And the winners are...

ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE

Demin Bichir in "A Better Life"

George Clooney in "The Descendants"

Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"

Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"

Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"

My Prediction: Jean Dujardin

Winner:  Jean Dujardin

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn

Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"

Nick Nolte in "Warrior"

Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"

Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

My Prediction: Jonah Hill

Winner:  Christopher Plummer (and it’s a record.  He’s now the oldest person to win an Oscar at age 82)

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs"

Viola Davis in "The Help"

Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"

Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"

My Prediction:   Meryl Streep

Winner:   Meryl Streep

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Benice Bejo in "The Artist"

Jessica Chastain in "The Help"

Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids"

Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs"

Octavia Spencer in "The Help"

My Prediction:  Octavia Spencer

Winner:   Octavia Spencer

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

"A Cat in Paris " Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli"

Chico & Rita "Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal

"Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson

"Puss in Boots" Chris Miller

"Rango" Gore Verbinski

My Prediction:  “A Cat in Paris”

Winner:   “Rango”

ART DIRECTION

"The Artist" Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan

"Hugo" Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo

"Midnight in Paris" Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil

"War Horse" Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

My Prediction:  “Hugo”

Winner:  “Hugo”

CINEMATOGRAPHY

"The Artist" Guillaume Schiffman

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Jeff Cronenweth

"Hugo" Robert Richardson

"The Tree of Life" Emmanuel Lubezki

"War Horse" Janusz Kaminski

My Prediction:  “The Artist”

Winner:  “Hugo”

COSTUME DESIGN

"Anonymous" Lisy Christl

"The Artist" Mark Bridges

"Hugo" Sandy Powell

"Jane Eyre" Michael O'Connor

"W.E." Arianne Phillips

My Prediction:  “Anonymous

Winner:  “The Artist”

DIRECTING

"The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius

"The Descendants" Alexander Payne

"Hugo" Martin Scorsese

"Midnight in Paris" Woody Allen

"The Tree of Life" Terrence Malick

My Prediction:  Woody Allen

Winner:   Michel Hazanavicius

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)

"Hell and Back Again" Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner

"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front" Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman

"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky

"Pina" Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel

"Undefeated" TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

My Prediction:  “Paradise 3: Purgatory”

Winner:   “Undefeated”

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)

"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement" Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin

"God Is the Bigger Elvis" Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson

"Incident in New Baghdad" James Spione

"Saving Face" Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom" Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

My Prediction:  “Incident in New Baghdad”

Winner: “Saving Face”

FILM EDITING

"The Artist" Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius

"The Descendants" Kevin Tent

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall

"Hugo" Thelma Schoonmaker

"Moneyball" Christopher Tellefsen

My Prediction:  The Artist

Winner:   “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” (that came as a total shock)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

"Bullhead" Belgium

"Footnote" Israel

"In Darkness" Poland

"Monsieur Lazhar" Canada

"A Separation" Iran

My Prediction:  “In Darkness”

Winner:  “A Seperation” (In all fairness, I said it was between this and “In Darkness, so technically, I’m right!)

MAKEUP

"Albert Nobbs" Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin

"The Iron Lady" Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

My Prediction:  “Albert Nobbs”

Winner:   “The Iron Lady”

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

"The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams

"The Artist" Ludovic Bource

"Hugo" Howard Shore

"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias

"War Horse" John Williams

My Prediction:  “The Artist”

Winner:   “The Artist”  (I think this makes my third correct prediction)

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie

"Real in Rio"from "Rio" Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett

My Prediction:  “Man or Muppet”

Winner:   “Man or Muppet”

BEST PICTURE

"The Artist" Thomas Langmann, Producer

"The Descendants" Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers

"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" Scott Rudin, Producer

"The Help" Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers

"Hugo" Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers

"Midnight in Paris" Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers

"Moneyball" Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers

"The Tree of Life" Nominees to be determined

"War Horse" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

My Prediction:  “The Artist”

Winner:   “The Artist”

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

 "Dimanche/Sunday" Patrick Doyon

"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg

"La Luna" Enrico Casarosa

"A Morning Stroll" Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe

"Wild Life" Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

My Prediction:  “A Morning Stroll”

Winner:   "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore"

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

 "Pentecost" Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane

"Raju" Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren

"The Shore" Terry George and Oorlagh George

"Time Freak" Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey

"Tuba Atlantic" Hallvar Witzø

My Prediction:  “Pentecost”

Winner: “The Shore”

SOUND EDITING

"Drive" Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Ren Klyce

"Hugo" Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty

"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl

"War Horse" Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

My Prediction:  “Drive”

Winner:   “Hugo” (seriously?  Drive deserved it!)

