tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-311010672024-03-06T20:50:00.831-07:00Gummi PopcornMovie Reviews With Flavor!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.comBlogger212125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-76698451618030285422012-08-13T23:53:00.003-06:002012-08-13T23:53:39.747-06:00Drive (2011)<div style="text-align: center;">
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Drive (2011)</div>
Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn <br />
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston<br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/rg/s/4/title/tt0780504/#lb-vi2772212761" target="_blank">Trailer</a><br />
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It is quite possible that I am the only woman alive who does not find Ryan Gosling appealing. I don't <i>dislike</i> the man, but I have never felt strongly one way or the other, either about his acting or his looks. Frankly, he always looks rather sleepy to me. Recently, while saying this very same thing to a friend of mine (who happens to be a straight male), I received the usual jaw-open-in-disbelief response. He added, however, that the movie <i>Drive</i> would change my mind. Challenge accepted. <br />
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As the film opens on a sparsely-furnished apartment, we listen to Gosling's voice outlining the terms of a clearly criminal agreement to an unseen/unheard client. In the living room, a television set displays the score of a baseball game in progress. By the time this game is over, so is the job. If the name of the movie doesn't make it apparent, the audience now knows that Gosling's character is a getaway driver for hire. He is a pretty slick one at that, but of course we all knew he would be. As it turns out, Gosling (his character does not have a name) isn't just into cars when he's aiding and abetting. He also has a job as a mechanic AND a stunt driver AND he does a little stock car racing on the side. It seems our car guy is a loner without much of a social life. That is, until he meets his neighbor Irene (Mulligan) and her young son Benicio (Kaden Leos). Their budding relationship suffers a major downer when Irene's husband is released from prison. And while Standard (Oscar Isaac) is a little suspicious of Irene's new friend, he appears to be a fairly decent family man. Well, maybe not so much. It doesn't take long before some of his prison buddies come around to collect a debt. This debt, naturally, isn't one that Standard can pay and in steps our hero Driver to save the day. He agrees to do a little driving in the interest of keeping Irene and Benicio out of danger. So, the heist goes smoothly, nobody gets hurt, and all of the characters go home rich and happy. Well, maybe not so much.<br />
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I really did want to give this movie a chance. About fifty percent of it is made up of really fine elements that warrant serious credit. However, the other fifty percent of it consists of such colossally bad elements that they almost negate the positive ones.<br />
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To its merit, Drive was very nicely filmed with a few particularly stellar shots - Gosling's first entrance into his buddy Shannon's garage is a lovely example. The plot, although not a particularly original one, is carried out with a few detours from the typical testosterone-fueled, grand-theft auto, jock-fest. For that, the movie gets a good measure of respect. Irene is a pretty girl-next-door sort of person who doesn't spend any time jiggling her boobs for the camera. She and Gosling don't hit the sheets like horny teenagers either. I also enjoyed the driving in this movie. While there are moments of tire-squealing and metal crunching, there are also more subtle, graceful maneuvers that make the action seem a little more intelligent. (Pay close attention as Gosling executes the perfect parking job without the slightest glimpse at anything but the two suspicious characters strolling through the parking garage.) <br />
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On the flip side, what the eff is going on with the soundtrack in this movie? Let's set aside the fact I wouldn't be caught dead with a single track from it on my iPod. The volume and timing of the music is entirely inappropriate. It fades in at odd moments and doesn't add a single embellishment to the plot, mood or style of any scene. The lyrics are irrelevant. Now, I'm not implying that every song in a movie needs to have vocals that narrate the action. I am saying, however, that lacking all other aforementioned redeemable qualities, a song should at least speak to what's going on with the characters. <br />
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Now that that's off my chest, let's talk about the nearly complete lack of interesting characters. Everyone in this movie is so incredibly bland! First of all, Gosling's character is the mysterious, brooding type. So, for approximately the first half of the movie he hardly changes facial expression. Granted, it adds to the mystery of who he is and what his past might be, etc., but it doesn't make for much in the way of exciting dialog. Irene isn't chock full of personality either. She is very quiet, polite, tentative, nervous. Apparently, there isn't much going on in her life that isn't domestic and there's no sign of a hobby or quirky character flaw anywhere. The husband, Standard is, ironically, the only character who surprised me. Despite being a hoodlum, he appears to genuinely care for his son and show appreciation and respect to his wife. While that should be the "standard" way for a man to treat his family, in the scope of action films, it's not the usual case for his type of character. All of the other characters are beneath mentioning.<br />
