Christmas Conundrum!

Up until 5 years ago, I worked pretty much every Christmas. It was fine with me, I have very few family here and thought it would be good karma to let those who were from here spend time with their family. Whether they wanted to or not! Anyways now that I have a more office-type job, I get to live like a somewhat regular person and not work on Christmas or Boxing Day.

In the past 5 years my Aunt and I have developed a fun Christmas ritual. Christmas Eve we go to Christ Church Cathedral to sing carols (every year it makes me happy to not burst into flames as I walk into a house of G.O.D), we then go back to her house where I spend the night, then next morning we have Eggs Bennie then she drops me at home and does her thing while I normally end up getting taken in as a stray by one of my friends.

This year, I must confess that I am a little torn. I love spending time with my friends and their families, but this year there are some amazing films being released on Christmas Day. Would it be totally wrong to just spend some quality time alone in a darkened theatre on Christmas Day instead? I can’t decide!

There are no less than three films scheduled to open on December 25th that I am peeing my pants to see. I could conceivably see two of them on Christmas day and then see the next on Boxing Day right?

First up is Sherlock Holmes. RDJ, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams. How could I not see this? Guy Ritchie directing. RDJ shirtless. Enough said. I have been completely in love with Robert Downey Junior since I was a teenager. Remember the movie Less than Zero? I know that his character Julian was a drug addicted male whore who overdosed at the end, but I loved him. Loved him enough that I decided that if I were to have a son, they would be named Julian. Then in my first year of University I met a guy called Julian who was the complete and total opposite of RDJ’s tortured Julian. Ruined the name for me. But not the man. Mad mad mad love for Robert Downey Junior. Can’t wait to see this movie.

Second is Rob Marshall’s musical masterpiece Nine. Daniel Day Lewis… Nicole Kidman… Penelope Cruz… Marion Colltiard…Dame Judi Dench… Sophia Loren. How could you not want to see this?? It looks amazing. I don’t even really care what it is about……something to the effect of DDL is a director trying to work on his latest masterpiece. Things are not going well, so he looks back over his life, at the women who have influenced him. It has music. It has Nicole Kidman. It has Daniel Day Lewis. I am sold!

Opening in limited release on Christmas Day is Heath Ledger’s last film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Directed by Terry Gilliam, this movie looks totally fantastical. It played at the Vancouver International Film Festival in September. They actually had to add extra screenings for it. I didn’t go, because I am lame. Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law stepped in after Ledger’s tragic death and are playing the character of Tony in the different “worlds” that he goes to. And the fact that they donated their paychecks to little Matilda melts my cold black heart. I am just hoping that limited release includes Vancouver!

That is three. Can you appreciate the quandary I am in? I know that I should do the social thing. But if you know me in real life, you know that I am not a fan of any organized holidays. Christmas, Easter, Valentines Day, Thanksgiving. Any of them. Don’t care for them. They insist upon themselves (random quote from The Family Guy just popped into my head). Seriously though, they are commercial and frankly lame. Boo hiss. I am a grinch I know.

And it is not just Christmas Day movies I need to consider. There are quite a few other films coming out just in time for Award Season that I am super excited to see……… A quick rundown of how I will be spending my weekends until the New Year (another Holiday I traditionally do not partake in).

Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire opens next weekend. By all accounts, this is a movie that pretty much devastates whoever sees it. It looks amazing and I am curious to see Mariah Carey sans makeup.

Up In The Air with George Clooney, Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga. Jason Reitman’s latest film looks amazing. Clooney stars as Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles and after he’s met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams.It is receiving accolades everywhere it screens and I really cannot wait to see this film.

I am intrigued by Tom Ford’s directorial debut: A Single Man starring Colin Firth. Yes, that Tom Ford. It is about an English professor who tries to go about his day after the death of his partner. I am expecting an extremely well styled film – especially since it is set in the 1960’s. And it also has Julianne Moore, so I am happy.

There is also The Private Lives of Pippa Lee written and directed by Rebecca Miller (daughter of Arthur Miller and wife of Daniel Day Lewis), which I am hoping opens in Vancouver. Robin Wright is Pippa Lee who while trying to find her true self confronts both her past and the seeming perfection of her present life. It has a great supporting cast including Alan Arkin, Keanu Reeves, Julianne Moore, Maria Bello, Blake Lively and Monica Bellucci. It looks amazing.