SOUND MIXING

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson

"Hugo" Tom Fleischman and John Midgley

"Moneyball" Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick

"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin

"War Horse" Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

My Prediction:  “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”

Winner:  “Hugo”  (Ok…”Hugo” is sweeping all the technical awards…)

VISUAL EFFECTS

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson

"Hugo" Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning

"Real Steel" Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett

"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

My Prediction:  “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2”

Winner:   “Hugo” (again)

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

"The Descendants" Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

"Hugo" Screenplay by John Logan

"The Ides of March" Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon

"Moneyball" Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin

"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan

My Prediction:  “The Ides of March”

Winner:  “The Descendants”

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY) 

"The Artist" Written by Michel Hazanavicius

"Bridesmaids" Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig

"Margin Call" Written by J.C. Chandor

"Midnight in Paris" Written by Woody Allen

"A Separation" Written by Asghar Farhadi

My Prediction:  “Midnight in Paris”

Winner:   “Midnight in Paris”

Hayao Miyazaki for the win!

            What’s up everyone using the internet?  I’m TheCinemaChick and I’m still reviewing movies to make sure they don’t suck.  Now, if you recall my blog “15(ish) movies I'm geeking out about in 2012”, I mentioned a movie called “The Secret World of Arrietty” that is from the famous Studio Ghibli and the amazing Hayao Miyazaki.  It’s based off the novel “The Borrowers” which has been adapted many times in many ways.  Yes, this isn’t the first time it’s been animated, but for me, this one is the best.

            Now, for those of you aren’t familiar with anything by Miyazaki, I have some recommendations for you.  First off, check out Ponyo, which is a fairly recent film.  It’s about a young fish who becomes a girl and loves ham.  Another one I highly recommend is Princess Mononoke.  That one is a bit more complex, but the plot mixed with the sublime animation is perfection.  This was my first Miyazaki film, though I didn’t realize it at the time.  Now that I have more knowledge, I’m hoping to eventually see all the films he’s made. 

            If you still want more, rent My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away or even Kiki’s Delivery Service.  The last one isn’t my favorite, but it’s still worth seeing.  Anything Miyazaki does is amazing, in my opinion.  I love his work and he’s a very talented man.  The newest release did not disappoint me at all.

            So here I am, listening to some David Guetta remixes and looking up information about Hayao Miyazaki.  I’m ready to review.

           So, if you know anything about The Borrowers, you have a basic idea of what The Secret World of Arrietty is about.  Borrowers are tiny people, about four inches tall who live in houses.  They come out and take things from humans so they can survive.  Borrowers are very kind and only take what they need.  If a human sees them, they must immediately pack up and find a new home.  According to them, a being’s curiosity will always win out and it means the Borrowers are in danger.

            Got all that?  You do?  Good, because it will come into play later.

            As you’ve probably guessed, this movie is all about Arrietty.  She’s the only child of Pod and Homily.  At the beginning of the film, they believe they are the only Borrowers left.  Shaun, a young boy with a heart condition, goes out to the country to get some rest before his surgery.  While spending time out there, he meets Arrietty and they become friends.  Because of the Borrower’s rules, once they have been seen, the family moves away and Shaun never sees them again.

            Yes, the plot is very simple, but honestly, the visuals more than make up for it.  I know animation has some pretty cools things it can do, like computer animated stuff, but somehow, this made me think of a simpler time.  Everything is bright and detailed, almost like an oil painting.  The close ups are absolutely gorgeous.  You can tell the animators put a lot of thought and planning into the artwork.

