Podcast Time!

       Yep, Ryan at The Matinee invited me to have a discussion on Sam Raimi's Oz the Great and the Powerful.

       It was a lot of fun and even though my mic is pretty bad, you can hear my giddying excitement coming through. Still I really need to learn to finish a sentence before starting a new one. Also say 'like' fewer times in every sentence. I was not aware I spoke like in that manner. New late year resolution for me to tackle!

       Anyways, you can hear some film-related things about me, about the directors that people want to go back to their roots, and then Ryan and I talk about Oz, Enchanted and Labyrinth.

      Do listen to it. I hope you like it. Sorry for all the 'likes' and 'yeahs' :S

"Let's go shopping."

A teaser is finally here! I have been going crazy ever since it was announced that Emma Watson is to star in the new Sofia Coppola film because I thought they were a match made in girly heaven, and now I am sure of it.

I am loving the whole vibe of The Bling Ring. As much as I loved Somewhere, I did think it was a bit too malaise and slow and this feels like more fun. With Sleigh Bells' "Crown On The Ground" playing in the background, we see a group of young thieves who robbed the homes of Hollywood personalities living the high life and the repercussions thereof. It looks gorgeous and playful and reminds me of my two most favourite Coppola films, Marie Antoinette and The Virgin Suicides. The former because of all the indulgence and the latter due to the crime aspect.

Also, I must mention Watson. Just one question- Hermione who?

Can't bloody wait for this now. It's going to be awesome!

Thoughts

1) 100 FOLLOWERS! YESSSS!


Thank you everyone who follows this blog. I really never expected this to happen. So happy. All of you guys rock!

2) Sam Mendes will not direct Bond 24. A part of me wants to boo this decision after his brilliant work in Skyfall, and a part of me is glad because in case he didn't deliver, it might have marred that very work. I can't really think of a director right now, but I do hope the producers decide to walk down a similar path and find a director who can continue exploiting the more dramatic and deeper side of James Bond.

3) The Harry Potter stars have got it going on! Daniel Radcliffe, aka my favourite person in the world, is in talks to star as Igor in the sci-fi retelling of Frankenstein that has been penned down by Chronicle's Max Landis. I think this sounds like all kinds of bizarre awesomeness, what with the Frankenstein character reportedly being "pathologically dirty and dressed in old clowns clothing." I am really looking forward to it and DanRad's work in it. Also speaking of re-imaginings, Emma Watson might star as the eponymous heroine in the live action version of Cinderella with Cate Blanchett as the Evil Stepmother and Kenneth Branagh at the helm as director. I think she will be a lovely Cinderella.

4) Anchorman 2 is one of my most anticipated films of this year and after news of Kristen Wiig and James Marsden joining the comic cast, the ultimate hero-actor, Harrison Ford, too will be seen in the film. It is becoming damn near impossible to wait for this film. It is going to be gold.

5) Posters- Iron Man 3 has a ton of posters out. I do like the Pepper Potts poster and (I'm guessing) the final poster but I absolutely lurve the Tony Stark character poster. I would actually like to own it. It's badass.  Also speaking of excellent posters, the latest Spring Breakers poster is super girly and violent and I adore it. The new Hangover 3 poster trying to mimic the final Harry Potter posters is just hilarious. Coming to TV shows (WHICH ARE GOING TO FINALLY START IN MARCH! WOO HOO!), Doctor Who has a new poster out with the Doctor, Clara and a whole lot of upcoming villains whose images are hidden in the shards of glass. Also Game of Thrones has character posters out and they are awesome. Even fucking Joffrey gets one, though I am pretty sure it's for people to throw things at.

6) Links- Mette is turning 18 soon. She's far too cool for someone so young and is celebrating this fact on her blog with a series of The Upcoming Adult lists. They are fantastic. Speaking of, Ryan at The Matinee has written nearly 2000 posts! 1999 to be exact with the 2000th one coming out later today. I'll probably be 70 by the time I reach that many posts, so a huge congratulations and also a pat on the back to him. Also, do check out Anna's musings on the ultimate cinephile question- "Why movies? Why not books, music, art? What elevates film above all else?" Excellent read and something I really understand and agree with.

