Juno
Juno is a comedy-drama directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay at the 80th Academy Awards in 2008, and had many nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Ellen Page. Juno's worldwide gross reached more than $223,734,771. Cat Power, The Kinks, Sonic Youth, and The Velvet Underground are just some of the few who had songs in the film. I didn't think I was going to like Juno. I thought it sounded rather trashy, but I was wrong. It was actually really funny, and I enjoyed it a lot. Although I have heard mixed reviews on the film, I still thought it was good and so did some most of my friends.
The Pregnancy
Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) is a junior in high school when she finds out that she is pregnant with one of her best guy friends, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). Juno tries to come up with a plan to get rid of the baby like an abortion, but then decides that finding a couple to ad
opt the baby was better. She finds a nice couple in the newspaper and plans to meet them. Mark and Vanessa Loring (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner), is a couple that unfortunately could never have children so when Juno's call came, they immediately jumped into the deal. As months pass Juno grows bigger and bigger, and she strikes up a friendship with Mark Loring. Not long before the baby is due, that Mark tells Juno that he plans on leaving Vanessa because he doesn't think he's ready to be a father. Vanessa soon finds out and a heated argument erupts, and Juno leaves crying. The day has finally come and Juno is rushed to the hospital. Paulie Bleeker finds out and hurries to Juno's side where they both decide not to see the baby. Vanessa comes to the hospital and adopts the baby boy as a single mother. Sometime later Juno and Paulie are seen playing guitar on the steps of Paulie's house.
The Cast
Juno's cast was hilarious. Each character made you laugh in someway or another. Ellen Page is great portraying her feisty character, Juno. J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney play Juno's parents, and Olivia Thirlby is her best friend. Michael Cera (Evan from Superbad) plays the father of Juno's child, while Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman play the adoptive parents.
tag: Juno, Jason Reitman, Diablo Cody, Academy Award, 80th Academy Awards, Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Cat Power, The Kinks, Sonic Youth, The Velvet Underground, Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, J.K. Simmons, Allison Janney, Olivia Thirlby, Gross, Trailer
Sunday, April 27, 2008
A Born Movie
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Want To See Something Great
Have you ever watched a really great movie and said, "That's got to be one of the greatest movies ever!"? According to the Motion Picture Asso
ciation of America, a movie can only be listed in the greatest box-office hits if it grosses more than $100,000,000. There are 388 movies on that list, but here are the top 30. I have seen all the movies on this list at some point and I can remember that all of them were great!
Here they are! I got this list from imdb.com.
Which one do you think is best?
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Leatherheads
Leatherheads
Leatherheads is a romantic-comedy directed by George Clooney who actually stars in the film alongside Renee Zellweger and John Krasinski. The movies location was Duluth, Minnesota, but it was really filmed in South Carolina and North Carolina. Even though Clooney
tried his hardest in the film, it only grossed $13.5 million on its opening weekend. The main audience for the movie was estimated between viewers in their 30s and 40s. Although I did go see the movie, and I'm not that old. I thought the movie was rather boring at points. There were some very funny parts that I loved and can't wait to watch again, but then again there were parts in the film that bored me to death. Also some of my friends said the same thing as I did. Maybe if you are a big time football pl
ayer you might enjoy the movie more than I did.
The Game
Dodge Connelly (George Clooney) is a charming pro football player in 1925. After finding out that his football team, the Duluth Bulldogs, lose their sponsor, he is intent on finding someway to bring football back to Duluth. Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski), a young college football player/war hero crosses paths with Dodge, and he is immediately asked to join the team. Carter not only is a war hero, but he is a fabulous football player w
ith mad skills. Carter supposedly single handedly forced a group of German soldiers to surrender in WWI, but for Lexi Littleton (Renee Zellweger) this story is to good to be true. Lexi soon sets out to learn the truth about the so called war hero, Carter Rutherford. Throughout the time Lexi spends with the football team, she begins to fall for none other than Dodge Connelly. Dodge soon finds out that the once fun game of football he knew has changed to a game filled with rules and lies. Dodge has to find a way to keep his team going and get the girl.