            And you know what else I love about this movie?  It’s absolutely perfect for the little ones.  I would say you could take the children to see it because there is nothing objectionable or scary about it.  Then again, it has been distributed through Disney, which is famous for making family friendly films.  Say that one five times fast.  The only warning I can offer is that Shaun gives a little soliloquy about death and dying at a young age that does get incredibly depressing.  The movie is light hearted, but this one moment is so serious that it puts a damper on the overall happiness of it.

            I guess you could say this is sort about overcoming obstacles since Arrietty doesn’t let her size stop her.  She saves her mother from being trapped in a mason jar with Shaun’s help.  Everything happens as it should and has a happy ending. 

            I can’t help it.  The colors and the cheery overtones just make me love this film.  Knowing that Miyazaki wrote just makes it all the better.  Now, I know some people are not anime fans and I understand.  It’s sort of an acquired taste…like sushi.  Oh, speaking of sushi, I explained what it is to my five year old nephew.  His face was priceless.  I like sushi personally, but I also have fond memories of going to a place that serves it in Nacogdoches.  It was a tradition when I came to town, sort of a leaving feast.  The filias, some of our nerdy friends and I go out for sushi then I leave town on a four hour drive.  Plus, that’s the only place I have used a plate of sushi as a pillow.

            Yeah…it was finals week and I’d been awake for like…forty or more hours…that’s what I got for not finishing my linguistics project and my nonfiction portfolio.  I literally drank about a gallon of coffee.

            So there you go kids, procrastination is bad.

            And I’m wildly off topic.

            I do recommend The Secret World of Arrietty to everyone, even younger children.  It’s not scary, there’s nothing objectionable and it’s beautiful to look at.  Little kids will love it as well as adults.  The theme of being brave, overcoming obstacles and friendship come through clearly without being crammed down your throat.

            I’m TheCinemaChick and I like saying wibbly wobbly.

The perfect date movie

            Hey everyone, please call me TheCinemaChick!  I’m your anonymous girl in the movie theaters and once again, I’m here to let you know what’s going on in the Hollywood world.  But before we get to that, I’d like to add in a disclaimer.  You see, in my last review, I got a comment that made me feel a bit bad.  So, here’s my new disclaimer which might have to appear in all my future blogs.

            **I am not the authority on movies.  I’m just a critic and an amateur one at that.  Just because I don’t like something, it doesn’t mean you have to hate it too.  Everything I write is my opinion.  Don’t let me decide things for you.  Go out and see movies then make your own decision on whether its good or not.  You may even notice something I don’t and change my mind about it.

            One more time: I just give opinions.  I don’t have the final say on what you see.**

            Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into the movie!  I know, I meant to have this posted earlier in the week, but things just keep getting in the way.  I’d be ready to write, then be called away.  Someone would get sick so I’d have to babysit or be on standby in case I needed to run out.  Things were just crazy but now I have some down time so I’m finally getting around to reviewing the hit romance flick, The Vow.

            As I’ve mentioned several times before, I’m not a huge fan of romantic comedies because they come off as formulaic and predictable.  Technically, this one follows that same pattern, but with a twist.  If you’ve seen the previews, you know it’s about a woman who loses her memory due to a horrific car wreck and the great lengths her husband goes to in order to remind her of their life together.  Sounds pretty straightforward and simple, I admit.  And overall, it is very simplistic and low key.  There’s no fancy camera work, no trick photography, just a story unfolding in front of your eyes.

            The lead roles are played by Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams.  Paige (McAdams) suffers a terrible head injury due to an accident.  I have to warn you, this scene might be mildly disturbing to sensitive viewers.  It’s done in slow motion, so you get to really experience the wreck, down to the moment where she hits her head.  It’s graphic but it really gets you into the story.  After that, it becomes the typical Hollywood romance movie I’ve already seen a hundred times before.  Only instead of a meddling friend or overbearing parent, the leading lady has amnesia.

            The movie is fairly slow paced, almost agonizingly slow.  I watched this movie with Fry and Unown and all three of us were bored.  That’s not to say it was bad, but it just didn’t appeal to us like we thought it would.

