is this movie overlong or is my watch just not working...?

R

Bryan Greenberg, Alan Rickman, Mary Steenburgen, Shawn Hatosy, Bill Pullman, Eliza Dushku, Danny DeVito

Sarah: I’m so sorry.  You see, the genius part of his brain is so big that it’s just swallowed up the civilized part of his brain, causing this monstrous antisocial behavior.

The son of an arrogant, Nobel Prize winning professor is kidnapped.

I guess that sentence above isn’t so much a plot summary as it is just the setup of the movie.  I’m  just afraid that if I tried getting any further into the plot, I’d be typing all day.  Plus, I’d probably give some so-called surprises away.

Though, I’m not sure anyone would really care since the movie is predictable, dull, and obnoxious.  It is WAY over edited and is buried under a lot of extremely loud music.  None of the characters are likable, the central caper is stupid, and characters behave nonsensically just for the sake of advancing the plot.  Also, a lot of little plot points are brought up but never actually explained or followed through with.  That bugged me.

Yeah, it’s not very good.  It’s just a stylistic imitation of movies like The Italian Job and The Bank Job.  Maybe if it had been named The Nobel Son Job it would have worked better.  I was ready for it to be over the whole time I was watching it, and now I’m ready for this review to be over.  So…it is.

Beware hot crazy chicks who write bad poetry.

10 – 3.3 for being predictable, dull, and implausible – 2 for a bunch of annoying characters = 4.7

Courtesy of Touchstone Pictures

I really am a sucker for a good romantic comedy, it actually don’t even have to be that good, just enjoyable.

The Proposal is a really good formulaic romantic comedy.  It follows Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock), a Canadian book editor, who works at a publishing firm in New York City.  She has just found out that her visa hasn’t been updated and that she will have to leave the country immediately which will cause her to lose the job that she loves, because to renew her visa, she will have to be out of the country for at least a year.  So she does the only thing that she can think of.  She blackmail her devoted assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), of three years to marry her or she will ruin his career.  Andrew agrees to this, but he must now take her to Alaska to meet and tell his family the good news.  This is where the fun begins.

There is no question about it.  This movie is formulaic.  It follow the romantic comedy formula almost to a tee.  This really doesn’t bug me that much though, as I’m a really big fan of this formula.  The one problem is that you pretty much know the ending, but I like to see the process more than the ending, and that’s not always the same.  When it is, as this movie is, you still get to see a nice story of how they’ve become to love each other.

As the movie genre suggest, it is a romantic comedy.  But I was really surprise as to how funny this movie was.  There was some really good one liners and Bullock and Reynolds have some great comedic timing.  They also had some great chemistry.

Bullock is pretty much a pro at this genre so it comes to no surprise, she pretty much made her name making romantic comedies.  It is good to see her go back to what she does best as she had foray into making more dramas.  It had been a long time since I had seen her in a good romantic comedy or a good movie in general.  With the exception of Crash, I don’t think she had done anything good since Two Weeks Notice.  I still haven’t seen The Blind Side though, and I hear very good thing from that movie.

Ryan Reynolds is still kind of unknown in this genre, which is amazing, since I’ve been watching him for over a decade.  I loved him in Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, it was such a underated show which didn’t get a chance to flourish.  My guest is to why Reynolds is not well-known for this genre, is because he’s got a broader acting criteria.  He also does a lot of action movies, and a few dramas and horrors.  It’s really hard to see someone go from an action or horror movie to romantic comedies.  But he’s got a couple good ones under his belts already.  Just Friends and Definitely, Maybe are really good romantic comedies.  I love Van Wilder and Waiting, but they are not romantic comedies, they’re just comedies.

The supporting cast was also really great.  Betty White was awesome as the quirky grand mother.  Mary Steenburgen and Craig T. Nelson are just seasoned professional who really knows how to act no matter what the genre the movie is.

The Proposal was very enjoyable and funnier than I had expected.  It does follow the formula, but I still love to see how they get to that ultimate end.  I love all the actors in this movie, they were just great and knew exactly what they are supposed to be doing.

The Proposal gets a 3.5 out of 5.

Director: Marc D Lawrence

Released on-18th December,2009

Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker,Hugh Grant,Elisabeth Moss,Mary Steenburgen,Sam Elliot,Wilford Brimley and Michael Kelly

Screenplay: Marc D Lawrence

Story: The center of the story is a New York couple-Paul(played by Hugh Grant) and Meryl Morgan(Sarah Jessica Parker) who are living the “it” life in NYC.Although they have everything that one desires,their marriage is something that one cannot boast of,since Paul lands up in an extramarital affair and puts the marriage on the line.
The courtroom is the only place where the couple would like to cross paths now.However Paul wants to make the marriage work and so invites Meryl out for dinner to smoothen the rough patches.
As one would think that the couple on their way back home from dinner would re-unite and rekindle their love,they become a witness to a murder where the victim is shot dead and thrown to the streets.To make things worse,the killer sees them but the couple manages to elope before they come in the killer’s “to do away with” list.Paul and Meryl report the incident to the cops and are asked to undergo the Witness Relocation Program.As a result,the couple is relocated to a snoozy town “Ray” in Wyoming.The killer,as is obvious,is running hungry for the Morgans to track them and knock ‘em dead.On the other hand, Paul and Meryl are trying to keep a low profile and live the country life.

