Thoughts

Helloo people! I know I haven’t written in for forever, but I have honestly, truthfully, pinky-swearingly been very busy. I came back to India, went back to college, spent an entire week running to and from theatres because of the film festival, and now I’m sick.

1) The film festival was great. It was my first fully immersed festival experience and I did make the most of it. I saw 26 films. My favourite new film was Blue is the Warmest Colour. It really is an excellent movie and Adele Exarchopoulos (I will learn the spelling before Oscars. Yep) is by far my favourite performer of the year. Lea Seydoux is great too. And yes, the 7 minute lesbian sex scene can get a little awkward but do what I did- stare at every middle aged man in the room (and there were so many!!) and see their reactions. It’s hilarious. I saw some other great movies too. Don Jon was awesomesauce and Scarlett Johansson was on fire. Other first timers I really liked were Blancanieves, Paradise: Faith, Pieta, Touch of the Light and The Past. Also, if you are a Louis Garrel fan, watch Jealousy which is in black and white and therefore Garrel is in black and white and then your ovaries die. The films I wasn’t such a big fan of were Bastards, Of Good Report and Night Train to Lisbon. The first was just generally an awful movie going experience which might have made me dislike the film more than I ought to, the second was just boring and creepy and the last one was painfully mediocre. It had Jack Huston (who is American), August Diehl (who is German) and Melanie Laurent (who is French), all playing Portugese people. What? My absolute favourite thing about the festival however was the chance to see classic movies on big screen. I saw Elmer Gantry, Gone with the Wind, Sabrina and The Apartment (YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS) and really enjoyed myself. The fact that a lot of the people who seemed to be so grumpy throughout the festival just started clapping during the Wilder movies kind of restores my faith in humanity a little bit.

My KIFF experience :P 

The Louis Garrel comment on the right is by my friend Alliya and I agree whole-heartedly.

2) Adam Levine has been voted the Sexiest Man Alive by People Magazine. The people at People
Magazine need to fill up the biggest douchebag jar they can find for making this decision. My choice? Duh.

Actually, any one of them will do too-

Yum.

3) The Honourary Oscars were given out recently and Steve Martin, Angela Lansbury, Angelina Jolie and Piero Tossi. I really loved Jolie’s acceptance speech. I am one of those saps who cries watching acceptance speeches (I even cried in Emma Stone’s MTV Award speech), and I thought Jolie’s was really beautiful and heartfelt. And goooo Steve Martin!!!

4) So guess what’s happening this Saturday? Only something I have been waiting forever for. Or, well, since April or something. Anyways, the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary is nearly here! (Isn't my banner awesome?) I already went nuts over the official trailers, though I am cautiously avoiding all other clips since I want a complete experience watching “The Day of the Doctor”. My entire plan of rewatching all of Nu Who and then ranking my favourite episodes before “The Day of the Doctor” *obviously* went kaput since my planning skills suck, but I promise to do one before series 8 next year. Anyways, it seems our dearly departing Doctor, Matt Smith, is in talks to star in Star Wars Episode VII. Of course it is all rumours at present, but if it comes to pass, this will be a massive opportunity for Smith. I just hope he doesn't end up in some ridiculous alien make-up. Especially now that his hair is growing all nicely.

5) Imogen Poots (I love her name so much), might be starring in Todd Field's next film, Beautiful Ruins. It is apparently his most ambitious project yet and it will span over a number of decades, from the 60s onwards. It is about three characters and their lives that is altered by an incident that takes place during the shooting of Cleopatra. I recently watched Little Children and loved it, and this is Field's first movie since then. I think Poots is really pretty and it will be interesting to see her take on such a role.

6) Joe Wright is going to make a film about the origins of Peter Pan called Pan. Generally, I would be against it because I think we *have* had enough of fairytale movies for a decade, but I have really loved everything Wright has made so far (except The Soloist, which I haven't seen). I have full trust in his vision. Javier Bardem is being considered for Captain Hook, according to rumours.

7) ScarJo is on a career-rise again. She kicked ass in Don Jon, but it is her work in Her that is getting awards attention. This is very unusual because she herself, i.e. er perfect sexy human self, is not in the movie, but her voice instead. But it's great to see actors getting recognition for their voice-work. She just got an award at the Rome Film Festival.

8) Fassy is going to star in a gangster film called Trespass Against Us. It will be directed by UK director Adam Smith, who has worked for things like Doctor Who and Skins, and the score will be created by The Chemical Brothers. The movie is "set across three generations of the rowdy Cutler family, who live as outlaws — hunting hares, ram-raiding stately homes and taunting the police. The family have always lived this way but, defying the expectations of his father, Chad Cutler is looking for a way out of the criminal life." Fassy will play Chad and I think will do a really good job. I'm kind of surprised he hasn't done more films like this tbh.