            Here’s my thoughts on why I personally didn’t like but others would.  The main focus of the film is the relationship between Paige and Leo (Tatum).  It’s sweet, it’s beautiful and it’s very touching, but as a single woman, I can only dream of a man who’ll go to that much effort to be so great to me.  I don’t have a boyfriend to spoil me or take care of me when I need it.  If you have a significant other, you’ll watch this and think of them and all the things they have done or would do for you.  

            It’s a great couple’s movie.  The Vow will make you think of why and how you fell in love with someone.  It also makes you think, “What am I willing to do for the one I love?  How far will I go to protect and help them?”

            While I am disillusioned in the romance department, I do have some fond moments of when I felt truly loved.  Like…my last boyfriend, the Gopher (weird name, but he kept falling in holes, so we called him a gopher), was a sweet guy.  When I found out several of my close friends had been lying to me about something fairly important, I asked him if he’d ever lied to me.  He spent an hour on the phone with me assuring me that he was always honest.  Knowing he gave up an hour of sleep for me made me feel like I was special.  Granted, a few months later we parted ways…I do miss him very much but he’s moved on.

            I mean, no guy has ever bought me flowers or anything special like that, but still, the idea that maybe some day, some guy can see past my physical flaws and learn to love me for who I am, not what I look like.

            I’m off topic.  Apologies.

            The Vow is a great movie to see when you’re on a date, but be warned, because it is such a quiet movie, you might hear that movies in the next theater.  I had that problem and it detracted from the overall experience.  Plus, I’m not a fan of Rachel McAdams and I know nothing about Channing Tatum.  I couldn’t tell you what movies he’s been in.  Oh wait, yes I can…he was in GI Joe.

            Overall, I’m very on the fence about this one.  I didn’t hate it, but I don’t love it.  I still stand by my statement that it is the perfect movie for couples to see.  Hell, if you enjoy romantic movies, you’ll love this.  As for me, I could have done without it.  While it was endearing and sweet, it just did nothing for me.  I do know that it was based off a true story, which is another reason I can’t hate it.  I like the idea that some guy actually did all this for his wife because he loved her so much.

            If you want a nice heartwarming film, check out The Vow.  If you like Rachel McAdams or Channing Tatum, go see this.  *Men, a heads up, there is a nude scene where Tatum’s backside is shown.  Just telling you now*.  I can see why its done so well and why so many people are raving about it.  However, it’s just not my favorite genre so I personally didn’t care for it as much as others.  Maybe I have some hang ups, maybe I just don’t like the obvious formula used in every romantic comedy out there.  I don’t know, but The Vow was not my favorite movie.

            Save this one for date night.  Go out to dinner then see this.  It’ll make you appreciate your significant other in ways you might not have imagined before.

            I’m TheCinemaChick and I’m most likely wearing a hoodie at this very moment.

Spirit of Vengeance

            Hey guys, I’m the girl you trust with information about movies out in the theaters!  Please call me TheCinemaChick.  I’ve got two reviews for you so I suppose we should get things started with the first movie I watched.  Now, before I delve into it, I just want to let everyone know, I’m not a huge fan of this series.  I have seen Ghost Rider, but it was several years ago.  Ironically, the day after seeing Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengance, the original one came on television, so I watched it again.  .

            The sequel…well…I really didn’t enjoy it.  It was nowhere near as good as the first one and I felt like it wanted to do too much.  As you’ve seen from the previews or trailers online, it’s about a boy who is possibly the antichrist.  That’s one of the plots.  The other involves kidnapping, another one involves religious sects that are mentioned once and never brought up again and ultimately, Ghost Rider being taken away from Johnny Blaze.

            So, let’s get this straight.  Ignore everything you know about Ghost Rider because it will not be mentioned in Spirit of Vengeance.  In fact, the origin story has been slightly changed.  The devil is played by a different actor.  As if that’s not bad enough, there’s nothing tying the two films together.  Both of them could stand alone and still be fine.     

            Ok guys, since I can’t seem to write this normally, let’s just have a friendly debate with myself about this.  What I’m going to do is make a point about Ghost Rider, then make a comment about Spirit of Vengeance.  I’m hoping this helps to keep things a bit more organized.