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I even have a problem with the opening credits. Was that Purple Rain font? WTF?<br />
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In summary, I felt about Drive the way that I <i>still </i>feel about Ryan Gosling, which is, "meh". It was just on the verge of being an exquisitely Grindhouse homage that truly honors the subtle greatness of the genre. Left to age, it could have been a cult classic in ten or so years. But, a few absurdly lame details wrecked this movie's potential ambiance. That, coupled with acting that could put a crack-head to sleep, left me truly disappointed. Sorry Ryan. Better luck next time.<br />
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Bechdel Test Results: Fail<br />
<a href="http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/09/16/movies/drive-with-ryan-gosling-review.html" target="_blank">Second Opinion</a><br />
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Hottie Rating: 3 of 5<br />
Overall Rating: 2 1/2 of 5 <br />
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<br />Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-5738466001913041392012-04-27T00:16:00.001-06:002012-04-27T00:23:38.723-06:00Cabin in the Woods (2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Cabin in the Woods (2012)</div>
Directed by: Drew Goddard<br />
Starring: Fran Kranz, Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth<br />
<a href="http://discoverthecabininthewoods.com/" target="_blank">Trailer</a><br />
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I feel that it's necessary to begin my review with a few qualifiers. First of all, I am a late-comer to Joss Whedon fandom. It took insistent recommendations from close friends (i.e. peer pressure) to get me to watch my first season of <i>Buffy</i>. Once I did, I jumped in with both feet and never looked back. So, this review of his latest creative endeavor will naturally be colored by that slavish devotion that grips many of Whedon's fans. Secondly, any reader of Gummi Popcorn will quickly surmise that I'm big on horror. But, I'm also very bored with it. There are times when the usual five-kids-in-a-cabin trope is just what the doctor ordered. When I'm sick at home, I eat lots of soup and watch teenagers get slashed by forest-dwelling psychos, hockey-mask-donning lunatics and ironic twists of fate. That's just the way I'm wired. However, that same formula has been used so often that it has become a joke. And now we get to how the two subjects are related.<br />
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As the trailer indicates, there's more going on here than what we as an audience might expect. Yes, there are the stereotypical victims - the blonde sexpot, the confident jock, the dowdy smart girl, the sensitive intellectual, and the pot-smoking loser - however, these are all just manipulations. There is a control room, behind the scenes, that oversees the most critical of decisions (do they stick together or split up?) while allowing enough rope for the characters to hang themselves with. And that's why <i>Cabin in the Woods</i> is not like any horror movie you've seen before.<br />
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What I liked about this film is that the creators know what audiences have become accustomed to and built a story behind it. They've added another layer of muscle just under the sagging skin of the horror genre. When, at the end of the film, that pallid flesh is ripped away, it is torn with reckless abandon by every manner of beasts let loose from darkened closets, illuminated legends and feverish nightmares. And yes - it's reminiscent of an episode of <i>Buffy.</i> And yes - it's hilarious.<br />
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Whedon has his finger firmly on the pulse of pop culture. He seems to have an innate ability to work subtle but relevant humor into even the worst situations, using a lingo that reverberates with currency. (I imagine him stalking groups of teenagers with a flip phone just to pick up their speech patterns, but I digress.) His comic timing is rarely less than perfect. The writing for <i>Cabin in the Woods</i> reflects that talent, in much the same way Whedon's other creations do.<br />
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That being said, I don't expect this film to explode the box office. While it doesn't blatantly cater to Whedon fans (there are no cheesy cameos from Boreanaz or Gellar), it might be a little too offbeat for mainstream audiences. After all, not everyone appreciates having the rug pulled out from underneath them. <br />
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Bechdel Test Results: Fail<br />
<a href="http://lostlevel.com/2012/04/18/review-the-cabin-in-the-woods/" target="_blank">Second Opinion</a><br />
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Hottie Rating: 4 of 5 (for wolf/girl make-out scene)<br />
Overall Rating: 5 of 5 (this one goes on my top 5 list)<br />
