Cinema Coquette: Fancies of a Chic-Flicker

THE DRAMEDY: A better alternative in contemporary trends

2009-04-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

So, while the The Romantic Drama is seen as the best of the best it does have some some chic-flick related problems. So in response, I thought I would give you a taste of what I think is a perfect medium, a better alternative. Of course most of these fall under the comedy genre because, sadly, there are major underachievers in the writing, acting, directing, etc. when it comes to comedy. Strangely enough, when I was making a list of quirky, funny, heartfelt films I realized they all were pretty current in the box office scene and like The Contemporary Romance seem to be a new trend of something a little more substantial in the teen and romantic comedy genres. So for all of those who look back on the good ol' days with heavy hearts and nostalgia, take a look a the age of the aughties for undeniably great chic-flicks.

The Dramedy

Also called the comedy-drama or serio-comedy, it comes from the tragicomedy genre in theatre originally created in Shakespeare's time. Maybe you just can't take all the dead lovers and cruel betrayals of The Romantic Dramas but you thrive for the same quality. And wha-la the dramedy appears. It's the perfect balance of depth, sorrow, hope, all wrapped up in a funny romantic package that usually has good writing.

Sub-genre mania: The Dramedy, like drama or comedy, has its own sub-genres that include The Contemporary Romance, The Teen Dramedy while also seemingly popular in independent film and with contemporary writers.

Must-sees: Amelie (2001), Oscar nominated French, independent film, Garden State (2004), directed and written by the multi-talented Zach Braff with an incredible performance by Natalie Portman, Stranger Than Fiction (2006) including the legendary Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) which features a dramedy favourite and new Oscar winner, Kate Winslet.

Comedians realm: One of the best features of this hybrid genre is the dramatic debut of some amazing comedians including Will Ferrell, Jim Carrey, Zach Braff and I might even include Adam Sandler in 50 First Dates who follow other great comedian turned actors like the great Robin Williams.

The Teen Dramedy

For a look back at all the problems read here. But people, I have fabulous news: there is hope and it just keeps on coming. Some of the best teen movies are the most recent including Juno (2007), Superbad (2007), Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist (2008), and Adventureland (2009). Again, I'm all for this new hybrid of comedy and drama with a cast of great actors and writers with guts, honesty and a fresh look at the life of a teen. If you don't believe me, check out reliable Ebert for some great insight.

The best of the best: In other posts I have mentioned Ellen Page (Oscar nominated for Juno) and Michael Cera who I think are the most normal, quirky and interesting young actors out there who also have this amazing talent for comedy and drama. And Jonah Hill is so hysterically funny that I will now see anything with him in it. I think their performances along with the premises of these movies, are the most relatable of any teen films out there and that is why they are better than anything else.

I'm talking REAL teenagers: They actually look like teenagers and you rarely see the jock, cheerleader, science or math geek stereotypes. The girls aren't overly sexualized and the guys aren't always sex-crazed beasts (I mean, Superbad's Evan is the sweetest kid ever). They don't demean or degrade teenagers and thank god for it!

The Bro-mantic Comedy
I mean, in the sense that it is guy-friendly. These are for those of you who actually want to keep their boyfriends around on movie night I'm sure you've turned to some of these: The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005), Knocked Up (2007), Role Models (2008), Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) and I Love You, Man (2009). And just from talking to friends and family about these movies they are popular with many age groups including both genders. And yes, I classify them as chick flicks ( I even dub them, chic-flicks), because they stick to the romantic comedy form in some way, shape or form. I Love You, Man and Superbad literally trade the heterosexual romance plot for a bromance plot while Role Models take bits of both and even crosses generations of male bonding, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall tells a break-up story from the point-of-view of a guy, which I don't think has ever been done before in a romantic comedy.

The root of it all: Turns out the new generation of comedians, featured in April 2009 Vanity Fair, are not only funny performers but pretty substantial writers; Paul Rudd is the co-writer of Role Models, Seth Rogen co-wrote Superbad, and Jason Segel wrote Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Is this whats turning comedy around? I say, keep the comedians doing it all, writing, directing and holding the boom if that's what keeps their creative juices flowing.

THE ROMANTIC DRAMA: We're talking some serious chic-flick action...

2009-04-01T23:35:00.000-07:00

The American Film Institute has made many top 100 lists of movies in their series called AFI's 100 Years and even included a list for all of us chick-flickers; AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions that includes the top 100 love stories in American film. Now as I go through this list I recognize most of these films as Romantic Dramas. These are the chick flicks (most of the chic but not always) that get nominated for Oscars and are given the respect they so rightly deserve in the film industry. A lot of this has to do with the themes of historical events and the realism in style that this genre focuses on. It's true, usually these movies are better written, directed and acted by all parties, but I wonder if this is inherent in the genre or maybe something else? This even falls under The Academy Rules, a drama is respectable no matter what the content while a comedy is mindless fluff that is only made worse by a romantic storyline. But I digress; these movies are some of the top features of all time and I'm really excited that girly movies can fall into this category. So here's my breakdown:

The Epic
I, myself, didn't even think to include The Epic as a part of romantic drama until I came across Box Office Mojo which told me that the top box office romantic dramas include a lot of current romantic epics (Titanic, Cold Mountain, Out of Africa, Pearl Harbour, The English Patient, etc). Now I have to say I am a little biased on this topic because these are some of my favourite movies of all time and I really think they have something in them for everyone. Out of all romantic dramas you are most likely to drag your friends, family and even your boyfriend to an epic.

The problem is: The men seem to die a lot. Count them out: Denys Finch Hatton (Out of Africa, 1985), Jack Dawson (Titanic 1997), Danny Walker (Pearl Harbour, 2001), Inman (Cold Mountain, 2003) and The Drover was originally supposed to be killed at the end of the most recent epic, Australia (2008). I have a bit of a feminist problem with this: do they kill the men off because to kill a woman off is less forgivable? This, of course, is different in The English Patient, based on Michael Ondaatje's 1992 novel. I'm finding disappointing trends in this genre that I would like to be stretched and interrogated a little because the last thing we need is for another chick flick sub-genre to be generic.

But keep 'em coming: No matter what I say, I still love these films. The exciting thing is that most of them are top notch; in fact the only epics I can think of that fell under par were Pearl Harbour and Troy (2004), probably because they are such a large undertaking and have such large budgets, but that's achievement for the genre itself.

The Tragedy of the Genre
Critics, reviewers and any old movie snob will tell you that Dramas have more substance than the generic comedy or action film, which I mostly think is true but because of the content that is usually paired with this film genre (war, historical events or people, etc.) not because it necessarily has better people behind or in front of the camera. I'm sure many people don't even consider these movies chick flicks but Wikipedia says they are as well as an actor named Daniel Stern, in a video on AFI, even calls Titanic (the top grossing romantic drama of all time) an "epic chick flick". I felt so validated, I can't even tell you.

The problem is: I just can't handle all the sadness, depression and lack of hope. Now this is not in every film in this genre but if you make a list of all of these movies, I promise you it will be very difficult to make a substantial list of those with happy endings. And yes, to a chick-flicker, that is a problem, but as always, stay tuned for what I call "a better alternative".

The saddest of the sad: Just think about watching these movies one after another and you might see what I mean: Legends of the Fall (1994), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Atonement (2007), Evening (2007) and then throw in some of the classic love stories and any epic that I listed and you might just have an emotional breakdown. The reason for this goes back to why Aristotle thought tragedy was better than comedy in Grecian times. Serious issues with serious consequences makes us think and feel about what is really important, which is actually pretty fantastic. Call it a reaffirmation of life, but look for my picks with a little more hope.

Let's call it bittersweet: Now, I have no problem with a little sadness, a little tragedy but sometimes you've had a bad day and the last thing you need is to emerge yourself in someone else's extreme problems. That is why women turn to the fluffier of chick flicks, because they need a little distraction and, most importantly, hope. So my picks for romantic drama might fall towards the ones with bittersweet endings and less tragic circumstances than one person can handle in a sitting.

The Classic Love Story
The romantic storylines in this genre usually stem from some of the most popular plays, novels and other written work of all time. The tragic circumstances of star-crossed lo vers and impossible circumstances has its roots in the classic stories of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the Arthurian legend of Guinevere and Lancelot, and the legend and popular opera by Richard Wagner, Tristan and Isolde. Writers, directors and producers are smart in the sense that they stick to what has worked for centuries by adapting these love stories or just making new versions of them in cases like Baz Lurhman's Romeo and Juliet, Kevin Reynold's Tristan and Isolde, the musical version of Camelot (1967) and Jerry Zucker's First Knight (1995).

The written word: I'm sure people have noticed that adaptation is popular, so much so that they give awards based on it that are separated from original work. Some of the best of the best in romantic drama comes from adaptation of the old stuff (like I mentioned) and even the new stuff that was mentioned in the saddest of the sad. But if you love adapted film like I do, you really can't ignore the Austen adaptations (Sense and Sensibility (1995), Emma (1996), Pride and Prejudice (2005) and Becoming Jane (2007), Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights (1992), Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1979), and the story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillpa Gregory (2008).

The best of the bunch: Well, in my opinion anyway. Almost all of these have bittersweet endings with lots of hope that do exactly what Aristotle wanted but don't emotionally damage you in the process: Shakespeare in Love (1998), Possession (2002), The Notebook (2004), Walk the Line (2005), and Jane Eyre (2006).

Many a TEEN FLICK: Teens just wanna have fuh-un...

2009-03-26T10:40:00.000-07:00

It's true. Teen movies may not be known for their depth and intelligence but they do capture the wonders of our joyous youth...or, at least they try to show the rest of us what could or should have been. Like the chick flick genre, teen flicks are lacking in credibility because the majority falls under the comedy genre. Some of the most popular being teen flick phenomenons are: The American Pie Series (1999, 2001, 2003), The National Lampoon series (1978, 1994, 1995, 2002) and The Scary Movie Series (2000, 2001, 2003, 2006). There are tons of sub-genres in this category including The Teen Cult Favourite that is usually directed at teeny boppers, who are in a different subculture on their own now and could be the topic of another post in itself. The good thing about this genre is that you might just get your boyfriend to go with you to see some of these, even the chick flicks, because they are usually directed at the general teen age group and pay less attention to specific gender preferences.

What started it all...well, kinda
If you are from my generation (all you twenty-somethings), than your parents or older siblings have made you watch The Breakfast Club (1985) (named #1 in Entertainment Weekly's "The 50 Best High School Movies"), Pretty in Pink (1986), Sixteen Candles (1984) or Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986). Some of you may not have considered these teen flicks because...well they're old now, but you must face the truth and embrace the past. It was the era of Molly Ringwald and John Hughes, a man that got audience buzz and critical acclaim with these movies. Before him, teen films were classified as beach party films like Gidget (1959). He was the first director of teen film to explore real teen issues like sex, drugs, abuse, suicide, cliques, and alienation in high schools.

