Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp Are At It Again!

   The teaming of these two names are icons all on their own but when they come together movie magic transpires.  A relationship that spans beyond a decade has enabled Burton to find his muse within the character acting of Depp.  The dynamic pair brought us these wonderful delights over the years: Edward Scissorhands (1990) (their first film together), Ed Wood (1994), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005) (Animation), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), and Alice In Wonderland (2010).
  Tim Burton's new project places Johnny Depp into a soap opera entitled Dark Shadows.  The original Dark Shadows soap opera aired to television from 1966 to 1971.  Its a rather Gothic soap opera that follows the strange dealings of the Collins family and the inner circle.  The original show had everything from vampires to witches and werewolves!  Burton did announce that the project will not be in 3D (I'm so over this 3D craze)!
  Depp is scheduled to play the role of vampire Barnabas Collins.  He will be joined by Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Bella Heathcote, Michelle Pfeiffer, Thomas McDonell, Helena Bonham Carter, and Jonny Lee Miller.

Tim Burton had this to say about the project:

   "It's been hard to kind of come here because I'm just starting, and it's a weird tone and it's a lot of actors and, you know, we're not starting with the simple stuff; we're sort of getting right in there. You like to kind of sneak up on it a little bit, but this one we just kind of slammed right into it. I'm early into it because it's a funny tone, and that's part of what the vibe of the show is, and there's something about it that we want to get. But when you look at it, it's pretty bad. I'm hoping that it will be -- it's early days, let's put it -- I'm very intrigued by the tone. It's a real ethereal tone we're trying to go for and I don't know yet."   Movie Web

Monday, May 30, 2011

Blue Valentine - A Love Story

 As per a friends suggestion, I decided to rent the drama that is Blue Valentine (2010).  I really have to be in the mood to deal with such heavy hitting back and forth but this was well worth it.  It stars Ryan Gosling (Dean), Michelle Williams (Cindy) and a sweet little girl named Faith Wladyka (Frankie).  Directed by Derek Cianfrance and written by Derek Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne and Joey Curtis.  Blue Valentine centers around a modern married couple and takes us through the ordeals that formed them together.
  Dean (Ryan Gosling) is your everyday blue collar worker who never wanted to get married or have children.  Cindy (Michelle Williams) works a nurse at a doctors office and has a young daughter named Frankie.  It begins with our first look into what seems to be a somewhat normal family's everyday outs and ins.  You soon get emerged into the tension that centers between the two.  As soon as you see how their love has eroded with time, you are then whipped back to when it all began.
 When the first look back into Dean's life came about, I felt a tad confused.  It wasn't a clear switch between the two eras but you soon realize what is abroad and get taking right back into it all.  After seeing how they met and how they fell for one another you see that they both come from dysfunctional backgrounds proven to be problematic for them both.  Cindy does her best not to have a relationship like her parents and turns to her grandmother for advice.  One of my favorite lines from the movie was simple and short.  It was said by Cindy after she had an advice session with her grandmother. "How can you trust your feelings if they fade away?"
 Ryan Gosling is truely a leading man and can hold his ground in Hollywood.  His performance was raw and biting at every line.  Michelle Williams is also another one to watch a she starts to bud.  Her performances have yet to disappoint and will keep you mesmerized.  Williams was nominated for an Oscar (2011) for her performance as Cindy, it was giving to Natalie Portman for Black Swan.
 Overall, I feel that Blue Valentine makes us realize that you never really know what two people share.  The little things in life remind us that we once loved and were loved and the film is hands down one to see.

Weekend Box Office Numbers - Dun Dun Dun

 This weekend was a holiday weekend for the U.S., which left tons of time for those of us who didn't have to work to catch a flick at our local cinemas.  Just in case you were wondering where your favorites fell in this weekend's box office sales summary, I'm posting the top ten as recorded by IMDb.  I knew The Hangover Part II would take the lead but I'm not that thrilled to see it at number 1.