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</script>Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-283677534229128402012-01-06T20:35:00.001-07:002012-01-06T20:35:42.666-07:00A Few More ChangesI hope you've had the chance to check out the new Gummi Popcorn YouTube channel. It is growing fast and being updated frequently with tantalizing trailers. So, make sure to check in often. In addition to the new YouTube channel and the obvious change in design, you'll notice a couple of other changes at Gummi Popcorn. Thanks to the wonders of technology, I've taken up the habit of streaming my videos from Netflix. While this format certainly has its share of problems, it does have the overwhelming advantage of convenience. As one of the aforementioned downsides of this new format, special features are not available. Therefore, you'll notice the "DVD features" list will no longer appear with each review. Also, as I imagine nobody is terribly interested in whether I sat in the theater with a lap full of popcorn or on my cozy couch with the cat, the "format" details will disappear. <br />
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There will remain, however, the all-important "hottie rating", the "alternate recommendation" and the IMDB link at the end of each review. Naturally, you'll still find the genuine wit and quality insights you've come to know and love baked into each review.<br />
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(Feel free to bitch about your problems with Netflix in the comments, btw.)<br />
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<br />Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-30644975659462968592012-01-02T15:45:00.002-07:002012-01-02T16:29:13.527-07:00It's ALIVE!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a few years and many life changes since I first started Gummi Popcorn. For a while, I puttered around with various software, trying to find something sparkly and dynamic. On the up side, I've reserved the Gummi Popcorn username on just about every online software I can think of. On the down side, no reviews ever got published and no designs were ever completed. Amazing how absorbing the internet can be. Amazing how time-consuming real life can be. <br /><br />So, I'm going to attempt to bring this poor thing back to life in one form or another. I really do enjoy writing and I really do like to voice my opinion! For those of you who follow GP on Facebook - thanks!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-9103117171679815112011-01-05T14:47:00.001-07:002011-01-05T14:49:36.101-07:00Facebook Has Eaten This Blog!!Starving for more Gummi Popcorn? Well, I imagine you would be, considering there hasn't been a post for ages. :> However, if you'd like your reviews in snack-sized pieces, please follow Gummi Popcorn on Facebook! It's what all the kids are doing these days....Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-76934050405059818732009-08-20T11:20:00.002-06:002009-08-20T11:29:37.109-06:00Well, Hello ThereHowdy. Yeah, I know it's been quiet around here. Life is crazy madness. It involves boxes and second jobs and exes. I do have some good news, however. I've finally acquired a hand-me-down laptop and, although it's old and doesn't go online, I do have about 12 new reviews waiting to be published! I've been procrastinating on the latter part because I want to move this site to WordPress. However, I haven't had the chance to do the studying I need to to make things work the way I want. One of the reviews waiting in the wings right now is one for the Harry Potter film that was just released - Half Blood Prince. So, I've got to get moving before that review gets stale.<br /><br />When I get some content up on the other site, I'll just get gummipopcorn.com to jump there instead of here, so there won't be any need to change your bookmarks or whatever. <br /><br />A few more prizes went out recently...still catching up with that too. I swear that one of these days I'll get my act together! Really, I will.Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-4289646299543744442009-05-13T08:18:00.002-06:002009-05-13T09:03:32.462-06:00Another Round of AwardsTwo more prizes go out today, to unsuspecting winners! Well, I guess you know by now if you're to expect a prize, but I'm doing the delivery guerrilla style! So, nobody knows when they'll get one or where it will show up. <insert wicked laughter> I've got a few ideas for the next round of contests, but they will have to wait until I dig myself out of this financial hole I'm in. The current round of prize winners are getting a sneak peek at the new GP site design in addition to assorted goodies. Ugh...got to go do work things now...Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-73447329670376821602009-05-08T14:21:00.003-06:002009-05-08T14:38:57.439-06:00And So It Began...The first set of prize packages were delivered today for Gummi Award winners! Two medium bag prizes were awarded and one large bag prize. The packages contain a completely random assortment of items and vary completely from one another (aside from the wrapping). The only stipulation is that all large bag prizes contain a DVD movie. So, winners, I hope you're pleased with your packages. Feel free to leave a comment about what you liked, what you didn't like, or submit pictures!!<br /><br />The next set of prizes will go out next week! <a href="http://www.codepinkalert.org/section.php?id=401">Happy Mother's Day!!