The problem is: I'm not sure if it's because it's set in the 80's, but everything is cheesier (of course, the hair and clothes don't exactly help). And if you don't like Molly Ringwald, I suggest you pick a different genre for this time period, because she was in everything. I love The Breakfast Club, but the teen angst and cross-clique bonding is a little much for my generation of teenage drug overdose, alcohol poisoning, teenage pregnancy, bullying and murder, though if you can come to the table with an open mind than there is a lot to gain.

Must-see: Ferris Bueller's Day Off and The Breakfast Club because I am not alone in believing it is seriously a right of passage. And you might just want to skim through Pretty in Pink for James Spader alone.

Ah, the good o'l days: For all of their cheesiness, the acting is better, the writing is better and they strived for deeper storylines with more substance unlike a lot of what is put out currently.

Teen Comedy
This is the genre that can get away with almost anything and still remains the most popular of teen films. There are girl versions and guy versions though the main audience is the teenage consumer, and guess what, it works. Though, funnily enough, this may be the one genre where the romantic comedy holds a higher critical status and, in my opinion, makes more interesting films. Teen rom-coms are basically adult rom-coms featuring teenage stock characters (the popular crowd, the geeks, cheerleaders, jocks, the girl next door, the stoner kid, etc.) and at least one scene at the prom.

Watch out for: Many versions of the same movie over and over again, overage casting, under par acting, offensive stereotypes, hyper-sexualized teen girls, and disgusting bawdy humour.

Why you should still see them: They are the only films out there that directly relate (sometimes barely) to the teenage experience and don't we all want to see movies about ourselves? Plus, other will talk about them and you'll be out of the loop. That's no fun.

Bright spots in the darkness: Check out Drama Queen for a fairly good top 5 list. On top of that, my personal recommendations would be The Princess Diaries (2001, but stay away from the sequel) and Clueless (1995) though stay tuned for what I call, "a better alternative".

Teen Drama/Romance
The chickiest and possibly the chic-est in the teen film genre. Like the romantic drama (coming soon), there is usually an element of tragedy that has its roots in the classic structure of Romeo and Juliet, arguably, the archetypal teen romance. Teen drama is the same only it is not restricted to a romantic storyline, or what would usually be classified as a chick flick, like Dead Poet's Society (1989), Almost Famous (2000) and The Virgin Suicides (1999). These movies are more likely to have critical acclaim but not necessarily box office hits which mirror the adult versions.

The problem is: The cheese factor, of course. It's also harder to believe a love story between teenagers than between adults so it falls back on tragedy to gain the emotional attachment of the audience (see Crazy/Beautiful [2001], How to Deal [2003]). The acting is usually better than in comedies but is still under par and while the storylines are deeper, the writing isn't always better.

I would still recommend: A Walk to Remember (2002) to any chick flick lover despite all the sappiness. And for a good twist on this sub-genre, check out films like Twilight (2008) and then read my post on it.

Upcoming Teen Flicks: On April 17th, Zac Efron makes his post-High School Musical debut in 17 Again. I am extremely tempted to see this movie for the hilarious Matthew Perry and Leslie Mann (remember, her husband is Judd Apatow) but if Efron is actually funny than it could possibly be decent. Also on July 10th, I Love You, Beth Cooper (featuring Heroes star Hayden Panettiere) about the bonding between popular cheerleaders and nerds.

THE EMSEMBLE PIECE: Curtis' Love Actually! Love is everywhere I go...

2009-03-17T17:41:00.000-07:00

This may me one of those times you just don't believe me and my crazy sub-genre inventions, but I beg of you, hear me out. The Ensemble Piece is not just a movie of a standard genre with an ensemble cast but a form all on it's own. I am sad to say that this is yet another film deemed a romantic comedy featuring an ensemble cast and while, yes, it does have romance and it does have comedy, it goes beyond what this limiting genre is capable of. This sub-genre is a more general Sisterhood flick, because it features the different kinds of relationships between women and men. The ensemble is also like the fantasy genre that can be integrated with wide span of different movies including films like The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003), CrashOcean's Eleven (2001) and it's sequels (2004, 2007). Other chick flicks or romantic-comedy-like films that fit into this sub-genre are A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999), Playing by Heart (1998) and the newest and sadly disappointing He's Just Not that Into You (2009).

A movie that I think uses all it can from this sub-genre and does it well is Love Actually (2003), originally called Love Actually is All Around which pretty much gives you a general synopsis of the story. The most appealing thing about this movie and possibly what made it successful is it's star packed cast. Think of ten of the most interesting, talented and popular British actors. I'm sure at least five are in this movie. And while I know it is shallow to see movies because of the actors themselves, I am a firm believer in the quality of the actors in a film can tell you a lot about the quality of the film itself. True to ensemble style almost every character is connected through an "it's a small world" kind of theme; Prime Minister David (Hugh Grant) and Karen(Emma Thompson) are brother and sister, Harry (Alan Rickman, as in Snape, anyone?) is Sarah's (Laura Linney) boss, and Jamie (Colin Firth)and Sarah are friends with Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Mark (Andrew Lincoln) and so on and so forth.

Sadly because there are so many performances in an ensemble film they are usually snubbed by the Oscars and other award-giving societies, especially in the acting category. I remember critics going on and on about Bill Nighy (Davy Jones anyone?) and Emma Thompson but they were snubbed in the more popular award categories. Something similar happened to nominee, Matt Dillon for Crash who was over-shadowed by George Clooney and the actors in The Lord of the Rings, specifically Andy Serkis and Sean Astin, who, The Academy revealed, who were number sixes on the nomination list and to . On a more positive note, it did receive Golden Globe nominations for Best Musical or Comedy and Best Screenplay by writer and director, Richard Curtis. He is one of the prominent romantic-comedy writers who gave us Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Notting Hill (1999), and the Bridget Jones Series (2001, 2004) and makes his directorial debut with this film.

This movie, once again, received a disappointing 64% rating on Rotten Tomatoes fresh meter and not much better on the average use and critics ratings on Yahoo! Movies. Most of the negative comments from the critics argue that the movie is too long and drags just before the end which I didn't notice the first or last time I watched it. A few also complain about that the number of connected storylines are too ambitious and do not deliver. It's hard for me to appreciate these valid criticisms because most are written nonchalantly, as if they're expected, or give no evidence or insight into their claims. Thank the Lord for Ebert, who makes similar claims but writes them factually, without disdain and with evidence:

The movie's only flaw is also a virtue: It's jammed with characters, stories, warmth and laughs, until at times Curtis seems to be working from a checklist of obligatory movie love situations and doesn't want to leave anything out. At 129 minutes, it feels a little like a gourmet meal that turns into a hot-dog eating contest.

My thoughts are that I am a big fan of the ensemble. I love seeing the dynamics of interconnected stories that are like short stories that give the good stuff and only the good stuff. I also like seeing the country of dry humour, wisdom and cynicism depicted as normal, fallible human beings who are on the same quest for happiness as the rest of us. Who knew the English were such big softies? And on top of that there is even a scene where a guy and his step-son indulge in a little chick-flick therapy. I like to think they're sending a subliminal message.

Favourite quotes: "When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love." -Hugh Grant voice over, "Christmas shopping, never an easy or a pleasant task" -Harry, "But you know, the thing about romance is... people only get together right at the very end." -Sam, "Hiya kids. Here is an important message from your Uncle Bill. Don't buy drugs. Become a pop star, and they give you them for free!" - Billy Mack, "Meatloaf definitely got laid at least once. For God's sake, Ringo Starr married a Bond girl!" -Daniel
Chemistry level: 5/5. Even the kiddies had good chemistry.
Best love story: A hard choice indeed. I'll break it down for you: sweetest was by far the movie stand-ins (Martin Freeman and Joanna Page), saddest by far is Sarah's that is a conflict between her love for her brother and her co-worker Karl (Rodrigo Santoro)and
Best performance: While it is really nice to see Liam Neeson as really light-hearted and funny, Emma Thompson really steals the show. She tries to stop herself from having a break down while listening to one of the greatest Joni Mitchell songs ever (and it's pretty incredible. But the most entertaining by far are also guest appearances by Billy Bob Thorton as the pompous American President and Rowan Atkinson (Mr.Bean, anyone?) as a sort of quirky Puck-like character who helps out little Sam(Thomas Sangster) and takes his sweet time with everything he does.
Interesting choices: The film begins and finishes with scenes involving real people experiencing different kinds of love in the Heathrow airport. Apparently the director filmed there for a few days and asked people's permission when he caught something he wanted to put in the film. Also, there are relationships that are interracial, have a large age difference, a language barrier and an obvious class difference between the Prime Minister and Natalie(Martine McCutcheon) from the "dodgy end" who everyone seems to think is chubby. By the way, she so is not.
Musical Atmosphere: The climactic theme music that gets the audience's heart racing happens at two significant moments in the film: when the Prime Minister stands up to the President after he hits on his girl and during the montage in the last moments of the film. I will admit whole-heartedly that this is a feel-good moment in a feel-good movie.
Best overall moment: Hugh Grant's dance solo. Not only a white-boy dance but a pasty, British white-boy dance to a 1980's pop song. Classic.

THE ROMANTIC FANTASY: Hallstrom's Chocolat! Indulge a little...

2009-03-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

To keep with the magical theme of this week, I thought why not venture into another one of my favourite genres; fantasy. Now, don't worry I'm not getting carried away, I do know that the fantasy genre has nothing to do with chick flicks but it has influenced the romance genre and created a sort of hybrid I like to call The Romantic Fantasy. You might call this the fairytale for adults. This is basically, the ever-popular, romantic comedy or romantic drama (coming soon), with a fantastical storyline that critics and movie-goers recognize and connect to the fantasy genre. Movies you might rcognize that I would put into this sub-genre are ones you, yourself may have had trouble categorizing: romantic comedies like Kate and Leopold (2001), Penelope (2006), dramas like Big Fish (2003), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button(Academy Award nominee 2008) and even mystery or adventure films like The Illusionist (2006), The Fountain or Stardust
(2007).

Following an Oscar season of seven nominations for The Cider House Rules (1999), director Lasse Hallstrom decided to embark on the adventure of a film adapted from Joanna Harris' novel; Chocolat (2000). The film is about a travelling medicine woman, Vianne Rocher played by the glorious Juliette Binoche(1997 Oscar winner), whose methods are a little different than you might think. Vianne and her daughter, Anouk (Victoire Thivisol), arrive in a small French town with large and rigid Catholic morals. The story follows Vianne as David and the Comte de Renaud (brilliantly played by Alfred Molina) as Goliath in a fight to the death over paganism and organized religion, discipline and indulgence or even control and freedom. Of course, like any good chic-flick, Goliath isn't really Goliath but more of a David with a superiority complex who you really feel bad for as the movie progresses.

