MOVIE THAT I SAW TONIGHT:

Hugo dir. Martin Scorsese

Tonight’s film was preceded by several trailers, including the re-release of Titanic… in 3D. As I put my grossly uncomfortable 3D glasses on (as I have become oh too unfortunately familiar with) I found myself transported back to 1912 England aboard the Titanic’s maiden voyage. The memorable image of young Leonardo DiCaprio holding young Kate Winslet exploded past the confines of the screen. The Titanic itself floated away from the bitter cold Atlantic and onto the theater floor. 

Violins swelled and I anticipated the wail of Celine Dion’s “youuuur heeeeerre there’s nooooooothing to feaaaaahr.” A harrowing shot of a man falling from the top of the sinking ship, smacking his soon-to-be lifeless body on the railing, and plunging to his death into the sea is juxtaposed next to shots of the young lovers carelessly running through the ship’s garage area. Kate Winslet descends from the stairs. Young Leo, who is much more dashing and handsome than I remember, takes her hand. He paints her, they have sex, he dies. IT ALL HAPPENS IN 3 MINUTES ON THE SCREEN.

Best. Movie. Trailer. Ever.

MTIST: Like Crazy 

You can never go home again. Give up the ghost.

MTIST: Sex and the Single Girl (1964)

Guys, you know what is really charming? When your married client blatantly hits on you, gets you drunk, tries to get your clothes off, and lies the entire time he is with you. Can I just tell you, if I ever find a man like that, I’m going to drop my career, my status of a single girl, and just run away with him anywhere he asks. Never mind the fact I don’t even really know his real name. 

But he thinks I’m pretty!

MTIST: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

or How to Pleasantly Escape From Reality During your Evening

I’m on a movie kick guys, can’t you tell? For a girl who once had nothing to do with cinema and its long form story telling, I am sure making up for lost times. I even reinstated my Netflix account! Well, it really was to watch all of The Wonder Years and Party Down.

Anyway, my Netflix queue was brought back to me like a missing child and so were my off-kilter suggestions (Strong Female Lead ALWAYS equals a Rape Movie). Luckily for me, Netflix knows all about my fascination with silly films from the 60s and this one took the cake for the perfectly bizarre, exciting, and wholly entertaining. Plus Robert Morse’s little shit-eating grins just get larger and more hilarious. Love it! 

Oh, and not to mention that one of Babette’s gnomes on Gilmore Girls was named Pierrepont. I thought of that during the entire film. 

MOVIE THAT I SAW TONIGHT:

Ides of March

When I first moved to Los Angeles, I began to notice certain everyday landmarks in the films I watched. For instance, I completely geeked out during Morgan Spurlock’s Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold because it was filmed at the Pom Wonderful offices that are next door to my old office. I was excited during an episode of The Hills when Lauren and Brody go to see a movie at Arclight. However, none of this compares to seeing your ex-boyfriend’s alma mater on the big screen. It’s almost like having your home town on the national news or something. 

The first outdoor shot of The Ides of March is of the exterior of a colonial style, classically collegiate, classroom building. The windows are trimmed with a light cream paint. It instantly clicked for me, that’s Miami University! For the next fifteen minutes I was taken directly out of the film and into a nostalgic reverie of that time that I had paraded upon my own Alma Mater’s sister college yelling in a drunken fervor “I love Salinger!” (Because sometimes you’re a college freshman and your boyfriend invites you to a wine and cheese party at a frat house and you drink a lot of Franzia and begin to remember The Catcher in the Rye very fondly) and I probably did so right in front of this building that is now on the big screen, in Hollywood of all places!

I had known that The Ides of March was set in Cincinnati after meeting up with my old friend who had just graduated from Xavier and had mentioned that she saw Ryan Gosling at a local bar (she got kind-of Gossling’d). But I never imagined that so many shots would be at Miami. For instance, the chapel is located almost next door to the ex’s old dorm. We had taken romantic jaunts down there many-a-time. With each new exterior shot I emitted another surprised gasp and a mutter of “that is close to Alex’s old classrooms!” or simply, “Oh my God, Miami!” I am certain that the folks next to me, who knew I was at the movie by myself, thought I was a complete nutcase. But rather, I’m an ol’ nostalgic Ohioan who was a little perturbed that the Morris campaign never went to Ohio U (but went to Xavier, Miami, Kent State, Dayton Community College - come on!)

I am certain that all of you probably know full well why I saw this movie tonight. Living off of the sexy high that was Drive, I had to continue my Ryan Gosling bender. As usual, this film did not disappoint. Not normally a fan of politics, dramas, and especially not political dramas, I was engrossed in the backstabbing and the sexiness that is running a primary and trying to win the vote of The Buckeye State. 