USA Weekend Box-Office Summary
week of 27 May 2011
RankTitleWeekendGross
1The Hangover Part II (2011)$86.5M$118M
2Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)$48M$54M
3Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)$39.3M$152M
4Bridesmaids (2011)$16.4M$85M
5Thor (2011)$9.37M$159M
6Fast Five (2011)$6.62M$196M
7Midnight in Paris (2011)$1.92M$2.82M
8Jumping the Broom (2011)$1.9M$34.2M
9Something Borrowed (2011)$1.84M$34.8M
10Rio (2011)$1.78M$135M
Chart provided by The Internet Movie Data Base.  Great resource for you movie nuts out there!

 This Tuesday, May 31, will also mark the release of A Clockwork Orange (40th Anniversary Edition) on Blu-Ray, Drive Angry, Biutiful, and Once Upon a Time in the West.  I will put together a new list of what movies will be release to Blu-Ray/ DVD in the next day or so.  Look out for it, so you can keep up to date with whats new!

Sunday, May 29, 2011

UNSTOPPABLE - Thrills Indeed

 Based on true events, Unstoppable starting Chris Pine, Denzel Washington and Rosario Dawson left me feeling a bit more fulfilled then I thought I would be.  Directed by Tony Scott and written by Mark Bomback, Unstoppable add a few train tracks that I didn't see coming.
 Thanks to some lazy operator's (played by t.v.  My Name is Earl's Ethan Suplee) errors, you are thrown into a thriller all its own.  An unmanned train that's filled with highly hazardous material called molten phenol gets sent barreling down the track with no end in sight.  A few mishaps trying to bring the train down leaves only one option for 28 year rail veteran Frank (Denzel Washington) and newbie Will (Chris Pine) who sneaks on the job through family connections.
 Chris Pine and Denzel Washington's score with their on screen happy duo. The joshing and "I'm your boss tension" between the two worked perfectly.  I enjoyed how they integrated the two characters back story as the main story rolled on and they worked to avoid a catastrophe aboard their own train.
  It was a joy to see Chris Pine on the big screen again.  He was recently in the blockbuster Star Trek (2009) as the young Captain Kirk.  His character Will seemed real and had to face issues that all of use seem to face in our daily lives.  Seeing the stretch that his performances can take,  I look forward to seeing his career grow into a mega star!
 As for Denzel Washington, he gave another wonderful performance and served well as the older role model for Chris Pine's character.  Unstoppable wasn't Denzel's first trip on the almighty railroad.  He was recently in Tony Scott's Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) which put Washington against a hijacked New York City train along side John Travolta.  As much as I enjoyed his overall screen time, Washington's Titanic moment atop the speeding train brought a little giggle from myself and my husband.
 Another pleasant surprise came from Rosario Dawson.  Having felt that her presence was waining from the big screen, it was nice to see her acting once more. She brought a pretty decent balance between being a hard ass boss and a worried woman.
  As much action as they tried to stuff into the 98 minute thrill ride without over doing it, they also managed a few wise cracking jokes at the appropriate moments.  I also found myself with a few tears in my eyes when tension started to rise and sadly along time friend of Frank's get toppled with a train.  All in all, I enjoyed the time I spent being sped head first into the action backed movie that is Unstoppable.

For the real story that inspired Unstoppable please go to the link provided.

The Real Story of "Unstoppable" - Ohio Valley Railroads

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Tom Hardy is Bane!