Unfortunately Ebert and Yahoo! Movies have failed me with no record of reviews for this film but I can relay that Rotten Tomatoes gives it a slightly disappointing 62% on it's fresh meter. I can also say that the Academy thought highly of this film giving it five nominations including Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress (the incredible Dame Judi Dench), Best Picture, and Best Adapted Screenplay. I also watched the making-of featurette on the DVD that told me the Los Angeles Times called it "a splendid work of artistry and craftsmanship". The heart, as producer Leslie Hollerman says it, of this movie is the three generations of "such strong and varied" women who come together to support each other in a movie about generation gaps. That is where the chic-flick lies. Hallstrom also adds that this film has "very vivid and textured portrayals of women that are wonderful role models for any contemporary woman".

Basically, this is up there with my favourite movies of all time. I love it's respect for younger generations; even Vianne, free spirit and all, relaizes that she is caught up in her own strict tradition created by her mother that severely affects Vianne, that she has forced her daughter into accepting. This movie is about the good things in life that you shouldn't deny yourself and as a chocolaholic I am very grateful for the message. And speaking of guilty pleasures, how appropriate for my blog, dontcha think?

Favourite quotes: "Who says I can't use a skillet?"- Josephine, "I hear she's an atheist."- Boy #1, "What's that?"- Boy #2"I don't know. "- Boy #1, "We can't go around measuring our goodness by what we don't do, by what we deny ourselves, what we resist and who we exclude. I think we ought to measure goodness by what we embace, what we create and who we include." - Pere Henri
Best performance: Like another one of my favourites, I say the ensemble. Well done, all.
Chemistry level: 5/5. With this ensemble, how can you go wrong? Writer, Robert Nelson Jacobs calls this film "an ensemble movie" in which he actually added characters to make the story resonate in a more Global way. For more on the ensemble, stay tuned.
Best love story: In a film with many love stories (requiremed in an ensemble film) there is one that is short, sweet and rarely seen. Not to mention it features Leslie Caron, the most gorgeous 70 year-old alive, and who you might recognize from a little musical called Gigi (1958). It also features a charming dog and John Wood in a love story for an older audience.
Best revenge moment: It's a tie between when Serge claims that they're "still married in the eyes of God" to which Josephine replies "Then He must be blind". Next is a very dramatic scene involving Josephine, Serge and a skillet. This moment definitely deserves an independent-woman booyah! Also, the Comte de Renaud, in a decreasing mental state, starts to cut up his wife's dresses. As annoying of a guy as he is, you can't help but be happy that he indulges in some form of pleasure by this point of the film.
History of chocolate: Originally a drink called cacao by the Mayans and Aztecs, it was said to have magical properties that were mostly an aphrodisiac. Chocolate is also known to produce high amounts of serotonin and endorphins in the human brain. One of the best scenes in the movie is a table of people eating in slow motion; a great visual example of the magical feeling of eating chocolate.
A question of bad taste: This movie questions the basis for good and bad taste that is stereotyped by people like the ones in Lansquenet-sous-Tannes. Young Luc (Aurelien Parent Koenig) is ashamed for liking horror stories and grotesque images like his grandmere, Armande (Dench). But he is also a great artist. Pere Henri (Hugh O'Conor) is looked down upon by the Comte de Renaud for singing and dancing to Elvis and even Guillaume Blerot (Wood) is chastised for thinking his dog, Charlie, has a soul.
Johnny, Johnny, Johnny: Half way through the movie we get this little surprise... Johnny Depp! He's definitely one of the best actors of his generation and I can't believe he hasn't won anything yet. This is also one of my favourite performances by him and an unlikely one at that. Mr. Depp has made it known that he doesn't like to be pretty or attractive onscreen and therefore does not usually take roles that look anything like a romantic lead; but look at him now in a verified chick flick and everything. He's a Gypsy with an Irish accent, a wavy ponytail and some serious guitar picking skills; there's nothing left to say.
Fun tidbit: Producer, David Brown (you know, the guy who did Jaws, Driving Miss Daisy, and The Verdict), says this is his favourite movie he has ever produced because it is so "beloved by all" which is rare and very different from a "hit" that he is used to.

THE FAIRYTALE: Disney's Enchanted! That's how you know...

2009-03-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

And....I'm back! Everyone watches Disney. Even if you say you don't and that their portrayals of race and gender are skewed, you've still watched them and at least loved one. Even you boys. I remember my brother loved Peter Pan (1953) and Pinocchio (1940). But it's the Disney Princess movies that are the real chick flicks and possibly the first ones we ever see. You might even be able to blame the chick flick genre on classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937), Cinderella (1950), Sleeping Beauty (1959), The Little Mermaid (1989) and Beauty and the Beast (1991).

The newest of the Disney Princess movies, Enchanted (2007) pays homage to Disney's classics while also making fun of themselves and the fairytale genre. Director, Kevin Lima, has a limited resume, but it includes some great kid's films like A Goofy Movie (1995) and Disney's Tarzan (1999). Enchanted is what the critics might call a modern fairytale; a genre which also includes Ever After (1998), Ella Enchanted (2004) and even The Princess Bride (1987). These movies are usually more feminist-friendly with complex characters and storylines that deconstruct the archetypal and overly simplistic fairytale story. I kind of like to think of it as Disney's apology for making so many movies that depict women as weak, desperate, stupid and useless. You may not believe me when you start this animated movie because Giselle, voiced by the charming Amy Adams, is your typical Disney princess who makes a creepy statue of her Prince Charming and sings to her forest friends about the importance of lips. She admits to the man she thinks is her Prince Charming, the multi-talented James Marsden, that she was made "to finish [his] duet". She is the girl who believes that someone will always catch her until she gets transported into modern New York City, a place her step-mother-to-be says "there are no happily ever afters".

The film goes on from there with larger doses of reality and live-action. Giselle is not delicate and optimistic in this world, but naive and perceived as insane. I'm sure all the hardcore feminists appreciated the depiction of a Disney Princess in the "real" world as a potential mental patient. She learns about real emotions like anger, lust and obligation while teaching the cynical real-world residents that a little fantasy in your life won't kill you. Poor, jaded Robert Philip(possibly named for Prince Philip from Sleeping Beauty), played by McDreamy himself, Patrick Dempsey, wants to pursue a sensible marriage with his girlfriend, Nancy (Idina Menzel) and tries to discourage his daughter, Morgan (Rachel Covey) from her fairytale attachment. He's a man who was hurt by love and is shocked by the grandiose romantic gestures and ideals of someone like Giselle. He is portrayed as somewhat of a disappointing stereotype; a single father/workaholic who tries to force his daughter into adulthood, can't keep his apartment clean and pathetically sends his girlfriend emailed flowers instead of real ones.
It was received well by the critics getting a 93% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes fresh meter. The worst reviews on Yahoo! Movies have the same complaints of a great idea with a lot of potential that didn't quite deliver. Disney has never been know for their high-end emotionally invigorating, intellectual scripts but for their innovation and spectacle, so I can't say I had the same expectations as these critics. Ebert gives the film a fairly high review that focuses on Amy Adams' performance which makes this film so lovable. I think it's smart and fun! It's told through a pop-up book, Julie Andrews narrates it and it has the prettiest credits I have ever seen. The best part of the story is the end where Narcissa (Susan Sarandon) narrates the changes in the fairytale story and Giselle finally becomes three-dimensional. Instead of the handsome prince "catching" her, which is consistent throughout the film, she must save poor Robert from the evil sorceress. Yes, everything ends happily and there are cheesy, unrealistic moments, but isn't that what Disney is about? Creating some interesting conflicts and challenges but then putting every perfect, cookie-cutter piece together at the end? Only these cookies have a little self-parody and feminism, so they're even better.

Favourite quotes: The best quotes are the contrasted moments of reality and fantasy that cause confusion in the characters. "Why do people keep giving you free stuff?" - Robert Philip, "No one's been very nice to me." -Giselle, "Yeah, well. Welcome to New York." -Robert Philip, "Oh, thank you." - Giselle, "I seek a beautiful girl." - Edward, "I'd like to find one of them too." construction worker, "You looking for a beautiful lady too?" - construction worker, "No, actually I'm looking for a prince." - Nathaniel, "Riiight." -construction worker
Best performance: Susan Sarandon as Narcissa(Narcissus anyone?) has the greatest evil sorceress voice ever and is a fun addition to the last part of the movie. She turns into a dragon and everything. But the definite best performance is by Amy Adams who even looks like an otherworldly Disney princess. She received a Golden Globe nomination for it and many other awards. I read an interview with her that described her technique for portraying an essentially animated character which basically drew on her dance experience as a child (watch her movements, especially her hands and arm gestures). I think this part is a difficult feat that she conquered brilliantly.
Chemistry level: 4/5. Not bad for Disney. I upped it a little for the juicy sexual tension scenes(Dempsey in a robe and Adams in a towel) that I don't think anyone saw coming and for the gay jokes(in scenes featuring Nathaniel and Edward's comic relief, see quotes) throughout that make this movie fun for adults too.
The Disney Musical: Most classic Disney films are considered musicals because the characters sing at least one song(see any of the films mentioned above). I wouldn't consider it a musical per se, but a movie with integral musical elements. Stephen Swartz, writer of the hit Broadway musical Wicked, is the lyricist and possibly explains Idina Menzel's appearance. Check out the serious singing chops of James Marsden as Edward as well as singing the background song, "That's Amore", in the pizza parlour.
Romantic comedy?!?: Can you believe that, that is how this is classified? People have no imagination. Anything that takes a little effort is called a romantic comedy. Watch out for this overused term and be aware that it may just be a cop-out.
And the moral of the story is...: With it's self-critique as well as the critique of modern society I think this film has some great messages for young and older viewers. Love is a fantasy, Fight for love, Practicality, sensibility and excitement all have thier place in love, Optimism and pessimism are both extremes, It's all about balance, Save yourself, you're the only person who can, Stand up for yourself(Yay, Nathaniel played by Timothy Spall), The only way to be happy is to be honest.

FUN FIND: If you check out IMDB, there are photos of the moments that reflect all the different Disney movies moments in Enchanted. And a great photo galley commentary featured on MSN about the girl movies that guys secretly like. Check em' out!

The Oscar 2009 Wrap-up: The Academy loves the chic-flick and says "The Musical is back!"

2009-02-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

For all of you who want the chic-flick back, I promise that this is my Academy wrap-up. Please feel free to give me your opinions about what you enjoyed and didn't enjoy or if you even considered watching it, in the comments section.

4.5/5 BABY!: How excited was I, that all my predictions were spot on, if you count my half prediction for Sean Penn. Even if you don't, it is still pretty good. Now that I look back on it, I really should have known. The Academy loves the minorities and I'm sure wanted to express their support for gay marriage. I really wanted to kick myself after. Though, I will say that this was a fairly easy year to predict, so I'm a little lucky. Congratulations to all the winners!