Then there is Brothers with Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire. Although the trailer pretty much tells you the whole plot of the movie (consider that your spoiler warning), the cast alone is sufficient to sustain my interest. Ii has finally been getting a little press. I am expecting to cry like a baby. It is a remake of 2004 Danish film, which worries me a little. Hopefully it doesn’t get f*cked up like most remakes.

And these are only a few of the flicks I wanna see. There is also The Messengers, Avatar, The Lovely Bones (another Christmas Day release – boo hiss), Invictus, The Young Victoria and probably more I have forgotten. These are also only films being released in 2009. If we move through to 2010…..I would be completely screwed.

So if you don't hear from me until the new year, I will be at the movies......

XO

F*ck I wish I was at Comicon #1

It sux balls that I am not there. So many many amazing things going on and I am stuck here in Vancity, working. Ugh. Life is very unfair. I honestly don't know where to begin! This will be a twilight free post as that crayzee will get it's own special post.

Johnny fricking Depp showed up. Srsly. He was there to support Tim Burton at the Alice in Wonderland panel. He only popped in for a minute and said a total of 5 words to the stunned crowd! WTF? I could have breathed the same air as him. The trailer that was leaked yesterday was shown again and is again available for us blogging type people to show and share with all of you. Yesterday Disney, in their infinite stupidity decided to pull any and all versions of the trailer. I guess they do not appreciate this "new" medium that is social media. Dumb asses. Moving on....

The moderator loved the clip so much he made them show it 3 times! I am very excited to see Burton's vision of the movie. He said during the panel that he incorporated elements from both of the Alice books (Alice in Wonderland and through the Looking Glass) and he even drew from the poem Jabberwocky. He is still in the editing room and feels that there is a "white rabbit with a stop-watch" timing him. Aww. Poor Tim. We love you, and can't wait to see the finished product.

The next event I am very, very sad I did not get to attend is the panel on Terry Gilliam's much anticipated The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which was the film that Heath Ledger was shooting when he passed away 18 months ago. His role was completed by friends Jude Law, Colin Farrell and Johnny Depp, who donated their fees for the role to Matilda, Ledgers young daughter. Gilliam and Ledger were very close and it was nice to hear him speak fondly of his friend, dubbing him the "best actor of his generation".

Most interesting about this movie and the panel is that it doesn't yet have a US distributor yet! I suspect that will not be for long. The clips were very well received by the attendees at the panel and I have a feeling that someone will snap this movie up! Clip below. This looks like an intriguing film (in spite of Verne Troyer's appearance in it) and I am looking forward to seeing it when it finally gets released here in North America

XO

Tim Burton releases a teaser trailer for Alice in Wonderland

I think the title of this post is sufficient don't you? All I have to say is OMFG. Amazingness.

What sux balls is that I am not currently in San Diego at Comicon. Grr.

Johnny Depp makes everything better.

XO

This Ain't Your Mother's Alice in Wonderland

When I heard that Tim Burton's latest project was tackling the classic children's book Alice in Wonderland, my first thought was F*ck Yea! Only the mind of Tim Burton could capture and do justice to the inherent dark and quirky of this book. Then they announced the cast: Johnny Depp (The Mad Hatter), Helena Bonham Carter (The Red Queen), Anne Hathaway (The White Queen), Michael Sheen (White Rabbit), Alan Rickman (Caterpillar), Stephen Fry (Cheshire Cat), Crispin Glover (The Knave of Hearts), Noah Taylor (The March Hare). I could go on and on. Amazing casting Even the virtually unknown Mia Wasikowska cast in the lead role of Alice. Not only did she star as Sophie in Season One of HBO's In Treatment; in 2008 she received the Heath Ledger scholarship from the Australian's in Film Association. She was actually born in the same city I was - Australia's capital - Canberra.

A combination of live-action and performance technology in his adaptation, few secrets have been revealed from the set of this much anticipated film. A number of impressive photos have been released and I have to say that this film looks amazing. This is a world of Yes. See the detail in that first image below? The faces in the flowers. Amazingness.