 After  hearing a few stories that The Dark Knight Rises had revealed a photo of Tom Hardy as Bane, I quickly jumped on the internet super highway to get my sneak peak.  Thankfully, I didn't have to jump through all the crazy hoops that The Dark Knight Rises marketing teams is making other fans go though.  You had to start by going to the website, then to twitter, the follow the link to another Warner Brothers site and then you finally go to see the photo!  But we're not doing all that nonsense.
 Without further ado, I give you BANE!  (www.movieweb.com)



                                   You know your Excited!!!!
                             Set to release on July 20th, 2012

Upcoming Movies for June 2011

  Each month handfuls of movie like to grace us with their presence at the box office.  Each one of them sitting there like the lonely kid in gym class hoping all hopes that they will be the one to be picked for the team.  Only in this gym class, we don't get to through a big, red ball at your head if we hate your acting! Maybe, just maybe, June will bring us something worth wild and be willing to push the bounds of Twinkle Town.


  Up and Comers for June 2011:
     
  Jun 1- YellowBrickRoad, !Women Art Revolution

  Jun 3 - X-Men:First Class, The Lion of Judah

  Jun 10 - Super 8, Troll Hunter, Road to Nowhere, The Trip

 Jun 17 - Green Lantern, Kidnapped, Mr. Popper's Penguins

 Jun 22 - If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

 Jun 24 - Cars 2, Bad Teacher

 Jun 29 - Transformers: Dark of the Moon, The Ledge

 Having seen what June has in store for us, I would say its a so so month.  I am very much so looking forward to X-Men: First Class.  First Class allows us to dig deeper into the world of mutants and see how one of the biggest rivals in comic book history was formed.  It stars James McAvoy (Charles Xavier), Michael Fassbender (Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto), Kevin Bacon (Sebastian Shaw), Jennifer Lawrence (Raven/Mystique) and many more.  Directed by Matthew Vaughn and written by Ashley Miller, Zach Stentz, Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn.  Story by Sheldon Turner and Bryan Singer.  It has a PG-13 rating.

 Mr. Popper's Penguins looks as if it could give a good laugh or two.  Having read the book as a child, I always imagined what life would be like with tons of feathery friends running about.  Staring Jim Carrey (Tom Popper) and Angela Lansbury (Mrs. Van Gundy).  Directed by Mark Waters.  Screenplay by Sean Anders, John Morris and Jarred Stern.  Novel by Richard Atwater and Florence Atwater.  This film looks like something the whole family could enjoy!

 Another predicted blockbuster for the summer will also be released in June, Transformers: Dark of the Moon.  I wasn't a fan of the first film but fell feet first in love with the second movie from the soon to be trilogy.  The third installment will be the Transformers' final battle and will surely top them all. This film also marks a change with Megan Fox no longer apart of the cast.  Staring Shia LaBeouf (Sam Witwicky), Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (Carly Miller) Josh Duhamel (Lt. Colonel William Lennox), Tyrese Gibson (Robert Epps) and Lenoard Nimoy (Voice of Sentinel Prime).  Directed by Michael Bay.  Written by Ehren Kruger.

  

THOR-God of Thunder

  I'm a huge comic book nut and an even bigger fangirl.  So it was no surprise that I had to see THOR as soon as it came out in theaters.  Thor is a grand warrior that is soon band by his father from the mystic world of Asgard.  Tossed to Earth, he is forced to live amongst the human race.  After the traumatic shock of being discarded to our realm, Thor becomes one of our greatest defenders.
  Thankfully, the story was handled perfectly.  I found the characters to be believable in their parts and I was quickly whisked away into their fantasy world.  The special effects and CGI work was eye catching and drew you in with each scene.  I was amazed by the rainbow road and loved the Ice Giants.  This is one I can't wait to pick up on BlueRay to watch the special features!
  Thor played by Chris Hemsworth was a delightful surprise as the God of Thunder.  He was recently in Star Trek(2009) with a quick appearance as George Kirk (James T. Kirk's Father).  I found him to be a refreshing actor who came into the Hollywood game rather recently.  I am looking forward to seeing him in more roles to see where his skills set ranges.
  It also stars the legendary Anthony Hopkins, who didn't have much screen time, but did a wonderful job non the less.  Natalie Portman also joined the crew to bring to life the magic of Thor.  It was a nice change of pace to see her in something besides a massively dramatic role after Black Swan(2010).