Mr. Gosling certainly did not disappoint. In a perfectly tailored suit and wonderfully coiffed hair, the camera paid a special favoritism to his handsome face. His character was rebellious and smart and his acting outstanding as always. I am quickly coming to the conclusion that all movies need a little Gosling in them. 

Now I think it’s time for me to step away from Ryan and his all-american, dayum boi where’d u git dat body, good looks for a while. Because right now I’m tearing through his films like a 12 year old would do with a new issue of Tiger Beat.

Movie that I saw tonight:

Drive - Get out of my dreams and into my car!

Just when I thought that Ryan Gosling was at his dreamiest in Blue Valentine, he became even dreamier in Crazy Stupid Love, now he has upped the dreamy ante in his new film, Drive (ok, I think technically his new film is Ides of March, but still, this one is still very new). 

Ryan Gosling drives around, beats people up, and has staring contests that go above and beyond any featured stares on The Hills. He works on cars, he says few words, and wears this perfect little blue crew neck top, with the little buttons that accentuate his toned chest and shoulders and leaves a little peek at what is underneath. He courts Carey Mulligan. Who, by the way, doesn’t cry during the film. WTF, Nicolas Winding Refn don’t you know that is her theatrical forte?

Shit gets bloody, really bloody, really fast. It’s like a blood volcano erupts all over the second act. I was surprised that I didn’t come out of the theater with a little blood splattered on my t-shirt! Accompanied with the sound effects (..and the Academy award for Foley Artist of the year goes to Paul Hackner), I have fully realized the dangers of driving around Los Angeles (who knows when you’ll be hired to be a getaway driver, times are hard, dawg). 

Throughout this movie I couldn’t help but think about Ryan Gosling and me making out  his film career. I couldn’t think of a single film of his that was terrible. I mean The Notebook was painful because it was some sappy mumbo jumbo designed to make girls think that some dude in the south will build them a house. But he did build a house, and that was super hot. Plus he said something really sappy regarding “I want you everyday, blah blah blah.” Even though I didn’t like the movie when I saw it (oh those many years ago), I’m thinking back about the Gosling hotness and am remembering it much more fondly than it probably was. 

So, I feel that my movie recap has strayed from the actual topic of the movie and more to a lady-emotion ridden rambling about its lead. So, Drive, it was certainly a thrill ride. 

P.S. A friend of my once got “Gosling’d.” He was out and about Hollywood when he spotted Mr. Gosling who then proceeded to stare my friend down. I have heard by other accounts that this is just what he does. I sure do hope that one day I get “Gosling’d.”

P.P.S  I think it is important to note that Ryan was on an episode of Are you Afraid of the Dark.

MOVIE THAT I SAW TONIGHT:

Footloose (2011)

Could this movie use more slapping or less slapping? PLEASE DISCUSS

P.S. The lead was in an episode of The Drew Carey Show, so you know I’m already a fan.

MOVIE THAT I SAW TODAY: 

50/50

There is nothing like a good JGL/Seth Rogen buddy comedy to make you believe you have cancer too. 

My back also hurts sometimes!

MOVIE THAT I SAW TONIGHT:

Restless

Here’s a film that appeals to all of my movie-going senses: young people, falling in love, both with their own quirky personality traits (he has a ghost friend, she really likes birds), and one is dying. This is a beautifully shot film with your everyday “indie movie” dialogue and your standard “manic pixie dream girl” (and not to mention, Mia Wasikowska’s pixie hair-do is adorable). 

I have been very excited for this film since the trailers appeared last year and have eagerly waited pushed-back release dates. I feared that my own anticipation may have set my standards too high, but I was mistaken. It’s a great little movie if you’re into teenagers speaking like college professors, gorgeous shots of autumn, and the all too familiar doomed romance; all things that I look for in a movie. 

Now, I think its about time we change the reigns on the “Manic Pixie Dream Girl.” What about the “Manic Pixie Dream Boy?” Time to start writing your screenplay, Erin.

MOVIE THAT I SAW TONIGHT: Crazy Stupid Love

REVIEW: omgRyanGoslingmaawwwhahwhawwwwawagaaaahaha

MOVIE I SAW TONIGHT:
Bellflower

It’s amazing that this entire film was shot on an iPhone with the hipstamatic app. 

I completely forgot to mention that I saw The Blues Brothers for the very first time this weekend.

From now on, I think I am going to compare every movie to this one because it very well may be a perfect film.

Other movies I saw this weekend that were nowhere near the quality of The Blues Brothers: Rise of the Planet of the Apes (no soul music) and Attack the Block (no Illinois Nazis).

Tonight’s Big Screen Crush:

Ewan McGregor in Beginners