Happy New Year Mother F*ckers

I typically do not celebrate organised holidays. Christmas, Valentines Day, Canada Day, Australia Day, New Years Eve, Thanksgiving. Pick a holiday and I will not celebrate it with you. I have many pretentious reasons for not partying hard on these days - too commercial, why do you need one day to be thankful, tell someone you love them, celebrate the birth of someone you are pretty sure does not exist..... you get the point. Specifically for New Years, rarely does it live up to the hype.


This year specifically I had no interest in being out amongst the masses. The past few weeks have been pretty crappy in my real life, and although I am doing my best to stay positive, the dark and gloomy is where my mind goes 99.9% of the time. To "celebrate" the end of the decade, I chose instead to stay at home with my new monkey slippers, a bottle of Stump Jump and John McClane.

Die Hard, Die Harder and Die Hard: With a Vengeance. Nothing like ringing in the New Year with Bruce Willis blowing sh*t up. Yippe-kay-yay Mother F*ckers.

Here's hoping that the start of 2010 brings good news to my world. Next week we get news that will either be satisfactory or really really really bad. Send good thoughts! All snark and cynical bitchiness aside, I wish everyone all the best for 2010. May everything you wish for come true!


XO

One Tweet is worth $10,000???

Up until now I had made a concerted and deliberate effort to keep this wee blog a Kardashian free zone. It is not that I have anything against them personally. I am sure they are all very nice people. But I just don't understand why they are famous? I don't get it. It bugs me a little. So why would I want to give them even more press. What with the sex tape (Kim), quickie marriage (Khloe ?) and the unplanned pregnancy (Kourtney ?), I figured they didn't need any more publicity. Sorry, the only one whose name I am sure of is Kim.

While I was aware that some celebrities were being paid to Tweet, I had no fricking clue that it was so widespread. Or so organised. That there was a company that would hook up celebrities with the products. I guess I shouldn't really be that surprised. It is just like any paid advertising right? I mean stars have been paid to carry specific brands of water (Jennifer Aniston) and even anti smoking aids (Lindsay Lohan - who still smokes so it clearly didn't work).

According to the Daily Mail out of the UK, Kim Kardashian is one of the highest paid to tweet celebs out there at the moment:

Some might question her apparent celebrity status, however Kim Kardashian certainly seems to have acquired some pulling power. According to a report out this week, the U.S. socialite allegedly commands up to $10,000 (£6,300) for every tweet she posts on her Twitter account as part of her contract with in-stream advertising company Ad.ly. Kim, 29, is the highest earner on the company's books and the most popular on their roster of celebrity tweeters.

The former best friend of Paris Hilton currently has over 2million followers on Twitter and Ad.ly have put her tweeting services up for hire alongside U.S. stars such as Lauren Conrad and Dr. Drew. It is thought some of Kardashian's advertisers include Reebok EasyTone and Carl's Jr, the fast food chain. The reality TV star often mentions using products from both companies, in fact out of 30 tweets on her page, five mention products from either company. Which means, if the reports of her earnings per post are to be believed, she was paid $50,000. Derek Rey, co-founder of Ad.ly, told U.S. website PRNewser that Kardashian can command $10,000 per tweet and that his company limits its publishers - as it calls Kardashian - to one paid tweet per day so as to not alienate her audience. 'We're not a polluter,' Rey said.

Source

Kardashian has taken to her blog to explicitly refute the claims that she is being paid to tweet about Carl's Jr. But strangely no mention is made of the shoes - Reebok EasyTone? Hmm.... It is the absence of the rebuttal that makes this so much more fun!

So I went to the site mentioned in the above article and I have to say, that in spite of it's douchebaggery, it is actually a pretty smart idea. According to the site: "The end of every Ad.ly tweet (except tweets for charity) is marked with "(Ad)" notifying your audience that this is an advertisement. In order to ensure authenticity, every Ad.ly Tweet has to be explicitly approved by the Twitter publisher and is disclosed as an ad."

I like that celebs can use it to raise cash for charity. That I am fine with. I still think they should let us know if it is a paid tweet. Big ups to Samantha Ronson, Greg Grunberg and the others who are doing it for charity. I am assuming that they are giving it ALL to charity, rather than just a little. But for the rest of them out there? Get a f*cking real celebrity endorsement. None of this paid to tweet crap.

Oh, and Kim honey, you ain't fooling no-one. You are a paid spokesperson for Carls Jr. Do you think anyone is gonna believe that anything you say about them is sincere? I don't care that it is insincere. I just wish you would own the insincerity. And speaking of insincerity, I am truly shocked that Spencer and Heidi have not jumped on this bandwagon. Srlsly. Wouldn't you think Speidi would be all over this?

