Weekly Update: Sliver Lining Review, New music, Acapulco

I've finally kicked the strange aliments that plagued me during last week. Now it's time for a recap of the week.

• I finally got to see Silver Linings Playbook. I've been anxious to see this movie, especially after all the nominations (8 Oscar nods including Best Picture) and wins thus far (Jennifer Lawrence won a Golden Globe). My expectations were high for this film. Maybe too high, cause when I left the theater, I was just fine with the movie. Just fine. I didn't feel anything. I knew I watched a solid Romantic Comedy, but I didn't feel like I had watched an Oscar Nominated Romantic Comedy. The performances were fine. The story was good. Again, it was a solid movie. But, I'm unsure if it deserves the Oscar love it's getting. Maybe a second watching would yield a different feeling within, but, to be honest, I don't really want to watch it again. 
• Lance Armstrong admitted to doping. Lol. Yes, I find this funny.
• American Horror Story: Asylum once again delivered a fast paced wonderful episode. Only 1 episode remains, and I am on the edge of my seat. I'm still waiting/hoping that this last episode will give a connection to season 1. 
• Justin Timberlake and Ashlee Simpson both returned to the music scene this week. JT gave us a new single, Suit & Tie that kinda bored me and Ashlee gave us a full music video for her single Bat for a Heart. It is weird, but I almost like it. 

• In the funniest news (to me): Gossip Girl lives! in Acapulco. Yes, Gossip Girl: Acapulco is real. I'm gonna learn spanish just to watch! Here's a 5 minute teaser. Oh my, did it make me laugh. 

 

Addition to my films you should have seen in 2012....

Once upon a time I heard of the flick Butter which was being filmed in my current living location of Shreveport, LA. At the time I was totally stoked for the film starring Jennifer Garner and Ty Burell (Modern Family). And then somehow this movie got lost. It didn't receive great reviews and spent a very limited time at the theater. Tonight I discovered the movie on Netflix Instant View and let me say, it was damn funny. I don't get the bad reviews, really, cause it was a wonderful dark comedy with exceptional performances by Jennifer Garner and the oh so attractive Olivia Wilde. So I am officially adding the film to my "films not enough people saw in 2012."
A. Olivia Wilde is wonderfully dirty and funny.
B. Jennifer Garner plays a role I feel she was destined to play; an uptight mid-western housewife with dreams of power.
Watch this movie with an open mind and be ready to laugh, cause all the ingredients are there. Especially if you enjoy dark humor. Hell, the movie is about butter carving. Can you get more obscure? 2 thumbs up for surprising me. I went into this film thinking it would suck, but alas, it made me laugh. What more could you ask for?

Hunger Games watched again....

So I watched Hunger Games again. First time through I was okay with the flick. I had read half the book and knew the general story line, so it was what is was. Now knowing that book 2 is soon to be released as movie 2, I'm way more intrigued. I have NO idea what is to come for Katniss or Peta, and I'm damned curious. However, the story reminds me of my favorite Stephen King novella "The Long Walk." I read that piece when I was a mere 20 years old and it has never left my thoughts, nor has my stomach churning changed. King's story is somewhat similar in the fact that the world watches as the youth fights for life. King's story far surpasses this first Hunger Games book, but I still look forward to how Hunger Games progresses.
Once upon a time, King's "The Long Walk" was optioned for a movie with Frank Darabont attached. But I've heard no more about that wonderful fantasy. Perhaps too good to be true? Maybe for me. What I love most about both these stories is the social commentary on our obsessive nature of reality TV. I'm a victim to such, so I call no one out on their secret love. My thought, my question is, how far will we go in our actual reality TV watching?
Would you watch a Katniss character try and kill others her age or a 12 yr. old boy walk so long and watch his friends drop dead beside him? I say, it's all a matter of time. We are but animals disguised in designer clothes and too expensive make up.

