Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts

Thursday, April 14, 2016

10 Times Women Ruled The Box Office

Audiences and critics alike have been clamoring with more women-centric casts in movies. It's not that casts with a superior male cast are in the wrong. Their films have done well for the past 100 years of cinema. But there simply not just one type of hero's journey people want to see all the time.

From the Sony hack emails to the constant fight by industry insiders to get women in an equal position of power, it's not a secret that Hollywood struggles putting women in diverse movies and roles.

Since the beginning of film-making, women like men have proven their worth not only in money but versatility. From princesses to warriors, and in genres from comedies to action, leading women have racked in millions to almost billions of dollars in ticket sales.

Hollywood has plenty of talented actresses, directors, and writers "at their disposal". The issue isn't that they aren't available or that audiences don't want to see them or they aren't critically acclaimed. The big movie studios just don't think that women can pull in the box office numbers.

Here's the thing: They do.Countless films with complex female leads have been successful in terms of pleasing moviegoers, critics, and making good bucks. Taking a closer look at the numbers, here are ten examples when women ruled the box office.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Reasons I'm Excited for Captain America Civil War

Captain America Civil War Movie
Captain America: Civil War hits theaters in less than a month! Ya'll excited? Since he is my favorite Avenger, and overall superhero next to Batman, yes, I am!

This place will be in full red, white, and blue swing throughout April - you've been warned!

There are so many reasons why I can't wait for this epic showdown between Tony and Steve to go down. Here are just a few. Let's do this!

Sunday, March 20, 2016

5 Signs Your Favorite Character Might Die

From Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Pretty Little Liars to Lost and True Blood, a character's death is something all fans have experienced.

Episode after episode we tune into where our favorite hero or baddie is headed next, or we're interested in an extra floating around in the background. Our love and curiosity beckon us to ask: What will become of them?

Unfortunately, most of the time it's an inevitable death. One day a television show writer is playing Pin-A-Plot on a Character. An intriguing anti-hero or conflicted sidekick or mysterious henchman faces something more terrifying than the True Death, a machete, or a stray bullet: it's the stroke of a pen or a tapping of the keyboard. Through the power of Lady UnLuck and the writers' trying to drive us crazy, someone we love/love-to-hate has gotta say good-bye, au revoir, adiĆ³s, sayonara!

To save geeks some heartbreak, here are five signs our favorite characters might die. 

1. They Have an Opinion
A conflict arises. The good guys or baddies deliberate what to do next. Our favorite character suddenly has a minimal vote and gives an opinion. It lasts for more than one line of dialogue, gradually moves into logic reasoning and pleading for their voice to be heard. Oh my gosh, we realize: he or she walks, talks, is actually a human being and not an ignored extra. Well, they might as well not have spoken at all. They're not disposable but not immortal either. As they ride off into the sunset, the writers usually just wrote off their amazing storytelling potential.

2. They are Given a Monologue
Every once in a while our chosen favorite interacts with a main cast member. It may be to swap a joke or two. Until they suddenly have a monolog. We learn about how they were raised and if they were a single child, or how to load a weapon (before said character is hit with a 'stray' bullet'). For five minutes they may actually have a human-to-human connection with someone; we start shipping and thinking of meta, and is that the sound of canon? Next thing we know, all hell breaks loose - the bad guys invade the good guy's territories. Our favorite gets stranded in the wild to be pigeonholed into their demise. That monolog sends our feels into a tizzy and makes us wonder what could've been.

3. They Want to Contribute
The story is heading into a dark zone. Characters are threatened by outside forces or their own personal inner demons. A light's gotta come through their bleak future somehow. Enter our character, and he or she wants to contribute - they want to be a respite from emotional turmoil and create positivity in the collective miserable whole. ADIOS, happy helper. Thanks for your kindness and generosity, but no thanks - sadly, you're not gonna be around long enough to see how much you had an impact on your friend's journeys.

4. Their role is actually reduced
Very few and rare reasons call for a character's involvement to suddenly lessen. Some reasons include an actress is pregnant or a personal emergency for the actor arises. But also, there is just a plain and simple truth that the writers or actors lose interest. A character pops up time and time again. We may even know a thing or two about their actual personal history. But suddenly they'll re-emerge in a flash and do one or a combination of the things above. Try not to get too attached; the writers could just be setting us up for a dose of reality - nobody is safe.

