Stars I Love: Nicole Kidman

Since I was a teenager head over heels for Moulin Rouge, Nicole Kidman has always been a star that I've loved. Known for her eccentric, classy red carpet style and longstanding career, she's never been far from the limelight or committing to various projects.

From a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination in Lion to her praise-worthy performance in HBO's Big Little Lies,  and festival support for Sofia Coppola's remake The Beguiled, 2017 has been quite a fabulous year for the acclaimed actress. Since today is her birthday and has been on my fangirl heart lately, it's time to rave about the Australian native.

The Arrangement (2017) Season 1 Review

When we're getting ready for summer or going on a vacation, we usually take along a trashy book to read to kick back and relax. E! channel's tabloidesque drama The Arrangement is a tv-version of those addictive pageturners, and its simple cheesiness has me hooked.

Aspiring actress Megan Morrison (Christine Evangelista) auditions for a lead role in a Jason-Bourne-esque action flick starring opposite A-List hunk Kyle West (Josh Henderson). Their sizzling chemistry-at-first-sight inspires his team to present a $10 million marriage contract, which includes West's close ties to his self-help guru Terence Anderson (Michael Vartan) and his Institute of the Higher Mind. Acting more like a Big Brother cult than a competent health-based center, the new couple is quickly challenged by IHM's control and the minutiae of living in the public eye.

E! channel touting their original series as similar to Fifty Shades of Grey might not be the right foot to start off with, especially for those who don't like the E.L. James' novels or films. The two general premises have a lot of common both in the worst and best way. For the former, The Arrangement features a general contract, the tacky dialogue, and silly side-plots. For the latter, it has luxurious production design and the actors do the best with what they're given.

Thankfully unlike Fifty Shades's Ana and Christian, this duo has a lot of issues to deal with, and none of them come close to abusive behavior passed off as "BDSM" or inner goddesses. Problems from Morrison's disturbing past comes back to haunt the contract's "morality clause" as she tries to navigate this crazier side of Hollywood, while West struggles with superficiality versus authenticity as a person and an actor. Standing in the middle of their relationship is IHM, which she doesn't fully trust, and ultimately creates the creepy suspense around this fantastical 'romance' and the cult-like organization West is fully involved in.

Most of us know Hollywood isn't perfect because scandals slip through the cracks all the time. One of the series's biggest sources of highly-theorized inspiration was  Katie Holme's marriage to Tom Cruise and the influence of Scientology which led to its demise. The show coyly cashes in not on how actors market and brand themselves but which all-seeing, all-knowing Powers That Be wield its power over Tinseltown. With humor (intentional or otherwise), a flair for drama, and suspense, it takes what we think we know of the entertainment industry - feuds, deals falling apart, scandals created for publicity or to cover up other juicier scandals, Scientology - and leaves us wondering what actually goes on behind the scenes.

A big reason why this show works is its leading lady Christine Evangelista and her compelling performance in every episode. Realistically, her character is too easily influenced to just sign her life away because West is good in the sheets. Her career needs a serious upgrade and she has the talent to go far, so when the opportunity presents itself (aka the money and hot guy), it seems like a good deal. Quickly, Morrison has to adjust to the convenience her new life brings - travel, wardrobe, a new boyfriend - and face the sacrifices she's made for a lack of privacy and the convenience IHM affords. This wild ride makes her question if her future is worth the expense of autonomy. Morrison's feisty, independent, and personable as hell, and Evangelista acts circles around the cheesy dialogue thrown at her. Both the actress and character are destined for stardom, and it's strange that her acting chops exceed what this show can be and also fits this particular bill. Henderson's West isn't given as much to do, but over time you can see why they were cast and make a convincing duo.

The Arrangement aims to be meta, and for the most part works, even if it's exceptionally corny and indulges in what we see through the grapevine online or at grocery stores. Evangelista and Henderson's chemistry is playful and fun, while the Institute's unethical operation delivers unexpected twists. If one would be looking to enjoy a show that doesn't take itself too seriously, sign on up for The Arrangement. It's a sweet deal.