Why Not Mindy's top 10 movies that not enough people saw: 2012 edition

It's the end of the year and every publication from Entertainment Weekly to Hollywood Reporter are rehashing the best movies of 2012. We get it. Lincoln is good, Oscar worthy. Blah blah blah. The "great" movies of 2012 have huge amounts of promotional money which helps the general public become aware of what they are suppose to see. As a struggling artist/filmmaker, I feel for the little guy. The small budget movies or incorrectly marketed movies or 'sat on a studio shelf too long and so not enough people saw' movies all deserve to be seen. I set out to try and watch as many movies in the last two weeks. Yes, I got help from Independent publications that mentioned movies I'd never heard of, and I also spent a stupid amount of time watching trailers. My research was as thorough as I know it can be. There will not be long synopsis' about the movies, or a tedious breakdowns of why they are so good. This my opinion. I want you guys to have your own. Each movie has a link to IMDB. You can find details there or even watch the trailer. That is that.
So...
Here it is:
The Top 10 Movies That Not Enough People Saw: the 2012 Edition!

Christmas day movie: Les Miserables Why Not Mindy Thoughts NO SPOILERS, just thoughts.

Christmas day movie: Les Miserables. 
Christmas day movie sadness: Russell Crowe as Javert. Whom ever made that casting decision should be banned from all future castings. He did NOT fill that role and his voice was a tiny ant compared to what Javert should sound like. It was a travesty. Javert is a huge part of the movie, so you may know where I tend to lean on the like it or hate it scale.
Christmas day movie happiness: Anne Hathaway as Fantine in her gut-wrenching, one take performance of I Dreamed a Dreamed. 
Christmas day movie question: Why were the harmonies off? I'm no musical expert, but the voices didn't mesh. And Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, uh, tone down that vibrato, it's distracting, annoying, and doesn't fit.  

I watched the movie with two people who didn't know the musical. They both enjoyed the movie. In fact, one said they were 'enthralled.' So this is easily a case of 'the book is better', so to speak. 
Cause when I  listened to the Broadway Cast sing One Day More it brings tears to my eyes, but the movie version failed to move me, and I'm prone to crying. Hell, I cried during the excellently edited 6 minute promotional behind the scenes trailer.
I did drop a few tears during one moment: Empty Chairs at Empty Tables. And, well, I just always cry at that song, although that was Eddie Redmayne's (Marius) best performance. 
Hugh Jackman does his thing and does it pretty well. But not well enough to make the movie outstanding. 
Anne Hathaway deserves the Golden Globe nomination as well as the Oscar nod. 
That aside, the movie was beautifully lit and the costumes right on. And I loved the homages to the Broadway version. 
My anticipation had been building for 6 to 7 months. Perhaps that's too long to look forward to something. When we build anything up to high, it has no where to go but fall.

Question/Thought of Tuesday day: Will you see this?

I have to know: What do you think of the new trailer for The Canyons?  The music makes me happy in that ole time campy movie way. The subject intrigues me. The actress, dear, downward spiraling Lindsay Lohan, the girl that makes me route for her uprising and demand her downfall in the same thought. The actor: a pretty porn star, James Deen. Oh, and Bret Easton Ellis the writer.
Watch the trailer: will you see this in theaters or wait for DVD or even never ever see it?
watch below
Or CLICK HERE FOR BIG PRETTY PICTURE 

 

Weekend Movie Review : Skyfall right into visual orgasms

The box office doesn't lie (sometimes, it does), the latest edition into the iconic 007 movies is worth the money and time. $87.8 million domestically. Running at 2 1/2 hours, I never once squirmed in my chair. I was totally enthralled in great storytelling. Skyfall takes us

TV, Movie, LIfe Quick Shots

The 4th is over and I haven't posted in approximately 14 years. I think there is much to cover.
TV QUICK SHOT
-  So You Think You Can Dance is gonna be a good season. Excited.
-  Mtv's Awkward. is back. Still loving it. 
-  True Blood is making me all anxious. 
-  Newsroom is Sorkin at his best. Never expected to like it. But I do. 
-  Guilty pleasures like The Glee Project and Pretty Little Liars are rocking as much as ever. No complaints. 
-  Big Brother. I miss you. I'm very excited for your return to my living room 3 times a week. (I have no idea how I'll find the time, but where there's a will there is a way.) Btw, anybody tried to watch the copy cat version on ABC, Glass House? hahahaha. 
-  Special mention to Bunheads. It's like having a spin off of Gilmore Girls, which in turn has been filling this missing hole in my heart. Thank you Amy Sherman-Palladino for bringing small town, quick wit, and fast dialogue back to me in a soapy heart filled explosion of happy. 