Tim Burton's reimagining and updating of Alice In Wonderland is slated to open in March 2010. The synopsis is a little different from the Alice story I recall: "Alice, 17, attends a party at a Victorian estate only to find she is about to be proposed to in front of hundreds of snooty society types. Off she runs, following a white rabbit into a hole and ending up in Wonderland, a place she visited 10 years before yet doesn't remember." So excited. Squeee!

XO

Johnny Depp Makes Everything Better

The theme of my vacation is pretty much doing nothing of consequence. No grand plans to paint my apartment, discover that fabulous new place to shop, write the great Canadian novel. My plans, as I have stated to anyone who will listen, involve lots of napping, TV, snoozing, reading, dozing, music, sleeping, writing (this blog, not anything earth shattering) and catching up with old friends.

So yesterday I ventured out into the beautiful sunshine, walked the 2 blocks to Scotiabank Movie Theatre and went and saw Public Enemies. 5 minutes in I moved seats as the douches seating near me decided that commenting throughout the whole movie would be fun for everyone. Ugh. I take it as a good sign that I kept my snarky comments to myself and simply moved seats (I am so totally growing as a person).

Touted as the thinking person's summer blockbuster, Public Enemies tells the story of 1930's FBI agent Melvin Purvis and his pursuit of folk hero robber John Dillinger, which culminates in the infamous shooting of Dillinger outside of a Chicago movie theatre.

The acting was phenomenal (of course). Johnny totally embodied the role of John Dillinger - he was captivating and mesmerising - he made me root for him completely. The stunning Marion Colltiard was fantastic as Dillinger's girlfriend Bille Frechette and as always Christian Bale was solid as FBI hero Melvin Purvis. The supporting cast was also impressive - Giovanni Ribisi, Billy Cruddip, Rory Cochrane, Branka Katic, Stephen Dorff - all good.

Technically the movie was also impressive. Director Michale Mann creates incredible atmosphere with his authentic use of guns, cars, costumes and buildings. The shoot out scenes were so different from what I am used to simply because they were using old-school 1930's guns. There was no crazy Tranformers style world record for biggest explosion here. No superheros doing unbelievable stunts. No regular folks suddenly being able to do extraordinary things. Just men with loud old school guns. That was actually very refreshing.

The one thing that I found lacking in the movie was the story. It was good, but kind of dull. There were so many things going at once. I believe that central story of the film was Purvis pursuit of Dillinger. Or was it about Dillinger's relationship with Billie Frechette? One of those two. So did we need to see all the J Edgar Hoover bulls*it, or the introduction and then casual dismissal of some of the minor characters? I don't think this was necessary and I didn't really care. I also read a few reviews that said it was a fitting time to tell this Depression era story. This film was set in the Depression? Huh. I wouldn't have known that from watching it.

I love Johnny Depp. So I will happily sit through 2 and a half hour movie if Johnny is in it. He is great in this, I loved his understated charisma (he gave Marion "the look" many times throughout the film, swoon) in this film. It is worth it for Johnny. He makes everything better. Even a mediocre movie like Public Enemies.

XO

The Week In Review

What a week. I finally got off my lazy and sadly expanding ass and started this damn blog. Yay me. But that does not help with the expanding ass or laziness really does it? Crap. Who cares. The plan is to update a few times a week, but I said that with a live journal account also.....hmmm... what was the login for that again. Gah.


Crazy Mother-effing Twihards

Mr Edward Cullen AKA Robert Pattinson was attacked by crazy fans on multiple occasions on NYC. All you people who told us Vancity peeps to leave him the hell alone - People in Glass Houses, should not be throwing stones!! At least the crazy fans (of which there are many, trust me) in Vancouver did not result in him being grazed by a fricking cab! Come on people - do you really think squealing like a lunatic, and attempting to strangle him is gonna make him want you? Srsly? Get back on the meds people and let the man work.


My personal fave is the blonde in need of having her roots done is strangling the man while he is walking down the street. Yea honey, he is so gonna want to love you forever after that. Sheesh. No serenades, or smouldering looks for you sunshine (or is that just my fantasy.... sigh)

Stephanie Pratt had Bulimia for a minute or two......