5. Foreshadowing comes a knockin'
So our peeps are hanging out with the main crew. They speak their minds. They've had monologs. Their own arcs progress and they contribute to the progression of other arcs. Then we're watching an episode, and flashbacks are a central part of their story. It's like a whole episode is just for them.OUR DREAM COME TRUE. Then, we notice all the little details we've cataloged over the years coming back at full force. It's almost like a visual obituary of their time on the show, how the character's guilty conscience is trying to teach a lesson of reflection or change. Like a redeemed jerk or a good guy treading to the dark side (they have cookies after all). It's called foreshadowing. The pavement of their arc is gonna end at the edge of a cliff and the only thing we'll have left is Memory Lane. Good-bye awesome person. We love you.

*sobs wildly into the void where my beloved favorite characters have died*
The list is far too long.

Friday, March 4, 2016

Awful Movies I Watched for a Celebrity Crush

When we love a celebrity, we put ourselves through real endurance tests. Us fangirls (or boys) go through a few stages. We tumblr, binge on every film, tv shows, interview, and special event he or she has ever been apart of, gif every youtube video or movie our crush has ever made their glorious presence.

Which means in our pursuit of trailing hotness, we have sat through some real duds; some stinkers that no abundance of reasoning or bad reviews convinced us not to watch the thing. To watch or not to watch is not even a question that comes across our minds. We live to watch all the things. We will sit through the great and the downright horrible.

Script, character development, and wasting our time be damned - we have to see our faves with puppies, or wearing suits / period clothing / grandpa sweaters / taking care of babies / dating so we can vicariously live through the other character / attend weddings and imagine ourselves as the bride/groom / kicking ass and taking names in tight superhero outfits and so much more.

Like any fangirl I've had some favorite eye candy and survived some real flops. Here are 15 that make me question my devotion and praise my perseverance.

Sunday, January 10, 2016

8 Awesome Trailers to Pump Up For 2016

We have a whole new year of superhero battles, women kicking ass, forgetful fish, and fantastic beasts ahead of us.

Here are eight awesome movie trailers to pump us up for 2016! What are you looking forward to this year? Feel free to share in the comments!

Friday, January 8, 2016

10 Guy Movies I Proudly Survived

HALT: Is that misogyny I hear yander?
It's hard to believe in the 21st century that No Women Allowed clubs are still prevalent in the entertainment world. Sony hack emails revealed actresses being paid less than their male co-stars. Female cosplayers and video gamers are objectified. Female directors can't seem to break new ground in Hollywood. And according to a recent film critic, women shouldn't see an abrasive movie like The Revenant.

For the past year director Alejandro GonzƔlez IƱƔrritu's adaptation has gained media attention. The story ventures the early American west as a frontiersman Hugh Glass is left for dead by his crew after a crippling bear attack. It's centered on a father enacting revenge for his son's murder as he attempts to survive a harsh winter against Native Americans reclaiming what was stolen from them and violent, pillaging raping settlers. Due to the epic nature of its film-making, crew members walked off the project and brawls between actor and director broke out on-set. There's hunting, pillaging, blood and guts, rape, animal carcasses, and vengeance.

Friday, November 27, 2015

5 Favorite FRIENDS Thanksgiving Episodes

Halloween has its horror movie marathons. Christmas has it's A Christmas Story 24-hour takeover on TBS. And, Thanksgiving has to be all about Friends.

Perhaps the best moments of the gangs' dysfunctional friendships and mishaps came out around the holidays, just like all of us normal folk. One of my favorite ways to get into the holiday spirit is to watch their awkward and funny Thanksgiving episodes full of sisterly quarrels, secrets coming out of the closet, and the Gellar competition out in full swing. Hope you enjoy this post, the one with the Friends Thanksgiving Episodes! Which ones are your favorites? Feel free to share in the comments!


Sunday, September 13, 2015

Favorite Pixar Objects

Taking a stroll down Pixar lane, their animated creations have filled our childhoods with so many wonderful movies. When I think of their filmography over the years, it's hard to believe how they've turned ordinary objects into such beloved, popular characters.

Thinking about their movies lately made me wonder what objects stood out the most - not necessarily characters like Woody from Toy Story or the automobiles from Cars- but the extra little props they use which makes a huge impact on their story or are just plain neat to look at. It made me wonder what my favorite objects in Pixar movies are.Here are my top five! What are your favorites? Let me know in the comments below!


Sunday, August 30, 2015

10 Favorite Songs From The Walking Dead


One of the things I love most about The Walking Dead is the music. Originally composed scores by Bear McCreary, and songs by musicians like Sharon Von Etten, compliment some of the most gruesome scenes.  With intensity and pure suspense, his scores let us know when dangerous enemies are ready to attack, anti-heroes are holding onto their sanity, and the group is facing adversities ahead.