9) Robert Pattinson and Benedict Cumberbatch are going to star in Lost City of Z. The film is based on New Yorker science writer David Grann's book of the same name. Cumberbatch plays Lt. Colonel Percy Fawcett, a British archeologist and explorer who went missing in South America while hunting for the lost city of Z. The book follows the Fawcett expedition and tries to piece together what exactly happened to him and his team, which included Fawcett's son Jack and one of Jack's friends. RPatz will probably play Jack. It sounds like an intriguing project (Brad Pitt's name was attached to it formerly. Now he's producing). The Brit duo is also unique and I'm curious to see how they gel together.

10) Wes Anderson made a short film for Prada starring Jason Schwartzman!

Don't you want to live in a Wes Anderson film?

11) Alex has some awesome news!

12) Trailers- The Maleficient teaser looks a little half-baked, although it does give us it's two most important aspects of the film-Angelina Jolie as the titular character and Elle Fanning as Aurora. Jolie looks and sounds amazeballs, and if anyone can make me not hate Aurora, it's Fanning. The Wind Rises has a very pretty trailer out and I am really looking forward to it. It looks as lovely and poignant as all the Miyazaki that I have seen. The Devil's Knot looks quite intriguing. I have only seen the first half of the first Paradise: Lost documentary, so it will be interesting to see how the material is treated in this film. Plus, good cast. Speaking of, Muppets Most Wanted looks awesome! I SPOT HIDDLES! I'm really excited about this one. I absolutely adored the first film. Oh God, Noah :/ :/ (See what I did there). But seriously, I don't know how to feel about this film. On one hand, I want to trust Aronofsky and his vision, but on the other hand, there is Russel Crowe and his face that makes me sick for whatever reason. And the material and the way the trailer seems to be treating it does not pique my interest at all. Divergent trailer is meh. I'm just all-round meh about this film. Mehhh. There are two trailers I really loved and are my king of trailers in this post. One is Nymphomaniac. This will be some batshit crazy stuff but lord help me, I'm intrigued. The second is the teaser to The Raid 2: Berandal. THAT'S HOW YOU MAKE A TEASER, PEOPLE!! So fucking awesome.

13) Finally, with "The Day of the Doctor" almost upon us, let's all listen to Sir Ian McKellen's words of wisdom about the show-

Re: Matt Smith- Never knew Sir Ian and I would have so much in common.

DO WEE DOOOOOOOOOO! HAPPY DOCTOR WHO 50TH EVERYONE! ALLONS-Y FOR NOW!

Thoughts

1) So I read Fifty Shades of Grey and Fifty Shades Freed. Uhm. How will these ever be films? It's so explicit! Good lord. Just see Ellen reading it. My reactions are more or less the same. It's also like that of grandmothers, as informed by a friend. The best part of reading these books were how much I got to whine to my friends about it. I just don't see how the 500 sex scenes will be part of the movie. I mean yes, the biggest thing the books had going for them was that in my head Christian Grey is Ryan Gosling, but still. So repetitious. Erotic fanfiction is not for me. Not one bit. Although, I find it interesting that Angelina Jolie wants to make them. That will be new.


2) Speaking of- this picture of Angelina Jolie as the titular character in Maleficient is to die for! I will be watching or rewatching (I don't remember if I've seen it or not) the Disney Sleeping Beauty soon, just to get a taste of Maleficient. I mean Angelina Jolie has always been kind of unrealistically gorgeous, and with, quoting Sherlock, "I could cut myself slapping those" cheekbones, and horns and weird eyes- SPECTACULAR!!


3) The Lammys are being given out! Congratulations to Stevee for winning Best Rating System, Sati. for runners up in Best Blog Design, Anna for runners up in Best Classic Blog, Sam for Best Running Feature and runners up in Best Blogathon and Ryan for Best Podcast, and everyone else who won! I especially named these because I voted for them and it's nice when your vote counts but really, a huge congratulations to every nominee and winner :D


4) Trailers and teasers- Farewell, My Queen which stars Diane Kruger as Marie Antoinette and also has Léa Seydoux. It is a badly made trailer, but I like the concept and it looks beautiful. Before we forget, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 has a teaser out! Woo Hoo!! It's finally ending y'all :D Man, why is Lee Pace in this? Another teaser is that of Monsters Inc. prequel Monster University. Originally I felt that this was unnecessary, but the teaser is pretty funny and it will be interesting to get a animated film about frat boys (sorta), no? The king of teasers is of course Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master. It looks amazing. I love Hoffman's whole look, and Phoenix is still shocking me in these teasers alone. This is how one makes teasers. The Dark Knight Rises's fourth trailer, just in case we weren't dying to see it already. Finally, Joe Wright's Anna Karenina which just looks magnificent. I can't get over how gorgeous it looks. I am not even concentrating on how terrible Aaron Johnson looks in it.