XO

A Single Man - A Review

The latest edition of Entertainment Weekly arrived in my mail box today. It has 25 movies you must see before the Oscars on March 7th 2010. To date I have seen 18 of them. Not too shabby. Also note that 4 of the flicks I have yet to see have not been released in Vancity (or I missed them when they were here), 2 others I will be seeing over the weekend, and one – Julie & Julia – I am planning on renting shortly. Yesterday I saw Tom Ford’s stunning directorial debut – A Single Man. Yes, that Tom Ford. The fashion designer who single handedly brought Gucci back from the brink of bankruptcy during the 1990’s.

Stunning is most definitely the watchword for this film. Visually= stunning. Performances = stunning. Music = stunning. It was lush and beautiful and meticulous. Loved it.

A Single Man is based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood. Set in Los Angeles in 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, it is the story of a British college professor (Colin Firth) who is struggling to find meaning to his life after the death of his long time partner (Matthew Goode). The story is a romantic tale of love interrupted, the isolation that is an inherent part of the human condition, and ultimately the importance of the seemingly smaller moments in life. Produced by Tom Ford through his Los Angeles based production company, Fade to Black, in association with Chris Weitz and Andrew Miano of Depth of Field, and Robert Salerno of Artina Films. The screenplay is written by Tom Ford and David Scearce. --© Weinsteins

Colin Firth as George is truly magnificent as a man drowning in his grief. His long time partner – Jim – who we only see through flashbacks - was killed in a car crash less than a year ago. George had never been given an opportunity to grieve for his love of 16 years. In a sad example of how gay relationships were treated by many in the 1960’s, George was only informed of the accident when one of Jim’s relatives secretly called him. Not only was he not able to go to the funeral, as it was “family” only, Jim’s parents apparently decided to keep their dead son’s pets. Nice right.

8 months later, George has decided to put his affairs in order and take matters into his own hands. He has planned it all so perfectly, and is intending on leaving everything in meticulous order. But a number of chance meetings throughout the course of the day make him reconsider this decision.

First and foremost is his encounter with one of his young students – a blonde haired, blue eyed, perfectly sun kissed student – played with salty goodness by Nicholas Hoult. Sigh. Did George see pieces of himself in the young Jimmy? There were a number of similarities between these men who are at differing stages of their lives. But Jimmy was open with who he was whereas George’s life remained cloaked in secrecy.

Julianne Moore, as Charley – George’s sometime lover and best friend is luminous. As always she is spectacular. She is one of my favourite working actresses. She is always amazing in everything she does. Moore is willing to do whatever it takes to deliver an authentic, real performance. I love her so much. And her hair and make up in this film. Oh la. So fricking amazing. I did not particularly care for her dress, but I suppose that it suited the times.

Everything is beautiful in this film. There is none of the ugliness of LA. All the people are perfectly dressed, impeccably coiffed and beautifully manicured. I suspect that Tom Ford overlooked every frame of film. There was meticulous detail in every aspect of this movie, everything seemed perfectly calculated and considered.

I was intrigued by the use of light and colour. Firth seems to be lit in grey’s and ash tones, that wash him out completely. Other characters, particularly Jimmy, appear to be permanently lit by the sun’s warm glow. Every frame Hoult was in was golden and bright and beautiful. And in George’s last encounter with his new young friend, he too seems to be enveloped in a warm golden light. Yes, I may be over thinking, but that was how it came across to me.

I also absolutely loved the score by Abel Korzeniowski - flawless and haunting. A number of the scenes were without words – perhaps this is why the music resonated so strongly with me. In addition, the scenes where he is quietly observing his neighbours and their seemingly perfect life seem surreal. Slowed down and brightly lit with a distinct dream like quality. It is as if he is watching a movie.

Tom Ford’s A Single Man is a beautiful, stylized, carefully detailed and immaculately shot movie. Firth’s performance is phenomenal. The film is anchored magnificently by Firth’s masterful portrayal as a man who is lost in his grief. Firth will be nominated for an Oscar for this role. Not sure if he will win, but for me, at this stage in the game, from the roles I have seen, his is the performance to beat.

XO

Invictus - A review

Australians can typically be divided down party lines. Rugby or Aussie Rules. I am an Aussie Rules girl – go Blues! - which means that the Rugby World Cup has never even blipped on my radar. So the whole story surrounding the 1995 World Cup which is chronicled in the film Invictus, yea. I didn’t really follow that. To be honest, I had no clue that one silly game of rugby was capable of uniting a whole country that was on the brink of extreme civil unrest. Or do you think maybe the film exaggerated just a little? In Hollyweird? Never. Pfft.

Invictus tells the inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) joined forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team, Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), to help unite their country. Newly elected President Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa’s underdog rugby team as they make an unlikely run to the 1995 World Cup Championship match. --© Warner Bros.

In spite of the accents – shudder - I have this thing about Afrikaans accents. I pretty much cringe every time I hear an Afrikaans accent, it is not a racism thing. Blame that guy in Lethal Weapon 2.. “Diplomatic Immunity…..” Okay, in spite of that, I really enjoyed this film. And the fact that I enjoyed a movie that is about sports definitely says something. Sport movies typically don’t really do it for me.

