Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
UPDATE!
Hi everyone,
So here's the deal: I'm working on moving everything over to wordpress. I'm hoping to get this done ASAP so that I can get back to making posts. I'm hoping to revamp the site, with more television reviews, music video reviews (finally!) and DVD reviews. I've been considering contests as well. I plan to archive all the old reviews and such as well, so that's going to take a bit of time. I'll post here when the new site is up!
Thanks,
Kelly
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Dreams, Gravity Defying Stunts, and an Oscar-Worthy Triumph
Inception
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy
Rated: PG-13
2 hrs. 28 mins.
Cobb (DiCaprio) is an expert thief in the realm of dream extraction. Saito, who Cobb believed was merely one of his marks, actually uses the extraction as a guise to audition a new team to perform a difficult and near impossible mission. When the new team is gathered, they must perform an inception by planting an idea into the mind of a target, in this case Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy). Once this last job is performed, Cobb may finally be able to return to the US and to his family.
The plot is a familiar one. A man must perform one last job that will eventually allow him to return to his family. However, Inception's story is much more complex than that simple plot bit, turning a cliche plot into something classified as never-before-seen. The idea of being able to manipulate and exist within dreams and the subconscious is mind-blowing. Add to that thrilling action and suspense and you have an Oscar-worthy film.
The effects and cinematography are stunning. The best scene, which makes you question, "How in the world did they do that?" occurs in a hotel within the dreamspace of Robert Fischer. Arthur (Gordon-Levitt) battles a man in during a moment in which gravity within the dream has disappeared. The halls flip and turn as Arthur flies around mid-air.
It will be a shock if Inception is not nominated for a slew of Academy Awards next year.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Emmy 2010 Nominations!
The Primetime Emmy nominations were announced yesterday morning. There are tons of awards, so I'll post the most notable/recognizable ones here.
Note: Many of the nominations will have a program name (italicized), the network, the production companies, and the episode for which the nomination is for (in quotes).
Outstanding Animated Program
Alien Earths - NGC - SkyWorks Digital, Inc.
Disney Prep & Landing - ABC - Walt Disney Animation Studios
The Ricky Gervais Show - "Knob at Night" - HBO - W!ILDBRAIN and Media Rights Capital in association with HBO Entertainment
The Simpsons - "Once Upon a Time in Springfield" - FOX - Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox
South Park - "200/201" - Comedy Central - Central Productions
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper - The Big Bang Theory - CBS
Larry David as Himself - Curb Your Enthusiasm - HBO
Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester - Glee - FOX
Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk - Monk - USA
Steve Carell as Michael Scott - The Office - NBC
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy - 30 Rock - NBC
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Bryan Cranston as Walter White - Breaking Bad - AMC
Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan - Dexter - Showtime
Kyle Chandler as Eric Taylor - Friday Night Lights - NBC
Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House - House - FOX
Matthew Fox as Jack Shephard - Lost ABC
Jon Hamm as Don Draper - Mad Men - AMC
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
Jeff Bridges as Jon Katz - A Dog Year - HBO
Ian McKellon as Two - The Prisoner - AMC
Michael Sheen as Tony Blair - The Special Relationship - HBO
Dennis Quaid as Bill Clinton - The Special Relationship - HBO
Al Pacino as Dr. Kevorkian - You Don't Know Jack - HBO
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Lea Michele as Rachel Berry - Glee - FOX
Julia Louis-Dreyfuss - The New Adventures of Old Christine - CBS
Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton - Nurse Jackie - Showtime
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope - Parks and Recreation - NBC
Tina Fey as Liz Lemon - 30 Rock - NBC
Toni Collette as Tara Gregson - The United States of Tara - Showtime
-
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson - The Closer - TNT
Glenn Close as Patty Hewes - Damages - FX
Connie Britton as Tami Taylor - Friday Night Lights - NBC
Juliana Margulies as Alicia Florrick - The Good Wife - CBS
Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson - Law and Order: SVU - NBC
January Jones as Betty Draper - Mad Men - NBC
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Maggie Smith as Mary Gilbert - Capturing Mary - HBO
Joan Allen as Georgia O'Keefe - Georgia O'Keefe - Lifetime
Dame Judi Dench as Miss Matty - Return to Cranford - PBS
Hope Davis as Hillary Clinton - The Special Relationship - HBO
Claire Danes as Temple Grandin - Temple Grandin - HBO
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel - Glee - FOX
Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson - How I Met Your Mother - CBS
Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell - Modern Family - ABC
Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker - Modern Family - ABC
Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy - Modern Family - ABC
Jon Cryer as Alan Harper - Two and a Half Men - CBS
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman - Breaking Bad - AMC
Martin Short as Leonard Winstone - Damages - FX
Terry O'Quinn as John Locke - Lost - ABC
Michael Emerson as Ben Linus - Lost - ABC
John Slattery as Roger Sterling - Mad Men - AMC
Andre Braugher as Owen - Men of a Certain Age - TNT
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Michael Gambon as Mr. Woodhouse - Emma - PBS
Patrick Stewart as Ghost/Claudius - Hamlet - PBS
Jonathan Pryce as Mr. Buxton - Return to Cranford - PBS
David Strathairn as Dr. Carlock - Temple Grandin - HBO
John Goodman as Neal Nicol - You Don't Know Jack - HBO
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester - Glee - FOX
Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy - Modern Family - ABC
Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett - Modern Family - ABC
Kristen Wiig as Various Characters - Saturday Night Live - NBC
Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney - 30 Rock - NBC
Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper - Two and a Half Men - CBS
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Sharon Gless as Madeline Westen - Burn Notice - USA
Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons - Damages - FX
Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma - The Good Wife - CBS
Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart - The Good Wife - CBS
Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris - Mad Men - AMC
Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson - Mad Men - AMC
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Kathy Bates as Queen of Hearts - Alice - SyFy
Julia Ormond as Eustacia - Temple Grandin - HBO
Catherine O'Hara as Aunt Ann - Temple Grandin - HBO
Brenda Vaccaro as Margo Janus - You Don't Know Jack - HBO
Susan Sarandon as Janet Good - You Don't Know Jack - HBO
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
Phil Keoghan - The Amazing Race - CBS
Ryan Seacrest - American Idol - FOX
Tom Bergeron - Dancing With the Stars - ABC
Heidi Klum - Project Runway - Lifetime
Jeff Probst - Survivor - CBS
Outstanding Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm - HBO - HBO Entertainment
Glee - FOX - A Ryan Murphy TV Production in association with 20th Century Fox TV
Modern Family - ABC - Twentieth Century Fox Television
Nurse Jackie - Showtime - Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc & Delong Lumber; A Caryn Mandabach Production
The Office - NBC - Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille LLC in association with Universal Media Studios
30 Rock - NBC - Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studios
Outstanding Drama Series
Breaking Bad - AMC - Sony Pictures Television
Dexter - Showtime - Showtime Presents, John Goldwyn Productions, The Colleton Company, Clyde Phillips Productions
The Good Wife - CBS - CBS Productions
Lost - ABC - Grass Skirts Productions, LLC in association with ABC Network and Studios
Mad Men - AMC - Lionsgate Television
True Blood - HBO - Your Face Goes Here Entertainment in association with HBO Entertainment
Outstanding Miniseries
The Pacific - HBO - Playtone and Dreamworks in association with HBO Miniseries
Return to Cranford - PBS - BBC/WGBH in association with Chestermead
Outstanding Made for Television Movie
Endgame - PBS - Channel 4, Target Entertainment Group and Masterpiece present A Daybreak Pictures Production
Georgia O'Keefe - Lifetime - Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television
Moonshot - History - Produced by Dangerous Films LTD for History
The Special Relationship - HBO - A Rainmark and Kennedy/Marshall Production
Temple Grandin - HBO - A Rubu Films, Gerson Saines Production in association with HBO Films
You Don't Know Jack - HBO - Bee Holder, Cine Mosaic and Levinson/Fontana Productions in association with HBO Films
Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series
The Colbert Report - Comedy Central - Hello Doggie, In. with Busboy Productions and Spartina Productions
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - Comedy Central - Central Productions, LLC
Real Time with Bill Maher - HBO - Bill Maher Productions and Brad Grey Television in association with HBO Entertainment
Saturday Night Live - NBC - SNL Studios in association with NBC Studios and Broadway Video
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien - NBC - Conaco & NBC Universal
Outstanding Reality Program
Antiques Roadshow - PBS - WGBH Education Foundation
Dirty Jobs - Discovery Channel - Produced by Pilgrim Films and Television, Inc. for Discovery Channel
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution - ABC - Ryan Seacrest Productions and Fresh One Productions
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List - Bravo - A 4 Aces and a Kicker production in association with Picture This Television and Bravo Media
Mythbusters - Discovery Channel - Produced by Beyond Productions Pty. Ltd. for the Discovery Channel
Undercover Boss - CBS - Studio Lambert
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race - CBS - World Wide Race Productions, Inc.
