Monday, January 7, 2013

Skyfall

Mr. Y and I watched Skyfall over the holidays, and definitely one of my favorite Bond movies. 

SPOILER ALERT

Skyfall was a big improvement over Quantum of Solace, and definitely deserves to be the first Bond movie to reach $1 billion.  The story was straightforward and as personal as a Bond film can get.  Javier Barden is a great villain as a former MI6 Agent who has a personal vendetta against M for abandoning him when he was an agent.  The scene when he removed his teeth and his face sank in was so creepy.  The chase and fight scenes were appropriately explosive, but I also enjoy the quieter moments, especially between M (Judi Dench) and Bond (Daniel Craig).  The ending was staged at Skyfall, the home estate of Bond's parents in Scotland, and Albert Finney showed up as the cantakerous groundskeeper for the estate. 

I do wish they gave the Bond girls more to do.  Berenice Lim Marlohe was sultry and beautiful, but I was not clear what her purpose was.  Naomi Harris turned out to be the modern Moneypenny and we'll be seeing her in future Bond movies, although I quite enjoyed her as a field agent.  I did enjoy the shout-outs to previous Bond movies, like the exploding pen and the Aston Martin.  Ben Whishaw as a young Q is also appropriate, and a nice contrast to the cranky, older Bond. 

I am sad that Judi Dench's M died at the end, but excited about Ralph Fiennes being the new M.  Every time Fiennes and Craig are in the scene together it's like the battle of the intense blue eyes. 

Thursday, January 3, 2013

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Sorry for the long delay in new posts!  I was away for the holidays, and did not get a chance to post.

Mr. Y and I did manage to see the Hobbit over the holidays, and we both enjoyed it.  I am actually not a big fan of the book, and I was skeptical as to how they would stretch this book into three movies, but after seeing the first one, I like how Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens fleshed out some of the scenes in the book and added stuff from the appendices to fill in some blanks. 

SPOILER ALERT!

The Hobbit definitely brought the fans back to Lord of the Rings land, and it was a welcome return.  The movie is set 60 years before the events in LOTR, and it is bittersweet to know what was going to happen in the future.  The movie started with Ian Holm reprising his role as old Bilbo, and writing his memoirs on the day of his 111th birthday party.  Elijah Wood also came back as Frodo and this movie talked about him surprising Gandalf on the road before the party, which was the start of the Fellowship of the Ring. 

I thought Martin Freeman did an excellent job playing a younger Bilbo.  He really got the mannerisms and hobbit-isms down.  Ian McKellen was amusing as usual as Gandalf, and glad he came back.

The dwarfs were a bit hard to keep track of, but Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield definitely stood above the rest.  He is a very good looking man in real life and all the hair and drawf makeup didn't mask that.  Plus he really brings a sense of power and nobility to the character.

I enjoy the White Council scene between Gandalf, Saruman, Elrond, and Galadriel.  They were discussing the threat of the Necromancer, which will turn out to be Sauron in LOTR, and as a foreshadowing of the events in LOTR, it was clear that Saruman was dismissive of the threat while Elrond and Galadriel took it more seriously. 

The best scenes were between Gollum and Bilbo.  The technology has definitely improved since LOTR, and Gollum is so much more lifelike.  You can really see Andy Serkis's acting choices, and it's a shame people won't recognize what a great acting achievement this is.  You can't help but feel sorry for Gollum, and you understand why Bilbo didn't kill him.

I am definitely excited for the next installment, especially Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug's voice. 

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Game of Thrones Beer

Now this is something Mr. Y will get excited about.  The New York Times reports that a line of beers inspired by the show Game of Thrones will start debuting next spring.  HBO is collaborating with Brewery Ommegang, a Belgian-style brewery in Cooperstown N.Y., to create the beers. 

EW.com has the picture of the first beer, Iron Throne, to be released next March, in conjunction with the premiere of season 3 of the show.  The bottle is 25 ounces and will retail at $8.50 a bottle.  It is also a corked bottle.  EW.com quoted Phil Leinhart, brewmaster at Ommegang, as stating, “It made us approach development in a completely new way and I think the first edition Iron Throne reveals that.  With a Lannister currently on the throne, it made sense to do a delicate, but piercing Golden Blonde Ale with Noble hops. Iron Throne is certainly fair in color and soft in appearance, yet it still possesses a complexity and bite to be on guard for.”

Thursday, December 13, 2012

SAG and Golden Globe Nominations

The Screen Actors Guild and the Golden Globes announced their nominations yesterday and today.  A lot of the usual suspects, with some surprises. 