The movie is not something we haven’t heard or seen before.The comedy is a bit ho hum though the jokes are all original.The whole story is consumed with the couple complaining about being away from the smoke filled, polluted and loud lifestyle they lead in the big city.For instance,they cant go out for a jog because the air is too clean for them to breathe and cant eat at a restaurant because there are no anti smoking sections there.The bottom line, however is,will the Morgans find love once again(with each other I mean)? Duh ! Don’t they always in movies like these?!

The only interesting character to watch out for in “Did you hear about the Morgans?” is the family who accepts to shelter the Morgans,Sam Elliot plays his part with absolute perfection while Mary Steenburgen comes out of her usual roles as the good natured,wholesome wife and mother and plays a tough wife to a Sheriff and can kill,cut and cook at the same time ! Meryl’s assistant played by Elisabeth Moss and Kim Shaw as the bubbleheaded fire chief also deserve a mention.
You would wonder,what about the Morgans then? Well It looks like they weren’t really interested in doing the movie considering, they didn’t have much in hand, given the sloppy script !

Verdict-Dont take your date out for this movie.Better still,watch the movie only if you don’t have a date !

Buddy and Santa must work together to save Christmas in Central Park.

(New Line) Will Ferrell, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner, Zooey Deschanel, Michael Tay, Faizon Love, Peter Dinklage, Amy Sedaris, Michael Lerner, Andy Richter, Kyle Gass, Artie Lang. Directed by Jon Favreau

Not everyone can be an elf. These small creatures are industrious, cheerful and limber, making them the perfect workforce for Santa. Nearly all of them, anyway.

Buddy (Ferrell) is an elf who isn’t an elf. He’s a human, an orphaned baby who crawled into Santa’s sack one Christmas and hitched a ride all the way to the North Pole. Santa (Asner), unwilling to send him back to the orphanage, leaves him in the charge of Papa Elf (Newhart) who wanted a family of his own but never had the time to go get one.

As time goes by, it becomes very apparent that Ferrell doesn’t fit into the elfin world – literally. He’s big and clumsy compared to the other elves and while his heart is in the right place, he just doesn’t have the skills. Finally, Santa takes pity on him and tells him where he can find his birth father – in New York City. Unfortunately, Buddy’s birth mother had passed away some time before.

Said birth father, Walter (Caan) is a hard man, a publisher of children’s books who doesn’t have any child in him, unless he happened to eat one at lunch. He greets the possibility of an out-of-wedlock son in a green tunic and yellow tights with all the enthusiasm of an agoraphobic forced to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl.

Once Buddy name-drops his birth mother’s name, Walter realizes that there might be something to the whacko’s story and hustles him down to the family doctor for the world’s fastest genetic test and in no-time, is welcomed to the family by Walter’s saint of a wife Emily (Steenburgen) and plucky son Michael (Tay).

Of course, Buddy gets into trouble, working in the mail room at Walter’s publishing house and at Gimbel’s, a department store that used to be the chief rival of Macy’s but has been closed for quite awhile, even before this movie was made. There, he meets Jovie (Deschanel), a cute-as-a-button seasonal worker who likes to sing in the shower and might be a match made in Macy’s for the love-struck Buddy – or would have been if it hadn’t been at Gimbel’s.

The movie serves notice that it’s going to be irreverent from the opening, when Elves are shown fleeing an unfortunate fire in the Keebler tree, and it is throughout – Dinklage makes an impressive cameo as the world’s nastiest-tempered children’s book author, whom Walter is courting in a last-ditch effort to save his job at the publishing firm.

Favreau, who would go on to direct Iron Man, has a deft comedic touch and a good understanding of special effects. Many of the effects that have to do with Buddy towering over the elves are done with an old camera trick called forced perspective, where Ferrell stands closer to the camera to appear larger than those in the background.

He has also assembled an impressive cast, led by Ferrell who is at his best here. Ferrell can be an amiable sort when he isn’t dumbing down (as he does in Step-Brothers) and he plays Buddy with a lot of heart and a sweet tooth the size of Mt. Everest. The supporting cast is magnificent as well. Getting to see veterans like Asner, Newhart and Caan together is always a treat, and Steenburgen adds a touch of class.

Deschanel is one of my favorite actresses and she does shine here to a certain extent, although there are times that she is just so darn hip and cool that it overwhelms her cuteness and makes it seem like she’s in another indie film instead of a major studio family event movie. That can be mildly distracting at times, as well as the bashing over our heads of the fish out of water thing with Buddy in New York. I realize he’s supposed to be naïve, but there’s a difference between naïve and outright stupid and it crosses the line of stupid every so often.

Still, these are essentially minor complaints and this is a marvelous Christmas holiday movie. It’s funny enough to rival Saturday Night Live in some places, and charming enough to fill you full of holiday cheer. That’s the kind of gift that keeps on giving, don’t you think?

WHY RENT THIS: A very sweet-natured film. Indie darling Deschanel slums on a major studio release and nearly steals it. Any movie that has Newhart, Asner and Caan in it is worth seeing regardless of the subject. Dinklage’s cameo is hysterical.

WHY RENT SOMETHING ELSE: The plot is dumb in some places. Deschanel is so cool and hip she’s almost in a different movie.

FAMILY VALUES: Definitely a kid favorite.

TRIVIAL PURSUIT: All of the names on Santa’s nice list that he shows to Michael are members of the film crew.

NOTABLE DVD EXTRAS: The DVD comes in an Infinifilm version, with regular opportunities to stop the movie and watch a feature pertaining to what is onscreen. Da Queen and I love Infinifilm. The Blu-Ray comes with something similar. There are some games and such on the DVD which are oddly missing on the Blu-Ray.

