Rent It: The Music Never Stopped

I didn't recall that I had put "The Music Never Stopped" in my Queue but was so glad that I did.  It was a surprisingly, touching story about a lost and then found only son to two loving parents who use music from his era to help him regain some of his sanity and memory.  It was an Official Selection of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and written by Oliver Sacks who also wrote "Awakenings".  This film stars Lou Taylor Pucci (who you might remember in the indie flicks "Chumbscrubber" and Thumbsucker", oh and he was in a recent episode of "Girls"), J.K. Simmons and the british actress Cara Seymour (she played the mother in "An Education"). 

Now I just want to say - I truly believe that one of the best actors out there is J.K. Simmons.  I remember the first time I saw him was when he was on "Oz" playing an aryan bully in prison.  He was so convincing and scary and I hated his character.  He's been in everything from the "Spider-man" films to playing the super sweet dad in "Juno". This guy has been nominated for various awards but he is definitely Oscar-worthy and Emmy-worthy, and, hell - throw in a Tony while you're at it.  He's multi-talented and man, I'm just a fan, as Blake Shelton would say on "The Voice". 

Flashdance Flashback

Oh, I just had to write about it. It's too 80's iconic to not forget.  I remember watching "Flashdance" and wanting to dress with the cool light gray oversized sweatshirt hanging off of the shoulders with leggings and remember Olivia Newton-John's "Let's Get Physical" attire.  It's amazing and perfect next Halloween!

 

Jennifer Beales in "Flashdance"

 

Thong over bike shorts - classic!

 

Geometric prints - hot!

 

ONJ - rocking the legwarmers and headband!

 

 

Go See: Heleno

I went to The Wrap's screening last night of "Heleno" which starred Rodrigo Santoro.  (see blurry pic below) Now, I truly thought Rodrigo was just a pretty face and while he is, this guy can really act...well!  (Come on, ya'll remember him as "Karl" in "Love Actually", the hot guy that Laura Linney's character was obsessed with.)  He not only starred but produced this film which is about the life of the famed brazilian soccer player, Heleno de Freitas, who built up his career as a striker for the team, Botafogo.  He was a man with gorgeous looks and even a hotter temper - all with which Santoro did an amazing job depicting.  I truly hope this film gets an Oscar nomination for the foreign film category.  Well done! 

 

Check out the trailer...!

Can't Wait: Lincoln

It may seem that all I can talk about are films that I can't wait to see but don't despair, I've been doing my homework and have gotten well caught up lately.  Just really excited about the end-of-the-year-rush-of-great-films-so-they-can-nab-Oscar-nominations race.  I saw the trailer of "Lincoln" with my Scottish friend and felt like it was the start of a joke - "How many brits does it take to make an american historical film?"  Well, minus the lead - Daniel Day-Lewis and Jared Harris, there weren't as many as I thought.  Might I mention how uncanny it is that Day-Lewis looks perhaps exactly what you envisioned Lincoln to look like.  He's a mirror-image.  And hey, with Spielberg directing - I bow to him as he's one of the best.  Enough of my jibber jabber, here's the trailer.  "Lincoln" opens nationwide on November 16th.  Enjoy!

Can't Wait: Skyfall

That's right.  Bond.  James Bond.  And quite possibly, in my expert opinion, the best Bond ever.  Daniel Craig.  Oh yes.  I'm on pins and needles to see this new action-packed flick that everyone's buzzing about, "Skyfall".  Plus the theme sung by Adele is amaze-balls so you know this film is going to be epic.

And, according to The Wrap, "Skyfall" is expected to be the biggest Bond ever at the box office.

"In fact, releasing "Skyfall" to foreign audiences 10 days ahead of its domestic release is a ploy that will pay off nicely: It will help make the first Bond film in four years the biggest 007 ever at the box office, the first to score over $600 million worldwide.

Daniel Craig’s Bond already has been extremely consistent as 2008's “Quantum of Solace” grossed $586 million worldwide while “Casino Royale” topped out at $594 million in 2006. But with foreign grosses for "Skyfall" alone already closing in on $300 million, the sky does indeed seem the limit. 

"The huge overseas numbers for "Skyfall" have trumped all box-office news in the U.S. the last two weekends, and that buzz can only help punch up the grosses Stateside," Exhibitor Relations senior analysts Jeff Bock told TheWrap Monday."

So, there you have it but you didn't need proof.  You were going to go see it anyway, right?  It technically opens on IMAX theaters this Thursday, Nov. 8th.

 

Can't Wait: Les Miserables

Just watch it. My friend, Allan and I got goosebumps watching the trailer.  I literally just watched it again and even got misty eyed. It's so powerful and rumour has it, they actually performed these songs not in a studio but as they were filming.  Whoa.  Now, that's impressive.  The cast is amazing.  I could go on but I won't.  Just watch the bloody trailer.  Les Miserables.  Release date is Christmas Day, 2012.

Go See: Pitch Perfect

Now I know I had told you how excited I was to see "Pitch Perfect" and quite honestly, it nearly over delivered for me.  It's hard to find films where you actually laugh so hard to the point of tears but this film did, at least two times.  I think it also helped who my company was but still - this film packed the laughing punch and if you're every bit the gay man that I am, then you'll see it.  It makes me dream about the moment when Rebel Wilson and I will be besties and we can sit, drink wine and talk about people.  Anna Kendrick was amazing and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be downloading the soundtrack from itunes soon enough.  And ahem, you do know that Ms. Kendrick has been performing on Broadway for years, duh?  You saw her in "Camp", right? You'll also see kick-ass performances by newcomers Skylar Astin (this guy played Georg in "Spring Awakening" in NY), Ben Platt (another theater dude), Ester Dean (singer/songwriter) and Hana Mae Lee (comedian & clothing designer). 

Ummm, so I've said enough - go see it!!!