Entry # 1: Not Livejournal. My First Reviews.

At the suggestion of Brian (Film Festival employee/"Blog Buddy") I have decided to venture into the world of non-myspace blogging. I really need someplace to write my movie "reviews" (or any other opinion I deem important) that doesn't revolve around all of my friends (and admittedly, sometimes myself) bitching and releasing all of that cursed teen angst.

So, here I am. An official "modern blogger"...


To begin my first ever blogspot experience, I shall give a quick review of the three movies I saw this week. Since I enjoyed them all, my first blog will probably not be my most enjoyable to read.

Penelope:
A definite surprise. The previews did not do it justice. You, of course, have to accept the fact that a girl can be born with a pig nose (ah, the joys of creative writing). The director, Mark Palansky, had a very Tim Burton-esque style. (Think more "Big Fish" than "Edward Scissorhands".) The best part would have to be the excessive amounts of James Macavoy and the absence of Johnny Depp. (I shouldn't throw in my personal opinions on JD. Whoops.) It was also nice to see Reese Witherspoon in a new (yet rather small) type of role. My biggest (and really only) issue with the movie was that Christina Ricci was so darn adorable with the pig nose that it was really hard to believe why everyone was so horrified by her face. She rocked the nose a little too well. On a different note, the sets were absolutely incredible. Penelope's room alone was captivating. I'll wrap it up with a definite recommendation for those who enjoy cute feel good movies. It probably won't leave you with the same warm fuzzies Juno did, but it's a definite glimmer of hope after 27 Dresses.

The Other Boleyn Girl:
Let me start off by saying that there is no other movie with a more attractive cast. Natalie Portman. Scarlett Johansson. Eric Bana. Jim Sturges. Mmmm. I really enjoyed it. Now, it could have been because of my recent found love for Elizabeth I and how I was curious about how she came to be born, or it could have been because it was an interesting movie. The storyline was very intriguing and not at all slow-moving (as many period pieces are). My favorite scene is what I like to refer to as "The Uncomfortable Scene" (ah! incest!). The acting in that one scene alone blew me away. We were all on the edge of our seats, biting our fingers, hoping they wouldn't go through with it. They make the audience feel just as uncomfortable as they are, but not in a bad-horror-movie sort of way; in an emotional way. My main issue with the film would be costumes and make-up. I felt like they forgot to put foundation on Natalie, because her face was a little too shiny at some points. (A silly thing to judge, but a little too noticeable). The costumes were fine, but at times too distracting. The head pieces that some of the women wore looked like tacky Christmas Tree toppers. Also, throughout the movie Natalie and Scarlett would wear the same dresses in different colors. I get that they were trying to convey their closeness, but it felt a little too Mary-Kate & Ashley. Overall, I enjoyed the movie but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. It's not a "chick flick", but it's also not one I would send a guy to.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day:
I'm not going to lie... I teared up in the end. It was just the epitome of cute. I had such a fun time watching it. Both Francis McDormand and Amy Adams were great. Amy Adams has such an amazing grasp on comedy. She plays the cute/oblivious so well. If you haven't see Junebug, go rent it asap to understand. The only word that continues to come to mind for this one is "cute". (I think it's because it's 1am and my brain is no longer allowing the critique function to work.) Character development is such an important aspect of film (which so many writers seem to forget these days), and I enjoyed watching their 24 hour transformation. The whole concept is a little far-fetched, but if we can believe in a girl with a pig nose, we can believe that a homeless woman can become a fancy "Social Secretary" overnight.

Tis all for now.