Rating: ★★☆

Have you watched The Arrangement?

For Me and My Gal (1942); a splendid showcase for songstress Judy Garland

Directed by Busby Berkeley, known for his intricate choreography and majestic set pieces, creates a smaller-scale movie completely unattached to his typical extravaganzas. Recognized as a musical first, For Me And My Gal is also an underrated war movie. Fairly different from propaganda movies at the time, this film it didn't encourage joining the efforts or examining the effects of the military for veterans.

As a budding vaudevillian act, song and dance duo Jo Hayden (Judy Garland) and Henry Palmer (Gene Kelly) slowly fall in love as they tour the U.S.  in pursuit of making it to the big time. As World War I commences, and Palmer schemes his way to avoid the draft, breaking away from their dreams to perform at the front-lines threatens to tear them apart.

Released during a year where the most hailed film was Casablanca, this drama-musical subtly touches on showbiz and the war, and those who served their country or tried to evade service. Berkeley's change of film-making is well-done, going against what he was typically known for - he limited scenes, both dramatic and musical, to few camera angles; the score is buoyant and catchy, fitting into the era of vaudeville and "clowns with the baggy pants" for which the movie tributes itself to.

Earning top billing, Garland was twenty years old at the time and stuck by the studio powers-that-be to prove herself as a mature actress capable of more than slapstick or blooming romances. Just a year before, she starred as a teenager in Babes on Broadway alongside tween-pal Mickey Rooney, and wasn't yet the young woman swooning over her neighbor in Meet Me In St. Lous two years later. But Garland's range in song, dance, and acting can't be praised enough in making Hayden a mature, bubbly, and courageous character.

Hayden's primary romantic relationship may be with Palmer, but she also cares for her brother Danny, performing as a vaudeville star to put him through medical school. "No, I'm not good but I will be, someday," she says to Palmer, describing her own ambitions, which change after Danny enlists and she must sum up the courage to continue her dreams on a different path. The quiet moments when she is talking to him about his future, or seeing him leave for the frontlines, for perhaps the last time ever, offers a real weight to the film's war angle. It's not just a backdrop threatening to tear Hayden and Palmer apart, but something that affects her deeply. She might be the girl with a big voice, but Garland knew how to be subtle, both in breaking your heart and lifting your spirits.

The finest all-around performer we ever had in America was Judy Garland. There was no limit to her talent. She was the quickest, brightest person I ever worked with. - Gene Kelly

Unlike Hayden, Kelly's Palmer is harder to warm up to. As his screen debut, he delivers a good performance balancing an exuberant performer and self-absorbed opportunist. But his character isn't exactly someone to root for for Palmer. He over-exudes his ambition to be a big star, latching onto Hayden and admitting to treating her like a sap to leave her current troupe Jimmy Metcliffe (George Murphy) to be with him. For her own reasons, Hayden is head-over-heels for Palmer despite his  shady decision-making. There's a slight opportunity between Garland, Kelly, and Murphy for a bigger love triangle, but it's nixed halfway through to lengthen Palmer's attempts at redemption and reduce Murphy's presence. This is mostly due to script changes, where Hayden was originally was going to end up with "the nicest fella you'd ever meet" Jimmy. The shifts in the plot's tone creates a  conundrum of who you think she should end up with...

Garland, on her own has some beautiful sequences like in performing 'I Want a Beautiful Doll' alongside George Murphy, to a heartbreaking rendition of 'After You've Gone', and hamming it up for 'Down on the Farm'. As a pair, Garland and Kelly strut their collective talent in 'For Me and My Gal' and 'Ball in the Jack', and a few other charming numbers. In rightful measure, Kelly might be known as one of the greatest silver screen dancers ever, but Garland is arguably one of the many female stars who made you take notice of them almost more than their partners. It's a shame she never took notice of what a great triple threat she was.