FINAL RATING: 7/10

TOMORROW: The Holly and the Quill continues

AVATAR

(20^th Century Fox) Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi. Directed by James CameronIt’s here at last, the most anticipated movie of 2009 and if early reports are correct, this could be a game-changer for the way movies are made. Director Cameron, in his first non-documentary feature since Titanic, creates the world of Pandora from the ground up; it involves a conspiracy by humans to grab an extremely rare element from the ground beneath a peaceful indigenous tribe. They send in a wounded marine in the form of an avatar, an artificially grown lifeform with the DNA of both human and Na’vi (said indigenous lifeform) with the marine’s consciousness imprinted on the avatar. However, the perfect plan goes awry when the marine begins to suspect that the humans aren’t necessarily the good guys.

See the trailer here.

For more on the movie this is the website.

Rating: PG-13 (for intense epic battle sequences and warfare, sensuality, language and some smoking)

Did You Hear About the Morgans?

(Columbia) Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen. A sophisticated New York couple on the verge of splitting apart witness a murder and are whisked away into the Federal Witness Protection Program with a contract killer on their tails. Unfortunately, their new home in rural Wyoming seems to only be exacerbating their marital issues. Will these citified fish in country waters adjust to their surroundings, rekindle their relationship and avoid getting shot?

See the trailer here.

For more on the movie this is the website.

Rating: PG-13 (for some sexual references and momentary violence)

Me and Orson Welles

(Freestyle) Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Christian McKay, Ben Chaplin. The latest from indie director Richard Linklater is based on a novel by Robert Kaplow. It’s a coming of age tale about a young actor who lucks into a role of a 1937 New York stage production of Julius Caesar directed by none other than Orson Welles.

See the trailer here.

For more on the movie this is the website.

Rating: PG-13 (for some sexual references and smoking)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

Theatrical Release:Jun 19, 2009 Wide

THE PROPOSAL could have been a strictly script-by-numbers affair, but hilarious performances by Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds improve this romantic comedy. Publishing powerhouse Margaret Tate… THE PROPOSAL could have been a strictly script-by-numbers affair, but hilarious performances by Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds improve this romantic comedy. Publishing powerhouse Margaret Tate (Bullock, TWO WEEKS NOTICE) is used to getting her way. She bullies her ambitious assistant, Andrew Paxton (Reynolds, DEFINITELY, MAYBE), earning the ire of all the underlings at Colden Books in New York City. But Margaret, a native Canadian, finds her career in jeopardy when she is denied a visa and learns she will be sent northward. She forces Andrew to become her fiancé, but she’ll have to take a trip home to Alaska with him to prove to U.S. Immigration that their impending union is genuine. What ensues is a combination of GREEN CARD, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, and GREEN ACRES, with the hell-in-heels boss trying to fake a romance with her assistant as she struggles to survive as a city girl in the country. However, THE PROPOSAL proves to be more than the sum of its parts; Bullock has been one of Julia Roberts’s successors to the America’s-sweetheart crown since she starred in SPEED, but this comedy has her challenging her image with hilarious ease. Reynolds–who could be just window-dressing with his good looks and easy charm–is an excellent foil who is just as adept with sarcasm as he is with a smile. The two stars are supported by an impressive cast, including Betty White as Andrew’s scheming 90-year-old grandmother, Craig T. Nelson as his disappointed father, and THE OFFICE’s Oscar Nunez as an ubiquitous resident of his hometown. THE PROPOSAL may offer few surprises in the way of plot, but the on-screen talent keeps the film feeling fresh.

The Proposal
Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen
Sutradara & Penulis : Anne Fletcher

Sesuatu yang simpel dan menarik
Apa yang menarik dari sebuah film drama romantis? Sesuatu yang berlawanan, perjalanan cinta dua karakter berbeda dengan berbagai lika-liki yang mereka hadapi dan pada akhirnya akan bersatu. The Proposal tetap memakai pakem rom-com yang sama, dan itu berhasil.

Sebuah cerita yang simpel dan dikemas dengan cara yang cukup apik
Inti ceritanya, tentang Margareth yang memiliki ide untuk menikah dengan Andrew agar ia tidak dideportasi dari Amerika adalah sebuah ide yang cukup menarik. Ide itu dikemas dengan baik oleh Anne Fletcher dan akhirnya tampil dalam sebuah tayangan yang menghibur

Drama komedi romantis
Sebuah genre yang tidak pernah mati. Sebuah pakem yang sudah kita hafal betul polanya, namun tetap menarik untuk diikuti. Kali ini, The Proposal menjadi menarik untuk ditonton tidak hanya berkat kecantikan Sandra Bullock –walau harus diakui chemistry Bullock dan Reynolds tidak terlalu ‘dapet’, tetapi juga keindahan panorama kota Sitka yang ditampilkan Fletcher yang menjadi salah satu bagian dalam film ini yang membuat Proposal tetap menarik untuk diikuti meski saya (dan mungkin banyak penonton lain) sudah mengetahui –atau juga hafal- dengan akhir dari cerita film-film drama komedi romantis.

3/5

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

Jeff Bridges, Justin Timberlake, and Mary Steenburgen star in writer-director Michael Meredith’s tale of a young man looking to reconnect with his long-lost father–a famous athlete–and bring him back to the bedside of his ailing mother. Lyle Lovett, Harry Dean Stanton, and Kate Mara fill out the supporting cast in the Perfect Weekend production.