Ghost Rider:

I can safely say I prefer the first one.  I can’t help it.  As tacky and as bad as it was, it had a better storyline, the CGI was superior and it left me feeling satisfied.  Sure, it was far from perfect but everyone knows I’m willing to admit every film has flaws

Spirit of Vengeance:

.While the first film did nothing for me and the second just disappointed me.  Not to mention the lead actor just hasn’t done anything worthwhile lately.  Honestly, Nicolas Cage should really consider retiring because his recent track record has been fairly disappointing.  My faith in Marvel adaptations is wavering and that’s sad considering I was fairly amped to see The Avengers when it came out.

Ghost Rider:

In the first film, Ghost Rider is a soul collecting bounty hunter for the devil.  Ok, that makes him sound like a total badass.  I could get into that.  In fact, he is a badass.  He’s a skeleton on fire who uses a red hot chain to snare his enemies, then uses the Penance Stare to take their souls.  Come on, the guy stares at you and it’s like “Instadeath”.  How many comic book characters can just look at you and kill you? 

Spirit of Vengeance:

Johnny Blaze has gone from total badass to mopey, brooding outcast living in the middle of nowhere.  He’s been suppressing the Ghost Rider because he thinks it only wants to kill for sport.  (Bear in mind, this is my own personal opinion.  I am most likely wrong about this.)  Instead of being an awesome bounty hunter, he’s a demon.  Yes, you heard me, a demon who is really an angel that was once cast down from Heaven.  Apparently, this version can also revive the dead.  Yeah, doesn’t really make sense to me either.

Ghost Rider:

His main weapon is the previously mentioned Penance Stare, where he can pretty much look in your eyes and know every bad thing you’ve ever done, from a little white lie to murder.  I think that has got to be one of the most amazing powers anyone could ever have.  Seriously, I’m a comic book nerd and I’ve been all for Psylocke, Sage and Threnody for years.  I’d get into Ghost Rider just for the whole Penance Stare thing.  Plus, he has a red hot chain and flaming motorcycle. 

And if you have no idea who Psylocke, Sage and Threnody are, Google it.

Spirit of Vengeance:

Yeah…the Penance Stare is used once in a fairly lame battle towards the beginning.  Ghost Rider relies mostly on his chain and later on, machines.  Don’t ask how that one works out.  I’ve having a little trouble accepting that one myself.

            For the most part, I just couldn’t stand Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.  The script is full of horrible puns and terrible jokes.  Most of the time, the dialogue is just pathetic.  Nicolas Cage gets a little too into his role, which makes his performance borderline bipolar.  It’s like watching the man having a psychotic breakdown.  I’m almost certain it actually happened too.  The CGI was embarrassing.  It was major step down from the first film, where I thought it was incredible.

            After the movie, I spoke with a theater employee who knows me.  He asked about it and I honestly said, “If you view it as a comedy, you’ll love it.  I cannot recommend this as an action movie.”

            Yeah…now time for the shocking part.

            Despite how laughable this movie was, I do recommend it.  The directors really got into it and the camera work is phenomenal.  It’s not Oscar worthy by any means but it could earn a MTV Movie Award.  I loved the technical aspects of Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.  There are animated montages scattered throughout, which provide a great way to show things without having a character sit there and talk for long periods of time.

            Trust me, it’s not Marvel’s finest film, but it’s decent.  As I told my friend who works at the theater, I cannot recommend it as an action film.  It must be viewed as a comedy to be taken seriously.  Nicolas Cage’s acting talents seem to slowly vanish with every movie he makes and he seems positively schizophrenic in this one.  However, it works and manages to successfully convey the inner struggle between Johnny Blaze and Ghost Rider.

            So there you have it.  The movie is overdone, horribly acted, overly complicated and almost painful to endure because it’s such a far cry from the original.  But, I would say it’s worth a shot.  Marvel fans will enjoy it, as will Nicolas Cage fans.  As a comic book geek and a movie lover, I’m somewhere in the middle.  I didn’t hate it, but I don’t love it.  Save this one for the dollar theater and skip the 3D.

            It was more entertaining than The Vow, which is my next review.

            I’m TheCinemaChick and I’d like to say happy birthday to Zaden.  

This Means WAR!