American Idol - FOX - FremantleMedia N.A., Inc. & 19TV Ltd.
Dancing With the Stars - ABC - BBC Worldwide Productions
Project Runway - Lifetime - The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture
Top Chef - Bravo - Magical Elves, Bravo
For the complete list, check http://www.emmys.tv.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Trailer: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
This week the trailer for the extremely highly-anticipated final two Harry Potter films was released.
Synopsis:
As Lord Voldemort's power grows stronger, especially with his control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the world is in its most perilous position yet. Harry, Ron and Hermione intend to finish what Dumbledore started and destroy Voldemort's horcruxes, items each containing a bit of his soul, in order to finally take down the Dark Lord.
In Theaters:
Part 1 - November 19, 2010
Part 2 - July 15, 2011
To tell the truth, the trailer gives me chills, especially having been a Harry Potter fan since I was a kid. It's going to be a tough wait between the two films but in the end will be worth it. The sad part will be leaving the theater after Part 2 has ended.
What do you think? Are you looking forward to seeing it?
In Theaters: June 30 - July 2
A couple of movies hit theaters a little earlier than Friday, so this week's In Theaters is a bit early as well. Let's take a look at what is being released.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30
Opening in wide release:
Director: David Slade
Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Rated: PG-13
The third of four installments, and touted as the biggest movie of the summer in all the TV spots, Eclipse has Bella (Kristen Stewart) stuck choosing between sparkly-vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and Six-Pack-Ab shapeshifter/werewolf Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner). Plus, foe Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard, who replaces Rachelle Lefevre in the role) has built an army of "newborn" vampires with the intent of destroying Bella and the Cullens in response to Edward and his family destroying her own mate, James. Now comes the part where there is an epic battle with lots of CG wolves and high-flying super-vamp effects.
Opening in limited release:
Director: Taylor Hackford
Stars: Helen Mirren, Joe Pesci, Bai Ling, Taryn Manning
Not Rated
THURSDAY, JULY 1
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Stars: Noah Ringer, Dev Patel, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone
Rated: PG
Based on the popular Nickelodeon cartoon, the Fire Nation wages war the Air, Water, and Earth nations. This continues until Aang (Noah Ringer) discovers he is the last person with the ability to manipulate all of the elements. Now, with the help of a Waterbender and her brother (Nicola Peltz and Jackson Rathbone) he will try to stop the Fire Nation and restore peace among the four nations once again.
FRIDAY, JULY 2
Director: Angela Ismailos
Stars: Bernardo Bertolucci, David Lynch, Stephen Frears, Agnes Varda
Not Rated - Limited release
Pretty much everyone and especially everyone's mother has heard about the release of Eclipse, unless maybe you are a 65-year-old male or live in a cave somewhere with no internet or cable. I'm looking forward to seeing The Last Airbender, actually, despite never once having seen the cartoon. The trailer pulled me in.
What are you looking forward to seeing this weekend?
Monday, June 28, 2010
A Daring Escape, Mr. Pricklepants, and A Blast of Nostalgia
Toy Story 3
Directed By: Lee Unkrich
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty
Rated: G
1 hr. 43 min.
In the third installment of Toy Story, the toys, including Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen), are mistakenly sent to the Sunnyside Day Care during the bustle of Andy packing for college. But when the toys try to bust out of Sunnyside and return to Andy, they find that other toys are determined not to let them leave. Now they must embark on a big escape to make it to Andy before he leaves home.
The opening scene pulls the audience in to the imagination of Andy as a child to a new degree that we did not get in the first two installments. It takes you back to the wild stories you created in your imaginations when you played with your own toys as a child.
The plot is simple, the toys have to get back to Andy before he leaves for college on Friday, but other elements make it more than just a time-sensitive mission. The toddlers who play with the toys aren't playing with them calmly, Sunnyside's resident toys refuse to let them leave, and Woody becomes separated and ends up in a little girl's home with her other toys, including a stuffed theatrical porcupine named Mr. Pricklepants.
Toy Story 3 is one of those animated movies that is appropriate and enjoyable for children and adults alike. Every adult will be able to recall their own childhoods or that time when he or she finally went off to college, but those who were children when the original Toy Story debuted will get an extra shot of nostalgia, and will surely be emotional by the end.
Grade: A+
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