Best Dressed: Shockingly enough, Miley Cyrus. There were some incredible dresses all round but she had great hair and jewelery to match. I was way impressed! Also some shout outs to Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Taraji P. Henson who all looked stunning.

Shock moment: No, it wasn't Ben Stiller as a certain "retired" actor during Cinematography (way inappropriate) or Jack Black's dig at DreamWorks (bitter much?) or even the amount of times they showed James Franco and Sean Penn making out (yes, we get it, you homo-loving sons of guns), it was the In Memoriam montage that featured greats like Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack and one of my favourites, Paul Newman, but didn't feature one of the night's winners. Where was Heath Ledger's picture? Where was his chance to, yes for a second time, to get an applause and be recognized not only for his work as the Joker but for other roles? Shocking, indeed.'
note: I realized after this post that they featured Ledger in the 2008 award show because he died in January of that year. This year featured people who died from March 2008-February 2009, I'm assuming. I am still mad about it though!

Tribute to the Musical: Once again, luck is on my side. I think it's fate that I recently decided to dedicate a post to, as, host, Hugh Jackman sang, "The Musical is back!". But I known people will complain because The Oscars is not The Tonys and maybe they shouldn't have tried to be. What do you really expect though? Jackman is a many-time Tony host and a theatre-man so really, what else could he have done other than sing and dance? Make fun of Brangelina so more? I loved the show as a whole: the pacing was better than usual, the performances were interesting and the sets were a feast for the eyes. I was also really impressed by the organization; the process of making a film gave the awards and presenters a new twist and the genre montages were so much fun. Everyone must watch The Comedy Montage, it may have been the best, non-award winning, moment of the night. Also check out MSN Movies version of the night's best and worst moments.

Chic-Flick Moment: What a personal, heart-warming and chick flick like way to present awards to the nominated actors! My mom and I were gushing about it the whole night. Shirley MacClaine made Anne Hathaway cry, Kevin Kline saluted the late Heath Ledger and Sir Ben Kingsley gave a Oscar-worthy tribute to Mickey Rourke. What a great year to be nominated!
Not only was Edward Cullen...uhmm, sorry I mean, Robert Pattinson a presenter, but he introduced the chic-flick moment of the night along with musical-girl Amanda Seyfried: The Romance Montage. This moment inspired the wrap-up post because, take a breath everyone, The Academy is acknowledging chic-flicks. I say chic-flicks and not chick flicks because, if you saw it you would notice the quality of the films that were chosen (mostly Oscar winners or nominees and then promotion for other 2008 and 2009 movies). It may have been my favourite moment of the night.

Do Chic-Flicks get nominated?: Obviously not all. But take a look at this year's nominees and winners: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a love story that spans over time and is made to touch the hearts of us all. Plus you cry your eyes out and isn't that what skeptics say girly movies are? Or even The Reader, which at first seems like a basic World War II film, but essentially tells the story of love affair between two unlikely people and the effects of it afterwards. You can also look at the big winner, Slumdog Millionaire; a movie about a kid who really only wants to see the girl he loves again. I say the rules are about the same as any other genre; comedies and action flicks are just not going to cut it (Dark Knight, anyone?), no matter what kind, and if there is enough drama to call it a Drama that it just might have a chance. Throw in a heavyweight director and similar actors and you might just have yourself a winner!

FUN FIND: For those wondering about The Academy Rules, there is definitely more. I, myself, came up with two or three more just watching last night's show. For another take, check out the gallery-accompanied, How to Win an Oscar from MSN.

The 2009 Oscar Predictions of a Chic-Flicker: The Frenzy starts 7pm EST on ABC!

2009-02-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is the second part to my Oscar frenzy. I'm sure you are all excited and even though it's a little last minute I thought, what better way to keep my predictions going, than divulge my hopes and predictions for the Oscars? There have been some really interesting movies nominated and while I haven't had the pleasure of seeing every single one, I think some of my predictions have merit. Keep in mind The Academy Rules from my first Oscar post. I'll be borrowing the style of who will win versus who should win based on some of my Academy Award knowledge, experience and preference.

And finally to the predictions....

Best Supporting Actress
Who should win: I think this may be the most even grounded playing field. The movies aren't outrageously popular and neither are the performances. Each of these actors have mostly been overshadowed by other performances in the films. I think Amy Adams, nominated for Doubt, is fantastic, but I would of rather have seen her win for the incredibly unlikely Enchanted.

Who will win: There seems to be some in favour for Penelope Cruz for Vicky Christina Barcelona but she of course suffers from rule #6. Marisa Tomei from The Wrestler is also predicted, but is already a winner even though there is some controversy over her first award that seemed to be a result of rule #7. Also Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Viola Davis for Doubt have been predicted but suffer from rule #2. I think it might be Cruz's year.

Best Actress

Who won't win: Melissa Leo for Frozen River for the same reasons as Jenkins and Langella in the Leading Man category. I'm sure she's a fabulous actress but I just don't see it happening. Also, Angelina Jolie because she is already a winner, the Brad Pitt reasons and the fact that the public was even shocked by her nomination for Changeling. She just might be our rule #7 but there are other possibilities out there as well.

Who should win: This is a strange scenario because before Kate Winslet won both the Supporting and Leading Actress Golden Globes people couldn't stop talking about Anne Hathway in Rachel Getting Married. I thought this was very exciting because someone unexpected might be the big award winner this year. But now I'm not so sure it'll be this one because of rule #2.

Who will win: Some people say Meryll Streep for Doubt and some say Winslet for The Reader. But I am still holding out hope for Hathaway. Honestly though, I know it will be Kate Winslet, because she is not a winner yet and has accumulated quite a few nominations over the years. She's really one of my favourites and has been deserving to win for quite a while. She is the example of rule #4. I'm almost positive it'll be her year because Meryll Streep is a phenomenon with over a dozen nominations and a few wins. They can't give it to her every year even if she is the greatest living actress.

Best Actor

Who won't win: I think Brad Pitt was pretty incredible in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The poor guy gets so much flack for being pretty that people seem to ignore how good of an actor he is; because of that and rule #2, he will not win this award. I think he's also too popular in the world right now to win because there seems to be a separation between Hollywood and The Academy. Most unfortunately, this movie was not completely accepted by critics and audiences. I also don't think Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon or Richard Jenkins in The Visitor have a shot in hell because they are not well known enough and neither were their movies. It's sad because it doesn't mean they weren't fabulous, just that they have been overshadowed by other things than performance.

Who should win: Sean Penn for Milk. I haven't even seen it and I'm about 99.9% sure. He's has never been bad in anything and the guy just seems to be better than a lot of other people, a lot of the time; but because of rule #3, I'm not sure he will. The Academy is known for not liking him, since he tends not to show up even if he's nominated. He also doesn't promote his movies a lot and gets in trouble with the law. People also thought he had been jipped for years until he won in 2003.

Who will win: I honestly think it's between Penn and Mickey Rourke, who made a stunning comeback in The Wrestler. But because of rule #2, I'm not completely confident in his win either. His case is a little different because he is an older actor who has always been respected for great performances. He also won the Golden Globe, which doesn't exactly mean he's a shoe-in, but definitely gives a little perspective. I am also worried about rule #4 from reviews that solely focus on his performance and not so much on the movie itself. Ebert predicts Penn but wants Rourke to win. We'll just have to wait and see.

Best Supporting Actor

Who won't win: Most likely Philip Seymour Hoffman because he has won recently and people seem to be picking Meryll Streep for Doubt instead. Michael Shannon for Revolutionary Road just fades into the background. Unfortunately Robert Downey Jr. for Tropic Thunder, even though he astounded me and everyone else. People were shocked by his nomination and though he deserves to win, he won't because it's a Ben Stiller comedy. If he does win, it might just be the greatest thing ever! This is a great category, in which I am very invested, with very worthy nominees.

Who should win: This is the one category where I believe my emotional and my logical choices are the same(check out Ebert). It has to be Heath Ledger and if it's not I'm gonna be really mad about it. He literally blew my mind in The Dark Night and I don't think it matters how good everyone else is, because he was so unique. The public and critics also made a big fuss over the lack of nominations for the movie, especially Best Picture, so they have to give them something. The critics believe his only competition is Josh Brolin for Milk who, as far as I'm concerned, can wait until next year.

Who will win: The unfortunate thing is that the reason Heath will mostly likely win is because he died. It is his second nomination and his last chance to win and if the Academy wants to please the public and look like nice people, they will give the award to his family. It's sad because it shouldn't be about that. He was incredible and that's why he should win. They would be risking a bad response if they chose this award to be their rule #7. But if they do, it should be Downey!

Best Picture

Who won't win: As films in general, none of Milk, The Reader or Frost/Nixon seem to be big favourites. These movies seem to be respected mostly for the performances and not so much for every other aspect of film. I believe any of these choices would be worthy candidates.

Who should win: As much as the predictions are pretty much unanimous, I was still blown away by The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. There was not one bad performance in the bunch and it had one of my favourite and the greatest actresses of all time, Cate Blanchett. I was disappointed that she wasn't nominated this year but she has quite a few nominations and a statue to her name. But in this case who will will is probably who should.

Who will win: Everyone seems to say Slumdog Millionaire and I agree. It's a really fantastic film and it's great that it was so small, with such a little budget and that it grew to be loved by so many people. It's also amazing that an foreign film is being recognized as one of the greats. But I will say my emotional choice is Benjamin who stole my heart.

For more information and some other predictions check out Ebert's discussion of a guy who does it all by numbers, Moviefone's predictions by photo gallery, The Guardian's Film Blog picks, Jay Stone's CanWest thoughts, and just about every other movie site or critic you can think of. Basically I want to say that, don't think it's bull when the nominees say "It's really an honour just to be nominated" because I'm sure most of them mean it. They know just as well as you and I that the award is not always given to the best actress or best director of the year because ultimately, the award is voted on by human beings. People with preference and bias and opinion that cloud the whole event. So I say they all win because they get to go, hear their name aloud next to the word's best and show a small clip of their movie to one of the biggest audiences of the year. I can't really blame the Academy because I think they are so many best films, actors, directors, etc. They gotta decide somehow.

And the Oscar goes to...not exactly who you might think

2009-02-21T16:51:00.000-08:00

This is not exactly in the chick flick area but the night of the 81st Academy Awards is the most important movie night of the year, so I think dedicating a post or two to it makes sense. Expect some of my Oscar predictions in the next post, but I thought the reasoning behind my predictions might be better understood if I explained my understanding of the Academy. I'm no expert but I do have some strong opinions, facts and tidbits to share about what I think these awards are really about.

The Academy Rules:

1. Just because a actor should win doesn't mean that he or she will win. The Oscars are all based on politics. Shocking, I know. This is the reason for the "Who should win versus Who will win" list that is used by many a reviewer and critic.