Director Clint Eastwood was able to elicit outstanding performances from his cast. It pretty much revolved around Freeman and Damon and as always they both delivered. Morgan Freeman was quietly dignified in his portrayal of Nelson Mandela. His performance rings true and never feels forced. Damon delivered yet another solid performance and mastered the difficult accent so well that he seemed like a local. I enjoy Matt Damon more and more in each film I see him in. He is showing that he can do so much more than the Bourne movies. Not that I am not a fan of the Bourne Movies. I can’t wait for the rumoured 4th film in the franchise.

More interesting than the sports…cause …. Sports = yawn…..I found Eastwood’s demonstration of Mandela’s leadership of his fledgling administration fascinating. I had never really given much thought to how difficult the transition for both Mandela and his staff would have been. I especially liked how Eastwood used the security team to demonstrate the initial animosity and gradual thawing of the tension between the “pre” and “post” Mandela staff.

Invictus was a heart-felt and uplifting movie and was full of many many cliches. The rugby team sucks. But after a few inspirational speeches and some jogging as a team along the streets of South Africa, the players that everyone was convinced had no chance in heck…. Oh I don’t want to spoil it for you. And this is why I don’t enjoy Sports movies. Because nice guys rarely finish last.

Don’t get me wrong, the film had me on the verge of tears quite a few times. But I have a ton of real life crap going on, so at this stage in the game, pretty much anything will make me shed a few tears at the moment.

Some parts were cloying in their sweetness. Such as the team running through the streets together…. And the little black boy listening to the game alongside the gruff white men, edging closer and closer to their car’s radio…. I won’t say what happens by the end of the game. I will let you draw your own conclusions.

I did enjoy this movie. A lot. Worth seeing? Definitely. But, compared to some of the other films floating around at the moment, it is kind of getting lost in the shuffle for me. So many great movies, a good movie gets forgotten pretty quickly. I think this is what will happen with Invictus when this seasons Awards hardware is handed out.

XO

Trailer Trash - The Runaways

Finally, a trailer has been released for The Runaways. And although it doesn't really tell you much, and there is no dialogue save a few snippets of songs and Michael Shannon as skeevy band manager Kim Fowley. If you were not aware, this film is a rock biopic about 1970's rock band The Runaways. Starring Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie - the movie will debut at Sundance in a few weeks. The girls will not only be playing their own instruments, they are also lending their own voices to such classic songs as Cherry Bomb, Queens of Noise, Born to be Bad and many others. I hope that it gets a theatrical release soon after.

I also managed to get my grubby little paws on a copy of the script. Wowsers. Lotsa sex, drugs and rock and roll. I think that Dakota's good girl image is gonna go up in flames after her first girl on girl kiss with Kristen Stewart. And as for the actress best known as Bella Swan, she already has a reputation as quite the bad ass. This film is definitely gonna foster that image.

Can't fricking wait

XO

Ivana Trump is my new Hero

I am not a fan of bratty kids or Ivana Trump. Contrary to popular opinion from those in my life, it is not that I do not like children per se. I just like it more when kids that I do not know are far away from me. And it is not all kids, your children are probably fine. You know those kids who run around like crazy in restaurant, shops, movie theatres etc. they are the ones that bug me. The ones that have no manners. I am sure that your children are fine.

And Ivana Trump not only married Donald Trump, but called their daughter Ivanka. Enough said.

Never in my wildest dreams could I conceive of an instance where these two annoyances would collide. But yesterday, they did. In a way that I could never have imagined. Ivana Trump was physically escorted off of a plane in Florida because she yelled at some little brats who were running up and down the aisles of the first class cabin. This is the most fantastic news I have heard in a long while. Fantastic and amazing.

According to the Orlando Sentinel:

Ivana Trump, the first ex-wife of billionaire Donald Trump, was escorted by sheriff's deputies off a flight Saturday afternoon at Palm Beach International Airport after she screamed and cursed at children, authorities said.

Trump, 60, of Palm Beach, was seated in first class and apparently became irate because children were running up and down the aisle and screaming, Palm Beach County sheriff's officials said.

Trump, who last week filed for divorce from her third husband, has not been charged in the incident. The FBI declined to investigate, sheriff's officials said.

Flight attendants on the LaGuardia-bound Delta flight told deputies that they tried to calm Trump by offering her another seat and headphones. Trump instead became more belligerent.

The plane was just leaving gate C1 when the incident occurred, and the pilot decided to pull back to the gate and call for help, officials said.

According to the Sheriff's Office, Trump used the "f" word toward the crew and passengers, including children. Officials said she began screaming in vulgar terms for children to shut up.

Deputies asked Trump to voluntarily exit the plane, but they said she refused numerous times. Deputies then "physically escorted her off the aircraft," officials said.

Deputies said Trump repeatedly cursed at them as well. Trump's driver picked her up at the airport soon after.