Let me know what you think about Thor or any other film that I've blog about.  I look forward to reading what you think.

See our review on MovieReviews.com

Memorial Day Honors-Top 10 War Films

  My father like so many before him served his country by joining the U.S. Armed Forces and fought during Desert Storm.  Since this coming Monday is Memorial Day, a day for us to remember those who died for our freedoms, I thought it might be nice to see what the top war films were.  Depending on were you go or who you ask you might get a different list each time.  I'm listing the top 10 war films from The Internet Movie Database(IMDb) out of their list of 50.  I will included a link to their web page if you would like to see the list in its entirety.  The list was based on viewer votes.

Top Rate "War" Titles
   1. Schindler's List (1993)
   2. Apocalypse Now (1979)
   3. The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959/I)
   4. Paths of Glory (1957)
   5. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
   6. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
   7. The Pianist (2002)
   8. Das Boot (1981)
   9. The Great  Dictator (1940)
  10. Life is Beautiful (1997)


  As much as I love this list, I'm a little disappointed that The Deer Hunter (1978), one of my favs, and Platoon didn't make the top 10.  The Deer Hunter was listed 27th and Platoon came in at number 31. Shame on you movie voters!

Enjoy the movies and please thank those who fought and gave for you this Memorial Day.

Top Rated"War" Titles-IMDb

Jeff Conaway Passes Away

  Even if you didn't receive a hickey from Kenickie, you knew Grease.  A cult classic in its own right that stared many a greats including trouble actor Jeff Conaway. He also had role's in the television series Taxi and was an alum of Celebrity Rehab on VH1.  Conaway passed away this Friday (May 27, 2011).  Conaway was placed into a medically induced coma earlier this month after being found unconscious.   He will be missed. 
For the full story on Jeff Conaway, please go to the link provided.

The Hangover Part II-The Wolfpack is Dull

  Looking to follow the massive success of the first movie, The Hangover(2009), its no surprise that The Hangover Part II came so quickly.  The first Hangover film was witty and filled with outrageous humor.  The cast was rapidly welcomed with open arms and Zach Galifianakis was on his game.
  The Hangover took place in fabulous Las Vegas after a bachelor party went awry.  The massively hungover guys found themselves in quite the pickle when the groom to be was somehow missed placed throughout the night.  Watching them back track and try to rework their partying steps though Vegas kept us laughing until our sides hurt.  The second time around wasn't quite the laughing feast the first one was.
  The Hangover Part II left me wanting more from the script.  The jokes and the one liners didn't seem to role off the tongue quite as smoothly as they had before.  I must admit, the movie did have it moments.  However, I felt as though I was watching The Hangover except this time it was in Thailand.  The antics that ensued in part II could have easily been the same from part I.  The only difference this time around is Stu(Ed Helms) is the one taken the plunge and getting married.  They also revisit Stu's love for strippers and thanks to part II his new love for Thai Ladyboys, Mike Tyson and his tattooed face, Alan's guy love for Phil, and Phil's "I'm the only cool guy ever!" attitude.
  The characters seemed to be put on Hollywood's leash and locked in the dog kennel.  Alan(Zach Galifianakis) felt toned down and wrangled in.  As much as I loved his randomness in the the first movie, I found him to be a bit odd in the second.  His craziness that made us all fall in love with him in the first one, seems too forced in the second.
  Mr. Chow(Ken Jeong) was another let down.  He was flamboyant and off the wall in The Hangover.  He also seemed to have more freedom in The Hangover. He came off very Americanized in part II.  His English had improved and it left us with less of a language barrier.  Which quite honestly brought tons of laughs in the first film.  When he popped onto the screen I was overjoyed but that joy was quickly let down by his presence.  He like so much of the film seemed a bit safe and lassoed.
  My only wish is that they wouldn't have made The Hangover Part II a plot for plot match with The Hangover.  The sizzle of their drunken antics faded out rapidly and leaves me wondering what was left on The Editor's Floor?

