Winters Bone: Review

Directed by Debra Granik. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes and more unknowns.

This film was adapted from the 2006 novel by Daniel Woodrell's of the same name. Also this years last years winner of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury and Waldo Salt screenwriting. So naturally, I had to check it out.

Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) must find her meth-cooking father who has vanished after putting their family home up to post bail. If she doesn't find him and force him to show up to his court date they will lose their home. Ree has two younger sibling and a mother who has lost much touch of reality. Needless to say, seh doesn't have anywhere to go or many options. She starts asking neighbors questions as to where her father might be and ends up getting into much more trouble then desired.

I appreciate the new age in cinema of realism and struggle. It wasn't an over the top dramatic role or a boring story of loss and burden. It was done nearly perfect and one can easily see why it was a favorite at Sundance. The casting looks as if they just had an invisible camera and followed people around in the mountains of Missouri. The dialogue of the characters was also believable and important to the script. These weren't deep thinkers who could deliver a story changing monologue, and you are never force to believe that they are. These are simple people with tragic problems and all they can do is try their damnest to survive.

You feel for Ree's struggle but are uplifted by her courage and strength. I couldn't help but think if I were her I'd just fall out and cry...even if I wasn't 17. But that isn't the point. You're not supposed to feel sorry for her, you're supposed to identify with doing whatever is in your power to protect your family. I recommend this film for anyone who feels like their going through a tough time. Things could always be worst. Especially in the  one boat scene. Yea, I am thankful I never had to go through that.

8/10

Cheers

Tasha's Top Ten of 2010

Granted there are a lot of movies I have yet to see and/or refuse to see. This is a list of my favorite films of 2010.

10) Due Date - Idk why I didn't write a review for this but it was a great film. It wasn't as funny as everyone made it seem to be but I enjoy most everything Robert Downy Jr does. Zach hasn't impressed me since Hangover but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a future in film. Obviously.

9) The Expendables - You should all know I am obsessed with Mickey Rourke and it's hard enough he isn't my number pick but his role was relatively small so I'll let it slide this one time. It was just a great action film with all of Hollywood's tough guys showing off. No depth, no real point, just fun. I can appreciate that.

8) Scott Pilgram vs. The World - If you have not seen this film please do! It's very fun and easy to get lost in. Michael Cera lost mad cool points with me for Youth in Revolt but I saw this after and he won back his place in my heart. You Go Canada!

7) Robin Hood- Russel Crowe doesn't do average. A great story and I'm hoping they sign off on part two. I feel like a lot of people didn't check this one out but they should!

6) The Town- Cawpse and Rawbbers stories alwayz get to meh!

5) Twilight: Eclipse- It was wayyyyy better then New Moon (which sucked)

4) Salt- Angelina Jolie was kicking ass for damn near no reason. What's better then that?

3) Black Swan- I dig the crazies.

2) Inception- Two words. Leo and Classic.

1) The Social Network- History in the making. My generation is kicking ass and taking names. And by that I mean sign up for facebook.com today! Also shoutout to Andrew Garfield. My 4th baby daddy.


*Honorable mention is Toy Story 3. I haven't seen it and probably won't unless I get black mailed into babysitting or have children myself. But I know woody and the gang rock. For you Nicole.


What is your top ten?

Black Swan: Review

Directed by Darren Aronofsky. Starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbra Hershey, and Winona Ryder.

This.Movie.Was.Crazy.

Firstly, I love these types of movies. Bat shit everything! Darren Aronofsky directed Requiem for a Dream so you know it's on some trippy shit. I feel like Darren and I should be friends!