New Yorkers Paul (Hugh Grant) and Meryl (Sarah Jessica Parker) Morgan seem to have it all — except for the fact that their marriage is crumbling around them. But their romantic woes are small compared to the world of trouble they find themselves in after they witness a murder. To protect them from an assassin, federal agents whisk Paul and Meryl away to small-town Wyoming, where their marriage will either finally crash and burn, or their passion will re-ignite.

A Christmas time comedy, which is actually really funny . . . but has plenty of Christmas Spirit reminding us the whole point of this holiday. We follow Buddy the Elf who is actually human, on a quest to find his real father, who just happens to live in New York City.

Yes a grown man running around NYC dressed in full Elf attire telling everyone he really is an elf and he is from the North Pole, is bound to have so many jokes and actually be really funny to watch. Put Will Ferrell in that role and you really do have a winning film. A man who knows the real Santa Claus, and actually ends up helping him out a lot. I think the costume Buddy wears throughout the majority of the film really does help the comedy value, and his constant sugar rush because of the food that he eats is just hilarious. Always happy, always smiling and trying to really spread the Christmas spirit.

I have so many favorite moments in this film which actually make me laugh out loud, including when he gets excited that “Santa” is going to be coming into the department store the next day shouting that he knows him . . . as you can guess Buddy ends up disappointed the following day. Saying that smiling is his favorite, singing out loud at any time. The getting hit by a taxi was a very slapstick funny moment for me, yes I am strange and find it amusing when people walk into something, fall over or are hit by something (all of which you know the person is not hurt, as that would just be cruel).

When Buddy leaves the North Pole to find his father, you can already sense that his father is not going to have any Christmas spirit and not be the nicest man in the world. But this is all part of the charm of Buddy and what Christmas can bring. So this makes for a very nice ending when they help Santa.

Buddy also meets a girl who he eventually goes on a date with, although he does not completely understand the whole dating world. His younger brother does try to help him out but that does not really work to well.

Zooey Deschanel is an actress which I am really struggling to actually like though, she seems to annoy me more than anything else in which ever role she has been in. I cannot really place why exactly but she never seems to come across very likeable. I mean yes this could be the roles that she is in, but does anyone else feel the same?

Will Ferrell really is just fantastic in this film, so funny. I would not class myself as a big fan of his other work, and actually think the other of his films which I really enjoy is a different type of comedy in “Stranger than Fiction” his usual slapstick does not appeal to me very much as it’s not my type of humour. But I find “Elf” totally different, maybe the Christmas spirit factor gives me a different spin. Totally is becoming one of my favorite Christmas movies.

So what do you think?

Are you an Elf fan?

Is it on your Christmas Movies list?

What Is It?

This is a take off of every claymation Christmas special from the 60’s – 80’s with heavy emphasis on Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer. Will Ferrell plays Buddy The Elf. He is a very tall human who, much like Steve Martins “The Jerk”, did not notice that he was different from the hoard of Santa’s 3 foot elf’s who raised him. So taking all the attitude of said Christmas Specials and the three rules of an elf, Buddy travels to New York to meet his Dad (James Caan) even though Dad is a tough business man on the “Naughty List.”

How Was It?

It was funny. Will Ferrell manages to seem natural in this over the top character. My favorite part though is the introduction to elves and the north pole stammeringly narrated by Bob Newhart as Papa Elf. The other great thing is the sheer nuttiness of all the other characters. Well acted side characters all have there own quirks that help Buddy move seamlessly through New York. I think you will find this movie to be a series of very funny vinyets with just enough story and garland to string them together.

Is It Good For Kids?

Kids of the age for the original claymation will find a lot of fun and familier gags. Older kids will understand more of the juxtaposition of “Real Life” and “Elf Life”. There are a couple of jokes involving Buddy not understanding “adult” things, such as sending sexy women’s sleepwear to his father because the sign said it was perfect for “Someone Special” or following music to the woman’s locker room where a young lady is singing in the shower. It is very clear Buddy just wanted to sing along as in all his other whimsical misunderstandings. Buddy also uses God as a cuss word when he gets excited.

You can check Screenit.com for a break down of the elements on the screen.

What About Spiritual Issues?

First off this is all about Christmas and has not one reference to Christ. Luckily we do not get a “this is the meaning of Christmas” line to tell us it’s not Him, but just family or life or presents.

The odd thing here is the talk about Belief and Christmas Spirit. There is an easily made connection between Santa in this movie and God. (Spoiler) The end of the movie involves Santa (Edward Asner)crashed down in Central Park. In a Tinkerbell style conundrum, he can not fly because there is no more Christmas Spirit. Most likely the lack of Christmas spirit comes from a lack in belief in Santa, but it may just be a lack of belief in the concepts of love and magical generosity that Santa represents. He can not show himself because that would take away the correct type of Faith. A boy steals his gift list and reads it on TV. People are shocked at the accuracy where he even knows personal desires not just the one’s that kids wrote in their letters.

Spiritually we are left with some interesting questions.

Should Santa have attributes of God?

Faith is the evidence of things unseen, But is that faith based on wishful thinking?

Does prof destroy faith?

What Is Your Recommendation?

This is a funny light hearted movie. This does not destroy of de-mythologize fairytale but shows that they help us to live fuller more beautiful lives in the “real world”. In that light it is almost the kids version of “Lady in the Water”. Still the absence of God except as a cuss word and the notion of faith in Santa should give you something to think about when deciding if this film is right for you and your family and something to talk about if you do invite Buddy the Elf into your Christmas.