Source

Okay, while I am not condoning Trump's behaviour - using curse words in front of and particularly to small children is never a good. But, WTF is up with anyone being allowed to roam the aisles of a plane during take off. Since when is that okay? Regardless of my whole bratty kids misbehaving rant and especially in light of the recent terrorist incident on that flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, again I say WTF? Flight attendants are like staff sergeants. Why would they allow the little pissers to run up and down the aisles of the plane once it has left the gate?

I really wish someone had this on You-tube. Would it not be amazing to see the refined, cultured, uber rich Ivana Trump cursing like a sailor and getting her designer clothed ass dragged off of a plane? Please let someone have it on tape. Please please please.

XO

Avatar did not Suck.

I have a secret to confess. Actually I have two. I will start with the one you will likely find rather shocking. I have never seen the movie Titanic. This is a conscious decision on my part. I will admit - I have seen bits and pieces of it when it has been on TV, but I have never watched it from start to finish. My justification for this pretty ridiculous, but I am confident in my decision to never see this movie. You see, in case you have been living under a rock since 1997 and were not aware - James Cameron’s Titanic is the “highest grossing movie of all time.” This is what irritates me. Yes, Titanic has made more money than any other movie ever made. And for some reason I find this irritating. If you take into account the difference in price of films over the years, the highest grossing movie of all time is actually 1939’s Gone With The Wind. More people paid to see Gone With The Wind than Titanic. But people never ever mention that when discussing movies. And this is the petty, slightly insane and completely ridiculous reason why I will never sit down and watch Titanic from start to finish. Seriously. For reals.

But today, I ventured out and saw James Cameron’s latest movie Avatar – in 3D. And let me just say, that it was pretty fricking cool. This is a phenomenal movie – visually spectacular, with effects and technology that I really do not have words for. The story itself is a little ho-hum, but the ride is totally worth it. According to a number of professional reviewer type people, our movie going world will now be divided in two – “Before Avatar” and “After Avatar”. This film has apparently changed the way we will watch movies.

“A paraplegic ex-marine finds a new life on the distant planet of Pandora, only to find himself battling humankind alongside the planet's indigenous Na'vi race in this ambitious digital 3D sci-fi epic from Academy Award-winning Titanic director James Cameron. The film, which marks Cameron's first dramatic feature since 1997's Titanic, follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a war veteran who gets called to the depths of space to pick up the job of his slain twin brother for the scientific arm of a megacorporation looking to mine the planet of Pandora for a valued ore. Unfortunately the biggest deposit of the prized substance lies underneath the home of the Na'vi, a ten-foot-tall, blue-skinned native tribe who have been at war with the security arm of the company, lead by Col. Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang). Because of the planet's hostile atmosphere, humans have genetically grown half-alien/half-human bodies which they can jack their consciousnesses into and explore the world in. Since Jake's brother already had an incredibly expensive Avatar grown for him, he's able to connect with it using the same DNA code and experience first-hand the joys of Pandora while giving the scientific team, led by Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) and Norm Spellman (Joel David Moore), some well-needed protection against the planet's more hostile forces.

On a chance meeting after getting separated from his team, Jake's Avatar is rescued by Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), a Na'vi princess, who brings him into her tribe in order to give the humans a second chance at relating to this new environment. When word gets out of his increasing time with the alien species, Quaritch enlists Jake to do some reconnaissance for the company, as they'd like to persuade the tribe to move their home before taking more drastic measures to harness the treasure hidden below. Yet as Jake becomes one with the tribe and begins to understand the secrets of Pandora, his conscience is torn between his new adopted world and the wheelchair-bound one awaiting him when the psychic connection to his Avatar is broken. Soon battle lines are drawn and Jake needs to decide which side he will fight on when the time comes. The film was shot on the proprietary FUSION digital 3D cameras developed by Cameron in collaboration with Vince Pace, and offers a groundbreaking mix of live-action dramatic performances and computer-generated effects. The revolutionary motion-capture system created for the film allows the facial expressions of actors to be captured as a virtual camera system enables them to see what their computer-generated counterparts will be seeing in the film, and Peter Jackson's Oscar-winning Weta Digital visual-effects house supervises Avatar's complex special effects. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

I don’t understand the whole technology side of things. I just know that the world that Cameron created for this movie is beyond words. It is full of bright vivid colours, fantastical foliage and terrifyingly real creatures. Spectacular mountains, stunning waterfalls, vast forests. You become totally and completely immersed in this world that Cameron created.

I was especially entranced by the night scenes. Every step taken by the characters lit up the ground. Even when they were running through the trees after dark, their steps would light up the ground beneath them. So pretty. There were crazy dog like creatures that scared the crap out of me, flying dragon like creatures that were a multitude of colours and trees that the Na’vi connected to and communicated with. Hell, Cameron even had someone create an entire language that was phonetically easy for the cast to learn, but was unlike any language that exists anywhere in the world.