Similar to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Garland and Kelly belong on screen together. Their chemistry matches perfectly, and arguably, this is the best-directed movie between the duo prior to critically-slammed The Pirate and entertaining but mismatched Summer Stock. Their shared exuberance and execution of songs and conflict might be due to the fact that Kelly was new in Hollywood and Garland took him under her wing. Their confidence, enthusiasm, and friendship jump from the screen. And as much as this puts Kelly on the map as his first feature film, Garland continued to prove her chops.

This post is my entry for Crystal's Judy Garland blogathon, where bloggers participated in celebrating Judy Garland's birthday on June 10th. She's my all-time favorite movie star, so it was a real treat to celebrate her in this way. Check out all of the amazing bloggers over at the official page here.

Mettel Ray Movie Alphabet Challenge

One of my favorite movie bloggers Mettel Ray just celebrated her seventh blogging anniversary. Reminiscing about how our favorites change over time, she rebooted one of her previous blogathons: My Movie Alphabet, where participants share their choice of favorite actors, movies, directors, etc.

I thought this would be so fun to participate in, but didn't know where my picks would lead. Classic Hollywood has been on my mind lately, but more modern movies and musicals squeezed their way in too. This was so much fun and helped me think out of the box, and I honestly could've kept this going over and over again. See any of your favorites below? What movies or actors would you put on your list? Feel free to give a shout-out in the comments! Be sure to head over to her blog to join!

Wonder Woman (2017) Is The Superhero Movie We've Been Waiting For

For decades, frustration mounted as Hollywood churned out franchises, reboots, and spin-offs for male superheroes while a comic book icon Wonder Woman was shelved. Sometimes it felt like her time would never come, but it's moments like this when we realize the anticipation, worry, and excitement was worth it. Everything had to align with the director, actors, and story, not so we could just get a female superhero movie just to have one, but because it needed to be good.

Thank the movie gods. Wonder Woman isn't just good, it's amazing.

No longer waiting on the sidelines, director Patty Jenkins dives into the origin story of the Amazonian goddess Diana Prince (Gal Gadot). As a daughter of Zeus molded out of clay, Prince was born on a paradise island Themyiscra populated by female warriors and hidden from the modern world. Though shielded from mankind's penchant for destruction, she trained for the day when another war would arise. When trouble swings by in the form of spy-pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) revealing humanity's fate in the midst of World War I, Prince departs from her homeland to put an end to the brutality.

Blending an origin fable and fish out of the water into an empowering warrior, Prince is the heroine of her story. Told through a splendid cast, deep well-rounded script, and sharp direction, Wonder Woman blazes a trail for superheroes and movies in general.

Leading the movie with ease, Gadot in the titular role is absolutely effervescent. It's not just the inspiring qualities her character possesses which makes her so damn lovable and invigorating, it's the actress's innate ability to be funny, endearing and bad-ass. Critics might point out her sheer beauty as an asset to play this icon, which she is, but her performance is everything Wonder Woman's reputation is based on: graceful, courageous, animated, and wise. As natural as it is for Chris Evans to don Captain America's shield or George Reeves to don Superman's cape, Gadot was made to wield the Lasso of Truth.

Her performance is aided by a glorious script which gifts Prince with the hero-myth treatment typically reserved for male protagonists of any genre. By her looks, personality, and prowess, she might be labeled as perfect, but Prince's beliefs grow and shift; she's confident as well as doubtful; her empathy is a virtue but a liability; she's human as much as she is a goddess. As much as we are obsessed with superheroes, their humanity makes them relatable. And to superheroes, humans are their way into understanding their purpose. Impressively, she journeys from a young girl holding onto glorified idea of combat to an idealist struggling to understand humans less-than-kind motivations, to a matured super warrior.  In the midst of such an ugly world filled with death and destruction, she is a source of love, sacrifice, and compassion as an agent of good. It's impossible to not walk away feeling like you've witnessed an incredible transformation. AKA THE FEELS.