PS

If you do watch it. Keep your eyes open for a great re-do of the original big-foot “sighting” .

Elf

Fratellastri a 40 anni è un film del 2008 diretto da Adam McKay, prodotto da Judd Apatow e Jimmy Miller, e gli interpreti sono Will Ferrell e John C. Reilly.

Leggi altre notizie su: | Commedia | Adam McKay | Will Ferrell | John C. Reilly | Mary Steenburgen

Reese e Vince Se Odiaram, Dentro e Fora Da Telona!

Gênero: Comédia Romântica

Censura: Livre 

Direção: Seth Gordon
Com: Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Jon Favreau, Mary Steenburgen, Dwight Yoakam, Tim McGraw, Kristin Chenoweth, Katy Mixon, Colleen Camp, Jeanette Miller, Jack Donner, Steve Wiebe.

Local de Filmagem: Los Angeles, California, USA; San Francisco, California, USA; Santa Clarita, California, USA e Twin Peaks, San Francisco, California, USA.

Produção: Gary Barber, Jonathan Glickman, Roger Birnbaum, Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon

Roteiro: Matt Allen, Caleb Wilson, Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

Fotografia: Jeffrey L. Kimball

Trilha Sonora: Alex Wurman

Distribuidora: PlayArte

Estúdio: Birnbaum/Barber/ New Line Cinema/ Ott Medien/ Spyglass Entertainment/ Type A Films/ Wild West Picture Show Productions

SINOPSE

Os pais de Brad, interpretado por Vince Vaughn [Fred Claus (2007), Wedding Crashers (2005) e Be Cool (2005)],  são divorciados e os pais de Kate, interpretada por Reese Witherspoon [Penelope (2006), Vanity Fair (2004) e Sweet Home Alabama (2002)] sua namorada também o são. No entanto, ambos se casaram novamente, sendo assim Kate tem duas famílias e Brad também. A confusão está formada quando este jovem casal tem de conseguir visitar estas quatro famílias diferentes durante o Natal.

O longa ainda conta com os astros e estrelas: Robert Duvall [We Own the Night (2007), Apocalypse Now (1979) e Crazy Heart (2009)] que vive o pai de Brad; Sissy Spacek [North Country (2005), Blast from the Past (1999) e An American Haunting (2005)] que vive a mãe de Brad; Jon Voight [Pride and Glory (2008), National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007) e Transformers (2007)] que vive o pai de Kate e Mary Steenburgen [Step Brothers (2008), Elf (2003) e Clifford (1994)] que vive a mãe de Kate.

CRÍTICA

Muitas vezes vamos ao cinema esperando assistir um mega filme e muitas vezes quebramos a cara. Nos últimos seis meses tem sido assim, uma decepção atrás da outra, poucos filmes de fato valeram a pena assistir. No entanto fique surpreendida ao assistir esse longa com a dupla Witherspoon ou Vaughn, que faz agente se identificar com alguns dos inúmeros aspectos da vida do casal sob uma perspectiva tragicômica e sem dúvida divertidíssima.

Apesar de ser uma comédia romântica, o longa foge do gênero baba ovo e mostra o relacionamento de uma casal de namorados que quando tudo ia muito bem, ficou tudo péssimo e entre tapas e bofetes, famílias descompensadas, sem falar desestruturadas, ambos descobrem o quanto vale a pena amar sem restrições e que o complicado no final das contas faz mais sentido.

Vale a pena sim assistir, no entanto pode esperar para ser visto em DVD ao invés de enfrentar as filas dos cinemas, mesmo assim o longa é imperdível, pois no final das contas é divertidíssimo.

CURIOSIDADES

Witherspoon e Vince Vaughn  viajaram pelos Estados Unidos para promover a comédia, mas pela vontade da atriz essa viagem seria feita sem Vaughn, já que existiram boatos que na vida real os dois não se suportam e não queriam promover o longa juntos.

A falta de entrosamentos do casal acontece desde as filmagens, tanto que Witherspoon chegou a dizer que realmente não estava no mesmo clima que o ator. "Eu disse pra ele outro dia: "as pessoas nem sempre conseguem falar na velocidade que você quer, mas eu sinto que estou em um treinamento, o treinamento de Vince Vaughn".

A atriz teria dito para uma amiga que Vaughn é a pessoa mais criança que ela já conheceu. E ela ainda disse que nos eventos para promover o filme, a atriz se comporta de maneira profissional. "Ela finge um sorriso e posa para as fotos, mas não está nada feliz com isso", revelou a amiga.

bom filme!

roberta vieira

http://www.fourchristmasesmovie.com/

Confira abaixo a trilha sonora do filme "Four Christmases".

1. Baby It’s Cold Outside – Dean Martin & Martina McBride

2. (There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays – Perry Como

3. Sleigh Ride – Ferrante & Teicher

4. Christmas All Over Again – Tom Petty

5. Season’s Greetings – Robbers On High Street

6. Jingle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms with The Anita Kerr Singers

7. The Christmas Song – Gavin DeGraw

8. Cool Yule – Louis Armstrong

9. I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Dean Martin

10. White Christmas – Bing Crosby

11. O Little Town Of Bethlehem – Sarah MacLachan

Confira o trailer abaixo.

Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds are the dynamic duo of the summer in The Proposal. While the film is comprised of somewhat predictable situations and more than a few cheesy lines, these two comedic actors save what could have been a box office disaster.