MOVIE QUICK SHOT
- The Amazing Spider-Man was in fact amazing. The chemistry between the two leads is palpable. And Andrew Garfield OWNS this new Spidey character. Go see it IMAX 3D, because it is pure entertainment. It's what everyone should expect when watching a 3D movie or an IMAX movie. 
-  Ted. Oh Ted. It only took 1 minute into the movie before I laughed loud enough to surely annoy a theater patron. I didn't care, cause my laughs were plentiful and hearty. Mark Wahlberg shines in his best intentional comedic role. Seth MacFarlane is genius in his feature directorial debut and as the teddy bear himself. Give this man an Oscar for funny.
- Avengers! It may have been a bit ago, but damn that was a fun movie. 
- Moonrise Kingdom. Wes Anderson doing what Wes does best. He exists in bubble of genius that cannot be touched or duplicated by others. If you have liked/loved any Wes Anderson film, you'll surely enjoy this one too.
- Prometheus. I really liked this movie. It kept me on edge and curious about everything as I tried to link it all to the Alien movies. I'm not a Sci-Fi fan, but this movie, like Alien, this is top notch.
- I took my husband to go see Rock of Ages.
He and I had both seen the show on Broadway and Loved it! It was one of the most fun and exciting theater experiences I have ever had. 
The movie....well, it sucked. It was boring. Julianne Hough should never sing in my ear range ever again. 
The movie had some happy moments, but mostly it was disjointed and boring. Go see the stage experience and leave this "movie" version to rot away into oblivion. 
Last time I was this disappointment was when I watched the remake of Fame or any Katherine Heigl movie.

I have yet to see Magic Mike. But patients. I will. It's filled with hot men dancing and taking their clothes off. I WILL SEE THAT. I'm just waiting for the the theater to be less full. I don't want too much hormonal estrogen floating around. 

LIFE QUICK SHOT
Rob is on the final days of color correction and audio mixing our latest Bledska Works Production, "I'm Sorry For..." The rough cut is due Monday the 9th for the Louisiana Film Prize. We are hoping to picked into the top 20. If so, the short will play at the Festival October 5-7. If we win, that would be 50k in our pocket. Fingers crossed and prayers launched. And that is our life right now. Smartly so, cause 50K can change a life. 
 

Best/Worst Movies 2011: The Mindy Edition

As it has been read throughout this blog, I love movies. I watch alot of movies. I write screenplays. I daydream that my life is a movie. So, it should be no surprise that I have tons to say about the 2011 movie year. 
To start with, my tiny anger/pet peeve: the movies that I don't have access to. You know what I'm talking about. Those small movies that are released on Decemeber 29 but to only two theaters in America. Of course those theaters aren't in Shreveport, so I'm left alone, crying, b/c some Entertainment Weekly writer gets to see the films and write their reviews and I'm left stranded in the Port wondering if the movies will ever make it here.
That's my sad story. 
So, for 2011 here are the movies I feel that I've missed. 

1. The Iron Lady
2. Martha Marcy May Marlene (which actually showed in Shreveport, but while I was out of town!!!!)
3. Pariah
4. We need to Talk about Kevin
5. Shame
6. The Artist
7. Carnage
8. A Dangerous Method


Only 8 movies, so, not too bad. 
Obviously, those movies will be excluded from my list. 
And I'm only doing top 5 and worst 5. This was a hard task for me. It was a good year in movies. 



Best Movies
1. Drive
2. The Descendants
3. Young Adult
4. Midnight in Paris
5. Bridesmaids

My top movies all have 1 thing in common: re-watchablity!

Worst Movies
1. Shark Night 3D
2. Hangover II
3. In Time
4. Immortals
5. How Do You Know (technically, I think this film came out in 2010, but I saw it in 2011 so in my mind it counts. If you ask me about this movie, you will literally see rage leak from my ears.)