The Players
Leatherheads's cast is hilarious. George Clooney and John Krasinski really make the film funny. Renee Zellweger lights up the screen in her always red clothes, and Jonathan Pryce plays CC, Carter's manager. Wayne Duvall (Cousin of Robert Duvall) plays the Duluth Bulldogs coach. There were many many other actors who played the parts of football players and war veterans.
tag: Leatherheads, George Clooney, John Krasinski, Renee Zellweger, Jonathan Pryce, Wayne Duvall, Robert Duvall, Gross, Trailer
Sunday, April 13, 2008
All Because Of A Lie
Atonement
Atonement is film adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel Atonement. It was directed by Joe Wright, and produced by Working Title Films. It was filmed in the summers of England and France. Atonement won an Oscar for Best Original Score at the 80th Academy Awards, and was nominated for six others, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, Best Writing, and Achievement in Costume. It also won Best Film of the Year, and the Production Design award at the 61st British Academy Film Awards. Atonement also opened the 2007 Vancouver International Film Festival and the 64th Venice International Film Festival, making Joe Wright the youngest director ever to open the event at age 35. The film grossed a total of more than $50,224,809. I liked the movie, but there were a lot of flashbacks, and it got rather confusing at times. I was never sure which year it was, or which flashback came first. My mama said she didn't really care for the film, but I guess you just have to be into these kind of movies to really understand a
nd keep up with everything.
The Story
In England in 1935, Briony Tallis thinks she witnesses the gardener, Robbie (James McAvoy), having sexual tensions with her sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley). She is confused and nervous about the scene she had just witnessed. In fact, Robbie and Cecilia are in love they just don't show it openly, and the scene Briony witnessed actually had nothing to do with love. Robbie accidentally broke Cecilia's vase, and the handle fell in the fountain. Cecilia just went in to get
it. Robbie later feels terrible about the vase so he writes a letter to Cecilia apologizing for his clumsiness, and a very explicit erotically charged version that he didn't intend on giving to Cecilia. He asks Briony to deliver the letter only to realize it was the wrong letter. Briony reads the letter and finds her theory that Robbie is a "sex maniac" is true, but she gives the letter to Cecilia without telling anyone what she read. During dinner that night, they discover that their twin cousins have run away so everyone goes out searching for them. While Briony searches she comes upon her cousin, Lola, being raped. She insists it was Robbie, and shows her parents and the police the letter he had given Cecilia. Robbie is then taken to prison and later to war. Years later, Briony realizes what a terrible mistake and lie she made. She tries to apologize to her sister, who has disowned her family, but never could find her. Many years have passed and Briony is now in her late seventies and dying. She has written a book titled Atonement, which is a story of the lie she told that ruined the lives of both her sister and Robbie. Briony tells that the end of her book is quite different from the reality story, but she wanted to give Robbie and Cecilia a happy ending, one that they never had.
The Cast
The casting of Atonement was great. Keira Knightley and James McAvoy were excellent. Saoirse Ronan (Briony at age 13), Romola Garai (Briony at age 18), and Vanessa Redgrave (Briony at age 77) all played Briony Tallis throughout the years as she aged. Benedict Cumberbatch played Paul Marshall, who was actually the man Briony saw raping her cousin, and Juno Temple played Lola.
tag: Atonement, Ian McEwan, Atonement, Joe Wright, Working Title Films, Oscar, Best Original Score, 80th Academy Awards, Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, Best Writing, Achievement in Costume, Best Film of the Year, 61st British Academy Film Awards, Vancouver International Film Festival, 64th Venice International Film Festival, James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, Vanessa Redgrave, Benedict Cumberbatch, Juno Temple, gross, trailer
The Real Life Story
Dan In Real Life
Dan in Real Life is directed by Peter Hedges. It is a drama/comedy film starring Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche. The movie was filmed in Rhode Island in the cities of Newport, East Greenwich, Jamestown, Westerly, and Providence. Dan in Real Life has grossed more than $52,017,821 as of January 2008, and it actually has a pretty good soundtrack as well. For the most part, it was a good movie, and Steve Carell was hilarious. Although the previews made the movie sound like roll on the floor laughing, it wasn't like that at all. There were parts that made you laugh, but nothing serious. The movie was actually quite sad, but it had a good ending. It was more of a parent movie because my mama was crying throughout the whole film. She said that if you had children you would understand.
His Life Story
Dan Burns (Steve Carell), is a newspaper columnist and has raised three girls by himself since the death of his wife. Dan and his three girls pack up and take a trip to his parents house. While visiting the town Dan runs into a hottie at the bookstore named Marie (Juliette Binoche). Dan and Marie hit it off, but she soon has to run off to meet her boyfriend. When Dan returns to his parents house he tells them about a girl he m
et at the bookstore. His brother then introduces him to his girlfriend, who is none other than Marie from the bookstore. Throughout the whole visit, Dan and Marie pretend they don't have any attraction towards each other. When the family finds out that Dan and Marie have secretly been attracted to each other, his brother punches him for kisses his ex-girlfriend. Dan explains everything and is forgiven. He and Marie later get married and live happily ever after.