Stephanie Pratt announced to the world that she developed Bulimia as a result of being on the Hills. I mocked her for this on Twitter by pulling out that fantastic Heathers Quote "Grow up Stephanie Pratt, bulimia is so '87". Some thought that was a little harsh. To clarify, bulimia is a serious disease, and I do not mock people who have it. But the occasional binge and/or purge does not a bulimic make in my opinion. Ugh, she is so annoying and stupid. And to go to a tabloid to announce it. Ugh ugh ugh.





Speidi's quest for World domination to be thwarted by E!?



To continue with the Pratt theme, E! is this close to banning the two biggest fame-whores in the world from their site. Kudos to you E!, but we shall see. Speidi are like herpes, they may go away for a while, but it just takes one slip for them to come back. Couldn't they have just left them in Costa Rica?

From this

To This

Snicker..

I finally saw Drag Me To Hell with my friend Kent this weekend. It was a little bit of awesome. So disgusting and fabulous and funny. I did not really enjoy Alison Lohman, she was a little meh for me - but the crazy old Gypsy lady ( Baba-Ganoush?) more than made up for her lack of emotion. I was expecting to see a little of what Hell was like. As I have a seat waiting for me there and all, I was kind of interested in seeing what it would be like. Oh well, I guess I will just wait and see.

This totally p'wned this

We then snuck into The Proposal. Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds and the incomparable Betty White. Love her so hard. I wish she was my grammy (I have none left, so I can say that without offending anyone - I also wish Leo, one of the volunteers at my work was my Grampa - he is most adorable). It was cute - typical rom-com fluff. More Ryan Reynolds naked (or at least shirtless) would have made me happier. I have heard not nice things about him - that he is a dick in real life, one of those I am a celebrity leave me alone type people, so that tainted my view of him a little. He also has the beady eyes going on, and I am an eye person. But that body.... le sigh. Scar-Jo is one lucky untalented singer.

Sadly, 2 movies in a row left me very nappish, so I bailed on a BBQ I was s'posed to go to and went home and watched a few eps of Buffy Season 5 - The Body is coming up and it always kills me - the scene when Anya is talking about how stupid and mortal it all is - Joss Whedon is a genius and Emma Caufield played it perfectly. But I digress.....

The Much Music Video Awards were on this evening. They are hard to describe for anyone outside of Canada. Seem way more fun than other Award Shows, but when the closing number is Nickelback........ sigh. The awards are like the high school version of a Broadway Show - they think they are fabulous and amazing and just as good as the real thing, but deep down inside you just know that they are not. Nickelback is just so bad. And they are not the greatest rock band in the world. It was the Juno's all over again. But thankfully I wasn't forced to breathe the same air as them tonight as they were in T.O. The crowd is also so random - Cleavagey slutbomb Cougars for Chad and the boys and hysterical tweens for the Vagina Virgins and Taylor Lautner. I guess the tweens could have brought their slutty moms? Hmmmmm. Lady Gaga was awesome - I really wish I had jumped on her bandwagon earlier. Kelli Clarkson was also great (she is just a great singer). I didn't know who half the rest of the "talent" was. See - high school. Jonas Brothers seem sweet and nice and sugary. And boring as hell. But whatever. It will only be a mater of time before one of them comes out and another is in rehab.

Lots more going on in the world than this bullshit though. Apparently my cousin's envoy in Afghanistan was attacked. He is not military, he works for the UN - but still. Holy Crap. They were all fine, but they had to crawl out from under the truck/car/van. He is kind of done with Afghanistan I think. Wants to move to NYC - which would be all kinds of awesome as I heart NYC with a fiery passion and would love somewhere to stay.

And Iran. Even though I do not claim to know a lot about what is goin on there, all I have read points to a false election and rigged results. Kinda like the US 2000 election? Ha ha ha Seriously though, that is lame.

But I will leave you with this amazing video of Johnny Depp on his birthday. From Puerto Rico. The man is all class, so shy and humble. And when he gives that girl the look. OMFG. There are no words. I used to know someone who could give that look. Sigh. It was a long long time ago. My Johnny Depp is now married with 2 kids. But I remember when I used to get that look. Loins quivering. Thanks to Lainey for posting this originally


XO