Leap Year -- Review

As Valentine's Day begins to make it's quick approach the number of upcoming releases in the romantic comedy category will of course increase. We will have remakes of old classes (When in Rome - modern update to Roman Holiday), we will have the romantic comedy with Taylor squared and a collaborative with other great actors (Valentine's Day) which I expect will of course live up to it's title. But in order to kick off the year right we have to have at least one romantic comedy opening the first weekend of the new year.

Granted if this was me, I would have waited a little and most likely I would have chosen to release this particular film on an actual leap year. The gimmick is there of course, but for me I need a little extra something. Maybe it is the cynical single girl within lashing out after sitting through yet another romantic comedy on my own, unable to prevent that horrible little thought that creeps into every single girls mind of "I wish I was here with someone". But this is where I draw the line and apply one of my new years resolutions... (to not let the sight of happy couples make me feel bad about being single)... So I put my single feelings behind me and move on.

Leap Year is a cute story with a little bit of Irish luck. From time to time the story did begin to drag, but it helped that there were a few good actors to keep the film afloat. Amy Adams is a triple threat with in her ever growing career, shining on screen as an actress, singer and dancer. Her comedic timing made her adorable to watch, and even with several weak lines throughout the film she shinned with the Irish look and strawberry blond hair. I guess I'm just a sucker for the Irish, but the pairing of Amy Adams and Matthew Goode was a cute on-screen couple. Matthew Goode may not be a "McDreamy" or "McSteamy", or even a Bradly Cooper, but his charm, gorgeous green eyes and to-die-for accent makes up for all the rest. It was refreshing to see a film where the leading lady realizes she has a thing for "the guy she's not supposed to like" when he has ALL of his clothes on. The chemistry was fun to watch unfold throughout the film. At times it reminded me of Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in It Happened One Night, when all you wanted was the "fall of the wall of Gibraltar".

Aside from the story, the beautiful Irish country side is a sight to see. Aside from the single girl cynicism of the "I wish I had that...", I could not contain the awe feeling of watching this traveling film. By the end of the film you will want to rush out and purchase a ticket on the next flight to Dublin, jump in a car, and just drive around Ireland just to see the lush greens and history of these shires and villages. It's true that it is all about location, location, location...

Leap Year may not be your choice for top theater going films, but I would highly recommend it for a little cuddle time with your special someone on a snowy or rainy day.

When Pirates Hit the Airwaves -- Pirate Radio Review

Over the last few years Hollywood has produced a number of films that I like to call "soundtracks to life". The teen generation recently had Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist. Some people may not agree with me on this, but I feel that Adventureland was homage to classics of the 70s, and this weekend we get the wild adveture that Pirate Radio takes the audience on. It's a picture that brings laughs from start to finish.


Pirate Radio tells the story of a group of renegade radio DJs who filled the airwaves with rock and roll and their attempts to "fight the man" from a ship in the North Sea during the 1960s, using illegal radio to give the people of Britain such obscene sounds as The Beatles, The Who, The Grateful Dead, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones and many many others. The only thing funner than the story itself is the soundtrack that will make any audience want to jam along to the tunes.

From the opening to the end credits, I had to remind myself that I was in a theater so I would not start singing along with the great music. The cast of character and their own individual stories breathes another level of story telling through the musical selections that you hear throughout the film. And with the star studded cast of Philip Semore Hoffman, Bill Nighly, Kenneth Branagh, and several other wonderfully casting actors who I would rather save the surprise for you to find out who they are playing this film with leave you smiling. So if you are a lover of music, lived through the 60s, or are just looking for a good time at the theater, I promise you this film is not to be missed. You may just feel the urge to stop at the music shop and pick up the soundtrack on the way home. I just wish that they journey could have lasted longer than it did, however I know that the dvd release will have tons of additional footage worth the wait and possibly a lengthier directors cut of the film. One can only hope.

So come join the pirates on the open seas of the radio airwaves and let the sounds of rock n' roll bring you some joy this weekend.

November Releases To Be Excited For

As November has just begun I feel the need to share a few trailers for films to keep your eyes out for.

DARE
Let's start with an unusual indie film about high school seniors and what it means to be finally completing that one stage in your life and the unexpected things that happen before you take your first steps in the next stage of life.