</a>Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-31717606970325791622009-05-05T08:17:00.002-06:002009-05-05T08:41:07.428-06:00Let's Hear It For The GirlsIt's about time to heat things up again here at GP. Gummi Awards prizes will go out this week and I'm feeling the itch to start some new reviews! But, I want to take a moment to see who's still with us out there. So, a fun little question to get everyone playing along:<br /><br />What is your favorite "girl power" movie?<br /><br />I'm not talking about "chick flicks" here; I want titles with a little kick-butt. For example, movies like <a href="http://www.teethmovie.com/">Teeth</a> or <a href="http://www.mahalo.com/Enough_Movie">Enough</a>. Guys, don't be afraid to answer this one too. We all know tough girls know how to turn the fellas' heads. <br /><br />My personal favorite? It's Tarantino's <a href="http://www.grindhousemovie.net/">Death Proof</a>. It could be because it was filmed (partially, at least) in Austin, TX, it could be because it features badass muscle cars, and it could even be that Zoe Bell is my new idol. Whatever the reason, if you haven't seen it yet, you should!<br /><br />Now I want to hear from you (in the comments section)! Tell me the title of your favorite "girl power" flick and why you like it!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-88355537387770721392009-04-21T16:32:00.002-06:002009-04-21T16:40:11.147-06:00Good Lord, Is It Over Yet?That's it. This is the end. I can't wait anymore!! Hasn't it been ages since The Gummi Awards began? To quote one of the most loathsome comic strips ever, "Good Grief!" Well, I've had it! Prizes for 14 out of the 15 winners will go out starting May 1st. If it ever happens that I get my hands on a copy of <span style="font-style:italic;">Drop Dead Fred</span>, there will be massive celebration and I shall finally complete The Awards announcements. I may just have to break down and buy the damn movie. But, since I've just moved and am completely broke, that'll have to wait too.<br /><br />Next week, I will be doing some house-sitting for a relative and won't have much to do besides watch and review movies. So - we may finally get the ball rolling around here again!!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-74712504543359752082009-03-31T08:40:00.003-06:002009-03-31T08:55:19.515-06:00News!Warner Bros. has announced that it will begin a "burn-to-order" program for many of their films that have not been released on DVD. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/cdhd69">Here</a>'s a link to the news article with some details. You can see Warner's list of archive titles <a href="http://www.warnerarchive.com">here</a>.<br /><br />In other news, GP is about to move again, which should be a semi-permanent location. As soon as we're all settled in, things around the site should get rolling again. We would dearly love to finish up the Gummi Award announcements, but there's one hurdle left before that can happen. You see, it's been virtually impossible for us to get ahold of a copy of <span style="font-style:italic;">Drop Dead Fred</span>! Searches at Blockbuster and Hollywood Video have come up short and Netflix refuses to ship it for some reason. It's in our queue, but it never mails out. If you think you can help, or if you have a copy we can borrow, please leave your info in the comments - they will not be published.<br /><br />Thanks!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-12860399037144604782009-02-23T12:45:00.003-07:002009-02-23T14:35:25.104-07:00Academy Awards Report 2009Believe it or not, Gummi Popcorn has not died. It's only been lurking in the shadows for a bit. Due to a massive upheaval of lifestyle and relocations and other drama, it's been rudely shoved to the back burner until the dust settles (which will hopefully be soon!). Rest assured though, new blood will eventually return to inflate the oh-so-critical veins of this here website and the sarcasm and snark will fly once again. So, just to prove we haven't been sleeping (and in case you <span style="font-weight:bold;">have</span> been), here's the GP recap of last night's award ceremony. <br /><br />This year, our host was Hugh Jackman. While it's always difficult not to drool like a maniac when Hugh is in sight, I did feel a little embarrassed for him. It seems that someone at The Academy thought it would be cute to have Wolverhottie prance around and do a few musical numbers. I guess it's a case of Hollywood being jealous of Jackman's time on Broadway. It's not that the man is a terrible singer, but the numbers were poorly planned and even more badly choreographed. Is this The Academy Awards or Saturday Night Live? Have a little class for chrissakes. Even poor Hugh looked like he was thinking of shooting his agent.