The story itself is pretty pedestrian and if it weren’t for the amazing effects, the film would be pretty mundane. A few things that specifically irritated me about the plot: the first two thirds of the movie are spent basically explaining how the earth is an amazing creature and everything and everyone is connected to the earth. Then Cameron proceeds to blow the shit out of it. The land the Na’vi are so desperately trying to save – the reason they battle the human interlopers - is pretty much decimated by the end of the film. Yes, they prevailed over the evil humans, but what do they have left? And in 2154, you would think technology would have advanced enough that manual wheelchairs would be totally obsolete.

Thankfully however, this film is not really about the plot – or lack there of. It is about the experience. And the experience is mind blowing. Will it take over from Titanic as the highest grossing movie ever made? I don’t know. But if it does, maybe I will give up my insane vendetta and see Titanic. Maybe.

Oh, and my other secret of the day. One that I am planning on remedying sooner rather than later. I have never seen the Shawshank Redemption. I just never got around to it. I know. I know. It is amazing and fantastic and life changing. Which I why I keep the fact I have never seen it a secret. Don’t tell anyone. Okay.

XO

Charlie Sheen is spending Xmas in jail!

One day I would like to spend Christmas in Aspen, Colorado. Lots of celebrities spend the Holiday season there, skiing and strutting their stuff on the streets. Particularly Mariah Carey. She is always there in some ridiculously inappropriate ensemble that is impossible to walk the icy streets in. Aspen looks real pretty and festive and a fun place to spot some celebs spending time with their families. Unfortunately, Charlie Sheen will not be sitting down to Christmas Dinner with his family this evening. Instead of spending the night with his wife and their infant sons, he is in the big house having been arrested early this morning for a number of offences with a domestic violence component.

According to People.com:

"Charlie Sheen was arrested Friday at 11:20 a.m. on domestic violence charges.

The Two and a Half Men star was booked for second-degree assault, menacing and criminal mischief, according to a spokesperson for the Pitkin County Sheriff's Department in Aspen, Colo.

"Carlos Irwin Estevez, also known as the actor Charles I. Sheen, was brought to the Pitkin County Colorado Jail for booking and incarceration following his arrest by the Aspen Police Department,” Pitkin County Sheriffs Office patrol director Jeff Lumsden said in a statement.

The actor's rep, Stan Rosenfield, tells PEOPLE, "Do not be mislead by appearance. Appearance and reality can be as different as night and day. It would benefit everyone not to jump to any conclusion."

Sheen, 44, spent Christmas in jail after an alleged scuffle with his wife, Brooke Mueller. He is being held with no bond, and he will remain in jail until his court appearance due to Colorado law which mandates a protection order between those arrested for domestic violence and their victims. "

Damn it Charlie. Why couldn't you keep your shit together. You had been doing so well married, 2 new babies, a popular show (that I do not watch cause - but apparently he is the highest paid man in comedy) and most importantly a talentless fame whore of an ex wife that I am happy to report had been out of the spotlight for the last few months.

Geesh. I had not seen hide nor hair of Denise Richards in quite a while. Now she is gonna have her face plastered all over the tabloids. Cause you know all the magazines will be clamouring for her take on the whole thing. Hopefully she will have the decency to not talk sh*t about the father of her children. Although she is one of the whoriest of the fame whores, I don't think she will take things that far. Do you?

XO

Christmas is cancelled!

So further proof that the Santa Claus at the mall is really just some pervy old guy in a red suit, a padded stomach and scraggly white beard. Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins are dunzo. Sad face. Very sad face.

Robbins and Sarandon have been together over 20 years, after meeting on the set of 1988's Bull Durham. They have 2 children together - aged 17 and 19. Susan also has another daughter - actress Eva Amurri - from a previous relationship. The story was first reported on People.com yesterday afternoon. Sarandon's representative released the following statement: “Actress Susan Sarandon and her partner of 23 years, actor Tim Robbins have announced that they separated over the summer. No further comments will be made.”

Yes, I didn't know them. I realise that the break up of a couple I have never and will never met shouldn't upset me. But it does. They seemed like such an awesome couple. Smart and socially conscious, their age difference was irrelevant (Sarandon is 12 years older than Robbins). Low key, never seeming to relish in the Hollyweird lifestyle. Committed to their children. They have worked together on a number of occasions - most notably when he directed Susan's academy award winning performance in Dead Man Walking.

I personally loved them both in Bob Roberts - a little scene mockumentary written, directed and starring Robbins as a corrupt right wing folksinger on the political campaign. This is one of my favourite movies - definitely on my top ten list. Absolutely my favourite Tim Robbins movie. It is so very dark and twisty and funny and satirical. Love it.

Couples drift apart. I understand that. I just wish this one hadn't.

XO

Confessions of a Music Lovers I-pod

I feel like I am using this game when I am to lazy to write an actual post. That is only partly true. Granted, I am a little preoccupied right now, but according to my meticulous records, I should have written this on Saturday.

