Wolverine's Walnut Fudge Scoop

This movie held the number one spot on my 2009 most anticipated film list. I wanted to love it. I really, really did. Instead, I was disappointed. An average viewer may perhaps love this film. However, being a huge "comic book geek" - as I've been so graciously termed - especially with regards to anything xmen, I felt this film was rushed and contained far too many undeveloped characters. Total disappointment - my only hope is that they do Magneto better.

And since I don't feel like typing sentences - here's some thoughts...

• Liev Schreiber surprised the hell out of me. I had my reservations in casting him as Sabretooth. While the whole Sabretooth character is supposed to be bigger, he did well.
• Hugh Jackman is the ultimate Wolverine. He saved this movie from being horrendous and made it somewhat redeemable to me.
• Upon watching the previews for the film, I had my fears that they were introducing too many characters in this movie. My speculations were correct. The introduction of all these other xmen did not advance the plot whatsoever. The writers didn't even tie up the storylines with these characters. I got the impression that they threw in these extra characters to gage fan reaction. People will talk about who they love the most and the studios will capitalize on that. Simply business!
• I wish they wove more Deadpool and Gambit into the film. Ryan Reynolds did an amazing job as Deadpool.
• I love Taylor Kitsch. I love Gambit. I would give my left arm for them to make a Gambit movie. Although, I wish he had a stronger southern accent. In Friday Night Lights, he does a better accent then in this film. Did the director tell him to tone down the accent? If so, that’s just stupid.
• Ok CGI was horrible. On a low budget movie, bad CGI is somewhat excusable BUT there's no justifications in this film. Uhh, wolverine’s claws were hella better in the xmen films.
• James Marsden is the only Scott Summers for me.
• Oh, there’s so much that was wrong with this movie….Dear Fox and Marvel, please get the other movies right! Please don’t ruin my beloved Xmen!!
• Lastly, besides a Gambit flick, I want to see a Jean Gray/Rise of Phoenix film.

...and that's all I have to say on this.

17 Again Southern Chocolate Scoop

i was supposed to see Crank with my boo-dizzle this weekend but instead we (or should i say "I") took the kiddies to see 17 Again.  oh yes, i kicked. i screamed. then, i finally put my hands in the air and admitted defeat.  Ok, i'm being a bit dramatic but, when you roll with the teenie boppers, the smooth persuasive tactics you thought you had are total fail.

Oh. Em. Gee.  i have a confession to make *gasp* i secretly liked this movie...a whole damn lot.

first, i'd like to say, when the hell did Zac Efron get so damn cute?  it makes me feel all coug-a-lishous to say that.  secondly, even though this white boy possesses some  stellar dance moves, why must he break out into dance in every single movie?  didn't highschool musical end last year?

17 Again, reminded me of Tom Hank's Big but with the opposite story line.  This movie is basically about a guy whose life didn't quite turn out how he wanted it to and wishes he could go back to high school and change it.  He wakes up one day and is seventeen again and gets a chance to rewrite his life.  

It's funny, it's cute, and the Lord of the Rings references made me laugh my head off.  It was well worth a sunday viewing.  and of course, the teenies were swooning.

Apple Pie Adventureland Scoop

Suprisingly, this movie got rave reviews. Do I think it deserved this? No

While I wasn't expecting a Superbad 2, I was a little disappointed with this film.  Therefore, I give it a two out of four stars.

Taking place in the summer of 1987, Adventureland is the story about a rich college student who receives news that his parents have gone broke and are unable to pay for his tuition.  His plans for a European vacation are halted and he's forced to work at a rundown theme park where he meets a whole slew of interesting characters.

The soundtrack is oozing with 80s goodness.  However, I was a little upset that my beloved "Blister in the Sun" by the Ramones wasn't in the actual movie.  I would have grinned ear to ear like a fool.  It's one of my all time favourite songs! EVER.

In all honesty, the script is pretty good.  Where did the movie go wrong?

The casting...and one person in particular: Kristen Stewart.

I truly believe this movie had mad potential to do well but Kristen Stewart ruined it for me.  She's not passionate enough when she acts.  Instead, she almost comes off as a nerve-wracked, emotionless teenager.   She did the same thing playing Bella in Twilight.  It's almost like she needs a strong male counterpart to make up for what she lacks in the acting department.  This actually makes me worry about how she'll deliver New Moon which is supposed to be a very emotionally charged movie.  She's also set to play Joan Jett in The Runaways.  Seriously? I really don't think she's going to make a good Joan Jett.  Why do critics praise her so much?

To end on a good note, I loved Jesse Eisenberg.  While he's no Michael Cera, he totally reminded me of him. He charmed my pants off in this film and I really think he has star potential, should he be given the chance to shine.  There's something sexy about those nerdy-lookin-subtly-funny-a-little-too-skinny boys.   

Love-You-Man Lemon Scoop

Ok, I know what you’re thinking. Two Jason Segal blog entries in a row? Well, what can I say? I love him, man.

Slappin deee bass, slappin dee bass. I’m, uhh, doin reggae man!

It’s been awhile since I’ve laughed every other minute in a movie. This movie was JUST THAT GOOD.