5) Finally, this-

My work here is done.

Good bye.

Thoughts

1) Trailers- Let's just delve right into it, shall we? I sort of feel like writing an ode to Eva Green à la Angelique Bouchard after watching the Dark Shadows trailer. Never thought it was possible for me to write or even think this, but this trailer has too much Johnny Depp *gasp*! I was kind of expecting it to be a Michelle Pfeiffer fest, because I love that woman. But what it lacks in La Pfeiffer, it makes up with Green's sex-crazed witch-goddess act. I can't help but like the intro to the 70s with the music and the lava lamp and the "Reveal yourself tiny songstress!" Also I have a good feeling that I will make HBC my newest role model after watching the film- I love that voice and that attitude. Chloe Moretz is getting annoying though, and after watching the Addams Family movies this week, I wish she would have been a tad Wednesday-esque. On the whole it looks good-ish, slightly funnier than what I expected. I really hope Tim Burton and Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer all succeed in this. God knows they, and I, need it. The other big trailer this week was On the Road's, which I already somewhat discussed here. There is also Now is Good starring Dakota Fanning and certified pretty boy Jeremy Irvine. It looks like it will be depressing, but nice still. I like Irvine in the leather jacket so I will probably see it (shallow people be hailed!).

2) Rupert Grint will star in The Drummer, a film about the last years of Beach Boys' drummer Dennis Wilson's life. I am so glad that the trio are getting acting jobs after the end of the Harry Potter series. As expected, Emma Watson is most in demand and Daniel Radcliffe too is lining up roles, mostly thanks to his awesome personality, but I was quite skeptic about Grint's ability to land roles. But thankfully, this kind of role seems perfect for him. He will play a mail-room intern who befriended Wilson. Wilson will be played by the always-brilliant Aaron Eckhart. Also joining the cast is the amazing Vera Farmiga as Fleetwood Mac singer Christina McVie and mini-Jessica Chastain only in terms of ubiquity and nothing else, Chloe Moretz as Wilson's daughter.

3) Speaking of in-demand fourteen year olds, Elle Fanning will play Sleeping Beauty opposite Angelina Jolie's Maleficient, in Disney's Maleficient. I am all for this. I love both these actresses, and post-Oscar-leg, I think Jolie would be deliciously brilliant in this role. I want to say that I can think of an actor who would do the Prince role well, but I don't know. Maybe Logan Lerman? Or what about Matt Lewis? He's totally hot now, even though there is no chance in hell either of them will be able to hold their own in the presence of Jolie.

4) I have been watching a lot of sitcoms this week. Well not a lot, just Bored to Death and Parks and Recreation. The former is witty-ish and the cast is nice, but it isn't really that funny. Or maybe I haven't yet reached the part when it gets good. The latter is fantastic, and by that I do mean me-falling-on-the-floor-and-rolling-like-a-potato-sack-and-laughing-and-crying-hysterically fantastic!! I want to be April Ludgate. I know I'm pretty late to this party, as it takes me a long time to get to TV shows, but boy am I glad that I have arrived!

5) Finally, following the Dark Shadows chain of thought, and the unending anticipation for The Avengers, I give you this-

LAWYERED!

Catwoman > Ironman.

Toodles.

In the Land of Blood and Honey- Live Q and A with Angelina Jolie

In association with PartnersHub, we are proud to present Angelina Jolie in a Live online Q&A on Thursday Jan 12th at 8pm EST / 5pm PST to discuss her writing and directorial debut, In The Land of Blood and Honey. This exciting and interactive event gives fans the chance to ask Ms. Jolie questions about the film LIVE!

You can also win a poster of In The Land of Blood and Honey, just by asking some fantastic questions in the comments section below. Only the residents of USA and Canada will be applicable for this, so do specify. But even without this, all questions will be welcome.

So please do join me for this event, and also spread the word around to your friends and all Angelina fans. Be there on January 12th!

Set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War that tore the Balkan region apart in the 1990s,  In the Land of Blood and Honey tells the story of Danijel (Goran Kostić) and Ajla (pronounced Ayla) (Zana Marjanović), two Bosnians from different sides of a brutal ethnic conflict. It portrays the incredible emotional, moral and physical toll that the war takes on individuals as well as the consequences that stem from the lack of political will to intervene in a society stricken with conflict.

 In the Land of Blood and Honey has been nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film.