developed while watching this film is a tremendous respect for director kenny ortega (btw, if you don’t know who kenny ortega is, give yourself a swift kick in the butt. he worked with gene kelly in xanadu, directed and/or choreographed such classic music videos as “material girl” and movies like dirty dancing. if these titles still don’t make sense to you, here: he choreographed and directed the high school musical franchise).

while a reliable review mentioned that ortega can seem fawning and quite obsequious towards michael, i hope you also note the fact that this is michael we are talking about. even if you were not particularly supportive of his achievements and his lifestyle, you would still end up admiring the skills and story behind the man. besides, we should also remember that ortega directed both the dangerous and the history world tours, therefore he definitely knows better than any of us how to deal with michael jackson.

on a rather unrelated note: this year, kenny ortega lost two of the most talented stars he has worked extensively with: michael jackson (he directed the dangerous and history world tours) and patrick swayze (he choreographed dirty dancing and to wong foo, thanks for everything, julie newmar).

as this is it continues to shatter box office records worldwide, i can’t help but think this is not over yet.

the proposal contains all the fundamental elements that make up a consummate romcom: our protagonists could not stand the very sight of each other, but an unanticipated conflict coerces them to work closely together in resolution (in the case of this film, very very closely together). throw in some old school family charm and, in no time, their charade uncovers unexpected idiosyncrasies that predictably endear them to each other. they fall in love, the end.

i like my occasional romcoms. though i am the first to lift the achtung sign when the cheesy parts are about to commence, i relish the lighthearted and lightheaded emotions that steam away deep-seated anxieties. that’s the power of kilig, no matter how unrealistic.

sandra bullock once played the slave-driven subordinate to hugh grant’s role as insensitive billionaire boss in two weeks notice, but in what must be this year’s biggest romantic comedy, she takes a jab at being the boss from hell. with an efficient but underappreciated executive assistant, andrew paxton played by ryan reynolds, bullock’s margaret tate will make you laugh as a big city girl trying to survive a family reunion in alaska.

as usual, the fashion makes the movie more memorable for me. here are the ensembles that make me love margaret tate even if she is, as gammy annie tells, “satan’s mistress”:

this now iconic proposal scene will surely go down romantic comedy history. replete with the prada handbag and christian louboutin pumps.

boating their way to the family estate. traveling in style with hermes birkin and face a face sunglasses.

insert awkward here. meeting the family in a gray mock wraparound dress (i'm crazy about the details on this one).

plaid boyfriend flannel robe over sexy negligee. rescued shelter puppy optional.

crisp classic white shirt over black pants and christian louboutins. not exactly bachelorette surprise attire, but very nice nevertheless.

as margaret feels more at home in alaska, so does her outfit. two layers of sweaters, a striped scarf and cropped pants.

antique wedding dress from gammy, pre-alterations.

much less uptight the second time around. a casual chic top with gathering detail and a slim belt.

sandra bullock with director anne fletcher. puff-sleeved top with wide stripes. my favorite.