            Hey all you people who enjoy seeing movies!  I’m the girl in the shadows, possibly hiding under a grey hoodie, TheCinemaChick!  I know, I know, I said I’d take the month off, but things change.  Believe me, this is a huge chance for me that I’m not going to pass up.  You see, a local radio station, 102.1 The Edge (for those in the Dallas Fort Worth area) is having a contest to find a movie critic.  I’ve entered it and I’m really hoping I have a shot at winning.  My fingers are metaphorically crossed and I’m dying to see if I’m even in the running.  Can you imagine it?  My little blog…*sigh*

            Now, as you all know, my last blog was my stupid and courageous one where I did admit some things.  I will say this now.  That type of thing will NEVER appear again.  It’s done and over with.  And for those of you that did read it and wonder how Mumford reacted…well…he’s another Butterfly.  We’re friends and that’s it.  Like Butterfly, we’d probably see a movie, hug and go our separate ways.  I will admit that I think Mumford would be a blast at a concert.  He’d probably go in the mosh pit with me.  Yeah, I rock like that.  Though, I would like to point out, I did say he could do better than me.  Technically, I was right.

            I want a hug…

            Oh wait!  This is my 100^th blog entry!  That’s right, this will be my 100^th entry and I am so happy about it.  You see, I had thought this would just be a little hobby, but I actually have a small fan base, international readers and a theater that often contacts me to write about their events.  More importantly, this blog has helped me learn so much about myself.  I’ve thought about quitting and just walking away several times but then I feel like if I did leave this, I’d be letting people down.  I know no one’s sitting by the computer, waiting impatiently for my next review, but knowing that you are reading (and I know you are since I check my stats) makes me feel good about myself.

            So, thanks to you readers, I have gained more confidence in both myself and my writing abilities.  The continued support really helps and again…thank you so much.

            Hugs for everyone!  Share the love!  Don’t say you hate hugs because it’s like impossible to hate them  Hugs are like…little drops of sunshine and sparkles on a dreary day.  They’re a moment of warmth on a frosty day.  Hugs bring a smile to your face when the day seems like it’ll never get better.

            And now…the whole reason you keep coming back to this blog.  I actually do have a movie to review.  Yesterday was Valentine’s Day, a day that I could honestly live without.  Well, Fry, Unown and I had planned to see The Vow.  Unown fell ill, so she was unable to make it.  I realized that The Vow would be packed because it’s basically the perfect date movie, so instead, we went to a sneak preview of This Means War, the new Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy movie.  Now, it will be released on Friday, so I will try not to give too much away.

            I’ll tell you this straight off, if you’re going into this thinking it’s an action packed spy thriller, you will be sorely disappointed.  It’s actually a romantic comedy with three scenes of action.  The previews are fairly misleading because it sells This Means War as something exciting when its not.  Most of the film focuses on Tuck (Tom Hardy) and his best friend, FDR (Chris Pine).  Don’t ask me why his name is FDR, it just is.  They end up fighting over Lauren (Reese Witherspoon).  This is what you’ll see most of the time.  Two CIA agents fighting over a girl by using government tactics to spy on each other.

            And remember, I’m not a romantic comedy person.

            The whole thing is misleading.  It started off with an incredible action sequence, then went straight to the romance stuff, which brought the movie to a jarring halt.  After that, it never managed to pick the pace back up.  For two hours, I sat through immature jokes, bad pranks and some really creepy stuff.  Honestly, who spies on their best friend on a date?  Plus, isn’t there some sort of guy code about dating?  Oh yeah, it’s called “bros before hos”.  Girls have a similar saying, but we say “sisters before misters”. 

            I could have done without Chelsea Handler.  She plays Trish, Lauren’s best friend but she is wildly inappropriate.  I’m not a fan of the raunchy comedy and she really laid it on thick.  Sure, for about five minutes it’s funny but after that, it’s just annoying.  The character of Trish could have been left out entirely and the movie would have been just as good. 

            As if that weren’t bad enough, there actually is a villain in the film who is rarely seen.  He shows up for a grand total of maybe fifteen minutes but once again, this angle could have been completely left out and it wouldn’t have affected the movie at all.  I’m not even sure why the villain was even brought up again since he does absolutely nothing until the final ten minutes, where he dies.  Sadly, I couldn’t even take the big climax seriously because of the dialogue.