The Cast
No matter what movie Steve Carell is in, he is always funny. Dane Cook, John Mahony (Martin Crane from Frasier), and Dianne Wiest were some of Dan's family in the movie, and Marlene Lawston, Alison Pill, and Brittany Robertson were Dan's daughters. Emily Blunt played Ruthie "Pigface" Draper, a girl Dan goes out with, and Juliette Binoche plays Marie.
tag: Dan in Real Life, Peter Hedges, Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, dane Cook, John Mahony, Dianne Weist, Marlene Lawston, Alison Pill, Brittany Bovertson, Emily Blint, Martin Crane, Frasier, trailer
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Up A Creek, Without a Paddle
Without A Paddle
Without a Paddle is a 2004 film directed by Steven Brill. It is somewhat of a parody to other movies like Deliverance. The films music is directed by Christophe Beck, and also features songs by Bubba Sparxxx, Spiderbait, Snoop Dogg, Culture Club, and The Rolling Stones. Without a Paddle grossed a worldwide total of $58,156,435. I love this movie, and all my friends love this movie. It is hilarious! I am always laughing throughout the whole film.
The Treasure Hunt
The true treasure is not money or gold, but being alive. That is the life lesson Tom (Dax Shepard), Jerry (Matthew Lillard), and Dan (Seth Green) figure out on their adventurous journey to find the long lost treasure of DB Cooper. Ever since they were young boys, they dreamed of taking a grand adventure to find DB Cooper's treasure, and when the death of a friends gives them the opportunity, they take it. Once on the River, they meet some interesting characters from hairy ladies to crazy mountain men to maybe even DB himself. Along their journey they discover that their friendship has grown closer, and true friends are better than none.
The Cast
The cast of Without a Paddle is great! They all do a great job of making you laugh and enjoying the movie. Dax Shepard, Matthew Lillard, and Seth Green play the three young men who journey to find DB Cooper's treasure. Ethan Suplee and Abraham Benrubi play the crazy mountain men while Ray Baker is the disliked Sheriff Briggs. The tree hugger hairy ladies are played by Rachel Blanchard and Christina Moore. A special appearance is made by Burt Reynolds who plays a secret character that I will not reveal, but you can find out for yourself if you watch the movie.
tag: Without a Paddle, Steven Brill, Deliverance, Christophe Beck, Bubba Sparxxx, Spiderbait, Snoop Dogg, Culture Club, The Rolling Stones, Dax Shepard, Matthew Lillard, Seth Green, DB Cooper, Ethan Suplee, Abraham Benrubi, Ray Baker, Rachel Blanchard, Christina Moore, Burt Reynolds, gross, trailer
Monday, April 7, 2008
An Inspiring Story
Becoming A Movie
Becoming Jane is based on the great author, Jane Austen and her relationship with Tom Lefroy. Although the movie is not actually proven to be true, but it is based on real events that were written in the book Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence, who was the historical consultant during production. Many other biographers of Jane Austen have mentioned a relationship between Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy. Becoming Jane was actually shot in Dublin and rural Ireland, and not in Hampshire, England where Jane Austen was born. Becoming Jane grossed more than $37 million worldwide. It was directed by Julian Jarrold. I loved this movie! It was interesting to see Jane Austen's life unfold, and how her own love story inspired some of her greatest novels. It also had that romance that people love. If you want to see what happens in the end, then I guess you will just have to watch it.
The Story
Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway) is a young woman who desires to live by her pen but being a woman she is unable to. Pressured by her mother to marry wealthy, Jane refuses and wants to marry for love. Mr. Wisley (Laurence Fox), the nephew of Lady Gresham (Maggie Smith), a rich aristocrat, approaches Jane for a proposal. Of course Jane is appalled that her parents would make her marry for money instead of love. As Jane contemplates the thought of marriage a young gentleman named Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy) enters her life. Tom's roguish behavior irks her, but she soon finds that she is falling for the non-aristocrat. Only one problem stands in the way of their love. If they elope they risk losing everything from family to fortune.