Sometimes it's difficult to listen to the songs on their own and not think of some of the more painful instances we lost a beloved character or an obstacle changed the course for the group's survival. The music itself is a character of the show, and I thought it was time to highlight ten of my favorite songs from The Walking Dead. (Spoilers ahead)

Thursday, August 27, 2015

14 Actors I'd Like to See on TCM Summer Under The Stars

Turner Classic Movie channel airs classic films from the inception of cinema to the early 1980s - uncut and commercial free. In August every day is dedicated to a unique movie star with a 24-hour marathon. August 1st may center around Vivien Leigh, August 2nd Elvis Presley, and so on.

My mother raised me with Classic Hollywood film, but mainstream entertainment is a passion too. It's nearly impossible to divide which era of Hollywood is favorable or better because I "live" in both worlds. This often brings up the question: which actors from today, or near-today's, film generation may be featured in the future.

Currently, TCM's selection of films revolves around old Hollywood with varying degrees of recent movies that earned recognition at the Academy Awards. As I grow older, I hope their collection expands including modern films which still upholds what it means to be a time-honored classic and is worthy enough to be on their programming. Tons of favorite actors I wish could be included on this list but that would make it miles long. To start off: here are 14 modern actors I'd like to see featured on a future TCM's Summer Under the Stars.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

6 Favorite Episodes from Seinfeld

To say my sister loves Seinfeld is an understatement. She is a buff who in every meaning of the word has catalogued in her mind exactly what happens in every episode and quoting them every single day. I could not grow up in my household without the show becoming a daily viewing in our living room. A sitcom created by Larry David has become one of the most popular shows in tv history. Turn on your old 'tube or talk to anyone about looking towards the cookie for racial resolutions, and chances are they know exactly what you are getting at.

Classic shows from eras gone by such as The Dick Van Dyke or I Love Lucy were the foundation of situation comedies; episodes centered around a challenge that the main character had to face somewhat farcically, if not with incredible timing and gimmicks. In the 90s a new kind of comedy was on the rise; audiences laughing about nothing.

Seinfeld was far from social issue storylines that often came to light on The Golden Girls in the eighties, or romantic flings of its modern NBC neighbor Friends (no criticism towards either show). There were puffy shirts, pretzels that made them thirsty, buffer zones from parents, and poisonous envelopes. One episode was devoted to the ensemble waiting to get a table at a restaurant. Another took place in a parking garage as the characters got lost, tried to find each other, and the car. It was a different kind of sitcom, and one that I think made so many other comedies and dramas follow in its footsteps.

Essentially, perhaps its biggest mark on television is that it was a show about nothing; four characters Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine who faced their jobs, broke up with dates left and right, and were simply friends talking and doing almost nadda, and yada yada yada. In honor of the 25th anniversary of Seinfeld, below are my favorite episodes.


"The Contest"
It was one of the most talked about episodes ever - and for good reason. George is found gratifying himself by his mother, causing herself to injure her back from the shock. Breaking the news to his friends, George declares to cease these personal practices, which brings upon a challenge for the four friends - to go a whole week without doing that, in so many words. Each character is faced with tempting partners making it hard to remain master of their domain. The contest of what the characters are challenging each other to go without is not exactly for mature audiences - their use of innuendos makes it one of the best written episodes where a show doesn't have to give everything away to be entertaining.

Favorite moment: Elaine describing her run-in with John F. Kennedy Jr.

"The Soup Nazi"
Jerry is stuck between a soup and a girlfriend when a local eatery starts selling the best soup in town. The chef is known as "the Soup Nazi" runs his over-the-counter shop with a string of harsh rules and restrictions - ones where the slightest alteration can have you banned. With his usual cheapness, George ends up alienating the owner while Kramer befriends him as only the gangling wanderer can. Elaine manages to take down the whole establishment when coming into the possession of the Soup Nazi's former antique armoire. The episode that has everyone repeating "NO SOUP FOR YOU" was actually based off a real cafe at the time.

Favorite moment: One potential customer deviates from the required ordering regiment

"The Subway"
 Seinfeld put itself on the map of making the best of everyday observations time and time again, and second to the next episode on this list, The Subway might be a good example. The gang rides a subway to different destinations, so its episode simply shows their hilarious separate adventures. Jerry makes friends with a nude Mets fan, George gets scammed by a thieving businesswoman, Elaine gets stuck on the way to a lesbian wedding, and Kramer cashes in on some serious horseracing. For an everyday task like riding the subway, this episode manages to be hilarious about something so ordinary.