            Despite all that, it was worth seeing.  It was cute, it had some moments of good humor and Tom Hardy has a sexy accent.  That last thing won’t appeal to men, but hey, men have Reese Witherspoon to stare at.  While This Means War has obvious flaws and the plot is paper thin, it’s a good way to waste time.  The jokes are sometimes funny so it’s not a total loss.  It’s forgettable after a while because I’m trying to think of something that’s truly funny without giving anything away and I got nothing.

            Don’t discount the film because it’s not the best thing out there.  It’s not going to make my best movies of 2012 list but it was enjoyable.  I didn’t leave feeling like I’d wasted my money, so there’s a plus

            So there you have it, guys.  I’m back and I’m reviewing like I’ve never reviewed before.  Next on my list is the upcoming Ghost Rider sequel.  I haven’t seen a Nicolas Cage movie since Season of the Witch, so let’s hope he can redeem himself in this one.  Granted, I wasn’t a huge fan of the Ghost Rider movie and I didn’t think it even needed a sequel.  I guess I was wrong then.

            I’m TheCinemaChick and I have an industrial piercing.

Stupid, Insane Courage

            Hey guys I’m ThecCinemaChick, your friendly anonymous movie critic and tonight, we’re doing something different.  You see, Kit Kat and I have been thinking about “We Bought a Zoo”, not because it was a great movie, but because of the quote they kept repeating.  So…we’ve decided to be completely honest and just…go for it.  I’m incredibly nervous because I rarely ever talk about anything but films.  Plus, I am going to say things about some of the people who read the blog…it might change their opinion of me.  So, here it goes.  One blog of insane, stupid courage.

            I apologize if I offend or confuse anyone. 

            First off, there is a reason I choose to remain anonymous.  I fully believe that almost everything is based off a person’s looks.  People don’t get to know your personality from a quick glance.  No matter what, I would be judged by what I look like and I don’t think that’s right.  I’m not a super skinny hot chick.  In fact, I’ve got very dry skin, curly hair that has a mind of it’s own, glasses and oh yes, piercings.  Granted, all seven of them are in my ears right now.  I used to have a lip ring, but had to take it out.  I don’t understand why so much is based off physical appearance.  Seriously, does it matter how good my breasts look or how tall and sexy I am?  I mean, is there something wrong with finding intelligent conversation attractive?

            I’m not what most guys would consider hot or sexy.  It’s probably a combination of my own personal insecurities and a refusal to accept that to be beautiful I should be a stick thing, large breasted woman like you’d see on a magazine cover.  I’m real and I’m not perfect.  In fact, my unfortunate insecurities have caused me to have trouble speaking to guys.  Yes, I can talk to Butterfly, but he’s like a brother to me.  Though…there was that one time a guy thought he and I were married.  That was awkward.  But., I’ve had crushes on guys or I’ve had things I wanted to say to them, but I couldn’t because I was just too scared.  Like…I did mention that all my female friends at college thought Mumford was hot.  Terra mentioned it again the other night, referring to him as “the hot one”.  I don’t ask…she has a boyfriend.  The thing is, I think that Mumford is attractive as well, but I could never tell him face to face.  I’m almost certain I’d get laughed at, rejected and he’d stop speaking to me.  Plus, he could do way better than me.

            You know, I have to admit that I do have a secret passion.  I love music.  It’s the one thing I can’t imagine living without.  I’ve been told that I should have gotten a degree in music and go on to sing for a living.  The idea was a good one, until the crippling stage fright set it.  Yeah, public speaking is no problem, but ask me to sing and I’m petrified.  I’ve done it before, many times, but it’s still scary.  I guess karaoke contests don’t really count, but I’ve done several of those.  The people who have heard me sing are always telling me that I sound beautiful, but I don’t see why.  I’m used to my voice so I guess it just sounds normal to me.