Bullock plays Margaret Tate, a beast of a New York City book editor who could give the cruelest of bosses a run for their money. Reynolds is her unfortunate slave boy, Andrew Paxton, who wishes for greater things every time he refills her empty coffee cup.

When Margaret realizes she’s in trouble with the law because of her outdated immigration papers, she falsely claims that she and Andrew are engaged and thus sets in motion a series of unfortunate events that involve a visit to Andrew’s wacky family in Sitka, Alaska.

If anyone is unconvinced by both Bullock’s and Reynolds’ stellar performances, the addition of unique and lively supporting characters should seal the deal. Enter Annie, Andrew’s 90-year old grandmother (played by Betty White) who chants to the gods in the woods and suggests baby-making at every opportunity.

Of course, baby-making would come to mind when Bullock and Reynolds collide naked onscreen. However, their chemistry is undeniable throughout the film—whether they are naked or not.

Don’t forget Andrew’s parents, Grace and Joe Paxton (Mary Steenburgen and Craig T. Nelson), a cooky pair with beaucoups of money who show orphaned Margaret the goodness of family and the earnestness of love. Then there’s Gertrude (Malin Akerman), who plays the role of Andrew’s ex and exhibits the inevitable heartbreak of girl-sees-old-love-with-new-girlfriend quite believably.

The film culminates at the couple’s pseudo wedding, in front of the entire Paxton clan and most of the Alaskan town. Margaret’s conscience wins in a battle between her desire to return to New York City and her career success and her growing love for Andrew and his family. Andrew is left standing alone and confused on the altar.

It’s not long before he’s chasing down her plane, and the audience is rewarded for sticking with the long movie when he finds her in their mutual office and proposes in front of the shocked staff that only knows Margaret as a monster boss.

The film seems to make a comment about the pace of the business elite, and the audience is encouraged to lean back and relax for a moment. Directed by Anne Fletcher, The Proposal is filled with enough romance to win girls’ hearts and enough wisecracks to keep the guys laughing, too.

- Caroline Buttimer

Che fine hanno fatto i Morgan? è un film di Marc Lawrence del 2009

Leggi altre notizie su: | Hugh Grant | Sarah Jessica Parker | Sam Elliott | Mary Steenburgen |

Você Casa Comigo e Eu Te Promovo!

Em Cartaz

Gênero: Comédia Romântica
Censura: 12 anos 
Duração: 100 min
Direção: Anne Fletcher
Com: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White, Denis O’Hare, Malin Akerman, Oscar Nuñez, Aasif Mandvi.
Local de Filmagem: 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Bearskin Neck, Rockport, Massachusetts, USA – (internet cafe); Beverly Municipal Airport – 46 L.P. Henderson Road, Beverly, Massachusetts, USA; Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA; Manchester, Massachusetts, USA; Myopia Hunt Club – 435 Bay Road, South Hamilton, Massachusetts, USA – (woods); Newport, Rhode Island, USA; Rockport, Massachusetts, USA e Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, California, USA – (studio).
Produção: Alex Kurtzman, Mary McLaglen, Roberto Orci
Roteiro: Pete Chiarelli
Fotografia: Oliver Stapleton
Trilha Sonora: Aaron Zigman

SINOPSE
Sandra Bullock [Speed (1994), The Lake House (2006) e Bridesmaids (2010)]interpreta Margaret Tate, uma executiva bem sucedida do ramo de publicações. Fechada, intragável, competente, odiada e imigrante canadense, Margaret tem um assistente chamado Andrew Paxton, interpretado por Ryan Reynolds [Definitely, Maybe (2008), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) e Deadpool (2011)] que faz de tudo para agradá-la profissionalmente.

Quando chega a notícia de que ela está prestes a ser deportada para seu país, Margaret (Bullock) apressa-se em conseguir um casamento de conveniência com seu jovem assistente Andrew Paxton (Reynolds) para impedir que seu cargo na editora seja preenchido por outro.

No elenco ainda contamos com a atriz, que particularmente adoro, Mary Steenburgen [In the Electric Mist (2009), Four Christmases (2008) e Clifford (1994)], ela interpreta a mãe de Andrew (Reynolds).

CRÍTICA

Da mesma diretora de 27 Dresses – Vestida Para Casar (2008) e Step Up – Ela, Dança Eu danço (2006), Anne Fletcher, aos 43 anos, chega ao seu terceiro longa metragem, dirigindo Sandra Bullock e Ryan Reynolds em seus melhores estilos protagonizando a comédia romântica  The Proposal – A Proposta, filme cuja temática é bem previsível, mas acaba por surpreender, arrancando boas risadas através de um roteiro bem escrito, excelentes atuações e direção impecável.

Sandra Bullock aos 44 anos, está novamente atuando em comédias românticas. Mesmo sendo considerada uma atriz mediana, é indiscutível que nesse gênero ela é imbatível. Outro ponto forte da atriz é a química que a mesma desenvolve com seus pares.

Nesse longa, Ryan Reynolds e Sandra Bullock são a perfeita harmonia, é uma delícia assistir aos dois entre tapas e beijos nos conduzirem de Nova Iorque ao Alaska. Ainda assim, são inesquecíveis os pares de Bullock, que foram elogiados tanto quanto seu par com Reynolds, são eles e com eles:

Hugh Grant – em "Amor à Segunda Vista" – Two Weeks Notice (2002);
Keanu Reeves - em "A Casa do Lago" – The Lake House (2006);
Benjamin Bratt – em "Miss Simpatia" – Miss Congeniality (2000);
Ben Affleck – em "Forças do Destino" – Forces of Nature (1999).