In light of the ridiculous backlash to the women's only screening, and the complete ignorance that women and people who identify as women, in general, aren't as worthy as men, Wonder Woman is an acceptable example of feminism, and what it can look like in the world, especially movies. Equality is not the irrational idea of opportunities being taken advantage of at the expense of others; it's women and minorities moving into open spaces that are, by default, possessed by men. It's offering everyone the ability to identify with characters in all of their glory and flaws; who are fully dimensional and well-rounded; showing a woman can take the lead with confidence and not to feel belittled or others to feel less than; for a man to not always be in control. Though it definitely could've had more diverse representation, the legacy of the comic books and television series lives on, no doubt making women's dreams come true on the big screen.
Prince wouldn't be as impactful if it wasn't for the supporting players backing her up all the way, whether their screentime is limited or lengthy. For the former, Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright as mother and aunt, respectively, set Prince on her path of valor and warmth. They're protective, loving, and ruthlessly skilled in combat. For the latter, Pine as Trevor is aware he's there to support Gadot but also be her leading man, and melds wonderfully opposite Gadot. Their friendly banter grows seamlessly into a sweeping romance, building a perfection combination of ying-yang, head vs heart, cynical vs optimistic, but bonded in their resolve to do right in spite of unspeakable horrors. Prince might be holding the reigns, but she doesn't do it alone.

Wonder Woman, both the character and the movie, comes along at a time where inclusiveness is being lost to hate and putting 'the other' in their imaginary place at the bottom of the totem pole. It's the superhero movie we didn't just deserve, but wholeheartedly needed. Her kindness, strength, determination, and power is a symbol for everyone who identifies with their sheer humanity. The story itself has a great equal pace, drawing parallels to another origin film Captain America: The First Avenger, which encourages the little guy towards a destiny greater than himself; where their heroics have to find a balance to the evil some people are capable of. Mixing action, humor, and romance, Jenkins makes the superhero movie fun again, more focused on the adventure than dropping easter eggs and tying franchises together. Jenkin's tough, funny, smart, and powerful flick possesses the power to make us all heroes just like Diana Prince: compassionate, curious, brave, and bad-ass; to own who we are and to believe in each other. At the end of the day, we're all in this together.

Rating:★★★

Have you seen Wonder Woman?

What did you think?

MegaCon Orlando Celebrates Stan Lee On His Farewell Tour

The Man, the myth, the legend Stan Lee comes to MegaCon Orlando. The beloved comic book creator stopped by for an exclusive panel as part of his farewell tour for convention appearances. Sitting alongside Lee was his events co-ordinator Max, both of which took part in the panel to share stories of their adventures working together and answering fan questions.

His entrance into the conference room was electrifying. Everyone in attendance couldn't help but cheer the man who created so many of our favorite comic book characters. Afterwards, Max shares a brief story of Lee wanting to make a trip over to Universal Studios theme park Islands of Adventure, where there is a Marvel land featuring all of his creations, and the mishaps that went down. I apologize for the shakiness of the footage. It's hard to keep the camera steady when you're excited!
The panel was full of golden moments, and we almost never wanted it to end. He answered a lot of fan's questions (his favorite superhero is Spiderman) and what keeps him going in life at his age (breathing). Stan was as sharp as could be answering fans questions, which had us all in stitches. With the idea in mind that this debatable is one of his last appearance at a Florida convention, when an admirer asked what should fans do to uphold his legacy, Lee responded that he's never thought about it, doesn't matter to him, and sets the fans free to do what they want.

Lee starting out the panel with answering a fan's question, which ranged from what kind of advice Tony Stark would give at a college graduation ceremony to his love of movies and what inspired him to write. The chemistry and camaraderie between Lee and his manager Max kept the fans roaring with laughter to create a panel that will be as memorable as the Marvel creator's legacy.

Tom Wilson Brings the Laughs to MegaCon Orlando

Sometimes you attend a panel where you know you're going to attend it again and again. While MegaCon Orlando doled a lot of fantastic memories, I know I won't hesitate to attend a convention if Tom Wilson is on the b the ll for celebrity guest. He was simply put: fantastic.