            So, I told you all that to tell you this.  I have wanted to sing for an audience.  I want to audition for a movie or a musical or even an opera and just sing to my heart’s content.  Instead of being so scared, I want to just show everyone my love of music and how it’s been such a huge influence in my life.  The closest I’ve ever come is serenading Terra outside while waiting for my Non Fiction class to begin.  That or the time I was singing “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele in my car with the windows down.  The guy in the car next to mine at the stoplight seemed to enjoy the performance.

            Also, I think I’m a very boring person.  Sure I see a lot of movies, but that doesn’t make me exciting.  Yeah, I’ve toured Europe, been to both coasts (California and Virginia) but does that make me interesting?  I have hundreds of stories to tell, done things people twice my age might never do and yet, I don’t think it makes me seem cool.  Yeah, I’ve met rock stars and actors and professional athletes too.  I’ve got pictures of me meeting Terrance Zdunich, the genius behind Repo! The Genetic Opera and the Finnish rock cello group Apocalyptica.  Again, not many people have seen them because I think they will all go “Oh she’s ugly” and proceed to insult me.

            It has happened before.  Many, many times.

            But most of all, I just want people to know the real me.  I’m a nerd, a writer, a dork, a girl who dances in movie theaters (which I do after EVERY film I see) and has a offbeat sense of humor.  I do stupid things, sometimes I’m reckless and sometimes, I stand up for what I believe in.  I like hugs and hot tea.  I once kissed my then gay friend on a dare and I’ve kissed Terra.  I don’t see the world like others do but I have my own unique spin on things.

            And I have to mention this because it has been bothering me a lot lately.  I know people tend to gravitate towards certain genres of film, music, books, etc, but why do they get some comfortable with that area that they won’t branch out?  Like, let’s say Jimmy (random name) loves science fiction.  He reads only that and will not read a fantast book or even a short story collection.  I don’t get it!  There is a world of entertainment out there, why be limited?  I do know there is a person who refuses to finish a book because of who the female leads ends up marrying.  I’m not kidding, even though I wish I was.  I admit to preferring fantasy, but I enjoy authors such as Raymond Carver, Roald Dahl, Anne Patchett and yes, I even read “The Host” by Stephanie Meyer.  I don’t believe in limiting yourself so much.  For instance, I didn’t want to see Limitless or The Conspirator, but I did and I ended up loving them.  Life is about experiences, so why pass them up?

            I’ve missed so many chances in my life.  However, I don’t regret anything I’ve done because everything is a chance to learn.  For instance, I bought myself a ticket to a concert last year, at a venue I had never been to.  None of my friends had heard of the band, so I went alone.  I had the best night of my life.  I learned that I’m able to go and do things on my own and not look like a loser.  Plus, when I’m feeling down, I can look at the picture of myself with Eicca Toppinen and remember that right before he took the picture, he said, “Smile.  You’re beautiful.”

            Yeah, I’m insecure and I admit to doing stupid stuff, but I’m supposed to screw up.  I’ve had my heart broken by the one man I wanted to spend my life with.  I’ve gone to the middle of an arboretum and howled at the moon.

            Despite all that, I’m still a strong person.  It doesn’t show much, but trust me, it’s there.  I can’t go into my recent troubles, but even I’m wondering how I’m handling it.  I’ve been through hell and I’m still here.

            You see, there are three people who know me, not the me I present to others.  Kit Kat knows me almost better than I know myself, Kitzy knows me well even though he’s abandoned me (and emotionally hurt me) and believe it or not…Mumford has seen the real me.  I’m surprised I told him some of the things I have, but it was kind of a relief.  I’d like to consider him a friend, even though we never really made it past the awkward acquaintance phase.

            Well, I’ve had my twenty minutes of insane courage.  I’ve spoken my mind and said my peace.  I don’t know what will happen now, if anything happens at all.  The world hasn’t ended and I’m not dead.  This is my 99^th blog and I’m pretty sure my 100^th blog will be epic…in my mind.  If I can hold out long enough, I might make my review of “The Hunger Games” my 100^th blog…but let’s face it.  We all know I can’t stay away from a movie theater.

            Kit Kat…my long lost sister, I’m going to kidnap you.

            I’m TheCinemaChick and we could be heroes…just for one night.