I-pod on shuffle. First 15 songs are written down. Skip only if their is a repeat of an artist. Don't cheat. This is a safe, non judgy place.

1. Elbow - The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver
2. Fiona Apple - Never is a Promise
3. No Doubt - New
4. Regina Spektor - Apres Moi
5. Adele - My Same
6. Eric Hutchinson - Jettison
7. Crowded House - Kill Eye
8. Bon Iver - For Emma
9. meiko - You & Onions
10. Leonard Cohen - First We Take Manhattan
11. Damien Rice - Cold Water
12. Leona Naess - Earthquakes
13. Conor Oberst - NYC: Gone gone
14. Kings of Leon - Closer
15. The Replacements - Here Comes The Regular

Lazy or not. I like this game. meiko is awesome. She needs to tour here. Adele needs to come back so I can see her when I am not completely hammered.... Tee hee hee. One of the most fun days/nights ever.

I think I need some new tunes though. Who gets you off musically right now? What is your favourite band that I haven't heard of?

XO

Brittany Murphy Will Never Tell

Apologies for the time away from this wee blog gentle reader (s?), but I have had some real life crap going on that has kept me preoccupied. Things are in no way resolved, but I am trying to keep positive and Soldier On as they say.....

So Brittany Murphy died on Sunday. Holy. Did not see that one coming. Cardiac Arrest. At 32. According to TMZ and other sources, Murphy had been sick for a number of days, with severe abdominal pain and shortness of breath. There are also reports that she had a history of hypoglycemia, and was hospitalised earlier in the year for low blood sugar. While a plethora of prescription meds were removed from her house, no alcohol or illegal drug paraphernalia was found on the scene. An autopsy is being performed and the results won't be known for up to 6 weeks.

This is very sad news. While I would probably not consider myself a fan of Brittany Murphy, I did like her in pretty much everything I ever saw her in. So maybe I am a fan. Hmm. I think I need to define what makes a fan. Later. Friends, former coworkers and Hollyweird sycophants have taken to the interwebs and of course the Twitter to express their shock and sadness at this tragic event. Many have commented on her brightness and her spark, her smile.

I loved her in Clueless and 8 Mile, but really, really liked her in Don't Say a Word with Michael Douglas. She played the damaged crazy very well. She also had a small role in the amazing Drop Dead Gorgeous. She made a ton of other films that I never saw, as well as her voice over work in King of the Hill (a show I really do not enjoy).

But did you also know about her music career. She recorded this fantastic dance pop song with the legendary Paul Oakenfold in 2006 - Faster Kill Pussycat. Love it. Super cool track.

So sad to think that she is gone. So many rumours swirling around about what happened. Some are claiming she was a junkie. Some are pointing at a possible eating disorder as a possible cause. Others still are saying that her husband of two years was somehow responsible. Whatever the reason, I hope that the vultures let her family grieve in peace. Prolly not. They will be circling for a while.

Fuckers. But then again, I am just contributing to this aren't I. Pfft. It is not as if I am not aware of my extreme hypocricy.

XO

Golden Globe Godess

So the Golden Globe nominations were announced this week. They air in about a month. January 17th. 5.00pm Pacific. Be there. Well, be in front of a TV. Award shows are like my crack. I need them. They make me feel better about life. As I have said before, I am contemplating a wee little partay in honour of the occasion. I kind of live in a shoe box so we shall see if it pans out at all.

The afternoon prior to the nomination announcements Carey Mulligan was spotted sitting at a Bus Stop in LA with boyfriend Shia La Beauf. Not only sitting at the Bus Stop. Waiting for the bus. Love it. Admittedly, Shia hasn't got this licence back since he did that thing a while ago (I can't recall - all I know is that it f*cked up his arm for a long time). Almost as adorable as Joshua Jackson who rides the Skytrain here in Vancity.

I wonder if she will ride the bus to the Golden Globes, as she is nominated for Best Actress - Drama - for her luminous performance in An Education. Prolly not. I can dream of a Prius at least though. She seems like the environmental type. Except for the smoking. I think she smokes. Boo Hiss to that.Wonder what she will wear? Hopefully nothing prom like. Or matronly. She can leave the cheap, tacky, bad prom look for the wanna be's - this girl is a true star. Love her. And her style.

Gawd, check out these pics from an upcoming spread in Vogue. Her skin is gorgeous. The minimal make up is flawless. That hat is fricking gold. Does this shoot remind anyone else of Cate Blanchett a la Elizabeth? Can't be just me. Love Carey Mulligan. Although I suspect she will be outshine awards season by Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) - she will be around for many many years and will have her time to shine and win and show all those little Hollyweird starlets exactly how it is done.

XO

Photo Credit: INF

Up, Up In The Air

Can I tell you just how completely and utterly over the moon I was that Up In The Air was showing here in Vancouver only a week after it’s official limited release opening last week. I thought I was going to have to wait until Christmas to see this movie. There is a strong chance I may see it again. It was that fricking good. Srsly. One of the best movies I have seen all year. Amazing on so many levels.