Many fans will know him from the iconic Back to the Future, where he played three generations of Biff men in several different varieties from 1950s, to 2015, to 1800s.

He's responsible for a lot more than the love-to-hate villain of Robert Zemeckis's classic movie: he revolutionised the fast food industry. While talking about his earlier career in commercials before he made it as a huge star, starred in a commercial as a thirty and hungry construction worker who magically has a biscuit pop into his hands for lunch. Next time, you go to Wendys or Burger King, all hail Tom Wilson.

The panel started with Wilson giving the audience a stand-up routine instead of a normal or standard introduction of credits and how-are-yous. Singing a song and talking about his career, he told stories about acting, and mostly, the questions he often gets in panels to cut everything to the chase. Wilson had everyone in stitches. If you never believed in positive vibes, a Tom Wilson panel will do the trick. It's no wonder he looks exactly like Biff in 1988, just sporting a helmet of grey hair.

Brent Spiner & Rocky Horror Picture Show Cast are One Of A Kind at MegaCon Orlando

Thanks for tuning in for part two of my experience at MegaCon, one of the biggest conventions around. Here is part one of my MegaCon coverage if you want to take a look at some awesome cosplay. Today I'm sharing picture and videos of my experience attending the panels with Star Trek's Brent Spiner and The Rocky Horror Picture Show cast. Two more parts are coming soon to my MegaCon Orlando experience: Stan Lee and Back to the Future's Tom Wilson. Hope you enjoy!

MegaCon Orlando Offers Community to Cosplayers and Fans

MegaCon Orlando is one of the biggest pop culture conventions in the U.S. Growing stronger every year, the event draws over 100,000 fans from all over to the Orange County Convention Center in Florida for an epic weekend comics, gaming, sci-fi, and anime. Its location is the second biggest conference site in the U.S. next to McCormick Place in Chicago with miles of large auditoriums and showrooms the size of airplane hangars. Over the course of four days, attendees enjoy panels, photo ops, autographs, workshops, and a marketplace stocked with retailers, charities, and artists.

Armed with a shiny press badge, I was so proud and happy to cover the event. Thankfully, I've been to this site before with FanFest starring The Walking Dead so attending the convention wasn't too daunting. But there was so much to see and do in so little time.

Wonderful Artwork Celebrating Wonder Woman

The Wonder Woman movie is on its way. And if you haven't seen the trailer, but I know you have, right? RIGHT?! It's sparked bold, beautiful and kick-ass artwork across the web. Warner Bros Studios created a beautiful collection of submissions from all over the world. I like to do the same thing around here, so let's celebrate the new release with amazing fan art collected from talented and creative artists. All credit is given to their owners. Click on any image or the link underneath to see more work by the original creators. Like what you see? Feel free to share in the comments. Hope you enjoy!

5 Fictional Planets I'd Visit for a Summer Vacation

Who's looking to get away this summer? *raises hand* But staying on our planet isn't exactly what I have in mind. Unless you've been living under a rock, things have been pretty tense here on Earth. Which made me wonder how I could hyperdrive out of this mess. Last year, I held a dream vacation blog challenge, and that inspired me to think of maybe traveling to a galaxy or two, far, far away. Here are five planets I'd love to visit for a summer vacation.

If you could travel to another (or alternative) planet for a summer adventure, where would you go? Feel free to share in the comments! I'd love to read your picks.

Themyscira from Wonder Woman

Paradise Island isn't on another planet. It's technically located in modern-day Turkey, and for the new Wonder Woman movie, the production was inspired and set in Italy (another pick on my list is too below). Who wouldn't want to go to an exotic island filled with female warriors supporting each other and kicking ass? Could I get train-like-a-Greek-goddess vacation package, please?