<br /><br />Despite a loud, rude and obnoxious crowd at the Oscar party I went to, I miraculously managed to hear snippets of who won what and which hot little hands golden statues went into. Sadly, I haven't managed to get to the theater for most of the nominees this year and <span style="font-style:italic;">Slumdog</span> was at the top of my "must see" list, along with <span style="font-style:italic;">The Wrestler</span>. Predictably, <span style="font-style:italic;">Slumdog Millionaire</span> swept the scene - much like it did at the Golden Globes - and walked away with a total of eight awards (Best Picture, Directing, Music (song & score), Editing, Sound Mixing, Cinematography, and Adapted Screenplay). I love to see small foreign films win big in general. It shows that the industry has an appreciation for culture. What I don't love, is hearing "Thank you, come again" every time someone with an Indian accent stepped up to the podium. That joke was old, I dunno, at least 10 years ago. The same racist jackasses making that comment last night were spreading rumors that Bollywood was moving to Detroit, or some such nonsense. I can't even begin to tell you what's wrong with that statement. <br /><br />Equally as predictable as the winner of Best Picture, was the winner of Best Supporting Actor; Heath Ledger. While I don't mean to belittle the man's acting skills, it seems that the quickest way to an Academy Award these days is through the grave. Movies like <span style="font-style:italic;">The Dark Knight</span> almost never make it to the awards, just because of the genre. Ledger was great as The Joker, but had he still been alive, there's no way he would have the Oscar for it. The award for Best Actor was achieved by Sean Penn for his role in <span style="font-style:italic;">Milk</span>. His acceptance speech was, by far, the best one of the night. He managed to touch on the gay rights issue, Barak Obama, and get his point across without being long-winded or preachy. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I agreed with everything he said. <br /><br />The winner for Best Supporting Actress was Penelope Cruz for her role in <span style="font-style:italic;">Vicky Christina Barcelona</span>, which I haven't seen and have no idea if she deserves. Her speech was tearful and heartfelt and it always chokes me up when the award winners seem sincere. I will have to add <span style="font-style:italic;">VCB</span> to my list of must sees. Best Actress in a Leading Role went to Kate Winslet for <span style="font-style:italic;">The Reader</span>. The actress was nearly hyperventilating and who can blame her?<br /><br />For both the Actor and Actress in a Supporting Role, winners from years past appeared on stage to introduce this year's nominees. It was a nice touch. Two of these presenters were Brodie and DeNiro - two of my ultimate faves! <br /><br />Of course, one can't discuss The Academy Awards without discussing <a href="http://oscar.com/redcarpet/?pn=gallery&g=0&i=0">fashion</a> to some extent. The guys always look the same. It's just suit after suit after suit year after year. I'd love for one actor to wear a kilt or an outfit in any other color than black. I'd settle for charcoal grey even! Snore. The ladies are who everyone focuses on anyhow. What was with the alarming trend of wearing one's drapes as a gown? Jessica Biel had perhaps the most hideous display of this disturbing fashion, but Mary Hart, Heidi Klum, Tilda Swinton and a handful of no-name girlfriends pitched in to. My personal favorite, as far as classy gowns go, was Kate Winslet's dress. It was original, but not tacky. <br /><br />So, despite being intensely irritated by the company I had during the ceremony, the awards went smoothly. There weren't any horribly flubbed lines, political incorrectness and scandalous wardrobe malfunctions. I went home sober and popped <span style="font-style:italic;">The Fountain</span> into my DVD player, just to get some more Hugh Jackman in before bedtime.Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-75826650529772463152009-01-13T11:08:00.002-07:002009-01-13T11:27:21.449-07:00Gummi Award Results: Most Offensive Example of Animal Testing/Cruelty<a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/04/9-most-offensive-example-of-animal.html">Category number nine</a> (<span style="font-style:italic;">"number nine, number nine"</span>) in the Gummi Awards was for the movie that displayed the most offensive scenes of animal torture, abuse and otherwise cruel behavior. My original thought was that the 1971 film <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066769/">The Andromeda Strain</a>, with its writhing rat and monkey test subjects, was a solid candidate for the prize. The nominations sent in from our readers were:<br /><br />Atonement<br />Cannibal Holocaust<br />Kiss Kiss Bang Bang<br /><br />I assume that Carrie's nomination for <span style="font-style:italic;">Kiss Kiss Bang Bang</span> was a joke (right, Carrie?). The horse shooting scene in <span style="font-style:italic;">Atonement</span> was unpleasant, of course, but not more than momentary and the creatures do not suffer long. The movie <span style="font-style:italic;">Cannibal Holocaust</span> warns the viewer no less than three times at the outset that it contains scenes of extreme violence and that no editing was performed for the sake of protecting the creators' first amendment rights. "While the production company does not condone such actions, blah blah blah." Several animals in the movie are severely mutilated and tortured to death. It's real and it's sickening. So, the winner of this category's award goes to <span style="font-weight:bold;">Carrie</span> for <span style="font-style:italic;">Cannibal Holocaust</span>. I can only hope the people who made this film are all long gone from this Earth.Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-56335815812246252312008-12-20T15:07:00.001-07:002008-12-29T22:23:26.872-07:00Gummi Awards Results: Most Abrupt and/or Confusing EndingThe fifteenth category open to Gummi Award nominations was the one for <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/04/15-most-abrupt-andor-confusing-ending.html">Most Abrupt and/or Confusing</a> ending. A couple of fantastic films were on the list, making this the most worthwhile category from our perspective. However, out of the three, we didn't find any of them to have a particularly baffling conclusion. <em>American Gangster</em> was solid piece of work by Ridley Scott. Maybe the friendship at the end was unexpected? <em>Gone Baby Gone</em> was also a decent flick. It conjures up some moral dilemma, but isn't remarkably truncated. Maybe what's mind-boggling is that Ben Affleck can actually direct? The only iffy resolution to be found among the three plot lines was the one in <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/08/premonition-2007.html">Premonition</a>. It's a natural pitfall of stories dealing with time travel or precognition - the paradox. If so-and-so sees the future, does said future become inevitable or flexible? Premonition, even though it's not the best made film ever, wraps itself around the paradox rather well. But, out of the three, we decided that Anastocia's nomination was the most suited to this category. Congrats Anastocia! You win for Premonition!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-6385413031870340212008-12-20T15:06:00.002-07:002008-12-25T00:12:47.969-07:00Gummi Awards Results: Best Geek SidekickNow, it's time to announce the winner of the third category of The Gummi Awards - <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/04/3-best-geek-sidekick.html">Best Geek Sidekick</a>. The three nominations were <em>True Lies, Van Helsing</em> and <em>National Treasure</em>. While I'd originally imagined Bleeker (played by Michael Cera) from <em>Juno</em> as a pretty good geeky sidekick, I realize now that he didn't exactly qualify. The label "geek", after all, implies some specialized knowledge of electronics or gadgets or, at the very least, specialized knowledge of some subject above and beyond the normal level. I totally [heart] geeky guys!! To my great joy, someone out there found a fantastic example of geekery in Justin Bartha's portrayal of geek sidekick Riley Poole in <em>National Treasure</em>. That someone, and winner of the large bag prize, is <strong>Thanh</strong>! Thanks for giving me a new boyfriend (if only in my perverted fantasies).Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-85586507365008341352008-12-20T15:04:00.001-07:002008-12-24T20:58:30.879-07:00Gummi Awards Results: Dumbest BlondeThe fourth category in The Gummi Awards is for the <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/04/4-dumbest-blonde.html">Dumbest Blonde</a> in a film. Now, despite all the platinum in Hollywood, this category ended up with no more than two nominations. This award wasn't waiting around for a pre-concieved winner to appear either. So, no large bag prize was waiting in the wings this time. It's interesting that the woman nominated as the dumbest blonde in <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/08/best-in-show-2000.html">Best In Show </a>(Jennifer Coolidge) also plays a supporting role in the other nomination, <em>Legally Blonde</em>. Although the seemingly obvious choice for this category would be the latter, we have to realize that Reese Witherspoon's character gets into Harvard law school completely under her own steam. She doesn't have her rich daddy buy her way in, she doesn't offer up a B.J. to the dean and she doesn't fake her credentials. Considering that gaining admission to said institution isn't something most women accomplish (blonde or otherwise), we can hardly consider Elle Wood "dumb". So, the winner in this category is <strong>Carrie</strong> for <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/08/best-in-show-2000.html">Best in Show</a> (even though there's an even dumber blonde than Coolidge in the movie)!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-25203988780538669682008-12-20T15:03:00.002-07:002009-04-21T16:29:57.338-06:00Gummi Awards Results: Most Creative Ending Credit SequenceI always appreciate when movie makers take into consideration how boring the average individual finds the white-on-black scroll of the ending credits. Instead, it too can be used as another creative outlet, adding a special element to leave the audience with as they saunter out of the theater. Jackie Chan, for example, uses the end credits as a chance to show his famous outtakes. When creating this category, I did have one specific film in mind. By far, the most thoroughly entertaining end credits I've seen come at the conclusion of <span style="font-style:italic;">A Series of Unfortunate Events</span>, animated by <a href="http://www.watchthetitles.com/designers/Jamie_Caliri">Jamie Caliri</a>. Given the choice between the two nominees (<span style="font-style:italic;">Ferris Bueller's Day Off</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Monsters, Inc</span>.), however, the hands-down winner is Kris with <span style="font-style:italic;">Monsters, Inc.</span> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eIaC3h9wJk">(watch)</a>! Congrats Kris!