7) Trailers- Frances Ha, which looks hilarious and weird and something I would seriously enjoy. I have been waiting for it since TIFF last year. Spring Breakers that is looks like a truly strange, alluring, crazy film and I am actually looking forward to it. The latest Iron Man 3 trailer is the best one yet, and I am finally fully pumped for this film. I was scared that this film will take too serious a tone, but I can see the glimpses of humour and one-liners in it, so I am a happy bunny now. In TV land, the new Hannibal show looks pretty intense and I think it will be great. Finally, the Game of Thrones, Season 3 extended trailer has made me hungry for this show again. It looks epic and god I love Tyrion and the dragons!

8) Finally, I am going to leave you with David Bowie's latest music video, starring his androgynous alien soulmate, Tilda Swinton. As I read somewhere, and agree whole-heartedly, Bowie probably started making new music again so that Swinton could star in his videos.

She HAS to star as Bowie in his biopic, yes?

Bye!

The Month that was- February

         This has been one of my worst movie-watching months in perhaps, years. 9 movies- whaat? It's kind of insane because last February, I watched 61 movies, which is one of highest month watches ever. Anyways, this was because of goddamned exams and all the free time was utilised in making my end of year lists. In case you missed them- my favourite films, performances, shots, scenes, fight scenes and everything else. February was also the month when I went slightly nutso about The Greatest Casting Decision Of All Time. 


Firsts:

1) The Impossible- I have a feeling this film was made to test the cynic in us. I, for one, thought it would be hilarious if the plane would have crashed at the end of everything. Anyways, I loved Tom Holland and it was a nice enough film.

2) The Master- Finally! I did not love all of it, but I really loved parts of it. And great cast led by Joaquin Phoenix.

3) Warm Bodies- Awwwww. As adorable and smart as I had expected it to be.

4) Sleuth (1972)- Genius, fun, scary; impeccably acted, directed and written and the set design was as perfect as they come. I totally saw a third person though!

5) My Left Foot- Finishing my Daniel Day-Lewis Best-Actor-Oscar trilogy. I didn't really like the film but he was excellent.

Rewatched: 

1) Cloud Atlas- My love for this film will grow everytime I rewatch it. Masterful.

2) Silver Linings Playbook- Ditto. Also, YAAY JENNIFER LAWRENCE!

3) Four Weddings and a Funeral- I was unable to follow my Valentine's Day tradition of watching Casablanca followed by Bridget Jones's Diary this year, but thankfully, I folded a couple of days before and watched this. I adore this film.

4) Hot Fuzz- Watching this film in parts is what kept me from going into complete zombie-mode during my exams. It is my #101st (ish) favourite film, I swear.

TV shows: 

1) Series 3 of The Mighty Boosh- The best series of the show- so funny and weird and awesome. Oh my Vince! Why did it have to end? :'(

2) Series 1 and 2 of Being Human UK- I generally like supernatural shows and have a huge crush Russell Tovey. I liked the show, though I prefer it when it is lighter and more absurd. The scene shown above is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. I properly laughed till my insides ached. 

George: '"Mr. Sands Suck Cocks"? For God's sake! It's "Mr. Sands Sucks Cocks" - singular, not plural. Have I taught you nothing?'

Final tally:

                         Firsts- 23                           Rewatched- 14                    Shorts- 1

                                                                      Total- 38

       With March, hopefully I can bring things back on track. 

My Misadventures with the Oscars

      My late-ish thoughts on the 85th Annual Academy Awards.

Fellini, about the Oscars from Fellini on Fellini

- I was not feeling the Oscars till about 1 a.m. last night and then I could not fall asleep due to the excitement. This was a bad thing since I had to give a film studies exam after eight and a half hours and I had officially stopped giving a shit.
- I woke up at 5:30 a.m. after having slept for only two and a half hours give or take. I was going to start studying but I decided to go on Twitter and Tumblr instead and start freaking out over everyone's dresses.