Anyway Natalie plays a ballerina who desperately wants the role of the Black and White Swan for her schools production. Like she really wants it. Vincent Cassel plays the studio director and he is AH-MAZE-ZING! Lemme get this out of the way...everyone was amazing and I loved it all. Mila I never cared for before...but now...I kinda do. Winona Ryder is my shero and so naturally you know I was screaming DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK in my mind (because I too am bat shit) every time she was on screen. Again, I am a sucker for dancing films, and yes the dancing was beautiful and believable that these girls are ballerinas but what I appreciate even more then that was that these girls are not ballerinas...they are actors. Dedicated ones. Determined ones. I appreciate the hell out of that. (side eyes the cast of How Do You Know)

I don't want to give anything away because it is a movie you get into whether you want too or not. I'm not going to lie I was confused as all hell but it all came together in the end...i think...maybe?? I'm actually going to stop thinking about it because now my head hurts. However, I wouldn't be mad at all if Natalie gets the Oscar nom for this role. I mean I felt it was kind of one-note ( director : be crazy!) but that doesn't mean she wasn't believable. I now no longer trust ballerinas but that's just a Tasha thing, I'll get over it.

More so then the performances, I believe the Director deserves a lot of praise. It takes a vision to take a script and make it come to life, which no doubt is difficult. And I'm certain he was on his actors ass to get every scene right. I'm not trying to suck Aronofsky's toes or anything but I like his work and his style. It was dark, it was eery, you got into Natalies mind without ever getting into her mind. Meaning, you dont' actually know what's wrong with her but you believe she is disturb. It had it's shocking scenes...a disturbing masturbation scene, a crazy lesbian scene, a lot of inappropriate touching scenes but whatever. I think I'm disturb because I laughed at a lot of scenes nobody else was laughing at??  I love movies like that! Yes bad things happen but that doesn't mean laughter doesn't.  It was good and I'd see it again.

9/10 for being riskayyyeeee

The Tourist: Review

Directed by Florian Heckel von Donnersmarck. Starring Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, and Timothy Dalton.

Ok so check out my review of the trailer for this film back in September...or whenever the hell it was.

I stan for Angelina Jolie. That said. This was not a great work of art. Well, it was a work of art that was great as far as scenery and capturing the beauty of Venice. It didn't have the action and suspense I thought it would have, but it was nicely done. I felt like it was a more realistic action spy movie. Of course Johnny Depp isn't going to pull any Daniel Craig type shit. And Angelina herself just plays an attractive woman caught up in some shit. It wasn't over the top, which for many of her fans was a disappointment. I wanted to see her kick some ass because that's the Jolie I fell in stalking with came to appreciate in her films.

Jolie is being closely watched by the government, and a hot Paul Bettany, when she has to throw them off by seeking a random tourist to portray her accomplice. She chooses Johnny! He of course falls for her and ends up getting in to much more then he bargains for. I get why Johnny's character would fall for Jolie's but in this film, I don't get why she would fall for him? He's a dopey english teacher and she's a hot whatever she is. But that's film for ya! I was right about one thing...there was a queer twist...you're partially retarded if you don't catch what it is halfway through the film though. Just FYI.

All in all it didn't suck, but it wasn't awesome either. I hope Johnny and Jolie work together on another project but I honestly don't see that happening.

8/10. Don't give me a side eye it was Angelina Jolie AND Johnny Depp!

Burlesque: Review

Directed by Steve Antin. Starring Cher, Christina Aquilera, Kristen Bell, Eric Dane, Cam Gigandet, Julianna Hough, Alan Cumming, Peter Gallagher, and Stanley Tucci :)

When I first saw the trailer for Burlesque I immediately thought FLOP FLOP FLOP, showgirls 2.0, weeeeakkkkk! But I actually enjoyed the film mostly because I'm a sucker for dancing and singing and now BURLESQUE itself it kinda cool. I'm one of those people that see a film like this and go "I can do that, I can sooo do that! Why am I not doing that???!"

Now talk all the shit you want about Christina but we all know she can sing. Yes she sometimes does the most and it's not always necessary to sound like a bear coming out of hibernation, but when done right at the end of the day she still shits on your favorite singer. Can she act? The first 20 minutes of the film I was over it. As you know one of my movie pet peeves is singers thinking they can act and actors thinking they can sing. Sometimes it happens but most of the times it doesn't. I didn't ever feel sorry for Christina's character or emotionally connect with her...but the point was she can sing and that she did. Her vocals on "Bound to you" sold me on the film. She dances better then she acts by like .02% btw.