Mindy's Most Conflicted (these are movies that are suppose to be great, but left me blah.)
1. Hugo
2. Tree of Life
3. Rango 
4. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher fans don't hate on me, I still love me some Fincher, I just thought this movie was fine. Not fantastic. Rooney Mara, yes. The film, just okay.)
5. Super 8

Extra note to my conflicted list:
*Moneyball - I liked this movie. I did. I thought Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, AND Phillip Seymour Hoffman did great acting jobs. It was a good film. Great? Mind blowing cinema? A film that changes the landscape of films? No. 


There you have it. Mindy's thoughts on the good and bad movies of 2011. 
What are your thoughts?
got any?
let me hear them!!!

1 day, 2 movies = 2 thumbs up

I miss double headers. Committing the whole day to a movie theater,  eating theater food (nachos!) and drinking too much soda while I flit from movie to movie; those were the days. 

However, Rob and I recently saw 2 movies in the same day! It wasn't really a double header cause we actually left the theater in between movies (he had some work and we have animals that need to potty). But damn, it was still fun especially cause we saw two good movies. 

The first was Mission Impossible 4 on the IMAX screen. This is such a "theater" movie. This movie should only exist in theaters. Bringing it down to your "home theater" is just wrong and indirectly abusive to the filmmakers. You just won't be experiencing the movie as it was intended! Which is in a Huge theater with a 1,000 story IMAX screen (I'm exaggerating). 
MI: 4 was such a fun roller coaster movie of action, wit, and Tom Cruise showing how amazingly well his body works at the age of 49! Say what you will about Tom, but when you enter the movie, let it go and just enjoy what that man has to offer: charisma, athletic prowess, and an ass made from the Greek Gods. He's perfect action, leading man material. All in all, the movie was down right fun. As my husband would say, "you don't order pizza and expect a steak." It is what it is.


The second movie of the day was Young Adult. Written by Diablo Cody and directed by Jason Reitman, which is the team that brought you Juno. Also, I just know that Diablo and I would make great friends. We would gossip about 90210 and the 80's and 90's while we drank too much and then we'd write a script about a murderous socialite named Bambie. *sigh*
Young Adult is a movie that will be highly overlooked because its too much like real life that it's uncomfortable. Everything about it was a direct juxtapose to my MI:4 experience, right down to theater size. Charlize Theron stars in what I say is her career best performance (yes, better than Monster) as the completely unlikeable character Mavis Gary. Diablo Cody has written such a beautifully complex female character that my insides seer with pure envy and jealously. And like real life, the movie ends with no real convenient wrap up. There is no forced character moment of self revelations that makes the audience comfortable with the choices the character has made during the previous 90 minutes. It just is. The movie is a wonderful voyeuristic viewing into a life of a mid western 30 something woman who is unhappy with her life and with herself. 
I don't want to give you a plot point analysis of this movie, I just want you all to see it. 

I will take the heat and just say, "I hated it."

Yes, I maybe the only person to say it, I hated Hugo. 
Rage against me, but hear my thoughts. 
In what is an ode to the original film making/filmmaker became a disjointedly long and boring film that is NOT for the young in heart or age. 
Earlier this year Woody Allen released Midnight in Paris, which is an ode to Paris and storytelling through literature. I smiled the entire movie. I left the theater feeling inspired and a need to create and write and move to Paris! It's a refreshing film. 
Hugo did none of this. It made me uncomfortably angry and bored. I ask those who have 'enjoyed' this film if you could actually sit through it again? Could you? COULD you really?
The first half of Hugo is about a boy who fixes clocks. Put me alone in a room with only the ticking of a clock and insanity will consume me. But, I digress. 
The last part of Hugo is about George Melies, one of the original film makers. 
How do the two halves combine? Um. Well, by a robot made of clock pieces that when wound up draws Melies' Trip to the Moon.
example here :

Also, Hugo takes place in Paris. And there's two kids and some dogs. And a train station. My discombobulated sentences and thoughts mirror that of the movie. Hugo was masturbatory and pretentious and again, Boring. I can't imagine a kid actually sitting through this PG rated movie. I could hardly sit through this movie and I LOVE films!