O longa é bem humorado, no tom certo, sem exageros, cativante e me arrisco a dizer, uma comédia elegante, daquelas que agradam os maridos, namorados e homens em geral!

Destaque para a cena em que Margaret (Bullock) está no palco com Ramone, interpretado por Oscar Nuñez [Reno 911!: Miami (2007), Beethoven's Big Break (2008) e "The Office" como Oscar Martinez (80 episodes, 2005-2009)], um sujeito que mora na cidade da família de Andrew (Reynolds) e que faz de tudo um pouco, garçom atendente de loja e striper para festas de despedida de solteiras. Sim, é hilário ver Margaret (Bullock) fazendo caras e bocas com nojo e aflição do “corpanzil” de Ramone, que diga-se de passagem, é lastimável! Daí a graça toda da cena, é preciso ver para chorar de rir com a cena, é fantástica! Sandra com algumas caretas e aquele famoso “olhar 43” nos passa exatamente toda sua aflição com Ramone, imperdível.

O desfecho do longa deixa a desejar um pouco, mas só um pouquinho, é que, com tanto entusiasmo durante toda a história, os finalmentes ficaram entre as cenas que a diretora resolveu economizar… Sabem, no orçamento…

Sendo assim, apesar do famoso “happy end” que é o recurso mais tradicional do cinema não ter sido fabuloso, a fotografia e a trilha sonoro compensam esse deslize e nos faz sair das salas de cinema no maior alto astral.

Não deixem de assistir essa comédia romântica ao estilo elegante que nos mostra que o amor pode estar onde você menos imagina! Em cartaz em todo território nacional. Levem lencinhos, pois rola umas lágrimas. Boa semana a todos!

bom filme!
roberta vieira
http://www.movies.co.jp/ana-muko/

Assista ao trailer abaixo!

Romantic-comedy regulars Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker finally unite in this fish-out-of-water laugher. The actors play Paul and Meryl Morgan, a Manhattan couple whose marriage is in danger. But it turns out all they may need is a change of scenery: when the Morgans witness a murder and are sent by the government to small-town Wyoming to hide from the killers, their marriage shows signs of recovery. DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS? also stars Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen, and Elisabeth Moss.

Starring: Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen, Elizabeth Moss, Michael Kelly, Wilford Brimley
Director: Marc Lawrence
Screenwriter: Marc Lawrence
Producer: Martin Shafer, Liz Glotzer
Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment

MOVIE TRAILER :

The Dead Girl (2007) directed by Karen Moncrieff stars Toni Collette as Arden, Piper Laurie as Arden’s mother, Giovanni Ribisi (Rudy), Rose Byrne (Leah), James Franco (Derek), Bruce Davidson (Leah’s father), Mary Steenburgen (Leah’s mother), Brittany Murphy (Krista) Josh Brolin (Tarlow), Kerry Washington (Rosetta), Marcia Gay Harden (Melora).

This is a very complicated and carefully told story that unfolds in five chapters. It starts when Arden finds the body of a dead girl in a field in the rural landscape where she lives with her mother. Arden tells the police and becomes a local celebrity which leads to her being asked out on a date by Rudy who works in a grocery store. Arden is played beautifully as someone who is caught in a stifling and cruel relationship with her ailing mother. She breaks free from that and leaves with Rudy.

The next chapter shows Leah, the morgue attendant who is living with the pain of a missing sister, and the effects of that. The story here is about how the various family members are trying to deal with having had the older daughter gone missing without any resolution. They don’t know if she is alive or dead and they don’t know what happened to her. Leah, who is deeply depressed, just wants it all to be over. Through a series of circumstance she believes the dead girl is her sister and that almost frees her until she finds out she was wrong.

The third chapter deals with a woman whose husband goes away on long road trips and the infected, seriously twisted relationship between husband (Nick Searcy) eventually leads to the wife discovering a storage locker where her absentee husband keeps trophies in the form of bloody clothes and jewellery and things of that nature. The wife (Mary Beth Hurt) understands that her husband is a killer and she has to deal with that knowledge somehow.

The fourth chapter shows the mother of the dead girl, Melora (Marcia Gay Harden) trying to understand what happened to her daughter, finding out where she lived, that she worked as a prostitute and that she has a daughter. She works through all this and decides to take care of her granddaughter.

The last chapter shows the dead girl herself, Krista, and her last day. She comes across as a damaged soul in a lot of ways, but she is also stronger than you would think at a first glance, and the viewer gets to see some of that too.

It’s so rare to see a film that actually features women in this way. We’re talking beautiful talent, skilled work and honed dialogue showing actual women as opposed to Barbie dolls, with hard choices to make portrayed with all the depth and fullness that these wonderful ladies are capable of. That alone makes this worth watching. In some ways they are all victims and they all rise above, change their lives and move through the world as best they can.

It’s told in inverted order and without sentimentalism. It’s absolutely fascinating and gut-clenching to watch a performance like Mary Beth Hurts and seeing her make the wrong choice, seeing how poisoned her thinking is from what must be a long and deeply infected relationship. It is a movie about human interaction and all the ways in which women can get caught in bad circumstance just as much as it is a movie about a murder.

Complex, intelligent and completely engrossing without any kind of moral soapbox action this movie gives the manifold leading ladies a chance to show their skills.

How did this movie not win more awards?

Mule

“Can I say f*** in a temple?”