2. It is unlikely for an actor to win an award with his or her first nomination. For example, Johnny Depp was nominated for Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) and did possibly the most incredible performance of his career. Instead it went to Sean Penn in Mystic River (2003), one of the most amazing actors of this age, but he also had three nominations under his belt. It was just not Johnny's time to win and now that he has three nominations under his belt, his time may be coming. It may also had to do with the fact that it was a Disney film where he played a comedic character, which does not gain points with the ever-so-serious loving academy. It wasn't that Penn's performance wasn't good enough to win; it was, but it is not all that counts in the votes.

3. It is unlikely for an actor to win if they have won the previous year. One of the most heartbreaking examples that had me, at 15, screaming in shock at the television was when Russell Crowe was robbed by Denzel Washington. This is difficult for me to talk about because it is a definite rant topic. Russel Crowe didn't win for his mind-blowing performance in A Beautiful Mind (2001), because he had won the year before for Gladiator (2000). This brings me to my next rule.

4. When an actor has been nominated many times, they like to eventually give them an award even if someone else deserves it more. Denzel Washington had been nominated four times before and because he is such a loved actor, people believed he was jipped by the Academy. He had previously won for Supporting Actor in Glory (1989) but the two categories do not seem to overlap. This also leads to the next thing I know.

5. There is known to be certain themes in the kinds of recipients that recieve the awards in a certain year or in general. The year Denzel won, so did Halle Berry for Monster's Ball, the first African-American woman to win for Best Leading Actress, as well as being the year that Sidney Portier won the Honourary Award. These people are incredible actors but it seems like the Academy was trying to make a statement more so than celebrate great work. It is also known that the Academy seems to award beautiful women who make themselves uglier: Halle Berry in Moster's Ball (2001), Nicole Kidman in The Hours (2002), and Charlize Theron in Monster (2003).

6. It is less likely that someone will will for a lone nomination. Basically, someone is less likely to win if they are the only good thing about the film and if it is not-so good and you just happen to be fantastic in it, it still makes you look bad by association. I think this might have also happened to Depp in 2003.

7. The Academy usually likes to surprise the audience with an unlikely winner just to shake up the show. So many predictions are made by reviewers and critics that it seems that just to make the show interesting they have to give the audience something unexpected. Some may think this is cruel to say but you can just wait and see. People thought that last year's Best Actress winner was going to be Ellen Page in Juno, which would have been well deserved, but she suffered from rule #2. Instead Marion Cotillard was the shocker for La Vie en Rose. There are a few possibilities for those this year as well.

All of this being said, I have stayed up to watch them every year since I fell in love with movies and will continue to do so until something catastrophic happens and my brain is rewired to change the way I am.

Coming up next are the Oscar predictions...

THE MUSICAL: Rob Marshall's Chicago! Give em' the old razzle dazzle...

2009-02-16T23:48:00.000-08:00

The second wave in Musical Mania (check out the 2000 era and the musical renaissance) started with the first popular and successful musical in two decades, Evita starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas. Building on this success was Baz Lurhman's Moulin Rouge in 2001, which received two Oscars and eight nominations including Best Picture and Best Actress, Nicole Kidman. I think it was the critical acclaim with the audience response that sent the studios in a musical overload that included The Phantom of the Opera (2004), The Producers (2005), Rent (2005), Dream Girls (2006), Sweeney Todd (2007), Hairspray (2007) and Mamma Mia! (2008), all of which were commercial successes. The growing popularity of the movie musical spread to "made for TV" movies in the 1990's and even reality shows during the writer's strike. And I say, thank god for that, because it just happens to be one of my favourite things in life! Watch out for Nine coming in November this years as well as Wicked in 2010, says IMDB. There have also been rumours that Elton John's Aida will also be coming to theatres, so it looks like the movie musical lives on!

Another award winning musical was Chicago (2002), with thirteen nominations and and six wins including Best Picture, the first musical to win it since Oliver (1968) and Best Supporting Actress, Catherine Zeta-Jones. It turns out she started in theatre as a singer and dancer and is absolutely fantastic. Who knew? Oscar nominated Director and choreographer Rob Marshall is a theatre man himself, and it shows in the film. He is best known for another award-winner, Memoirs of a Geisha, and other musical credits include Annie for TV in 1999 and the forthcoming, Nine. He is definitely a director and choreographer that I would see a movie for. There is something extra special about a director who is dancer/choreographer for a movie that is completely reliant upon that. Renee Zellweger received her second Oscar nomination for this movie and was a newbie in singing and dancing. She, of course, stunned us all as, if not a great dancer, a really great singer. She continued singing in movies like Down With Love, with Moulin Rouge star, Ewan McGregor, and Appaloosa (2008). Some directors have chosen non-singers and dancers for their movie musicals and it has mostly been to the detriment of the movie, but it is also been an advantage to find new, hidden talent.

The story is a pretty typical musical storyline with a twist. It takes on a young girl, Roxie Hart, who wants to be a vaudeville star like the lead characters in 42nd Street, Gypsy and other early musicals. It was written by Maurine Watkins, a journalist who covered murders and wittily twisted the murder stories of murderesses to gain sympathy from the public. Two murderesses who were jazz performers caught Watkins eyes and were the basis for the character of Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly in Chicago. The stories were very popular and she eventually started to write plays including Chicago. There were many stage and film versions and finally the rights were bought by Bob Fosse and he turned it into a musical in 1975. The film does something brilliant that won Rob Marshall the job; Roxie is a big dreamer who yearns for the stage so her perceptions of life are seen through the musical sequences. They are all performed onstage which gives the movie a real theatre-going experience.

Yahoo! Movies has equal ratings between viewers and critics and for the four reviewers who graded this movie under and A-, Oscar night must have been surprising for them. My man Ebert understands my tastes again when he says this movie is "big, brassy fun" and focuses on the talent of Marshall, Zeta-Jones and Zellweger. He says the focus on the cynicism and musical numbers is appropriate over the personal stories. It showcases the worst parts of the human psyche in a really fun way. Everyone is capable or bad behaviour and it is better if you accept it than to be unaware of it. What I really love about this film is that there is no love story. Zellweger or Zeta-Jones do not have some creepy lingering romance with Richard Gere's Billy Flynn, the robbing lawyer. And how weird would that have been in a satire of celebrity and murder? Zellweger and husband, Reilly also don't have any romantic moments. Even action and horror flicks have a random romantic storyline but I guess we have to chalk it up to the good ol' days when people knew how to write a real crowd-pleaser.

Favourite quotes: "You know some guys just can't hold their arsenic." - Annie, "And then he ran into my knife, he ran into my knife ten times." - June, "I don't mean to toot my own horn, but if Jesus Christ lived in Chicago today, and he had come to me and he had five thousand dollars, let's just say things would have turned out differently." -Billy Flynn, "They'd love you a lot more if you were hanged. You know why? Because it would sell more papers... That's Chicago." -Billy Flynn, "In this town, murder's a form of entertainment." -Matron Mamma Morton, "And then I started foolin' around... and then I started screwin' around, which is foolin' around without dinner." - Roxie Hart
Chemistry level: 6/5. For lack of a romantic plot the chemistry between the actors is through the roof. But it's a different kind of chemistry; everyone is mostly afraid of each other or really hates the others guts.
Best musical number: My favourite musical numbers are also, I believe, the best in the production. The Cell Block Tango features the stories and some confessions of the marry murderesses of Murderess row. The choreography is perfect, the performances are skilled and eerie, and the production design and costumes are gorgeous. It is a visual and aural feast. Neck-in-neck with that is We Both Reached for the Gun, where you "notice how [Billy Flynn's] mouth never moves...almost". Set on a stage with puppets and some puppet choreography, Zelleger as a Betty Boop look-a-like and Gere as the puppet master. The commentary is made visual, the song is fun and complex and the set and costumes are vibrant and unique and it all comes together is one of the most fun numbers in the film.
Best Performance: While Zellweger and Zeta-Jones are true stars, John C. Reilly really stole the show for me. He have me serious chills during his solo, Mr. Cellophane. He is really the only good guy in the entire story and does not gain from it. I wish Reilly would pick better roles because I really believe he is a fantastic actor who could win an Oscar next time round. I also have to mention, Queen Latifah, who is frightening and fabulous as Matron Mama Morton.
Moral issues: Now I'm sure some of you are questioning the extreme feminism in this movie and rightly so. But that's exactly what it is, extreme feminism in a time where women were first starting to take back their own power against abusive husbands and sexism. It is a perfect revenge fantasy against the physical power men have over women and while it is not always justified it also doesn't condone murder. It is a satire of the media and depicts the truth of the time when criminals were glamourized as celebrities. So if you don't judge too quick, I promise you will see the absolute brilliance of this movie. This is a fabulous chic-flick because remember, morality isn't on my list of requirements.
Great surprises: This may be the only movie where I have liked Richard Gere. I know most of you chic-flickers are probably thinking, but what about Pretty Woman? To this I say, I will not break your hearts and explain my absolute indifference to such a popular film, though I still don't know why. What I will say is that he is a good singer with perfect chops for a movie set in the 1920's. And I really respect him for learning to tap dance in five months and did a good job. But I still think it's a tease to know that it could have been Hugh Jackman or John Travolta. Also watch out for some great appearance by veteran stage actors, Taye Diggs and Christine Baranski as well as Canadian actor, Colm Feore.

Love is in the air with awards and movie madness

2009-02-11T08:48:00.000-08:00

I was absolutely floored to find out that Vanessa (TheMovieNess) over at The World According to Ness awarded me the Superior Scribbler Award.

1. Name five other Superior Scribblers to receive this award.
2. Link to the author and name of the blog that gave you the award.
3. Display the award on your blog with this LINK which explains the award.
4. Click on the award at the bottom of the link and add your name to the bottom of the list.
5. Post the rules.

I am new to the blogging world but will pass on this award to a few new blogs that are starting out really well: Lady Paige Turner, Just Chick Flicks, The Edge of Your Seat, It's Not Pizza and The Flick Chick. Congrats everyone!

VALENTINE'S MOVIE MADNESS: And for any fans of the Lifetime network, the week of Valentine's Day is dedicated to chick flicks galore with happy and fatal endings in their movie event.

THE ROMANTIC COMEDY: How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days! It's a battle of the rom-coms, who will make the grade?