Jason Segal and Paul Rudd make one spankin’ dynamic duo in this bro-mantic flick. In I Love You, Man, a friendless Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) goes out on series of dates with the hope of landing a best man for his upcoming wedding. After experiencing more than his fair share of bizarre, awkward dates, he meets a charming, witty and daring investor named Sydney Fyfe (Jason Segal). Sydney is able to bring Peter out of his shell *cue music* cause that’s what friends are for. As the friendship blossoms between these two men, it also starts to put a strain on the relationship between Peter and his fiancé. He finds himself forced to choose between the love of his life and his new found bro. Of course, you watch it all go down in a slew of awesome one-liners and comical jokes!

So I’m checking box office stats like I usually do and the results are baffling me. Why is Knowing doing better at the box office than I Love You, Man? That is whack! Are guys that turned off with the whole bromance notion that they refuse to see it? What’s the big deal with it anyway? Having hung out with the boys all my life, I’ve learned that most guy friends tend to be more chill, have a fiercer loyalty than girls do and certainly have cruder versions of “sex and the city” sessions than we do. Why is it so hard for men to express love to their closest friends when you know that they’d give up their first child for them? Why is it acceptable for a guy to say something like, “I love that dude like a bro” but not straight out say, “I love you, man?” Societal standards are truly retarded.

On a side note, my friend asked me who I would pick if I had an opportunity to pick a date with either Jason Segal or Seth Rogen. Is that even a question – Jason Segal is my 3rd future husband, yo. He has a perpetual tan and loves Disneyland and Muppets – we’d be perfect! I’m a sucker for sexy, smart, funny, California surfer dude types. *swoon*

So, yes folks, this is one bro-mantic comedy you don’t want to miss – especially if you are craving a good laugh. Besides the laughs, it has enough loving to make you all warm and fuzzy. Make no mistake, I will pimp out this movie to the max cause yeah man, it totally totes m’goates.

Slumdog's Strawberry Scoop

Slumdog Millionaire is easily one of my favourite films of 2008.

...and yes, i've seen it twice...

I think of this as "the little film that could" - the small gem that sparkled and stood out in a sea of diamonds. simply put, this film deserves to win every single oscar it has been nominated for.

Directed by Danny Boyle and starring Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto, Slumdog Millionaire is the story about a slum dweller who relies on his life experiences to win a fortune on the Indian version of the famous television gameshow, Who Wants To be a Millionaire.

There's a great line in the film where jamal tells an american couple, "you wanted the real india, well here it is." this film captures the true essence of poverty. around the world, thousands of people - including children - live in the slums, struggling to survive in a corrupt world, finding happiness in life's smallest pleasures and dreaming with raging hope of bettter days to come.

The soundtrack is amazing. the script is captivating. the cinematography is breathtaking. the director is brilliant. the actors are all very believable. overall, this film is raw with pure love and realism.

This movie will throw the viewer into a loop of different emotions. your eyes will start to tear as you witness some heartwrenching scenes. you'll laugh at the film's crafty humour. you'll be swept away by the determination, persistance and motivation of the characters but torn at the pervasive sense of hoplessness of their situations. and most importantly, you'll smile at the beautiful, sweet love story between latika and jamal.

I was disappointed to hear all the controversy surrounding this film. as with anything with artistic merit, it is open to public opinion. success often breeds criticism. if i could deliver one message to those haters, i'd say: let it go. the children were not neglected or cheated. the title, "slumdog millionaire" is way more powerful compared to the original, "questions and answers", and if you ask me, accurately portrays the storyline.

And so my chaiwalahs, that concludes my commentary on Slumdog Millionaire. If you haven't seen it, GO WATCH IT ASAP. it will move you, no doubt!

Rocky Revolutionary Road Scoop

"if you dont try anthing, you can't fail."

I can see why this film is up for a few oscars - although, Leonardo DiCaprio was definately snubbed in the best actor category. I have to admit, when Titanic came out, I was shocked at how much I loved the chemistry between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. In this screenplay, there was no exception.

Revolutionary Road, based on the 1961 novel by Richard Yates, is about a young couple, Frank and April Wheeler, struggling to live through the “american dream.” To the outside world, they remain united as the perfect couple. However, inside the home, a storm is brewing as we see an emotional battle between husband and wife.

The real reason why I love this movie is for its realness. While we see fierce passion between the main characters, there is no happy ending. Instead, DiCaprio shows the heartwrenching redemption of Frank Miller, his forever scarred character. Winslet’s character states, “No one forgets the truth, they just get better at lying.” The real truth is that the so-called American dream does not exist. Marriage is an adventurous path in which there are many celebrated moments and challenging roadblocks. Frank is struggling between ambition and reality. April, Winslet’s character, has her own set of aspirations and is desperately seeking to break free from the mundane life she leads. She loses her purpose for life and the love she feels for her husband is masked by loneliness and despair.

By the end of this movie, you really don’t know who to feel sorry for. You can empathize with both characters. The performances from DiCaprio and Winslet are astounding. Furthermore, the direction from Sam Mendes is truly wonderful. The movie demonstrates that very few couples flawlessly get it right. Marriage is a world where only the strong individuals survive.