Susie made sure she signed each and every book (which I believe numbered well over 100)./Photos by Ava Gacser

Ladies and gentlemen, Susie Essman is in the building – a Jewish temple in bucolic East Brunswick, N.J., as a matter of fact.

“Now I’m here with all you lovely Jews,” she said last night with a smile.

The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star’s appearance included a Q&A and book signing to promote her recently released memoir, “What Would Susie Say? Bullsh*t Wisdom About Love, Life and Comedy,” at Temple B’nai Shalom. The event, coordinated by the Friends’ Health Connection, was $35 and included a copy of the book which Susie graciously signed at the end of the evening.

Naturally, much of the conversation – which was artfully moderated by Susie’s good friend, comedian/actor/former “Saturday Night Live” writer Alan Zweibel – revolved around Susie’s experiences playing her “Curb” alter ego, the wonderfully foul-mouthed Susie Greene.

She admitted that when hired by Larry David to do the show, she was reticent when “LD” (as Larry refers to himself) instructed her to curse out her co-star and “Curb” husband, Jeff Garlin, in an episode called “The Wire.”

“Rip Jeff a new a**hole,” she recalled was the only direction Larry gave her. And after a bit of cajoling, this was the result:

“He let the genie out of the bottle,” Susie said with a laugh.

She revealed that she and Larry have never had a discussion about who Susie Greene is, and that she was the one who came up with Susie’s crazy taste in clothes.

“Susie is a very simplistic character,” she explained. “You don’t cross her, and you definitely don’t cross her kid.”

She said she’s pretty good at holding it together during filming and doesn’t laugh, but that this week’s episode, “Officer Krupke,” sent her over the edge.

When Larry dropped his pants, “just seeing those spindly legs” was enough to crack her up.

Her favorite episode, though, is “The Doll.” She said that was the first time the “Spaghetti western music that’s become my theme song” (I love that music!) was used.

“I don’t know what’s funnier than (screaming), ‘Get me the f***ing head!’” she laughed.

Susie said that despite the fact that most of actors on the show go by their own names – Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Michael York, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jerry Seinfeld, Michael Richards (you get the picture) – they’re not necessarily playing themselves.

“The only one who is who you think he is is Richard Lewis,” she said.

(Which is a pretty interesting statement, considering his actions in the funniest episode so far of this season, “Vehicular Fellatio.” Clip please:)

“People don’t understand that it’s not reality TV,” Susie added.

Alan agreed, saying that he was just out with Jeff Garlin this week, and people were coming up to Jeff and cursing at him for cheating on Susie – Susie Greene, that is.

Although Susie enjoys being on “Curb,” she said she would like the opportunity to explore different roles… like perhaps on “Mad Men.”

“It’s so beautifully written,” she gushed. “Those characters are so fully drawn.”

You hear that, Matthew Weiner?

One thing is for certain: When Larry originally contacted her about “Curb,” she had no idea it would turn out to be anywhere near as popular its become.

“I never planned to make a living telling people to go f*** themselves,” she said.

A bit about Alan

When Alan Zweibel first came out, I realized my friend Mary Ann and I (who I was again with last night) had seen him perform earlier this year in “Celebrity Autobiography” (also with Susie Essman!) in New York City. He read a hysterical passage from Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee’s memoir, “Tommyland.” Alan, it turns out, was one of the original writers for “Saturday Night Live” and was good friends with Gilda Radner, for whom he wrote her iconic character, Roseanne Roseannadanna. In fact, he’s written a book about that relationship, “Bunny, Bunny: Gilda Radner, A Sort of Romantic Comedy.” Just the little bit he recounted last night was enough to make me want to read the book (and thanks to Franklin Township Public Library, I soon will be!). Alan also talked about his life working in the biz (he’s good friends with Billy Crystal) and his own experiences with Larry David (he was a consultant on “Curb” for a couple of years).

“We all knew that someday the rest of the world will catch up with him,” Alan said, explaining that audiences didn’t seem to appreciate Larry’s sense of humor back in the days when he worked comedy clubs.

Susie agreed, recalling that she and her best friend, Joy Behar, used to hang out with Larry and listen to him complain about women and dating.

“It was all the George stories,” she said and confirmed that “The Phone Message” episode (clip above) was straight out of Larry’s life.

At the end of the evening, Alan hung around the lobby as Susie signed books. He also took the time out to talk with people, signed several of Susie’s books himself and was nice enough to pose for photos, like the one below with me.

And here’s another photo of Susie at the signing:

Stifler’s mom might have made the cougar popular again, but it seems like it’s a fantasy that Hollywood’s been playing with for years.  Ralph does what he’s best at, and examines Maxim’s list of Hollywood’s Hottest Cougars with director Kevin Smith to point out the good, the bad and the naughty.

10.  Angela Basset as Stella in How Stella Got Her Groove Back
9.  Cloris Leachman as Ruth Popper in The Last Picture Show
8.  Kim Basinger as Marion Cole in Door In The Floor
7.  Susan Sarandon as Nora Baker in White Palace
6.  Mary Steenburgen as Mrs. Betty Carver in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
5.  Kim Cattrall as Samantha in Sex and the City:  The Movie
4.  Jennifer Coolidge as Stifler’s mom in American Pie
3.  Jane Seymour as Kathleen Cleary in Wedding Crashers
2. Jacqueline Bisset as Ellen Burroughs in Class
1.  Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate

Check out the clip as Ralph explains the reasoning behind some of the picks and defends others.