Have you ever been in an Art class room setting where the professor loves an advance student's piece of work so much, but you don't understand the brilliance or beauty what so ever? But, the professor goes on and on about this student's work as a whole, but not about the actual piece that sits in front of you. 
This is how I feel. Reviews about Hugo honor Scorese for his ode to film preservation through 3D and other technical aspects. But I ask this, "Where's the interesting story that moves each scene along and keeps me fascinated by character's choices?"
I mentioned Allen's Midnight in Paris earlier because I think these two film's should be compared to each other for the sole reason that they are both in honor of storytelling; one in literature, one in film.
I believe Allen far exceeded Scorese. 
And I make this statement, "If Hugo wins Best Picture at the Academy Awards, I will Never Ever watch or believe in the merit of the Academy."  
Hugo isn't a bad technical piece of movie making. No. It shows advances, like that of Melies.
I always ask myself, " In ten years, will this movie live up to the hype? Will it still be great? Will it still move me?"
I answered NO. 
Midnight in Paris will be available on DVD December 20. Save your money and just go buy that DVD, I promise that you'll have more fun.  
 

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly..........Mindy's movie info.

The Good?

The very long awaited trailer for Cabin in the Woods. I've anxiously been awaiting this movie and I have no idea what has taken so long for release, but by God, I'm happy it's near. (release date is April 2012).
Written by the Genius minds of Joss Wheadon (Buffy!!!) and Drew Goddard (Buffy, Angel, Lost) this movie is sure to be unabashedly Awesome.
Watch the trailer. Also, watch the WHOLE trailer. This is NOT your typical dumb horror movie.

The Bad?

It's December. Oscar movies are making the rounds. Great movies are just waiting to be seen, such as: My Week with Marilyn, Young Adult, A Dangerous Method, The Artist, The Descendants, We Need to Talk about Kevin, Shame.
What's playing at my local cineplex? None of the above. I've had a little free time, but have I gone to the theater? NO. Why? Cause I don't want to see family friendly happy holidays penguins vampires sitting on New Year's Eve part 2. Disappointment abounds. 

The Ugly?

Some nitwit has decided because of Occupy Wall Street that it's a great idea to remake American Psycho and set it in present day. Yes, you read that sentence correctly. Oh! And for the microbudget of $2 million. I can already say it will suck. Stop fucking with Classics! I don't see painter's re-making the Mona Lisa. Studio's should stop. Become original. Hire new people. Like me :)
 

2 movie Review

My husband and I finally made it back to the theater for a movie. We usually see at least 1 movie a week, but life got busy and we hadn't been to the theater in a month :(  
We made it back, but we were not pleased. Our mistake was seeing  
In Time. We were both intrigued by the concept of the film so it seemed like a no brainer. If you are unfamiliar with the concept, here it is.....
Everyone is genetically engineered to stop aging at 25. From the moment they turn 25 they start living on time, literally. They get paid in time, they purchase things with time, etc. The "time" is shown in pretty green neon on the forearm of each person.

That's the concept. Pretty cool, right? Well, everything got lost in translation cause this movie was a freaking, unimaginative BORE!!!
I would not recommend this movie. It might be worth a viewing if it accidentally appeared in your DVD player and you didn't in any way actually pay any money. That way, the movie will only be sucking your time and not your pocketbook. (I had to have at least 1 time suckage pun!)  Final: 2 thumbs down. 


Second movie of the week was Melancholia.  I have been uber excited about this trailer for months. I am happy I got to see the film, but I don't know how I feel about the film. It's definitely an art house movie with it's 5 minute opening of extreme slow motion shots. Granted, these shots are beautiful. The cinematography is breath taking. But, the story? Slow. Muffled. Sad. Oddly intriguing. Is it worthy of Oscar buzz? Perhaps. I wouldn't be surprised. But, I'm sure I'll have a lot to say on Oscar buzz once I've seen more contenders.
And that's that. I can't seem to force myself to say anything more about the movie. Oh, wait....I LOVED the score. Haunting pieces of music. 

 

Oscar Contender and Marilyn Monroe :)

I have strong hunches that say Michelle Williams will be nominated for her role as Marilyn Monroe in the new flick My Week with Marilyn. The Academy tends to love biopic films. I also think Leo DiCaprio will be nominated for his turn as J.Edgar.
Yes, I'm excited for both films.
And, both films should be at your local Cineplex by month's end!