Favorite Moment: Elaine rants as the crowded subway comes to a halt

"The Chinese Restaurant"
Seinfeld took the mundane and made it hilarious; who hasn't had a night out like this where all you want is something to eat and the problems just roll on in? On their way to a special screening of Plan 9 from Outerspace, everyone is desperate and hungry at the Chinese restaurant. The group (sans Kramer) are trying to get a table but it keeps taking five, ten minutes to be seated. So much comes to ahead with such a seemingly simple premise: Jerry recognizes a woman but can't remember her name, Elaine is absolutely starving for something to eat, and George is trying to get through to his girlfriend. Everything is not so easy just getting some Chinese food.

Favorite Moment: George loses his resolve with a civilized society

"The Marine Biologist"
George (a.k.a. Art Vandalay) always wished to play an architect, but when an old high school flame runs into Jerry, he is cast a marine biologist. This is the always job-hunting cheapskate George we're talking about here. Somehow he manages to pull it off - until a timely date on a beach blows his cover. Perhaps one of the best show monologues in history, is it a shame to say that I know the whole thing by heart? Jason Alexander's speech is superb and the added twist to his tale makes it all the more funny. Indeed, it is definitely "a hole in one" episode.

Favorite Moment: The final monologue

"The Opera"
Unbeknownst to both Elaine and Jerry they are dealing with the same psychopath. An unhinged old friend of Kramer and Jerry's has sworn to put the kibosh on them, while Elaine is dating the apparent threat. Going out for a night at a Pagliaci opera brings unfitting tuxedos from the closet, scalping for tickets, and oh yeah, Crazy Joe Davola. One of the best aspects Seinfeld was the talented selection of supporting actors they had who could take on characters like Joe, and make them funny, awkward, and peculiar as the main cast. Certainly his role is small but definitely one of their series' best mini-characters.

Favorite Moment: Elaine realizes she's dating someone a bit on the edge

Sunday, June 28, 2015

10 Highly Anticipated Movies for the Second Half of 2015

Minions
July 10th

The first half of the year has flown by, and a ton of movie releases went with it. We have another six months to go before we start all over again. Here are some of my picks for some highly anticipated movies for the second half of 2015. What are you looking forward to seeing last this year?

Saturday, February 14, 2015

5 Underrated Movie Couples Worthy of More Love

Sandy and Danny from Grease. Rhett and Scarlett from Gone with the Wind. Jack and Rose from Titanic. The list of all-time swoon-worthy movie couples can go on and on. Yet it could be said that the pairings mentioned here are also a little overrated? The cinderella virgin changes her image for the high school jock. Gazillionaire Rhett Butler tries buying his way into spoiled Scarlett's heart only to say to hell with it all. Jack saves Rose in more ways than one and they end up at the bottom of the ocean together (sobs). For every favorite romantic duo, there are plenty more that deserved to make more hearts ache. Which is why for this day of love, I compiled a small list of underrated couples that deserve more ja'dore.

Kat and Patrick - 10 Things I Hate About You
Head over heels Cameron Jones (Joseph Gordon Levitt) vies for the attention of the selfish popular Bianca, who can't date unless her "heinous bitch" sister Kat (Julia Stiles) does. Matching up her anti-social feminist behavior to a mysterious troublemaker Patrick (Heath Ledger), their personalities clash at first before inevitably "falling in hate" with each other.

Before tumblr and snarky teenage films, there was this retelling of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. I'm pretty sure in smaller circles this movie is appreciated more, but there comes a time when one has to recognize that there was once a sarcastic couple before the hipster-cool Juno or John Green novels. Because they didn't play by the rules but instead made their own, Pat and Kat are mostly deemed as nobody's going nowhere and shouldn't be messed with. Their mistaken public personas help them find their other half who is just as misunderstood and a bit on the aggressive side. They have a rebellious honesty that wasn't so uncool it made them cool - they just are.

Paula and Elliot - The Goodbye Girl 
Set in New York City, dancer Paula (Marsha Mason) and her ten year old daughter Lucy welcome an Off-Broadway actor Elliot (Richard Dreyfuss) into their apartment as a renter. He, a bohemian meditative artist, battles personality-wise against she, protective single mother who have had men come into their lives, their hearts, and BAM! - hit the road. Over time as they get on each others' nerves and eventually that annoyance turns into adoration, it's wonderful to see how a couple learn to trust each other - even when one of them has to venture out on his own.

Evelyn and Rick O Connell - The Mummy
Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) is a smartypants librarian, who with her swindler brother Jonathan journey out into the middle of nowhere with an American gunslinger Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser). She has backbone, beauty and brains. Rick has plenty of swagger, an inevitability of facing death everywhere he goes, and works a gun like Han Solo knew his way around the Millenium Falcon. Waking an immortal enemy from the dead doesn't leave time for many things yet they fall for each other and slowly venture off into the sunset.