The Cast
Anne Hathaway plays the spunky writer, Jane Austen, and she does an amazing job. James McAvoy also does a great job. James Cromwell plays Jane's father, and Julie Walters plays her mother. Joe Anderson portrays Henry Austen, Jane's brother, and Maggie Smith and Laurence Fox portray the aristocrats.
tag: Becoming Jane, Jane Austen, Becoming Jane Austen, Julian Jarrold, Anne Hathaway, Laurence Fox, Maggie Smith, James McAvoy, James Cromwell, Julie Walters, Joe Anderson, Gross
Saturday, March 22, 2008
The Buzz On Bee Movie
The Buzz
Bee Movie is a computer animated film starring Jerry Seinfeld and Renee Zellweger. Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner directed the film while DreamWorks Animation and Jerry Seindfeld produced it. Bee Movie is the first motion-picture to be written by Jerry Seinfeld. Bee Movie also got a nomination for a Golden Globe. Bee Movie's worldwide gross is over $281, 642,324 as of February. Bee Movie is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a while! It was great!
The Bee Plot
Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld) has just graduated from college and has just found out that he has one chance to pick his lifelong job. Barry decides to go beyond the hive before he picks his job, and discovers a whole knew world. He meets a florist named Vanessa Bloome (Renee Zellweger), who happens to save his life. Once he meets Vanessa, Barry discovers that the humans have been stealing and eating their precious honey. Barry soon realizes that protecting the bee's honey is his job so he sues the humans for stealing. Barry Wins the lawsuit only to find that without the work of bees the flowers do not get pollinated so they die. Barry and Vanessa then set out to find a way to set things right.
The Bees and Humans
The cast of Bee Movie is great! They really did a great job because I laughed the whole way through the movie. Jerry Seinfeld of course was the funniest of all the characters along with Renee Zellweger. Chris Rock, Matthew Broderick, Patrick Warburton, Kathy Bates, and John Goodman. Special guest stars include Larry King, Oprah Winfrey, Sting, Rip Torn, Michael Richards, and Ray Liotta.
tag: Bee Movie, Simon J. Smith, Steve Hickner, DreamWorks Animation, Golden Globe, Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Chris Rock, Matthew Broderick, Patrick Warburton, Kathy Bates, John Goodman, Larry King, Oprah Winfrey, Sting, Rip Torn, Michael Richards, Ray Liotta,
Monday, March 17, 2008
Beowulf
Beowulf
Beowulf was really great! I never had the chance to see it in theaters, but the day it came out on DVD I was at the Movie Gallery to rent it. This movie got a rating of 4 1/2 stars so I knew it must be good. It was a one-of-a-kind movie, instead of live acting, all the actors were computer animated. It was filled with adventure and excitement the whole way through! Beowulf is definitely the new movie to see!
The Adventure
Based on the epic poem from medieval times, this amazing movie tells the story of the great warrior, Beowulf (Ray Winstone) and his epic battles with the mythical demons plaguing King Hrothgar's (Anthony Hopkins) kingdom. In his adventures, Beowulf will battle the Grendel, a misshapen half-man half-demon; the Grendel's mother (Angelina Jolie), a beautiful water demon; and a fearsome golden dragon.
The Cast
In this epic movie, many famous actors and actresses play the parts of the characters that shaped the tale of Beowulf. Other actors in the movie were John Malkovich, Brenden Gleeson, Robin Wright Penn , and many others.
tag: Beowulf, Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Brenden Gleeson, Robin Wright Penn, Beowulf, King Hrothgar
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Vantage Point
The Vantage Point
In Spain, President Ashton (William Hurt) is attending a world-wide summit on terror where leaders from around the world are meeting to stop terrorism. Thomas Barnes (Dennis Quaid) and Kent Taylor (Matthew Fox) are two Secret Service agents protecting the President. Shortly after the President is escorted to the podium, he is shot twice by an unknown assassin. The President falls to the floor, dead. The audience is in shock and chaos breaks out, then a bomb goes off, destroying the stage and killing many other leaders and civilians around the stage. But this is not the whole story. In that audience were 8 complete strangers that each saw something and each had a small piece of the puzzle. Through their eyes we see the truth behind the assassination attempt.
The Strangers
Vantage Point had an all-star cast with many great actors and actresses. The 8 strangers were Dennis Quaid, Said Taghmaoui, Forest Whitaker, Edgar Ramirez, Matthew Fox, Ayelet Zurer, Eduardo Noriega, and William Hurt. There were many other famous actors and actresses in this movie as well: Bruce McGill, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Richard T. Jones and many others.