Our Review on MovieReviews.com

Friday, May 27, 2011

"To Infinity and Beyond!"-Buzz Lightyear

  It seems fitting that my first title would be from Toy Story (1995).  A ground breaking film that left movie goers wanting more from the world of animation.  I too am hoping for a ground breaking relationship with those of you who choose to not only see a movie, but to dissect it in its whole.
  My ultimate past time for as long as my memory will allow me to see, has been to discover the worlds created in films.  The joys brought forth from the experience was first bestrode upon me by my Grandmother.  She would recorded dozens and dozens of movies from her various satellite channels and label each one outside the VHS cases.  She lived in Tennessee and I lived in Michigan.  Each summer and for the holidays, she would bless me with an overwhelming amount  of VHS tapes to choose from.  I did have to share with other members of my family, but lucky me,  each tape had about four movies on them.  I would gather my "movie pile" and spend hours watching each story being told.  Some movies I watched so much I could recite every line!  When my family plays movie trivia I get band from the games.  Some how I always managed to win.  Most would say movies were my hobby.
  Once I was old enough and was able to go to the movie theater, I was instantly hooked.  Thankfully my first movie goer experience was a thumbs up!  I believe I was 6 or 7 when I was first taken to the movies.  My sister, who is 6 years older than I, wanted to go to see a movie with her boyfriend.  Our mother came up with a clever negotiation.  She proposed that my sister and her then boyfriend could go to the movies, only if she took along her little sister.  You couldn't image how excited I was. Sadly, my sister was less enthusiastic. But for me it was my first big girl adventure.
  We went to the best movie theater in town, the Jackson 10.  It was a medium size place that sat behind our local shopping mall.  I always loved the way the building lit up at night.  The red neon trim that wrapped the top as if it were a piece of rope licorice.  The smell of freshly, popped popcorn drenched in butter filled the air as the bings and whistles from the small arcade broke free.  I could barely see over the ticket counter when the small stubs burst free from the hidden printer.  My sister wouldn't let me hold my ticket in fear of me losing it.  I don't blame her, I most likely would have.
  At the time I didn't really know what we were seeing, nor did I care.  I was just so excited about being at the Jackson 10.  My sister's boyfriend bought me a kiddie pack from the concession stands which came with a handful of popcorn, a candy of your choice and a itty bitty drink.  I was in heaven.  We made our way in to see the show and walked down the slightly, darkened hallway.  I will never forget that carpet.  Every time I think of the carpet in all its swirly glory it makes me smile.  After the two love birds huddled over the seat choice, I was forced to sit in front of them all by my lonesome.  This I have a feeling was not part of my mother's plan.
  The seat that was chosen for me was slightly off center but raised for a pretty good view.  I sat there indulging on my candy and popcorn taking little bits from the cardboard tray in my lap.  The momentum started to build as the lights dimmed down and the big red curtains began to reveal the jumbo screen.  My tiny eyes watched in amazement as the previews rolled.
  Then those beautiful words popped up, the words that I would come to love the rest of my life.  "Our Feature Presentation".  Then it started.  The very first movie I ever saw in theater.  The movie that started it all, Mr. Magoo(1997).
  I couldn't have asked for more.  A grand time to fall in love and share such love with thousands all over the world.  Over time I would find movies to have a special gift.  A gift that breaks language barriers and barriers of all types.  They allow you to share a laugh, make you cry or maybe even help you find yourself along the way.
  With the start of my film love affair came the critic within me.  Each film that I view tends to become the center for discussion.  Weather that discussion is amongst friends or complete strangers it is still fulfilling.  That is why I wanted to start this blog.  I hope that the opinions I give here in The Editor's Floor, will start many discussions amongst friends and strangers.

P.S.

The title for the blog, The Editor's Floor, came from the expression " I would like to see what was left on the Editor's Floor!"