Men Who Stare At Goats
The next generation of military weapons has come... in the form of 'psychic soldiers'?? With an amazing cast one can only hope that it brings as many laughs to the rest of the film as the trailer shares.


The Messenger
The story of a soldier who just returned home from Iraq and is assigned to the Army’s Casualty Notification service. Looks like it could be a powerful story.


Planet 51
We've all heard of Area 51, but have you heard of Planet 51. What looks like it could be a fun family film that brings a new look to an alien planet. So let's see who the real alien is... them... or us. Also, enjoy the dog that looks like a mini Xenomorph. For those Alien fans out there, I'm sure you'll get a few good laughs out of that.


Me and Orsen Wells
We all know who Orsen Wells is. We've all seen at least one of his films. This November release tells the story from a slightly different side and yet still brings back that feel of classic filmmaking that only existed during the times when Orsen Wells was a man behind the camera. This period piece shows a different side to the actors we have watched grow into skilled performers, but never have we seen them in a film quite like this.


Old Dogs
In the spirit of Wild Hogs comes the next chapter of what it is to be getting old and have life throw a curve ball right at you. John Travolta and Robin Williams team up for what can only be a film that will make you laugh til you cry.


and just because I love penguins so much. here's a second trailer to prove everyone says 'aw' when they see the little guys who are always dressed to impress for a night out anyway in their permanent tux.


Princess and the Frog
Disney takes a trip down memory lane and brings us a new film made in the traditional style of previous Disney classics is the story of the Princess and the Frog. Have you ever wondered what happened to the princess that kissed the frog? We are about to find out.

Zombie Invasion

Zombies have been the talk of the town for the last few years. The number of zombie survival guides that have been released continues to grow, but I bet very few people expected a zombie invasion to take place this year.

On September 30 I walked down 42nd St to attend an early screening of Zombieland, but to my surprise I got way more than I had bargained for. Standing in line I was quickly surrounded by the livinging dead. Seeing the infected swarm around the 42nd St AMC theater was a sight to be seen. These were not your normal zombie fans who just dressed to impress. No. These zombies brought their A-games with full on blood, gore and the famous slow-zombie limp walk. It was like walking into a theater performance full of actors all waiting for the main attraction, but before that could happen we were surprised by a very special guest. Sitting in an auditorium of 300, and watching the living dead stagger in is an amazing experience. The NYC zombie crawl that coincided with the Zombieland screening was a perfect pairing and it brought out any zombie imaginable. We had zombies that looked as though they had been dragged begin a moving vehicle prior to their arrival, we had zombie families that came out to the 9pm screening which included a baby zombie in carriage, zombie cheerleaders, and a Beetle Juice zombie which was all too perfect for the appearance of Bill Murry in the film. But the event that topped the night was not just the zombies, but the guest appearance of Woody Harrelson. Hoops and hollers followed his entrance along with several press photos, and just as the film was about to start he stood before us with megaphone in hand to talk all of the zombies for coming out, and then apologized for the carnage we were about to witness. It was a fitting event for what would be an amazingly entertaining film, and one that any zombie fan would feel pleased with.
I sat on the edge of my seat cheering for the "zombie kill of the week" and give full credit to the genius end battle at Pacific Playland. I will never be able to look at an amusement park in the same way ever again, and I love it.

The only thing that made the night complete was leaving the theater and exiting onto the street of Time Square behind several groups of zombies. Watching these performers make their way down the streets was a horror fans wet dream. Women were screaming, people were jumping out of the way, and the NY Police seemed clueless by the invasion. I only wish I had a camera to catch the zombies down in the subway.

Picture this... A woman is walking up the stairs, exiting the subway station. Clinging to the handrail a man in a business suit is struggling to make his way down the stairs, using the railing to support his weight as he hobbles on one leg to get down the stairs. The woman looks over at the man and asks if he is ok, or if he would like some help. In response he slowly turns his head toward her, revealing a pale white face, white eyes(contacts) and several layers of flesh pealing away from his face as he and lets out a deep guttural moan. She screams and takes off up the remaining stairs two at a time. The zombie, emotionless and not effected by the reaction, turns back and continues to make his way through the subway and onto a downtown N train heading towards Brooklyn. I only imagine what that subway ride must have been like.