SAG Nominations

Movies
- No Zero Dark Thirty for Best Cast in the Motion Picture, but the cast of the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was nominated.  Zero Dark Thirty has been one of the buzzed about movies this award season, and no one had talked about the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel at all, so this was definitely a surprise.  According to one Awards Daily blogger Sasha Stone, the screeners for Zero Dark Thirty and Django Unchained didn't arrive in time for the SAG nominations, but Jessica Chastain did get nominated for her role in Zero Dark Thirty. 

- Javier Bardem got nominated for Skyfall over a slew of other candidates, such as Russell Crowe and Eddie Redmayne for Les Miserables, Leonardo DiCaprio for Django Unchained, Matthew McConaughey for Magic Mike, and Ewan McGregor for The Impossible.

- Joaquin Phoenix was not nominated for his role in The Master, when he was considered a lock a couple of months ago.  Maybe Phoenix's comments about how the Oscars are "bulls**t" hurt his chances. 

- Nicole Kidman's nomination for the Paperboy was also a surprise.  The movie did not get good reviews, and was not widely seen.  According to Anthony Breznican at EW.com, "when awards screeners went out only her name was suggested on the package for consideration."

- Beasts of the Southern Wild was not eligible for SAG consideration because it was not a union production, including the lead actress, Quvenzhane Wallis.  Her exclusion from the SAG awards probably helped Helen Mirren land a SAG nomination for Hitchcock. 

Television

- The television categories did not have as many obvious snubs or surprises as the movie categories.  A lot of the usual suspects are there, such as Modern Family, Homeland, and Breaking Bad.  In the drama categories, cable series tend to dominate, while networks still dominate the comedy categories. 

- Jessica Lange from American Horror Story: Asylum was nominated for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.  Her nomination isn't the surprise - it's the inclusion in the drama series category.  American Horror Story's creators and FX have insisted that the show is a miniseries, not a drama series, and last year it was entered in the Emmy race under this category.  But the SAG apparently disagreed. 

- It is a bit of a surprise that The Office as nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, especially over buzzed-about series such as Girls and Veep.

- Homeland was ignored last year by the SAGs, but the cast and the two leads, Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, were nominated this year.

- No nomination for Game of Thrones, which will disappoint Mr. Y. 

Golden Globes Nominations

Movies

- Three nominations for Salmon Fishing in the Yemen: Best Musical/Comedy, Best Lead Actor for Ewan McGregor, and Best Lead Actress for Emily Blunt.  This is a surprise because the movie didn't really make an impact when it was out, and no one had talked about it being in the running for any awards.  At least we will get to see the fabulous Ms. Blunt in the red carpet, hopefully along with her handsome hubby John Krasinski. 

- Despite having the best shot because of the separation between Drama and Comedy/Musical, The Master was not nominated for Best Drama.  Same with The Dark Knight Rises, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and Beasts of the Southern Wild.

- Quvenzhane Wallis of Beasts of the Southern Wild was not nominated for Best Lead Actress, despite great buzz about her performance.  This might hurt her Oscar chances. 

- Robert de Niro was nominated for a SAG award for Silver Linings Playbook, but not a Golden Globe.  Same with Javier Bardem and Skyfall, although de Niro is probably a more serious Oscar contender.  Russell Crowe and Eddie Redmayne were again not nominated.

- No Best Director nomination for Tom Hooper for Les Miserables or David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook, despite their movies getting a lot of attention. 

Television

- Surprise about Smash's nomination in the Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical category, and yet Glee was not nominated.

- Mad Men, Sons of Anarchy, and Game of Thrones were not nominated for Best Television Series - Drama, but Aaron Sorkin's polarizing The Newsroom was included?

- Sherlock was not nominated for Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television, but at least Benedict Cumberbatch got a nod.

- Yay for Max Greenfield being nominated for New Girl, and for Connie Britton from Nashville.  I don't watch Nashville, but I love Connie Britton, so anything that shines a spotlight on her is OK with me. 

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Star Trek Into Darkness Teaser

The teaser for Star Trek Into Darkness was released last Thursday, and the first nine minutes was shown before IMAX showings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey last Friday.  The voiceover for the teaser trailer was done by Benedict Cumberbatch, playing a villain named "John Harrison."  He ominously stated, "You think your world is safe.  It is an illusion, a comforting lie told to protect you. Enjoy these final moments of peace. For I have returned. To have. My. Vengeance.”  There is rampant speculation that he is playing Khan, but no official confirmation.  There is some more clues in the Japanese version of the teaser, which includes additional scenes not seen in the U.S. teaser.