It tells the story of Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), a corporate downsizer and consummate modern business traveler who, after years of staying happily airborne, suddenly finds himself ready to make “a real connection.” Ryan has long been contented with his unencumbered lifestyle lived out across America in airports, hotels and rental cars. He can carry all he needs in one wheel-away case; he's a pampered, elite member of every travel loyalty program in existence; and he's close to attaining his lifetime goal of 10 million frequent flier miles - and yet . . . Ryan has nothing real to hold onto.

When he falls for a likeminded fellow traveler (Vera Farmiga), Ryan's boss (Jason Bateman), inspired by a young, upstart efficiency expert (Anna Kendrick), threatens to permanently call him in from the road. Faced with the prospect, at once terrifying and exhilarating, of being grounded, Ryan begins to contemplate what it might actually mean to have a home.

Jason Reitman has made 2 fantastic films over the last few years – Juno and Thank You For Smoking. Up in the Air is probably my favourite of the three. It is not as glib as Juno – while the dialogue is smart and well thought out – it is not littered with a myriad of pop culture references – likely due to the absence of the fantastic Diablo Cody. That is not to say the script isn’t fantastic. So much of Anna Kendrick’s dialogue was gold – her interactions with George Clooney will go down as some of my favourite scenes in a movie all year. Honest, smart witty dialogue is so rare in movies. And this was all that and so much more.

I am so impressed with the performance given by Anna Kendrick. While my friend Kent distracted me by pointing out her odd eyebrow shaping – I was able to look past that (he couldn’t) and appreciate that she held her own against Hollyweird superstar George Clooney – and did an amazing job. Her portrayal of the high strung, aptly named Natalie Keener was revelatory to me. And the fact that Reitman wrote the part with her in mind is a big deal. She ain’t in Forks, dealing with the Vampires of Twilight anymore. Anna Kendrick has surpassed all the other bit players in that franchise with one poorly packed suitcase. She was effing fantastic.

George Clooney has shown again why he is. He is George Clooney mother f*cker. 2 time People Magazine’s sexiest man alive, confident, charming, charismatic, relatable in spite of his jaw dropping good looks. Bingham is a flawed human being, but Clooney makes him likable and endearing. Vera Farmiga was also very good, but her role was not quite as meaty as either of the other 2 leads. She’s very very pretty as well – and does not have distracting eyebrows.

Jason Batemen – in spite of the horrible hair style that aged him about 15 years – was also solid, as were the other minor roles. I very much enjoyed Melanie Lynskey and Danny McBride as Clooney’s sister and her fiancé. I have a crush on Lynskey ever since I saw her in Away We Go…. She is an amazing actress. A special mention needs to go out to a number of the “fired employees” who were real life people who had lost their jobs. Reitman found people in St Louis and Detroit who were willing to recreate their dismissals on camera. I have read a few reports of cynics viewing this as Reitman capitalizing on the current economy in the US – I see it as putting a real face to what is going on in the world today. It wasn’t exploitative, it was humanizing.

Up In The Air is funny, poignant, and smart without being condescending to the audience. Without question, one of my top movies of the year. And it was nominated for a slew of Golden Globes this morning. The only question I have is why it was in the drama category? Yes it was dramatic in parts, but for the audience at the screening I saw it was most definitely more comedic than dramatic. I wonder if the production company gets to decide?

Golden Globes in about a month! Squeee. Contemplating a wee soiree. We shall see if it pans out. Especially as I have 2 chairs that people can actually sit in….Maybe.

In the meantime ---> see Up In the Air. It is Awesomeness wrapped up in amazingness, surrounded by a fluffy cloud of fabulosity.

XO

Music Monday: From my Keyboard to your I-Pod

I have been so wrapped up in a Brett Dennen - Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - Lady Gaga haze for the last few weeks that I have been neglecting some of the others on my Playlists. I am such a bad girlfriend I know.

This weeks instalment is courtesy of a friend of mine who knows my deep and abiding love for music. I saw her briefly at a work function and she mentioned this amazing band to me. Told me I would love them. She then emailed me the entire CD to my work account, which was fine except it was about 80 MB! Eek.

I had to email each song to one of my personal accounts individually as I couldn't get more than one to go through at a time. So totally and completely worth it though. The band is The XX. From the UK, this is an uber cool group of kids who write about love and loss - all with a kicky synthesised beat. I heart them. A lot. They may be touring here next year. Sometime in April. Weeeeee!

They remind me a titch of Miike Snow, who I adore and saw a few months ago. They too are touring next year. In April. Sigh. I can already tell that 2010 is gonna be a hot and heavy year for me and my boyfriend - music. Do you know him? He is dreamy. And I am his eternal slave. Forever and always.

XO

Have you seen my Christmas tree?