2009-02-09T21:45:00.000-08:00

Now, what you all have been waiting for...The Romantic Comedy! This is the most standard of chick flicks and, sadly, where they get their bad name. Not all of them, of course, but a nice handful that might include: Catch and Release, Must Love Dogs, America's Sweethearts, Alex and Emma, and Autumn in New York and those are just off the top of my head. The romantic comedy has become what tabloids are to news world; completely without merit. But let's focus on the good, shall we? I'm sure there will be plenty of time to focus on the bad. These movies can range from extreme comedy and a little romance (like 50 First Dates and Forgetting Sarah Marshall) to mostly romance and a little comedy (like Kate and Leopold and Sweet Home Alabama). Many comedians are cast in these films and praised for coming out of their comfort zones (see Will Ferrell in Bewitched, Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer, Robin Williams in Li cense to Wed and Ben Stiller in There's Something About Mary). These comedians are paired with America's sweethearts like Meg Ryan (with Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally), Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Renee Zellweger and Reese Witherspoon.

The newest queen of the rom-com is Kate Hudson and her best rom-com by far is 2003's How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. When I told people that I was working on the rom-com, this is the movie that stuck out. This is, believe it or not, a good film. It takes on a battle of the sexes theme where Andie Anderson (Hudson) is an ambitious magazine columnist who aspires to be a serious journalist (you know, politics, religion, foreign affairs) but who must commit to her present "How-to-girl" position at the fastest growing women's magazine, Composure. She is really charming, funny, smart, and is such a good friend to poor Michelle, who just can seem to stay in a relationship. Michelle, who is brilliantly played by Kathryn Hahn, is really fresh and interesting even though her character is sad and pathetic. It's also really refreshing to see your lead actress as the wiser, consoling best friend who isn't so wrapped up in her love life that she risks her career to wallow. Bebe Neuwirth plays Andie's boss, who is an abomination to womankind. The horrific stereotype of a big city, magazine editor is a minor setback in an otherwise decent film

Benjamin Berry(charismatic Matthew McConaughe y) is Andie as a man; an advertising representative that wants to branch out from booze and sportswear to a more high-class medium, maybe the feminine realm of diamonds. It's interesting to see the gender stereotypes played against men when Ben's boss (Robert Klein) picks two women to take on the diamond account while Ben must fight for his right as a professional. These two instances in Andie and Ben's work environments create the plot. I guess what I liked about these characters is that they aspire to do something more substantial with their careers. It actually reminds me of the purpose of my blog.

Ebert unfortunately seemed to take the premise of this movie a little too seriously and did not share my respect for people trying to get ahead in their careers. His opinion is understandable when we situate the plot in real life, a characteristic of his reviews, but while bets can be mean I don't think that makes this movie heartless. Some other critics that give fair reviews are The Cincinnati Enquirer, The New York Times, and The San Francisco Chronicle. What I really like about this one is that it continually makes fun of itself the entire way through. One of my favourite scenes is the Chick Flick Marathon that features the biggest, most macho looking guy beating up Ben because he interrupted his viewing of Sleepless in Seattle. The movie is made up of a juxtaposition of the stereotypical masculine and feminine from Celine Dion concerts to boy's poker night. This works really well with the bet/work experiment storyline because they are constantly driving each other crazy. So while appreciating the choices made I also have a really fun time watching them. All in all there are definite problems with this film that are rooted in the problems of the genre, but if you get a good one, you can be sure you're in for a laugh and some fun!

Favourite quotes: Another make-fun-of-itself moment with one of the cheesiest pick-up lines there is. "100 times more beautiful than 100 roses!"-Michelle, "He's in advertising, he can't help himself"-Andie
Watch the first half: If you aren't sure about watching this one than I suggest watching the first half. The ending is obvious so no need to worry about closure and the first half is a lot more compelling than the second based on the plot setup, character interaction and lack of angsty, weepy revelations that can bring down an otherwise upbeat movie.
Chemistry level: 6/5. If the movie sucked, the chemistry between Hudson and McConaughey might just save it. A pair of smart producers tried to bank on it again in Fool 's Gold but I guess magic only happens once.
Best Performance: Katherine Hahn steals every scene she is in, definitely when she poses as a couple's therapist, but Kate Hudson is the best I've seen her since Almost Famous. She is the perfect insane, over-the-top girlfriend who must inspire women who watch it to pay closer attention to their relationship habits.
Misconstrued messages: While I honestly believe that this movie is goodhearted in its intent I did notice how a few messages could be taken the wrong way. Based on the plot resolution one might notice that if you wait long enough, the guy who dumped you for being too clingy will come back to you. As well as if you wait, your girlfriend will get less crazy and your boyfriend will do anything possible to save your relationship, no matter how premature. Another good one is, if your relationship is failing go meet the family because that will save it. And last but not least, I'm sure Ebert would approve, it's okay to take advantage of people to get ahead in your career.

List of Rom-Com Requirements
The catchphrase: A repeated phrase or word, for example bullsh*t, to create the perfect, symbolic moment between the characters at the end of the movie.
The chase scene: When someone chases someone before they leave town, maybe by motorcycle on a bridge. Isn't that what cellphones are for?
Reveal: A recurring location of a black tie event where an ignorant party reveals all the secrets that causes a dramatic exit.
Parallel lives: Ben has two friends and so does Andie. Andie's are female and Ben's are male. They both give advice and comic relief. Andie has a female boss and Ben has a male boss. Both bosses set up the situations of the bet and the story that creates the plot. But where is Andie's family?
For more check out the video on 10 Chick Flick Cliches that can be found in this film and many others.

THE CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: Nancy Meyer's The Holiday! Get swept away in a new kind of romance

2009-02-05T23:38:00.000-08:00

The rom-com is a comedy with a romantic plot, right? But while trying to fit some of the best romantic comedies into this category I had some trouble. What about movies, called rom-coms in the media and even by their filmmakers, that don't seem to fit the mold. Take movies like The Holiday, P.S I Love You, Under the Tuscan Sun and The Lake House. If you take away the romance you don' have a comedy and it wouldn't be classified as such by critics or reviewers. So what do you do with these movies that have comic elements but have just as much, or arguably more, drama? Characters are divorced or widowed, have serious relationship problems, or have been rottenly cheated on. The rom-com has usually strayed from these ideas because of the intensity revolving around their conflicts. Is there a new form of chic-flick being developed by writers and directors or is it just the progression of the common romantic comedy into a new, more complex, form? All I do know is that these movies are different and I have decided to take a note from chick lit. and call them, The Contemporary Romance.

Another difference in this meta sub-genre are the roles of the secondary characters which are fantastically represented by The Holiday's cast. Not only are the main characters more complex and better developed but the secondary characters are more integrated into the plot with complexities of their own. Eli Wallach's Arthur has his own storyline about Old Hollywood that brings warmth and a lot of fun to the entire plot. Who would have thought a storyline beyond the predictable and mostly disappointing will-they-won't-they plot? It's pure genius and if that doesn't convince you of the new road this genre is taking than I'm not sure anything will.

Unfortunately the critics didn't completely agree with me and mostly complained about why this "romantic comedy" was over the 2 hour mark. You think that would have clued them in that this wasn't what they were expecting. Unfortunately, Ebert was having health problems when this movie debuted and was not able to tell all the critics featured on Yahoo! Movies that they have no idea what they're talking about. But I digress. What I really respect about this new development is that it is creating the Breakfast at Tiffany's and Roman Holiday's of our generation. Women can recognize and relate to a positive portrayal of a romantic storyline. All of the "in the olden days" and "when I was young" will no longer be the place we go for a decent story to sweep us away; it is now being explored in our own century giving women hope in their own, current love lives. I might call movies like these romantic dramas, but I realized I couldn't because, for some reason, dramas can't seem to have a happy ending, especially romantic ones.

Some surprises are from, usually, one of my least favourite actresses, Cameron Diaz. I'm sure you'll understand at the very beginning of this movie but don't let that discourage you. As the movie progresses, so does she. By the end she even has one pretty great scene in her limo before she goes gallivanting back to the English cottage, with a dramatic soundtrack behind her. Jack Black, an unusual leading man as Miles, is funny but in a mild, subtle sort of way that we have never seen before. He is just the nicest guy around who isn't treated the same. This different kind of leading man doesn't disappoint. Jude Law is perfection (and probably the most beautiful I have ever seen him). He seems like a player but stay tuned for an interesting development in his character Graham, that gives him real depth. This movie takes its leading men very seriously and thank god for that!

The biggest difference is the quality of the writing; it is just better than the mostly underachieving rom-coms. Nancy Meyer, writer, director and producer, is fantastic, bringing witty dialogue, interesting characters and original plots to the table. And the best thing about better writing is the quality of actors that become interested in these projects. I know I might still be battling with the skeptics, so chew on this: Hilary Swank (two-time Oscar winner), Kathy Bates (Oscar winner), Kate Winslet (multiple Oscar nominee), Jude Law (Oscar nominee), Diane Lane (Oscar nominee), Sandra Oh (Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner) and Edward Burns (multiple award winning director and writer). I give all the credit to this new, improved and overall better genre to the writers who challenge themselves to make better films.

Other people agree: I will prove I am not the only one who believes a separate genre must be created for these movies. Check out comments from fearabdloathing155 and djagoon on the IMDB boards.
Best independent woman moment: Poor Iris makes some serious mistakes in her love life and is lured into a twisted, self-destructive relationship with evil Jasper Bloom (Rufus Sewell). It's true, she's smart, talented and independent woman, so why is this happening to her? But there is justice, and man is it sweet!
Best love story: Iris and Arthur. What's wonderful about Winslet's storyline is that half of her love story is with a man who makes her fall back in love with herself. Arthur teaches her gumption which opens her up for a love story with Miles. It's a give and take relationship and she also gives him the opportunity to experience something that has been a long time coming.
Best performance: Kate Winslet as Iris, who borders on pathetic in her love life but always seems to stay empathetic. She doesn't shy away from her characters complexities but embraces them her performance is better for it. Even though there were moments when I wanted to slap her, mostly I just wanted to give her a hug. Keep an eye out for her best scene as she pours her heart out to Miles after she sees a bit of herself in him.
Chemistry level: 5/5. I believed it all. Even the first and only scene between brother and sister, Iris and Graham, was completely natural. Especially well done to Black and Winslet for creating a subtle chemistry between their characters.
Setting the Mood: The music, including the score, soundtrack and Black's piano improvisations, really stands out. It adds to what I believe is the "take-you-away" factor. The setting was stunning in both ideal locations: the English countryside and upscale Hollywood L.A. What more could a girl want. An interestingly, there are no cops, doctors or lawyers in this cast. Meyer's must know the way to movie-goers hearts by creating characters with different and interesting careers. Check out the "Amanda trailers" in the film featuring the voice of the movie-trailer guy (the guy who voices, if not all, then most of the trailers in Hollywood).