Sweet Shopaholic Skor Scoop

Confessions of a Shopaholic

I admit, I've been binging on chick flicks, but being a former shopaholic, I felt compelled to see this film. Plus, I read the book, so seeing the movie was a must!

Thinking that this would follow in the footsteps of Sex and the City and He's Just Not That Into You, I really wanted to love this movie. It was good but not great.

Confessions of A Shopaholic tells the tale of Rebecca Bloomwood, an aspiring fashion journalist, who is forced to battle her shopping addiction after losing her job and avoiding debt collectors. To help pay off the debt and reach her dream job, she embellishes her resume and lands a job as a financial reporter for an affiliated magazine. Of course, this is where she meets the man of her dreams, who *gasp* is disguisingly filthy rich and understands Prada. Sounds pretty typical huh?

The chemistry between Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy is magnetic. Sissy Spacek and John Goodman always make me laugh. The script, however, was another story. I can always tell whether I'm going to enjoy a movie by watching the first few minutes. The first few minutes of this film were boring me to tears. It did redeem itself toward the middle only to become ridiculously predictable by the end.

If America can survive being thousands of dollars in debt, so can you! This made me chuckle. What a great capitalistic line -- how very corporate america of them!!

Shopping is a guilty pleasure of mine. As cliche as it sounds, retail therepy is still one of the best forms of therepy. Whether you're nursing a broken heart or just trying to recoup from a bad day, there's nothing better than finding the perfect outfit to help you look and feel fabulous again. Ok, ok, there are exceptions to that rule…but meh..i'm a girl who has a thing for shoes and clothes.

If you can wait, save this movie for a girl's night in - it'd be the perfect end to a dinner and games night with your dearest girl pals!

he's-just-not-that-into-you heavenly hash scoop

when watching sex and the city last summer, i just about squealed when i saw this preview. in fact, i cringed in disappointment to find that i had to wait until february of this year to see it. naturally, it made my 2009 most anticpated films list. did it deliver? oh hell yes!

he's just not that into you.

*sigh*

we've all been in that situation at least once in our lifetime. to make matter worse, it almost seems like a natural tendency of the female species to overanalyze things.

is he's just not that into you about empowering women to take control of their relationships? or, does it teach us not to listen to our overly optimistic girlfriends when we share our guy problems?

you see while i'm the optimistic type, i'm one of those honest friends that don't sugarcoat to spare feelings. i'm not one of those girls to listen to her bestfriends and say, "everything is alright sweetie, you two are meant to be together." it's not that i'm being mean, it's just that i'd like to think i'm a pretty good judge of character and when i know a relationship is headed south, i'll call it out. frankly, it saves me the grief of being a breakup buddy. (although, depending on the situation, sometimes this role can be fun)

of course when it comes to letting go of a non-existant relationship or finally making the decision to leave an unhappy one, everything is much easier said than done. your girlfriends can scream at the top of their lungs that "he's just not that into you" BUT if you don't discover this yourself, you'll never let go.

so maybe the movie and the book lean toward the art of self realization. afterall, life is a discovery. it's about making mistakes and learning from them.

and while the book and movie teach you -- there's an exception to every rule -- tread carefully, my little fish!! love can be both blinding and/or encompassing. i've learned from past relationships that love will send you through a spiral of different emotions. if you don't observe for warning signs or ignore your intuition, you could end up being eaten by the sharks.

that being said, grab your girlfriends, go see the movie, dish about boys over dinner and then go dancing -- it's the true essence of a girl's night out.

ps. this turned out to be more of a commentary than a film review. but what else can i say - the actors fit their roles to a T and the script is both moving and funny but when it comes down to it, this movie will get you talking about relationships...and, that's entertainment folks!

Cookies and Coraline scoop

...and that's not to be confused with caroline.

i first saw the preview for this movie last december while watching Ratatoulie and immediately put it on MY 2009 most anticipated film list. stop smirking - i can admit: yes, i'm a movie junkie and yes, i happen to love 3D computer animation films.

back to Coraline...this movie gets my official ah-may-zing.

Where do i start? Coraline is the modern day version of Hansel and Gretal. It is the film adaptation of British author, Neil Gaiman's fantasy-horror novella, that tells the tale of a clever, curious, young girl, named Coraline Jones, who discovers a secret door in her new home that leads to a fantasy dream world. In this alternate world, she discovers that her wishes have consequences and nothing is ever perfect without a price. There is so much depth in this storyline, you could spend hours analyzing it. Additionally, Dakota Fanning and Terri Hatcher lend their voices to make up the perfect mother-daughter combo!

before seeing this film, i read that this is the first and longest stop-animation film shot in 3D. The characters were shot as puppets; Coraline alone, had over 300 different types of hands!

word on the street is that they released a graphic novel last year, so i'm on a mission to find it.

anyway, i'm trying to keep this short and sweet, so i won't bore you with all the details. just go see it...you won't be disappointed!

in other news, tim burton is one of my fave directors/producers...he's creating this 3D animated film called 9. the preview is pretty dope! needless to say, i was excited!!and yes, it's on my list! check out the preview:

tim burton is epic!!