- Favourite dresses were La Chastain and Miss Adams. A goddess and a princess, both redheads.
- Speaking of men, Daniel Day-Lewis and Christoph Waltz were hot stuff in blue and Daniel Radcliffe, Hugh Jackman, Chris Pine and George Clooney looked amazing too. Sexy older men ^^

- Kristen Chenowyth was so annoying on the red carpet. Someone tranquilize her.
- Anne Hathaway, why? It will forever be known as the nipple dress. Ask the twitter account.
- So anyways, show starts.
- I can't come to a conclusive opinion on Seth MacFarlane's hosting. It was incredibly offensive most of the time and many jokes fell flat, but his musical stuff and the random jokes in between were pretty funny. I don't hate him though. Just the song "We Saw Your Boobs". Maybe because I did not expect much.

Truer words have not been spoken.

- Tommy Lee Jones laughing!
- Speaking of the good stuff, Charlize "The Goddess" Theron dancing in a flowy gown (with Channing Tatum) followed by a number by Daniel "My Dream Husband Since 2001" Radcliffe and Joseph "Adorbs" Gordon-Levitt (and Seth MacFarlane) were just awesome. I forgive the entire ceremony just for these two things.

- I liked the Flight-sock puppet thing.
- First award of the night, Best Supporting Actor, went rather deservedly to (though not my first choice) Christoph Waltz. He quoted Tarantino. Most successful Tarantino actor ever.

- Did anyone think of Leo?
- Oh Paul Rudd and Melissa McCarthy = worst presenters ever. Which did not even make sense because they are usually adorable and hilarious but I could not understand what the hell was going on. Paperman and Brave won though, so yaay for animation!
- A number of The Avengers came to present the visual categories. No Chris Hemsworth, ScarJo or Hiddles though. Once again, I must request the Oscars to give Robert Downey Jr. as Oscar for being himself.

- Worst win of the evening- cinematography. For two years now, this award has been given to the wrong person. I mean, Roger Deakins in Skyfall was beyond spectacular. Someone give him 10 or 20 Oscars already.
- Visual effects for Life of Pi made sense because Richard Parker is a beauty (even though I officially want James Bond to kill him now).
- Orchestra kept playing the Jaws theme to make the winners shorten their speech. It was funny the first time with Life of Pi and all. After that, it was plain rude.
- Anna Karenina won Best Costume and Les Mis won Best Make-up. I agree on the first one though I wish Ishioka would have won. The latter is a pointless category because Cloud Atlas was not nominated.
- The James Bond tribute was mainly shit. None of the Bonds even came. However Dame Shirley Bassey was on!
- The direction was all over the place. They cut to De Niro and Bradley Cooper after some black thing and then didn't show reaction shots for any of MacFarlane's jokes. I heard people laughing. Dunno :/
- Documentary was given out. That dude with that awesome accent was awesome.
- The musical tribute- Catherine Zeta-Jones has still got it. Jennifer Hudson got a standing ovation- what? She was just screaming.

      At this point I had to leave to go give my exam. I thought it was a clever decision to leave before Russell Crowe started to sing. Anyways, I was incredibly annoyed throughout the exam and I wrote at breakneck speed and with total disinterest. I should pass but I couldn't care less. Once I finished, I tried checking the results on my phone but the goddamn thing had to die on me then (technology sucks balls) and then I stood like an idiot for fifteen minutes waiting for the traffic flow to change when it wasn't going to for another hour. The ride back home was long and irritating and hot. However, once I was near functional technology again, I was very happy with the results.

- So back to the point I left off. Another good reason to have gone before the Les Mis number-

       WHAT IS AIR?! I could not have concentrated on my exam if I had seen this before. I really liked the entire performance. Even Russell Crowe couldn't ruin it.