Yea. I said it. It's a Christmas tree Mother f*ckers. Not a Holiday Tree. A Christmas Tree. Deal with my truth. Not that I am even known as a Christmasy person. Most people who know me outside of this wee blog would even go so far as to say I am rather grinchy. I could argue the point that I am technically not anti-Christmas, instead I am just indifferent, but I just can't be bothered.

But is my Christmas tree not the most magnificent tree you have seen short of the one at Rockerfeller Centre in NYC? So pretty, so many LED lights, no presents yet, but I have my fingers crossed!! I have been a very good girl this year! Or at least have kept any of my own transgressions very much on the down low.

So maybe this tree isn't technically mine. But the good folks at Amacon, a Vancouver based realty company have said that this tree is for the city of Vancouver. I live in the city, I pay property taxes through rent, I am just as much entitled to claim this tree as mine as anyone else right? For the third year in a row, in lieu of a staff Holiday Party, Amacon has donated a massive Christmas tree that stands on the Georgia Street lawn of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Amacon uses this as a fundraiser for a variety of Metro Vancouver charities. Elvis Costello and Diana Krall even came to light my tree last week! No singing, cause I wasn't there. I am sure if I had been able to go, they would have belted out a few tunes. I think this is so completely admirable for a company to do this. Our staff Christmas party involves 2 hours in our offices with a few bottles of wine... So I think the best we could do is maybe a fake tree from the Dollar Store.

Feel free to leave me a little something under the tree. I am on your nice list right?

XO

"The Runaways" gets a Poster and a 1st Screening Date

Kristen Stewart is gonna be one busy girl at The Sundance Film Festival in January 2010. Not only is Welcome to The Rileys part of the official program at the Festival in Park City, Utah but word has just come out that another film she completed in between filming New Moon and Eclipse here in Vancouver will be screened, likely looking for a distributor. I wasn't aware that they had a "non-competition" section to Sundance, but I am glad that they do.

The Runaways is the story of 1970's all-girl rock band of the same name. Starring Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie, the film chronicles the band from their formation in 1975 until 1977 when Currie left at the height of their success. Also starring Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon as their manipulative manager Kim Fowley, and Alia Shawkett, Scout Taylor-Compton & Stella Maeve, I really really hope that someone picks this film up. I would hate for it to languish on a shelf somewhere.

I think this story is so fascinating. They were a manufactured group, but they turned the music industry, particularly the hard-rock music industry, on it's head. A bunch of 15-16 chicks filling stadiums, taking on what had always been a male dominated world, living the rockstar lifestyle as teenage girls. Looks pretty f*cking rad if you ask me. The first poster and promotional pictures were released recently. The poster is all about the legs and the guitars - and the red. I like it! I absolutely love the picture of Kristen and Dakota - they look fricking amazing and bad ass in this shot. I can't wait to see this movie.


Gah! Why do I not have a life that affords me the ability to go to Sundance? Or TIFF? Or SXSW? Sigh.... Maybe one day I will....


XO

Until We Meet Again...

In all my many years of watching the TV, I do not recall hearing the phrase "fall finale" as often as I have this year. Apparently it is the fault of the 2010 Olympics. Pfft. But so many of my shows do not have new episodes until "next year"...with some, such as the awesome Glee... not coming back until April.

April. That is 4 fricking months. And the Olympics don't even start until February and will be over by Mid March (assuming you include the Paralympics - which most people probably don't). Until that time I will have to be content rewatching the fall finale over and over again (yay for my PVR) and scouring the interwebs for clips from the shows.

Speaking of, did you watch the finale on Wednesday? A-mazing right? Lea Michelle doing Rain on My Parade was effing genius. Audio above. Phenomenal. Fantastic. Pick a superlative and throw it in there. And for some inspired casting, do you not think that Barbra Streisand, who immortalised the song in "Funny Girl" would be perfect as Rachel Barry's birth grandmother (or possibly her birth mother if they had really really good make up and/or lighting). Video below from the movie - leaves me speechless every time.

I had actually wanted the amazing Idina Menzel to be Rachel's birth mother (if you were not aware, Rachel has two adoptive daddies). But she is *this* close to signing on as the coach of New Direction's rival for Regionals (along with Lea's costar from Spring Awakenings - Jonathon Groff as the male Rachel in the rival glee club). Perhaps they could consider a shocking end of season twist where it is discovered that Rachel and the yet to be named coach of the rival club are actually mother and daughter? Oh happiness. Oh Glee. Here is Idina singing the same song - live - in 2008 at the Kennedy Centre Honors.

I am not making any comparsions. I will leave that to others. It is 3 amazingly, phenomenally talented singers. I wish I had one iota of their talent.


Until April, I will just have to console myself with these pictures of the boys of Glee, which will be featured in an upcoming issue of Vanity Fair. These are not the actual pictures, obviously. Just pap shots of the shoot. I wonder if they are getting the Cover? That would be pretty cool. They would be like the Twilight cast of the small screen.

Is it April yet?


XO