A Must See
Vantage Point was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. Filled with intense sequences and high-speed chase scenes throughout the whole movie and mystery from start to finish, this is definitely a must see for all movie fans.
tag: Vantage Point, William Hurt, Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Said Taghmaoui, Forest Whitaker, Edgar Ramirez, Ayelet Zurer, Eduardo Noriega, Bruce McGill, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Richard T. Jones
Monday, March 3, 2008
On The Red Carpet
The 80th Academy Awards
The 80th Academy Awards or better known as the Oscars were held at the Kodak Theatre in 
by Comedy Central's The Daily Show's own host Jon Stewart, who also hosted the 78th Academy Awards show back in 2005. The first Academy Awards show was actually held on May 16, 1929 at the Hotel Roosevelt in
And The Oscar Goes To...
Here are a few awards that were granted to the stars, movies, effects, design, makeup, editing, music, and much more.
Best Supporting Actor
Best Makeup
Best Costume Design
Alexandra Byrne-Elizabeth:The Golden Age
Best Visual Effects
The Golden Compass
Best Original Score
Dario Marianelli-Atonement
Fashion On The Red Carpet
ous as ever, but the women really showed up in some beautiful dresses. Some of the women for example: Heidi Klum in a red John Galliano Haute Couture dress that was to be auctioned off for the awareness for women’s heart disease. Jennifer Garner was another of the stunning stars on the red carpet in a black strapless Oscar de la Renta dress, and Van Cleef & Arpels vintage necklace, earrings, bracelet and rings which looked amazing on her. Katherine Heigl wore an amazing red silk Georgette Escada gown that looked gorgeous on her (She was my favorite). The beautiful and pregnant Jessica Alba looked fabulous in her plum strapless Marchesa gown, and the pregnant Cate Blanchett also looked gorgeous in her purple Dries Van Noten gown. Those are just some of the stars that looked gorgeous on the red carpet, but there were many, many more stars that graced the red carpet in their stunning gowns.
tag: 80th Academy Awards, Oscars, Kodak Theatre, Comedy Central, The Daily Show, Jon Stewart, 78th Academy Awards, Hotel Roosevelt, No Country for Old Men, Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood, Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose, Javier Bardem, Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton, Elizabeth:The Golden Age, The Golden Compass, Dario Marianelli, Atonement, Heidi Klum, Jennifer Garner, Katherince Heigl, Jessica Alba, Cate Blanchett, Awards, Red Carpet Fashion
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
A Movie That Will Have You Jumping
Jumper
Jumper is based on the 1992 science fiction novel Jumper by Steven Gould. The movie was directed by Doug Liman. It was released into theaters on February 14. It grossed an average of $27.2 million in its opening for the weekend box office. A video game for Jumper was made for Xbox 360, Playstation 2, and Wii, and was released on February 12, 2 days before the movie was released.
The Jump
The movie starts with David Rice as a teenager. He has few friends and keeps to himself. When a guy at school pulls a prank that goes badly wrong, David finds his life to be in grave danger. Here he finds that he has the power to "Jump" or teleport anywhere he wants to. David leaves everything behind and uses his new found power to start a new life. As David (Hayden Christensen) grows older, he begins to rob banks for money. David's carefree life suddenly takes a turn when he runs into a man from the shadowy organization a.k.a Paladins named Roland Cox (Samuel L. Jackson). Roland among others try to hunt down "Jumpers" because they believe that "No one should have the power to be everywhere at once except God". When David realizes that his life is once again in danger, he jumps home and tries to track down the one person he thought he could trust and his long time crush Millie (Rachel Bilson). When David and Rachel meet, David uses his stolen wealth to fly Millie to the one place she has always dreamed of going, Rome. There David meets another Jumper named Griffin (Jamie Bell), who informs him that he tracks down Paladins and kills them because Paladins track down Jumpers and kill them. Once again David runs into Roland, and finds that it will be a fight for his life as well as other Jumpers and the one he loves.
A Jumpin' Movie
Jumper was an exciting movie that made you anxious to find out what happens in the end. Hayden Christenson was once again cute as ever as well as doing a great job playing his part. And face it any movie with Samuel L. Jackson in it is awesome! New comer, Rachel Bilson (Summer Roberts from The O.C.) also did a great job playing alongside her real boyfriend, Hayden Christensen. Diane Lane, Max Thieriot (young David Rice), Jamie Bell, and AnnaSophia Robb (young Millie) also starred in the movie. I really liked the movie so if you like sci-fi movies, than I'm sure you will enjoy this movie.
tag: Jumper, Steven Gould, Doug Liman, Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Rachel Bilson, Jamie Bell, Diane Lane, Max Thieriot, AnnaSophia Robb, Box Office, Trailer