- Chris Pine! I wish he would have presented with Benedict Cumberbatch though.
- Ugh Ted and Jew jokes. Anyways, aren't the computer generated stuff on the Oscars totally awkward for the audience?
- ZOMG TIE!! Skyfall :)
- Did anyone else think that all the Zero Dark Thirty clips were huge spoilers for the people who haven't seen it yet?
- Question- what if someone had a proper fear of sharks? What would the Jaws theme do to them? I think Fassy is terrified of the film.
- Christopher Plummer is brilliance. "Pick someone your own size." Haha. Also, wasn't Amy Adams just terrifying in The Master? I was happy at Anne Hathaway's reaction. It was genuine. Also, "It came true" is one of the best openings to an Oscar speech ever.
- Popcorn ladies are here again!
- Oh those lucky bitch college students. Man, Hugh Jackman and George Clooney were in that crowd.
- Sandra Bullock's hair accessory was gorgeous. Just saying. Happy Argo won editing. Also, Silver Linings Playbook had terrible editing. Why was it nominated?
- I love that Jennifer Lawrence introduced Adele. She's a huge fan, as she said in the Jimmy Kimmel interview.
- Adele is so perfect. All these people got to see her perform live! :P She was actually singing also, and not screaming. Although, apparently screaming ensures a standing ovation. Really people?
- Nicole Kidman is such a class act. She's a genuine fangirl. Tarantino looked really pissed though.

- Daniel Radcliffe presented with Kristen Stewart. I didn't realise she was on crutches (through no fault of my own). They played the Harry Potter music. Thanks for remembering after 10 fucking years, Academy.
- Salma Hayek's introduction was so funny. As was Meryl Streep's later on.
- George Clooney is lovely. He presented In Memorium. I cried. Nora Ephron :( Also Barbara Streisand was really good.
- Chicago crew came to give the music awards. RICHARD GERE! Life of Pi won Best Original Score and "Skyfall" won Best original Song. Oh god, I love Adele.

"I want to thank my man."

Twitter Haneke is the best.

- Best Screenplays were next. Argo got Adapted and Chris Terrio's speech was very nice. And then Quentin Tarantino won Original. YAAAYYY! Django Unchained isn't the greatest but the man definitely is. Last year Woody Allen won this award. Two years, two movie gods.

- He and Charlize are neighbours :O
- Poor Leo. Of course he is not there.



- Oh Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas came to present Best Director. I would love for Fonda to introduce me. She's so theatrical, it's great!
- Yaay Ang Lee won! He seems like the sweetest man who ever lived. He said some of the funniest things. Re: the cast- "I can't waste time talking about them" and about thanking his lawyers- "I have to do that." Also, NAMASTE DUDE!

Ang Lee and DDL are the nicest people ever.

- Jean Dujardin is a cutie. YAYAYAYAY JLAW! And she fell, but it was okay because Jean Dujardin, Hugh Jackman and Bradley Cooper all ran to her rescue. And her speech was really endearing given the circumstances. "Happy Birthday Emmanuelle!"

- Btw, Hugh Jackman = perfect man.

- Did Meryl Streep even look at the envelope? Also, Joaquin Phoenix at the Oscars everybody-

So much pain.

- Daniel Day-Lewis is the first man ever to get three Best Actor Oscars, and though I did not care for his Lincoln performance (the voice annoyed me too much), it could not have happened to a better man and actor. His jokes were brilliant. Next film should be a comedy with Meryl, amirite?

- Jack Nicholson is boss. And woah, Michelle Obama! Anyways, yaaaayyyy for Argo! 

Ben Affleck's speech was the best. I was watching his and bezzie Matt's Good Will Hunting win yesterday and this is another classic. My favourite part was him thanking the lovely Jennifer Garner, "I want to thank my wife, who I don’t normally associate with Iran, but I want to thank you for working on our marriage for ten Christmases. It’s good. It is work, but it’s the best kind of work and there’s no one I’d rather work with." George Clooney was just the classiest man throughout.

- The final song was nice.

        And there you have it. The winners were pretty good and the hosting was somehow still tolerable and ZOMG DANRAD AND ENJOLRAS!