The other theory is that he is playing Gary Mitchell, a good friend of Kirk's and a one-time student at the Starfleet Academy.  Mitchell gained a whole bunch of powers and became more cruel and convinced that he was above humanity.  Kirk ended up battling and burying him in a grave that Mitchell had meant for Kirk. 

Definitely looking forward to this movie. 

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Grammy Nominations

Nominations for the 55th Annual Grammy Awards were announced last night with a special Grammy nominations concert hosted by LL Cool J and Taylor Swift.  A lot of people got the expected nods, but there were also some surprises. 

- Justin Bieber and One Direction were completely shut out, despite having two of the most successful albums. 
- Frank Ocean and Fun. both got nominated for album of the year, best new artist, and record of the year. 
- Maroon Five only got two nominations and none in the big categories
- Jay-Z, Mumford & Sons, Frank Ocean, Kanye West, the Black Keys's Dan Auerbach and Fun. tied for the most nominations with six each.
- Carly Rae Jepsen or Gotye seemed to have a strong shot at best new artist, but got beaten out by bluesy rockers Alabama Shakes and folk-rock trio the Lumineers. 
- Yay for Kelly Clarkson and her nomination for Record of the Year, best Pop Vocal Album, and best Pop Solo Performance, plus the song "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" is also nominated for Song of the Year.
- There isn't a clear favorite like Adele last year, so the Grammys might be going to more disparate artists this year. 

The 55th Annual Grammy Awards will air on Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
A partial list of the nominees is below.  For a full list, go here.

Album of the Year:
Black Keys, El Camino
Fun., Some Nights
Mumford & Sons, Babel
Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
Jack White, Blunderbuss

Song of the Year:
Ed Sheeran, “The A Team”
Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe”
Miguel, “Adorn”
Kelly Clarkson, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”
Fun. feat. Janelle Monae, “We Are Young”

Record of the Year:Black Keys, “Lonely Boy”
Kelly Clarkson, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”
Fun. feat. Janelle Monae, “We Are Young”
Gotye feat. Kimbra, “Somebody That I Used to Know”
Frank Ocean, “Thinkin Bout You”
Taylor Swift, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”

Best New Artist:Alabama Shakes
Fun.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean

Pop Vocal Album:Kelly Clarkson, Stronger
Florence + the Machine, Ceremonials
Fun., Some Nights
Maroon 5, Overexposed
Pink, The Truth About Love

Pop Solo PerformanceAdele, Set Fire To The Rain [Live]
Kelly Clarkson, Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe
Katy Perry, Wide Awake
Rihanna, Where Have You Been

Best Rock Album:The Black Keys, El Camino
Coldplay, Mylo Xyloto
Muse, The 2nd Law
Bruce Springsteen, Wrecking Ball
Jack White, Blunderbuss

Best Alternative Music Album:Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel…
Bjork, Biophilia
Gotye, Making Mirrors
M83, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
Tom Waits, Bad as Me

Best Rap Album:Drake, Take Care
Lupe Fiasco, Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1
Nas, Life Is Good
The Roots, Undun
Rick Ross, God Forgives, I Don’t
2 Chainz, Based on a T.R.U. Story

Best Country Album:Zac Brown Band, Uncaged
Hunter Hayes, Hunter Hayes
Jamey Johnson, Living for a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran
Miranda Lambert, For the Record
The Time Jumpers, The Time Jumpers

Country Solo Performance:
Dierks Bentley, “Home”
Eric Church, “Springsteen”
Hunter Hayes, “Wanted”
Ronnie Dunn, “Cost of Livin’”
Blake Shelton, “Over”
Carrie Underwood, “Blown Away”

Monday, December 3, 2012

Royal Baby

A new royal baby is coming!  The Palace issued a statement today announcing that the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, is expecting her first baby.

Unfortunately the Duchess has been admitted into the hospital for Hyperemesis Gravidarum, which is extreme nausea and vomiting that occurs during the pregnancy.  That sounds absolutely awful, and hopefully she will recover soon.  Regular morning sickness is bad enough, let alone this extreme version that can be dangerous.

If you think the hoopla around their wedding was crazy enough, this will most likely be worse, especially since it will be stretched out over several months.  Best wishes to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!

ETA: There are already many congratulations and reactions to the news from dignitaries, celebrities, and other people, including President Obama and the First Lady, Prime Minister David Cameron,   I thought the funniest reaction is this Twitter account @RoyalFoetus.  My favorite tweet so far:  CURRENT STATUS: DARK IN HERE, WILL UPDATE.