Cher was amazing but it's Cher. Ever since Mermaids I was a stan for Winona Ryder and Cher. Honestly though, if she wasn't in this film it would not have worked. Like the poster says...It takes a Legend to make a Star. I couldn't see anyone else playing these two parts and pulling it off. Unless you put Angelina Jolie as Cher and Me as Christina, and forget the burlesque...it's about her seducing brad and me seducing shia. *laughs evily* Just kidding guys.

I'm not going to even get into the storyline because it was boring...only see the film if you want to hear some songs and see some dancing and lose yourself in it. Harmless film but I could see myself owning it one day.

6/10 whoohoo!

How Do You Know: Review

Directed by James L. Brooks. Starring Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd!!!!, Owen Wilson, Jack Nicholson, and Kathryn Hahn.

Disclaimer: I saw this film by default. I was supposed to be seeing the latest Harry Potter installment but I refuse to sit in the first three rows -_- so How Do You Know it was...

A sucker for Paul Rudd and anything he is involved in.....Paul Rudd is everyone's boyfriend...this movie still sucked hard. I guess I get what it was going for?? A romantic comedy about white people and their problems gah. But usually I can take a film for what it is and just enjoy it. This however was not the case...

Reese Witherspoon plays an athlete on the down fall of her career. She's too old to play competitively and now must find a new passion in life. Owen Wilson plays a successful athlete who is full of himself but does actually care for Reese's character..in his own way. Paul Rudd!!!! plays a business guy who is being indicted and may lose everything, and Jack Nicholson plays his father.

The story line made sense but I honestly failed to connect with any of the characters. It was like all the actors played their characters how they wanted too without the director forcing them to do it the way he probably visioned it. It's hard to explain but I feel like each day they went to set and did their lines and went home. Nobody took the initiative to become their character or do more with the script then they absolutely had too for a check. My biggest pet peeve in the film was I failed to see how anyone fell in love with anyone! If this is how people fall in love well count me out! I rather be the old bitchy lady with a million dogs barking all night then have NO ROMANCE.

This was an extremely forgettable movie which sucks because it had such a potential cast. I don't blame the script or anything...I just think nobody actually tried in this film which pisses me off because I actually paid to see it! It's like I went to the teller and said "I'd like to see this movie but ehhhh I'll watch it for free." You think he gives a damn whether I want to pay or not! So Reese, Owen, Jack, and yes you too my boyfriend PAUL! I don't care if you want to act today or not...just do what the fuck you're supposed to do!

3/10 losers


Free Joke! How does Reese eat soup??? With her spoon! Ahahahahahahahah

No More Inferno for Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan will no longer be playing Linda Lovelace in her pornographic, violent and sometimes bestiality movie about her life Inferno.

Michael Wilder tells E!

"We are withdrawing our offer from Lindsay Lohan," Wilder says. "We are currently in negotiations [with another actress] and working out the legalities of bringing her onboard."

In fact, E! News will exclusively announce Monday which "amazing actress" is replacing Lohan as Lovelace.

Well it was bound to happen this way. Nobody was going to insure Lindsay to do the film in the first place. And they were supposed to start shooting months ago, but lohans trouble with rehab kept postponing that. You can't keep that many people out of work for that length of time. On the other hand, nobody is going to see this film without Lindsays name to it. Wasn't that kinda the whole point?

Personally, I'm glad Lindsay won't be making this shit film. This wasn't going to make her career any better? And I'm actually rooting for the town crackhead, so judge me if you must.

Lindsay,

Get sober and get right for the next few years. Then come back and slay the industry!

Sincerely, Tasha Dee

Also, unless Betty White is going to play Lovelace why are they even still going to make this film?


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