Which Flicks of 2009 will make the cut?: Predictions for the New Chic-Flicks

2009-02-01T17:12:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed how production companies ring in the New Year? They invade the theatre with chick flicks in the form of the ever popular, Romantic Comedy (a.k.a rom-com). Stay tuned for a blog next week of a review and break down of this sub-genre. Get ready everybody, because it's all about the Valentine's season. So what better time is there to start my predictions for potential chic-flicks of 2009? I haven't seen any of these movies and base my opinions on reviews and other media and promotion. Without further adieu:

Bride Wars: Released January 9th, there was only one passing review grade from Yahoo! and quite a few flowery comments from the others. The reviews state and confirm what I suspected, that this movie lacks substance and integrity (again you must check out Ebert, it is cruel and to the point). This is a wedding movie that goes too far as to suggest that a woman's wedding is more important that her relationship with her best friend and there isn't anything funny about it. This is a Sisterhood Flick headed for the isles of the Mean Girl Movie. An interesting tidbit by critics was the lack of involvement by the fiancés of Anne Hathaway's Emma and Kate Hudson's Liv. It is disappointing to see great actresses choose such shallow work that doesn't display their talent. I will try to keep an open mind and hope for the best, but will mostly stick to other chic-flicks like Ella Enchanted and How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days starring these actresses.

Yahoo! Movies Average Critic Grade: C-
Average User Grade: B+

Rotten Tomatoes Average Critic Meter: 3.5/10

Average User Meter: 5.2/10

New in Town: Released in on Friday, January 30th, it has already gotten the mediocre star grade from critics. Ebert's review criticizes its lack of originality. The most positive reviews say that Connick Jr. and Zellweger are fun to watch but the writing falls into boring predictability. I think this movie has some potential based on the snippets of quirky towns people and slapstick comedy featured in the trailer. The ending is easy to figure out but the journey might be fun! Renee Zellweger is an Academy Award winning actress and was in such great chic-flicks as Jerry Maguire but great actresses make these mistakes often. I'm interested in seeing Harry Connick Jr. who can be so quirky and cute, like in other great chic-flicks like P.S I Love You, and seems perfectly cast amongst the small-town characters.

Yahoo! Movies Average Critic Grade: C-
Average User Grade: B

Rotten Tomatoes Meter Average Critic Meter: 3.9/10
Average User Meter: 6.8/10

He's Just Not That Into You: Opening February 6th, is an ensemble piece with a star-studded cast that has been widely promoted. Based on the self-help guide for women who can't seem to understand men who won't return their phone calls. The trailer seems to promote the intentions of the book which has potential for characters with integrity and substance. The story is unpredictable for many reasons, the simplest being that there is an uneven amount of characters who are all interconnected in the storyline. Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlet Johansson and one of my favourite actresses, Jennifer Connelly are the bright spots in the cast that I look forward to watching. If I was to choose the flick with the most potential to be chic, it would be this one.

Confessions of a Shopaholic: Opening February 13th it is just in time for Valentine's Day. A movie to distract every single girl from romance to the next best thing...shoes! I hope my sarcasm is obvious. Once again, this falls into the same stereotypes as Bride Wars, that women can be occupied with frivolous pretty things long enough for a man comes along to save them from their lack of depth. The trailer is very cute and does give me some hope that it might be the exact opposite, to which I say, good luck! Isla Fisher is adorable and the books are very popular so I'm expecting it will do well at the box office. I need my movies with a little more integrity than what I've seen from this already so I hope it delivers!

All About Steve: Opening, March 6th, starring the rom-com queen, Sandra Bullock and the second appearance made by Bradley Cooper, from He's Just Not That Into You. This movie worries me solely based on the title, even though it does make sense in the trailer. I hope the movies makes it all about other characters as well. Bullock's character is an oddball, not usually seen in rom-coms, which makes me think the movie has potential for depth. This follows New in Town with it's potential because of a quirky supporting cast and slapstick humour.

Those are all the Chick-Flick season based movies out. I hope you proceed with caution as to what to see and what to wait until the DVD for. Some upcoming titles to watch out for in the Spring/Summer season are The Proposal (starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds), The Ugly Truth (starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler) and The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (starring Jennifer Garner and Matthew McConaughey).

FUN FIND: Featured on Yahoo Movies! watch an interesting video narrated by the men of He's Just Not that Into You.

THE TEEN CULT FAVOURITE: Look beyond the mesmerizing glare to the message of Catherine Hardwicke's TWILIGHT!

2009-01-30T16:05:00.000-08:00

We've all been there. You read the book or played the video game and now even if the movie sucks serious [insert rude comment here], you will still pledge alliance to it. The most recent being Twilight, following such popular trends as Harry Potter and High School Musical. I read the books, grudgingly, after being shut out of most conversations with my friends because I didn't have an opinion on Edward Cullen. But do I ever have an opinion now!

I had high hopes for this movie because the trailer was really interesting and because I didn't really like the book, I thought the movie might give it a chance. The really sad part is that it didn't. The concentration seemed to be on the atmosphere of the film instead of the characters and plot line. The acting was good at some moments and really, really bad at others, which made me question the editing and choices of the director. The plot doesn't really begin until about an hour into the film and the secondary character seem unnecessary in the storyline. The Cullen family seemed to be in the movie because they are in the book and you can't cut them out, though there nothing significant about their characters that impacts the story.

I felt like it was really difficult to understand Bella's character, not only because of her obsession with Edward, but because of her dismissal of her father who is nothing but nice to her, if a little distant. Kristen Stewart's performance is typical of a misunderstood teenage girl gone wrong. She is so entranced by the Cullens that she brushes off the quirky, interesting characters at her high school who seem to genuinely want to get to know her. She is a teenage snob obsessed with the grass on the other side, which does not give a good name to the teen romance or teen movies in general. The teenage stereotype is one too-cool-for-school or good-natured fun whether it be with friends or family, which makes it so easy for critics to smash them to pieces. Teens are depicted as one-dimensional characters who deal with problems without thought or care, which personally, I find insulting. If more movies were made about the different people trapped in a teenage body dealing with teenage circumstances, than it may come to be more respected. Success has come in movies like Juno and even Superbad, and performances by people like Ellen Page and Michael Cera.

This movie did fabulously well at the box office securing the sequel to come out next year. But it was nice to know that some people were noticing aspects beyond Edward Cullen's otherworldly appeal to the disturbing portrayals of love that are being put into the minds of young girls today. A great summary of my basic problems with the series in general was written by blogger otahyoni in her review of the book :

I'm not going to go into the disturbing way Bella and Edward's obsessive relationship is portrayed as true love, or how borderline abusive it is, with Bella's complete lack of self outside Edward and Edward's controlling, emotionally unstable behavior.

Blogger avadriel has a similar attitude and some great insight into the problems of the series in her review. This is an attempt to save my readers from a rant about my somewhat feminist opinion of the love story, but I also think these are worth reading for a critical view into the scary phenomenon (scary for its popularity and the reasons behind it). But it was not just bloggers, another criticism I really respected was, again, by trustworthy Roger Ebert, who just can't seem to understand women. This review proves Ebert's wisdom and insight into human nature which is really interesting to read compared with his skill to recognize a film for what it is. But I will end in the way Ebert has taught me. Fans will love this movie just as they loved the book and rightly so. My only suggestion would be to investigate what they love so much about it and take a more critical stance as to why, because the results might give some surprising personal insight.

Favoiurite quote: "Well, since I'm already going to hell." - Edward Cullen
Chemistry level: 4/5 I think the fact that he wants to kill her, even kills some of the chemistry even on a subconscious level. Otherwise, their attraction is, admittedly, interesting to watch.
Best performance: Billy Burke's quiet, contemplative, and somewhat distanced father of Bella, Charlie Swan, is right on the ball. He is so likable that when Bella treats him badly, it makes it very hard to like or sympathize with her. I felt bad for him for having to deal with such an angsty, self-obsessed brat.
Most Awkward Moment: When Bella and Edward admit their feelings for each other. It's not all in the performance, even the blocking makes me cringe. Their pained faces are about an inch from each other as they admit these deep, dark emotions that is so unbelievable. I just don't believe the intensity of the feelings they have for each other, and they way it was visually presented on-screen didn't help.
Lack of Realism: I can't understand why Bella puts up with Edward's mood swings: "Your mood swings are starting to give me whiplash". Who is honestly attracted to, nay, obsessed with someone who plays mind games? Should she stay away or do you want to be friends? Please pick one. If the guy doesn't have enough confidence in himself to convince you to go out with him, his chances in real life of getting a date is slim.
Cullen Family or Fork's High Students: The high school kids were normal, seemed nice and knew how to have fun. The Cullen glared at her and brushed her off with cool disregard (no pun intended). So why, I ask, did the Cullen family hold such appeal? Maybe the same reason Edward did. I still wanted more of the kids who humped trees to get her attention and called her Arizona. The Cullens paled in comparison (pun intended).
Edward Cullen, Hot or Not?: I like Robert Pattinson. I think he's really interesting and he brought a lightheartedness to the character that wasn't in the book. I also respected that it wasn't an arrogant performance because the character is so beloved. But how is one to create a facial expression of wanting to suck human blood exactly? Sadly, it turned out pretty comical.

THE SISTERHOOD FLICK: Gillian Armstrong's 1994 LITTLE WOMEN! Ah, the good ol' days

2009-01-23T16:59:00.000-08:00

Before Christian Bale was Batman, before Winona Ryder was a thief and before anyone knew who Claire Danes was, there was Little Women. I can't imagine another audience for this movie other than the classic chic-flickers. This is an old-fashioned take on a popular sub-genre of chic-flicks about women's relationships with other women and how it affects their lives. Other sisterhood movies are The Joy Luck Club, How to Make an American Quilt, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Series and The Jane Austen Book Club. A movie that people and critics usually remember from this sub-genre is The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. This is a movie that gives chic-flicks a bad name, not so much because of the movie itself, but because people(usually men-people) love to hate it and make fun of women's movies just because of it. But don't be afraid, just because women stick together and have healthy relationships with each other does not mean the fall of mankind is upon us.

Little Women also branches out of this sub-genre and is usually given some extra credit because it's based on Louise May Alcott's acclaimed novel. It is definitely one of my favourite movies of all time and something I would recommend to any movie lover. This is when I first fell in love with Christian Bale as the slightly naive but priveledged Laurie, friend to the March sisters. It was also Winona Ryder's second Oscar nod for leading actress for her portrayal of the hopelessly independent and wise-beyond-her-time, Jo March. Claire Danes appears in one of her first movie appearences, as the sensitive and tragic sister, Beth, while Kirsten Dunst, at the age of 12, plays the mischievious and fiery Amy. A great treat is Susan Sarandon as Marmy, one of the best onscreen moms I've ever seen. Sarandon is as good in this as she is in everything else. And if you've been watching Grey's Anatomy this season, you might recognize Mr. Brooke (Eric Stoltz) as the serial killer on death row and Older Amy (Samantha Mathis), as the mother of a child with liver failure.

Ebert gets it right this time in his review, saying it "grew on me" and letting his audience know that:

Little Women may be marketed for children and teenagers, but my hunch is it will be best appreciated by their parents. It's a film about how all of life seems to stretch ahead of us when we're young, and how, through a series of choices, we narrow our destiny.