Monstropolis from Monsters Inc

I'd love to take some time off from being a human and get scaley, maybe grow a few eyes, and legs. Making kids laugh or help capture the power of their laughter to keep Monstropolis's lights on, well count me in! There's also the possibility of being an exchange student at Monsters University too.

Gallifrey from Doctor Who

As aspiring companions and Doctors, I feel like we hear about Gallifrey so much but never actually visit the Doctor's home planet unless it involves some grave tragedy. I'd definitely love to spend time here, preferably before or long after the Last Great Time War against the Daleks to help defend or rebuild it.

Zootopia

Zootopia mixes different habitats ranging from meadows and the desert to jungle and arctic. Like the Hogwarts's sorting hat, I'd love to which kind of animal I'd be and if I could survive in the city. I always thought of my patronus as a duck, so I'd love to know what world Disney Studios would've come up with. But I'd definitely want to turn back into a human at the end of this experiment though.

Naboo from Star Wars

This is a fictional paradise if I ever saw one. I love the mixture of the meadows with the waterfalls, and Padme's palace is on the cusp of an ocean. I'd love to just drop by her digs and hang out for a few weeks. And, it's nice to know that this place kinda exists in our realm. Naboo's look was heavily inspired by Italy. So maybe one day I'll actually go there.

Star Trek: Discovery Trailer Reaction

Unlike the trailer reactions usually reserved for movies, CBS dropped a new teaser for the highly anticipated Star Trek spin-off that I just couldn't want to tap my keys about.

Set ten years before Kirk and Spock embarked on adventures across the galaxies, Trekkers will join Michelle Yeoh and Sonequa Martin-Green aboard Star Trek: Discovery this fall. Even a Vulcan would get the feels for this trailer. Here it is in full!

This sneak peak comes swiftly after a series of grueling announcements from networks cleaning house and canceling television shows. Studios are now trying to entice viewers with fresh content to fill the void of long-gone favorites. No doubt about it, this trailer has gotten me really excited for fall.

Discovery is a prequel to the initial Star Trek series, but the similar camaraderie between the Starfleet crew permeates across time and space. Longtime Captain Philippa Georgiou (Yeoh) gives First Officer Michael Burnham (Green) an opportunity helm U.S.S. Discovery when they're entangled with the Klingon Empire. They're faced with the tough decisions of how to maintain their humanity, keep the peace, or engage in an unwanted war.

The first of my feels, or probably all of them, are struck with seeing two women command the starship alongside the other eclectic personalities on the bridge. More cast members include Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter), Rainn Wilson (The Office), and Anthony Rapp (Rent),  Not that the series hasn't had a female captain before, but who gets tired of seeing women helping other women succeed? Star Trek has always centered on the human (and non-human) condition first, and adventures set against space second. Fascinating issues will likely arise between the different species, and how they co-exist.

Star Trek: Discovery's first season will be told in fifteen episodes. Showrunner Bryan Fuller said that each episode is a chapter, within each chapter will be a beginning, middle, and end.” The writing team has sturdy experience with the Trek universe so far, with a myriad of credits from Alex Kurtzman (Star Trek: Into Darkness) to Nicholas Meyer (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country).

What we know of the plot is that it's set in the Prime universe, closer to the original 1966 series instead of the Kelvin timeline for the recent movies starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. The appearance of Klingons have completely changed, not to mention that the production incorporates a lot of J.J. Abram's use of lens flare. Though Fuller's creation certainly has the technology to produce a budget-friendly production with impressive special effects, some fans might struggle to connect the dots of inspiration this tale is drawing from.

Details coming to light such as the starship's slick design, those iconic uniforms, and a new alien species which can sense death, hint that we're definitely in for an original expedition in a familiar era. With the story in mind and a unique cast of characters, it'll be fascinating to see what events link this prequel to the William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy starring game changer we know and love.

The first episode will premiere on CBS with all subsequent episodes becoming available on the channel's exclusive streaming service All Access. It will also be accompanied by a post-show called Talking Trek.

Are you guys ready to go boldly where Discovery voyages? What do you think?