Check out the trailers!
Better quality Marilyn click here 

And for a better quality J.Edgar click here 

Trailer for viewing

I've been fascinated by this trailer for months now. This movie seems oddly wonderful and intriguing. I do hope I get to see it in theaters.  Could it be an Oscar possibility?  Not sure, but Kirsten Dunst did win best actress at Cannes. We'll see....
 In the mean time. Watch this trailer.
If you'd like a better quality click here 
If not, watch the one below.

Passing the Torch. A Momentous Occasion. A Legacy Lives On.

When I was a kid I loved, loved, loved the movie Flashdance. Don't judge. I didn't really know what it was about. I only knew there was some dancing and ice skating and amazing music. It wasn't until my late teens that I really discovered what that movie was about. It was a big "oooohhhh" moment. Ignorance was bliss. My parents never told me anything was wrong with watching it and therefore, I never believed anything was wrong with it. Bless my parents for that freedom.
As the years progressed and my love of movies grew, Flashdance has always stayed dear to me, especially the opening. Wow. What a beautifully shot opening number. Sometimes, when I'm down, or need a jolt of inspiration, I watch that opening scene. 
As I have stated, I'm currently in California visiting my sister, her hubby, and my niece, Kaylen. Well, Kaylen and I were alone one glorious afternoon when Flashdance came on TV. 
I thought to myself, "I know Kaylen is only 8 months old, but I'm all alone and I love this opening and how awesome would it be to tell Kaylen years and years later that I showed her one of my favorite cinematic openings? I've got to pass the torch of Flashdance love!"
So, with Kaylen on my lap, we watched the first 5 minutes together, mouths agape. 
After that I decided that I needed to have a photo shoot with Kaylen. Kind of an ode to Flashdance. 
One day, she'll laugh and love me for this. 

Oscar buzzing season approaches....You should watch this Trailer

After my love of Fall TV comes my other love, Oscar season movies. It seems that the Oscar movies always come out in late fall early winter time. 
I go to the theater often, but this time of the year I tend to go more often. I like the idea of having seen all Oscar nominated films. It's happened only two times in my decade long affair. There's always that one movie that gets nominated that was only released in that one art house theater in New York (damn you!). 
This year, again, I'm determined to see all the movies I think will be nominated. At the top of my list is Alexander Payne's The Descendants, starring George Clooney. 
Payne is a lovely writer/director, an inspiration to me really. I'd eventually like to model my career after his (here's hoping I get a career!). 
If you are unfamiliar with him, then check him out here.
I have high hopes for The Descendants. 
I feel some nominations coming its way. 
Check out the trailer....
And stay tuned for more potential Oscar movies buzz :)

Drive. (Oh you can drive me anywhere!)

This movie wins. Ryan Gosling is a God. A toothpick has never been so sexy. (You'll understand when you see the movie). And if you haven't seen this movie, shame on you. GO!

This beautiful masterpiece delivers on suspense, sexuality without overtness, character, and some thrills. Plus, the score/soundtrack is pure perfection. It reminded me of a throw back to early 90's movies. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, a foreigner. So naturally, he takes a script (based on a book) and presents a story with slow, perfect precision. It's been a while since I've seen a main character with so few lines. Hands down, directed and acted superbly. And that poster?!! Yum. 5 stars *****

Thoughts from a Couch

This isn't my couch. But it should be. In everyone's imagination, I'd seem smarter ranting on and on if I were to be pictured on this couch. It's a therapeutic couch with perfect lines that just beg for secrets. Plus, it's yellow. Yellow is equated with happy and I'm striving for that ;)

I spend a ridiculous amount of time online and watching TV. I shall not feel guilty anymore. I want to share. Thusly (i'm not sure that's a word, but it sounds good) I'm beginning...

Why Not Mindy

It's a play on words to help myself do something  and for any readers to ponder, Why Not Try Mindy's advice on clothes, TV, movies and occasionally, but really very rarely, world problems. (Yes, I think leopard print should be banned all over the world for at least 5 years.)

Stay tuned for my Fall TV reviews...