What I love about the plot now is funnily enough what I hated when I first saw it. For those who aren't familiar with the book, you believe that Bale's character is set up as a love interest for Ryder's Jo, but not so fast. What I love about it so much now is that her character isn't compromised for a typical love plot. For the girl who dreams of going to Europe, performing theatre onstage and writing melodramas to suddenly sacrifice it all for the suitable marriage we, the audience, know she has no taste for, would just be a crime against fiction. It's also really nice to see a genuinely platonic female/male relationship onscreen.

Unlike the critiques of some sisterhood films, it's not even close to an obnoxious girl-power movie. It develops its male characters with as much deep thought and devotion as it treats its female ones. They are good-natured, trustworthy, real gentlemen and thats not only due to the period. Some say men were made different back then but again I say nay! The same can be said about women and how they demanded to be treated differently. The sisters' bond is not contrived in the dialogue or the chemistry between the actresses. It does everything a good, homemade family drama should; makes you laugh a little, cry a lot, and warms our cold, battered, post-modern hearts.

Favourite Quotes: "Feminine weaknesses and fainting spells are the direct result of our confining young girls to the house, bent over their needlework, and restrictive corsets." - Marmee, "Over the mysteries of female life there is drawn a veil best left undisturbed. " - Mr.Brooke, "I find it poor logic to say that women should vote because they are good. Men do not vote because they are good; they vote because they are male, and women should vote, not because we are angels and men are animals, but because we are human beings and citizens of this country." - Jo.
Chemistry level: 5/5 for all. Well done all.
Best Love Story: Anyone of Laurie's, I think. Of course I may be biased.
Best Tearjerker Moment: Poor Beth's moments of compassion and simple sadness and confusion over the changes happening in her family: "Why does everyone want to go away? I love being home. But I don't like being left behind."
Best Performance: It's definitely a hard choice because the cast is stellar, so I would have to choose the ensemble. I think what's really special about it is not so much the individual performances but them all collectively.

Best Surprise: Watch out for Gabriel Byrne as the german professor who might just make Jo think marriage and children aen't such a bad idea and a sweet, little resolution for Laurie's broken heart.
Mean Girl Moment: For all its good-natured, sisterly behaviour it does have a few aspects of bitchy realism in Dunst's Younger Amy and the wealthy Belle Gardiner (Corrie Clark).
Girly Stuff: Just for us girls, they throw in a little opera, a ball or two, and period dresses to absolutely die for.

THE EPIC: Baz Lurhman's AUSTRALIA! Suspend your disbelief for me a little, wontcha?

2009-01-20T14:29:00.000-08:00

Now you're probably going to say the same thing my mom did, "is that a chic-flick?". YES! Yes, it is. If only for the fact that it was marketed like a man-candy movie in the trailers, spots and interviews starring a wet, half-naked Hugh Jackman. If he wasn't so hot and the scene wasn't so much fun, I might actually feel bad for the way he was objectified as Australian-cowboy man-candy.
But alas, I am human.

Unfortunately, most of the movie's buzz was about Jackman being named People's Sexiest Man Alive for 2008. Not that I blame them, of course, he is one of the best parts of the movie but brace yourself ladies, there's even more. This was my favourite movie of the Winter holidays. I had extremely high expectations and this movie delivered, unlike quite a few others that looked promising. Christmas is usually my favourite movie time because it's when all the production companies release their best stuff for the Oscar season. But sadly, a lot of critics do not agree with me and my intense love of AUSTRALIA.

This is my favourite kind of movie...the epic! And I believe in my heart of hearts that most epics are chic-flicks. Take movies like Titanic, Gone With the Wind, Out of Africa, Pearl Harbour and The English Patient. They market them as movies for all ages, genders and tastes but what you really remember about them are their heartbreaking love stories. Ebert calls the genre "sweeping romantic melodrama" in his review, which slightly disappointed me but is worth reading. He couldn't suspend his disbelief in the more fantastical elements of the story involving the aboriginees, Nullah (Brandon Walters), whose song has a strong power, taught to him by his grandfather, King George (David Gulpilil). Yahoo! Movies averages the critics and user reviews, and of course, the user reviews are a whole grade higher than the critics'. The worst review complains of it's lack of content over extreme spectacle, to which I say...what exactly do you think you're watching ? The movie is called AUSTRALIA, involves stampedes, child-beating villains, kisses in the rain and Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow"?? And I thought my expectations were high. Most of the other criticism centered around the extreme ambition that doesn't deliver, but I say NAY! Yes, it's ambitious and extends over the 2 1/2 hour mark, but it's over 2 1/2 hours of action, romance, and an absolutely thrilling landscape. Plus, they all have Australian accents, how could it possibly go wrong?

The story is not actually about Australia generally, but about the different kinds of people who inhabit it, surrounded by its overwhelmingly vast landscape and a significant event around the time of Pearl Harbour. It explores the lives of the aboriginees, through the story of Nullah, a half-white and half-aboriginal boy who must find his identity in a world where he doesn't seem to belong. The other half of the story centers upon the differences between the white Australian settlers, in the Drover's (Hugh Jackman) situation, and the European newcomers, in the journey of English aristocrat, Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman). It's all a big sweeping allegory about tolerance and human connection beyond race, age and culture, but it doesn't beat you over the head with it. I like to think the only reason I noticed is because I'm an English major.

I'm not saying the movie is perfect or that it couldn't have been edited for a smoother, more effortless effect in the end product but the fact that movies like this are still being made by someone is enough for me. An attempt at an old-fashioned night at the cinema is a lot more exciting and praise-worthy than more mind-numbing action flicks with bad actors just trying to get their leading ladies naked, pointless teen-horror films just trying to get any girl naked and please stop me before I offend someone. This movie has a really big heart that swells, makes you swoon, and even breaks a few times. The emotion runs really deep and hits you where it hurts (watch out for a few heart-stopping moments in the end), and that's not so common anymore in film. My point is take it for what it is and appreciate something a little different for once. I say Bravo Baz! You give me hope for movies to come. And if you believe any of the critics, it seems they can only get better!

Favourite quotes: "I'm as capable as any man!"- Lady Ashley, "I sing you to me." - Nullah, "I'm in charge." - The Drover
Favourite man-candy moment: Poor objectified Hugh Jackman. I'm sure you've seen it. But also look out for another fan fave, Clark Gable done Australian.
Favourite independent woman moment: Lady Sarah Ashley beats a man with a horsewhip when he goes after a child. I think I literally said "Booyah!" in my seat.
Favourite Landscape shot: A 180 degree pan of a stampede of horses right outside Lady Ashley's ranch, Faraway Downs.
Best performance: Newcomer Brandon Walters is absolute magic and ease, but who I really loved was David Wenham's villain, Neil Fletcher. His last scene is something to keep an eye out for!
Chemistry level: 3.5/5 Sometimes I just don't believe Kidman. She has the most bizarre kissing technique that makes her look like she's trying to run from her leading man. I get that you're married with a baby, but come on now! Thankfully, Jackman makes up for it in his chemistry with everyone woman in the audience.
Hotness level: Well..uhmm...I guess....No, there are no words or numbers that can describe Hugh Jackman's absolute perfection of a man when he is the Drover. He may be the hottest guy in any movie, ever! If that's not incentive to see it, than nothing will be.
Annoying setbacks: Kidman's hair. She has incredible red hair that is dyed the worst blonde that just makes her look old. Don't get me wrong, she's gorgeous, but bring back the Moulin Rouge hair!

Are you a Movie-aholic? Acceptance is the first step.

2009-01-19T08:40:00.000-08:00

Hello, my name is Vanessa and I'm a movie-aholic. Now let's go around and have everyone introduce themselves. You think it's funny now but sometimes I seriously wonder if I have a problem. Most people go to the movies to hang out with friends or use it for an opportunity to go out with someone new, but when the question, "what do you wanna see", comes up, I'm the first one with a suggestion and I may even bail on you if you choose something that doesn't fit my taste. I like to go to the movies to actually see them! I take pity on the poor soul who might try to motivate me otherwise. And of course, I doubt there is any movie out there that I don't have an opinion about, and yes, I tend to share them whether encouraged or not.

I own over 150 DVDs in my premature collection and Blockbuster is like a second home to me. I watch trailers on-line at Apple Trailers and Fandango and my search engine is IMDB. In my spare time I use YouTube to search interviews and clips and I've even been known to tape Letterman or Ellen if they are promoting a good new movie. As a teenager I had a few embarrassing movie obsessions, the craziest by far being Titanic (1997). I spent 50 bucks on a photo-book of the screenplay and at around 13, that's a little ridiculous. So when I was required to start a blog for a class I immediately knew I could write a lot about movies.

As you can see, this is specifically a chick-flick blog and yes I dropped the k in chick and not just because I think I'm cooler than I actually am. I want to re-establish the chic-flick as a film genre instead of a movie goer's guilty pleasure by deconstructing and commenting through review posts in the future. I'll essentially highlight the substance, discuss overlooked issues and problems that create nasty stereotypes separating genres like chic-flicks from good film and award-worthy drama in the minds of movie goers. Not that there aren't problems with many a girly flick which I intend to discuss, I'm sure, at length.

Through this experience I will hopefully gain some insight and post interesting trends and not so interesting ones, right and wrong moves, common misconceptions and mishaps that I come across. I'll eventually compile lists of haters (bloggers or critics who judge them too harshly) and people I recommend reading, my favourite chic-flicks, and my not-so favourite ones, common themes, different types in the genre and tips on how to spot a bad one in the first 15 minutes.

I was disappointed to notice that I was a little embarrassed to admit my fascination with these movies and start writing about them, so I hope to justify my taste (because I still believe I have a damn good one) and even branch out to skeptics and serious film geeks who believe that all they have to offer is eye candy and fluff. Expect reviews of new, old, sad, funny, animated, live-action and any other kinds of movies reviews basically based on my strength of opinion about them. You will definitely see my reviews referencing other reviewers, bloggers and critics, like my trustworthy friend Roger Ebert (typical, I know), and cites like Rotten Tomatoes and Yahoo!Movies.

I like strong female characters, witty dialogue and a story that's fresh and keeps your interest, and sadly that's not so easy to find. My basic criteria for any good movie is substance, integrity, chemistry, intelligence and hope. I'm sure I'll be picky, harsh or too lenient, but I always have a reason and I'll always make you aware of it. I learned from the best (my man, Roger), that a good movie critic always thinks about the films intended audience and my guarantee is to make recommendations based on the audience I believe will enjoy the film. But, in the end, I'm the Chic-Flicker and these are my fancies. Welcome to Cinema Coquette, where everyone's entitled to MY opinion...No! I mean, sorry, where all personal tastes and comments are valid and appreciated.