Rick and Evy are truly one of the best adventure couples, not only for the first film The Mummy but its sequel The Mummy Returns. Ever imagine how Indiana Jones and Marion would continue their trysts across the desert had the series been released as it was meant to be (Raiders of the Lost Ark after Temple of Doom). Rick and Evy return to her native England married and with a young son in tow. Yet she is still as fiesty as ever, he is still an adventurer, and they manage to kick another Ancient Egyptian's villains ass. Am I swooning in jealousy? Yes. Yes, I am.

Rachel and Luce - Imagine Me and You
Everyone remembers Brokeback Mountain. And, with the stunning performances between Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, it's not hard to be mesmerized by such a heartbreaking film. Yet released the same year and with little to almost no recognition there was another beautiful romance film starring two female characters falling in love: Imagine Me and You.

Rachel (Piper Perabo) is getting is married to Hector (Matthew Goode), and on their wedding day when surprised by a visit of the charming florist Luce (Lena Headey), the new bride's heart and attention is captivated by the beautiful redhead. Over a course of accidental outings and a bonding friendship, Rachel discovers her nonstop thoughts about Luce is more than just than but a true infatuation. It's love. Sentimental, funny, and definitely overlooked, Rachel and Luceare a refreshing down-to-earth couple in sea of misguided rom-coms that unite not in the most usual way possible but one of the sweetest.


Megara and Hercules - Hercules
As a young boy, Hercules is captured on Mt. Olympus and falls to Earth becoming a mere mortal. Once he discovers his place is actually among the Greek Gods, Hercules has to earn back his immortality. But there's two little problems: Hades (God of the Underworld) aimed for Zeus and a fiesty hellcat Megara - the latter of which is quite bewitching.

This isn't your usual Disney flick of boy-saves-girl jazz. Megara isn't the usual Damsel in Distress succumbing to a poisoned apple, bewitched spinning wheel, or barbaric beast. She is fed up with love. Even when she finds herself musing about Hercules, she won't admit it. Hercules isn't a no-personality prince. Strength and voracity isn't how he tugs on her heartstrings. By facing death and falling in love, Megara and Hercules don't try to change each other or become consumed in an all-perfect romance. They still ride off into the sunset like all royal Disney couples....but their happy-ever-after finale isn't earned in the stereotypical way.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Best and Worst of 2014

It's hard to believe that 2014 is coming to an end and that this year did not afford a lot of viewings of new films. My watch count was an abysmal twenty-something. Of course with the Oscar season coming up there are some contenders that I've missed because they haven't been released yet, and maybe included in a separate list. The overall tally this year surprised me since I hit nearly all of the movies on my to-see list, and plenty just didn't leave a very lasting impression.

I'm gonna ask for forgiveness about the layout of this post. Maybe it's end-of-the-year laziness but this post just would not come together. Feel free to ask in the comments why I chose what I chose. Regardless, I hope you enjoy my personal picks of best and worst of 2014!

Favorite New Fandoms: 
50 Shades of Grey / The Fall
Gracepoint / The Strain

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

More Favorite Moments From The Office

May 16th 2013 is the day we all say goodbye to our friends at The Office, but we never have to say goodbye to the memories. After hitting my favorite episodes of the nine-year running sitcom, my brain started drilling up other moments of awkward brilliance I couldn't pass up. There's no doubt there are plenty more that could have been picked, and they'll never be forgotten either. Here are some more of my favorite moments. What are some of your favorite scenes, characters, or relationships in The Office? I'd love to hear your thoughts below!

Friday, May 10, 2013

Top 10 Favorite Episodes of The Office

For nine years The Office has graced Thursday nights on NBC. The show has had its hilarious moments, crazy relationships, and your usual office chaos like dysfunctional Christmas parties, fake fires, and conference room meetings about dementors from Harry Potter. Watching the show practically since the beginning, it's hard for me to realize that we'll be saying goodbye. Though the show had its ups and downs in terms of good or all right episodes, watching hell break loose at the Scranton branch has sadly come to its fond farewell too soon.

Just the other day I remember watching my first episode of Casino Night and being instantly hooked by the absurdity of this complete obtuse boss Michael Scott and his lesser delusional co-workers who encircle an entire sphere of idiosyncrasies. I thought it'd be fun to share my top ten favorite episodes. This list wasn't easy and churned up many more favorite moments you can catch in part two of this post. HUGE thanks to tumblr and dundermifflinscranton for all the images in this post! What are your favorite episodes of The Office? Enjoy and feel free to share your favorite episodes!