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-51843614461611553572008-12-18T13:03:00.002-07:002008-12-18T14:09:10.233-07:00Gummi Award Results: Most Inappropriate Musical SequenceSkipping to number fourteen, there were two and only two nominations for <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/04/14-most-inappropriate-musical-sequence.html">Most Inappropriate Musical Sequence</a> - This category wasn't one that I'd previously held a favorite for. It was suggested by a friend of mine and, considering how awkward I usually find musical numbers, I thought it would be an excellent category. Out of the two, I have to choose the one that was most out of place - <span style="font-weight:bold;">Richard's</span> selection; <span style="font-style:italic;">Almost Famous</span>. While I loathed the majority of the singing in <span style="font-style:italic;">Sweeney Todd</span>, it was expected to hear everyone break out in song.Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-42062743017156495612008-12-17T09:46:00.004-07:002008-12-17T10:18:56.447-07:00Gummi Award Results: Most Accurate Book-To-Movie AdaptationHalf of the winners have been announced so far and Christmas is creeping ever closer. The thirteenth in the series of Gummi Awards will go to the movie with the <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/04/13-most-accurate-book-to-movie.html">Most Accurate Book-To-Movie Adaptation</a>. This category required GP not only to view movies, but also to read the written works they were based on. Thank God nobody nominated Crime and Punishment!! There have to be hundreds of movies based on books or short stories. Only three of them made their way to this category's nomination list. The nominees were:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0170016/">How the Grinch Stole Christmas</a><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0884328/">The Mist</a><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0396171/">Perfume</a><br /><br />There was the possibility, this time, of winning a large bag prize and if anyone had guessed <span style="font-style:italic;">Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas</span>, they would have won it. Terry Gilliam did such a wonderful job of translating Hunter S. Thompson's book for the screen that it's possible to read along with the film! Dialog is word-for-word. However, Patrick Suskind wrote a novel about a man who's olfactory sense was much more acute than his sense of compassion; his sense of humanity. Tom Tykwer had the task of creating a visual sense of smell. Not an easy task, to be sure. The director pulls off this feat, however, and made a very clever film out of <span style="font-style:italic;">Perfume</span>. So, it's <span style="font-weight:bold;">Carrie</span> as the winner of the medium bag prize for her nomination. Congrats Carrie!!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-54750224179625096822008-12-16T08:47:00.003-07:002008-12-16T09:04:15.513-07:00Gummi Award Results: Most Crazy-Cool Carpet DesignNow for Gummi Award number 10, for the <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/04/10-most-crazy-cool-carpet-design.html">Most Crazy-Cool Carpet Design</a>! We were beginning to get nervous, thinking that nobody else notices the carpets in movies. Are we strange? There was absolutely, definitely a certain film flooring in mind when this category was created. Did anyone guess? The nominees were:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAcK6rFY5wM">Beetle Juice</a><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118971/">The Devil's Advocate</a><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373469/">Kiss Kiss Bang Bang</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t60oY0TbTU&feature=related">The Shining</a><br /><br />The movie that we were thinking of was....(drum roll)......<span style="font-style:italic;">Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas</span>!! When you're tripping hard in the City of Sin, geometric squiggly patterns are horribly distracting. So, there was no large bag winner this round. However, there is a winner for the medium bag and that winner is.......<span style="font-weight:bold;">Michelle</span> for <span style="font-style:italic;">The Shining</span>!! Congrats!!!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-60010366852115480352008-12-15T09:06:00.004-07:002008-12-15T09:14:34.895-07:00Gummi Award Results: Best Scene Involving FoodNumber eight in The Gummi Awards, the category for<a href="http://"> Best Scene Involving Food</a>, garnered only two nominations. Perhaps having human flesh removed from the menu ruined everyone's appetite for competition? There are a number of fantastic films that involve eating and many that focus entirely on the subject, such as <span style="font-style:italic;">Tampopo</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Like Water for Chocolate</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Ratatouille</span>. Then there are <span style="font-style:italic;">A Christmas Story</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Close Encounters of the Third Kind</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">American Pie</span> that have memorable edibles. However, choosing between the two nominees, I must lean to the more visually appealing of the two films and choose <span style="font-weight:bold;">Carrie</span>'s nomination - <span style="font-style:italic;">Pan's Labyrinth (a.k.a. El Laberinto del fauno)</span>- for the medium bag prize.Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-22590184266903802512008-12-15T08:44:00.002-07:002008-12-15T09:04:10.843-07:00Gummi Award Results: Most Awkward MomentCategory number seven of The Gummi Awards was the movie with the <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/04/7-most-awkward-moment.html">Most Awkward Moment</a>. This one was originally intended to glorify the film with the most uncomfortable scene for the <span style="font-style:italic;">characters</span>, rather than the viewer. However, upon closer inspection of the posted description, it appears that intention isn't immediately clear. Our bad. Here's what made our readers squirm:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0399146/">History of Violence</a><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373469/">Kiss Kiss Bang Bang</a><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120831/">Slums of Beverly Hills</a><br /><br />Personally, I find "69" to be horribly uncomfortable, but my personal life isn't the issue here! The medium bag prize for the best nomination in the Most Awkward Moment category goes to <span style="font-weight:bold;">Michelle</span> for <span style="font-style:italic;">Slums of Beverly Hills</span>!! Yay Michelle!!! There's hardly a moment more embarrassing than being surprised by your dad while dancing to <a href="http://www.filter-store.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,211850,00.html">Give Up the Funk</a> and swinging a giant vibrator around.Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-1245645564304743582008-12-15T08:33:00.003-07:002008-12-15T09:37:42.538-07:00Gummi Award Results: Best Gratuitous Display of Abdominal MusclesThe sixth pit stop in a race around the world was...oops....I mean the sixth category in the 2008 Gummi Awards was <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/04/6-best-gratuitous-display-of-abdominal.html">Best Gratuitous Display of Abdominal Muscles</a>. The five nominees in this oh-so-fun-to-judge category were:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417217/">Two for the Money</a> <br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416449/">300</a><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/">Top Gun</a><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103074/">Thelma & Louise</a><br /><a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/11/into-blue-2005.html">Into the Blue</a><br /><br />I have to nod my head at all of the nominees. All had acceptable tummy action. However, when considering drool-factor and the sheer number of glistening abs on display, one stands above all others. The winner of the medium bag prize is <span style="font-weight:bold;">Rochelle</span> with <span style="font-weight:bold;">300</span>!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-85992488623300709722008-12-12T09:40:00.002-07:002008-12-12T09:47:11.644-07:00Gummi Award Results: Best Use of Dialog In a Single SceneThe fifth category (yes, I realize this isn't in order) of The 2008 Gummi Awards was <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/04/5-best-use-of-dialogue-in-single-scene.html">Best Use of Dialog in a Single Scene</a>. This was the only category that closed early, mainly because of the great turnout when it came to nominations. Best Dialog was definitely the most popular category. There were so many fantastic nominations, but none of them hit the mark for my personal favorite. For exceptional character banter, I would have accepted <em>any</em> Quentin Tarantino film for the large bag prize. The man has a way with words. As it was though, I had a very difficult time picking out a single deserving winner. The monologues from <span style="font-style:italic;">The Libertine</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">V for Vendetta</span> were well crafted. I especially enjoyed the scene in <span style="font-style:italic;">V</span> when the main character introduced himself, using virtually every V word in the dictionary. There was one nomination, however, that holds a special place in my heart (and is <span style="font-weight:bold;">truly</span> a <span style="font-weight:bold;">dialog</span>). For the medium bag prize in this category, the winner is <span style="font-weight:bold;">Carrie</span> with <span style="font-style:italic;">The Princess Bride</span>!<br /><br />Congrats Carrie!!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31101067.post-22227469740708593402008-12-11T09:03:00.004-07:002008-12-11T09:10:28.519-07:00Gummi Award Results: Most Nauseating Vomit SceneToday's prize will be awarded to the individual who made the best nomination in the <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/04/2-most-nauseating-vomit-scene.html">Most Nauseating Vomit Scene</a> category. Just two nominations made their way to Gummi Popcorn for this one. <a href="http://nekomovies.blogspot.com/2008/08/beerfest-2006.html">Beerfest</a>, sadly, was disqualified because there was no vomit scene to be found in the actual film. GP could find nothing nauseating in the special features either. None of the readers out there managed to guess the film we had in mind when creating this category. Curious? The Most Nauseating Vomit Scene that we recall ever seeing is the endless pool of puppet barf in <a href="http://www.teamamerica.com/">Team America: World Police</a>. (are you slapping your foreheads now?) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bjce3VEhouY">Watch</a>, if you dare. So the winner of the medium bag prize by default (not that it wasn't a good suggestion anyway) is <span style="font-weight:bold;">Michelle</span> with <span style="font-style:italic;">The Exorcist</span>!Neko Noirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483352911165771342noreply@blogger.com0